Plans for the new year

I don't like to do resolutions, because I can't seem to keep them, however, I do like to make plans (maybe not always write them down, but definitely little ones that I keep in my mind from time to time).

So plans for 2013 include:

• Make 1 whole complete Quilt -- not very optimistic am I, huh?  But I know my track record, I have lots of half-finished or completely finished quilt tops but very few quilts to my credit that have been completely finished.  Most of these completed quilts have been for gifts for friends or family members, like wedding gifts.
• Actually it should be make 2 quilts, I need to sew the blocks together and complete the Peel Family Reunion quilt.
• Need to watch my spending more carefully -- friends of mine on the FL forum (frugalliving.about.com/mpboards.htm) have been talking about tracking their monthly expenses on spreadsheets.  This is a pretty good idea, and I need to think about doing this too -- plus maybe make up a 
• Price book.  I think that I could do this at about the same time, or along the same lines, as the track spending worksheet.
• Spend less time on the internet and/or on the computer.  Of course when baby #5 comes, there won't be as much time to do stuff, but then I'll want to sit and admire my cute new baby too.
• Refashion some of my shirts into tops or dresses for Dd2.
• Work on making stuff to sell in my Etsy shop again.  Dd2 has some cute little tops that were given to us, I've been thinking about taking patterns from them and making some to sell.
• Make a new blessing outfit for Baby #5 -- just been thinking of making one of each, and trying to sell the other one in my Etsy shop.  Now you may notice that I'm not putting a link to my Etsy shop, well that is because I have it on vacation mode as I've been so sick and out of sorts with this pregnancy.
• Oh yeah, and I need to clean my house (it's not filthy, just doesn't get a thorough cleaning as often as it should).  Maybe I'll even
• Hang some pictures on the walls.  Not to mention, get Dh to
• put shelves in my linen closet, so that everything isn't piled up on the floor -- which offers Dd2 excellent access to everything!
• I would also like to have a nice-looking shelf that I can use to display some cute stuff that I've got hanging around -- it would also come in very handy next Christmas to put my nativity on.
• Did I mention that I've been feeling a hankering to sew again?  I have lots of fabric, I should either make clothes for my 4 beautiful children (yes even for the boys though is more fun to sew for Dd2) or make some quilts.  The very first technique I ever learned from my Quilting Guild friends was string piecing (go here for a great tutorial), just the same thing as shown on the tute except I used 6 inch foundation blocks (5-1/2 completed blocks) of plain muslin -- I have lots of ugly fabric, some of which is outdated stuff I inherited from my Mom's fabric stash, have been thinking about making some quilts (yes more tops) out of it, because ugly quilts can be just as warm.
• Oh yeah, I should hang more clothes to dry on my drying racks, and even on hangers in the spare bedroom closet. Ya'know, save some electricity and all that.

Well I know there were more things that I've been thinking on, but I should think that is plenty for now.  I can certainly add more later.

Have a good evening, y'all.  Dh and Ds10 are busy playing the new hunting game from Cabella's that was Dh's Christmas gift to the family, and I need to get Ds4 and Dd ready for bed (plus check on the clothes in the dryer).

=) Gayle

Tuesday Jan 3rd... record posting day for me!

I think I posted 4 times in a row that day?!  Hmm... but I was just excited because I'd found so many fun things I just wanted to share with everyone (not that very many are interested in my blog, I know it's pretty boring lately).

Today I'm just kinda blah... then I go cough cough cough, hard as can be then I feel like crap again.  I couldn't relax and get to sleep until almost 5 am this morning, I woke up at like 7:43 am so I got a bit of sleep, but I think this might be one of those days when I lay on the floor & let the kids play on or around me. 
Part of my not sleeping is because hubby is gone to Kansas for 3 months, though he might get to come home for a week or so each month; and other part is because I get settled & comfortable then I start coughing like crazy until my lungs burn, my throat feels on fire & my heart is racing crazily.  I feel like it's the same cold baby K has but then again it seems related to this breathing issue I have & still need to get tested for (to see do I have asthma or is it COPD), guess I should try harder to find out, but it's hard to go out in public when you feel so crappy and people look at you weird when you cough hard like that.

Today though I hope to have a nap then get some sewing done.  I really miss sewing & plan to get a bunch done while hubby is away; plan to crochet up a bunch of my flower hair clips, say 3 or 4 of each solid color of yarn I have to be ahead a bit in case I start making a bunch of sales this winter and I can be ahead.  Have been thinking of all kinds of other things to make to add to my Etsy shop inventory, and I plan to give some sneak peeks of what these are in coming days & weeks on here.

For now though, time to go take care 3rd son T as he's still not potty trained (though he'll grumpily go sit on it if I tell him to, just won't do it on his own & hides away when he goes in his diaper); have decided not to push it much right now though, just too exhausted to care much.  Seriously if this stubborn kid of mine wants to have a sore bum, so be it!

=) Gayle