Stash Busting!

I've been working away at my New Year's resolutions.  I've come up with a brilliant stash busting plan (or at least I think it's brilliant).  I went through all my yarn and my favorites in Ravelry and found a project for every last bit of yarn in my stash.  I then took it a step further and printed all the patterns, matched them up with the yarn and put them in my favorite project bags, Ziploc bags!

My stash now looks like this:

and this:

Here's an example of one of my project bags. 

 
I did a count and I now have 22 projects all set and ready to go.  I'm going to see how many of these I can knock off in 2012 and try not to bring in much new yarn in the meantime.  I did join the Plucky Knitter's Classics club so new yarn will be arriving four times this year.  That yarn will be used for my adventures in sock knitting.

Being this organized feels good!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!  I hope your holiday season was as fantastic as ours.  If you are wondering about my holiday to do list.  I'm happy to say that it was mostly completed!  I didn't finish Sammy's sweater until December 31st but I'm still counting that as a victory.  Here are some of my favorite photos of everyone enjoying their gifts!

Sammy had to take his hippo to breakfast with him!

Have you ever seen a kid so happy to have a hat and mittens.  That girl knows how to appreciate a hand made gift!  My favorite moment of the day was when Brooklyn hugged me and said, "Aunt Beth whenever I miss you I'm going to just hug my hippo and think of you."  Can you ask for more?  Now where is my hippo to hug?

Several of the blogs I follow had a finished object count in their New Year's post.  I did my count and it turns out I had 37 finished objects in 2011.  I'm completely amazed by that number.  

I've been thinking about my goals for 2012 and here's what I have so far:

1. Use up a good chunk of my stash yarn.  I've been working on a plan today...more to come on this one.
2. Knit at least two sweaters for myself.  I'm getting to work on this one right away and I just ordered yarn to start my first one.  I know this is counter to goal one but I really didn't have enough bulky weight yarn.  Really...I promise. :)
3. Try not to turn myself into a crazy person during the holiday season.  This year's holiday knitting got out of control.  I really don't want to do that again!

I've also set some lofty health goals for myself this year.  We are doing a Biggest Loser contest at the office and I'm participating and hoping to drop at least 30 pounds by my birthday.  I'm also really focusing on how to get my butt back to the gym regularly.  This has really been a struggle for me post-Sammy.  I've been doing well so far though.  I started a kick boxing class and a swim class and am trying to fill in with walking and some elliptical time.  I also went meat-free again in the New Year.  

We've had so many blessings in 2011 and I hope 2012 is fully of many more.