Goals for the Rest of 2011

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Okay, so this whole no goals for 2011.... well.... It just isn't working for me!  I like goals.  And it's nice to feel like I accomplish things by going back to the statement of the goals.  And really, I just like making lists.  So I have about three months left this year and these are a few things I want to finish.... (and Brian, shh.  Not a word! :) lol)

1.  Finish Amy's Quilt
It just needs the rest of the binding fabric pieced together and stitched on.  It's the small things. :)

2.  Finish the Craft Room/Office
I need to iron & hem the curtains, then hang them.  Apply the glass blocking stuff to the middle cabinet doors, paint the sign Brian made me and hang it up!  I'd also like to repurpose and hang something to store the mists in a better location :)

3.  Learn to Make Marshmallows
I need to face the reality that this has been on my list of things to try out for I don't know... like three years.  I bought a book and the necessary items.  Just never made them.  Time to cross this one off the list!

4.  Christmas Cards
I've been good about making them, I have not been good about distributing them.  They will go in the mail by December 10th this year.  If you didn't get one last year or the year before, it's because I didn't get them in the mail.  Would it be bad to stuff the envelopes with three years worth of cards this year?! ;)

5.  Finish Reorganizing Paperwork
For someone who's pretty well organized, my paperwork always seems to come last or next to never.  I need to finish cleaning this out and I don't want to continue carrying this bad habit forward any further!

6.  Finish & Hang Artwork in Laundryroom
Since the rest of that to-do list is really Brian's list.... I want to make sure I finish my part this year! :)  I have it all planned out in my head... now just to do it!

Brian also wants me to finish this item, so I'm adding it to my list:

7.  Clean Out Our Loft
It's become my junk room.  Problem is it doesn't have a door.... :)  I need to sell a few items on eBay or Craigslist, purge some stuff and generally clean it up.  It's not a small endeavor, but now that the living room is clean, I know I can finish this! :)

Did you have any 2011 goals?  How are you doing with them?

December To-Do List

Source: parisdailyphoto.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Seesh... I better hurry up and post this before the month is half over! LOL :)

1. Watch favorite holiday movies:  Home Alone, Home Alone 2, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, Love Actually, Elf
2. Bake cookies.
3. Host a Cookie Exchange Party.
4. Send Christmas cards.
5. Decorate our house.
6. Finish knitting Gabriel's Santa hat.
7. Repair Abby's quilt.
8. Shop for, wrap and (in some cases) ship gifts.
9. Celebrate Abby's first birthday.
10. Spend time with my family.
11. Spend time with my friends.
12. Listen to holiday music.
13. Build a gingerbread house.
14. Make Christmas ornaments with Abby and Creighton.
15. Make some craft with my sister.
16. Celebrate Mom & Dad's 40th wedding anniversary.
17. Christmas Eve with my Mom's family.
18. Make Christmas morning breakfast.
19. Photo shoot with Creighton and Abby.
20. Control my urge to eat a Cranberry Bliss Bar every day at Starbucks (so far, I've only had one!)
21. Make at least 5 cards and 1 scrapbook layout with my new stuff.
22. Make a December Daily album and blog it.
23. Blog six times on this blog (2 down, 4 to go!).
24. Read one book on my Nook. :)
25. Spend quality time with Brian at least 4 times this month (not watching TV!) - one down, three to go!

A Plan for Our Loft

So I got a little distracted today by cleaning out in the closet.  Which led to planning the master closet which led me to the other problem child of storage in our house, the loft:

Sigh.  It's a mess.  And Brian wants me to clean it up.  And trust me, so do I.

So I need a game plan.  All we've got in there are three bookshelves, no blinds, nothing on the walls (including color) and a bunch of junk. Purpose of the room?  Storage of books.  Use of the sewing machine.  And the rest is a blank slate.

So.... I figured it out.  Defined it.  A place to sew, read a book and play games.  I think. :)  Here's my sketch:

I prefer the old school method.  10 inches equals one side of the graph paper square. :)

I want this rug in red:

Source: overstock.com via Amanda on Pinterest

This sofa from Ikea in gray:

Source: ikea.com via Amanda on Pinterest

This desk from Ikea:

Source: ikea.com via Amanda on Pinterest

And this color scheme:

Source: creaturecomfortsblog.com via Amanda on Pinterest

I think once I get these pieces in place, I'll figure out the rest... the photos on the wall, the curtains, the pillows, the accessories.

Based on budget and time, I want to plan on doing this sometime next year.  I'm not sure what color paint to put on the walls.  What do you think?!