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

Well, I did it. My “slow down” project over the past 3 weeks has been to strip the three desks we plan to use at the new house. Although we are not exactly sure where the desks will go yet, I wanted to make sure they were ready to be stained or painted once we do have them in the right rooms. I’ll put together a proper post this week with some tips on stripping.

Goal #3 – Shop Small

This past week was mostly about packing and getting the HOA house ready for the new peeps so I didn’t really do any shopping. But let me tell you Bob, I am so excited to get serious about this goal once we get settled.

Goal # 4 – Have a Designated Meal Prep Day

Ya. Right. Wait until you see all the delicious meals I was able to prepare out of the fridge and freezer bits. Some of the combos were pretty funny.

In other news, the HH took me to Chick Fil A for lunch one day last week and it was the first time I had ever stepped inside one of their restaurants {I’ve ordered from the drive thru only twice before}. Anyway, take a look at that condiment packet display! Holy cow man…. All those packets lined up so beautifully. Are all Chick Fil A’s like this? All I could think about while I was staring at the packets was my mother and her complimentary boxes. 😉 She would have had a field day I tell you.

Goal #5 – Install a Vegetable Garden

Well, there’s nothing I can do until I am officially in my new garden space but I can sure plan for it. If you still need seeds, Botanical Interests is offering free shipping on any size order through the month of February.

I do have all my seeds ordered and my strawberry, rhubarb and sweet potatoes will arrive when it’s time to plant. I was going to order seed potatoes online but they were so expensive {as was shipping} that I think I’ll just buy them {and onion starts} from a local nursery. I wanted to plant asparagus as well but that will have to wait until next year as I will need to prepare a proper asparagus bed.

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

I am hoping to share what chicken varieties we ordered for Lucy this week. Stay tuned.

Goal #7 – Grow 500 Pounds of Vegetables

A few weeks ago I shared my plans for my 2018 vegetable garden. Now all I can do is wait until we get over there and the ground thaws to get started.

Goal #8 – Hook 100 Rugs

17 down, 83 to go. This past week I hooked three little piggy rugs and a sweet bluebird and listed one little pig and the bluebird rug on Etsy. The little pig on the bottom left turned out the best {in my opinion}. As we will be in a weird sort of transition the next 4 weeks I plan to get LOTS of hooking done. I’ll explain more about that though tomorrow.

Goal #9 – Make a Set of Dolls

Word on the street is winter in the Northeast is like 6 months long…. So I am stockpiling a variety of projects to keep me busy this winter. To me, there is a HUGE difference between the depressing grey, cloudy, and wet skies of the PNW and the cold, snowy {but with SUNSHINE} winter months on the other side of the US. For a girl who likes to be outside and in the dirt so much, it’s probably hard to imagine I won’t come down with cabin fever over there…. But just you wait until you see my new creative space at the new house. 😉 It will take all the doubt away.

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

So, it turns out I value my eyesight. I may not be able to handle those teeny tiny cross stitches but I can stitch up a primitive school girl sampler. It’s a little rough, but not bad for the first one I’ve made in like 15 years or so. I may try stitching the design a second time using different stitches. We’ll see.

Goal #11 – Visit 22 Bakeries

I’ve got bakeries lined up from Montana to Wisconsin. 🙂

Goal #12 – Start a Collection

I been to busy packing and cleaning to make my way to an antique store to look for antique butter molds or spoons. I’m not worried though, it will happen. If I really wanted to I could order some off ebay but I’d rather spend my dollars at antique or thrift stores or buying them off a woodcarver at a Farmer’s market.

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

This past week I’ve been listening to A Secret Gift: How One Man’s Kindness–and a Trove of Letters–Revealed the Hidden History of the Great Depression while I hooked rugs and finished packing. I wasn’t really keen on the narrators voice {he kind of sounds like a newscaster} but I am REALLY enjoying listening to the stories and just how much pride the people who wrote in had. Times were tough and rather than a hand out, what they wanted more than anything was a job. It is a really good read and I highly recommend the book.

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

• Bad Days in History
• New England Farmgirl
• Founding Gardeners 
• The Bookshop Around the Corner

Goal #14 – Try 12 New Canning Recipes

I am looking forward to doing a lot of canning this summer!

Goal #15 – Secret {for now} Holiday Project

I am still in the research/planning stages for this project and have a found a class in Lancaster, Pennsylvania that will help me learn more about the craft. Plus, as an added bonus I’ll be able to hang out with my friend Zoë and her mom. But that’s all I’m going to say about it for now.

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

~Mavis

Read About My 2018 Goals HERE.