Happy, Happy New Years!

Happy, Happy New Years to you!

I don't often make what I would consider real new year's resolutions.  It's usually more of a list of things I'd like to accomplish and places I'd like to go in the next year.  So in the spirit of looking forward here is a small list of things I want to do and plans to be made.

• Take Tia to St. Paul to meet Jeff and Jennie (and the little one!) in May and go on our third (and Tia's first) trip through the 100-mile yard sale.  This year - we're so prepared.
• Complete 25 crafty projects.  Anything and everything counts here but the stipulation is that I remember to take photos and chronicle things right here.
• Write more letters.  Also, find some pretty, lined stationary so I can stop writing either at a slant or on boring old notebook paper.
• Blog more often.  I still keep a handwritten journal so sometimes I forget I have things to share rather than keeping them all to myself.
• Be more timely about my coupon clipping and better organized about keeping track of our coupon savings and making sure it gets into the long-term savings account.
• Build my basement darkroom and get back to using film more often.
• Read 20 books.
• Learn how to better utilize social media.
• Set three weekly goals (reading, house, and creative) on Sundays and complete by the following Saturday.

Today's only goal?  Enjoy the last of our time off before we both head back to work, maybe tidy up the office and clip some of those coupons and toss all the ones that expired.

2010: Resolution #39

In my big old list of 2010 resolutions, I've added another.

39. Build/Buy a flea market wagon before the first Maxwell Street Days on May 30, 2010

This is really something I've been meaning to do for a while, and while I did give myself leeway to "buy" a wagon I'd really rather build one. And if I go in the direction of purchasing I'd really love to buy something home made, so if you have any leads - send them my way!

I've been looking at some diy tutorials on instructables.com and have found a couple that are promising, at least in an inspiration sort of way.

I especially like this milk crate one because I have quite a few milk crates around the house, I'm just afraid it might not be big enough for my flea market jaunts. I'm mainly concerned with size when it comes to bulky and heavy items, because most of the time my usual rig of backpack and extra canvas totes work for smaller items.

Resolutions, as it were

I know we're already twenty days into this new year, but I've been perfecting my list of resolutions, as it were.

I usually only make a few really big resolutions, but this year there are so many things, both big and little, that I really want to accomplish. So I’m writing myself a list, and setting deadlines.

I really could just list all of the many projects involved in buying our new house and making it into a home, but that somehow feels a little bit like cheating. I am including a lot of the bigger plans for the house and a couple of the smaller things that we really want to get done. Lots of these are little crafty resolutions, or projects I want to complete, but if I don’t make the list I’m afraid they’ll never get done.

1. Develop a business plan for Suitcase Art and apply for the appropriate licenses

2. Open a business banking account for Suitcase Art

3. Develop a logo/identity for Suitcase Art

4. 365 photo project (starting on May 10th – my 24th birthday)

5. Close on the house (we don't know when this might happen...)

6. Pack one box a day until we’re sure about the house, then – pack like crazy.

7. Build a darkroom (contingent, of course, on buying the house)

8. Participate in NaNoWriMo (in November - and complete it!)

9. Plan my train trip to New York – see my father’s childhood home, make a trip to Dead Horse Bay, and celebrate our family’s 100th anniversary of arriving in the United States with the rest of my crazy relatives

10. Save $500 for the New York Trip (saved $100 so far)

11. Refinish (at least) one new suitcase by year end