Happy New Year

Yeah, know it is a little late, I have been really busy though. But here I am in the late hours of the night, unable to sleep again, so trying to play catch up with all my groups and blogging.

Okay, since the last posting, I finished up the pantry. Even sat down and made up menu plans for several weeks using only what I had on hand. Believe me that is a lot of food. This will be my first real test of it, as this is the first full week back after the holidays and the kids go back to school as well.

Now the really cool stuff. I used some of my Christmas money to buy me a really cool little digital camera so I can take photos of all the stuff I plan to make. It is an extensive list, a good portion of which is UFOs and PIGs but of course that is every quilter and crafter as well. I also bought this awesome rolling tote which was half off to put all my beads and embellishments in so that I have them in all in one place. Earlier in the year I would take some of my crazy quilting to work to embroidery on during lunch, but it never failed that I would get there with out needles, without floss, and so forth, even have a wonderful collection of items that a wonderful person gifted to me to help get me started and it is all in a shoe box. Okay a boot box, but still it needs to be where I can use it.

Now this week end I got started on clearing all the crap from my sewing desk so I can just get to my machines. So much dust on the poor baby's and they are just covered with copies of test, notes, homework assignments, mail, kids school papers, and photos. I did manage to get a good deal of it disposed or put up in a proper place. I had two big garbage sacks full that went to the dumpster along with a few Walmart bags full of papers as well. I hope to have it all cleared and able to actually sew by Wednesday.

I have to make time for the gym in there somewhere as well. Was so surprised that I actually lost some weight over the holidays. Of course having pneumonia for over a month had a little something to do with that. But hey, I will make sure it stays off and hopeful shed a lot more. A great deal more. If I keep really busy with the gym and sewing then I won't have time to keep up the emotional eating that I have a huge problem with. Not as bad as it was this time last year, but still creeps in from time to time.

I admit it, I bought fabric this weekend as well. I know I shouldn't have, I have a hundred tons of it stashed about the house, but I need to make a baby quilt for a gift and that was just quicker than trying to sort through the tubs of fabric at the moment. Besides, it is really great baby quilt fabric with purple fleece for the back and it was all on sale. I also bought some cotton yarn to make potholders out of.

I have joined a couple of swaps, am making myself adhere to a strict limit of them due to time considerations, and am really looking forward to them. Both are through a couple of my Yahoo groups. One is for a color on color swap of crazy quilt blocks. The whole block has to be done entirely in greens. It is not really a swap, it is a round robin. In other words, it will get passed along the list of names and everyone will add a little something special to the block for me, I will be adding a little something to everyone else's block as well. The second one is a potholder swap on a crochet group. This is a true swap and I will be sent one name and her info, then crochet from cotton yarn a potholder, send it to the name and they will send one to me as well. Oh goodness I can hardly wait to get started, even purchased what was needed to make my offerings, but will not let myself get started on any of it until I have that desk cleaned up. The projects are however, and all the others I have planned, HUGE incentives to get the cleaning done quickly.

Good thing about cleaning, I found some nice treasures was sure were lost forever today. Found some treasures that I was needing, but didn't know I had already gotten. Such is life though. Okay, allergy meds have kicked in and am now sleepy, also have gotten quite cold sitting here so it is time to get to bed and warm up with my fuzzy teddy bear (aka dear sweet hubby) so until I have more to post, here's hoping you have a truly blessed year to come.