2020 Goal Review and 2021 Goals

Once again Yvonne at Quilting Jetgirl is a hosting a Planning Party for the coming year.  So its time to look at what happened this year and what I'd like to accomplish next year.  Use the link above to join the party or see what others are planning.

Review:

Quilting:

1.  Clean and organize quilt room (and office since they are in the same area).

        The office got moved upstairs into the den this fall and I'm enjoying that setup.  Bits of organizing have happened but there is still a lot that needs to be stored, given away and organized.  I also realized that with the office area moving, I don't need to keep the current layout.  I borrowed a book from the library called Love Your Creative Spaces by Lilo Bowman that Mel recommended in a comment in July.  Its a really good book, I need to go back through it again for ideas as I progress and consider the layout of the room.  I also found the notes from a Quilt University class that I took on designing your studio.

2.  I'm going to continue with the Motivation Monday ideas.  I'm still working on the list I created for 2017.  The goal at the time was to move things forward.  I think that will still be the goal for some things as they are quite large.  The list still includes

• Canada BOM from Guild 2015/16 - machine applique started for the missing blocks
• Stainglass Manger - Finished
• ABC Applique - Top is finished and still needs borders.
• Common Bride - quilting decision still needed.
• Love Entwined - finish centre and quilt.  - no progress
• Winter Wallhanging - no progress

Since this list is getting shorter, I'll add a couple of things to it

•  Jacobean Applique Quilt - Finish applique - no progress
• Film Strip quilts  - Decide on additional border and complete - no progress

3.  I'll also look at the list of tops waiting to be quilted and get those scheduled to be done.  Come late February or March I'll schedule to go complete the stain glass quilt and start scheduling monthly visits again

I didn't get in to do any longarm quilting this year.  The fall slipped away and then we went back into lockdown.  

4.  Complete at least 2 of the 3 challenges I have kits for  The first is due the beginning of February and whether I can make the top is up in the air.  I'll see how the wrist mends and what I can do.

Both trendtex and cherrywood got finished and submitted.  The third challenge was the guild challenge and it didn't get started.  The due date was too close to the cast coming off the wrist.  

Photography:

1.  Learn Photoshop.  Continue this.  I want to be comfortable using the Lightroom develop module and able to do more detailed edits in photoshop itself. 

I'm feeling a little more confident in photoshop and Lightroom's develop module.  When I listen to the classes it doesn't sound so much like a foreign language.   I still get frustrated because I know what I want to do is possible but don't have the skills.  Practice, Practice, Practice.  

2.  Tidy up Lightroom.  This is still a work in progress.  It's a good thing that you can get a long way when you take enough baby steps.

Progress has slowed over the last couple of months as I've done other things.  But I'm past the half way point so feel really good about that.  

Daily:

1.  Continue walking next year.  As soon as I can get back to 10k steps daily The swimming will also continue.

The swimming stopped from March to September then I was able to swim until the end of November when we were locked down again.  The pools are still closed and won't reopen before February.  The current lock down goes atleast until the end of January. However, walking has continued and I've enjoyed the walks.    

2.  There are about 130 miles left to complete the Bruce Trail.  We haven't talked about whether we'll do another week of hiking or just weekends.  I'd like to finish section 8 and start 9 this year.  I don't know if we'll get to the end in 2020 or if it will be the next year

We didn't do any hiking on the Bruce Trail this year.  It was closed during the spring lockdown and then we didn't feel comfortable staying in hotels to do any more up in the peninsula. 

3.  Practice.  The baritone and I are doing better.  I was more consistent in practicing in 2019 and need to get even more consistent 2020

This did not go well at all.  I'd start to make progress then get sidetracked.  

2021 Goals:

Quilting:

1.  Clean and organize quilt room.

        - Finish sorting the area and get rid of the things that need to be donated or thrown out.  Sorting works best when I work on just one small space at a time.  So I'll divide the area into a number of sections and plan times to sort each of those areas.  It easier than dealing with the whole room.

        - Decide on layout and do the rearranging. I still have the scale drawings of the room and furniture from the Quilt University class so I've played with a few ideas and will see where I land.

2.  I'm going to continue with the Motivation Monday ideas.  I'm still working on the list I created for 2017.  The goal at the time was to move things forward.  I think that will still be the goal for some things as they are quite large.  The list still includes

• Canada BOM from Guild 2015/16 - finish blocks and assemble rows.  
• ABC Applique - choose border fabric (after shops reopen) and complete top.
• Common Bride - quilting decision
• Love Entwined - finish centre and quilt.  
• Winter Wallhanging - finish top

Since this list is getting shorter, I'll add some things to it to bring it back to 12.  That should keep me going for a few years.  I'm sure other things will get worked on but I'd like to get these ones moved along.  

• Fantastic Fusion Top -- is it a quilt or a background.
• Poinsettia from guild workshop - Finish applique
• Milkweed 4 - quilt
• Long Time Gone - Keep up with the class so this doesn't become a UFO
• Abstraction Quilt - assemble top
• Moondance Quilt - inventory project and see what is left to do.  I think there are still blocks to make so I'd like to get those done.
• Film Strip quilts  - Decide on additional border and complete

3.  I'll also look at the list of tops waiting to be quilted and get those scheduled to be done.  I'm looking forward to being able to book some appointments.  Hopefully in February or March but it depends on the state of lockdown and how our covid numbers are looking.  According to my UFO list, there are a dozen UFOs that I've marked for quilting on my home sewing machine or that need more hand quilting.  I'd like to get four of the smaller ones done.  All of them would be nice but I think four is a realistic number given other things I want to do.

4.  Complete my trendtex challenge.  I bought the kit for this year's challenge - Friendship.  I'd really like to complete a piece again rather than add the fabric to the stash.  I'm currently 1 of 3 for completing a piece.

Photography:

1.  Learn Photoshop.  Continue this. 

        Keep reviewing the techniques and get more confident with the tasks and options.

        I purchased a couple of composition courses over the years and have started to work through those.  The first one I've gone through all the lessons and started on some of the exercises.  I've joined a group who are at a similar place and we have agreed to start working through the second course come January with two weeks to complete each piece.  I like the deadlines although I'm currently a couple of pieces behind.  I'll get caught up in the coming weeks.

2.  Tidy up Lightroom.  This is still a work in progress.  It's a good thing that you can get a long way when you take enough baby steps.

3. Photo share sites

    I have photos on three sites currently.  I need to sort out the three and decide which ones are going and what the others will be used for.  I may keep one for photos and one for composite work.  I'm still mulling that over.  I do think it needs to come down to either one or two sites as none of them get any attention partially because I don't have a plan for their use.

Daily

1.  Continue walking next year.  As soon as I can get back to swimming.  This isn't just good physical exercise, its also refreshing to get outside and get some fresh air -- even if it means put lots of layers on or digging out the rain gear.  

2.  There are about 130 miles left to complete the Bruce Trail.  Assuming things are more stable in the summer, I'd like to go and hike a bit more of this.  If it overnight stays still aren't a comfortable idea, then maybe starting some of the side trail badges on the sections closer to home will work.  

3.  Practice.  The baritone and I really need to spend more time together.

4. Bible Studies - I do a daily devotional with a group of friends using an online app plus some studies through my church.  Throughout the shutdown, there has been has been a Monday Morning coffee discussion about the previous day's sermon which has been a good eye opener and helpful to stay focused on the sermon Sunday morning.  I'm looking forward to a virtual silent retreat in February.  The in person silent retreat I did last year was wonderful. 

One thing I found during the spring lock down was having a schedule laid out for the day was really helpful.  I haven't done that over the fall but I think come January, I'll set out a schedule and see if I can get some of this back on track.  I'm also considering a habit tracker.  I've seen some fun ones and some simple ones.  Some habits are fairly ingrained but others (like practicing) need some help and maybe a tracker will let me see the patterns.