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12 Goals for the New Year

My 22 Goals for 2019 – Week 47 of 52

By Mavis Butterfield on - 47 Comments

My 22 Goals for 2019


Goal #1 — Spend More Time Doing What I Love

Last weekend when I was up in Washington gas prices seemed a bit high to me so I made a point to look when I got back home. And I was right, gas around these parts is around $2.35 a gallon. Up near Mrs. HB they nearly a dollar more! How much are you paying for gasoline right now? Curious minds want to know.

Goal #2 — Garden, Garden, Garden

The only gardening I did last week was indoors. And it was quick. The paperwhites I planted a month ago began to bloom and then I suddenly remembered that I didn’t like the smell of paperwhites. Whoa Nellie they stink! Like REALLY bad, almost like a plastic antiseptic cleanser smell. So moved then out to the garage. 😉

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

Lemon baby number 3 is

Goal #4 — Gussy Up the Potting Shed Done!

I gussied up the potting shed at our old house, but I would like to add some sort of “potting station” to the backyard here somewhere, but I’m not sure where I would put it yet.

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

It was totally my intention to grow a ton of fruits and vegetables to sell at the farm-stand when I made my list of goals for 2019 last winter, but then we moved. So, that whole goal was sort of a bust.

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. 

I finished one large pillow and four little mini pillows plus 2 make do’s this week but I still need to get them listed in my my Etsy shop. It’s been a busy last few months, and I am very much looking forward to working on my rug hooking projects again in earnest.

I have oodles of new patterns already drawn out, and so settling in for winter, and getting those hooked will be a welcome treat after such a busy summer and fall. Down time. We all need some. And I am so ready for mine.

  • 73 rugs in my pattern bin {now down to 21}
  • 183 hooked flowers {finished 150, now down to 33}
  • 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 14 beginner rug hooking kits to my Etsy shop.I just added Santa and Rudy 1892 yesterday and am hoping to squeeze one more kit in before the end of the year.

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 

All that firewood! We sold it. 😉 I do miss the smell of wood burning in the wood stove though, and I’m pretty sure Lucy misses her spot next to the fire. We do have a fireplace at the new place, but we haven’t lit a fire in there yet.

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

Currently at 2916. Will try to get to 2500 by the end of the week.

Goal #10 –-Lose the Muffin Top Done!

Sweet digity!

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

Well today’s not the day for the half marathon:

  1. All the bakeries close early on Sundays
  2. There is freezing rain in the forecast for the entire day

Goal #12 — Read or Listen to 26 New Books {21 down, 5 to go}

I was listening to My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry but the book was automatically returned because I didn’t finish it within the 7 day window and so now I am on the waiting list so I can finish it. But I did pick up Handcrafted in Maine and I absolutely love it. I am about half way through the book and the stories of how the various makers go to be where they’re at makes for a compelling read. 

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

Goal #13 — Try 52 New Recipes.

37 down, 15 recipes to go. Last week I shared a recipe for Pumpkin and Cream Cheese Coffee Cake and Spiced Pomegranate Jelly. Plus this week we tried a new biscotti recipe {which I’ll share next week}. I still have 15 recipes to try by the end of the year to meet this goal…. and I am looking forward to them.

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

9 down, 44 to go. Well I had plans to get a few knocked out this week but things didn’t exactly work out.

Goal #15 — Fill 100 Canning Jars 55 down, 45 to go.

A few days ago I made a batch of spiced pomegranate jelly and later this week I plan on making a batch of Christmas Jam to include in my neighbor bags. I also have another jelly recipe on my list to try but I don’t think I’ll make it to the grocery store until after Thanksgiving to get the needed ingredients.

So far this year I’ve I canned:

Goal #16 — Finish Furnishing Our House

Yesterday I managed to get the radiator in the family room painted and one of the two windows. Today I’ll finish the second window and then tomorrow I am going to try and make all 3 roman shades for the windows in that room at once. Wouldn’t that be a wonderful feeling to be able to hang all the blinds in the same room on the same afternoon?

Since the HH will be putting his leg lamp in the window of this room the day after Thanksgiving, I am sort of on a time crunch to get the room done.

I also picked up this canvas for 6 dollars at the store where they sell dead people’s things. Hopefully by this time next week it will have a lobster painted over it and the family room will be finished and I will be able to show you the room.

Also, I splurged and ordered a new set of dinner plates, not the blue and white set I showed you last week, but something else. They should arrive in a few days. It’s the first set of new plates I’ve bought in about 20 years. What a weird feeling that was. Not quite as bad as spending money on an appliance, but not as fun as candy either.

Goal #17 – 52 Dates with the HH {40 down, 12 to go}

There was a date day this past week. And it involved pancakes. I’m pretty sure you can all guess where it was.

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

  1. Block Printing Class with my neighbor.
  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 Holiday Project{s}

One of my secret holiday projects this year was block print towels and another was to make a few seed packet wreaths. The Tea Bag Trees weren’t really a secret, but more of pretty skippy idea I wanted to save for the holidays. I do have two more fun craft ideas to share with you in the coming weeks ahead. Both are probably good ones if you are looking for some sort of “filler” activity to do with peeps if you are having a big gathering.

Goal #20 — Create 12 Wowie Zowie Party Platters

7 down, 5 to go. It will be hard to beat Mrs. HB’s tray of pickety but goodness but with 5 more to go… December is going to be a delicious month.

Goal #21 — Visit 12 General Stores

9 down 3 to go.

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

With just 4 more days to go until Thanksgiving my husband took our pumpkins off the porch last night and put the potted trees on the porch. I couldn’t’ believe it! He wanted to put red bulbs on the trees but I shouted a big fat NO and so now my porch looks dumb with Indian corn hanging on the door and 2 potted trees out front.

All of this of course is a big ploy to get the front of the house decorated for Christmas and the leg lamp in the window even before Thanksgiving is over and I will not have it. My husband. He makes me CRAZY.

P.S. What do I use to clean that brass kick plate on the door with? Anyone know?

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
  • September: Indian corn and pumpkins
  • October: Pumpkins and spinner do hickeys
  • November: Indian corn and big pumpkins

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

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 day everyone,

♥ Mavis

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

Have a Great Day!

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Comments

  1. Kim says

    I’m usually the type who doesn’t want to celebrate Christmas until December 20, but for some reason this year I’m excited for Christmas. Bring on the red bulbs and the leg lamp!

    Reply

  2. Carrie says

    I really enjoyed reading Fredrik Backman’s books. I like that his characters make appearances in different books. If you haven’t already read Britt Marie it goes along with My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry.

    The kick plate, I imagine it’s for people like me that push the door open with their foot. My front door swells with weather changes and I have to literally push it open. I don’t think they look great and I would rather repaint my door every other year than have a gold plate on it. But hey, that’s me. 🙂

    Reply

  6. Lana says

    Gas prices are all over the place here. One day last week it was 2.09 and then spiked up to 2.29.

    I hate the smell of paper whites and those grape hyacinths are even worse.

    Reply

    • Mavis Butterfield says

      Brushed the paint on. Our radiators don’t get hot to the touch. The paint you use depends on the type of radiator you have. I was able to use regular latex paint {the same sheen as my trim} because we DO NOT have a steam type radiator. There is a special heat resistant paint for those.

      Reply

  10. Mel says

    I love the reindeer pillows!

    I finished sewing the top of my Christmas tree skirt yesterday. If I cut the batting and bottom today, I’ll only need to assemble and quilt it. That’s still a lot of work, but I may finish this goal yet.

    Reply

      • Mel says

        For sure. The piecing is basically done, but it was quite the adventure since I’ve never done it before and was working without a pattern. I could not find a pattern to fit our giant tree stand anywhere.

        Reply

  14. Tanya says

    There is a new non-fiction book by Judy Christie and Lisa Wingate called “Before and After.” It’s the real life stories of the Tennessee Children’s Society scandal. Sort of a companion to “Before We Were Yours.”

    Reply

  15. Amy says

    I would give baby oil a try on your kick plate. I use it on all my appliances in our kitchen and it works wonders. Not quite the same material but I tend to like the cheap- can get anywhere- kind of solutions.

    Reply

    • Laura says

      A good source for different varieties of paperwhites is Colorblends in Bridgeport, CT. Nir is a variety with a much lighter scent than the typical Ziva found more commonly. And Colorblends staff is extremely knowledgeable and friendly.

      Reply

  17. Laura says

    Brasso for the kickplate to third the other two recommenders. It is great for all things Brass. Think silver polish but for brass.

    I was shocked (and annoyed) when in St. Thomas a month ago and gas was $3.49 a gallon (in the Virgin Islands for goodness sake!) and gas here in Bellevue is $3.87. Um, yay?? NOT.

    Reply

  18. Laura says

    Oh, I forgot to mention a book you might enjoy. It is called “Olive, Again” (I think) and it is about an older woman who lives in Maine and her interesting life. It is a follow on of another book about the same woman when she was younger (don’t know the title). You might enjoy it based on your book interests and where you live.

    Reply

  19. Christina @ Bargainblog says

    Mavis, I think you are on of the most prolific bloggers around! I’m not sure I should admit this (lol) but I recently got up to page 134 on your blog. (In many sittings, mind you – but still!!) You have given me serious blog goals to shoot for.

    Also, gas prices here in Calgary, Canada are high when measured as gallons. We pay around $1.00-$1.05/litre right now. Or $3.85-$4.00 or more a gallon. (Other places in Canada are much higher!)

    Reply

  21. Pam says

    We had a brass plate on a door of the house we lived in about 35 years ago….had really good success keeping it bright by cleaning with brass then spraying with clear lacquer, easier if you can remove plate, but still doable with paper taped around it for spraying. It lasted for years.

    Reply

  25. Claudia says

    Gas prices up here in British Columbia are high compared to yours. The lowest I saw was $130.9 for a litre X’s that by 4 for your gallon.
    Love all your pictures of Lucy!!

    Reply

  26. Mary says

    If you paid $6 just to have a canvas to paint on, you can get fresh, new and ready to go canvases at Michaels for much less than that!

    Reply

    • Mavis Butterfield says

      Not for the size and thickness that I wanted. I checked. I did notice they have 5 packs of the smaller canvases on sale for around $9.99- $14.99 though. Prices have really come down.

      Reply

  29. tia in boise says

    ha! I put some gas in the car yesterday and was excited that it was less than $3/gallon! (It had been $3.05 the week before.) Yesterday was $2.96. Idaho truly does have the highest gas prices!

    Reply

  30. Celeste says

    Bras so is what all the NYC doorman use to polish the brass canopy holders and kick plates s d door hardware. It works really beautifully.

    Reply

  34. Frances Lengenfelder says

    Gas tax in Washington state is one of the highest in the country. I thought I was the only one that could’t stand the smell of paperwhites!

    Reply

  35. Christine says

    Two things; first, paperwhites are pretty flowers but they give me a migraine!

    Second, gas prices here on the Gulf Coast of Alabama (45 minutes to the beach) are ~$2.19 for regular gasoline.

    Reply

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