Small Goals

May in Wisconsin is a combination of gorgeous days followed by weeks of rain. Shockingly, that didn’t slow down all my outside goals.

1. Take photos of my remaining hoops. Done but not perfect.
2. Start a garden. Done! The first weekend of the month, Michael and I put together our first raised bed and filled it with herbs. We also stopped by Ebert’s Greenhouse Village and picked up some vegetable plants (yet to be put in the ground, though).
3. Swing by the Madison farmers market. Done! I actually stopped by twice, and it was a real treat. I got a handful of amazing herbs including pineapple mint.
4. Set up the patio. Check! I dragged out the table and some chairs for some outdoor reading. It felt great!
5. Squeeze in some self care. Done. After three weekends of craft shows (and nonstop stitching in between), I treated myself to the best self care of all: I put away all my craft stuff. Shifting out of production mode is a huge gift. I’ve been filling my time with books, cheap wine, puzzles and How to Get Away with Murder.

5/5. Five 👏 for 👏 five👏. This hasn’t happened in a long while! I chalk it up to setting some more realistic goals and maybe a bit of get-stuff-done Taurus magic.

After a month of non-stop doing, I’m all about some relaxation for June. Of course, for me relaxing means more doing – but doing to unwind, not to accomplish. This makes me wonder if these goals are really that productive, but it’s worthwhile to remind myself that self care and blocking out time to relax is worthwhile in another way.

1. Finish up the garden and yard. We made some serious progress in our yard in May. We had two troublesome trees cut down, Michael reseeded the lawn and we planted plenty of herbs. It’s time to finish the job and set up our last two raised beds, do a bit of trimming and tidy up. I also have some designs for some blueberry bushes.
2. Ride my bike. I got my bike tuned up at Dream Bikes a few weeks ago (they did the best job) and I’m ready to hit the road! First stop: Wauwatosa Farmers Market.
3. Enjoy anniversary eats + another outside date. We’re celebrating our fourth anniversary on June 12. We’re planning on checking out Ishnala, one of Wisconsin’s most famous supper clubs to celebrate. But I don’t want to stop there. I want another date on a patio, too.
4. Make something out of Gertie Sews Jiffy Dresses. I’m leery of putting this one on the list just because sewing is a bit of a production. But I think I need to remind myself that I’m not half bad with a sewing machine.
5. Up my reading count by two. I set myself a goal on Goodreads to read 20 books in 2019. I’m woefully behind. Reading is relaxing, though (especially out on the patio with some iced tea), so I’ve got to rededicate myself to it (and watch less Netflix).

Crossing my fingers that I get all these done because they are all fun! Happy June, folks!

Lots of highs and lows in April, but I think I came out just fine.

1. Celebrate 30 in style. Done! I truly had my best birthday yet. And I topped it all off with a shindig at Don’s Diner. I felt very loved.
2. Restock my fabrics. Done! Made a trip to Ben Franklin (one of my favorites), and I grabbed a few options at Joann. Plus, I ordered a fun print from Allison Beilke Designs via Spoonflower.
3. Polish up the house. I KonMari-ed my craft closet. I thought that taking the time for this in the midst of fair season prep wouldn’t be a great use of my time (I should be stitching!), but you know the ol’ Ben Franklin quote: “For every minute spent in organizing, an hour is earned.” I think that’s true here. There are a few loose ends to tie up with this project, but by and large, it’s done.
4. Hit the gym 8 times (ideally 10). I did it! And I might be getting stronger?
5. Plan a creative retreat for myself. I did this. Then I canceled it because I was feeling in a good space creatively. Emotionally I feel like a rest would have been nice. We’ll see what happens in May.

4/5. If you asked me on April 20 if I could tackle most of my goals for the month, I would have said absolutely not. But the last week of the month was really productive! Taurus season, I see you.

May is going to be a busy month. I’ve got three shows lined up (yep, I added one since I posted my spring schedule). I’m really excited about this, but I am slightly concerned about getting it all done. Of course, I’ll toss more to-dos on top of that list. I never learn.

1. Take photos of my remaining hoops. With so many fairs coming up, I’ve got a decent amount of hoop inventory. It’s time to photograph them all (and eventually turn them into Etsy listings – though, that can wait for another month).
2. Start a garden. After two years of going without, I am eager to start gardening again. I’ve got a raised bed to fill (and plans to get two more 🤞). I don’t need a totally complete garden by the end of the month (as much as I’d like it), but I want some headway on this.
3. Swing by the Madison farmers market. I’m going to be in Madison a lot this month. Let’s hope I can work a stop at the farmers market into the schedule. I’ve got a hankering for Farmer John’s Cheese and an apple cider donut.
4. Set up the patio. It was still snowing in Milwaukee on April 27. I’m hoping that the coast is clear and that I can pull our patio set out of the garage.
5. Squeeze in some self care. I’ve got three shows this month. That’s a lot! I’m really excited about the challenge, but I know that burning out is always just a few stitches away. I want to set aside some time to grab a manicure (who am I?), sit down for coffee at my favorite cafe, read outside or get a haircut. Those things really help me level out.

Here’s hoping it all gets done, and I hope to see some local folks at all these shows! Just a reminder, it’s Madison Makers Market on Saturday, May 11, Madtown Artisans Spring Event on Sunday, May 19 and Frühling Fest in Milwaukee on Saturday, May 25.

My overarching goal for February was to get my life (more) organized. Let’s see if that’s even possible!

1. Go on a spending freeze(ish). I did this and I started making a grocery budget. Look at me!
2. Tackle KonMari parts two and three. I did step two. I’m still committed to this project. I just need to regroup.
3. Reopen my Etsy shop. Done! I even made a new logo (here it is ICYMI) and took new photos. 2019, I’m ready (finally)!
4. Finish those books! I read The Nightingale and loved it! I also finished up The Au Pair and found it to be so lame.
5. Plan a trip. Nope. This is very much in flux right now, but I’m scheming (as always).

3/5. Goals this month were hit and miss. But I’m not that disappointed because I went above and beyond on two of my goals. Considering it’s February, peak winter gloomies season, I’m really not too mad.

This March, I’m going to continue to tackle a lot of home and home-based projects with what I’m sure will be middling success! This being said, my social calendar is pretty packed for the month, so I’m crossing my fingers on getting much of anything done. We’ll see!

1. Create a game plan for the rest of the KonMari steps (and do part three). I started with so👏much👏enthusiasm👏. I need to get back on track because I totally believe in Marie Kondo’s methods.
2. Rearrange the living room? We have a pretty large living room, but I have a hard time arranging the furniture inside due to our home’s unique features (features that I love but are hard for me to work around). I’ve got an appointment with a designer at West Elm to tell me if it’s a lost cause or not!
3. Record a podcast. As if I didn’t have enough interests and side projects! My boss/friend and I are going to try our hand at podcasting. Let’s see how we do!
4. Stitch up 15 hoops. I really wanted to say 30. I thought about it again and thought 20. But I have to get real with myself. 10 is probably realistic, but you know how I love working myself too hard for nothing. Let’s go with 15!
5. Find a killer birthday dress. I turn 30 the first week of April. You bet your behind I’ll have to have a dress to match the milestone.

Let me know what your goals are this month! I’m crossing my fingers that I tackle all mine!

January is over, which means post-holiday recover is over, too. Let’s see how the month went!

1. Make it to the gym eight times. Done! I was hoping it’d feel better. Getting back into the swing of things is hard.
2. Organize, declutter and repair my kitchen cupboards. Done! We donated two boxes of kitchen gear. We also started watching Marie Kondo’s new show (and then read her book) so we’re inspired to tidy up.
3. Read two books (maybe even three!). I started three different books, but I’m not done with a single one!
4. Try a new bake. I made the Baller Birthday Sheet Cake from Christina Tosi’s All About Cake. It was phenomenal.
5. Get rid of my oldest assignments at work. Done. I got rid of some of the oldest items in my queue and am working on finishing the last ones up. Here’s one about Dolly Parton’s signature chicken and dumplings.

4/5. Sure, five out of five is always nice, but four feels good after the holidays. Outside of these goals, I spent most of the month enjoying slow nights making dinner, sipping wine, doing puzzles and watching Gilmore Girls. I regret nothing. I did have a good friend stay with us for a few nights. We ate cheese, shopped around and got matching lights for our homes. It was real good.

For February, I want to move from post-holiday recovery to progress at home.

1. Go on a spending freeze(ish). I went a bit overboard with Christmas this year (and I felt that this January). I want to get my spending back on track. That means this month, money is for bills and food only – no clothes, no books, no impulse purchases at Target.
2. Tackle KonMari parts two and three. Kondo-ing my closet was really freeing. While I don’t think I’ll be able to KonMari my home perfectly, I think I can do an OK job on the next two steps: books and papers.
3. Reopen my Etsy shop. OK, OK. It was never closed, but I deactivated a lot of listings over the holidays. Honestly, a month-long break was exactly what I needed.
4. Finish those books! I started three different books. Maybe I can finish them all? I’m trying to spend a bit more time reading this winter (and a little less time with Netflix).
5. Plan a trip. About this time last year, Michael and I booked our trip to Bayfield. It did a lot to boost our moods. I’m hoping to do this same this February.

Let me know your February goals! I love reading them (and getting ideas for future months).

December is done and, I must say, I jingled and mingled to my heart’s content. Let’s check out how I did on those goals!

1. Finish my custom orders ASAP. I finished them! They might not have been done as quickly as I’d like, but they’re finished.
2. Meet up with my friends to celebrate the holidays. Done! I managed to do a really good job at this! It was super nice (plus, I found a new great restaurant in the process – try Don’s Diner, local folks).
3. Go on a holiday date. Flop on this one! I’m OK with it, though. We squeezed in a lot of holiday cheer regardless.
4. Watch 3+ Christmas movies. Done! I watched three corny ones on Netflix plus Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. It was a good year for holiday movies.
5. Do some good! Done! My dad and I wrapped gifts again this year to raise money for the Wisconsin Humane Society. Plus, I gathered a few donations at my craft fairs this season.
6. BONUS GOAL: Find the blue velvet dress of my dreams. I DID IT! Thanks, Nordstrom!

5/6. I’ll say that’s not too shabby considering how busy December was. As always, I learned some lessons about holiday stress and hope to do better next year.

When it comes to January, I plan on slowing down big time. December was non-stop crafting, entertaining and visiting – those aren’t bad things, but they are time-consuming. For January, I want to get back to a normal pace at home and maybe reestablish some good habits. As for New Year’s resolutions, I’m going to say no thanks. I find these small goals are much more useful to me than any resolution.

1. Make it to the gym eight times. Classic New Year’s promise right here.
2. Organize, declutter and repair my kitchen cupboards. This is a goal I’m not excited about, but it’s necessary.
3. Read two books (maybe even three!). Over Christmas break, I read more than usual. It felt good! Let’s see if I can get through a few titles, including Michelle Obama’s memoir, this month.
4. Try a new bake. I got two Christina Tosi books for Christmas that I need to break in! Also, I’ve got a craving for soft pretzels. We’ll see which one I tackle. Maybe this can be the start of a year of new-to-me bakes.
5. Get rid of my oldest assignments at work. I don’t normally like to incorporate work goals into these posts – the work always seems to get done. But I’m tired of looking at 2018’s assignments in 2019. Time to clear the queue!

Alright 2019, let’s get these goals.

Let’s jump right into November’s goals!

1. Bulk up my Kaminski Handicraft inventory to 50+ hoops. Done! Getting to 50 this time wasn’t quite as taxing as usual (but I still pushed myself pretty hard).
2. Get organized with my stitching. I think I did OK with this one. I organized my spreadsheets a bit. Sure, my fabrics are folded up nice, but I’m still stitching on the reg!
3. Get at least 50% of my holiday shopping done. If I had to estimate, I’d say I’m there!
4. Visit my aunt Pat. Did it!
5. Center myself. Getting there!

5/5. I’m pretty surprised that I made it! November is a busy month at work and at home (especially with a craft fair in the mix). I’m happy a lot of the work is behind me. Now onto December!

Of course, there’s still a lot of work ahead, too. I’ve got some work-related goals in the mix, but I’m honestly hoping to fit in a lot more fun than I did last year (last December was unduly stressful). I think the key to a good month will be doing festive things, but not pushing myself to go over the top (that’s where I typically go wrong). Got to work on that balance!

1. Finish my custom orders ASAP. I’ve got three sets of custom orders in the works. I’m so grateful that people are coming to me with their original ideas! I want to get these out as quickly as possible to show my thanks (and so I can get ready for my last craft fair of the season!).
2. Meet up with my friends to celebrate the holidays. This is one that always seems to get pushed to the backburner, but I’m hoping to see some friends of mine this month for a little Christmas cheer. I’m crossing my fingers for trivia!
3. Go on a holiday date. Pretty much in the same vein as the above. Michael and I don’t go on too many dates (we are both homebodies), but I’m hoping to do something a bit Christmas-y together.
4. Watch 3+ Christmas movies. This goal serves two purposes: to get me in the Christmas spirit and keep me on track with my work. A good movie will either propel me along as I stitch or will serve as a welcome break from the truly finger-numbing work.
5. Do some good! My dad and I normally wrap gifts to raise money for the Wisconsin Humane Society. I’m hoping that opportunity comes up again! Otherwise, I got something else up my sleeve.

I was tempted to add what I’m considering a near impossible goal to this list: finding a blue velvet dress. It’s been a mission of mine for years (really). I’ve tried on my fair share, but haven’t found the one. If I do, I’ll call it a Christmas miracle and will feel amazing (even if I don’t nail all five of my standard goals).

Anyways, please share your holiday and December goals! I seriously love hear them!

What’s up, witches! October was quite the productive month!

1. List my Halloween hoops. Done. I decided to only list one (I wasn’t quite happy with the second). Check it out here.
2. Start a new spooky series. Done several times over. The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell was probably my favorite! Spooky baking? It’s like the show was made for me. I also started the new Sabrina, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (only 20 years late to the party) and picked up Riverdale again.
3. Read something scary, creepy or thrilling (and finish it). I finished We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson and The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell. Could not put down the latter!
4. Do something scary or spine-tingling. Check! My book club took a tour with Gothic Milwaukee. I loved every second.
5. Think of a fun and easy Halloween costume. Yes! The costumes turned out really great, I think!

5/5. I think a month of fun goals was exactly what I needed! Especially for one of my favorite months of the year. I’m really happy I was able to pack in a lot of spooky Halloween stuff.

For November, I’m going to get a little more serious, though. I’ve got to tee myself up for a successful holiday season and ready myself for another craft fair. I’m really excited to get one in earlier in the shopping season so I can relax and enjoy more of the Christmas season. Honestly, most of my November goals are about setting me up for a meltdown-free December. Holiday burnout happens!

1. Bulk up my Kaminski Handicraft inventory to 50+ hoops. I’ve got another show coming up and I want to be ready!
2. Get organized with my stitching. It was Ben Franklin that said, “For every minute spent in organizing, an hour is earned.” I want to put that to the test when it comes to my stitching spreadsheets (and lack thereof). And yes, I know this is a boring goal.
3. Get at least 50% of my holiday shopping done. I hate the pressure of last-minute gifts. I plan on getting some gifts scouted out early and doing a little damage come Cyber Monday.
4. Visit my aunt Pat. I haven’t been down to my aunt’s convent for a minute! I hope to see her and catch all the great fall color early on in the month.
5. Center myself. This one’s pretty personal, but it’s worth tossing out in the world. October has been full of highs and lows. Time to come back down to earth and get my mind right.

These are pretty darn boring, but after a month of nonstop fun goals, it might be exactly what I need. We’ll find out!

Can anyone else believe August has come and gone? I definitely can’t. Let’s dive in and see how my small goals look.

1. Pick up an astrology book. Nope! Maybe it was all the retrogrades that made this month difficult to get much done.
2. Make my up north reading list. Done! I read six books!
3. Bring a new game up north. Well, I brought up Unstable Unicorns, but my family couldn’t get the hang of it. But I tried!
4. Brush up on my composting knowledge. Well, we started composting! It’s not perfect, but we’re working on it!
5. Host (or at least plan) a party. Michael and I had a long chat about this one. We decided to skip a big summer blow-out and save the party for spring since the yard still needs a bit of work and Michael’s schedule isn’t party-friendly right now. I’m disappointed in this one, but I know that it wouldn’t be a party without a proper Jart field (a highlight for a lot of our friends). So I’ll save it for spring. However, I’ve got a Tupperware party slated for later this month, so at least all my mom’s friends will see my nice perennials! For that reason, I’ll check this one off the list.

4/5. That’s not too bad. I’m disappointed that our party got the boot (after three months of being on this list!), but onto new goals and a new season. Summer has been a lot of work this year, so I’m looking forward to settling into fall and focusing on smaller projects (and just relaxing).

1. Get some California-cool pieces. I’ve got a super fun business trip to California wine country coming up fast! Can I find some fall transitional pieces that don’t make me look like a Midwestern simpleton in time? Let’s see!
2. Check out Cedarburg’s Wine & Harvest Fest. I love this fest. Crafts, art and wine all wrapped up in a fall day? Sign me up!
3. Host my Tupperware party like a pro. I’ve got my party scheduled for this month. Time for a good deep clean. And time to try out some party-friendly apps, too! I might be taking some tips from Taste of Home for this one!
4. Hit the gym six times (or more). I’ve fallen off the regular workout wagon. I chalk that up to a chaotic August. Let’s see if I can get to the gym a half dozen times (though I’d love to hit ten!).
5. Finish up all my stitching to-dos. I’ve got three custom hoops to complete plus a handful of new designs to finish up. I need to clear out my stitching queue so I can get moving and grooving for my next show (more about that soon!).

Honestly, I’ve got a lot more to-dos on my mind than these five, but let’s just start with these! Here’s to a productive (and chill) fall!