Mmmmm, I made masala dosa for supper tonight and it was delicious. I dod not make it from scratch; I bought premade batter from the local Indian grocery. Still it was the first time I made dosa on my home stove using my non-stick allclad nonstick square griddle. Woot!

We ate until we were full for a few dollars of potatoes, onions, and some leftover veggies.

I got two thumbs up from all three kids.

Things I've done this year that I feel very good about:

1) I sent my kids to a 2 night 4-H Camp. I rested, read, knit and

2) Fixed the roof gutter. One end of the gutter has been tearing away from the roof for almost a year. I did not listen to the men at HomeDepot (I curse you for bankrupting our local hardware store) who said I had to replace the whole gutter system. I fixed the gutter myself and it has held up through huge rains and some snow and ice.

3) Arranged child care and went to an all day fiber workshop.

4) Had two lovely friends care for my children so I could go to a weekend retreat.

5) Committed to a job as a Special Ed aide through this school year.

6) Stopped changing the sheets on my kids' beds and let them figure out where that smell came from and how to fix it.

The next step for me after fabric postcards was using the materials and techniques for valentines. These are made with fusible interfacing and various ribbons, fabrics, and trims.

Cheery

Sophisticated back

Sophisticated front

I couldn't get good photos of the Almost Traditional valentine. The photos kept coming out fuzzy. IRL it is impressive.

Almost Traditional Back

Almost Traditional

My MIL took me to a fabric postacrd class at G Street Fabrics. It was a blast! I learned a lot about techniques and materials and was inspired to branch out. Fabric Postcard cottion print with limited quilting around 3 leaves.
Fabric Postcard ultrasuede and cotton print cutout.

New Year's Resolution Update:

My paperwork isn't filed but I have paid all my bills so far this year and I feel like I have a grip on them. I do tend to put off paying them because...it's scary putting $900 into the account and paying out $850 for bills and knowing that there are more bills coming. Last weekend I took my bills on retreat with me and they were dealt with quite quickly. I feel pretty good about my progress.

I'm having more trouble with joy. I'm tired, I'm grumpy, I'm not doing healthy things I know will make me feel better. My kids are grumpy, fragile, and bickery. The one thing that consistantly soothes me is the night sky. When it is clear and sharp, when the sky is darkest blue and the trees are sharp black silouettes, when there is a haze around the moon, when strips of clouds slide across the stars, there is a quiet solidity and a comfort to the size and space of the sky that keeps me quiet and safe. That's as close to joy as I get these days. I think it is more than a start.

Next up...photos.