Explore 2018

Only 16 days until the end of the year. We certainly have had a busy 2017. From completing a renovation to moving across Canada, we certainly out did ourselves. 
I did not do Explore 2017. I think part of it was the renovation we did and part of it was working 40 hours a week and trying to keep up the house, etc. My life was very hectic. 
Will I explore in 2018 or will I set some very specific goals or do a blend of both? I love the idea of exploring and letting myself become involved in a project but I also like goals are they are very specific. Maybe a combination will allow me the best of two worlds. I am willing to give it a try.

Explore 2018

Lifestyle

• Loose weight
• How? Join Weight Watchers and track what I eat and how much I move. 
• When? Jan. 3, 2018
• With? Daughter in Law

This is a goal that needs to be specific. I need to loose 100 pounds but that is not a realistic goal for 1 year. Why? Because it means I would have to loose 1/4 pound every day during that year. That probably won't happen even if I was good every day. Secondly, I have a thyroid that attacks my body and needs to monitor it on a regular basis. There will be ups and downs. Last, my blood pressure is up and I want it to be back to normal. So my goal for 2018 is to loose 40 to 50 pounds and get off blood pressure medication, which I know I can do. 

• Using an online program, do a budget to track our spending and review it twice a month. 

Though we do not over spend, I would like to track our money to see where we do spend it and how can we tweak our spending.

• Walk 3 times a week. Try for the morning and increase my time from a walk down the street to 30 minutes. This is for my health as it will improve my blood pressure also. 

Sewing 

I cannot say how much stash I will be sewing up in a year. I have never inventoried my stash. What I plan on doing is measuring each piece I sew and keeping track of it in a book so I can see how much I sew. Purchases that are necessary will be recorded also. 

• Sew up the stash. Pretty vague as I have craft, doll, and garment fabrics. I have allowed myself to buy what I need to finish projects - 505 basting spray, spray starch, sizing, thread, etc. It could include batting, fabric and interfacing but only to finish up a project. I have gift certificates to cover these purchases. 
• Garment fabric - To sew myself some t-shirts to wear while I loose weight. As spring approaches, to sew up some woven fabrics into tops. Pants and jackets will be sewn when I need them. 
• Doll Clothes - To sew up the doll's stash for the two dolls I have. If possible, to sew some extra doll clothes for sale. If not, I'm okay with that. 
• Craft Fabric - To sew up fabric to make zippered bags from a Craftsy course. These will be gifts, donations, or for sale. To sew up the Christmas fabric for our house. It was all bought with projects in mind -- tree skirt, table cloth, napkins, runners, etc. 

Not all the fabric will be or can be sewn in one year. I would like to think I can sew up 50% of the stash in one year though as I plan on sewing for a few hours each day. 

• View and do slopers that I purchased on Craftsy. Take the time to fit patterns using the slopers to make myself clothing. Use the Sure Fit Design packages I bought also. 
• Design and sew some clothing for Daughter-in-law and to sew some sleepwear for Grandson. 

This entails that I get my patterns organized and that I view the Craftsy videos so I can proceed with this later in the year. 

• To take and implement the Pixie Faire courses on design and pattern making so I can design patterns for the dolls and maybe sell those patterns. I may focus on My Life as a.....dolls. 

Each course takes a month to do so I will be spending time at the computer watching and doing the homework.

Knitting

I don't have as much yarn as I do fabric. It is organized by weight and some of it was bought just because and others were from last year's Christmas gift from family. It is all inventoried on Ravelry. I can buy some yarn as long it I know what I am going to do with it and use it up quickly. As with fabric, I will keep track of how many grams of yarn I knit.

• Knit up the stash. Another vague goal. Ideas are rolling in my head for how to use up the yarn. 
• Light weight yarn - socks for Grandson and sweaters for the dolls. I will be buying one skein of yarn to make Grandson a pair of socks. The left over yarn will be used for the dolls. 
• DK light - I got a bit piggy and bought quite a few skeins of Downton Abbey yarn in a variety of colors. I will be making the dolls some capes with hoods in a short and long version out of this yarn. 
• Knitting worsted - This is for mitts, hats, and other easy knitting ideas. There is a bit of this designated for the dolls. 
• Christmas gift yarn - I love all 6 months of yarn I got but do not like some of the patterns. I need to figure out what to use some of this yarn for. My biggest challenge and I should knit some of it this year. 

Most of the purchases in this department will be knitting needles. I need to flesh out my smaller needles as I knit for the dolls. 

Big Goals

I have two big goals for this year. 

1. To sew down the stash (sewing and knitting) to a comfortable amount. I do get anxious when I see the size of my stash. I think it has made my blood pressure go up a bit. I realize now that I shopped due to stress and not being able to sew for much of 2017. I know it happens to others also so I need to sew/knit rather than purchase. 
2. To sell items at craft bazaars. I am still interested in this but am not sure if it will happen. It depends on how much extra I sew and knit. Family/dolls first, craft items second. I do have until September to see if I will have enough inventory. 

How are your plans for 2018 developing?