Happy New Year

This is a banner day for me – the first day of 2010 and my 100th blog post.  It seems like I just started blogging, but here I am at the 100th mark.

2009 was a lousy year for me healthwise, but that is behind me now, and I’m looking forward to accomplishing a lot this year.  There is nothing quite like opening a new calendar and looking at January 1st of a new year.  Optimism overflows and it seems like anything can be accomplished. 

Last January, I mentioned how I was trying to reorganize and declutter my home and studio rooms.  I had been steadily working towards “lightening the load” since a dear friend moved out of town and was faced with packing a lifetime of accumulating this, that, and anything that appealed to her.  I’m pleased to say another 441 pounds was moved out in 2009.  That brings my grand total up to 2,354 pounds. 

Now that sounds like a huge accomplishment, and I do celebrate it, but it’s a drop in the bucket compared to what still has to be sorted, donated, or tossed.  That is a scary thought, isn’t it?  This slow and steady approach works for me though.  It’s not stressful, I’m going in the right direction, and with any luck, I’ll be finished in another 4-5 years or so. 

2010 is the year where I will commit to 3 big creative projects.

The first is participating in Robin Atkins’ Bead Journal project.   It’s my first time joining this group.   As I’m pretty much well a beginning beader, this should help me improve my beading skills this year.

The second is committing to the Crazy Quilt International Yahoo group’s 2010 Challenge.  There are no hard and fast rules in this challenge except for trying to complete each monthly technique throughout the year.  January is pieced curving, February is working with velvet, etc…  You get the idea.  Each month has a different skill to learn, and by the end of the year, all will be represented on one block/quilt/purse/garment, etc. 

The third, and most likely the hardest for me, will be working towards my goal in the Visioning Project I joined as a member of Studio Art Quilt Associates.  It is a public committment of the artist to achieve a specific goal.  So far, I’ve been reticent to state my goal, but it’s time to quit dilly-dallying around and admit I’d love to have an article published in Quilting Arts magazine.  Now that I’ve said it here, I’ll have to fill out my Visioning page in the group and start working towards accomplishing it.  All prayers, well wishes, good karma sent my way would be appreciated towards attaining that goal.

Today will be spent doing everything I love.   A dear friend once told me that whatever you do on January 1st, you’ll enjoy throughout the year.  After this blog is posted, I’ll continue working on 2 crib quilts, print something on fabric with my brand new printer, do a bit of beading, a bit of embroidery and a bit of knitting.   That should be a broad enough net to cast over the creative skills, and the personal ones will be lots of fun too. I already read a bit of a good book, exercised, talked to my extended family members, and look forward to cooking a nice meal for my hubby and myself, and smooching him lots too.  😉 

Best wishes for a Happy and Healthy New Year to everyone.

Hugs…