Yes, it is time to look to the upcoming year…..it should be an interesting one!!!

I will begin the year by having surgery on my knee this Thursday so that I will hopefully be able to easily climb the stairs to my studio!!!  My sweet husband has already agreed to bring my quilting tables downstairs for a few weeks until I get off of crutches.  Since it is my left knee, I am anticipating being able to continue quilting on the Flower Pot quilt.

I am excited about working thru this year’s Income Tax Season, especially getting to work in my new office…..now if Congress would just decide exactly what will be taxed, and how much tax will be levied!!!!

I am looking forward to our local guild quilt show the first weekend in March.  If you are in the area, be sure to visit!!!

At this point, we don’t have any overseas trips planned for the upcoming year, however we are looking forward to a trip to Chicago to visit our daughter and I may accompany Michael on a trip to Wyoming next December.

Basically, I hope to spend the year enjoying family, friends and the joy of creating!!

I wish the same for you and your family…….

Like most bloggers, I have enjoyed writing a year-end post where I can think about the things that have been accomplished during the past year. 

This year, unfortunately, there hasn’t been a lot of quilting going on as I have only finished two pieces and one of those was done in a 24 hour period this past week!!! 

The other was my Complimentary Color Challenge quilt and is one of my all-time favorite pieces….

I did work on two projects with my Mom and both are in the final stages of finishing and hopefully the Flower Pot quilt will be ready in time to put into our Guild Quilt Show in March….time will tell.

As I looked back at the past year’s posts, I found several small watercolor pieces that I enjoyed working on.  My favorite was this one…..

I enjoyed a two day workshop with Lyric Kinard and completed this sketchbook cover that I enjoyed giving to my Daughter-In-Law as part of her Christmas present…..

I spent a day with Pat Speth and have moved along with a pieced top and enjoyed another day with Mary Stori and am still working on my beaded piece.

But, this year has really been all about travel…..both around the world and across the county!! 

Michael and I enjoyed three weeks in Turkey and then three more weeks in China.  As we were eating dinner tonight we decided that our favorite memories were from our time in Turkey.  There were just too many enjoyable people and sights!!

The end of the year has been dominated by our move into a beautiful, new home and all of the work and excitement that goes along with such a move.  We know that we are truly blessed to be able to live here.

So, in just a few hours we will say good-bye to 2012 and hello to the exciting new world of 2013……cant wait!!!!

Remember back to my posts at the beginning of the year when I mentioned that instead of making a New Year’s Resolution, I was going to pick a “Word for the year”.   And, my word was “Choices”.

I had visions that this would mean choosing to spend time in the studio,  happily creating and blogging afterwards…..but life had a different idea in mind!!!

I have found this year that my choices had to be different.  They tended more to taking care of family, helping clients that were in need, working in the yard, and on and on.  Instead of trying to do everything, I chose to miss certain events in order to participate in others. 

The biggest and most important choice was to not get angry because I wasn’t getting into the studio, but instead to enjoy what life was bringing along, even if it wasn’t what I had planned!!

One of the many perks of these new choices was that I have been so very relaxed during the holidays, organized early and actually able to have a nap on Christmas Eve afternoon…..something that has NEVER happened before.

Now don’t get me wrong, I hope to spend many wonderful creative hours in the new year, but it is so relaxing to take that out of the “must” column and put it into the “choose” column.

A friend shared this quote on Facebook and I think that it fits here……

I am looking forward to a new year of choices, chances and changes!!!!

I love the last day of the year, especially with all of the hope for the new, upcoming year. 

I also enjoy looking back at the year and boy has this been a year!!!!!

During 2010, we enjoyed two, 10 day trips to Kunming China, 7 wonderful weeks in Italy, 2 trips to Louisiana for my husband’s field work , the marriage of our son, Brian to a wonderful woman, Amber, and our daughter, Jenny,  moving to Atlanta to work on a Master’s degree…….WHEW!!!!!

My craft time has been limited this year, but it was fun to look back and realize that I did accomplish a few things.

….”Waves ala Particles”…..a contrast challenge

…..”Terra Cotta Flowers”…. using a rust dyed fabric

…..”As Blue Goes By” ……a blue challenge quilt

…..”Blew Two”……..the second blue challenge quilt.

…..”Hot Espresso, Cool Gelato” ……the Hot/Cold challenge

…..”Christmas Lap Quilt”…..finally finished after 15 years

…..”Read to Rover”…..the last quilt made for the year

…..thank goodness for challenges or I might not have finished anything!!!!

I worked to help prepare 5 quilts that will be hung at the local Senior Center, and worked on two other charity quilts.

I also made 5 covered books which were given as gifts in Italy, and made and mailed my first quilted postcard.

I attended workshops taught by Margaret Hunt and learned to use Water Soluble Pastels.  I put this technique into use in two mini, mini quilts.

I only taught two quilting workshops, but truly enjoyed the interactions with the ladies in my classes.

OK…..so maybe I did get quite a bit of quilting time!!!!

What are my plans for 2011……those are for another day…..today is just one for reflection……

SO, BRING ON THE NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!