Seven in 'Eleven

We interrupt our regularly scheduled crafty blogging for an exercise in accountability. I’m going to be honest: ever since the clock struck midnight on this New Year, I’ve been talking a pretty big game. My poor husband, mother, friends, coworkers, clients, dogs, baby, and grocery cashier (among others) have been subjected to my endless droning on about how I’m not doing any resolutions this year, oh no, those have never worked out, and instead I’ve made a big to-do list for myself and goals are MUCH BETTER and more manageable and inspiring than a resolution and blah, blah blah, blah blah, blah blah.

(And, yes, in case you were wondering, I do talk in endless run-on sentences without taking any breaths just.like.that. So. You’re welcome.)

When January 1^st dawned with all the promise and hope and motivation that any New Year brings I hit the ground running. I cleaned out, I organized, and I sorted. I reviewed and re-hung and refolded. And that was just my closet. Suffice it to say that I was feeling pretty proud of myself.

And then, something happened. Monday happened. Monday with its regular schedule and back-to-work and normal routine and not –enough- hours- in- the- day-ness. And my lone wonder: my clean and organized and beautiful closet was all I had to show for my fancy (and highly touted) list of “goals”.  Typical, right?

Not this year. And not this girl. I am determined to set a list of goals for myself this year and to STICK WITH IT. And in the spirit of making it happen, I figured what better way to hold myself accountable than by throwing it all out there to the internet and blogging my way through it.

So, without further ado (I mean, hasn’t there been enough already?) here is my list of seven things to do in 2011:

1.       Learn how to sew. Santa must have gotten my letter because a brand new shiny brother sewing machine is now gracing my crafting table. Still in the box. But tonight, I bought my first spool of thread and some fabric remnant for practice. I’ve armed myself with literature (Sewing For Dummies counts as literature, right?) and the internet, of course, and I’m committed to giving this a go. I’m dreaming of new throw pillows! Window treatments! And maybe, just maybe a new duvet for my bed! But first! Turning it on and threading the needle! Its all about the baby steps.

2.       Make my crafting more practical. Don’t get me wrong. I love a glittered pig as much as the next girl. And don’t even get me started on seasonal decorations. I’m actually working on some valentine crafts as we speak. But I would like to branch out and get my hands dirty this year. Pick up a power tool or two. Repurpose some furniture, find new and thrifty ways to organize and simplify my living spaces. I want to turn this passion of mine into something that is not only fun for myself but that is useful and purposeful and helpful for my family.

3.       Craft more gifts. Since I’m still just getting my crafty feet wet, I didn’t feel confident that I could make something (besides hot chocolate!) that was actually gift worthy over the holidays. But as a gift recipient, I ADORE handmade, thoughtful gifts, and know that a lot of my friends and family do too. And I’d like to find ways to make gift giving less about the dollar amount and more about the time, energy, and thoughtfulness that went into it. My budget and my heart are telling me it’s the way I need to go.

4.       Craft with my kid. In the course of this next year, my baby will be turning two. TWO. Which means at some point in 2011 she is going to transition from a toddler into a kid. And the older she gets, the more able she will be to do some crafty projects with me. I want to make a point to do simple, safe projects that she can do with me so that I can pass on this love of crafting to her and also, so that my hobby becomes less about time spent away from her and more about something we love to do together.

5.       Work with what I’ve got. I’ve got my eye on a few home improvement/redecorating projects this year. And in my experience, it can be all too easy to just start picking out things you like when you see them and before you know it, you’ve got a house full of STUFF and a budget that is beyond busted. I want to be more conscious of using things I already have and repurposing them, be it through paint, Mod Podge, or even just using things in a new an unexpected way.  I want to remember that I have scraps of paper, ribbon, and fabric instead of racing out to buy all new for each project.  And I certainly want to make sure that no cabinet, drawer, or closet goes unturned before I head out to the store for supplies. It’s just not sensible!

6.       Do something BIG. It’s taken me some time and several small projects to get to where I am now. And it’s going to take a little more to get to where I want to go. I still don’ t feel like I could knit an entire sweater or build a bed frame or anything like that. But I do want to challenge myself this year to take on a big project. To get out of my comfort zone. To put down the glue gun and pick up the nail gun. Or something. I want to take on a project that makes me feel a little intimidated to think about. And then I want to tackle it head on and see where it takes me. I actually have a project in mind for this, but I’ll leave to the details of that for later. Don’t want to jinx myself just wet. J

7.       Copy less, create more.  I’ll always be a copy cat at heart.  There is nothing quite like scrolling through my blog roll and coming away inspired and motivated and eager to try new things. But I also want to become someone who inspires and motivates. I want to see things with new eyes. I want to look at more things and say (with confidence) “I can make that”. I want to be the person people come to and ask crafty questions. And I want to have more ideas and projects that are of my own doing and not just an emulation of someone else. There will still be plenty of that going on. But it would be nice to feel like I had my own two crafty legs to stand on.  

So what do you think? Have I officially lost it? Am I making a mountain out of a mole hill here? Probably. But I do love a to-do list. And I like having something to work towards. So here we go. 2011. Otherwise known as The Year I Sew.

I think I'm going to need some prayers (and some band aids) stat!