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I started a project in August of 2017 that I am going to expand on. I send cards to lots of people and especially a few that I haven't seen in 30+ years. This has been such a wonderful project for me and I love hearing from folks I haven't heard from in years. This year my goal is to expand on that project. I am going to try to send birthday and anniversary cards to everyone in my immediate family (42 cards), participate in a birthday card group (64 cards) and continue sending 3 "just for fun" cards every week. Also, a couple of years ago I got 12 nice card tins from Stampin Up. I am going to continue working on filling these up in 2018 so I will have them for great gifts next Christmas.
Whew! When I look at that it seems overwhelming!
Ooops! I forgot the one I have been chatting with my friends about..... I want to host a swap this year. Just something that has always intrigued me....
@Debbie:
I haven't met some of my goals for 2017 either, but I took it as an excellent opportunity to learn from when making my goals for 2018 (and beyond). Sometimes it's a question of needing to change perspective. For example, a spending freeze and purge were initially on my list for 2018, but I realized that the issue wasn't that I was buying things, but that I wasn't using things enough in between the hauls.
I don't want to part with supplies I still love, but I also don't want my crafty stash to burst and bury me alive (lol!). By creating, I'm either using up the consumable things like patterned paper and embellishments, or I'm figuring out just how useful that permanent supply is. Some stamps will only ever have a couple of designs I can use in them, and once those are done, I know I'll be ready to let them go guilt-free.
A card a day will be a challenge for me, I bet. Life doesn't always listen to our carefully thought-out plans. But being creative is one of the healthiest ways I can get the daily stress and all those negative feelings out, and I plan to make time for it every day.
One thing that just occurred to me that I thought I'd throw into the mix...
Last year I bought a calendar so I could do one tiny art thing every day (a la Lydia, aka UnderstandBlue). I didn't get a chance to do anything with it for a bit, then I forgot about it for another little bit, then I got all fatalistic, like "what's the point now?" and I never did even one little tiny square all year!
DO NOT DO THIS THING!!! Even if you start late, or re-gear, or overhaul completely, or WHATEVER - ANY creativity at ANY time is better than zero! If you find that your "goals" don't fit, tweak them so they do, but DON'T GIVE UP!
Well said, Sue! I have found myself in the same place you describe and it feels crumby! I'm not a goal-setter, it stresses me out, but I agree with what you said about doing something, even if it's tiny!
__________________ Claudia Splitcoast Fan Club Member
On the subject of organizing, what do you do with all your Christmas stamps after the season is over? I have many sets that take up several shelves in my craft room. It would make sense to box them up and store for the year, freeing up lots of space.
I keep all my Christmas stuff accessible all year. The stamps are on lower shelves, the papers in a separate art bin 12x12 case. I try to complete the Christmas Card Challenge here each year (some years with more success than others), but I know I would never make any Christmas cards throughout the year if I had to dig my supplies out of a bin I had "put away" for the season.
__________________ Claudia Splitcoast Fan Club Member
I'm with Claudia - I keep them available all year long and attempt to keep up with the Christmas card challenge here on SCS (with varying degrees of success).
Yep Sue I'm guilty as charged of similar "why bother" thoughts and then later I regret not just jumping in and trying. That is why my 2018 mantra just might be FOLLOW THRU.
Well, I’m about to achieve one of my Crafty Goals right now !! That is to begin participating in this forum rather than just avidly reading, but hiding in the background !! I’m from the UK, but have loved reading all your posts, and have found it to be a great resource. This post has finally prompted me to join in !!
My crafty goals for 2018 are :-
1. To organise my Craft room ! I have been crafting for many years, and have accumulated hundreds of stamps, which are currently stored in Really Useful Boxes in units from Storage4crafts. Many of these never see the light of day, let alone an ink pad !! My plan is to reorganise them, and rediscover ones I have almost certainly forgotten about. I am also seriously considering removing my large collection of wood mounted stamps from their wooden blocks.
2. To create a blog. I have attempted this in the past, but struggled, as it just never looked quite “right”. I’ve bought a book called “Blogging Bliss”, so hopefully this will help. I’m just not quite sure how to personalise with banners and sidebars etc. I would like to document my “organising journey” on my new blog, along with showing my creations.
3. To spend less time collecting pins on Pinterest, and more time a actually creating !!
4. Finally less procrastination and more action, but I seem to remember saying this to myself last year (and the year before lol !!).
My goal this year is to spend time in my craft room.... relaxing and most importantly.... just taking time for myself to breathe. I'm not one to meditate, but I have been so stressed and anxious this year that I'm struggling to be able to sit still long enough to even think about a design I want to create. As a result, I'm not in my craft room much at all. In fact, I find myself avoiding it. My craft room however used to make me so happy. All the quotes I have on the wall. All the beautiful colors of ink pads and cardstock in that room. It's like a rainbow of delight! I want to rediscover my craft room as a place of peace and calm instead of stringent organizational rules and the need for perfect crafting. My goals for last year didn't quite work out regarding wanting to be more creatively free. So I think I'm going to try a new approach. Spend time in my craft room, put some music on, and just sit there and breathe. Take a break from all the stress and enjoy my surroundings. My hope is that by changing how I think about my craft room these days, it can help me re-appreciate the artistic beauty and inspiration around me, and will help take off some of the pressure to do and for everything to look perfect. All with the hope of feeling more free to be able to craft and create again, with a more relaxed approach.
Another goal is try brush lettering. For 15 years I have loved fonts. The beauty in all the details and how different they are, has always mesmerized me. My roomie out of college was a graphic designer and introduced me to an extraordinary range of fonts and I've never stopped loving them since. She also did freelance hand calligraphy on wedding invitations and envelopes and they were so breath taking. So to be able to make beautiful lettering on my own, I just love the idea.
I also want to make a wall of quotes that really resonate with me. In college, I used to buy all different sizes of canvas and paint quotes onto them and hang them all over my room. My mother had saved some of them and recently gave them back to me. And as imperfect as they are, they are beautiful in their own way. It was years before I got into the paper crafting world, but I always had a creative side. The lettering is crooked and my flowers are so simple. And yet, I remember how happy I felt making them and how seeing them always made a part of me inside smile. And having some of them again now, still does.
So my creative goals aren't exactly about making cards - but more about appreciating the beauty around me from the creativity that exists in my life. And not necessarily putting pressure on myself to create new cards, but to find beauty in past designs instead of flaws in future ones. I really hope that by changing how I think about and enjoy my creative space and by surrounding myself with quotes and lyrics that I can relate to on a deeper level, will not only help me appreciate all this beauty again in crafting, but also inspire me to start up again.
Catherine773, These are wonderful goals. I wish you much success in meeting them. I feel certain that if you can get your head in a good place when you are in your craft room, the creativity will follow.
My goal this year is to spend time in my craft room.... relaxing and most importantly.... just taking time for myself to breathe. I'm not one to meditate, but I have been so stressed and anxious this year that I'm struggling to be able to sit still long enough to even think about a design I want to create. As a result, I'm not in my craft room much at all. In fact, I find myself avoiding it. My craft room however used to make me so happy. All the quotes I have on the wall. All the beautiful colors of ink pads and cardstock in that room. It's like a rainbow of delight! I want to rediscover my craft room as a place of peace and calm instead of stringent organizational rules and the need for perfect crafting. My goals for last year didn't quite work out regarding wanting to be more creatively free. So I think I'm going to try a new approach. Spend time in my craft room, put some music on, and just sit there and breathe. Take a break from all the stress and enjoy my surroundings. My hope is that by changing how I think about my craft room these days, it can help me re-appreciate the artistic beauty and inspiration around me, and will help take off some of the pressure to do and for everything to look perfect. All with the hope of feeling more free to be able to craft and create again, with a more relaxed approach.
Another goal is try brush lettering. For 15 years I have loved fonts. The beauty in all the details and how different they are, has always mesmerized me. My roomie out of college was a graphic designer and introduced me to an extraordinary range of fonts and I've never stopped loving them since. She also did freelance hand calligraphy on wedding invitations and envelopes and they were so breath taking. So to be able to make beautiful lettering on my own, I just love the idea.
I also want to make a wall of quotes that really resonate with me. In college, I used to buy all different sizes of canvas and paint quotes onto them and hang them all over my room. My mother had saved some of them and recently gave them back to me. And as imperfect as they are, they are beautiful in their own way. It was years before I got into the paper crafting world, but I always had a creative side. The lettering is crooked and my flowers are so simple. And yet, I remember how happy I felt making them and how seeing them always made a part of me inside smile. And having some of them again now, still does.
So my creative goals aren't exactly about making cards - but more about appreciating the beauty around me from the creativity that exists in my life. And not necessarily putting pressure on myself to create new cards, but to find beauty in past designs instead of flaws in future ones. I really hope that by changing how I think about and enjoy my creative space and by surrounding myself with quotes and lyrics that I can relate to on a deeper level, will not only help me appreciate all this beauty again in crafting, but also inspire me to start up again.
You must have read my mind. I walk past the craft room and think "I should really use that space today/soon." But it's a mess and it is not a happy place right now. Sadly, my happy place is the couch in front of the TV. Now that the frenzy of the holidays is over I will try to follow the advice you gave yourself in your very-well-said post and get in there and make something, anything, happen.
Mary Beth
Well, I�m about to achieve one of my Crafty Goals right now !! That is to begin participating in this forum rather than just avidly reading, but hiding in the background !! I�m from the UK, but have loved reading all your posts, and have found it to be a great resource. This post has finally prompted me to join in !!
I just wanted to say "hello", and congratulations on your first post! This is such a kind and generous forum - the best kind of place to join in.
This is one of my goals, too. Obviously, I'm past my first post, but I've been here a LONG time, with not a whole lot to show for it. I'm determined (here, on my blog, and in real life) to use my love of paper-crafting to make friends and connect with other people. I may always be bashful, but I don't have to be a hermit. 2018 is the year I find my people.
__________________ ~ Kitty ~ "If you can dream it, you can do it." - Walt Disney
I just wanted to say "hello", and congratulations on your first post! This is such a kind and generous forum - the best kind of place to join in.
This is one of my goals, too. Obviously, I'm past my first post, but I've been here a LONG time, with not a whole lot to show for it. I'm determined (here, on my blog, and in real life) to use my love of paper-crafting to make friends and connect with other people. I may always be bashful, but I don't have to be a hermit. 2018 is the year I find my people.
Hi Kitty,
I am shy, like you! Maybe we can meet if there is a stamping or scrapbooking show or event in Florida. I see all the posts from the upstate New Yorkers in the Get Together forum here on SCS and wish we had such active groups here!
Hi Kitty,
I am shy, like you! Maybe we can meet if there is a stamping or scrapbooking show or event in Florida. I see all the posts from the upstate New Yorkers in the Get Together forum here on SCS and wish we had such active groups here!
Yes, that would be cool! We'll have to keep a look-out for events... then not be too shy to bring it up again, LOL.
__________________ ~ Kitty ~ "If you can dream it, you can do it." - Walt Disney
I have 3 crafty goals for 2018. I will spend at least 30 minutes a day stamping and creating. I will learn to photograph my cards decently. I will mail cards early so they are received on time.
I need to add your last one to my goals - I just made and posted a "belated birthday" card for my niece because I knew it wouldn't arrive on time!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Glitter Gypsy
I have 3 crafty goals for 2018. I will spend at least 30 minutes a day stamping and creating. I will learn to photograph my cards decently. I will mail cards early so they are received on time.
__________________ Susan
My SCS gallery is here should you care to look! Or please visit my blog, Cardmaker's Garret.
I have a new goal and it's to figure out why my creative brain is such a brat. As soon as I take a challenge to make something specific (ex. Christmas cards), that's the LAST thing I can create. :rolleyes:
MY 2018 crafting goal is to use up retired packages of DSP and retired card stock.
I started with SU Sweet Stitches DSP (the sewing one from year's ago).
I completely used all the remaining pieces of DSP and several pieces of Regal Rose (retired) card stock making nine cards.
My next remains of retired DSP to use is Nouveau Chic. I'll report back when I use that up. Good Luck to everyone who is challenging themselves with various crafting goals.
Here is a picture of the Sew Suite DSP cards I made. It's all gone now!
Will post more pictures to my gallery soon.
I am almost finished using the Nouveau Chic DSP. Will post those soon.
I just wanted to share that I can feel my excitement coming back for my craft room. Like I mentioned in my goals, I've been taking the time to just sit in the middle of the floor on a yoga mat, soak up the colors and inspiration around me, listen to music, and just take time to take deep breathes. I haven't been crafting yet - but I feel my creative little soul starting to peek it's head back out. It's interesting how sometimes you need to shake up your perspective a little and things start to fall back into place. I certainly haven't met my goals a week later, but the creative wheels in my head are starting to spin. Spending time in there, just looking around, I've realized too how I need to change up the space. I have a handful of things that i don't use that just take up space. I've mentioned before that I started out with scrapbooking and was the walking paparazzi for my nephew for the first 7 years of his life. But now that he's older (11) I annoy him with pictures, lol, I don't scrapbook as often. I think I need to box some of the stuff up to free up some open room in my craft rom. Although it's extraordinarily organized, I've taken advantage of every nook and cranny. (Is that how you spell that saying?) I want to put in brighter lightbulbs which always lightens my mood and create a sense of openness not just in the center of the room, but along the perimeter of my room where I have everything stored. I think it will help the room feel even more different than how my life feels, less crowded which will help with my creative spirit.
Last edited by Catherine773; 01-13-2018 at 07:51 PM..
Stampin doe, how exciting that you followed thru and used something up, yeah! That ol' craft room had better look out, it might become a minimalist space yet.
Catherine773, I may not have room to sit in the middle of the floor (yet;)) but I get those kinds of vibes when I go and just sit at my desk after clearing/cleaning it off.
We are about 3 weeks into January, and I'm doing really good on my resolutions so far!
- I've made a card every single day in 2018 and I've been blogging about each of them. It's been a bit of a challenge sometimes, especially when I have a busy work day or I'm feeling under the weather (like the flu I'm trying to push through right now).
- Calligraphy-wise, I bought a beginners' book on Amazon that has several font options and practice sheets. I haven't gotten around to practicing just yet, but I'll try to make some time during weekends.
- I've been journaling fairly regularly. I found a few journaling prompts on Pinterest, and that's helped on days when I don't know what to write about. Some of the questions provoked some surprising replies and got me thinking about things in a different light.
I did find one unexpected (but awesome) side-effect of working with my crafty supplies daily: I don't feel like I need to shop for any more supplies since I already have so many things to use/use up. I received a gift card from a friend, and I spent a couple of days trying to figure out what to get. There just wasn't that burning feeling of "omg, I need this whole store!" and I just got stamp cleaner refill and some envelopes. Hubby was shocked. :lol:
I just put up my for sell thread for my old pif'ing days stamps of Gruffies, Happy Hoppers and House mouse.More to be listed eventually.
__________________ The quickest way for a parent to get a child's attention is to sit down and look comfortable. Practice safe eating always use condiments
I am journaling every day. I have been playing with techniques in my coloring books. I did get overwhelmed. I was coloring in way too many books. I tweaked that to only one at a time. I think that is what goals should be are tweaks until we find our creative stride.
I haven't made any embellishments though. :( I have been making a lot of journal LO's. The week after next I am planning on setting down with movies and creating a lot of embellishments.
I wrote in my list I discovered diamond painting. I am really enjoying my kit. I can tell that is going to become a big love.
I am on a creative mission this year!.... 1, To make my Christmas 2018 cards throughout the year
(I was caught out in 2017 as I was poorly for most of November so didn't get to make all the cards I had planned to send, I found that so stressful) 2, To make lots more cards to "share handmade kindness," Jennifer McGuire has really inspired me with her campaign. I want to give them to people I don't know very well too, not just my friends! 3, To use up at least some of my stash! even the papers I dont wanna usebecause I love them so much (I am a serious paper stroker) 4, To enter some card making challenges and have lots of fun in my creative groove, blogging at least twice a week.
I would really like to get to grips with pocket style scrapbooking, I have the pages and the Simple Stories "I AM" collection of goodies, I tried it nearly 3 years ago but didn't even last a month! I would love to actually do it this year
But in any of the above list, if the fun stops, then I will stop I am not giving stress any room in my creativity
__________________ The PapercraftessDoing what I love, Loving what I do My Blog
My 2018 Crafty Goal was to use up all the remaining DSP from a set of papers.
I have posted pictures of the nine cards I made to use up all the Sweet Stitches DSP
in my gallery. Here are some links:
We're in February already! How are your resolutions/goals doing?
I am doing excellent on my goal to make a card every day!
I made a card every day in January and even blogged about each card: Creative Cardsea: January 2018
It has been absolutely amazing. I'm not buying anything - except one order I had to place to get some Copic refills - and I'm using so much of my stash. It's incredibly motivating and makes me feel great and completely guilt-free about my crafty supplies. I should have had this goal years ago! :lol:
Elle - I just looked at your blog for the first time and I LOVE your cards! They have such a clean look to them - I love it. I have a similar style to some of your cards! And I recognize a bunch of the dies - I have a handful of them. I love how you used them - your cards are getting the wheels turning in my head!
My friend and I got together to make Valentines Day cards ( not a goal, but yeah!). Then I started my Chanukah cards, which was a goal. We have a date in February to work on Christmas cards, so I’m doing well so far.
I have been trying to do small things until we move my son's belonging to where he is now living later this month. It will be game on after that. I plan on pulling virtually everything out & storing most of it in his room while giving my stamp room a through cleaning.
I've already pulled a few things out of the closet and donated them and have been window shopping storage for my room.
I've also done minor rearrangements that have made a huge difference in the meantime. I now want to go in there despite the mess and I learned a few things I definitely want to do when I dismantle/re-mantle the room.
I collected my UFP's into a basket. Hope to go thru them this coming week so I can decide what I will eventually finish or what I can toss now.
@Catherine773: Thank you! I'm really enjoying myself and keep finding new things to use and new ideas to bring to life. Once I really got started, it's now a challenge to stop for things like food, sleep and work. I can't wait to see how the months to follow will look.
@lynnewithane: That sounds super productive. Awesome to see you doing so well.
@stampin stacy: It sounds like you're on the ball with the organizing! I've been saving a hour or two every week to do some light organizing for my embellishments and it's inspired me to use them more often. Can't wait to see how your new crafty area looks!
Yes, February already - hard for me to believe because I felt like January was never going to end and then poof! I was changing the calendar to a spanking new month.
Practicing Creativity:
I wish I could say that I had at least 1 week in January where I was crafty everyday/most days of the week, but my mojo really seemed to take a nose dive. So I'll be working on this one this month.
Church shut-in cards:
I do have 4 cards that I had finished before the end of 2017, so I'm going to get them in the mail this week. I had been hoping to have at least twice that ready to go by now, but I'm not waiting for that to happen. I want to have that stash empty to motivate myself to build it back up.
Purging:
I actually did pretty good on this one. I put a bunch of SU inkpads/reinkers and some Tim Holtz Distress inkpads on eBay and they all sold. (Woo hoo!) I made enough on those sales to earn over half of the cost of that paper cutter I said I wanted. So I am now psyched to sell more crafty things that no longer fit me so that I can use the proceeds for the paper cutter. I posted 2 more bundles this past week and another 3 today. Plus, I went back through my SU sets and have identified a stack of them that I am ready to part with. Of course, since most of the stuff was in bins/baskets, nobody else would realize I have less stuff in my craft room than I started the year with. LOL!
Random (and not quite random) Acts of Kindness. When I was working on Valentine's Day cards, I ended up with one extra - it was going to be for my niece, but then I decided the sentiment just seemed too "spouse/significant other" to me. Since I have neither or them, I surprised my old boss by sending it to him to give to his wife. He loves the cards I make and has kept all the ones I've given to him, so I knew he would appreciate this. I kept the inside sentiment general enough that he could use for V-day, their anniversary, her birthday, or just because. He told me he is definitely giving it to her for Valentine's Day.
February's goals will be to sell the SU sets that I've selected to sell and to track down that creative muse of mine and get busy being crafty. Ideally, I'd like to get February birthday cards made, at least 1 CCC18 challenge card finished and 4 church shut-in cards (I don't care if it is 1 design made 4 times). We'll see how that goes.
Debbie, I think you're doing really well, especially with your purging!
My goals are coming along in a very so-so fashion -
Successes: Getting a bunch of birthday cards made ahead of mailing dates, fulfilling a friend's order for 5 Valentine cards by the end of January, getting several Christmas card made for my November sale, have enjoyed spending time in my craft room, and started my craft room reorganization by getting rid of the colours of cs I no longer like and organized the rest of my coloured cs.
Failures: I'm still spending too much time on Pinterest, wasn't able to be ruthless and get rid of stuff in my UFO and backgrounds boxes, never made time to start some of the online classes I bought, and my reorganization project is not progressing as swiftly as planned!
__________________ Susan
My SCS gallery is here should you care to look! Or please visit my blog, Cardmaker's Garret.
Susan, sounds to me like you've put your time into the important thing - doing what will touch others' lives in a positive way. And, hey, we have 11 more months to get closer to our goals.
The big thing is to move ahead - the older I get, the more I think it is the forward motion, not the size of that motion, that is the real measure of success.
Debbie, I love what you said in the second paragraph - I must keep that in mind!
Quote:
Originally Posted by swldebbie
Susan, sounds to me like you've put your time into the important thing - doing what will touch others' lives in a positive way. And, hey, we have 11 more months to get closer to our goals.
The big thing is to move ahead - the older I get, the more I think it is the forward motion, not the size of that motion, that is the real measure of success.
__________________ Susan
My SCS gallery is here should you care to look! Or please visit my blog, Cardmaker's Garret.
I’m still working on my projects: 1) purging my stash, 2) organizing the keepers, 3) stamping all my SU sentiments onto file cards by type, birthday, Christmas, etc. I actually finished this last project yesterday!! I can’t believe how nice it is to pull out my sentiment options on the cards and then grab the stamp. I had to try and remember or scan through my 450 stamp sets to find something appropriate for the cards. I’m so glad I did this. I also added a few more magazine cases to hold my ever increasing supply of SU card stock. So that is also easy to access now. Next on my list is to purge and then organize my designer paper stash. I can’t find anything without going through the whole mess. Anyone have suggestions about sorting things out. Keep sets together or separate by major color? I have the craft style papers, the glitter paper and the shiny metallics all separate.
I�m still working on my projects: 1) purging my stash, 2) organizing the keepers, 3) stamping all my SU sentiments onto file cards by type, birthday, Christmas, etc. I actually finished this last project yesterday!! I can�t believe how nice it is to pull out my sentiment options on the cards and then grab the stamp. I had to try and remember or scan through my 450 stamp sets to find something appropriate for the cards. I�m so glad I did this. I also added a few more magazine cases to hold my ever increasing supply of SU card stock. So that is also easy to access now. Next on my list is to purge and then organize my designer paper stash. I can�t find anything without going through the whole mess. Anyone have suggestions about sorting things out. Keep sets together or separate by major color? I have the craft style papers, the glitter paper and the shiny metallics all separate.
Hi Beth,
Not sure if this will work for yau, but to organize my fairly large stash of DSP I purchased a bunch of the Iris 12 x 12 paper keepers on sale at Michael's, and then separated the papers by category (holidays, seasons, baby, florals, monochromatic, etc.) I kept the paper packs together (mostly SU so I kept them in their wrappers) since the papers coordinate so well. The boxes stack nicely on a shelf, and I stored my 12 x 12 cardstock the same way. It is easy enough to grab a keeper and flip through the papers. Hope that helps!
I;m on a mission this year !
