It's that time...goal city...share yours too

I went back and searched my blog for resolutions. I'm happy with my progress in 2010.

Apparently in December 2009 I promised to quit buying stuff.  We see how that went!  However, by July I got a solid handle on the spending and it has stuck.

I also promised to not post stuff that I didn't love (80% success rate), improve my photography (yes, but still working on it) and other things.

Time for new goals -- not resolutions.  Resolutions are hard, even the words sounds hard.  Goals are  happy!  They evoke butterflies and flowers and that ripe Harry and David pear waiting for me.  I digress..

• I want different.   Learn and use new techniques.  New to me. So my budget and time will go more towards education than supplies. 

• Using new products or old products in new ways.  I don't want to keep buying and using the same products I see on a million blogs.  Partly because most of what I see is way better than I could make and partly because it gets boring after a while. Even 10 gorgeous items made with the same gorgeous stamps gets old.  Old to me. Maybe beautiful to you, but the thrill is gone.  I'll be looking for new sources of stuff.  New companies, new everything. 

• Less cards, more other stuff (my Mini Coin Envelope Album that I gave to my Mom for Christmas was a HUGE hit.)   

• More product reviews.
  
  
• I'll continue my Before and After series because I learn so much from those posts and hope you do as well.

Would love to hear your goals!

 

Comments

[Mary Cardini- Anderson]

Joan, Good news about your getting the scrap in a box for Christmas. I can hardly wait to read your review. Which color did you get?

Good for you for making cahnges this regarding your blog I look forward to more reviews and hearing about education you will be taking for crafting.

I am going to be spending more of my money on photography stuff this year :)

Hope you had a great Christmas with all of your faimily Joan.

Mary

[NancyK]

Love the new look of your blog! You made me think of the goals I set at the start of 2010 - I'll have to go back and look at them to see if I kept any of them! I too want to focus on the education aspect of this craft - unfortunately the area where I live does not have the resources, so it would require travel for me...

[SueB]

Using what I have. Put a year-long freeze on buying except for adhesive and it's actually been sort of a relief. I have many beautiful stamps and goodies that I've never used and whenever I find my mojo, I'll use what I have. I enjoy the classes on Two Peas, if you're interested.

[Susan Raihala]

Good goals, Joan! My goals include continuing to try to use all my image stamps and to prune my stash to things I actually use. I, too, would like to make more variety, though in my case, it's to get back into scrapbooking, which I have neglected for three years.

Good luck with your goals!

[Ida]

I'm with you on setting "Goals" rather then
"resolutions"...For me I want to continue sharing my artwork and learning new things as well. I also want to learn to be content with the supplies I have and if I am able to purchase new stuff to make the most of it rather then just use it once or twice and then buy something else just because it's "in" with the stamping world at the time.

Great New Look here.

[Deborah Frings]

Love the new look blog - very clean and simple!!

Goals - that's a great idea. Mine - will be many and varied. Going to make a point of using all my stamps in the next year (wll at least try to).

[Dee in N.H.]

Great new look! My only real resolution is to get my cards done ahead of time. Putting those finishing touches on while the car is warming up drives me nuts!

[Jackie]

Your blog looks wonderful! I rarely see it since I subscribe in Google Reader. I haven't completely firmed up my goals for 2011but I do know they involve cutting down on reading too many blogs (with the exception of yours) and coveting so much new stuff. I, too, have an embarrassingly large amount of schtuff and need to learn to use what I have and quit wanting whatever I see on blogs. I also intend to keep my blog updated on a more regular basis, even if that means once a week - rather than every 3 months. I would love to sell some cards, either locally or on esty, to recoup some of my investment, but only as long as it doesn't become a chore instead of a pleasure. My own stamp company is a dream of mine as well, and I will be doing some research into that very soon, too.

[Kaya]

Can't wait to see the results of your education. My goals are to spend less and send more cards. Happy new year

[Sandra K]

Cool! I like the new look. I'm impressed with how you've met your goals and how you are so willing to reach for new ones.

[doris]

I so agree with you about resolutions--complete waste of time and only guilt-producing anyway! I like the idea of goals instead.

My goal for 2011 is to make better use of what I already have and concentrate on learning/teaching new techniques that use what I have on hand.

Love the new look of your blog, too.

[Zanne]

I know that Splitcoast has tons of tutorials, but that's not the only resources out there. I don't know if you have seen these other sources?
Mel McCarthy
Trish Bee
Also, did you see the videos that Jennifer McGuire did on TwoPeas for Christmas this year and last? There are lots of techniques in those!
They're geared for cards, but you can extrapolate to other projects, too.

There are several sites with links to all sorts of other sites, commercial and otherwise, which have projects other than cards:
Gingerwood

Vamp Stamp

There used to be a site called Cyberstampers which had all kinds of class notes for classes other than card making, but that seems to be gone from the net now; at least, I can't find it. I have some of the notes printed out, if you'd like to email me about it.

I can recommend the Design Original line of books for projects other cards - they are accurate, informational, helpful, and have great photos.

I hope that helped you.
Have fun!
Zanne

[Joan B]

Thanks for these suggestions. Some of them are familiar to me, but not all of them.

[Francie]

Great goals, Joan. Mine are to use more of what I have. Make more. Play more.

Have a great new year!