Ringing in 2012!

Another year has flown by already!  I'm not one of those "resolution" types since we all know how determined we are about that new diet or exercise plan until oh end of January or maybe even February if you're really good about it!  I'm not being cynical, really I'm not, I just don't believe in forcing myself to adhere to something I'm going to find to be preposterous a month later and end up gorging on chocolate anyway.  Does that make any sense or am I alone in my crazy maniacal mindset?

Instead I prefer to set goals that don't entail strictness and allow for some wiggle room (and maybe even some cheating now and again).  Now I haven't taken a look at my goals from last year so lets see how I did (gulp).

From Eskymo Craft Show

Shop Goals 2011:

• List more often and on a regular basis (eh I did "so so", I got lazy over the summer)
• Promote myself more (been doing decent on that and I'm more active on FB)
• Do a larger scale craft show (Check!)
• More jewelry parties (Did 2 and they bombed because attendance was poor, oh well)
• Sell more on Etsy (Yes!)
• Be more involved in my Etsy Teams (I've ditched some of the teams I'm not active in and joined some I love!  I also lead one and captain another)

Personal Goals 2011:

Someday....

• Don't stress so much over the little things (hmmm, no comment)
• Exercise more and eat better, not necessarily to lose weight but to just be healthier (Hit or miss)
• Get Kaylie potty trained (nope)
• Get Kaylie used to her big girl bed when she figures out how to escape her crib (she's still in her crib and she stays in it, why change?)
• Get out of debt (I've gotten 2 loans paid off, just have Tyler's student loan left)
• Fix our roof once and for all (the main leak is gone but the storage room needs re-roofing)
• Save $$$$ (Check)
• Convince the kitten that house plants are not for chewing (well she doesn't annihilate them anymore)
• Knock down the "hunny to do list" by half, at last (HAHAHAHAHA! no)

Ok I'm done laughing at that last goal, I think the list is even longer than it was last year when I wrote that blog post!  For this year I'll modify some of the goals that weren't reached and of course set a few new ones!

Shop Goals 2012:

Ok maybe not Lindstrom, lol!

• Reach 100 sales in my shop. I'm at 47 now, 53 to go!
• Grow my Etsy Hearts Beads Team into a larger and engaging team
• Try something new such as incorporating fiber, metal stamping or embossing
• Be more outgoing and charismatic at craft shows to help sell more
• Get a Square card reader now that I have a Droid (DONE, just ordered it!)
• Buy some really nice jewelry tools since mine basically suck
• Grow my Blog following

Personal Goals 2012:

• Continue to eat better, be more active yadda yadda
• Get Kaylie potty trained, seriously
• Read more and expand my horizons beyond Koontz, I paid good money for that Kindle Fire!
• Pay down hubby's student loan at least by half, totally do-able
• Save $$$ for a brand new shiny Subaru, I want it in 4 years and to pay most in CASH :D
• Start saving for a bigger house, even if just a little bit
• Cross off at least the major things on "Hunny to do" list, for real
• Stop racking up the Visa 
• Get out more this summer (without racking up the Visa)
• Preschool Kaylie at home (seriously preschool costs are outrageous!)

In a few years this pretty girl will be mine :)

So far I've been good.  I already ordered my new Square reader and I'm reading The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins on my Kindle.  I've only read a few chapters so far but I'm totally engrossed by it.  I will for sure be reading the entire series!  I've got some big goals ahead of me especially with my savings goals but with Tyler's new Job at Schwan's it should be much easier.  As far as doing Kaylie's preschooling, I need to learn to be more patient and I know my mom will help out.  She's been doing very well and knows all her letters, numbers, colors and so on.  I'm trying to get her to write so we can pave the way to reading!  Pretty good for her only being three!  The potty training is really up to her, she's not quite ready and there's no point in pushing the issue till she is.

As far as shop goals, I've got confidence in completing at least most of them since my shop has improved by leaps and bounds compared to last January.  heck I didn't even sell anything last year till February and this year I sold a kitty charm bracelet on New Year's Day!

Sold!!

Last of all here's a few recent and awesome treasuries!