Behold the projects in plastic bags!

The top shelf is fat quarters, half a yard cuts and full yards. There are also a couple of remnants I found at a local quilt shop that I fell in love with and just had to have as well as a layer cake and charm pack (strange names for packs of squares of fabric right? )! The bottom shelf is all the projects - including my Dad’s quilt, an apron for Alice, felt ornaments, fabric for a pillowcase for Jake and so much more. Several of my projects are super easy and could be done in a day - the apron and pillowcase for instance - so I plan on taking full advantage of my organization and getting my projects done!

I couldn’t resist putting al the projects into a plastic bin and look how neat it all looks! I have space for … well, just about whatever I want. I doubt I’ll use the empty space though, it looks neat the way that it is, plus it is easy to find the projects should I send one of the kids on a mission to get something for me.

Next up is my Dad’s quilt, I have to get that one done! I have everything I need to get it done and want to get it finished soon. It was supposed to be a Christmas gift so I feel bad that I didn’t finish in time, though I blame the sewing machine picking that moment to die.

I was featured on A Month of Stuff! The theme for December was crafting and there are a handful of others also featured for the month. Check out my post and if you enjoy it, please leave a comment!

I used to think I had a lot of fabric.

After folding the many fat quarters I have and organizing my quilting fabric, I have two shelves worth. I do have more fabric in one large rubbermaid container in the closet, but this is the stuff that’s been out and about in the room. I spent a few hours a few days ago cleaning up and reorganizing. I know I needed it when I was stamping the perpetual calendar and not finding tools I know I had! It was frustrating trying to work when it took me just as long to find what I needed to use!

The next step is to put the various projects into large zip lock bags. I don’t have too many for now so I’m thinking zip lock bags and then the bags into a larger bin or container. I have lots of empty containers so that’s ready to go.

Has the organizing bug hit you yet this year? I also went through all the kids clothes and threw away some that were in horrible shape and got a bag full for giveaway!

Here is the January page for the perpetual calendar. This is the first page I did and I really love how it turned out. I love the stamps I used, I love the colors, it is perfect. I used Bashful Blue and Brillant Blue ink pads, and The Snowflake Spot and Festive Favorites stamp sets. I love this snowflake stamp the most ~

because it looks like a quilt! I have several starquilts (sometimes called Lone Star but I’ve always just called them Star Quilts) that are this pattern!

I stamped the images first and then sponged ink around the edges of the page. I used a scrap paper to block off the dates and lines so no ink would get onto that area - but as you can see I did post a large snowflake on the lines.

Do you have a calendar you use every year? I’ve always wanted a birthday calendar which means there are no years associated with the calendar, it is just the months and days, so you can keep it longer then a year. I plan on making one for my Mom, for each of my brothers and for me. I’m not sure if I’ll make one for my Dad, we’ll just see how things go.

Technically I started this project in December - but it will be one I have finished in January! First project of the year and it’s done early in the month.

This is the perpetual calendar from Stampin Up. I’ve had four calendars for quite a while now and have wanted to get them done so I could send them to my family. Then a friend and I started talking about it and we dove right in! She made one but took it home already, I’m pretty sure she’ll post pictures on her blog so I’ll post her link when she does.

The cover is done using Berry Bliss paper, Purely Pomegranate Double Stitched Ribbon, Pretty In Pink grosgrain ribbon. You can get all of these items from a Stampin Up rep! I used a stamp for the “Birthday Wishes” and Marvy Uchida round scallop and round punches.

I love the cover and after taking the time to put it together so cute, realized you won’t even see the cover often, if at all. I haven’t finished all the months yet but will get them posted once I am done, January is first and will be up tomorrow!

Have you started - or finished! - a new project yet this year? Two days isn’t a lot of time though so no pressure.

Today was great - I finished reading a great book (Flight by Sherman Alexie - one of my favorite authors and a great read!), worked for a bit and watched a movie with the family. I also ran a couple of errands and came home to organized my craft room (even though I said organizing would wait LOL) and do some paper crafts for a bit. I didn’t do any sewing, but did find a lot of my sewing supplies and put everything together. I read a blog post yesterday (sorry I can’t find the link now!) where the author talked about what you did on New Years Day was going to spell out how your year went. I’ve always believed - or I have for over a decade - that whatever you were doing on New Years Eve was how your year was going to be. Last night we hung out as a family, watching movies and playing video games - and I think that would be great to spend the year doing that! Especially since much of 2008 was spent away from each other.

Then I read this blog post about resolutions and the reason (or at least one reason) they don’t work. The concept here boils down to picking a word and striving for that throughout the year. I’ve seen this before, last spring or summer, over on Ali Edwards blog (2008 post) and loved the idea. I remember wanting to remember the idea so I could pick a word for 2009. Oh here is Ali’s 2009 blog post! Definitely check out the ‘09 post for discounts on jewelry featuring the word you pick. What a great way to remind yourself if you happen to fall off track.

Do you set general or resolutions? I did set my crafty goals and also weight loss goals. I debated doing financial goals, but want to sit and redo our budget so while I will do them, they aren’t ready yet.

I’m working on my word for the year and plan on picking one by the end of the weekend.

Though I haven’t posted any new picture of what I’ve been crafting - December has been a very fun, craft filled month! I almost finished two quilts, started a third, made several cards, started a calendar project and did some embroidering. I’ll have pictures of everything coming up, I’m very excited about it all! I have a few projects started that are in various stages of complete (then again, isn’t that what crafting is all about?) and so many more ideas of what I want to do.

I wanted to set a few crafty goals for 2009. I don’t usually like to set resolutions and found that setting goals works out better. Plus more fun!

My Craft Goals for 2009

• Start a new project each month - I may not finish a quilt if I get it started, but at least it is started!
• Refresh my crocheting skills - I tried making a round washcloth and realize I never learned how to do round! I can make a baby blanket like a pro, but round? Nope! This is needed because Alice got the Creepy Cute Crochet book for Christmas and she can make a chain but that’s it. Someone needs to remember their skills before giving a gift, Santa.


photo credit: wolf0230

• Take lots of pictures and print them out - photography is a craft right?
• Start the time travel scrapbook - I’ve been wanting to start this for ages - we’ve moved so many times I just need to do it already!
• Make new stockings for my family - Mom and I had talked about this in the past and I’ve been meaning to remind her. If we do a couple a month we will have them all done by Christmas! Maybe I should get rid of my stockings to motivate myself?

There will probably be more projects I am interested in or techniques I want to try - but these ones are very important to me and I want to be sure I get them started and finished.

My Grandma’s Memorial service will be this fall and I have several projects I need to work on for that. My Mom and I are making I think a dozen blankets/quilts and of course those have to be finished. I may also be making shawls, I’ll have to talk to Mom about that plan. I’ve been cutting material for the blankets but haven’t sewn anything yet.

• For Grandma’s Memorial - figure out how large the quilt will be and sew at a minimum one row a week. I’m sure I’ll sew more once I get going.

Do you have crafty goals? I’d also like to get organized but that’s an ongoing thing and sometimes can cause stress, I’m not interested in that! We will be moving again in 2009 so the organization is inevitable.

Today I got my hair cut like this ~

Mariska Hartigay, Olivia on Law & Order SVU

picture copyright by someone else, not me.

I love having short hair. LOVE it. I cut my hair when I was around 18 and didn’t look back. Except that time when I was pregnant with Alice, my hair was past my shoulders then, and then now. Now it’s touching my shoulders and at the point where I can’t fix it at all and it’s really annoying me.

And it’s been a few years since I’ve had highlights. I blame the military. We have to move so often, I can’t find a hair stylist, or I find one I love and then they move. Or I move and then wait months to find a new one. I finally stopped someone in a store the other day and asked where she got hers cut so I could do something with mine.

And here are the results.

Close to Mariska’s? Close’ish.

Looking back on it I wonder how I’ll feel about the highlights being *so* blond? I was thinking more of a caramel color, which is what I’ll do next time! I do love the cut, it’s short but not super short. And the wings I can see in this pic are odd, but looked so good in person! Overall I’m very happy with the cut.

Oh and the salon! The haircut was $12. You read that right. I haven’t paid $12 for a cut in, geez I can’t even remember when! The highlights were more of course but not nearly what they would have been if we lived in South Carolina or Washington still. The stylist was so great too - I definitely look forward to going back to her again!