Getting It Done 2013

Judy over at Patchwork Times is hosting a new kind of yearly challenge instead of the UFO challenges she has done in the past. This year is more about breaking large projects into smaller components to make them more manageable. Since I'm doing the UFO challenge as well, I thought I'd adapt this to include more areas of my life. The last day of each month we post a list of four things we'd like to accomplish over the next month, almost a virtual accountability exercise! Writing it on my To Do list only does so much, and if I put it out there for all the world to see maybe I'll make some headway! I wrote before about how my OLW is Progress this year, so this will keep me focused on reaching the goal rather than being held up by "perfection."
 

For the month of January here are my goals:
 

1.) Find an online photo scanning service. I've been meaning to do this for months, even going so far as comparing pricing between different companies. We recently inherited a HUGE tote of family photos, and there is realistically no way that I'll be able to scan them all on my own. Not before I'm 80, anyway!
 

2.) Take photos of quilts for Etsy shop. All I need is a nice sunny day and to dig out my boots to go traipse through the snow. I have some ideas of scenic places to photograph, I just gotta go DO it!
 

3.) Finish sorting baby clothes. Seriously, my basement looks like a clothing store exploded! Everything has been sorted into sizes, I just need to fold everything and keep only as much as will fit into the totes! Most of it is stuff my little guy barely wore, so anything that doesn't fit will be passed on to a couple of new moms I know of.
 

4.) Finish and mail fabric star ornaments. These are pretty quick to make and need to go out asap before everyone has put away their Christmas decorations! Everything is cut, I need to finish ironing them and then I can assemble them in the evenings as we watch TV.
 

Happy Sewing!

One Little Word: Progress

I stumbled upon Simplify101 several months ago, and this post really stuck with me when I read it this week.  Any Garvey talks about how we sometimes get wrapped up in the idea that "Practice Makes Perfect" and the fear that something won't turn out perfect can stop us from ever starting. She suggests thinking "Practice Makes Progress" instead, but I'm taking it a step further.

 

I'm focusing on "Progress IS Perfect" as my new mantra. There is always something new to learn or something more to be done, so instead of focusing only on the end result, I want to enjoy and appreciate every step along the way. My sweet hubby always says "How do you eat an elephant?" whenever I get discouraged or overwhelmed. Each little bite is progress toward the goal! So here's to the little steps that take us to where we're going. Here's to enjoying each change of scenery as we approach our destination. Here's to Progress!!

 

Happy Sewing!

2013 SP/DI Projects List

Ah, New Year, new blog! The time between Christmas and New Year's seems to be so inspiring to me, better perhaps than Spring Cleaning is! The cold and snow certainly inspire me to stay inside, and what better time to accomplish projects that I spend too much time putting off? On the forum site for the Missouri Star Quilt Co there is a thread for completing unfinished projects (UFO's) in 2013, and the original idea came from Patchwork Times last year. Her format this year is a little different, and definitely worth checking out!  Here's my list for next year:

 

In case you're wondering, SP/DI means Stop Procrastinating and DO IT!!  :D

1. Applique Purple JRR
2. Quilt and Bind Pinwheels
3. Quilt and Bind MN Big Star
4. Applique Brown JRR
5. Quilt and Bind Koi Quilt
6. Sew 10+ pillowcases
7. Fix Zoey S&W
8. Finish Card Trick tablerunner
9. Sew flannel stuffies
10. Finish, Quilt and Bind Confetti tablerunner
11. Make Big Star QOV
12. Make two "Dash"ing tablerunners

 

The coordinator will choose a random number each month for us to work on, and the goal is to complete the project before the end of the month! I kinda hope we start with #11 since there's a QOV sew along on New Year's Day. Worst case scenario? I can always trade out with another project and add something new to the list!

 

Happy Sewing!