A Stitchin Chikin

Goals for 2007

2007-01-02T16:32:00.000-08:00

I posted this in my other blog, but since there's craft items involved, I thought I'd post it here as well.

These are not resolutions. Resolutions are made with the intention of breaking them. These are goals.

101 Things I'd Like to Accomplish In 2007:

Crafts:

1. "Hearts" for Dana. One and a half more rows of hearts to stitch, then I can mount and frame it.
2. Finish stitching "Dragonfly Happiness - #2"
3. Begin and finish stitching "Dragonfly Happiness - #3"
4. Mount, frame and mat all three Dragonfly Happiness pictures, and hang on my bedroom wall above the bed.
5. "Butterfly Initials" for Dana. I have to pick up some "Light Effects" embroidery thread, then I'd like to make a sort of picture quilt thingy instead of mounting and framing it.
6. Find and complete a cross stitch project for my mother-in-law for Christmas. Better start now.
7. Ditto for the father-in-law
8. and for my brother-in-law and his wife.
9. and my sister and brother-in-law.
10. Purchase one skein of embroidery thread in every color (just to have on hand) by DMC, more Q-Snaps frames, an OTTlight, and have a good supply of needles.
11. Make an everyday table cloth for my dining room table. Perhaps some matching/contrasting napkins to go with it...
12. If I'm feeling brave, I'd like to make some drapes for the living room and dining room.

Other Hobbies:

13. Improve my bowling average from last year. I have to end the season with an average more than 149.
14. Purchase a new ball, bag, and shoes.
15. Take the class at Metro State on Wine Tasting and Somalier Certification.
16. Increase my wine collection...in my NEW 30-BOTTLE WINE REFRIGERATOR!!!
17. Travel to Grand Junction for the fall bicycle tour through the vineyards and the Wine Festival
18. Cook something new out of either "The Joy of Cooking" or "How to Cook Everything" once a week.
19. Take a basic techniques class at Cook Street.
20. Obtain a great set of cooking knives.
21. Purchase a kick-ass set of pots and pans, and bakeware.
22. Stock the cupboards with a variety of spices.
23. Grow my own fresh herbs.
24. Plant flowers on the front patio in the Spring.

Social:

25. Make a point to get out with friends more often.
26. Host a dinner at our house on a regular basis.
27. Join a new group (religious, hobby, social, etc.) and make a new friend or two.
28. Take a public speaking class so I can be more comfortable in a crowd.
29. Accept and follow through with invitations.
30. Be a better listener.
31. Connect/reconnect with internet friends.
32. Go further with the phrase "let me know if you need anything...". Be more specific.

Health:

33. Continue with my dental plan.
34. Start my Invisalign braces program.
35. Go through with the dental implants once the braces have done the job.
36. SMILE MORE!
~~37. Meet with the gym's trainer and come up with a fitness plan.~~ met with trainer 1/3/07
38. LOSE 40 POUNDS! (for the record...starting weight 1/1/07 - 172 lbs.)
39. Prepare healthy meals.
~~41. Keep a food diary.~~ purchased journal 1/2/07
42. Run 2 days a week - Swim 2 days a week - Bike 2 days a week
43. Find a few 5k races to run
44. Compete in the Tri for the Cure sprint triathalon in August!
45. Try to run a marathon, even if its just on the treadmill :)

Family:

46. Take time to go to the mountains with Mom and Dad when they get here in May
47. Touch base with all three of the kids once a week.
48. Send care packages to Brett and Dana every other month.
49. Find a great summer vacation trip.
50. Talk to the kids more. Not about trivial everyday stuff, but get deep.
51. Take/collect pictures and arrange in albums.
52. Have breakfast/lunch with Rick and Lauri on a regular basis.
53. Make a point to call Mom and Dad once a month.
55. Reconnect with David and Christine and their families.
55. Check in with Show and Bea every week.
56. Reach out to relatives (Rich, Krystina, Lydia...etc...)
57. Be a better parent/daughter(-in-law)/sister/wife.

Arbonne:

58. Try to make the monthly minimum order from outside orders.
59. Make three new calls per day.
60. Attend monthly meetings.
61. Bring 2 new people to every "Discover Arbonne" meeting.
62. One Learn and Burn audio every day
63. Finish Arbonne University
64. Keep supplies on hand.
65. Try new products.
66. Read the annual Policies and Procedures manual, and understand the processes.
67. DM
68. AM
69. RVP

Professional:

70. Concentrate on the task at hand.
71. Make my bouandaries clear.
72. Follow through and communicate.
73. Find what I REALLY want to do with my life.
74. Take measures to obtain the proper training for #73.
75. Learn how to say "NO"

Organization:

76. Tackle the back porch, toss things we don't need, neatly put everything else in boxes.
77. Put thing where they belong instead of tossing on the nearest convenient surface.
78. Clean up while cooking
79. Get good kitchen organization tools (spice tins, shelves, etc...)
80. Reorganize the linen closet. Put things where they make the most sense to be.
81 Go through my closet and shelves and toss things that are broken or torn, and give what I don't use to charity.
82. Keep better records.
83. Go through the filing cabinet and shred old records.
84. Get a chest of drawers for my craft supplies.

Financial:
85. Set up a savings account.
86. Re-do my automatic deposit for 1/2 the bi-weekly deposit to go into checking and the other 1/2 to go into the new savings account.
87. Find ways to boost my credit rating.
88. Get the secured credit card I've been waiting to establish.
89. Start an investment portfolio and a Roth IRA.
90. Draw up a will.

Personal:

91. Appreciate myself
92. Start my Yoga practice again, and keep with it.
93. Take time for ME.
94. Come to the understanding that everything is NOT under my control.
95. Find a calm place to go within myself when things get hectic
96. Sleep more
97. Drink plenty of fluids
98. Find one thing to make me smile every day.
99. Keep using the balancing cream.
100. Fall in love with my husband, every day
101. Count my blessings.

In retrospect, 2006 was a great year. Here's hoping 2007 is WONDERFUL for everyone!

And Finally...

2006-12-02T14:14:00.000-08:00

This is the finished lighthouse piece I did for my brother and his wife.

Here's a close up...

2006-12-02T14:12:00.000-08:00

The Framed and Matted Completed Project #3 :)

2006-12-02T14:06:00.000-08:00

The framed size is 16" x 20". I was able to purchase a ready-made frame for it, but needed the folks in the framing department at Hobby Lobby to custom cut the mat, since the finished piece is only about 8" x 16". I chose the green color to try to bring out some of the green from the leaves, vines, and the rooster's tail.

I sure hope my mother appreciates and loves this. I suppose if she doesn't, it'll look quite nice in my own kitchen!!!

The Chickens are Finished

2006-12-02T13:59:00.000-08:00

Here's a random picture I took during stitching...

I do apologize for not updating sooner, but between my day job, my Arbonne business, and other related distractions, I didn't really have much time.

The Tail is Finished!

2006-08-23T07:20:00.000-07:00

The tail was more challenging than I thought...but it's done, as far as the chart on the current page is concerned. Next step, work on Chicken #2, a black-and-white striped one, position just below the currently finished one. I'm probably about 1/4 finished. Slow going for this, as I've been working on it on and off for about 2 weeks :(

Although I swore "one project at a time"...

2006-08-22T06:46:00.000-07:00

I found this quick and easy chart in The World of Cross Stitching magazine August 2006. What you don't see yet, because I don't have any "Light Effects" threads, are the butterflies next to each letter. This will be for my daughter, and will be quilted into a wall hanging using lime green and pink fabrics. It's very small, probably 3"x 6" finished. I'm also changing the colors a bit. In the chart, most of the butterflies are yellow and purple, and the letters are a blue-ish color, and she loves lime green and pink.

Well, I guess we'll see how multi-tasking goes HAHAHA!!!!

Start of Project #3 - Romeo and Chicks

2006-08-22T06:39:00.000-07:00

This will be a gift for my mom for Christmas. She has chickens and roosters all over her kitchen, and I thought this particular pattern, Romeo and Chicks, would be a great addition!

This is one I WON'T frame - quilting for a wall-hanging would be best.

Windbreak - completed project #2!

2006-08-22T06:34:00.000-07:00

I haven't decided if I'm going to incorporate this into a wall quilt, or just mat and frame it. I'm leaning towards the quilting, as it has to be transported from Colorado to North Carolina, some 1,500 miles or so... However, dear hubby is putting in his two cents and telling me framing would be better. I'm shuddering at the thought of broken glass in either the box or my suitcase (!!!).

But, here it is. I think it was about 3 weeks from start to finish, using only my spare time, which doesn't really amount to much lately :(

update part 3

2006-08-22T06:32:00.000-07:00

AND A HOUSE!

updates part2

2006-08-22T06:29:00.000-07:00

A picket fence arrives!!!

2006-08-22T06:28:00.000-07:00

okay, what I didn't get to add on the last post for whatever reason is...

This picture shows that I've started adding grass under the light house.

And someday, I will figure out how exactly everything on Blogger works!

some more pictures...one by one, I think!

2006-08-22T06:21:00.000-07:00

more progress on "Windbreak":

Well...

2006-08-01T11:38:00.000-07:00

...I'm having a few issues getting the pictures from my camera, so I haven't been able to update the progress of the lighthouse project. Rest assured, it's coming along nicely, and I'm almost done with it. Probably will finish by...oh...Thursday...??? If I'm lucky, I'll be able to get the camera (or my computer, whichever is the culprit) working properly and will be able to post the finished project :)

I can't seem to get this to post...

2006-07-25T16:40:00.000-07:00

YAY! IT WORKED!!

Ok, so this is the progress from last Sunday. Saturday was excessively busy for me, as was Friday, and Sunday was the only day I had to do some stitching.

As you can see, the sky is done (DOUBLE YAY!), and I've started on the grassy area under the lighthouse.

With any luck, I can post another picture I took of Monday's progress...

Lighthouse - July 21

2006-07-21T10:42:00.000-07:00

As you can see, the lighthouse is complete, and the sky detail is 1/2 finished. I don't like the way this pattern is marked, as the 1/2 stitches are microscopic dots in the lower right corner of the square...hard to see!

Lighthouse - Sunday July 16 - Wednesday, July 19

2006-07-21T10:39:00.000-07:00

This is a project for my brother and his new bride :) As they collect lighthouse items, I thought this was an appropriate project. I didn't realize how tedious filling in the "sky" area was...but it's coming along slowly but surely.

First Finished Project - PROOF!!!

2006-07-21T10:30:00.000-07:00

Here's the first in a looooong series of projects - my dragonfly. I hope to soon have this matted and framed, and two others in the series completed (not yet started).

This one will measure about 10" x 10" when framed. A second one will be the same dimensions, and the third I hope will be around 14 x 14 or so...we'll see.

First Entry

2006-07-19T11:11:00.000-07:00

Just a note: I hope to post a photo of the current project I'm working on every day...kind comments are welcome, harsh criticizers will be hunted down and beheaded!