Happy 1st Birthday!

Happy 1st Birthday baby girl! One year ago today you changed my life. I hope I have made you as happy as you have made me. . xoxoxo!

Crazy week but I did squeeze in . . .

Lots of deadlines this week and next so I have been straight out. I did however in the middle of everything squeeze out two projects. . .not sure I slept this week. . .can't remember

Lime Cupcakes for the office. It was our Administrative Assistants birthday. These were fabulous! Could still use some tequila I think. . .maybe tequila frosting for April 16th??? Recipe via http://www.lanascooking.com/2010/01/22/lime-cupcakes/

And I was up Friday night making this quick gift for my mother-in-law's birthday. Simple bag from Last-Minute Patchwork & Quilted Gifts. Simple yet a really nice gift. Since my mother-in-law reads a lot I thought a nice travel bag for a book with a bookmark with the cutest little baby there ever was on it was a great gift idea. I just used card stock wrapped with fabric for the book mark with some very fashionable stampin up ribbon and a scrapbook accessory punched through on the top.

Happy Valentine's Day :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

New project! Lace Twist Mitts by Debbie O'Neill from the Fall 2009 Knitscene. Yarn is Dream in Color Classy. Only one skein. Now that it is getting lighter I can knit on the way to work . . .hooray! Carpooling isn't such a bad thing after all :)

Entrelac Scarf

A nice afternoon with a nice Noro entrelac scarf. Not a lot going on here but tax returns. This week seemed to be over before I had a chance to blink. . oh well. . just means it is closer to April 15th . ..independence day!

Budgeting time

Budgeting my time has always been a struggle for me. These days its even more of a challenge. Tax season is in full throttle, I have a 9 month old this year, and I am trying to study for am exam in April. How do we accomplish all this and not end up at the crazy farm you might ask? Well, I bought this book on time management a few months ago to not find any easy answer but to get some key tips. One of the most important things I picked up from this book as to make a list of the top three things you want to accomplish that day. You can have more than three but in reality those top three are the most important and the only guaranteed ones you will accomplish that day. So far this little trick has worked for me. Keeps me focused. . I will always have my list of long term goals and plans but this weeds it down to a manageable level. It has been working . . .I have been more productive at work and getting there on the home front.



Today's list includes: 1. Cutting out the pieces for my next bag. Another Amy Butler Birdie Sling bag out of Amy Butler fabric this time. . .just for little old me :)

check! Number one is off the list. Now on to the next.

2. Knit for an hour and just relax. I put in 9 billable hours yesterday. . I need a little break or I will crack by April 15th. I have my favorite side kick today and she likes to watch mommy knit. Especially when she is sitting in my lap with a bottle. She pets the item I am knitting as a comfort tool for going to sleep.

3. And three. . hit the books. I don't plan on taking this auditing exam until April so I have time and I am taking it slow. . actually enjoying it. I do enjoy auditing and I have so much exposure to it that this is mostly a refresher and the new things I am picking up are really helping me in the field. Becker is definitely the best out there for CPA exam review. . I enjoy and look forward to studying. . that has never happened before!

Well I better get to number 2 & 3 before the day is over :)

Easy projects to get me through my head cold

My poor brain was hit with a nasty head cold this week. With that said I really needed a break from difficult projects. I picked up an entrelac scarf I started over a year ago and began working on finishing that. . I find entrelac easy and since it is just a scarf. . it's just the right knitting project for me.

I also decided to make a quick fabric basket for my brother's girlfriend this weekend since her birthday is coming up soon and it requires mailing. Something that takes me a while to do since the post office hours do not always work with my schedule. I made her a little make-up bag for Christmas and saved the scraps. . .perfect size scraps for this cute little basket. All I need to do now is get some lotion . . make a card and off to the post office we go. See here for tutorial. . .
http://ayumills.blogspot.com/2008/05/tutorial-fabric-basket.html

Of course the basket had to go through a very tough inspection. . .which I think passed. . .she seemed impressed . . .but knows this really was not a challenge for me. I think she wants those fabric rings I promised her. . .still don't know if I am ready for that yet. . .eeek!

Well off to study . . .getting that CPA exam out of the way this year. Maybe I can get Brooke to hold my flash cards??? . . second thought. . .maybe not:)

Finally a finished project!

I am sooooo excited to finally finish a project. . .and have it turn out perfect!!! Oh what a wonderful feeling!!! And I have to give some credit to my little helper. . if it wasn't for her hard work and support . . .mommy would have never made it! What a good little girl:) She even squealed with excitement and flapped her arms when I asked what she thought!

I think she might be excited just thinking of all the things I can make her later when she is big enough to make requests!

the inside large pocket of the birdie sling bag. . i will say the pattern instructions are very well written. I am very new to sewing and I was able to follow along without any trouble.

Fabric by Moda. I am not sure what pattern line. . .I happened to see it at Knits & Bolts in New Haven and thought this would be the perfect colors for a bag. Can't wait until next weekend when I can start another one. . now that I have been through all the steps and can relax knowing that I am doing it right.

The finished product. . .eeeek. . .I am just so thrilled with how it came out! Hats off to Amy Butler on this pattern!