year in review??

So it's several days into 2009 and I've been thinking about some of what I had hoped to accomplish in the past year versus what I actually accomplished. I determined I got in a little over my head with planning for garments that have yet to see the light of day. Having a baby in mid-February has made it difficult to get as much accomplished as I had hoped and by the time I started having spare time and sewing mojo, it was time to work on Christmas gifts.

What did I accomplish in 2008?
*I made 2 baby quilts (one for Andrew and one for a friend's baby)
*I did several machine embroidery projects (lipstick cases, photo frames, Christmas cards, quilts and the beginnings of three advent calendars)
*I made a machine embroidered and quilted wall hanging for my sister-in-law
*I made a machine embroidered and quilted sewing tote for my mother-in-law
*I made three tops, three skirts and a dress over the summer
*I made a Galaxy-inspired dress for my company holiday party
*I also completed two large-scale cross-stitch designs (one for my son and one for a friend)

Not as much as I had hoped, but quite good considering life constraints - and the fact that I did absolutely no sewing in 2007 and the first half of 2008. I also started several projects that are not yet finished. These include coats for my husband and myself, a shirt for my husband, a shirt for my father-in-law and a skirt that I started over the summer and have yet to finish.

During my pregnancy, I expressed a dire need for business-appropriate attire. Even though I work in a fairly casual office, I have decided to start dressing for the job I want rather than the job I currently have. So for 2009, in addition to finishing outstanding projects and some more craft and machine-embroidery projects, I would like to make another coat (perhaps two), a blazer and dress skirts and slacks to wear to work. I would also like to make a pair of trouser jeans that are styled after the best pair of jeans I have ever owned (they just happen to be maternity jeans and since I have no plans of having another baby I won't be able to wear them again). I hope that this short list is not all that I accomplish in 2009, but I have to start somewhere and I've found my previous years' goals were too lofty given other responsibilities I have in my life.

Aside from sewing-related goals for 2009, my other primary resolution is to work on my time management. I work a standard 40-hour work week and have weekends off. I am approaching my 5-year anniversary at my company and will then double my vacation time (I already get 2 weeks of vacation and 2 weeks of sick each year). I attend school one night a week and have reading and writing assignments for class. My son is nearing his first birthday and although he is becoming more independent, he needs more supervision than ever before (he's almost walking). My intention is to find 30 minutes each day to spend on sewing and craft-related projects and spread school work out to one hour each day instead of an entire weekend day as I do now. If I can accomplish this, I will have more time during the weekends to spend with my family and on sewing projects without compromising my other responsibilities.

Wish me luck!