17 Things I Want To Do In 2023 – Week 20 of 52

Earn $1,493.04 {Last Year’s Grocery Expenses} Selling Totally Random Things Online

Yesterday I boxed up various sizes of driftwood into 4 boxes. I’m hoping to get them all photographed and listed in my Etsy shop in the next few days. 

I still have a ton of driftwood left, so I’ll try to get that boxes up as well, as I think things tend to sell better when you have a nice collection of something for people to choose from.

Sold so far:

• 1 Box of “Native Organically Harvested Maine Driftwood” for $89.95
• 1 Box of 12 Heart Shaped Rocks for 24.95
• 1 box of 6 Heart Shaped Rocks for $22.95
• 1 box of 2 Folgers Coffee Cans for $29.95
• Set of 3 Brim Coffee Cans for $39.95
• 1 Martinson Coffee Can for $19.95

*Money earned selling random stuff so far $227.70

* At the end of the year I will deduct all the shipping/supply/selling fees from the grand total. 

Go On a Staycation/Craftcation With The Girl

Québec City is still at the top of our list. Some place in Old Town with breakfast in bed. 🙂 

Send 52 Cards To 52 Different People. {17 of 52 mailed so far}

I need to write a thank you note {don’t you just love getting a real card in the mail?} and so I picked up a new pack of notecards at the Marshall Point Light yesterday in Port Clyde. 

I thought this goal would be a bit of a challenge, and so far it is. Email/texting is sooo much faster. But I suppose that’s the point… Slowing down and doing something a little more meaningful.

Make 12 Totally British Recipes In The AGA. 

I need to get going on this!

I really want to recreate the English muffins we made in the King Arthur cooking class, but I haven’t been able to carve out the time it takes to make them. 

It’s such a busy time of year and the garden seems to be taking up most of my time these days.

• Currant Scones
• Sticky Toffee Pudding 

Turn The Craft Room Into a Proper Studio Space

Things are moving along in the new studio! My handyman installed the light fixture a few days ago and I am LOVING it!

Although after working in there last night, I realized I’m going to need some brighter bulbs {60 watt are in there now, but I think I need 100}.
Luckily, Mr. Handy Dandy will be able to change those using the tall ladder ON THE GROUND! 😉

Changes I plan on making to the space:

• Rip out the old gross carpet and replace it with pine floors
• Fresh paint
• A proper light fixture
• New serger
• New work table {I bought 3!}
• A sitting area with a spot to hook

Hook 100 Rugs {50 of 100 done so far}

Last night I finished rug #51 & #52 and now I can focus on rug #53. It’s a BIG one {43×36} but I’m hoping to get it done by next weekend

Create 15 New Rug Hooking Patterns 11 of 15 completed so far}

My latest rug hooking pattern is called Mable’s Kittens.

New patterns I’ve added to my Etsy shop in 2023:

• Fair Isle Sheep
• Olde Hares
• Antique Hearts and Flowers
• Fat Cat with Easter Eggs
• Fat Cat with Shamrocks
• Fat Cat with Hearts
• Horse and Hearts
• Valentine Kitties
• Little Chicken
• Hit and Miss Flower Basket
• Mable’s Kittens

Revisit An Old Friend.

I’m working on it! I’m nearly there. I’m just waiting for 1 more thing to arrive. 

Grow 1,000 Pounds of Vegetables In The Religious Family Sized Garden

The HH started moving the 20 yards of garden soil I had delivered while he was gone and I’m beginning to think it’s not going to be enough!! 

Spending money on dirt is not fun…. But the space is SO BIG {thanks to you know who!} that it would take forever if we went the cardboard and grass clippings route to build up the area. 

I’m hoping that once we add the garden soil in {and the HH doesn’t expand the garden anymore!} we’ll be all set and we won’t have to till or anything else next year.

Empty The Canning Cupboard / Fill The Canning Cupboard

I think at the rate we’re going, all the salsa will be gone by early August. Which would be a good thing because that’s when I’ll {if all goes well} be making more.

Make $500 Selling Plants, Flowers or Vegetables {I’ve made $46 so far.}

I made another $22 last week at The Duck Lady’s place selling pea starts and a few herbs. Yee-Haw! 

This week I plan to pot up my chive plants and bring some over. I also started a few more trays of vegetable starts with some of the extra seeds I had so hopefully those will sell too. If not, I’ll just plant them in my garden.

So far I’ve sold:

{9} 6- packs of pea starts @$2 each {then I upped the price to $3} = $24.00
{4} Daffodil bouquets @$3 & $4 each = $14.00
{3} Chives @$2 each = $6.00
{1} Basil @$2 each = $2.00

Buy 12 Handmade Items {From 12 Different Artists} 6 down, 6 to go

I ordered a couple of walnut charcuterie boards from Etsy seller FarmHillWoodShop and absolutely LOVE them!!

So far this year I have bought:

• {3} Linen Aprons from BedCult
• {2} Charcuterie boards from FarmHillWoodShop
• {3} Fair Isle Hats Rachel of Barkland Croft
• 2 Quilts from ZoëDawn Shop 
• 1 Handmade braclet from a little girl’s lemonade/craft stand
• {2} Watercolor Palettes 

Update Every Single Recipe On The Blog To A Printable Format 

I was too busy pulling weeds. 

26 Official Date Days With My Handsome Husband {11 down, 15 to go}

For date day this week the HH and went to the Marshall Point Light museum in Port Clyde, then stopped by Hedgerow Market in Martinsville. 

The flag was out at Spruce Tree Studio so we stopped by there too {and a few spots along the way}. It was a good morning of wandering around the area.

• Date #1 Thomaston Cafe for lunch. It was lovely. 
• Date #2 Rising Tide Co-Op
• Date #3 Oysterhead Pizza
• Date #4 Oysterhead Pizza 
• Date #5 Schanz Family Maple
• Date #6 Camden, Maine for lunch and candy
• Date # 7 The Quiet Girl movie
• Date #8 Rockport Farmer’s Market
• Date #9 LL Bean & Solo Pane e Pasticceria
• Date #10 Jameson Point Lobster
• Date #11 Marshall Point Light, Hedegrow Market

Goals already accomplished 2023:

Go On A Solo Adventure.  Done

A solo adventure to Fair Isle. I don’t think I could have picked a more unique, isolated and cozy spot to spend a few weeks. I’m already dreaming of going back. 

Take An Adult Education Class Done

The Girl and I took a 3 day British Baking Classics course at King Arthur Flour in Norwich, Vermont and had a good time. My favorite thing we made was the sticky toffee pudding. 

Set Aside 200 Items For A Yard Sale DONE!

The yard sale was a great success! The Duck Lady and I were both able to get rid of a lot of items we didn’t want and as an added bonus, I only had 1 box of stuff to drop off at the thrift store. Yee-Haw!

How about YOU? How are you coming along with your goals for this year? 

~Mavis