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12 Goals for the New Year

My 22 Goals for 2019 – Week 36 of 52

By Mavis Butterfield on - 33 Comments

My 22 Goals for 2019


Goal #1 — Spend More Time Doing What I Love

What a face!!! That Lucy, she is just the sweetest dog on the planet earth, I am convinced of it. All she cares about it is food and staying right by your side.

Goal #2 — Garden, Garden, Garden

Currently harvesting:

  • Butternut Squash
  • Mini Pumpkins and gourds
  • Tomatoes, Tomatoes and more Tomatoes
  • Eggplant {the smaller they are, the better they taste}
  • Zucchini
  • Sweet Peppers  – We are still waiting for the hot ones
  • Sunflowers for the kitchen table

Goal #3 — Plant an Orchard {Calling it Quits on this one for this year.}

Goal #4 — Gussy Up the Potting Shed Done!

Goal #5 — Grow Enough Extra Vegetables, Eggs and Flowers to Earn $1500 at my little roadside vegetable stand.

I set out two rounds of mini pumpkins and gourds and now I’m up to $86 for the year at my little vegetable stand. I would have made more if I stuck out some eggs and a few bouquets of sunflowers but I don’t know, I guess we used all the eggs ourselves this past week and it’s just so nice to look out the kitchen window and see the sunflowers. I guess I’m just a bit of a hoarder this year.

Goal #6 — Finish Every Single Unfinished Rug Hooking Project in My Pattern Bin + 10 Things from back Issues of Magazines/Books I’ve Been Meaning to Make. 

While I was able to add 6 more finished pieces to my Etsy shop this week, not a single one was from my unfinished pattern bin. How did that happen? 😉 I was hoping to finish a turkey rug this week as well, but finding the time to hook in the evenings this past week was a bit of a challenge. Luckily though, my next two nights are wide open so I should be able to get it finished {and another rug from my pattern bin checked off the list!}.

I started the year off with:

  • 73 rugs in my pattern bin {now down to 37}
  • 183 hooked flowers {finished 133, now down to 51}
  • 10 “things” from back issues of magazines {finished 0}

Goal #7 — Create 12 New Rug Hooking Patterns {with at least half of them being large ones} DONE!

So far this year I’ve added 12 new rug hooking patterns and 13 beginner rug hooking kits to my Etsy shop.

New rug hooking patterns I’ve created and added to My Etsy Shop this year:

Rug Hooking Kits

Goal #8 — Split and Stack 2 Cords of Wood for Next Winter {Not going to happen}

Word on the street is a hard winter is predicted for New England. I guess we’ll just bundle up?

Goal #9 — Do Something with the 5,002 Photos on My Phone

Current number of photos on phone 2881

Goal #10 –Lose the Muffin Top

I am down 8 pounds from the beginning of the year. I have absolutely no idea how it happened. My guess is it had something to do with the stress of this past month, working in the garden and just being more active this summer than usual. Who knows… but I don’t mind.

Goal #11 — Run, Walk or Crawl a 5k, 10k, Half Marathon and Marathon

I suppose now that the baby turtles are off on their own now I should start hunting around for a 5K and a half marathon to participate in. There are oodles of races around these parts in the fall so I shouldn’t have a problem.

Goal #12 — Read or Listen to 26 New Books {15 down, 9 to go}

Last week I listened to On Writing for the third time while dying wool. I got about 45 minutes in to the Mistress of the Ritz before hitting the delete button and now I’m listening to Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand.

Books I’ve Read or Listened to So Far This Year:

Goal #13 — Try 52 New Recipes.

24 down, 30 recipes to go. The HH made eggplant Parmesan last week.

Goal #14 — Clean Up 52 Old Recipes on the Blog

9 down, 44 to go. I’ll get crackin’ once fall {and cooler temps} come around.

Goal #15 — Fill 100 Canning Jars 48 down, 52 to go.

I won’t be able to get any canning done in the next few weeks but I am looking forward to doing some canning later this fall. So far, I think the peach jam has been my favorite thing this year to make.

So far this year I’ve I canned:

Goal #16 — Finish Furnishing Our House

I wasn’t able to find any treasures this week and the recycle center but oh my word there are so many canning jars available and just waiting for someone to snatch them up. And they’re the good ones too! There is a HUGE difference in the jars they sell these days vs the ones from a few decades ago, the newer ones just are not as thick and seem to break faster than the older versions.

I also harvested a boatload of spinner gourds that I’ll use to make a wonderfully primitive garland to hang over the fireplace mantle when they dry out. I knew the spinner gourd vines would be prolific, but I am still amazed at how many there are to harvest. To date, I’ve only picked about 25% of the little gourd babies {maybe even less than that!}.

Furniture pieces I’m still on the hunt for:

  • Coffee table for the family room
  • Console, cupboard or sideboard for the one and only tv in our house which is in the family room. I could totally live without a television, but my husband says the tv stays.
  • Long rectangular table for the craft room.
  • Table for the formal dining room.
  • 2 wing back chairs for the family room.
  • I’d also like to decorate the mantel in the keeping room as well as put up some sort of decoration above the other 3 2 1 fireplaces in the house. I’m not one for a lot of things on the walls, but it would be nice to throw up a little pilgrim bling on the plaster.

Goal #17 – 52 Dates with the HH {26 down, 28 to go}

We didn’t actually make it to our lunch date on Saturday because we ended up getting stuck behind a town parade route for over an hour with a couple hundred other cars. We sat there watching marching band after marching band go by and after that whole fiasco, we just decided to go home. I did snap a picture of some flowers along the road while we waited though. 😉

Goal #18 — Take One Adult Education Class Done {I’ve taken 3!}

  1. I’m keeping the first class I took with my neighbor top secret for now
  2. Spoon Carving Class with Heather.
  3. Mini pottery lesson {I loved it! and now I want to sign up for a full class!}

Goal #19 — Secret {for now} Holiday Project

The big reveal… Friday, September 13th, 2019  Because I am a horrible person, I’ve decided to delay my big reveal date to Friday, November 1st so I have time to put together some proper step by step tutorial posts so that if you want to, you’ll be able to make the same things I am going to offer in my Etsy shop {which are totally unrelated to wool} to give as gifts.

You’ve got to trust me on this. I am certain that 2 out of the 3 projects will have wide appeal and that you will most likely want to make them for someone on your list if you have even an ounce of craftiness is you.

Goal #20 — Create 12 Wowie Zowie Party Platters

4 down, 8 to go. Looking forward to oodles of party platters in the months of October, November and December. Salami and cheese just haven’t seemed that appealing with temps in the 80’s and 90’s this summer. And while I know there area about a ton of other choices when it comes to pickety bits, we do have our favorites.

Goal #21 — Visit 12 General Stores

8 down 4 to go.

So far this year we’ve visited:

Goal #22 — Compete with Carole….. Get on My Front Door Game On

I hung my Mother’s Day flower basket on the hook by the front door because everyone last week said the door area would look better with something hanging there. I don’t know, I think it looks a little busy. What do you think? Basket or no basket?

Front Door Bling I’ve Made So Far This Year to Compete with Carole:

  • Late January : Valentine Heart
  • Late February : Shamrock
  • Late March : Giant Carrot
  • May: White wave petunia hanging basket
  • June/July: Tin Star and Flag Bunting
  • August : Sunflower

**************

How about YOU? What are your goals for 2019? If you told us about them HERE, check in! We want to know how you are doing. Because seriously, it’s so much easier to get those goals checked off your list when you have people rooting for you! 🙂

Have a great Sunday everyone, I’m headed back to bed.

♥ Mavis

You can read more about my 22 goals for 2019 HERE.

Have a Great Sunday!

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Comments

  1. Tamara says

    I like the hanging basket; it is so full and beautiful. IMHO the sunflower is too “perfect” as well as lacks depth in the center. Overall, though, it all looks very nice. MY front door has dried up geraniums and marigolds calling out for a mercy killing.
    Give yourself a break; when life goes awry and we are dealing with various issues part of maturity is knowing how to roll with the punches. You still manage to accomplish a great deal! I would love to have just a little of your energy level!
    I LOVE a marching band, especially high school! And love the little spinner gourds!

    Reply

    • Terena says

      Omg, ‘just begging for a mercy killing’! Love it.
      But I agree with Mavis about the hanging basket being too busy.

      Reply

  3. Mel says

    Any additional goals are on hold for me until I move into my new office/facilities for work. Construction is several weeks behind schedule, so I’m trying not to take on too much until I know when things will happen with that. Our whole floor of the building is boxed up, and I have a feeling I will be working extra long hours to unpack when things finally fall into place. I don’t know who thought August/September construction was a good idea, but it’s definitely not the way to start the school year.

    I am growing increasingly curious about the holiday projects. I’m toying with the idea of hosting a “make and take” party for students in November—basically a kind of workshop where they can make some of their holiday gifts, but I only have a couple of ideas at the moment, so it’d be great if more came along.

    Reply

    • KATHY HORT says

      Hi Mel, I’m not sure what ages the kids are you are planning for the make and take, but something that is super easy and really cute is a pen/pencil holder for mom or dad’s desk. We used clean tin cans (soup or veggie ones are good sizes) then covered them with short strips of masking tape, overlapping we went. then a light coat of walnut stain and it resembles leather or even birch bark. The kids loved doing it. Kathy

      Reply

      • Mel says

        Thanks! These are teens, so that’s probably a bit too young for them. Such a cool technique though! I love birch, so I might have to save that idea for another project.

        Right now, I have metal stamping, nail and string art, and some quick-to-assemble food gifts as contenders. I think ability-wise they could handle any craft for adults, but I’m trying to keep the cost, mess, and time to a minimum.

        Reply

  5. Melinda says

    I’m curious about your party platter tray. It looks to be wood and metal. Do you recall where it came from? Thanks! (PS Holiday project suspense is, weirdly, driving me bonkers. Can’t wait.)

    Reply

  7. Shirley C says

    I think your sunflower decoration lacks depth – perhaps I free standing (raised above background) bee or even a little bird would aid as well as a little contouring paint. But LOVE your blog! I check it every morning over coffee.

    Reply

  8. Laura says

    Loved “Unbroken” when I read it. So much that I made my kids read it (Husband refused as his eyes are bad). I found it incredibly inspiriing. The movies made do not do the book justice. Hope you enjoy it!

    I have to admit, I really don’t love the sunflower. It needs some more dimension as it looks pretty flat. I am sure you will fix it somehow and it will be wonderful.

    Reply

    • Katie P NC says

      Well, I wrote a long comment, while sobbing at my desk, about how much Unbroken affected me. Then I deleted the comment somehow. I’ll shorten the original post by saying:

      If you have ever loved a veteran, if you have ever known/loved/misunderstood/were angry at someone who suffers from PTSD, if you have never experienced the cruelty of war, if you have ever misunderstood depression, if you’ve never heard of survivor’s guilt- read this book. This book helped me understand my Vietnam veteran dad who I was angry with for so long because I didn’t realize what was going on his broken mind. I just wish I’d been able to read it while he was still alive. But it helped me tremendously even though he wasn’t around any longer.
      The movie was crap, I can’t recommend it but the book was life changing for me.

      Reply

  10. LaToya says

    I love the basket! The only thing is … it detracts from your sunflower. That naughty basket is a show stealer! 🙂 But keep it anyway. I don’t think it looks cluttered.

    Also is that pickety bits platter a new one this week? It’s pretty good – I’d count that one as wowie zowie #5.

    I lost weight this week … and then gained it and then some. Ho hummmmmm

    I love Lucy – and that couch she’s on is soooo pretty!

    Reply

  13. Rita says

    Love the basket and also love the pumpkins. If you take down the basket, maybe put a tub of mums on the porch by the pumpkins to make it look like Fall.

    Reply

  15. Wendy Clark says

    Love reading about your goals and accomplishments each week. I vote for keeping the basket and I am also very curious about your secret project. Can’t wait!

    Reply

  16. judy says

    Mavis, I really look forward to your email every day. That being said, i’m sorry honey but that sunflower on the door really needs to go. It just doesn’t work with the time peroid of the house. But I love the basket of flowers, they are a keeper. I don;t mean to be mean, just honest.

    Reply

  18. Christa H. says

    I like the basket but maybe at some point you could take that down and add two tall matching planters to the left and right of your stairs with some beautiful tall, medium, and trailing plants in them to accent your porch decor.

    Reply

  19. CecileH says

    Your front door question: In a florist POV I would suggest moving your pumpkins to the left side if facing the door. In design you style from left to right as you would read so the flow goes smoothly. Your eye catches the sunflower then the flower basket and drops, putting the pumpkins to the left draws the eyes back giving it more interest! If you have a crate to turn upside down, a small table or even a large empty flower pot you can stuff with something to make it a relatively flat surface I would put some smaller pumpkins in or on it then put your other larger pumpkins and maybe a mum plant on the ground to balance the weight of the hanging basket. JMO

    Reply

  20. Aimee says

    Mavis,
    I don’t know how close you are to Sutton, MA but the Manchaug Pond Foundation has a 5k in October called the Dam Race. It is $15. Check out their website. It is a good cause and there are great places near by to visit including Vallincourt Folk Art.

    Reply

  21. Linda says

    I would use the hanging plant as door decor all year long, and change out the contents of the basket season by season. For fall pieces of vine/branches with berries on could be added to the fading summer flowers and a few small gourds could be added. For winter, a few evergreen branches tucked in along with red twig dogwood branches and pine cones. To these natural baskets, thinks could be added for holidays like small flags for the 4th, shiny xmas balls for xmas, etc.

    Reply

  22. Staci says

    🙂 Love your blog.
    I’m not a fan of the basket and sunflower together, they seem to be competing somehow. I agree with relocating the pumpkins to the left of the door and maybe adding some height to them with a crate. A hanging lantern would look great on that hook, too.
    I appreciate your willingness (thick skin) to ask for opinions and advice, too. 😀

    Reply

  24. Torry says

    I’ve been missing in action these last few weeks. Cleaning and decluttering for company, having said company and trying to recover from too much activity in too little time. Trying to come back up for air now.

    My goals: I am being really good at the (1) sewing goal. I’ve made over a hundred already and have more to finish. I also did some more Barbie gowns and, in a moment of sheer genius, I taught a bunch of others how to make them too! The Barbie gowns account for (2 &3) finishing half done projects and using my stash. (4) Walk every day is on hold as I need knee surgery. (5) I’ve been organizing my recipes, but failing at actually making them. (6) I am working on maintaining the areas I have decluttered and cleaned and am slowly getting more organized. (7) Date nights with my husband are more often date days, but they are happening. (8) I have one very small shelf emptied as I read and gave away the books previously on that shelf. So my “Read more” is on task. And when school started last week, I slept in as I did indeed retire.

    Mavis, thank you for sharing and helping me to try to stick with my own goals.

    Reply

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