HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Image courtesy of netanimation.net

May 2015 be full of Creative Blessings!

RECAPPING 2014

We are in the final days of 2014. While this has been a creative year for me, I didn't accomplish much of any of the items on my GOALS list. You'll see the ones I did accomplish in GREEN and the ones I didn't in RED. At a glance, I don't feel as if I did anything this year that I wanted to do.

Let's start with the 52 Scarf sets for the Mitten Tree. I know I was thinking one per week. What I didn't take into account is tht I didn't have that many glove/ hat sets to crochet scarves for. I only had 25. And that's what I turned in on December 12th. (You'll see a post about that on Thursday).

I also submitted (and sold) 3 articles to Polymer Cafe magazine. They publish six times a year and I was in three of those. I'm starting out 2015 with a sale to them. I will have the Last Word column in the Jan/ Feb issue (on stands now) with a request to send her as many more articles as I can ASAP. So yeah... 2015 is off to a good start there.

The other areas I really need to work on. Some will be tricky until we can get the studio finished. Right now, I don't even have insulation let alone a floor and ceiling. I do have electricity. So there is progress. More on that progress in future posts. (Just need to resize pics,)

I've already started the Mitten Tree sets for 2015 and completed one. My goal is to do 50. I've also joined forces with the company my daughter works for to crochet hats/ scarves for the Veteran's Camp in Arlington WA. So I'm adding 24 sets there... bringing my crochet total to 74 sets! I'll need the ones for the Veteran's Camp by the first of November.

I still want to do the girls' albums but those will have to wait until I'm in the studio... probably sometime after June 1. The other albums will have to wait as well but all are going on my GOAL list.  I'm also adding the Documented Life Project to my list. I attempted this last year. I succeeded in discovering this is the perfect dayplanner for me! The artwork never even got attempted. So this year I'm starting 'with' the rest of the group and hope to keep up. If I can do that until I'm moved into the office, I'll be thrilled.

I also did not get into any challenges this year. However, I've signed up for the Christmas Card Challenge again this year. I HATED sending boxed cards and don't ever want to do that again! I've already marked Reindeer Club on my calendar. And I signed up for the Stamp 2 Spend Challenge again. I didn't participate last year. Since all my money has gone into the new studio, I have to focus on using what I have rather than spending more. (Except for Sal A bration coming up in Jan). I do need to replenish my SU Cardstock. And there are a couple more organization items I need. But aside from that, I should be good.

For the rest of this week, I'll be showing you some of what I've done and what I have in store. Next Monday, I'll change the GOAL List to reflect my plans for 2015.

How has your year been? Please share.
Creative Blessings!

PLANNING FOR A SUCCESSFUL 2015

We are getting close to the end of the year. December is always my month to clear out the present year and begin setting files up for the next.

I'll have pics to show you beginning the first week of January but I've been in PLANNER mode. I really liked working with the Composition Book this year as part of the Documented Life Project. While I never got to the 'art' challenges, I did use the planner daily for the first half of the year. After that, I still kept the planner handy but still used a LIST pad for my To Do List. So I'm combining the two for 2015.

I've also been cruising YouTube (Links coming in later posts) on various ways people are setting up and decorating their planners. A couple of gals really got me thinking. Set up a Planner Art bag. A place to keep all the things I would use in my planner such as post its, pens, stamps, stickers, etc. So when I sit down to plan out my week all my tools are there in one place.  I'm also thinking this may help in actually doing the challenges as well.

So I spent all of yesterday (Sunday) pouring through copious amount of supplies in the studio and condensed some of the basics into THIS  Mine is all black. I bought it when they first came out several years ago and I was teaching at Michaels. Mine has cycled through various project options through that time. So when I saw THIS video by Nadine at Nadine's Mixed Plate on YouTube, the light bulb went on.

If you don't follow me, I hope you do. And if you and your friends want to be more organized in your studio (and your planner) please follow me. I'll be doing giveaways throughout the year and you won't want to miss your chance to add to your own stash.

Oh.. and I have not forgot I promised a giveaway before I got sick. I will be drawing for that on January 2 (want to wait so things don't get lost in Christmas mail mess) when I post the first Give Away for 2015.

Merry Christmas!
and a Creative 2015!

COMPUTER ISSUES, CONSTRUCTION AND SINUS'

In case some of you thought I'd vanished beneath the construction rubble... I'm still here.

Two days after the construction began I got hit with a horrid sinus infection that lasted 6 weeks! I've never had vertigo or thought it was really a 'thing'. I am now a true believer. The cursor on the computer would make me nauseous. LOL I've spent less than 10 minutes a WEEK on line until yesterday.

I've also had to continually work out things on this new laptop. But at least now my head is up to the challenge and things should run more smooth.

I had planned to post pics of the build in progress but by the time I fed the crew lunch, I just wanted to go to bed... and did as soon as they were done for the day.

Those of you who've been with me for a while know I LOVE  to decorate for Christmas.This year my decor consists of a new 4' pre-lit Christmas tree and 2 gift bags to be decorated and used in place of stockings. With the construction and my being ill, the house is a disaster. At this point I just want to get business caught up before I lose my hard-earned contacts. Everything else will fall into place - or off the counter.

And to top off my holiday season... I am not making Christmas cards this year. I want to enjoy the process, not be stressed out trying to get them made and in the mail. My work space downstairs is buried under items I've either purchased or been working on as part of the new space organization.

But, as my husband said, 'next year - look out!' LOL Christmas in all it's colorful glory will return to our house and mailboxes nationwide.

My biggest thing I'm looking forward to is that in the new space I'll be able to display my Christmas Village on the big work island I've not unpacked my village with the exception of a few pieces a couple years ago, in over 8 years. And I can shut the cats out of the studio so they won't be playing Godzilla through the snowy set up. hehe