"Simple" Goals

I think I began blogging because I like to have a captive audience.  To have people listen to me.  I like ot show off.  When I first started blogging, I didn't know much about it, I still don't.  I would get lost for hours inside the pages of people's lives.  Their ideas, their projects, their children.  I wanted to include them in my life too.  And I wanted to allow those who know me to see a side of me that they normally don't.  It started with crafts, sharing my ideas, my projects and my favorite things.  I chose to name it "Jill of All Trades" because I have a hard time settling into one thing.  I love to experiment and try new things.  I'm good at them, but not usually the best. But I have fun so its okay.

My crafting passion started out as a child with beads.  I remeber going to Shipwreck with my mother and buy bags and bags of wooden beads.  I remember we put then in an old Lego briefcase and we had them for years.  I love to make my own jewelry, earrings especially.  I love to look at jewelry in stores and figure out how to make it myself.  I love to take old things and make them new. 

The more I blogged, the more different blogs I discovered.  Scrapbooking blogs, fashion blogs, indie blogs, style blogs... I didn't want to be just one blog.  I'm interested in more than one thing.  There are so many different facets of my personality I want to talk about. And I seriously lack focus!

I would love so much to become a "professional" blog.  Have more giveaways and sponsors... link parties and guest bloggers but I just don't have the time.  I'm already a full time worker, wife and mother and a part time crafter (full time crazy person)... blogging is supposed to be just for fun. Not a job.

But I like that I have gotten to the point where I have some regular(ish) features.  Mondays are my "free" day, usually updates and pictures from the weekend.  Tuesdays are my craft day, I share links and project ideas,  It's also the day I share my own projects.  Wednesday is "Working Mom Wednesday." I love Julia's meme and try to participate every week.  She's a friend and I love to give her my support. On Thursday I like to talk about trends, in clothing and crafts to whatever suits my fancy.  Thursdays are also the day I like to feature product reviews.  Its just stuff I like that I think you should know about.  Then comes Fashion Friday.  I'm trying to limit my wardrobe posts (I'm gonna get back into this!) to Fridays.  In the future, I hope to also feature some of my favorite fashion bloggers too.  And that leaves the weekend.  I don't usually post on the weekend.  Besides the fact that I don't currently have a home computer, weekends are strictly family time.  Two days a week is hardly enough time to spend with my husband and daughter.  I don't want to waste it on blogging.

Maybe someday I will have more time to spend blogging.  Maybe I can become a full time blogger and crafter but for now I think I am doing all right.  I like the lack of pressure.  I don't feel guilty when I don't blog or if I'm not "on schedule." I don't have to worry about funding or giveaways or sponsors.

All that said, I still want to be a better blogger.  A better friend.  To actually participate in the blogs I love so much.

And this has all been leading up to this...

ELSIE'S 4 SIMPLE GOALS

 

1. 
   
   Write a blog mission statement. Hey look, already done!
2. 
   
   Comment on at least 1 blog per day. Linking this to Elsie's blog. Another goal complete.
3. 
   
   Cut the junk! Junk food, candy, pop, alcohol.  It all needs to go.  I need to make better choices. An apple instead of a candy bar. A glass of water instead of pop.
4. 
   
   Quit being lazy. I need to get off my ass and do something. I'm not just talking working out, that too.  I'm talking about the hours I spend on the couch watching TV after I get home from work.  I need to just get up and go for a walk, work on a project or *gasp* clean. 

I think those are pretty simple, right? The first two are already done.  But okay, the last two are kind of all encompassing.  We're talking a total lifestyle change here people.  In all fairness (or laziness?) maybe those aren't simple enough.  Maybe they should be even simpler?

KELSY'S 4 EVEN MORE SIMPLE GOALS

1. 
   
   Read a book. A real, paper book. Cover to cover.
2. 
   
   Write a poem. On paper. With a pen.
3. 
   
   Make art for my walls. Put it in a frame.
4. 
   
   Make a robot. From recycled boxes. Cuz I promised Goose.

Now those look like things I can do!

Um...

I have a blog written out.
But I don't have time to type it.
Yes.
I wrote a post by hand. In a notebook. With a pen.
I was away from a computer with some time on my hands.
So I wrote.
And it actually felt really good.
When was the last time you took pen to paper and wrote?

Anyway, I have a post and will get to it.

Eventually.

A little note...book.

Do you have an art notebook or journal?

I do. I use it to keep track of ideas, sketches, pictures, inspirational "stuff," quotes, sometimes when Goose says something funny, I write it down. This is my 3rd or 4th journal. I used to use spiral bound, but the pages ripped too easily once I started to fill them up, so it only made sense to graduate to composition books. They are much easier to decorate anyway.

For this one I covered it with a vintage National Geographic map of Hawaii that I got in an estate sale ages ago. I added a thin layer of Modge Podge to the outer cover when I finished just to protect it a little more. Some of the flowers on the cover are cut out and they were peeling up, or I should say Goose was peeling them up, the MP definately did the trick. Then I added a title to my book (I really should start dating them too, when I start a new one... next time.)

I take it everywhere with me, you never can be too sure when inspiration will hit. Maybe its a song lyric in the car, or a pretty add in a magazine. I don't just journal for scrapping purposes either, jewelry ideas, random projects from websites that I don't want to "lose" in my bookmarks.

My most recent entry in my notebook is a bunch of pictures of Sharon Stone from the movie Casino. I am going to a "Crop-sino" Vegas themed retreat this weekend and Saturday night is the costume contest. So I am thinking of using Sharon as my inspiration for my costume... only without all the white drugs and liquor, but still dressed trashy with big hair. I'll post pics and let you know how it all comes together!

Anyway, back to notebooks/journals. I can't live without mine, don't know if I said that. Right now, I have a napkin posted in it for Goose's upcoming b-day. I need to use it to match colors for the invites. I also have several templates for crowns that I intend to make, but I haven't decided if I should use felt or paper... or just pick up a bunch of free ones from Burger King. (I intend to have the kids decorate their own crown/hats... its a Mad Hatter tea party).

Who knows, procrastination and laziness could always get the best of me, wouldn't be the first time. Ha ha ha. But at least it's in the notebook, right?



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