“The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.” ~ Oprah Winfrey
My goals for 2018
Goal #1 – Write Like No One is Reading.
“Close the door. Write with no one looking over your shoulder. Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It’s the one and only thing you have to offer.” ~ Barbara Kingsolver
Goal #2 – Slow Down
I like to call this photo: “When every surface in your house is covered with craft projects”.
Goal #3 – Shop Small
The three baskets I ordered off Etsy last week arrived and my oh my they are lovely. I’ve already hung the first one up on the wall and put a bit of bittersweet in it. {Also, thank you to everyone for identifying the plant for me!}.
Goal # 4 – Have a Designated Meal Prep Day
Snow, snow, and more snow is on the menu this week.
In other news, today only, Amazon has my favorite USA Bakeware Pans on sale. I love the quality of their pans and I’ve had my eye on their Madeleine pan for sometime now. I finally splurged on it this morning because of the deal. The HH loves those little cookies.
Goal #5 – Install a Vegetable Garden Done!
Goal #6 – Clear Land for a Chicken Coop and Future Raised Garden Bed Area Done!
We decided to not buy a chicken water warmer and instead just bring the waterer inside the garage each night. The idea of running an extension cord all the way out to the coop didn’t appeal the the HH, and since he and Lucy check on the chickens multiple times a day on their walks anyways, it just seem liked an easy solution.
Goal #7 – Grow 500 Pounds of Vegetables Done!
You can read about my latest gardening escapades HERE. These days though, we are harvesting snow.
Goal #8 – Hook 100 Rugs Done!
Even though there is a stack of rugs I need to get to, I took the week off from hooking to work on re-stocking the wool stash in my Etsy shop. Hand dyeing wool is pretty laborious, but it’s also very satisfying when the colors are spot on.
Also, if that camp stove I bought over the summer? It’s AWESOME!!! I only wish I had bought one sooner.
Goal #9 – Make a Set of Dolls
Soon!
Goal #10 – Make a Sampler, Frame it and Hang it on the Wall Done!
Goal #11 – Visit 22 Bakeries
We were supposed to check out a new bakery last week but stayed local because snow was in the forecast {we ended up with 6″}. Hopefully we can go to Stockbridge after Thanksgiving.
Goal #12 – Start a Collection
For date day last week the HH and I went to an antique store and came home with a lovely set of vintage stoneware bowls {just the right color for my kitchen!} a small mustard candy dish and 4 cider bottles that were marked that they were from the late 1800’s. Pretty neat-o if you ask me.
Goal #13 – Read {or listen to} 26 Books
Thanks to One Hundred Dollars a Month reader Peggy, the HH and I were able to enjoy 4 copies of Early American Life Magazine last week. I totally need to subscribe to this magazine! Thanks Peggy. 🙂
Also, the HH and I made a trip out to Barnes and Noble to see if my chicken pillow made the cover of Country Home Magazine. Well, it didn’t. So I emailed the person in charge of the photo shoot and they said the editors decided to go with a different cover for the winter issue. {I knew I shouldn’t have said anything about it on the blog! I feel like I jinxed myself!} Oh well, maybe the photo will be used in another issue.
Goal #14 – Try 12 New Canning Recipes
A new canning recipe {It has cranberries in it!!} will be on the blog on Tuesday, just in time for those leftover turkey sandwiches.
So far this year I’ve canned:
- Spiced Christmas Jam
- Apple Cider Butter
- Tomato Sauce
- Carrot Cake Jam
- Cucumber Relish
- Spiced Peach {Crazy good!!!}
- Blueberry Jam {without the mint}
- Pickled Beets {without the funky spices}
- Cherry Almond Jam {freakin’ AWESOME}
- Susan’s Lilac Blossom Jelly
Goal #15 – Secret {for now} Holiday Project
I pulled the sweetest little hedgehog ornaments out of the kiln last week and I am so in love with them and their crackle finish.
How about YOU? Do you have any updates on your goals to share? We’d love to hear about them.
~Mavis
Read About My 2018 Goals HERE.
nancy grimsley says
Love the ornaments! Just a thought if you don’t mind. When using a crackle glaze it’s fun to wipe either a stain or a acrylic paint of a darker color on the piece then wipe away. The color will go into the cracks and nowhere else. A dark brown or black would look so cool on those hedgehogs! Love your blog and now you have me thinking of the madeleine pan. I may have to get one for the holiday’s too. LOL
Mavis Butterfield says
Thanks for the tip, I’ll give it a try!!
LaToya says
I bought a Williams Sonoma madeleine pan years ago.
Decided I would never use it, and then returned it.
Wanted to make madeleines, went for the pan, and forgot I had returned it.
So I bought it again.
And now like 4 years later, I still have never used it!
I’ve been in some magazines, and I never told anyone before because of the jinxing for sure. Another time a company reached out to me to design a product line, we shot the packaging and my face and name would be on it and everything. I only told my husband. Then the company went out of business. Glad I didn’t say anything to anyone.
Maybe the photo will pop up another time …
Mona says
Glad you now have the snow you have been waiting for.
Just curious…..how is Monkey Boy doing these days?
Mavis Butterfield says
Great! :0
Libby says
Stockbridge recreates Norman Rockwell’s village Christmas painting once a year – usually in early December. Might be interested in timing your visit to coincide
Alison says
I adore your coop. And we don’t heat our water either. On the coldest days I just change it a few times per day. Extension cord and chicken coop always seemed like a bad idea…
Em says
The hedgehog is adorable! I love the basket and bittersweet. Looking forward to the next canning recipe.
I covered my tomatoes during the freeze we had this week, and they survived. But… I still want a greenhouse!
Cindi says
I grew up on a goat dairy and we would put molasses in the water trough to keep it from freezing. The water gets slushy, but not frozen. For chickens, you might try glycerin, which is non-toxic. I’d suggest trying a small amount first to see how they respond. (I believe too much molasses would give them diarrhea.)
Lolly says
Next summer you could get an electrician to run electricity to the chicken house….if you end up wanting a heater or lamp out there, after all. We had electricity run to our barn and then to our rv barn, and it’s been helpful. Though we don’t have electricity run to the coops….we’re in the deep south and the 2-3 times a yr it maybe freezes isn’t worth the hassle or money.
Maxine says
Is there a solar powered option? A small panel would be enough for water and light?
Rynda Gregory says
The PNW has had absolutely gorgeous weather. A bit concerning because we DO need the rain, however…. I have hiked most days, able to see amazing fall colors. I love it!
The snow does kinda make my heart melt though. – Haha!
Baking question…I made apple pie filling, which taste great as a sweet snack on it’s own, but it seems way to liquidy for actual apple pie. Tomorrow is my oldest son’s 18th birthday and he wants apple pie. Any suggestions on how to make my delicious apple pie filling not turn into apple pie mush?
Thanks for any help you can provide.
Cheers –
Rynda
Leanna says
Try adding some flour to the pie filling, maybe just a tablespoon.
Susan says
Or tapioca.
Mel says
Depending on what form it’s in (fresh, canned, etc.) you may be able to drain off the liquid and simmer it down to syrup consistency and then add it back. I find fresh apples left to macerate release a lot of liquid, so this would concentrate the flavor but cook off the water.
Gail Nowakowsky says
For Rhonda- Minit tapioca.
Stephanie says
The type of stoneware bowls you found are Marcrest. There are other Marcrest pieces that match the bowls. You should be able to find pitchers in 3 different sizes and large mugs as well as other serving pieces. I have several and love them – especially the large mugs.
Mavis Butterfield says
I would love some pitchers! What a fun thing to collect. Thanks for letting me know.
Staci Wickard says
Thank you so much for sharing your jam/jelly recipes. 🙂 My goal is to make one a week until Christmas to give as gifts. My family is trying to keep Christmas on the more simple and handmade side this year. So far I’ve made the Spiced Christmas Jam and Carrot Cake Jam. The Cherry Almond Jam is this week’s plan and next week will be Blueberry (without the min, haha). I need to go back through your list to pick a few more but so fay – I’ve loved every single one.
Thanks! Happy Thanksgiving!!
Staci Wickard says
😉 typing to quickly and I guess I need to put on my readers.
min=mint fay=far. 😀
Mavis Butterfield says
What a fun goal!!! 🙂
Staci Wickard says
What can I say, you inspire me. And even though I’m older than you, I want to be you when I grow up. 😉
Staci Wickard says
HAHAHA to=too Alright, I’m done for the day. Too early or not enough coffee in me.
Marybeth says
I love the bowls. They fit perfect with your house. Enjoy you Thanksgiving. Is Monkey Boy coming for a visit? My oldest is coming home. I am most excited about that.
Diane says
I LOVE the Hedgehog ornament. If you left the black spike marks off, it would look like an abstract version of my Pomeranian, Bailey. I can’t believe it!
If you ever make them again, would you consider making one without spikes for me? Of course, my other dog would be jealous (too bad) 🙂
Mavis Butterfield says
Yes! I have some that are ready to paint now and I would be happy to leave off the black spikes. You can just place an order for one on Etsy and leave me a note. 🙂 https://www.etsy.com/listing/645146886/rustic-hedgehog-redware-pottery-ornament
Claudia says
Can you please please please let us have your Madeline recipe?
Mavis Butterfield says
Yes. I’ll try and share it next week. 🙂