So, how are those goals going?

Every post needs a photo, so here is a cute one of "my boys" asleep on the sofa!  Aren't they the cutest?!

Well, here we are in March already so I think I need to look at those very lofty goals I set for myself on January 1st (I refuse to call them resolutions! lol) and shake myself up a bit and refocus.  I do this several times a year.  Posting it here helps me keep myself honest but I know it is a long boring post do feel free to hit the delete button!  lol

1. First and foremost, I renew my commitment to stitching for at least 15 minutes a day. All the other stuff aside, the stitching itself is the core and the reason for all the other goals. If I stitch for 15 minutes, I am likely to keep going and stitch longer. If I don't stitch at all today, I likely won't stitch tomorrow either and inertia sets in. Next thing you know, your muse has flown the coop again... So, 15 minutes a day minimum! (Try it - this works!)
SO TRUE!!  IT WORKS!!  And I have to say I am doing pretty darn good on this goal!  (patting myself on the back)

2. I will take part in Sharon B's Take a Stitch Tuesday and stick with it as much as humanly possible. I may not push the envelope every week exploring the stitch fully, but I will attempt to at least use the featured stitch every week.
See, I had to pat myself on the back on that first goal because I knew it would be downhill from there... Well, here it is week 9 of TAST and I have managed to do and post five out of the nine so not too bad.  I still have hopes of catching up and keeping up so I am not giving up on this one. 

3. I will take part in the Crazy Quilt Art Project each month on a personal level as well as serving on the committee. I will work on blocks each month that will be put together at the end of the year. The quilt I envision making will be a gift for DH - a sort of memory quilt of our lives together, where we have been and where we are going. There will be blocks for family members and major events in our lives, the things we love, etc. I can't wait to start embroidering fishing lures, lol!
Yup - still rolling downhill and gathering speed now!  Haven't started!  I will start and will catch up, I hope, before long but for now I keep changing my mind about what I will work on...

4. I am going to take part in the Bead Journal Project this year. I am not going to over commit here - I am thinking I will only be making ATC size pieces, postcards at the largest. However, I do want to explore more beading techniques in my work and this is a good place to start.
I actually have one of the two month's ready to post photos of.  I am having to incorporate this challenge in with other things I am doing since I do not have enough time to do each separately.  I think I will catch up on this but either way I am not going to beat myself up about it.  That isn't the point of challenges as far as I can see - the point is to challenge yourself and stretch a little and not to give yourself another reason to do guilt.

5. Build-a-Seam (BAS) Challenge - I commit to continuing to post BAS stitches regularly here on my blog and over at CQI for those of us who are still enjoying this challenge. Regular posts!
Not doing too badly on this one.  No, I am not managing to post every single week, as usual, but I posted a new stitch (sequin flower) last week and will work on one to post for tomorrow.  I just checked and I have posted five BAS so far this year so am averaging every other week - need to get more on the ball!

6. I will keep my blog up - posting at least half the days each month.
Just checked on this - 22 posts in January, 18 in February, and 5 so far in March so I am meeting this goal all right.  (Yay me!! More pats!)

7. I will get my Etsy shop up and running the beginning of February and keep it going.
Ewww... beginning of February?  Hmmm... nuff said!  How about if I amend this one to listing one item a week?  I was initially going to say one a day but some days end up being very short!  lol  I want to sell off a lot of excess stash here so I really do need to do this!  Watch for it!  I'll keep you posted on my progress...

8. A new goal this year is to find a way to have my work exhibited at least once a year. This is a bit of a cheat since I already have it scheduled for 2012 but I need the goal to keep it up in future years and I will need to work on it in 2012 to have it happen in 2013 so that is why it is here. Also, since I already have it scheduled it means I will achieve at least one goal! lol This is also a great motivator to actually finish things - with the little show coming up in January, I have been on a "finishing frenzy" here the last week or so! As soon as I get the camera (which disappeared on Christmas Eve) found again, I'll post some pics of what I have accomplished.
Like I said, it was a cheat since I already had it organized and ready to go in January!  So, with my Artist of the Month exhibition for the month at the Vulcan County this one is a done deal.  Still need to think about organizing something for next year - hopefully an opportunity will present itself!

9. I will write at least two pieces and submit them for publication again this year. Once again, I don't expect to get two pieces published, but I would like to at least write them and submit them - that is the goal.
Nope - haven't done a thing yet although I do have ideas churning away.  I need to bite the bullet and put some time into this and make it happen.

10. I will continue with the cq teaching and work on both the number of classes I teach, the venues, and the quality of the classes. I have taken a number of great classes from wonderful teachers over the years so I know what makes a good class - I just need to work on achieving a similar experience for my students.
As usual, in the spring most of the continuing ed classes I want to teach are cancelled due to lack of registration but it is sort of to be expected in such an agricultural area.  Spring is when farmer's wives are driving tractors, not embroidering!  lol  Still working at it though and am teaching a class this month on Fabric Manipulation for the Calgary Guild of Needle and Fibre Arts.  I have also been asked to teach another cq class that I am really stoked about.  I'll write more about this later!

11. I will finish my crazy quilt Christmas tree skirt in progress in time to enter it in the Calgary Stampede Creative Living competition next summer. I think this is the third year I have promised myself I would accomplish this - third time the charm?
I went right off on a tangent here and got excited about other projects instead!  Time to dig it out again and persevere!  Can't wait to share the project I am excited about doing for the Stampede now though - as a little teaser I'll tell you I had to buy myself a Dremil drill for it!  Are you curious yet?

12, This year I will enter at least four competitions with my stitching - that`s one every four months so it sounds not too intimidating! It is harder than it sounds but with the "Crazy Quilts are Quilts Too" online event coming up at Pigtales and Quilts, I at least have one scheduled to take part in so far! 
Working at it!  I entered the online show and had a blast seeing all the wonderful entries and reading all about the other cq'rs.  Great show!!  I'm working on a wall hanging now that I hope to enter in the Heritage Park Quilt Show in Calgary later this year.  I have my Stampede entry firmly in my head and my Dremil drill in my hand so that will be three...  This one will work, I think!

13. I will create and give at least one item a month to charity - this will be my service project for the year. I will post pictures to keep myself honest. Some of the groups I would like to do some work for are the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative (AAQI) continuing with the pledge I have made to them of a quilt a month. I am very happy that my local guild, CGNFA, has adopted the AAQI as their charity for the coming year! In addition I'll be trying to make small things on a local basis like baby quilts and baby sets for the hospital gift shop (profits go to the Ladies Hospital Auxiliary) and knit caps for the newborns at the same hospital as well as placemats for Meals on Wheels. My local public library and the school next door to me both have silent auctions each year so I would like to donate to both of those again. There are actually a lot of things you can do locally if you look around. Even the local library is in need of book bags for the local literacy program. Finding a place to donate is never a problem - just finding the time to make the items!
Doing well on this!  I have done two little quilts for AAQI so far this year and have plans to do other things as time allows. So far, this goal is met!

14. I will once again re-organize my studio and try to contain my stash to that area. It has managed to burst out again and take over the entire house so it is time to rein it back in. This year I commit to keeping the space workable as well as getting it that way. This won't be an easy one.
Why do I set myself up for failure like this??  I am wayyyy too busy stitching to clean my stitching area!  Will keep it on the list and keep working at it though!  Maybe I need to apply the 15 minutes a day method to this...

15. I firmly believe you get out of something what you put into it so I am committing to giving my time and energy to both my local guild, Calgary Needle & Fibre Arts, as well as the Embroidery Association of Canada during the coming year. 
Done deal!  I am serving in the position of maintaining the Archives at the Calgary Guild and will be taking over the position of Praire Pacfic Regional Director for the Embroidery Association of Canada later this year.  Ta-dah!

16. Here I go again setting myself up for failure! lol I'm putting my idea of a Homemade Christmas back in my goals for this year. I did have partial success last year and I think if I can manage to start now instead of November, I'll do better this year! So, this goal is to make my gifts and stay out of the stores next December.
Not bad!  Not bad!  I have a couple gifts made already and recently got myself some sane quilt kits to work on.  I am managing to keep this on the front burner so it should be possible to accomplish.

17. I chose "journal" as my word for 2012 so I will explore it by playing with art journals (a new thing for me) as well as keeping up with the Crazy Quilting Journal Project and the Bead Journal Project.
Well, I'm working on it!  lol - will post as more progress comes!

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE making stitching goals each year!  This is my third year of doing it and I really do accomplish a lot more now.  These goals keep me focused and "working on it".  Try it - you'll like it!  And, no, you don't have to wait for January 1st to do it!