HELLO 2011: HELLO 100 POSTS

WOW!  I can't believe I've been blogging for just over a year now and it has taken me this long to reach 100 post.  When I saw that as I opened up to post today it just made me SMILE!  I was telling my mom this past week that I felt kind of unaccomplished this year in respects to my sewing.  I know I spent a lot of time in my sewing room but when I look back at what I have actually finished it really doesn't seem to be that much.  As always my mom was more than encouraging and said well just think about all of the bee blocks you've made and all of the things you've sent off to someone else to help them with a project.  So here I find myself writing the reflective post that I told my mom I wasn't going to write.  First here is a look at the few things I did complete from start to finish.  A few swap items and surprisingly enough 2 quilts.

As you also know I have been working my way through 5 bees this year.  Yes I now know I was slightly crazy to take on that many.  But when I see the blocks all together like this it makes me feel a little better about having bees as a creative outlet to try new things and to challenge myself in ways I probably wouldn't otherwise.  For example through bees this year I have learned to applique, paper piece, as well as a ton of other things.  For me it has been more about the experience and the friendships I have found than anything else.

There are a few bee blocks that I forgot to take photos of before sending them back to their owners but this is a pretty good representation of the blocks I have spent the last year sewing.  I still have a few more blocks to make and send back for some of my bees and not all of them are wrapping up with December so I have a couple more months of block making to go before my first round of bees is officially completed.

So what do I have planned for 2011?  Well in general I am hoping this year will be better than the last.  2010 has been a pretty hard year for me so I am looking forward to taking many more steps in the right direction.  From a crafty standpoint I am hoping to learn more new things.  To start I am planning to follow along with Corey and her Birdie Stitches Group and learn how to do some embroidery.  The first block was posted today so I better order some fabric soon.  I'm also looking forward to finishing the tops with the blocks I received this year from my bees and block swaps.  All together I think I have all or most of the blocks for 7 tops just from those.  I also have so many other ideas floating around in my mind that I am itching to transform into a quilt or two.

And let's see didn't I say something about this being my 100th post?  Well what would a 100 post be without a giveaway of some kind.  I'm not even sure yet what it will be but maybe some fabric and a few other goodies tucked in a nice little package for someone.  I don't normally put you guys through the paces for my giveaways but this time it's going to take just a smidgen of work.  I'd like to hear about at least 1 project you are looking forward to in 2011.  Feel free to link to the tutorial you plan to use or your inspiration.  One entry per person and I'll draw the winner using the RNG a week from today on January 8, 2011.