December Accomplishments

Well, after ringing in the New Year last night with the pups, I am ready to get busy on my goals! I pulled some fabric last night and cut out a few things to make some UFOs. After playing with this fabric, I am excited to work on these projects!

I've also decided that I need to have crafty accomplishments instead of just quilty accomplishments since I am knitting and crocheting again. And hopefully will be cross stitching before too much longer!

1. Signed up for a knitted sock class. It starts on Monday and I am very excited!
2. Finished 3 Lemon place mats for 2 different sets of the fruit place mats and table runners.
3. Wrote a knitted baby cap tutorial.
4. Finished a second knitted baby cap.
5. Finished the Storm at Sea binding and label.
6. Made a set of criss cross coasters.
7. Made a Hot Stuff oven mitt.
8. Made a 9 patch block for the River City Guild.
9. Got to the 200 yards used mark for the year!
10. Made 2 Christmas hunks pillowcases.
11. Made a travel case, a take along bag and a thread catcher.
12. Made a Stich'N' Chix bag.
13. Got my quilting machine working and quilted a baby quilt and 4 place mats!
14. Got a quilt from my bestest friend, Regina! It's just gorgeous!! And now a UFO for me. *sigh*
15. Got a very cute sock knitting bag and a Homefront charm pack from Sue!! Love it!
16. Started organizing my stash room and took inventory of my projects.
17. Packaged up the swap box and comfort quilt for Heather. I'm happy that she got the swap by Christmas!
18. Started a blog for a Judy Martin Quilt Support group.
19. Came up with my 2010 crafting goals.
20. I haven't posted pictures, but I also got 4 granny squares completed for the Calypso afghan that I started crocheting in November.
21. Knitted 2 or 3 dishcloths.

Wow! I was busy!! Now, for the books... I finished 8 books in December!!

1. Knit Two by Kate Jacobs - sequel to the Friday Night Knitting Club. I enjoyed this one!
2. A Quilter's Holiday by Jennifer Chiaverini - the latest book in the Elm Creek Quilter's series. These are very easy to read and not worth getting the audio book. I can read them much faster than listening to them. It was enjoyable, if not a little predictable.
3. Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie - cute, light book.
4. The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber - about a yarn and knitting shop. I read this one 'manually,' too. It was a good read and I couldn't put it down once I got started. Very easy read! First Macomber book I've read and I am more than halfway through with the second in the series.
5. A Superior Death by Nevada Barr - This is the second or third in the series. I enjoy the books, but not all of them are on audio as unabridged. This was one, but I can't find the next one so it will be a manual read, too. I like all the twists in Barr's books. I enjoy trying to figure out who the killer is.
6. The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult - I enjoyed this book, but it was a little different than the rest of Picoult's books. I kept waiting for the court room scenes and was a little surprised when the book ended a little suddenly.
7. Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich - a typical Stephanie Plum book! :)
8. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon - LOVED IT!!! I finished this book last night just a few minutes after the ball dropped. Several times last year, I got into book discussions with ladies at the quilt shop and a couple of them said that I just HAD to read this book. When they described it to me, I just sort of smiled and nodded with no real interest. But the comments that the ladies made about the book and the excitement that they showed stuck with me. I downloaded the book from Audible.com early in December and started it just before Christmas. I couldn't turn it off!! I have already downloaded the second book in the series, but I think that I am going to listen to something else first. If you like period/historical novels and romances, this book it for you!!

Man, I did a lot this month!! I'm amazed that I got 8 books read with everything else that I got done, too! I totally rock! ;)