Happy New Year!

Happy New Year from our family to yours!

Photo by Leann Marie Photography

I hope you and yours enjoyed a peaceful and healthy holiday season!  Unfortunately, our household was hit with that super nasty cold bug that seems to be making its way around., so the majority of our holiday break was spent in pajamas and warm socks, enjoying movies and hot beverages!  All in all, {coughing and stuffy noses aside} it actually was some great cozy family time.

As is usual, the start of the new year seems to be a time for reflection and to set goals for the upcoming year.  Last year, my word of the year was enjoy.  I was starting 2012 as a brand new mom and embarking on a brand new adventure as a homemaker.  While we did highly enjoy all the new adventures parenthood brought us, I think that some of my sewing goals that I had set for myself were a little too lofty.  Here's how I faired:

2012 Goals:

• Make a Christmas quilt for my family to snuggle under and enjoy.  I'm thinking maybe Swoon made with Kate Spain's Flurry collection - While I started this with the best of intentions, I rapidly lost steam, mostly because I just don't think this pattern is for me.  Don't get me wrong - I love all the Swoon quilts out there ... it just didn't fit what I had envisioned for my family once I got going.  My plan is to frog the few blocks I started and come up with a new plan.

• Finish my 2011 Designer Christmas BOM blocks ... all three sets ... and then actually sew them together into quilts - Well, out of 36 blocks, I only have 8 to finish.  If December had been a healthier month for our family, I might have finished.  Right now I'm trying to decide if I want to finish them now or start the new year with a blank wall.  I think the blank wall is winning ...

• Publish at least 12 patterns in 2012 - Well, at least I have one goal blown out of the water!  I managed to publish 16 patterns last year - phew!  I have to say that "Southern Belle" is still my favorite!

• Make a quilt for ME! - Yeah ... not even close!
• Make a quilt for the four (so far!) little souls coming into the world this year: one in April, one in June, and two in July! - Well, 3 outta 4 ain't bad, right?

• Finish the quilt I started for my mother-in-law TWO Christmases ago - This one never even made it out of it's box.  Oh well, maybe next year!
• Make a quilt for my sweet little cousin who is turning 16 this April!! -- Boy do I feel old!  When Aiden was born she was only one year old than I was when she was born!  Well, apparently, I'm a terrible cousin, because my little cousin turned 16 in April of 2011.  Duh. So, she doesn't know it yet, but she's getting a graduation quilt instead.  This one is all pieced and just needs to be quilted!
• Have some fun with some little projects like mug rugs and such - I definitely was able to sneak in a few little projects here and there
• Make some nice handmade Christmas gifts for friends and family Again, not even close!

All-in-all, we had a great year and I feel like I was able to be fairly productive, despite spending most of my waking hours chasing after our active little monkey.  I wish you the best for 2013.  Happy New Year!