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.
Revisit An Old Friend.
I’m working on it! I’m nearly there.
Card by EmilyYoung on Etsy
Send 52 Cards To 52 Different People. {14 of 52 mailed so far}
Currently working on card #15.
Make 12 Totally British Recipes In The AGA.
I made sticky toffee pudding and it turned out wonderful. The best part about this treat is that it freezes well so I can have a slice anytime I like.
This week I’m going to try and re-create the Chelsea Buns we made in class at King Arthur Flour.
Set Aside 200 Items For A Yard Sale
This past week the HH and I cleaned out the barn and I was able to find a few more things for the yard sale. I’ve actually lost count at how many items I have now but will get a final tally before I put everything out for sale.
Earn $1,493.04 {Last Year’s Grocery Expenses} Selling Totally Random Things Online
Things are starting to get out of control… Or at least that’s what my husband says when it comes to my growing collection of driftwood.
Just wait, I keep telling him! Just wait. I’m going to make a mint.
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
*Money earned selling random stuff so far $207.75
* 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. And thank you SandyF for the hotel recommendation! It’s just what I was looking for.
Turn The Craft Room Into a Proper Studio Space
I finally got a big batch of wool bundles listed on Etsy, so hooray for that! I still have about 4 more days to go to finish up my dyeing projects… and then I’m done dyeing wool until fall {I hope!}.
Of course after I dye it I’ll still have to fold, stack and bundle it… But I’m confident I’ll be done with this job by the end of the week if I can stay focused.
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
- A sitting area with a spot to hook
Hook 100 Rugs {38 of 100 done so far}
I’m still chugging along on pieces for my next Etsy shop update the first Saturday in May. I should have between 12-15 pieces {rugs and pillows} to list.
Create 15 New Rug Hooking Patterns 10 of 15 completed so far}
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
Grow 1,000 Pounds of Vegetables In The Commune Sized Garden
It’s still too cold and soggy to plant anything out in the religious sized family garden but I did harvest some more parsnips for the kitchen garden last night.
Empty The Canning Cupboard / Fill The Canning Cupboard
I did empty a few more jars this past week but I forgot to snap a picture. This week I think I’ll crack open the last jar of apple pie filling and make a small batch of apple galettes.
Make $500 Selling Plants, Flowers or Vegetables {I’ve made $3 so far.}
I dropped off a tiny little bouquet of daffodils at The Duck Lady’s stand yesterday and they sold within an hour. I also had 3 extra 6-packs of seedlings that I didn’t need after planting peas in my garden, so I dropped those off too.
This might be my strategy for making $500 from the garden this summer… Don’t grow to sell, but rather drop off what I don’t personally need or use.
Buy 12 Handmade Items {From 12 Different Artists} 2 down, 10 to go
So far this year I have bought from Rachel of Barkland Croft and had my friend Zoë turn all my fabric squares into 2 quilts for me. I love supporting crafty people who love what they do!
Update Every Single Recipe On The Blog To A Printable Format
I didn’t update a single recipe this past week. Shame on me!
26 Official Date Days With My Handsome Husband {7 down, 19 to go}
Yesterday we visited the Rockport Farmer’s Market for the first time {it’s open year round, so I need to make a note to go there during the winter months} and bought breakfast {quiche cups from one stand and scones from another}.
It’s a small market, but has a good variety {prepared food, vegetables, plants, honey, eggs, meat etc.} and we’re looking forward to going back this summer as more things are available.
I LOVE the farmer’s markets here in Maine as they are FILLED with things farmer’s actually produce {meat, cheese, plants, flowers, fruits, veggies, baked goods} rather than a bunch of craft stalls.
I’m looking forward to visiting more of them as more of them open for the season. 🙂
- 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
How about YOU? How are you coming along with your goals for this year?
~Mavis
Mel says
I think you’ll be able to reach your goal of $500 just by selling hydrangea bouquets!
I’m making progress on baby proofing now that our playroom is done. This week I baby proofed the tub surround in our bathroom, assembled another gate, and installed toilet locks. (I realize this sounds like overkill, and it probably is, but our house is full of weird open concept spaces and faulty doors, so I opted to have the ability to lock everything as needed even if we don’t end up using all the locks on a regular basis.)
But the real news this week is we finally had our baby’s allergist appointment and might end up having some good news for a change. We’re waiting on blood test results to see, but they’re not sure they were able to draw enough to run the tests, so we also may have to start over.
Kathy Wolfe says
I saw someone making whales out of the smaller driftwood pieces..no carving …just painting the wood. They were very nice.
Eileen says
Loved the card so much, I bought one from the Etsy page you mentioned. My BB could use a laugh just now and this card is perfect! Thank you!
tc says
Well this last week I sold over 250 ceramic pots that my HH was bugging me to get rid of for $200. I sell them individually for $4 (they are $8-$14) in the store. I get them for free with half dead plants that i try to revive and mostly successful. I gave away a ton of plastic pot liners too. The last two years especially during the Plandemic I sold between $800 and $1200 worth of pots each year. These would normally be trashed so this is recycling at its best. Not creative or artistic like Mavis is but practical.
My HH and I go to a special wine dinner at a local restaurant which is put on once a month featuring a different winery each time and a special menu to pair with the wines. We dress up and it is our monthly date night. The restaurant loves that we dress up (I wear a hat or fascinator also). Rest of the time I am in my gardening clothes or sweats doing my volunteer food pick ups and deliveries to the shelter and generally getting dirty especially in the garden so dressing up and feeling good is a real treat.
J in OH-IO says
tc-
Way to go on selling the ceramic pots! Creative, useful, and added cash in your pocket!
Karen says
Great work! Thank you!
Lindsey says
Good show on selling the pots!!
Mavis Butterfield says
Way to go on the pots!!
Terry McA. says
I simply could not get into the mood to create much this year. I didn’t plant any seedlings for the garden, though I saved containers all winter to do so! I started a blanket, stopped, started another blanket and stopped. I just couldn’t. I have been battling depression, and now it seems I am on the right combination of meds that I want to do things again. I’ve talked to a friend about the local county fair and she encouraged me to finish crocheting a blanket and submit it for judging. A rifled through my yarns and found an unopened box of yarn I had ordered. Fuzzy slate grey and fuzzy dark teal. I think that would make a wonderful blanket… Time to get to work.
Mavis Butterfield says
Gey and teal always look nice together. I’ve always wanted to enter something in the fair, if you do, let us know how it goes. 🙂
Lynn Y says
While I usually freeze my apple pie filling, I think this year I will have to try canning it since I need the freezer space. My apple tree blossoms just started to open as they got zapped by a light freeze this past week; some survived, but we will probably have a much smaller crop.
It has also been too wet in my neck of the woods to do much planting – need to move the tomatoes into bigger containers, though, as they cannot go out for 3-4 more weeks. So far I have Sun Gold, Early Girl, Super Steak, Sweet 100s, and a few other tomato starts.