2012 Goal: Quarterly Update #3

It's half way through December so I'm a bit behind on my 2012 Goals update.

#1. Wear each pair of shoes I have (at least once)... 

Well, I've still been wearing shoes.  I kind of gave up on the whole documenting thing.  I got rid of a lot without wearing them to decide.  I'm ending the year with 43   shoes and 23 flip flops.  I'm not sure how many shoes I actually got rid of & how many were new this year, it's totally lame but when I was purging I never thought to write down what I got rid of.  There's about 6 more pairs I may get rid of still but I haven't quite decided yet.

Standing: Excellent.  I have less shoes than I started with, so I got rid of more shoes than I bought this year (I think I have 8 new pairs of shoes that I bought or won).  I think that's pretty dang good.

#2. Get rid of things... 

I went through boxes I've been holding onto that had things from my childhood in it or things I was holding onto that were my Nana's.  I got rid of a few things but most of them were too important to get rid of.  I cleaned out both of my closets and got rid of a lot of clothing I didn't wear anymore.  I should have tackled my outside storage closet but never got around to it.  Meh, oh well... I can try next year. 

Standing: Okay.  I mean, I got rid of SOME things.  


#3. Go on a date... 

I went on two online dates AND I've been dating Irish for 6 months.  I just wish I'd met him prior to tackeling the whole online dating thing.

Standing: Excellent.  Goal is complete.


#4. Sew a 50's style dress...  

I never made my 50's style dress.  I tracked down a few patterns in the size I needed but by the time I went to buy them they were sold.  Vintage patterns are in high demand... damn hipsters!  I may try again next year, you know, once my sister has recovered from helping me with the botched DYI dress we did (found here) or some miracle happens and someone lets me use their sewing machine to try sewing myself.

I did make a dress, "fix" said dress,  and then "trashed" said "fixed" dress and then never tried the project again.  I still want to make a maxi version of the dress but I guess until I can perfect the short version I shouldn't waste all the fabric needed to make the maxi dress.  

Standing: Good.  (See above).


#5. Finally making myself my no sew fleece blanket...  
*(Still)Nothing but cricket sounds here*

Anytime I thought about making the blanket Remington would remind me why I no longer do crafts in the house.  Also, just trying to fix things makes me want to kill him.  Mostly because I'm fixing the things he's ruined.  He's a complete moster when I try to make the bed or fold blankets so I just haven't had the gumption to try it yet.

Standing.  Bad.


#6. Get new glasses...  

I didn't get any farther than thinking I needed or should get new glasses.

Standing: Bad.


#7. Visit Bearizona...  

I didn't get around to visiting Bearizona.  

I did, however, drive to the Albuquerque Bio Park.  We (me, Crystal & brood) spent the day exploring the zoo, botanic garden and the aquarium. 

Crazy fact:  It takes less time to drive from Eagar, AZ to Albuquerque, NM than it does to drive from Eagar, AZ to Williams, AZ.  WHAT?!  Eagar to Albuquerque is 197.9 miles and Eagar to Williams is 209.7 miles.  

Standing. Okay.  Same difference, right?

2012 Goal: Quarterly Update #1

With April here I figured I needed to check and see how I was doing on my 2012 Goals.


#1.  I am well into my goal to wear each pair of shoes I have (at least once).  I'm at 27 of 49 on my shoes and 1 of 23 on my flip flops.  I've actually worn more but some days I totally forget to document my "new" shoes. 


I've worn several pairs of flips but only have documented one.  Now that it's warming up I'll be wearing them more so documentation should be easier to remember.  It seems that I started making a collage but never finish uploading it.  It actually happens more than you would think.  I start, get busy, remember late in the evening, start again and then fall asleep during the process.  Guess it's a good thing I'm not getting paid for this sort of thing.  I'd go hungry a lot otherwise.  


Standing: Good.


#2. Get rid of things...sounds so easy but really when it comes down to it it's a lot harder than one would think.  I've cleaned out my closet a bit, as well as my dresser drawers.  I could certainly go through both a few more times (and probably will) but I have a good sized box of stuff I'm getting rid of.  I just need to start going through the part of my closets that aren't clothes.  The storage part of the closets is what really needs to be gone through. Man, I have to admit I dread that process.  


Standing: Ok.


#3.  Go on a date... Yeah.  Does thinking about it count?  What about talking about it?  It should count a little.  I whole heartily had the intention to follow through but circumstances beyond my control got in the way.  I could have been more proactive but... sometimes those circumstances kick the shit out of you and being proactive has less to do with follow up and more to do with survival. 


Could of.  Should of.  Would of.  Whatever. 


Standing: Bad.


#4. Sew a 50's style dress.  I've come to realize that this goal is going to be pretty hard.  See... I don't own a sewing machine.  I do, however, have a sister who owns a sewing machine.  One I am not allowed to touch.  It's a bit of a bummer and a bit of a relief.  I mean, the thought of me operating a machine that's main function is fast moving needles... I sort of shudder at the thought.   


I'm sure my sis would be happy to sew the dress for me and let me do all the other stuff.  Okay, really she'd have to help me figure out how to cut the pattern since I don't know how jack about sewing and patterns make about as much sense as when I look at a map...seriously how does that stuff make sense?!  She totally allows me to play with scissors...just not sewing machines.  It's probably a wise decision on her part.  


I'm sure if I paid to have her old machine fixed she'd show me on that one but we (my niece and I) are not allowed to touch her new prettypretty sewing machine.  It's really not a personal thing against me or my lack of sewing knowledge.  At least no much.


I...er...we did do a DYI dress I found on Pinterest though.

Georgie (my sister) my seamstress.

The dress actually needs to be fixed before wearing.  Try and learn, right?!  I didn't cut the tank short enough so it's a bit weird.  To fix the weird waist part we just need to make a thicker belt.  I just need to go get the fabric and have my sister sew it up.  I absolutely love the way the skirt feels though.  Even if it hadn't turned out I've only spend $3 on the dress so far.  Okay, $4 counting the elastic thread I bought.  I'd say another $1 for the additional fabric.  So in total $5, not bad right?!  Especially considering I would have thrown out or given away the tank I used.  


I'm actually excited to do another one in a maxi style.  I've been trying to find fabric to match purple or pink since I have a few tanks in each color but it's near impossible.  I found a black tank at Target on sale for $5 so I snagged it with the intention of using it for the maxi dress.  I would think black would make finding coordinating fabric easier but who knows.  


Standing: Good,  I did do A dress.  


#5. Finally making myself my no sew fleece blanket.  


Standing: Bad.  


#6. Get new glasses.  


Standing: Bad.  


#7.  Visit Bearizona.  


Standing: Bad but Bearizona actually just reopened this month.  


As first quarters go I'm thinking I'm not doing too bad.  I definitely needs to kick some of the goals into gear if I want to get anywhere with them by end of year.  Considering how crappy this year has been so far I'm going to give the overall standing of my 2012 Goals a Good though.  

DYI Wishlist

I've been seeing so many great Do It Yourself projects around the blogisphere and I 've started a wish list.  Someday I will work up the courage to actually DO one of the projects.  I am so bipolar when it comes to crafting.  It's all about mood with me.  When I'm in the mood to craft I think I can do a pretty good job of it.  When I'm not, well...it's epic FAIL!  A lot of the projects I've starred are a bit (or a LOT) out of my comfort zone.  Feeling that way makes me want to tackle the projects even more.

1. Pretty Bird Wall Art found at Blue Cricket Designs blog.

I just found this one today and it has shot to the top of my To Do List.

How beautiful are those wall art pieces??  To say I AM IN LOVE with them is an understatement.  I seriously want to marry them & snuggle with them every night.  It's that for real. Serious.  The tutorial makes it seem so easy to do and I'm guessing that anyone with an ounce of drawing skill would find it easy.  I, however, can't draw a stick person without a question as to IF it is actually a stick person.  Branches may be out of my league.  Of course, since the "pattern" calls for cutting out bird pics to use as patterns, I guess I could do the same for tree branches.  I just have to work on my tracing skills A LOT before I attempt this one.

2. How to Paint a Cabinet the Right Way by A Soft Place to Land.

Kimba (@ A Soft Place to Land) turned this...

Into this...

I've been looking for a new dresser.  For like 10 years now.  If I find one I like it is WAY out of my price range.  Or WAY out of my allotted space range.  I have a couple I like at Ikea but liking is not loving.  I want to love my dresser.  Redoing a tragic mess of a dresser and making it into something I love sounds like a great idea.  A very romantic one.  I like romances.  It could be like a romantic comedy...me and this project.  I have yet to find my muse but I have been searching.  I am sure it is out there.

3. A Headboard Makeover by A Soft Place to Land.

I'm telling you...Kimba (@ A Soft Place to Land) is my hero!

Once again she turned this...


Into this...



This headboard refurnish was the first DYI project I came across.  It is what started my To Do List.  I've been wanting a headboard just as long as I've wanted a dresser but my level of wanted has been so much higher on the headboard.  I want a white headboard. Something sort of country chic.  Do you know how hard it has been to find something like that outside of a child's bed?  Say in a Queen size?  It's been almost IMPOSSIBLE.  I've seen a lot of DYI projects to make something else into a headboard and I've loved the ideas I've seen.  Only the ideas would end up costing more than a new headboard.  I keep frequenting my local Good Will store looking for the perfect imperfect headboard but so far I have not meet my muse in this either. 

4. How to Make Plush Birdies by Birds Party.

How cute are these little guys? 

This one is really out of my comfort zone.  I do not sew.  Not only do I not sew...I cannot sew.  At least not yet.  I'm working my way up to learning now.  Now I just have to convince my sister to teach me and to let me near her sewing machine.  I was hanging with her the other weekend "helping" her sew.  She had me stringing ribbon through dress tops (the "pillowcase" kind) and she asked that I cut out a pattern for her.  She was perplexed when I asked her how to cut out a pattern.  Seems I haven't done that since Jr. High when I took Home Ec.  Not sure how I passed Home Ec. but I did.  The pillow I made was a sad sad cookie.  Litterally.  I made a pillow that looked like a chocolate chip cookie.  I tried to rework the pillow a few years later (while in High School) and it was DOA on arrival.  Seems my sewing skills hadn't improved with age.

5. Thrifted & Reworked Birdhouse or Cage by Brassy Apple.

Brassy Apple turned this... 

Into this...

Super cute, right?!  Plus, something I could totally do.  I love the paper nesting at the bottom of the cage.  The project is so simple but something I never thought to do.

6. Jewelry Holders by Peace, Love, 2 Sisters.

They turned these simple photo frames...

 into these masterpieces...

Chicken wire Jewelry Holders!

Simple enough, right??  Just need someone who has a nail/staple gun to help me.

P.S.
Why is Blogger changing my font all the sudden and  not letting me change it??  Grrrrrr!!  Annoying.  So much in fact I am stopping this post short.  I cannot take the frustration that Blogger is currently giving me.