Go On A Solo Adventure.
Mostly, I am crazy excited about my solo adventure. Like 98% excited about it. The other 2% is nervous energy about things out of my control and decisions that will have to be made at the last minute on the fly.
And that’s all I have to say about that. 🙂
Take An Adult Education Class.
A bread making class or something artsy might be kind of cool, then again something totally out there {belly dancing – which would never happen!} might be kind of interesting too.
Curling lessons. I hear curling is kind of a thing here in Maine. That might be something to look into. Any ideas?
Revisit An Old Friend.
This is something I’ve been meaning to do for a while now, but only now have the time to do properly. {More on this goal later.}
Bunny card by Etsy seller: ilikesara
Send 52 Cards To 52 Different People.
I think I’ll start with Valentines.
Make 12 Totally British Recipes In The AGA.
This of course is if I actually get my AGA this year. 😉
Set Aside 200 Items For A Yard Sale
I plan on going through all my kitchen stuff this week and weed out anything that won’t fit in the AGA {that’s supposed to be here in May} and see if The Girl wants it and if she doesn’t, toss it in a box for the yard sale later this summer.
Kitchens are always a good place to start.
Earn $1,493.04 {Last Year’s Grocery Expenses} Selling Totally Random Things Online
Well, I’m off to a good start! I sold a box of driftwood. 🙂 Just wait until you see what I plan on listing this friday!!! 🙂
Sold so far:
- 1 Box of “Native Organically Harvested Maine Driftwood for $89.95
* 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
Holing up somewhere to work on crafts and ordering room service for a few days seems like a totally fun thing to strive for don’t you think? The only rule is, the hotel has to be free {presumably with credit card points.} And there will be matching flannel pajamas.
Turn The Craft Room Into a Proper Studio Space
Does anyone know anything about sergers? I’ve been using a Brother 1034D serger for the past 5-7 years and I am ready to upgrade to something quicker and more industrial like.
I literally just want something that will nicely {and quickly} surge around the edges of my rug hooking fabric {heavy linen} and that’s it. I’ve heard good things about Juki sergers but that’s about it.
- Rip out the old gross carpet and replace it with pine floors
- Fresh paint
- A Proper Light Fixture
- New Serger
- New Work Table
Hook 100 Rugs
I’ll do a final count at the end of the month but here’s one I just finished. It’s my version of an antique rug. It’s a little off center and quirky with all its hearts and the wonky flower and I just love it. It looks old and imperfect. Just the way I like ’em. 🙂
Create 15 New Rug Hooking Patterns
I’m off to a good start!
New patterns I’ve added to my Etsy shop in 2023:
- Antique Hearts and Flowers
- 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
If only I had a greenhouse…
Empty The Canning Cupboard / Fill The Canning Cupboard
We seem to be a little heavy on the ketchup right now. I wonder if I can add it to beef stew? Hmmm.
Make $500 Selling Plants, Flowers or Vegetables
The Duck Lady said I could bring any plants, flowers or vegetables to her stand and sell them there this summer. I’ll probably start with tulips or French breakfast radishes.
Buy 12 Handmade Items {From 12 Different Artists}
Hopefully I’ll have something to show you soon. 🙂
Update Every Single Recipe On The Blog To A Printable Format
Recipes updated so far: 0
26 Official Date Days With My Handsome Husband
- Date #1 Thomaston Cafe for lunch. It was lovely.
How about YOU? How are you coming along with your goals for this year? Have you made them yet? If not, HOP TO IT!!!
~Mavis
Mel says
I’ve added ketchup to beef stew before, but it wasn’t ideal (little acidic). My preferred methods for using it up (I made gallons one year) are:
-regular meatloaf
-garden turkey meatloaf
-a glaze for meatballs
-Brunswick stew
-sloppy Joes
-homemade barbecue sauce
-yakisoba (only uses a couple tablespoons)
-Shake Shack sauce for burgers/fries (only uses a tablespoon, but nice when you’re tired of using plain ketchup)
My goal was to set up a play room in our guest room, and we did some decluttering last week and also started looking at daybeds to add seating but replace the queen bed in there. Why do all my recent goals involve me having to re-home a queen size bed?
Mavis Butterfield says
Glaze for meatballs!!! Thanks Mel. I’m totally going to do that.
Mel says
No problem! I use this sort of Asian-inspired glaze (would probably work with a plain meatball recipe as well):
http://lifescoops.blogspot.com/2014/01/asian-sesame-meatballs.html?m=1
We’ve also made and liked Pioneer Woman’s “comfort meatball” recipe, which has a ketchup glaze too.
I’m sure there are tons of other options though.
Sherry L Kurtz says
Could you show us pictures of your craft room, before and after. I like to look for good ideas on how other crafters store their items and organize their stuff.
Mavis Butterfield says
Yes, I will take pictures at some point. Right now I can hardly walk in there though because there is so much wool.
Linda says
When my husband and I owned our fabric store, we sold Pfaff sewing machines and loved them. What is the brand sold closest to you for convenience of lessons, service? Do you want a three thread or four thread serger? What about automatic looper threading capabilities. I know sergers have become very expensive so decide the options you need, which brand you want and watch for sales/promotions.
Mavis Butterfield says
I like the idea of the automatic looper threading. I know there is a shop in portland that sells Juki’s.
Katelyn says
Mix ketchup 50/50 with balsamic vinegar and use it to glaze meatballs or meatloaf. It’s sooooo good!
tia in boise says
I have 23 goals for ’23–Many of them are “maintenance” or “try again” goals….
I’ll just hit a few.
Review goals weekly and last of each month–not doing this last year proved to be my downfall.
Track walks/runs–aim for every day: I skipped the 1st, but I love my new system–it’s very colorful and pretty to look at; and I have a color scheme for each month planned out–such a geek! But it’s keeping me motivated.
Bonus goal (thought of it after I’d already nailed down my 23): start a blog to catalogue items I’ve found on my runs. (I often find interesting things!) Decided that I would use my Twitter account (that I’ve basically never used). I will be tweeting a photo and brief description of each item–this also is a great motivator to get out for a run! I haven’t started yet–but I’ve been working on an introduction for the whole thing. I plan to get it going before the end of January. I’ve realized that I needed more creative tasks in my goals for last year.
Read as many MY CHOICE books as I can! So excited about this goal (not doing any institutions category challenges this year to work through the 70 books on my To Read Later list–some that have been there for 5 years!) Book I started with: The Book Eaters–6 Families that eat books and how they survive and interact.
1 new veggie dish a month: Anyone have any good recipes?
Deal with it now: get rid of/take care of–home/work: On Monday will call to make 2 important appointments.
Monthly massage: January done!
Bless someone each week: bought lunch for my teaching partner and told a policeman his car was cool (black paint with bright pink for breast cancer awareness)
Date DH 1+ a month: went out to dinner and watched a DVD
My first goal is to review my goals weekly and monthly, and this was helpful!
Mel says
This is one of our favorite veggie dishes. I add broccoli to it, and we use it as a main dish. You can freeze the sauce too.
https://damndelicious.net/2016/12/25/four-cheese-garlic-spaghetti-squash/
tia in boise says
Oh, Mel–
That sounds and looks heavenly–thank you!
Jamie says
I like the hearts rug! Very homey and comforting.
We started on cleaning and repairing the room under the stairs today. This is the one room we haven’t done anything with since we bought the house about 2 years ago. It has cobwebs and dead bugs and it needs a full deep cleaning and some structural upgrades. Once done we will use the space for storage for my partner’s business. Another goal is to go through and organize/clean out our cleaning supplies. Items were scattered around the house and not put back in their “homes” over the course of last year, so it is getting hard to find products when we need them. Finally, I got my seed starting station setup. 172 slots for starts! This is up from 58 last year. I cannot wait for it to warm up a bit so I can start building the garden expansion and finalizing what I want to start. In Maryland we start seeds as soon as late January.
For a class suggestion, maybe a pasta making class? I did one two years ago with my best friend and it was a blast.
Wendy C says
Can I ask how you clean your rugs that are on the floor?
Mavis Butterfield says
Shake them and whack them with a broom outside. Spot treat if needed.
tia in boise says
Is there a way to ask people who purchase your “found items” in Etsy what they are using them for? Is that intrusive? I’m so curious!
Mavis Butterfield says
I would never ask, but I do know the drirtwood went to a home with a bearded dragon named Mushu from the review that was left. 🙂
Diana Wright says
I used to own a custom sewing workroom and we used Juki and Pfaff sergers. For the pillows I make for Etsy I use a Pfaff serger. The industrial machines are much faster and do a consistent stitch, the only drawback could be the space they take up. I currently have five machines! They are also very reliable. I keep them clean and well oiled and I have never had to do any repair work on them.
Lynn Y says
Love the idea of curling lessons. Could you take us along for the ride? (I always wanted to try this myself).
Excess ketchup: Sounds like meatloaf is in your future; this is what I do with excess ketchup as it goes into the recipe and becomes part of the main ingredient for the glaze.
Lindsey says
We love shrimp and I make our dipping sauce from ketchup and horseradish (or Horsey sauce from Arby’s if I have that around).
Annabel says
Do a search for “The Hairy Bikers” for some good, hearty British Recipes. They do some yummy stuff.
Also, I started a plant stand at the end of my driveway last year and this year I plan to do a few cut flowers as well. Jam jar posies seem to be popular where I am (South East England).
Catherine says
I have a Juki serger that I purchased in the 80’s and it’s still going strong. I have worn out a Bernina serger. The Juki handles my hand woven towel hems with ease. The Bernina couldn’t handle it. I suggest that you take the actual fabric you will be serging the most and test it on the different sergers.
SueD says
I have 2 working Viking Huskylock 936 serger/coverstitch machines and a Juki MO-654DE. Love them all; they are workhorses, and do a 3 or 4 thread overlock. You might want to look at an industrial Juki, if you have the room. (They have their own table). If you can, I would go to a sewing shop, and test drive any regular serger you are considering. Take along samples of what you plan on overlocking to use on them.
TC says
Try taking a class in ballroom dancing, I actually my HH there, many classes do not require you to have a partner but you could take your HH and give it a go, It is so much fun, great exercise too.
Zoë rohrer says
Make sweet and sour meatballs with ketchup!
2 c ketchup
3/4 c maple syrup or brown sugar
Dash of garlic powder
Good for meatballs made from 2-3 lb beef. I bake the meatballs and then when hot put them into the simmering sauce. Serve over rice.
Jules says
You should totally try belly dancing lessons. I took a class with a friend before I got married. It is a great Abs workout. It was very fun too. I suppose the instructor has a lot to do with that. I just wish I could remember now what I learned way back then
Kippy says
What about Scottish recipes? I have a cookbook from the Baxter soup company: Ena Baxter’s Scottish cookbook. Published by Johnston and Bacon, Stirling.You could make Bashed a eels, Chappit Tatties and ….scones!
Mavis Butterfield says
Mmmm yes, baked eels sound delightful.
Leanna says
Belly dancing is great for your core. I took a class when my 19 year old was a baby. It was fun.
tia in boise says
ah! Thanks for sharing!
Jamie N. says
I bet ketchup would be good in beef stew. I use it to marinate beef for Vietnamese beef stew and it’s delicious. So tender too.
Emily says
Seeing your gorgeous rug pictured on the floor, I have to ask. Do you really walk on these rugs? They seem too beautiful to dirty with foot prints.
Mavis Butterfield says
Lots of people hang their rugs on walls to display or if they’re smaller lay them on a table. But yes, lott’s of people walk on them too. 🙂