Intentional Life

2014

Goals!  Seems as if bloggers are all doing posts on business and personal goals for 2014.  I've been thinking about it, but it was so hard to come to conclusions this year.  I looked up my goals for the last two years, and that didn't inspire me!  Some of those were completed and some were not!  I hesitate to write goals and not meet them, but if I don't write them down then I have nothing to work forward to!  So, here goes:

Enamel Dollar Sign charms from charmingkathyjo on Etsy

1)  I have made monetary goals for my wholesale business and my online businesses.  Last year the online business was not where I would have liked it to be, but my wholesale business took off!  I  always have a hard time analyzing the online businesses.  One shop did well, one just sort of sat there until Christmas, and the other one was rather status quo.  I think the answer is in new creative products--we'll see how that goes!?

Poinsettia Wall Art in progress

textile wrist cuff in progress

2)  Creativity--Last year I opened a new shop, a very creative one--Abigail Jayne ART!  It did not produce a return like I would have wanted, but that does not deter me from further creativity!  Onward and upward!  I still want to explore more textile art techniques and have been asked to teach a class on textile art!

Scrap quilt block in progress

3)  I am working on two books.  One is a craft tutorial book on using scraps with instruction on scrap projects.  I want to finish it and get it published later this year.  The other book is a joint effort with my husband about our lives and how they intertwined and evolved.  It is our vision to share it with our large blended family while celebrating our 25th anniversary in 2015.

Well, that's it!  Quite a list, but I am excited to begin the new year's creativity!!

Happy New Year!

2013!  Happy New Year!  

More Goals!

Goals, goals, goals. 

It takes a lot of time to think thru what is, what should be and what you might like.  Yes, there are things that we want that are easy, we just know that we want them and that is that!  But in business, sometimes the end result that we want is not so easy to come by, so it requires a plan to get there- much of which I discussed in yesterday's post!

 As I said yesterday, I have three shops, one will close after today.  The Pruitt Supply shop had a sale yesterday! Yay! Well for that matter, so did the Creations shop!  Yay again!  Anyway, goals:

Creations shop:

My number one best seller (Yes, Edi) was my coasters!  With my cup cozies a near second.  So, this year I want to add some new designs and some new fabrics.  I have mostly used all cotton fabrics, but want to add a linen look coaster line to my offerings.  Also want to add some novelty fabrics, since customers at shows have often asked for specialty fabrics. So the goal is to expand this line. I also want to do more of the double and triple types:

Supply shop:

One of my best sellers in this shop was the vintage fabrics.  They are hard to find, but I intend to continue looking in all the estate sales that I can and maybe advertise for them.  They are so fun to find; fun to sell; and I feel like I am providing new life for a forgotten item--sort of my way of re-purposing them!

Personal Goals:

Now, for my personal goal.  I get a little bored making items for selling and then storing them until they sell.  This is OK, but in doing that, I get caught up in the selling and neglect my first love--quilting!  I want to make beautiful quilts. Art quilts!  In the past, I have used what pieces of fabric and scraps that I had and made do---making utilitarian practical quilts.  They turn our just fine with my creative abilities, but my heart longs to purchase fabrics specifically planned for a specific design!  I have always been too practical and purchased fabrics on sale,  fabrics that could double for my supply shop and my quilt making.  Nothing wrong with that, but I want to go . . . .

  . . . . . extravagant this year! 

I'd like to try some new fabrics, not just cotton, for quilting.  Something with a sheen that I can use for appliqued quilts, getting away from lattice and square designs.  I want to try applique, curved piecing and textured trims couched on the quilt. I want to try using specialty threads for the actual quilting.  I have so many ideas! I have already started a vintage doily quilt which I am excited about!  Here's a sneak peek:

So . . . . Goal of the year!  Ta Da!

Go extravagant, don't focus on the selling, focus on the vision of beautiful creativity! It will be much more fun!

Looking Forward

Again today, I deviate from the Abby story to post my Etsyblogger Carnival post for the month:

The year 2009 was so bad that I am not looking back. I'm letting it go and mustering all the hope I can for 2010. Economic situations for everyone were not what we hoped, so I am looking forward to what the new year will bring. Some of my hopes and dreams:

1) My husband is in a dead-end (and a stop-gap) job that he took just because he needed something! It doesn't meet our needs so we are living with family. This year he needs a GOOD permanent job! We have several prospects, so with the job market still tight, we are hoping!

2) I have always dreamed of and want to purchase a piece of country property, much like I am writing about in my 'Abby' series in this blog. I want to have a small rural family farm.

3) I want to expand my business interests. I'm thinking of expanding one of my items to place in brick and mortar stores on a wholesale basis. This will be a new adventure for me, exciting!

4) I hope to design a line of country linens and kitchen towels, also for future expansion.

These may seem like lofty plans or dreams, but without hope, our lives are just no fun!

Happy New Year!

I can't believe it's 2010!

.

I remember when,

I thought 2000 we'd never reach!

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Now it's a decade later,

And I'm no spring peach,

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Much faster these days,

time seems to fly

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My resolution to make memorible

And sweet each day as it goes by.

New Year is Almost Here!

With the new year closing in on us so quickly, I've been pondering what I want to do that is NEW! Not new years resolutions, per say, but just how I want to live life differently. My hubby has a list of things he's planning i.e. exercise to lose some weight, put more time into his job hunting project, start a new line of curriculum, etc. For me, I just want to eat better, more healthy. I have been conscience of my choices for some time, but I can do better--that's just tweeking the old.

To find the NEW part, I've turned my crafting! I've started a new line of jewelry for my design shop. Although I will be using some of my existing bead stock, I'm purchasing some new natural stones, lampwork beads, and some beautiful new clasps! I'm excited about what the results will be! Here's one of the first designs: (You know me, I'm partial to PINK!)

For my handcrafts shop, I have decided to perfect my old cozy design, create a knitting needle carrier, and, thanks to my daughter's idea, design a new toy especially for boys. Of course, all will be previewed here and in my Etsy shops!!