2020 Plans

In the recap of my 2019 challenges, I said I would soon share my plans for 2020. As usual, I’m probably overly optimistic about what I can achieve. But hey, if we don’t stretch ourselves a little, what’s the point? Even if I can only do 90% of this, I think I’m still accomplishing quite a bit.

Reading

I’ve upped my reading goal for the year from 30 books to 35. Considering I was able to read 32 books in 2019, I think 35 is realistic.

At the beginning of last year, I created a list of 20 books I wanted to read, in addition to those selected by my book club throughout the year. I read all but four on that list. I also read some that weren’t on the list. So those four carried forward to my 2020 list.

I again created a list of 20 books for this year. All but four are in my stash of books to read, so I shouldn’t have to purchase much. Always a good thing.

I’m currently reading my third book of the year and I’d like to finish it by the end of January to stay on track. However, I picked “Insomnia” by Stephen King and if you’re a fan of his, you know his books are long. This is a paperback with small print and 663 pages!! But I can already tell I’m going to like it. I’ll just need to find time to read other than before bed!!

Cross stitch

I haven’t been doing so well so far this month, so I need to pick up the pace to meet my goals for the year.

I’m participating in an ABC Challenge where you pick projects for every letter of the alphabet. My plan was to pick 12 of the 26 letters, but I ended up with 14. Fourteen is still a lot of projects!! I tried to find large and small ones, as well as a few kits, to make it more manageable. I’m also not very good at working on more than one project at a time. I think I just don’t like a lot of loose ends.

I’ve actually now increased the number of projects to 15. My friend Mark’s live-in girlfriend passed away at the end of December and he wants me to finish a project she started. He said my blog inspired her to pick up cross-stitching again, so how could I say no? 😢

She was working on a Sticks design called Play Golf. (If you remember, I’ve done a few of their designs myself.) It’s really an honor to be able to finish it and even though he said “no hurry”, that’s all I’ve stitched on so far this month. I’ve managed to put in somewhere around 12 hours and it’s looking good. I’ll share before and after pictures once I’ve finished it.

This upcoming weekend is the first #24hoursofcrossstitch weekend. I’m excited about it as I’m expecting to make great progress and make up for my lack of stitching earlier in the month. Maybe I can get Play Golf finished. Except there are beads too. I’ve come to dislike beads. 😣

Baking

A new challenge for myself this year will be baking a few things I’ve never had the nerve to try. My list so far is pretty small and we said “no baking” in January and have managed to stick to it. (We both need to lose a few pounds.)

So, here’s what’s on my baking challenge list (so far). I may add some things to it. We’ve been watching “The Great British Baking Show” and I’ve learned about all kinds of different things to bake. So many things I’ve never heard of. Wow!!

  • Cinnamon rolls – I don’t know that this is a huge challenge but I’ve always wanted to make these and for some reason, have shied away from it. This is the year and will probably be the first thing I make.
  • Macarons – When I was treadmilling regularly last fall, I caught up on the “Kids Baking Championship”. That show really makes me feel inadequate!! This seems like something I need to try. I’ve already purchased a silicon mat with marks to help make them uniform.
  • Eclairs – This has been on my list but just the other night we watched an episode of the above-mentioned baking show and they made eclairs. Theirs were much fancier than I intend to make but I think I might have picked up a few tips.
  • Ciabatta bread – I recently made focaccia bread, so how hard can ciabatta bread be? I also want to try an artisan bread in my dutch oven. Does that count as two challenges?
  • Crepes – I want to try these stuffed with Nutella. Ooh, might have to be a reward if I can lose those pounds!! I also need a crepe pan before I can make these.
  • Lobster ravioli – I guess this is more cooking than baking, but it made the list. The first time I ever had lobster ravioli was when I attended a conference/class in Charlotte, North Carolina. I will never forget how yummy it was. Now I want to replicate that. I’ve learned how to make my own pasta plus I got a pasta maker for Christmas. Is that cheating? Regardless, I can’t wait to try it out. I think the secret will be the sauce and I hope I can find a good recipe. Any tips?

I’ve created a Pinterest board (actually, a section within my Recipe Box board) with one recipe for each of my baking challenges, except the cinnamon rolls because I’ve been collecting those for years (in the Breads section of my board Recipe Box). If you’d like to follow along, I’ll post to that board/section as I find new recipes or add new challenges.

If you have any suggestions for something else I should try, let me know!! It’s fun to try new things.

Other plans

I don’t have defined challenges in mind for my sewing, knitting or card making, but I do have plans, mostly in my head.

For sewing, I need to finish up the four project bags I have planned. I need those for all those cross stitch projects!! This will be my first sewing project of the year, once I finish the cards I’m making for February. Maybe later this week?

Tim has also asked me to make him a t-shirt quilt, which I talked about previously after I went to a class. The biggest challenge with this will be to figure out how to cut and organize the t-shirts and then determine the additional fabrics I’ll need. It’s kind of a daunting project, but probably one I just need to start.

No definite plans for knitting, although I am currently making a baby afghan for my oldest niece who is expecting her first baby in May. Time in the car helps me make progress. Tim finally has his surgery next Tuesday, so I’ll need to decide if I knit or read while he’s under the knife. I’ll take both and see what works the best!!

We also decided to make scrapbooks for the grandkids through their 18th birthdays. That’s a ways away, but we need to catch up. Almost five years for Carly and almost eight for Brady. We’ve been working on choosing the pictures which is a nightmare because there are too many!! The book could end up being a foot thick!

Tim has been working on the pictures (after I had about 200 printed at Walgreens, fortunately with a coupon for ten cents a picture) and he’s given me creative license with the scrapbook itself. It will be tough picking the right pictures but I guess we can’t really go wrong because they’re all good. Not sure when I’ll get started on the actual scrapbooking part. I just feel good that we finally have the pictures.

Every year, I try to make gifts for my friends and family. I’m still searching for ideas for this year. I have a few but I need to refine them and then figure out what I can realistically do. Hey friends and family – what would you like?

I want to make sure whatever I make is wanted and needed by each recipient. I suspect I get more pleasure out of giving them than they do receiving them. I know they appreciate the effort, but I want them to be excited about what I give them.

Well, it’s a busy year ahead and I need to get going.

But first, I have to finish those February cards. 😍

21 thoughts on “2020 Plans”

  1. Hi Linda – you’re another one of those intentional people (like Pat) who have so many interesting projects lined up for the year. I’m at the other end of the spectrum where I’m just filling my days with things I enjoy and then looking back at them at the end of the month and hoping I’ve achieved something worthwhile in the process!
    Maybe as I settle more into this retirement gig I’ll find the need to be more ordered in my plans, but for now I’m enjoying the change of pace and the fact that every day belongs to me – bliss!

    1. I wish I could be more spontaneous but I need a plan. I actually enjoy the planning process itself as it’s fun to consider all the options and then decide what to focus on. The good thing is, these are my goals and if something needs to change, it’s not a big deal. Life happens and this is my year to adapt!! Thanks Leanne.

  2. I’ve set a book read goal for myself this year also. Mine is 52, but I’m a fast reader. I enjoy spending time (at the beach, curled up on the couch) just sitting and reading. I’d rather read than watch TV. I will see how things go since I’m well into January and only have 3 books read.

    Another goal for me is to cook something “new” each week. That’s not been the easiest to get started either, but I’m going to keep trying!

    Very curious about the A to Z challenge…is it all on one type of project area (like cross stitch) of just 26 projects in general? One of my winter to-do is to finish a cross-stitch project that I’ve had going for about 10 years!

    1. I love to read on the beach or anywhere outside. I rarely watch TV during the day. And at night, I’m working on some type of needlework so I listen more than I watch.
      Cooking something new each week sounds tough. We’ve tried to check out new recipes but in a pinch, tend to go with the old standbys.
      The ABC Challenge is all cross stitch. As I start making progress, I’ll share more about how it works. I hope you can get that project of yours finally finished!!

    1. Been cross stitching for over 30 years and before that I did embroidery. Much prefer the cross stitching. You can see some of my completed projects in my Project Gallery page or follow me on Instagram where I post a lot of in progress and completed pictures. Do you post any of your projects anywhere?

      1. Well, I’m a ‘small time designer’ and do market some of my own designs so there’s almost always something posted on my blog page. Hadn’t thought about just posting ‘finished’ pieces anywhere, but my house is full of them. Maybe I’ll think about doing that.
        Grace & Peace,Iris
        http://www.IrisOriginalsRamblings.com

  3. Linda, you’ve always been so organized! I’m so impressed!
    I’m working on a jigsaw puzzle called “The Quilting Table”. That is about as crafty as I get (in other words, not at all!).
    I do read quite a bit (in a book club, also) but I have never counted how many books I read in a year.
    My sewing machine is rarely used except when someone wants to borrow it. Ha!
    Good goal setting, my friend!

    1. I like to have something to guide me so I can be active and efficient. I’ve probably never been quite as organized with my projects as I have been the last couple of years. It’s fun to have a plan and then see what I actually accomplish. Good luck with that jigsaw puzzle. I love doing those but don’t take the time!!

  4. I wish I felt as energetic as you. I am thinking about taking up needlepoint again although I’ll have to go to the next town over to get my supplies.

    I’ve already started a journey down a writing path that is different from the one I’ve been taking for several years.

    1. I have to get most of my supplies online these days. I used to love browsing in my local store on a Saturday afternoon and usually came home with lots of goodies. My stash proves that!!

      I’m curious about your different writing path. Will check it out. Thanks for commenting!!

  5. I like your realistic approach, Linda. You are right. We can stretch ourselves, yet be happy if we get close to our goals. I actually enjoy reading Stephen King. This is almost a guilty pleasure. I have put “Insomnia” on my list. I do most of my reading when we are camping, unplugged. The ereader stays charged for a very long time. The baked goods sound amazing. For me, the cinnamon rolls are a huge treat. Our family really enjoys working with photos as gifts. Many of us use Costco for the prints with great results and good on our budget. Great post! You have helped me with suggestions on where I should place my priorities.

    1. Photos as gifts is a great idea especially with just the right frame. We aren’t Costco members but it seems I’m finding more reasons all the time to join!!
      I’m excited to get started with my baking. I’m not worried about the cinnamon rolls but I assume I could have a few flops with the others. Will share all the successes and failures!! 😳

  6. You are ambitious! I don’t set specific goals, but I am with you on the baking/cooking. So many things I’ve never tried. I guess I could at least make a list of the most likely candidates. That might not hurt.

    1. Linda, I am so excited that you are reading Insomnia! Next to the Stand, it’s my favorite Stephen King book. I think I’ve re-read it 3 times and I always find something more to love…mostly about Ralph Roberts and of course his friend Lois. All of your projects sound fun, and I so admire all your talent.

      1. I had no idea you’d rank it after The Stand. I’ve had the book for years but I think it always gets buried somewhere. I have to find more time to read!!

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