Top 100

December 31, 2011 § 5 Comments

A couple of years ago, I spent some time thinking about what I really wanted to make sure that I accomplish within this lifetime. I actually developed a Top 100 Things I Want to Achieve Before I Die- I guess a bucket list of sorts. Then, I put that notebook away, and sort of forgot about it.

Recently, my friend LJ was over for a crafternoon on my porch. I just happened to pull the notebook out, and opened it to that page. She asked about it, and then I went through, and happily realized that since I created the list, I have managed to cross five things off the list. Only 95 to go!

I thought it would make it easier for me to keep top of mind if I posted it here, and might inspire me to work harder at achieving these goals in a more timely manner. So here they are!

  1. Visit Yellowstone
  2. Crochet a Hexagon Blanket (in progress!)
  3. Knit a sweater (also in progress)
  4. Write a book and have it published
  5. Drive across the country
  6. Create another oil painting
  7. Make a pop-up book
  8. Have a robust herb and vegetable garden
  9. Buy a house
  10. Have a viable wardrobe created by me
  11. Have a viable selection of jewelry created by me
  12. Visit New Zealand (and…errr… walk the Trail to Mordor, maybe??)
  13. Get married
  14. Learn to truly appreciate beer and drink it at Oktoberfest in Munich (in progress!)
  15. Swim with dolphins
  16. Relearn the guitar
  17. Become a docent at the zoo
  18. Run a half marathon
  19. Become a leisurely bicycle rider
  20. Go on an Alaskan Cruise
  21. Coach OM in public school
  22. Learn to really ride a horse
  23. Enjoy mountain hiking
  24. Host Thanksgiving for my family
  25. Beat Zelda: Twilight Princess
  26. Have children
  27. Hold a baby duck
  28. Go hang gliding
  29. Make and decorate a perfect cake (check back later- let’s see how today’s NYE cake goes)
  30. Own my own successful business
  31. Visit Eastern Europe
  32. Learn to grow and arrange flowers
  33. Consistently keep a clean, organized home
  34. Learn needle-felting
  35. Meet Chipper Jones and Bobby Cox
  36. Host a fondue dinner
  37. Relearn and improve embroidery skills
  38. Attend Austin City Limits
  39. Go on a Yarn Tour of New York
  40. Visit the Austrian/Swiss Alps, and do an Alpine Slide
  41. Develop a perfect “Ashley” wardrobe
  42. Have a craft that people will buy
  43. Contribute one or more projects to a craft book
  44. Attend SXSW
  45. Attend Dragon*Con in costume
  46. Drink expensive real champagne
  47. Create a photo album full of happy memories that haven’t happened yet
  48. Teach a class
  49. Embody a style all my own
  50. Reupholster a piece of furniture
  51. Ride a motorcyle or 4-wheeler somewhere beautiful
  52. Go skinny dipping at night
  53. Create a signature dish everyone loves
  54. Learn to play tennis and play on a team
  55. Make my own tea blends
  56. Exhibit at a major craft fair
  57. Go deep sea fishing
  58. See monkeys in the wild
  59. Visit the San Diego Zoo
  60. See the Braves play in every NL park
  61. See the Braves play in the World Series
  62. Visit Harry Potter World in Orlando
  63. Visit Harry Potter World in London (I just added this one in place of something I don’t really want to do)
  64. See Radiohead in an intimate venue
  65. See a show in London
  66. Attend a very fancy ball
  67. Go on an African Safari
  68. See all the LOTR movies in the theater again (saw the first one again last year, but alas, missed #2 and #3)
  69. Build my own treehouse
  70. Redevelop my drawing skills
  71. Do at least part of the Appalachian Trail
  72. Get a perfectly toned body
  73. Be someone’s mentor
  74. Learn a printmaking technique
  75. Go sailing away into the sunset
  76. See Elton John perform
  77. Discover a movie/series I love as much as LOTR
  78. Cry tears of joy
  79. Consistently eat healthily and workout
  80. Help save a species of animal
  81. Learn to truly enjoy the present
  82. Find a job that I love
  83. Take a beautiful photograph
  84. Be the subject of a beautiful photograph
  85. Have a vacation home
  86. Have a Wikipedia page about me
  87. Take my Mom and Dad to Disneyworld
  88. Win an award for something I made
  89. Become a comfortable dancer
  90. Build an amazing dollhouse for my daughter
  91. Go snorkeling in Australia or New Zealand
  92. Have a book dedicated to me
  93. Be a major part of an animal focused non-profit organization
  94. Dance in a beautiful garden at night
  95. Go foraging for mushrooms
  96. Live off the grid for at least a month
  97. Have my portrait painted
  98. Master the use of my sewing machine
  99. Create an app with a following
  100. Touch a member of the Big Cat family

Now here’s some photographic proof that I achieved five of my goals!!

The second course in a full three-course fondue dinner

Ready to take off on a 4-wheeler in Costa Rica

My accoutrements after winning the Agency-Wide Dip-Off for my Buffalo Chicken Dip.

Looking at Monkeys.

Surrounded by my closest coworkers at my job

Good luck to each of you in achieving your own goals!

Hopefully I can cross at least five more off when I reflect on 2012….

WhimzeeMade: FINALLY open for business!!

November 22, 2011 § 2 Comments

So at the beginning of 2011, one of my biggest goals for this year was to get an Etsy shop up and running. I mean, I spend so much time surrounded by yarn and creating things out of it, it seemed silly not to take it to the next level and try to sell some of my wares.

My original goal was to be live by mid-February. But there were so many obstacles! I needed an identity, I needed a production schedule, and above all, I needed time to create items to sell! Once the spring got here and I had yet to open the shop, I decided to wait to launch in the fall (I mean, nobody wants yarn on their bodies from April-September).

It still took a little longer than I had originally intended- I still needed my logo designed, photos of my pieces taken and edited, and a million other little things- but I am now officially live on Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/WhimzeeMade

I launched with 4 items- 3 scarves and a tote bag.

Ruffle Wave Scarf

Aqua Tote Bag with Wooden Button Closure

Creamy Double Ruffle Scarf

Red Bobble Stitch Scarf

Even if it takes me weeks or months to get my first sale, I am just so excited to finally be live!

I’m churning through my idea list for the shop now- currently finalizing a pair of house slippers- check back soon- I’m on vacation this week and alternating visits to the beach (3 blocks from my parents’ house) with watching Harry Potter and creating things from yarn.

Have a fabulous Thanksgiving everyone!!

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