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Friday, December 31, 2010

A Brand New Year! :-)

I am the eternal optimist, I think.  I must be an optimist if I even consider making a list of New Year's Resolutions!! When Jeff asked me what mine were, I told him they were the same as last year!! Clearly, I didn't succeed in 2010 (or 2009, or 2008, or....).  But I try, try, and try again. :-D  (Of course, the definition of INSANITY is to do the same thing and expect different results! --- yeah, that'd be me!  LOL)

Every year I say I'll lose weight and exercise.  I'll have a devotional time daily. I'll be a better steward of the blessings -- financial and otherwise! -- that I'm given.  Jeff says I need to be more specific.  So -- numbers and deadlines and such will be added to my usual list to see if that helps me fare any better in keeping my resolutions.
Another one I make every year is to FINISH! something -- so UFO's here I come.  This year, I'll have Judy's UFO Challenge to help.  She's having us make a list of projects, numbered 1 to 12, and each month she'll draw a number and we have to work on that project.   Theoretically, at the end of 2011, we'll have completed 12 UFO's.  I have MANY more than that (I do an "inventory" at the first of each year...sigh), but getting this many done will be phenomenal!

So you and Judy will help me with accountability! The rules are fairly flexible, so I've decided to finish a group of quilt tops (most very close to completion!), and to completely finish (quilting and binding!) another group that I'll list next time.  The quilt top projects are:
  1. Stars Around the Garden (a Bits and Pieces Block of the Month)
  2. Victory Quilt (Quilt in a Day)
  3. Hometown Christmas (Thimbleberries)
  4. Wilfred and Cloves  (from Australian Patchwork and Quilting)
  5. Daisy Days (Thimbleberries)
  6. American Heritage (Thimbleberries)
  7. Geese in the Garden (Kim Diehl design)
  8. Land of the Free (applique from Piece o' Cake)
  9. Circuit Rider (only a dozen more blocks to have them all done!)
  10. Moon and Stars Whimsey (from the book Relax and Quilt)
  11. Biblical Blocks (from the book of the same name by Rosemary Makhan)
  12. Dolly Madison Stars (a two-fabric quilt from BH&G Two-Color Quilts)
I'd like to severely limit my new starts this year.  Maybe Kim McLean's Roseville Album, if I can find the time!!!! (It'll work out! There's that optimism, again!  LOL)
I'll also continue to work on some ongoing projects: The Farmer's Wife Sampler and possibly Dear Hannah or A Mother's Gift and the Layer Cake Quilt Along.

And I'll at least get the Roll, Roll Cotton Boll Mystery Quilt top completed!! :-)

The apostle Paul wrote, "It is written: 'I believed; therefore I have spoken.' With that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence...Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." (2 Corinthians 4:13-14, 16-17)

He must have been an optimist, too!  "It is written," he said -- and so is my list! :-D  "I believed" -- and I do, too! LOL "Therefore I have spoken!"  ME, TOO!  Of course,  he was referring to the promises of God and the expectation that, even though we suffer and have troubles, they are nothing compared with the glory that is to come.  Isn't that a great statement of hope!! I think I like old Paul! :-)

So I will not "lose heart!"  2011 is a brand new year, full of promise and the expectation of eternal glory.
Let's get to it!!

Blessings,

20 comments:

John'aLee said...

What an inspiring post! I wish you all the luck and joy in getting to your goals this year. What a fantastic UFO list. And a great challenge.
Keep inspired!

Angie said...

Fun quilts - I know what you mean about needing to complete UFO's - I have a few!!

Staci said...

Your UFO's must be trembling with excitement! They know their day is coming and they soon will become WONDERFUL FINISHES! Good for you!

farmhousequilter8 said...

I love, he must have been an optimist, too! I can just see you saying all of this with enthusiasm.....You can do it, you can do it!!!!Ready to start a club mystery, I am counting on you.
Happy New Year.

Debbie said...

Go girl! When you finish all those UFOs, you will have lost pounds, and be on the way to having more room for stash!

Mary L. said...

Best of luck with the 2011 goals. You've got some gorgeous projects to keep you busy.

Michele said...

Dear Mary Lou, I'm with you on the weight loss goal, along with exercise. However, we part ways at letting someone else decide what I will be working on...........I'm entirely too much a control freak. The instant someone tells me to do THIS, I decide I simply MUST DO THAT (the other thing!). Good luck meeting your goals. Michele

Patty Sumner said...

Blessings on all you goals. I have a few myself. I hope to achieve several major things this year as this will be the big 50 for me.

Sarah Craig said...

Good luck on your UFO goals, Mary Lou! It will be fun to watch and see how you do this year!!!

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

lovely quilt tops you have shown! You say you might do a Dear Hannah I have the book but decided I will probably never make it - I wish I hadn't bought the book a couple years ago. It just isn't calling me :)
Karen
http://karensquilting.com/blog/

StitchinByTheLake said...

I'm believing with you - you will!! get those UFOs done. And so will I. :) blessings, marlene

Mrs. Goodneedle said...

Don't lose heart, you'll be successful! I'm not publishing a public list but have made a similar resolution. Happy 2011, Mary Lou~

Quilt Doodles said...

Your post is most inspiring. For me, limiting the "new starts" would be helpful. I look forward to seeing more of your beautiful work. I know you’ll have fun in the process. Happy New Year.

Crispy said...

You have so many beautiful UFOs Mary Lou and I would really LOVE to see some of them as completed quilts. Take it from someone who has aready spent a year getting UFOs finish, it's really a very satisfying feeling. Does it get boring sometimes.....yep but when you have lots of UFOs there is no rule saying you can't work on a different one. I'll keep my eye on you this year and will give you lots of "atta girls" along the way :0)

Crispy

Lori said...

Happy New Year Mary Lou!!

Rose Marie said...

Last year a bunch of tops got finished and now this year I'm hoping to get at least a few of them hand quilted.

Good luck and I will enjoy seeing your progress.

Carol said...

What a wonderful post...inspiring and positive. You have great goals...it's going to be a fun year!

Barb said...

I love new years and setting myself to new things. Sounds like you do to, even if they are repeats, which some of mine are too :)
good luck!

LuAnn said...

Beautiful quilts MaryLou. I know you will have a lot of finishes in 2011. Happy New Year.

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