Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Goals for 2010

I never was one to have "New Year's Resolutions". However, I do believe in setting goals. Some may seem realistic at the time, but as the months go on and life takes over, some of those goals get placed on the back burner. One of those goals I chose to challenge myself with is to try out more challenges in the kitchen. For instance, I want to play more with phyllo and puff pastries. I want to try a souffle!!! I actually bought myself a nice size souffle size ramekin at Pier 1 store last weekend. My plan is to try out 2 new recipes a week!!!!!!!! Hey and with the baby coming in April, I hope to make good use out of my slow cooker!!! :) The baby got to sleep some time right!!! :) This week I completed my first two new recipes. I made a Cranberry Steamed Pudding with a vanilla sauce on New Year's Day,


and last night I made a Fresh Tarragon Lime Shrimp Scampi. It was AMAZING!!!!!!!!



I'll have to post my recipes very soon. The other goal is to actually write up and design my foodie blog that I have been procrasting to do since the Fall!!!!!

One thing I started about 3 years ago was a project book to keep myself organized. This spiral black book is made up of several tabbed sections such as "Sewing Projects to Complete (Yearly)", "Christmas Gifts (By Year)", "Scrapbook Ideas", "House Plans/Ideas", etc.






I like to make list each year of all the people I want to make Christmas gifts for during the year. Because I make a majority of my gifts, I need to start the list early. I also have a listing in this book (one/two pages per person), of all the gifts I have made for them in the past so that I don't make a duplicate gift. So far it has worked out fabulously!!!

Tonight, I decided to get a start on my list of projects I want to work on, finish or try out for 2010. The list is not done yet, but I hope by tomorrow to finish it. Mind you, throughout the year I will see something else I want to put my hand to, so of course the list gets bigger. For now though I will post my new 2010 project list on the right side of my blog tomorrow evening.

I managed to clean up some of my fabric drawers and do some organizing. I cleaned out 4 draws in this plastic container and now have a place to put some projects that are ongoing or to be started.


I also thought I would start by pulling out some hand stitching projects that I could work on during my lunch hour at work. With the winter here and snow and ice around the corner (so far we have been lucky with a very very very mild winter.. as in NO snow or ice!!!) I'm very grateful of that this year with me being preggy and all, I want to have a slip free winter season!!! Anyway, I plan to work on some small hand stitching projects over the lunch hours. That should see me complete a few little projects.

I also got a start on cleaning out my UFO cabinet!!!!!!!!! Yep I have a full cabinet BLOCKED with UFOs!!! I would love to see a teeny tiny dent if at all possible there this year.




I also FINALLY managed to get the fabrics pulled and cut for the Fall Mystery Swap that I signed up for back in October!! My due date to get this wallhanging finished and mailed out is January 18th!!! Geeeshh no pressure on me huh!!! Talk about procrastinating!!!!!!!!! I got a nice chunk of it done tonight and will get back at it again full tilt tomorrow evening. I would LOVE to show it to you right now, but in case the recipient is a follower of my blog, or comes to visit from time to time, I would hate to spoil her fun! Once she has received it though I WILL post photos!! I love the fabrics I chose for it so much that I might have to make one for myself!!! LOL !!! Although I think I might turn mine into a cushion!!! :)

Well it is getting close to midnight and I want to look for a nice rib slow cooker recipe for tomorrow's supper. hmm I guess this means I'll be trying out 3 new recipes this first week of January!!!!

Quiltingly Yours at 25 weeks preggy!!! This photo was taken last night. Myself and pooch were relaxin' and reading our book when lil William decided to make himself known. He was kicking enough for me to see my belly make little vibrations.. It was beyond words what I saw and felt!


Andrea

3 comments:

Quilter Going Bananas said...

You look great Andrea! Have fun with cooking up a storm and if you try any really good crockpot recipes please share them ;^)

Unknown said...

Andrea, I am exhausted just reading of all your ambitions! I must say though that you better get them done before April, because after that day, your life will NEVER be the same.
Very cute photo of you and the doxy. My dad's favorite dog.
Here in Whitby, we've had very very cold days, although not much snow, thankfully, even though we have a blower.
A great blog...

limpingalong said...

Oh, how organized you are!! I feel I am drowning in a sea of unfinished projects!

I must have missed the announcement about "Wee William." Congratulations!!