Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Mid Year Review

It's time to check in on the goals I made back in December. Yvonne at Quilting Jetgirl certainly has a knack for keeping me organized and focused.


My Quilty Aspirations for 2016:

1. Decrease my UFOs.

My success on this one depends on how you look at it. I'm pretty sure I've started more things than I've finished the last six months, but I did finish some things I had already started. I'm going to be generous and count this one as accomplished. After all, I did make lots of pretty things. So what if only two of them came out of the UFO pile?2. Prepare a course offering. 


I did follow through on this aspiration, with several classes on the calendar. I now aim to increase enrollment.

3. Give back. 

I am excited about some opportunities I have found to accomplish this aim including the creation of a fundraising sew-lebrity album quilt, and meeting with a group of ladies to create quilts for the Albuquerque Homeless Student Project.

4. Enjoy the inspiration.

I can confidently mark this one as completed, thanks to the Thimbleweeds Quilt Show and Quilt Market.
Here are my Quilt Market posts, in case you missed them:
Moda
Cotton+Steel



5. Keep an appropriate perspective. 

Mission accomplished in this area too. However, I can hardly take credit for this one. My bunch of "time-wasters", as my dad affectionately calls them given their adeptness at preventing the accomplishment of any work in their presence, make sure of their predominance with endless noise, mess, and hilarity. And I wouldn't have it any other way.
Photo by Jessica Inman

6. Critically analyze my participation. 

While I tend to suffer from FOMO (fear of missing out), I have made a conscientious effort to evaluate if I'm on the fast track to over-commitment before I arrive too late to take the train back home.

7. Host a linky party. 

I did host the Lessons Learned Linky for the past six months, but I am discontinuing it due to in-excessive participation. I enjoyed the linked posts, but I think the popularity of my linky wavered given the abundance of linky parties and its more narrow parameters. Thank you to everyone who joined along, and please check out my Linky Party Listing for other opportunities.


8. Track and share my progress. 

I could still use some work in this regard, as I'm flighty about pictures prior to completion. Instagram has been helpful, as it doesn't take my time away from my "in the zone" quilting frenzy.

9. Design a Quilt Along.

This one has been postponed, but not forever...

10. Make a masterpiece. 

This isn't going to happen right now, and that's okay.

How about my Not-a-Goal List?

    1. Start a long-arm business. 

    In the clear here.

    2. Sell quilts at a loss. 

    I'm doing good here to, amidst the frequent inquiry, "What do you do with all your quilts?" My plan is to donate some of the discount, mass-produced artwork I have had hanging in my house for over a decade because I am not in love with it. It is simply covering the holes I made guessing the location of the wall studs. Then, I'm hang quilts over the wall gouges. I suppose I could plaster and repaint, but I'm scared of the patching stuff since I read the small print warnings as a pregnant lady. Yep, it's  carcinogenic.

    3. Work for free. 

    This one is the sticky wicket. While it seems very straight-forward and easily-preventable, I've come this close to doing exactly what I swore not to. I hadn't accounted for what lonely territory it is on the island of Are You Kidding Me? when the populace is occupying the overcrowded mainland, Labor of Love. Sweet little quilting ladies don't even consider asking audacious things such as, "Will I be compensated in a currency accepting by my banking institution?"

    How are you doing on your goals?
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    12 comments:

    1. First of all, you are clearly having a pretty fantastic year. Lots of your goals have been met or exceeded. Then I get to the "not-a-goal" part and I kind of lose it over here. Working for free is definitely something that is a struggle and I find on quick and easy self reflection I'm on the wrong side of that goal on several counts.

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    2. Great goals and you are making fabulous progress!

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    3. I enjoyed reading your post! You're doing better than I am in the "finishing up started things" department, (something new always comes along that looks sooo interesting, doesn't it?!!) Your children are so adorable, and definitely a great "distraction", but so worth it!! And your words on #3 of "not a goal" list are so clever: totally gave me a chuckle! :-) Keep up the good work: the kids are #1, and whatever else gets done is icing on the cake. I love reading your posts and seeing your work. Hugs, H

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    4. I'm laughing right now at all your Not-A-Goals. Laughing, perhaps, because I identify with all of them, esp. the work-for-free one. Loved the photo of the kids, and I know they are your priority way beyond quilting. It's evident from their happy looks they are loved and well-cared-for (even though the parents are probably off-camera, making googley faces to get those smiles out of them). I'd probably avoid Linky Parties, too, judging from what an anchor they can be to serendipitous blog posting (like, a pair of cement boots in a harbor, sort of anchor). I'm happy I did two Quilt-A-Longs, but infinitely relieved they are over with for the year.

      Your posts are always a treat. Keep up the good work!

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    5. Next year I will totally make a Not A Goal list too! Looks like you're doing pretty good on you resolutions, especially for half way through and with a babe on the hip!

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    6. I love your not a goal list....good luck with not keeping it (Did I word that correctly?)...also love the "time wasters" and the FOMO which I think I may share but in my case it may be that I fear I am missing out. You've made good progress on your goals .

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    7. I enjoyed your perspective. You take a very different approach to looking at quilting and I like that! Cute family!

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    8. I love the idea of a not-a-goal list! That's extremely clever. Plus, it looks like you made a load of gorgeous stuff. That mosaic at the top is yum! And your kids are adorable!

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    9. I thoroughly enjoyed ready your mid year review post, Afton. And seeing all the eye candy - the quilts and the cute, cute, cute kids! Congratulations on the long arm. And making - not making - a living. But loving what your making!

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    10. AFton, I enjoyed reading AND seeing your progress! Can't wait to see the sew-lebrity quilt!

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    11. Wonderful goals, and you are doing so well. Thank you for all of the thought-provoking info :)

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    12. Looks like you're doing really well with your goals, Afton! And I love the not-a-goal list, especially #3!!

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