Small Goals

For July, I tried to set some non-house related goals hoping I’d have some success. Let’s find out!

1. Finish my biggest ever hoop (+ stitch up a few Queer Eye-inspired ones). Done! That big hoop was pretty darn big! And I stitched up a handful of other fun ones to stock my shop.
2. Read at least two books. Done! I finished both The Art of Gathering and The Woman in the Window. I also started Florida by Lauren Groff – one of my favorite authors.
3. Make an icebox cake (or another summery dessert). Nope! I made some banana bread but I wouldn’t say that’s a summery dessert.
4. Give Lively bras a try. Did it! I definitely ordered the wrong size (helps to measure yourself more than once every five years), but I really liked what I got so I’ll be reordering. You can get $10 off whatever bra you want if you click here!
5. Squeeze in two (or more!) date nights. Sad to say it, but nope.

3/5. This summer has been pretty trying to me with goals. I’m sure it has to do with all these planets that are in retrograde right now. Or unrealistic expectations. Whatever the case, making goals and going after them (even if it feels like slogging through mud) is something I want to keep doing.

So let’s get on with the show for August! After some real hard times with our yard project (don’t even talk to me about this), I actually just want to spend some time living in the moment and trying to enjoy myself. So for August, I’m only making fun goals!

1. Pick up an astrology book. I like to think of myself as Taste of Home‘s low key astrology expert. I write astrology content, tell people how they are so [insert sign here] and I point other writers in the right direction when it comes to all the zodiac pieces I don’t write. But all my astrological knowledge comes from The Hairpin’s “Zodiac Truths” series, @notallgeminis, Astro Poets and reading my horoscope regularly. This is all great, but time for some concrete things like books!
2. Make my up north reading list. I do a lot of reading when I head up north with my family. I think it has a lot to do with zero cell service, no internet and no TV. This is fine. So I just inhale books up there. Time to make my list and head to the library!
3. Bring a new game up north. When we’re not reading, we’re probably playing a game. I think it’s time to find a new one and give it a go. We can’t play dominoes and Taboo forever.
4. Brush up on my composting knowledge. Lisa, I thought you said fun goals. This one is for me! After years of mulling it over, I finally bought a composter. I’ve been trying to reduce waste at home and this is a big part taking the next step with this lifestyle. But you can’t just toss in apple cores and eggshells and call it a day; there are some finer points.
5. Host (or at least plan) a party. As I write this, my patio is finished (YAY!) and plants are being ordered. Whether or not the grass seed gets planted and the finishing touches put on, I’m going to have (or plan) a party!

Let’s see if I can slog through these goals this month and end the summer on a high note! And if you’ve got goals, let me hear ’em!

Another month gone if you can believe it!

1. Create an all-new wedding hoop. Done! You can check it out here.
2. Explore Bayfield and the Apostle Islands. Done! More soon!
3. Polka at Polish Fest. Sadly, no. It was unbearably hot on Father’s Day, so we stayed home with some AC. I did, however, bring my dad some Tyskie, vodka and polka music.
4. Host a patio party (or at least get one on the books). Don’t even talk to me about this one. The patio is not even started and I’m more than a little upset.
5. Plant a small garden. Nope.

2/5. This hasn’t been a great month for goals or landscaping, and, honestly, that’s really got me down. I thought our landscaping was pretty much good to go once I called and scheduled it, but the situation got pretty complicated and chaotic. So as of this moment, I don’t know when I’ll have a normal yard again. This really has me in a bad way, so I’m going to try and set some lighthearted, non-yard-related goals this month so I don’t have to dwell on the failure. So let’s get going.

1. Finish my biggest ever hoop (+ stitch up a few Queer Eye-inspired ones). Not too long ago, I got a DM asking me to make a monster-sized (well, 12″) hoop. I’ve never made one so big before (most of my hoops are just 5″), so I’m curious to see how it turns out! Also, I made this fun Struggs to func hoop not that long ago and sold it instantly. Time to get some inventory!
2. Read at least two books. I’ve got a lot of library books at home that are dying to be read. I’m paging through The Art of Gathering and The Woman in the Window now. I’ve got a few others lined up at the library, too.
3. Make an icebox cake (or another summery dessert). I saw this recipe on Broma Bakery and it really got me thinking that I need to give it a try!
4. Give Lively bras a try. TMI? Nah. I saw some Instagram ads for this brand lately and I was compelled by the nice price point (three bras for $75!).
5. Squeeze in two (or more!) date nights. Michael and I are not good at date nights. We both love being at home, so going out sometimes just doesn’t occur to us. But it’s the height of the summer! We should get out and appreciate it.

I’m crossing my fingers that some landscaping happens in July! But until then I’ll bide my time with some fun, summery goals. Until next time!

May was a big month with big goals. Let’s see how I did (spoiler: I did great).

1. Visit the Madison Farmers Market. Done!
2. Make this craft fair better than the last. Yes! It went really well. I’m thinking I’ll recap this soon.
3. Read (or listen). Did it. I finished my book club book Tangerine by Christine Mangan plus I got most of the way through a sort of lame audiobook.
4. Check out a numerology course.  Done. This was a lot of fun.
5. Pick out the *perfect* flowers. Check! I definitely agonized over this one, but in the end, I’m happy with my picks! The vast majority of the plants are native species, which is important to Michael and me. We made an exception for rose of Sharon because we love them (and it’s not the kind of non-native plant that will spread and do harm).

5/5. Five 👏 for 👏 five 👏! I’m patting myself on the back for goals accomplished while also realizing that taking care of all those goals meant I didn’t blog at all this month. Whoops!

June is another busy month. Our patio plans are progressing and our social calendar is pretty full. But I’m really excited about it. When you realize that summer only has about 12 weekends, it makes you want to pack them to the gills. I think I’ll be doing a good job of that this month.

1. Create an all-new wedding hoop. One of my oldest friends is getting married this month. I’m hoping I can get a custom hoop done for her before her big day!
2. Explore Bayfield and the Apostle Islands. For our third anniversary, Michael and I are staying in Bayfield, Wisconsin, right on the shores of Lake Superior. I want to take in as much of the natural spaces as possible while making a little time for townie treasures.
3. Polka at Polish Fest. This was a goal for me last June, too. My family goes every year, though I have a varying level of success in getting anyone to dance with me. We’ll see how I do this time!
4. Host a patio party (or at least get one on the books). Our patio project is set to break ground this month! I’m so excited to see how it turns out. Once it’s complete, I’m hoping to host a party or two to celebrate our yard’s grand reopening.
5. Plant a small garden. When our yard is put back together, I really want to get a few herbs and veggies in the ground. I really missed having that last year.

Got goals? Share them with me in the comments!

I wish I could say that February just flew by, but man oh man did it just go on forever! Let’s see how I did.

1. Plan some sort of getaway. Michael and I talked about this in theory, but we didn’t get much further. I’ll make this happen, but I’m going to skip it for now.
2. Declutter our bedroom and/or den. The den is pretty much uncluttered at the moment, which is good news! The closet isn’t at peak organization yet, but it’s a work in progress.
3. Sign up for another fix from Stitch Fix. Done! Read all about it here.
4. Make a mood board for a bathroom revamp. I did not do this. I did, however, go to the Milwaukee NARI show and a few tile shops to get some ideas.
5. Get into a cooking routine that works. Done.

3/5. It’s not my best month, but that’s OK. February is always rough. So is March, but I’ll set some ambitious goals anyways!

1. Actually make that bathroom mood board. I did a little research, so I should be more capable this month.
2. Hit the gym 10 times. For me, this is getting serious about working out. And this is an easy way to quantify my “success” since I refuse to measure, weigh myself or take before and after photos.
3. Sew something, anything. I love to sew, but since upping my embroidery game I haven’t really fired up the machine much. Sure, I made some table runners and did some alterations, but I haven’t made a garment in too long. Plus, I’ve got a bit of a fabric glut at the moment and I’d rather see it in my closet than folded away.
4. Reorganize the den to make it a real work space. For all intents and purposes, our den is my workspace. I’m thinking that I need to streamline the space so I can have my computer (which currently sits on an end table), light table and all the accouterments in a single location instead of running from one room to the next just to do basic tasks.
5. One more serious declutter session. I’ve been slowly purging unwanted and unnecessary items from our home for the past four months. It feels really really good to have a little extra wiggle room in our tiny house, but there are still a few corners, closets and drawers that need some attention.
6. Bonus goal! Scrolling through Instagram, I stumbled upon the @joannehawker #marchmeetthemaker challenge. In 31 days, it helps you tell your maker story. You can follow along at @kaminskihandicraft!

I feel like these are some pretty serious goals! But I feel OK about that since March is one long and relatively uneventful month. May as well pack it full of to-do lists! If you’ve got any goals this month, I want to hear about them! Your lists definitely have inspired me to up my game!

Let me say this: January was hard! I mostly felt like wearing my warmest socks, grabbing a good book and curling up in bed. It’s just that cold outside and I’m that far into Wisconsin’s favorite mood: seasonal affective disorder. Seasonal depression aside, let’s count up January’s goals.

1. Help with a super fun baby shower. Done! A tropical themed shower was a real bright spot in the middle of gloomy January.
2. Work on some non-embroidery crafts. Done. I made a mess of paper flowers for that shower!
3. Get odds and ends listed on Etsy. Nope. And I have no good reason!
4. Make a few soups. Like I said in my original goals post, I’m not a huge soup person. So after my first batch of chicken wild rice soup, I was souped out (although this recipe was really really good). I’ll give myself a half point here.
5. Get back into good routines. I’m going to give myself half a point on this one, because I only stuck with it for a few weeks. Having the flu throws a wrench in most plans, but especially those that require food and being in public (the gym).

3/5. I’m not too miffed by this. I’m starting to think about January as more of an incubation period than a fresh start. Since it’s so cold, there’s nothing better to do than think about the future and make a few plans.

Which is what I aim to do in February. I had all of January to sit and think, so now it’s time to start planning things and even taking a little action. So here are my goals for this month:

1. Plan some sort of getaway. Michael and I had originally planned on visiting some friends out west this spring, but unfortunately the stars (and schedules) didn’t align. Making our way out to SLC is postponed, and I’m super disappointed. I’m thinking if I can plan a small, affordable trip (even just day trips) for the near future, that might help me feel a bit better about this indefinite delay.
2. Declutter our bedroom and/or den. These two spaces in our home are the most clutter-prone by far. The den is where I prep all my embroidery projects, so 90% of the time the ironing board is out and fabric is spilling onto the floor. Our bedroom is also chronically cluttered with clothes. I’m hoping to get one of these spaces cleaned up so our home can feel a bit more zen.
3. Sign up for another fix from Stitch Fix. My first box was amazing, the second was not. But I’ve got $25 in credit that I may as well use to get me through these winter doldrums.
4. Make a mood board for a bathroom revamp. Our bathroom needs repairs and updating pretty badly. It’s still 1962 in there (but not in the fun way). Last year at this time I bought a ton of pretty bathroom stuff plus a new vanity to get going on the project. Unfortunately, it was a bigger undertaking that I initially thought so it got put on the back burner while we got our basement in order. I think after a year, this project needs to get some liftoff.
5. Get into a cooking routine that works. I cook most evenings when Michael is home. This semester, though, he’s got evening classes four nights a week, meaning that regular routine is about to be obsolete. I need to start thinking of ways I can prep easy-to-reheat meals so we can eat on our different schedules.

Well, that’s it for me in February! I’ve got some serious goals, but I’ve got a few fun things peppered in my calendar to break it all up (brunches, book clubs and everything #basic). What do you have going this month?

I’m back with some new goals for this month (lots of holiday-related goals to come!), but first let’s see how I did in November.

1. Finish half my Christmas shopping. Check! I checked a few people off my list, and I feel really good to have that weight off my shoulders as I go into December.
2. Have a cozy Black Friday in. Check? Well, I didn’t leave the house if that makes it cozy. I did spend a lot of the day deep cleaning before we put up Christmas decorations, though.
3. Unplug a bit. Done. November 1, I said goodbye to Facebook on my phone and set up some do not disturb times. I’m not sure if it was a drastic change, but that’s OK! Experimenting with this was a good idea.
4. (Lightly) rebrand Kaminski Handicraft. I’m going to check this one off my list. I updated the colors used in my Etsy header and that’s about all I’ve got time for at the moment. I’ll be calling in a favor from a designer friend come the new year.
5. Make 5+ new designs for Kaminski Handicraft. Done! I haven’t really kept up with exact numbers, but I’ve made some serious progress.

5/5. November went by fast, so I’m thrilled that I kept on track with these goals! For this coming month I’ll be focusing a lot on crafting and the holidays – ’tis the season!

1. Make it through my first craft fair. I’ll be at the Mini Crafty Fair Saturday, December 16 in Madison. It’s my first one ever! Let’s see if I can get enough inventory piled up, create a half decent display and not feel entirely overwhelmed!
2. Make time for Christmas crafts I love. Kaminski Handicraft is closing up for the holidays about mid-month. This is to give myself a little time to relax and enjoy sillier seasonal crafts, like these plastic canvas houses.
3. Get baking. I love making Christmas cookies. It’s seriously one of my greatest joys to take a day off from work and bake all day around the holidays. I might have to adjust my normal baking lineup, though, so we don’t end up eating cookies until February. That or loosen up my (almost) no cookies before Christmas policy.
4. Watch 3+ Christmas movies. I just watched The Holiday for the first time last week and now I’m craving all the Christmas movies. I’ve made a short list of new-to-me flicks to check out, like Christmas in Connecticut and Home Alone (I KNOW!) and some time-tested classics like White Christmas.
5. Get rid of a bag of clothes/books/miscellany every week. I’ve been trying to cut down on stuff lately just to make my home feel a little less congested and cluttered (not that it’s bad, but you know).

Got any small goals for December? I’d love to hear about them!

I’m back with another month of goals! Let’s see how I did on my October ones first.

1. Create a great couple’s costume. Check. I’d say our Bonnie and Clyde turned out pretty good.
2. Check out Old World Wisconsin’s Legends & Lore. Nope. In my defense, it was exceptionally cold last weekend. Plus Stranger Things just came out. (I’m the worst.)
3. Make three (or more) apple recipes. Not even one! The month got away from me kitchen-wise. Good thing apples keep a long time.
4. Anything tarot. Stop trying to make tarot happen, Lisa. It’s not gonna happen.
5. Scary stuff. Done! I’ve been listening to Lore and Welcome to Night Vale, and watching Unsolved Mysteries, Salem and Murder Maps all month long.

2/5. Not my best month, but that’s OK. Not every Halloween can be the spookiest.

1. Finish half my Christmas shopping. I cannot deal with the stress of last-minute shopping. I can hardly deal with the stress of on-pace shopping. My goal this year is to have half my gifts purchased before December rolls around so I can maximize my baking and crafting time closer to Christmas.
2. Have a cozy Black Friday in. Last year, for the first time in my adult life, I had the day after Thanksgiving off of work. To really celebrate the day, I spent a good portion of it in my jammies and then I made Michael take me to see Fantastic Beasts. I feel part two coming on this year.
3. Unplug a bit. I do not need to look at Facebook on my phone multiple times a day. I do not need to keep up with every Snapchat. I do not need to answer every text immediately. To separate myself from technology a bit (not entirely, though – I love this blog, I love my job and I love Etsy) I’m going to take a step back, remove Facebook from my phone and get comfortable with not having it nearby all the time.
4. (Lightly) rebrand Kaminski Handicraft. I’ve got something up my sleeve for next month, so I think a very light rebrand for my Etsy page and business cards is in order.
5. Make 5+ new designs for Kaminski Handicraft. Ambitious! If you have any good ideas for hoops you want to see, I’m all ears!

That’s it for me this month, and seriously, folks, if you have any ideas, send them my way!