Online Things
I spent 3 hours last night bundling wool!! I’m nearly there. I still have 2 more colors to go and then I will be done dyeing wool for the year.
I can’t even tell you how good that feels!!! In the next day or two I’ll be able to start working on drawing out patterns and finishing up kits. Working towards my goal of squeezing 12 months of work into 3 has been really, really stressful. But the big payoff in the end will be so worth it.
I’ll be able to focus on other projects {HELLO PAINTING} and playing/working outside instead of dyeing, cutting, bundling wool all summer. Yee-Haw!
I finally finished my great black whale rug!!! This rug is by far the largest rug I’ve ever completed.
Last night I started on giant rug #2 and it’s going to be bigger than the one I just finished.
My original goal was to have rug #2 completed by the end of March but if the first one took me 6 weeks {admittedly there was some dillydallying in between} I’m not sure how I’d finish rug #2 in 2 weeks to meet that goal.
Who knows though. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about myself over the years is to not doubt myself. Anything is possible.
Online Goals for 2025
- Reach 20,000 sales in Etsy shop MavisButterfield {I’m currently at 18,498}
- In Stock and Ready to Ship by March 31st {so close!}
- Create 4 new patterns/kits {1 down, 3 to go}
- Take all new pictures + videos for Etsy shop {in progress}
- Get as much as humanly possible done online January – March of this year. {working like a mad woman}
- Stop picking up my phone so much
- Spend less than 3 hours a day online
- Tidy up the back end of the blog
House Things
We’re still in buoy mode around here. 😉 St. Patrick’s Day is monday so that means we’ll be taking down the shamrocks and green buoys in a few days and putting up the Easter display.
I suppose this means I should break out the paints again and start painting another round of buoys. I was thinking stripes, polka dots and bunnies… What do you think?
Work, work, work…. That’s what it’s all about around here these days.
- Paint The Inside Of The House {including closets!}
- Paint The Interior Window Trim
- Remodel Bathroom #1
- Freshen up Bathroom #2
- Put Stuff On The Walls
- Work on “new” Kitchen Game Plan
Garden Things
The weather is finally starting to warm up around here {think mid 40’s} and so while it’s not exactly outside weather {but kinda sorta} I have started a few seeds under grow lights.
I made room upstairs for my seedlings and so far so good. I’m still waiting for the garlic chives to pop up, but so far everything else {pansies, leeks, onions, and artichokes} are doing well.
In a few more weeks I’ll start the tomato and pepper seeds. Where I’ll put them I have NO IDEA, but hey, maybe I’ll have come up with a good soultion by them.
- Grow 365 pounds of food in my teeny tiny backyard.
- Install a side yard {flower} garden
- Make a Potting Bench
- Make a Garden Cart to sell flowers/veggies out front
Kitchen Things
Fact: I have not used the food processor since we moved. I wonder if we even need it anymore?
- Try 12 new recipes
- Fill the canning cupboard
New Recipes I’ve Shared This Year
- Velveeta Zesty Chili Dip
- Haddock and Corn Chowder
- The Best Way To Freeze Avocados
- Freezing Refried Beans
Travel Things
Last week was a busy one at the Butterfield travel agency. I renewed my passport and booked all our accommodations for our trip overseas and I am so stinkin’ excited about the places we will be staying. Well, all but one of them.
Our overseas trip will have a different sort of “theme” to it but I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to squeeze a few pastry shops in. 😉
Half the fun of a trip is the planning bit, don’t you think?
- Explore more of the great state of Maine
- Go on a painting holiday
- Québec City {Accommodations and 1 tour booked!}
- Travel Overseas {All accommodations are booked!}
- Send the HH on a vacation
Marriage Things
For date day this past week we went to the best bakery in Maine; Standard Baking Company for a sweet treat. Okay, a few sweet treats.
We have yet to have anything bad to eat there. The pear tarts are my current favorite pastry.
- Keep my husband busy {I got him to go to the lumber store for wood for more buoys!!}
- Date days
- Walk more
Secret Projects
My goal is to start secret project #1 this week.
This project is something I know I’ve needed to do for a while now, but I have kept pushing it aside because it involves learning something new.
I know it will take an incredible amount of time and energy to get started and I always seem to be waiting for the best time to get started.
But now that I’m finishing up my giant wool project… I’m running out of excuses.
Baby steps. That’s how I am going to approach this goal. Baby steps.
How about YOU? Are you making progress with YOUR goals for 2025?
~Mavis
- Secret Project #1 {Hoping to reveal by April 30th}
- Secret Project #2 {Hoping to reveal towards the end of the year}
Barb Hawkins says
When you get rid of the food processor is when you’ll need it. I’m sure there’s a name for that phenomenon!
Erin says
Little carrots would be cute on the Easter buoys! And the cracked egg style of a stripe on some of them.
Lesley says
Mavis, I would sure love a post about your wool dyeing. I am not a rug hooker but have learned so much about it from following you all these years. What I don’t understand is how you get your wool, how you decide what wool to use (like are you thrifting wool clothing and cutting it up and then dyeing it?), what the process is like to dye wool, and how do you get all those beautiful shades of similar colors, how do you name your wool colors, do you always cut them the same size, when did you start designing your own kits (and was it because no one else had kits that you wanted?), how many batches do you need to color and cut before you feel “done” (i.e., when you say you’re doing 12 months of work in 3 months, what does that translate to?).
That is a few of my questions and I bet I’m not the only curious one here! Or perhaps I missed a big post and you will redirect me, but I’m pretty sure I’ve read them all!
Ann says
I would love a wool dyeing post too! It would be great to see your process!
Karen J says
Could I ask what tour you chose for Quebec City? We are going to be there for five days in May and are busy planning our trip, which includes taking ViaRail from Vancouver to Toronto. Your previous posts about Quebec City have been helpful! Thanks!
Sue in SoCal says
I’m curious about your plans for your artichokes. Are you going to sell the seedlings? I have one plant and it is about 4’x10′ already and it’s only March. I can’t imagine your teeny tiny back yard having room for more than one!
I’m also curious about what people say about food processors. I never use mine either and it takes up a lot of room so I should probably donate it.