17 Things I Want To Do In 2023 – Week 37 of 52

17 Things I Want To Do In 2023 – Week 33 of 52

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

I finished my driftwood wreath and shared a picture filled tutorial on how I made it. Now it’s on to the next one. 😉 I plan on keeping the first one I made and selling the second one. 

No movement on T-Rex.

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
• 26 Dried Pumpkin Stems for $39.95

*Money earned selling random stuff so far $267.65

* 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

Everyone knows the best time to visit Cape Cod is after the summer tourists go home and the fall foliage tour people are gone. So… Late October maybe?

Also we still want to go to Quebec City for the holidays too. We’ll see.

Send 52 Cards To 52 Different People. {25 of 52 sent so far}

No cards sent this past week. 

Make 12 Totally British Recipes In The AGA. 

A few days ago we made Mary Berry’s cauliflower casserole from her AGA cookbook and it turned out fantastic!!! I’ll share the recipe soon.

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

• English Muffins
• Currant Scones
• Sticky Toffee Pudding 
• Beef In Horseradish Cream

Turn The Craft Room Into a Proper Studio Space

I’m back to researching Juki sergers. I just need to make a trip to Portland to test one out. 

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 {62 of 100 done so far}

I made Maria Barton’s “Give Thanks” rug {well, actually I heavily adapted the design first} and made it into to a pillow and listed it on Etsy. The pillow got snatched up lickety split and will be off to it’s new home tomorrow morning. 🙂 

I am currently working on rug #63.

Create 15 New Rug Hooking Patterns 12 of 15 completed so far}

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

• Betty’s Big Chickens with American Flag
• 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. FAIL

Maybe next year? — I’ll tell you about it towards the end of the year. 😉

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

The big garden down in the field was an epic fail this summer but the kitchen garden is going strong. Yesterday I harvested a leek {we still have about 20 or so left} and the beets and rhubarb are still going strong. 

The “storm” didn’t even bother them one bit.

Empty The Canning Cupboard / Fill The Canning Cupboard

We only removed one small jar of jam from the canning cupboard this past week. Jam and toast. It doesn’t get any better than that. Okay, so maybe I miss having the apple pie filling in the cupboard. But hey, there’s still time to get to the orchard if I feel the urge.

Make $500 Selling Plants, Flowers or Vegetables {I made $95} FAIL

I’ve officially decided to throw in the towel on this goal for the year. No extra produce = no money and the flowers that I do have growing in the garden, I want to keep to enjoy for myself. 

Some years you win, some you lose. And this has been a big loser of a year, that’s for sure.

This year I sold:

{3} rosemary plants @$3.00 each = $9.00
{8} 6-packs of corn @ $3 each = $24.00
{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
{1} Mint @$2.00 each = $2.00

Buy 12 Handmade Items {From 12 Different Artists} 9 down, 3 to go

So far this year I have bought:

• {2} Wooden wreath forms from DavesWoodStudio
• {3} Linen Aprons from BedCult
• {2} Charcuterie boards from FarmHillWoodShop
• {3} Fair Isle Hats Rachel of Barkland Croft
• {2} Quilts from ZoëDawn Shop 
• {3} Bread Bowls from ZoëDawn Shop 
• {1} Handmade braclet from a little girl’s lemonade/craft stand
• {2} Watercolor Palettes 
• {1} Fair Isle scarf from Mati Ventrillon
• {4} Notecards from Etsy seller ColorBoxLetterpress

Update Every Single Recipe On The Blog To A Printable Format 

I didn’t update any recipes this past week. 🙁 Mayeb I’ll work on a few today. 

26 Official Date Days With My Handsome Husband {19 down, 7 to go}

We didn’t go anywhere exciting this past week… But I did watch him work on his golf skills in the backyard. 

• 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
• Date #14 Beth’s Farm Market
• Date #15 The Beach
• Date #16 The Craft Store
• Date #17 Cat Video Fest
• Date #18 Kayaking
• Date #19 Lunch!

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