2021 Crafty Goals

Years and years ago - maybe in 2004 - I made a New Year's Resolution to learn how to knit.  I had crocheted since I was in elementary school, learning how to do it in Girl Scouts.  In fifth grade, I asked my teacher to teach me how to knit.  She did - but she really didn't know how to cast on, so that didn't last long.

Anyway, new year's resolution 17 years ago was to learn how to knit.  I started researching on the internet, and I bought a book or two and taught myself.  And I've been knitting ever since. And in some years following, I made new crafting resolutions.

So what about this year?  Here are my crafty goals:

• Plan and begin the Yarn Harlot striping cowl - This is a project from her Patreon page.
• Spend some time playing with card making supplies with no outcome goals.
• Choose a few underused craft supplies for card making and use them
• Make some Christmas cards before the end of the year.
• Attempt to create a watercolor painting for the dining room.

By the way, the image on this page is Bald Head Island Lighthouse from our vacation in 2020.

Watercolor Christmas Cards

At the end of last year, I participated in an Online Card Class called Simply Watercolor Christmas.  It was lead by Kristina Werner, and it was great.  Many of our cards this year were projects I made from this class. Here are five of my favorites.  The pictures aren't great - I took them at night right before we addresses and signed cards to send them out.  Maybe next year, the images will be better!

 

System for sending Birthday and Anniversary cards

So, this is a boring bullet journal spread, but it is the key to how I remember and plan to send out birthday and anniversary cards.  This is my process:

• I have a one-page spread in my journal for each month.  On those spreads, I list each person who has a birthday or anniversary in the month in chronological order.  So, if a person was born on the 10th of January, I list 10-person's name.
• I try to work at least a month ahead (sometimes two).  As I plan the cards I will send, I match cards to each person on the list.
• Working in month blocks, I sign the cards, address the envelope, and seal the card in the envelope.  I add a sticky note to the envelope with the birthdate / anniversary date.
• I then grab the stack of cards for the month and a calendar. I add the "mail date" to each sticky note, estimating how much time it will take for the card to arrive at the recipient. I add the stamp to the card.
• I leave this stack of cards on my desk at work.  I mark in my work planner on each day I need to mail a card.
• As I plan my day, I pull the cards that need mailed.  All I have to do is rip off the sticky note and drop the card in the mail.

All that said, I was late sending out my first card of the year. Oh, well. It works most of the time.