One Hundred Dollars a Month

“The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.” ~ Oprah Winfrey 

My goals for 2018

Goal #1 – Write Like No One is Reading.

“Close the door. Write with no one looking over your shoulder. Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It’s the one and only thing you have to offer.” ~  Barbara Kingsolver

Goal #2 – Slow Down

Lately I’ve been working on stitching up some homemade linen curtains for the downstairs windows. Nothing fancy, just something simple and period appropriate for our house.  The previous owners had some beautiful linen roman shades installed in a couple of the windows many years ago.

I loved the roman shades so much, that I figured I’d just have the same ones installed all over the house. That was until I called the company who installed the shades to inquire about the price. I nearly fell off my chair when the lady on the other line said the shades were $300 per window {with a few of the windows being more than that!} $4,000 for window treatments? Ummmm no.

$400 for window treatments I can make myself and that look a little more period appropriate for our colonial style home? Yes. I can do that. 😉 I’ll share pictures when I get them all sewn.

Goal #3 – Shop Small

• Bought our gas from a local mom and pop country store
• Bought a handmade mug from Sue Tirrell
• Bought a chainsaw from a local {totally not big box} store

Goal # 4 – Have a Designated Meal Prep Day

Nope. Maybe designated meal prep days aren’t all they are cracked up to be when you work from home, don’t have kids to run all over town and are a homebody. Hmmm. I may have to rethink this one.

Goal #5 – Install a Vegetable Garden

Well, I said I wasn’t going to do it, but I ended up having 4 yards of garden compost delivered. We had to have a load of loam delivered to fill a giant hole {we had an old oil tank removed} and so I went ahead and placed a second order from the nursery so we could enrich the garden beds. The good news is the soil looks great. The bad news is we have to move it. Luckily though, the weather this week should be in the low to mid 60’s and there is only one day with a chance of rain. Good times.

Goal #6 – Clear Land for a Chicken Coop and Future Raised Garden Bed Area 

We took Lucy’s babies outside for the first time yesterday and after about 30 seconds of total awkwardness, they were all about the scratching and pecking. Their first big trip outside, it was fun to watch, and Mama Lucy was right by their side.

Goal #7 – Grow 500 Pounds of Vegetables

Onions will be planted just as soon as we get that yummy compost over to the garden area. {I’m hoping for today!} Also, I talked to a lady at a local nursery and she said I need to wait a few weeks before setting out cold hardy plants like cabbage and chard. She said spring doesn’t really happen around here anymore… That one day BOOM… it’s 80 degrees and it’s instantly summer and that is when you run outside and plant everything. Funny stuff!

Goal #8 – Hook 100 Rugs

I still have 62 rugs to go before I can check this goal off my list. I didn’t get any hooking done on my big double chicken rug, but I did work on a few pillows and this pink tulip flower rug. Anyone else work on 10 projects at a time? Seriously, what is up with that? Why can’t I just stay focused on one thing?

Goal #9 – Make a Set of Dolls

I plan to make a set {or two} of primitive dolls later this year after the garden has been put to bed.

Goal #10 – Make a Sampler, Frame it and Hang it on the Wall

1 down, 1 more to go. I’ll probably work on the second one this fall and then get the samplers hung on the wall. I’ve been looking for second hand frames at the local thrift stores but so far, no dice. Who knew it would be so hard to find a plain, flat, square pine frame?

Goal #11 – Visit 22 Bakeries

If you’ve ever wondered if one could live on pastries and tea alone… I would have to go with a YES, YES YOU CAN. Being the supportive mother that I am, while The Girl was running the Boston Marathon on Monday, I was in Tatte Bakery sipping a London Fog and picking up victory treats for after the race. Because seriously, one can only stand in the freezing rain BLOWING SIDEWAYS for only so long. It was a tough job, but someone had to to do it.

Goal #12 – Start a Collection

No treasures this week. I tried to buy a dining room table for the art studio for $35 at a thrift store but the HH said the table would not fit in the wagon. {I argued that it would with the legs removed and if we put it in the car at an angle. Note to self: Never have husband tag along on furniture buying expeditions.

Goal #13 – Read {or listen to} 26 Books

I picked up Mason Jar Nation from the library and I am LOVING IT! There is tons of history, pictures and Ideas packed in between the pages and I highly recommend this book for canners!

Books I’ve read or listened to so far this year:

• Tasha Tudor’s Heirloom Crafts
• Tasha Tudor’s Garden
• Colonial: Design in the New World
• A Secret Gift
• Colonial: Designs in the New World
• Bad Days in History
• New England Farmgirl
• Founding Gardeners 
• The Bookshop Around the Corner
• The Bassoon King

Goal #14 – Try 12 New Canning Recipes

This tree. I am fairly certain it is a fruit tree but just look at the poor thing. You can tell that many years ago something happened to the tree and it split. The thing is though, there are tons of buds {and soon to be blossoms} all over it’s branches.

I plan to tackle this part of the garden area this week cleaning up leaves, pulling up vines and getting the area ready to plant with winter squash. But what would you do about this tree? Just leave it and see what kind of fruit it offers up? Cut off the giant limb on the right? Cut the whole thing down and replace the tree next spring? Just leave it be until it dies? I need your advice!

Goal #15 – Secret {for now} Holiday Project

I’m hoping I only have 7 weeks to go before my “big ticket” item arrives so I can get started {practicing} on my big winter holiday project.  I’ll be headed into Boston later this week to pick up a few more supplies so I’ll be ready to when the main project piece gets here. The goal is to practice over the summer months and then start working on my big holiday project this fall.

How about YOU? Did you set any goals for 2018? How are they coming along?

~Mavis

Read About My 2018 Goals HERE.