Happy New Year!

Posted on January 1, 2021 by prairiemoonquilts in Prairie Moon Ranch

We’re standing on the threshold of a brand new year!

We’re startin’ it out here with a bang — we’re having a major ice and snow storm!

The goats won’t come out of their huts, the dogs won’t leave the porch, the cows and horses won’t leave the barn, and My Cowboy won’t let me out of the house. And I’m holding my breath and crossing my fingers and praying we don’t lose power.

I always use January 1st as my planning day, so I’m at my desk and computer making up all sorts of unrealistic lists for the coming year. And you?

My main goal is to always do better than the year before, so that means I want to get even more done on my house, finish more projects than 2020, quilt more quilts than 2020, have less UFOs than 2020, be healthier than I was in 2020, in which I was pretty dang healthy, thank God! The broken foot from back last January is a very distant memory now.

Because My Cowboy and I no longer eat out, and we’re having to survive on my cooking, and because of his health, I’ve been trying to make us eat healthier. He’s lost 23 pounds, and I’ve lost 18, with minimal effort, trust me!

I’ve chronicled my menu planning and cooking efforts along the way, so if you want to see some of the things we’ve tried, or get links to some of the recipes, you can see those HERE.

I also made progress on some of my house projects, altho there were some periods of no forward movement on that at all. I am soooo close to having my kitchen completely finished, and as soon as I get that done, I will give you all a tour.

I’m finally unpacking the last box of kitchen stuff that I never unpacked since we moved in here 8 years ago. This means that my spaghetti man is finally in his rightful place! This strange (and somewhat creepy) fellow hung in my grandmother’s kitchen my entire life, and now he lives with me. I’m wondering how we weren’t scared of him as children!

I’ve also been working on the living room at the same time (and the entryway), but as soon as I get the kitchen done, my next big project is the bedroom. So we’ll see how many more rooms I can finish up this year. This house has 10 rooms and a large stairwell, and so far, I’m only completely done with 4 rooms. Pathetic, after 8 years! But we finished lots of hard things, which makes other things finally move a little faster, so we’ll see.

I wanted to finish the 4th room upstairs for the studio this year, but it turned out to not be a priority. Hopefully 2021 is the year!

On the quilting front, I always think I can do more, so I’ll be continuing to try to finish up more things, start very little new stuff, corral the fabric stash, lower my number of projects, and keep organizing!

I’m setting up my planner book for 2021. I finally have a minimal system that works for me, and it’ll just roll over to this year with little effort.

Here’s where I was at last year.

Here are a few things I have on the docket for this year:

  • • Two new Block-of-the-Month programs will be coming out — one in May, one in August.
  • • I’ll be wrapping up the current Quilt-Along on The Life of Hazel Ilene, and while I’m planning for the next one, I’m not sure exactly when it will start.
  • • I have a couple more new patterns coming out soon, and at least one free tutorial that I’ll be posting here (maybe more).
  • • I’m continuing the 350 Blocks Project for 2021. I’ll be wrapping up last year’s on the 8th, and launching the 2021 version on the 15th.
  • • I’m also going to continue the Studio Organizing Challenge, and I’m still thinking about exactly how I want that to happen for this year.
  • • I hope to get to show you a lot of what I’ll be working on throughout the year as well, plus other fun little things along the way: recipes, goat stories, projects, etc. I have some things up my sleeve!

So thank you all so very much for following along and joining me on my silly, messy journey through Life on the Ranch and my little quilting world. I appreciate all of you, and I hope you’ll keep tuning in for more fun stuff along the way.

I wish you all a fantastically happy, healthy 2021!

23 responses to “Happy New Year!”

  1. Deanna says:

    A joyful and productive 2021 to you. Thank you for being one of those people that makes the internet a better place.

  2. Sandra Famuliner says:

    I have always reading your posts
    Happy New Year!

  3. Debi F says:

    So far no real goals for this year. Just keeping on keeping on. That means, not going anywhere, and using what fabric I already have. Sometimes ordering online to fill in a blank spot, but making do is my mantra. As for quilt blocks last month, I did a whole 2 quilts, resulting in 180 blocks being made! I was busy! especially since half of them were machine embroidered! But they are gifted and living happily ever after, which is also the plan for my life. Blessed new year!

  4. Patricia Cash says:

    Happy New Year! I love organizing and task 3 is done.

  5. Wendy says:

    Happy New Year, Shelly! Stay put and ride out the storm today. I think 2021 is going to be a good year for you!

  6. Cindy Wienstroer says:

    I have been working on my scrap pile but need to get out & shovel the snow. Agree with you on plans to finish projects, start fewer ones and use up what i have but of course might get side tracked !☹️😂. Hope your power stays on – we have more snow than ice here in KC. So Happy New Year.

  7. Kerry says:

    Happy New Year! Yes, glad you stayed inside safe. The animals know best so humans must learn from them to do the same! Sounds much scarier than our bit of a hard frost!
    Oh a kitchen. I can’t wait but have to. The council said yes to an extension on the kitchen and also tearing down the workshop (dilapidated pile of metal) and making it into a new garage/sewing room. I was hoping we’d start this year. Well nuff said on that front! I don’t think that will happen this year either – materials are hard to come by and what there is around is so expensive, so we will wait till 2022. But at least we got our much needed barn built. As for decorating it will likely be another 30 years before HRH gets close to it. Which means me wielding the paintbrush and him hiding.
    I must finish Deanna’s Irish Stars – I took it on a retreat and only done a few blocks since. It is one I enjoyed too.
    So I have about 5 (not counting the one I’m doing now) quilts to quilt – I bought the backing and wadding/batting for them when the tops were completed, so I am determined to get them all sorted this year. She says hopefully! I’ll be well happy if I can.
    Take care and stay safe! xxx

  8. Angela Neese says:

    Yikes! Yes, the ice and snow came to Rutledge as well. I’m so grateful my cowman is taking care of my horses and I’m warm and by the fire and baking Snickerdoodles and watching the Auburn game. Life is GOOD!! Happy 2021!

  9. Paula M M says:

    Wishing for a Happy New Year for all of us! I don’t remember what brought me to your blog; I have totally enjoyed your honesty, hearing about life on a ranch, and your cowboy! I am grateful for encouragement to be successful. Now back to those piles of random fabrics!

  10. Candice says:

    Happy New Year! My goal for 2021 is to let myself start a new project if I have 3 unfinished ones left. Hope this works😊

  11. I love your studio organizing. It makes me feel less alone when I am doing what you suggest. I have done lots in my studio this year, but it is a mess now and I need to figure something out for my rulers.
    I’m along for the ride.
    Happy New Year!

  12. Diane says:

    I’ll bet you can’t remember the last time you were bored. That’s the thing about folks that have high hopes and create to do lists that are unrealistic. I’m there with you with a UFO list of 84 projects. Mind you I didn’t slouch around much last year as I did have 12 finishes and 5 that came close to being finished (they will be quilted by check). But I did get start four new projects instead of keeping my head down and working the list. And I found things that didn’t get put on last years list. I’m not going to say I won’t buy more fabric as I like having a local independently owned quilt store not to far from home, and they need our support. But I hope to only purchase to finish. I’ve enjoyed the 350 project and intend to play again. November and December blocks totalled 105 so I know I made my goal. And maybe if I pay closer attention and participate in all of those studio challenges, I might waste less time creating more of a mess because “I know it’s here somewhere”. Happy New Year and Thank YOU for all you do.

  13. kate barbieri says:

    Happy New Year Quilters! Yes, YOU stay in the house prairie girl. You need to be in one piece to care for all your critters and your cowboy. Tomorrow is another day and everything else can wait. me, i am working on a herringbone queen and a baby quilt. School is off then on then off again so its a bit stressful not knowing what my schedule is from week to week. Just hanging on this roller coaster of our current situation. Happy 2021 and here’s to hope for a return to a better world.

  14. Paula Mu in NE OH says:

    A Happy New Year to you and your cowboy!

  15. Mary Delia says:

    YOU ARE AWESOME!! Let yourself stay safe and warm indoors until it’s safer. I made some progress on the challenges. Thanks.

  16. Wanda Marvel says:

    I don’t remember if I sent numbers for last 350 blocks….December was 14 but I have spent hours organizing downstairs.

  17. Elle says:

    Happy Happy New Year. May all your goals be achieved and your dreams come true 🙂

  18. Suzette Harris says:

    Happy New Year!

  19. Tonia says:

    Happy New year to all–may we come closer to our dreams and visions of quilts that dance through our heads like sugarplums as we make our list for 2021!
    The list is made, sadly I did not get as many done last year as I had hope…..I moped my way through isolation rather than quilting…..And the sad thing for the 350 block…..I have more tops to quilt than blocks to make…but it has been an inspiration to get on with it in the past, so I will join and hope to at least make the 350 this year! Sure am eager to get out there an use the flat surface that was under the clutter! Thank you again Shelly for end of the year inspiration!!

  20. Happy New Year Shelly to you and your Cowboy. Hope you stayed indoors and survived the storm with no mishaps. Great recap of last year and plan for the New Year. Looking forward to seeing the tours as you finish these rooms. Reno’s are such a big job and always take 10 times (at least) the time you originally think

  21. Darlene says:

    Happy New Year! Wishing you and your cowboy a healthy 2020! I am excited to see how you may inspire and challenge us in the coming weeks. Thank you for all you share.

  22. Sounds like you needed a snow storm to slow you down haha! that is a lot of things going on and I love it! Hope the snow really didn’t take your power and all the animals are okay

  23. Johnna Clarke says:

    May I please go live with you? Wait, I’d surely miss my husband and cats. Happy New Year!

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