2016 Goals: They Are Finally Made!

I’m a little slow this year at making my 2016 goals. We’re already on the 18th day of the month and I’m still a little hesitant about what I want to accomplish this year. It wasn’t until last Monday when I began thinking about this and while there are lots of things I would love to do, I wanted to set goals that would be meaningful for me and things I would continue on in the future.

My 2016 Goals

Read More – I’m a little surprised at how slack I have become with reading. I think my love for reading has fizzled a little because of an e-reader. While I like the idea of convenience and a large amount of storage of books on a small device, I love the feel of real books. I love the smell of real books. I love the sound of real pages as they are being turned in real books. This year, I’m planning on reading a lot more. There have been many books recommended from several blogging friends and I want to utilize those books to better myself so I can be the kind of person I need to be.

Knit More – I finally realized I love knitting more than any other handcraft I do. With this love, my goal is to create my first knitted pattern this year. I’m planning on a baby sweater and have the idea in my head, all I need to do is put it into action. As soon as I am finished with the baby girl things I working on now, my needles along with pencil and paper will be chomping at the bit.

Sew More – Last year, when I planned on making a quilt, I really thought I was going to love it. Sadly, it’s not for me. Since I’m not one to start something and not finish it, this quilt will be completed whether I learn to love the art of quilting or not. My sashing fabric is in the mail and I can’t wait for it to get here. I am looking forward to finishing the quilt top.  I like sewing! I have a pile of UFOs I need to complete. Small projects are my thing when it comes to sewing.

Stay On Top of School Papers – I normally work a little at a time on keeping papers up to date. Every six weeks, I do an overhaul on them and file them away.  The last time I did this, I realized we are on the backside of this school year’s mountain. With this year’s transcripts needing to be worked on this spring, I’ve decided to finish this year out keeping everything up to date weekly and filed away on a bi-weekly schedule. High school transcripts give me the jitters since they are the tell-all of what my son has accomplished during his high school years and they can be the make or break of college scholarships.

Did you make goals for 2016?  I’d love to hear or read about them, leave a comment with your goals or a link so I can visit and read about your goals.

Goals Revisited for 2015

When I shared my Goals for 2015 in January, I was excited because they were REAL goals for REAL things I wanted to do. They were goals I knew I could work on without feeling like a failure if they didn’t come together quickly. In March, I shared an update on those goals and I shared a little in July, but then I didn’t write about them anymore. Since this is the 30th of December, I figured it was time to share what has happened with my Goals for 2015.

Goals Revisited

Continental Knitting – This year, I have said to myself several times, “I wish the lady in Hobby Lobby would have been a continental knitter.” I can’t help but think back to that day in 2005 when I decided I wanted to learn to knit. The lady showed me how she held the yarn and, of course, she was an English knitter. Everything I’ve knitted this year, I have been determined to work the yarn in Continental. I’ve been doing well with it, but I’ve come to decide when binding off if I need to switch over to my right hand IT WILL BE OKAY. The world is not going to end if I need to use my right hand to work the yarn.

Bread Making – Well, I’m determined one day I will make a perfect loaf of sandwich bread, but at the moment, that day has not arrived. I’ve tried several recipes since the summer with no luck. I’ve made a couple of changes in the process of making the dough which has helped: weighing the ingredients, setting the timer and not guessing at the kneading time. I have two more recipes I want to try within the next week, no matter what at least we have had some tasty toast these past few months.

Quilting – 1152 squares! That is what I’ve been sewing together since I’ve started this endeavor. Those little 2 and half inch squares are making 72 8 inch blocks. At the moment, I have 9 more blocks to piece together and I will be finished with them. I’m hoping I will have them finished before the end of the year. :) My sister and I were on the phone last week calculating the yardage for sashing and backing. I have a feeling I will end up going a cheaper route for the backing since I will need about 9 yards if I can’t find quilt backing that I like and I refuse to allow this quilt to cost me more than $200.

As you can see, I’ve been working on my goals and while they are not “completed” they are still being achieved and I’m happy with that.

2015 Goals an Update

When I made my goals for this year, I knew I was choosing goals that I could share updates for; a sense of accountability. Well, since it’s March (already?!) I’m sharing with you my 2015 goals update.

Continental knitting – what I can I say, I have the knitting, purling and my favorite bind-off down pat. Knit/Purl 2 together and increases are  being worked on at the moment. Transitioning over has helped me just about finish this beautiful afghan for my husband.

When I say, just about, I only have 4 ½ inches on the last block to finish up. Sadly, I ran out of yarn and am waiting for the skein to be delivered. The pattern for this afghan can be found HERE. The only thing I did differently, I enlarged it by using an extra 40 blocks.

Pain de Mie bread – The recipe that came with the pan, I gave it ago. Well, let’s just say this recipe did not turn out like I had hoped. I’m thinking it was because my poor KitchenAid just could not knead the dough like it needed to. The poor thing has been retired to its box and is now enjoying retirement in the basement.

My sweet husband had to work on President’s Day. There was enough overtime worked for that one day, he bought me this –

All I can say is I am amazed! I’m amazed at the difference in my pizza dough I made on Friday. My sweet son even complimented on the crust. I can’t wait to make a loaf of bread this week!

Quilting – Oh my! Picking out fabric is something I like to do in person. I like being able to touch it, unfold several folds off the bolt to look at it, and smell it. Yes, I love smelling new fabric. Relying on pictures of reproduction fabrics just about caused me to give up on this goal because I couldn’t see it in person.  Because of this, I spent several hours for several days researching and learning. I had to learn all about jellyrolls because that is what the quilt patterns called for. (Heaven knows, I don’t want to make a mountain out of a molehill by buying fabric by the yard to try to do this.) Knowing I was going to make a larger quilt from what the patterns were designed for, I had to use my nonexistent math ability to figure it out. Thankfully, my sister sat up in the wee hours of the morning with me on the phone talking me through it.

Since there are so many options on reproduction fabrics, I chose to buy two jellyrolls from Keepsake Quilting. These fabrics are beautiful! As I was unrolling them, I easily imagined the fabrics as dresses during that era.  These are just a few of the colors that came in the roll.

How are your goals coming along? Are you still pushing right along with them or have you thrown in the towel?

Resolutions -Love 'Em/Hate 'Em

Earlier this week, my husband and I had talked about making New Year Resolutions and how everyone speaks their mind about doing this or that. Then by the end of February, those resolutions have been forgotten about.

RESOLUTIONS

Since we have been married I learned from my husband, to either not make any or keep your resolutions private. Especially when it comes to doing something like, losing weight or exercising more. Those are the 2 hardest resolutions to keep up with because everyone you tell is WATCHING you and WAITING to see if you do it.

I remember when I was younger, I made the resolution about my weight. And sure enough when I told someone about it, they would always remind me that I am not sticking to it, or say something negative when I put something in my mouth. Or they made this remark,"Well that diet sure isn't working for you. I can't tell you've lost any weight." That was a real kicker for me. Even to this day, I remember a person saying those words to me, after losing 25 pounds. That hurt and it still does.

I dislike the word resolution. I try to use the word "goal" for myself.

If I decide to make a goal I don't tell anyone except for my husband. I have found, that he is the most supportive of whatever I choose to do. He is the only one that I can talk to about it, without hearing a lecture. He will do whatever to help me get going and stay with the action of reaching that goal. And he is the last person to ever say anything about me not sticking with a goal or completely failing at it. He’s a keeper, I tell you!

I can't help but think about these verses in the Bible, Proverbs 10:19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise. Proverbs 17:28 Even a fool, when he holds his peace, is counted wise: and he that shuts his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

I am not saying that you should not tell anyone about what you have decided to do. Be selective in whom you tell. Find a friend that is working on the same resolution as you. Be an encouragement to each other. Some people have to have that moral support to follow through. Then there are those, like me who like keep it a secret and then one day,"SURPRISE".

I am not a perfect person. I tend to fall off the goal wagon. When I wake up each morning, I know that I have a new day to start over with.

For those of you who have made resolutions for this New Year, just remember -Psalm 118:24 This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. 

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

We can meet that goal!