17 Things I Want To Do In 2023 – Week 25 of 52

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

Last night I listed 26 dried pumpkin stems on Etsy for $39.95. And I think they are going to sell. Quickly. Why? Because there’s a lady on Etsy who’s selling dried pumpkin stems and they’re going like hotcakes.

My guess is everyone wants them for their velvet pumpkins or other fall crafts. But who knows… Maybe there’s someone out there with a pumpkin stem museum and they’re still on the hunt for the perfect one. You just never know. 

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. I wonder if lox is a common item on the breakfast menu in Canada. 

Send 52 Cards To 52 Different People. {21 of 52 sent so far}

I sent my niece a birthday card. Don’t you think this Happy Birthday Hedgehog card is the cutest ever? I found it on etsy by artist BirchPaperGoods. 

Make 12 Totally British Recipes In The AGA. 

I made a batch of English muffins in the AGA using the recipe from our King Arthur British Baking Classics class! I am currently craving sticky toffee pudding though so I might have to make that again. 

British recipes I’ve made in the AGA so far:

• English Muffins
• Currant Scones
• Sticky Toffee Pudding 

Turn The Craft Room Into a Proper Studio Space

I’ll have to pick this goal up again in the fall. There is just too much else going on these days. Plus, it’s just too hot to hook or dye wool or any of those other crafty things I usually like doing. 

Changes I plan on making to the space:

• Rip out the old gross carpet and replace it with pine floors {the HH wants carpet}
• 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 {55 of 100 done so far}

I’m currently on rug #56 for the year. Although it will probably take me another week or two to finish at the rate I’m going these days. 

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

My latest rug hooking pattern is called Mable’s Kittens.  I’ll be starting a new pattern soon.

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

Things aren’t going so well on the old homestead these days. In a nutshell, there’s been TOO MUCH rain and it’s ruining everything!

I need to write a proper post on this though and show you everything that’s going wrong. I texted The Duck Lady last night and she says things are pretty rotten at her place too. 🙁

We did get the corn planted and are hoping to get the squash in the ground next. If it ever dries out enough. 

Empty The Canning Cupboard / Fill The Canning Cupboard

While we’ve been working on eating down the canning cupboard as best we can {we mostly have jams and salsa left to go} I’ve been craving a jar of old fashioned pickled beets lately. Here’s hoping we have a decent beet harvest this year that I can get a few dozen jars canned. 

Make $500 Selling Plants, Flowers or Vegetables {I’ve made $60 so far.}

I think I could have made at least $50 – $100 selling bouquets of peonies over at The Duck Lady’s stand the past few weeks but I love them so much, I couldn’t part with any. 

I think after I harvest everything from the kitchen garden this fall I might plant the three raised beds all with peonies. I’ve already been looking at the ones Van Engelen sells and have my eye on a few varieties.

So far I’ve sold:
{4} 6-packs of basil @ $3 each = $12
{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
{4} Chives @$2 each = $8.00
{1} Basil @$2 each = $2.00

Buy 12 Handmade Items {From 12 Different Artists} 7 down, 5 to go

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 
• {1} Fair Isle scarf from Mati Ventrillon

Update Every Single Recipe On The Blog To A Printable Format 

Recipes… What recipes? I’ve been too busy dreaming about tomatoes. 

26 Official Date Days With My Handsome Husband {12 down, 14 to go}

He took me to Moody’s. And YES, ketchup belongs on eggs AND potatoes thank you very much. 

• 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
• Date #12 Bet’s Fish Fry
• Date #13 Moody’s Diner

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