Resolutions

I’m generally not a big New Year Resolution gal, but with all of the changes going on in my life right now, I figure the New Year (and decade!) is just a good time as any to sit down and set goals for myself. After making the big decision to take our brick and mortar shop 100% online, it’s been a whirlwind of task lists and priorities. Sitting down and spelling out a few resolutions to benefit both my personal and professional life will (hopefully) keep everything in perspective. Here goes:

* Simplify. De-clutter and organize my material possessions. Is everything I own used on a regular (even just an annual) basis, or does the item just collect dust? With the overly large size of our home and no kids as an excuse, it’s easy to “hide” clutter in cabinets, closets and the garage. If I can limit the clutter and get my usable items organized, maybe my overall life will feel more organized.

* Continue to hone my baking & cooking skills. This doesn’t really need to be a resolution, more of a reminder to myself to stop running around and take a few hours a week to try something new or experiment with a recipe I've tried in the past.

* Grow something edible and don’t let it die. My husband is kind enough to help me with this one. We’re sectioning off a small area of the yard to plant some tomatoes and strawberries. He’s even going to run the drip system through our little garden so the plants will be harder for me to kill (fingers crossed!) This is the first, tiny baby step toward our ultimate retirement goal of living in the country. I have a strange desire to raise sheep and grow our own food. I’m good with animals, but my gardening skills leave much to be desired. I've been called the Black Thumb.

*Create a meaningful blog post at least once a week. My track record hasn't been great so far, since I disappear for months at a time.

* Lose 5 lbs. I can never get away from this one. As I inch closer to my 30s, this becomes even more and more important. I just ordered a balance ball from Amazon (recommended by my neighbor, who just lost 10 lbs) and I resolve to start walking my dog again. Poor thing has been stuck inside almost all winter.

Christmas Preparation

Thanksgiving is usually the day I officially start the Christmas festivities, but since I'll be at the shop virtually every day for the month of December, it will keep the season less stressful if I start now. At least, that's the plan.

Last year I didn't even decorate because I was so busy with the biz, but this year I have both sides of the family coming to our new house to celebrate the holiday (on separate days). To keep myself organized, I use the Microsoft program One Note 2007. While I scour the net for ideas, I can copy/paste the best finds to One Note, including the original link. I can create tabs for different categories, so I can sort through recipes, craft ideas, gift lists, etc. with ease. I can even create checklists to print out when I need them. For the next several weekends, I'll post projects as I work on them.

Serious Reflection

It's been months since I've even thought about posting on here, mainly because I've spent the last several months seriouly reflecting on my professional life goals. Due to the suffering economy, my business has taken a real nosedive. I'm at the point where a change is financially necessary. And when I say change, I mean honestly assessing whether entrepreneurship is really my calling.

After weeks and months of agonizing, I came to a decision. The official announcement won't happen until the end of the year, but 2010 will be a new beginning for me. I haven't been this excited in a long while, and the new path will be difficult, but ultimately worth it. More details on that as plans are set in motion.

Until then, I've vowed to spend less time agonizing over my business ills and spend more time cultivating my hobby/creative side. There is a photo class I've been longing to take with professional photographer Augie Chang (a friend of mine took his class and told me it's really worth it!). My poor Nikon has been collecting dust, and I've always had a soft spot for photography. My birthday is coming up, so this will be #1 on my wish list.

Hiatus - Good excuse

A few weeks ago, the hubby & I moved into our new house, which is just one of the reasons why I've neglected my poor blog for the last few weeks. Not much time for crafting or getting creative while organizing my new office and unpacking our posssessions.

Being a new homeowner almost always comes with a new desire - gardening. Now, anyone who knows me will attest to the fact that I do, in fact, possess a Black Thumb. I killed a cactus once. Not one to give up easily, I've decided to make an earnest effort at caring for a small edible garden. Starting small, I procured 4 strawberry plants from the local Home Depot, and am happy to report that after 2 weeks, they are still alive and thriving. I even plan on transplanting them into the ground. One of these days. :-)

Also, garden decor is a must. I ordered an elegantly simple birdbath from my statuary vendor at the shop, threw in some river rocks and the cutest baby frog statue... voila! For less than $40, I have the cutest little retreat in our side courtyard.

Slightly Creepy

The resemblance is just weird. Terminator already has a staring problem. When Angie is done with her new needle felted sculpture, I'll have a mini-Termi (she's named him Termite) staring at me, too.

I signed up for a booth at the ARF Animals on Broadway Event in Walnut Creek to promote the shop, and we'll be featuring a bunch of needle-felted animal sculptures you can meet in person.

WIP Felted Baby Seal

I've officially caught the felting bug. Angela gave me her book, Little Felted Animals, for inspiration and I fell in love with all the little creatures. I started on the easy baby seal. So far, the basic body was created with core wool. I'll finish it off with white merino wool to smooth out the lines and a cute little face. I stabbed myself with the barbed needle about 5 times, but the sacrifice was well worth it.

Swing Swing Drop Earrings

Nights at the shop get pretty slow, but it gives me plenty of time to stretch my creative muscles. I added an antique-looking beadcap to a gorgeous blue Swarovski crystal bead and gave it a little drop to swing around and show off. Also, got to play with my new toy hubby bought me to take this pic.