2014 In Review: Accomplishments and Wishful Thinking

In some ways this year has gone really fast, but there are a few times where the year just seemed to drag.  The year was pretty uneventful till it reached late summer.  In the space of a about a month Drama Teen tore her ACL, then had surgery to repair it. The same day DT fell, we learned that My Guy's mother was terminally ill and we lost her just a few days after DT's surgery.  The holidays were hard this year as my MIL has always played such a big part in them.  As hard as it's been,  her loss reminded us just how precious time is with the rest of the family.  Drama Teen especially learned that lesson and made some significant changes in her approach to spending time with everyone, but especially with her remaining Grandma.  

There have been some bright spots this year as well.  Drama Teen passed her permit test and is learning to drive. 

The learning to drive is probably a brighter spot for DT than it is for us.  It will be nice not to have to jump through hoops and call in favors to get her from point A to point B for volleyball practice and such.  The brightest point in the driving situation for me is that she'll be driving my 11 year old Toyota, so Mom needs to find something else to drive. 

This came home with us on Monday (We were supposed to be just looking, not buying). But it wasn't red.  Our last two cars have been red, my only requirement was that it not be red (well that and that it have all wheel or 4 wheel drive).  My Guy really liked the way this one drove, so that decided it.  

I've also been reflecting on what got accomplished in the sewing room this year.  Quilting is a hobby, one I enjoy immensely, but this year I struggled to get myself into the sewing room.  Maybe I just needed a break this year.  I spent a lot of 2013 sewing on a deadline where I really had to be in the sewing room almost every day.  I was so flush with the victory of having finished 7 quilts in 2013 that when it came time to make goals for 2014, I probably fell victim to a lot of wishful thinking.  It makes for a bit of let down as I review what did get done this year.  

The Plan
1.  Finish 10 quits, 5 UFOs and 5 WIPs
2.  Start 8 quilts
3.  Add only 100 yards of fabric
4.  Use 75 yards of fabric

The Actual
1.  Finished 3 quilts, 2 UFOs and 1 WIP
2.  Started 5 quilts, only one from the list
3.  Added a lot more than 100 yards
4.  Used less than 35 yards

On the bright side, one of the quilts that was finished this year, Scrappy Stars, was the oldest one on the UFO list.  I haven't blogged about that finish yet as I put the final stitches in the binding, then promptly wrapped it up for my Mom.  And though I only started one of the quilts on my "to make list", I can look back and know why none of the others got started.  I'll be less ambitious this year and only add what I'm positive I'm going to start (that's easy as both relate to challenges). 

I added a lot more than 100 yards, but I have a more robust stash now. Of the 5 quilts started this year, there were 2 where all the fabrics were pulled completely from the stash.  That's better in past years where I've had to buy a background or accent fabric because my stash didn't have that color. So hopefully I'm set up this year to do a better job of using the stash and not adding to it as much.  

For the rest of this last day of 2014, laundry ranks as a "have to do".  Other than that, we have plans to go to the gym and get a slight jump on our exercise plans for 2015.  Drama Teen has a church party tonight. My Guy and I will probably watch the ball drop on TV, so there will probably be some slow stitching on tap for this evening.  

Have a happy and safe New Year's Eve.