2012, by the numbers

It's New Years Eve, and I'm in a bit of a reflective mood. I always feel like I spend too much of my free time putzing around the internet and not actually doing things, be it adventures or crafting. Looking back though, it's been a very productive year. Here is my 2012, by the numbers:

Moved 455 miles

Completed 6 knitting projects (1 cardigan, 4 amigurumi, and 1 dishtowel)

Mrs. Darcy Cardigan by Mary Weaver

Octopus by Hansi Singh

Frogged 1 knitting project (amigurumi lion - I could never get the ears or mane right)

Little Lion Sock Critter by Lion Brand Yarn

Sewed 8 projects (1 dress, 1 tote bag, 3 costumes, 1 project bag, 1 hilariously bad t-shirt and  Christmas stockings)

Retro Space Age Stocking Tutorial by Tried and True

Read 25 books (These two were my favorite. Highly recommended!)

Donated 8 inches of hair and 0.75 pints of blood (turns out my veins are a bit selfish and I couldn't make it to the full pint)

Tried 50+ new recipes

Maple Roasted Butternut Squash Salad by Iowa Girl Eats

I hope you all have fun plans for tonight. I am going to a bar/music venue here in Atlanta to listen to local bands and usher in 2013. Even thought it's not the most glamourous of settings, I am still busting out my feathered fascinator and some sequins. Here's to a healthy, happy and productive 2013!

Home for the Holidays

Hello again! It's been a while, but I hope you all had a lovely holidays. I went home to Florida for the first time in a year, and had the best Christmas in ages. I spent time with my family and my in-laws, gave myself a stomachache eating too many sweets, and watched a marathon of RuPaul's Drag Race with my mom. In short, it was fabulous.

I mostly got very thoughtful, lovely practical gifts (my favorite - I must be getting old), but there are two very exciting crafting developments. I came home with a set of size 1 DPNs from my mom so I can knit this ridiculous Barbie power suit. City Councilwoman Leslie Knope Barbie, anyone?

And, behold, my new sewing machine. Well, new-to-me. My mother-in-law is a quilter, and last Christmas she bought herself a Bernina(!). This year, she decided she was ready to part with her old Viking, and I was the lucky recipient. Here it is, in its new home in the Woodsy View:

It has many embroidery features that I'll never use, but I was delighted when I read the instruction manual this morning and discovered it has 3 kinds of buttonholes, a stretch stitch, two overlock stitches for knits, and twin-needle capability. It's a huge upgrade from the starter White machine I've been using for the past couple of years that I bought for $30 on Craigslist. I'll be paying it forward and giving it away, so that someone else can continuously fight with the tension learn to sew.

I'm off to learn how to actually use this fancy thing, with its drop-in bobbin and digital controls. Hope you have a great weekend.