52 Projects... Revisited

Remember at the beginning of the year, how I was going to do some kind of project every week all year long?  And then ideally report back on my blog?  And remember how that hasn't happened?  Well, it's not that I haven't accomplished anything this year, but probably not as much as I hoped.  But with a new baby on the way and a burst of second trimester energy, I'm hoping to really get a lot done in the next little while.  With Spencer out of town all week, Clara and I spent a good bit of time at my parents' house and were able to get a lot of projects done!  I took projects I knew we could start and finish - I needed that sense of accomplishment.  Here's what we ended up with:

6 knit newborn baby hats
3 pairs of babylegs
2 changing pad covers
2 sets of car seat strap covers
1 fleece blanket
1 flannel crib sheet
1 scallop bunting for the girls' room
1 autumn bunting for the living room
1 hooded towel for baby girl #2
1 felt Christmas tree just for Clara to decorate with 25 felt ornaments - still deciding if we'll use them advent style, or give them to her all at once to decorate and undecorate the tree at will

We also started a color book for Clara, similar to this.  All of the pages are done, except for the color words. I think the felt ornaments and the color book were my favorite projects because they allowed complete creative freedom.  Plus, with a sweet toddler as the end user, I know she'll be thrilled with whatever we've created.  Having my mom to help really sped up the projects and helped me get so much more done!

I still have a lot to do before the new baby, and I still think it would be cool to keep up with weekly projects on the blog.  So we'll see if it actually happens.  Here are a few of the things on my short list:

-clean out the garage
-make new roman shades for the girls room
-cornice boxes for the girls windows
-coordinating crib skirts for the girls
-quilt for the new baby
-mobile for baby (rain drops and clouds or owls)
-clean out storage/laundry room
-get craft area organized
-organize and consolidate all files
-rain gutter bookshelves for girls room
-hang art and shelves in the girls room
-make Clara's baby book...
-make gauze blankets for new baby
-organize girls closet and dresser - make them shared-room-friendly
-get new baby crib set up
-recover the bouncer
-set up new baby area in our room

Alright, let's see what happens in the next 14 weeks!

CTR Towels

This week my project was a bit rushed and last minute, but I still did it.  My only regret is that I forgot to take a photo of the finished product.

In October I was released from teaching the CTR 7 class in Primary.  I loved teaching primary and especially this age.  It's a big year for the kids - they are turning 8 and preparing to get baptized.  So for a birthday/baptism gift, I made each of the kids a baptism towel.  I bought a fat quarter (or found a piece of fabric from my stash) in their favorite color(s) and cut out the CTR shield, appliqueing it to the towel.  They turned out super cute and were an easy and fairly quick (roughly an hour per towel) gift to make for them to have on their special day.

Even though I got released a few months ago, I had supplies to make the last few towels (and I really wanted to).  So this week, my project was to make my last towel for the youngest girl in my class (she turned 8 on December 30th and got baptized today).  Early in the year I asked what her favorite color was and she thought for a long time and finally said, "ruby."  When I clarified that she meant a dark, deep red color she said, "no, more like a dark pink."  So dark pink it was.

52 Projects

I have a goal this year to do one project every week.  As a wife and mother, life gets very cyclical and the same things need to be done over and over again: doing laundry, making dinner, grocery shopping, cleaning, changing diapers, etc.  You get the idea.  It seems that most things I do get undone or need to be done repeatedly.  I do think it's really important to find joy in our responsibilities, even the everyday and mundane.  But I also think it's important to do things that help you feel accomplished, like you're using and building talents, and making yourself, your home, family, and community better in a [more] tangible way.

So.  The plan is to do one thing each week that is a little more permanent - something I can finish or something with a result that will make me smile.  They can be big or small.  Painting a piece of furniture, a sewing project, organizing or beautifying a space, canning... anything! I'm excited.  I think it will be really good for me and my family, and it will be a great motivator to get a lot of things done instead of just adding to the list.

And it might sound a little OCD of me, but I really love that with January 1 being on a Sunday this year, each week is already defined in a perfect pod that ends on a Saturday.  Love it!