This month I’m revisiting posts about my Projects. And I also have a section on my website for capturing even more information. I’ll let you know about that towards the end of this post.
I have lots of hobbies, many of which take me away from my blog, unfortunately. It’s funny how my hobby time has evolved over my retirement. In my first year, I couldn’t read enough. Then I spent more time sewing. I picked up my cross stitching and knitting again. But my biggest hobby change has become card making. My plan is to write about that in more detail since it’s become such a big part (and expense) of my life.
Organization
I’ll begin with this smaller category that fits nicely with Projects – Organization. I haven’t done as much with it as I had intended and most of what I’ve done was within the first year.
Check out my Organization Aids tab to see what I’ve shared. I spent a lot of time pulling together the content for a Personal Information Binder. It’s a big part of how I keep our information organized today. I even wrote a post explaining it. I don’t know how much attention it’s had, but I feel many of you could probably benefit from it.
I’ve also shared a grocery shopping template. I love using this when I do my shopping. And it’s completely tailorable to meet anyone’s unique needs.
Also related to Organization, I’ve talked about my Studio, which is just a spare bedroom. It took me a while to come up with the name because it has so many purposes – sewing, cardmaking, office, blogging. Studio has stuck. Then during the pandemic, I made a big Studio Upgrade, which I love. But there’s never enough space.
Reading and Cross Stitch
Several of my project-related posts have been focused on two challenges – reading and cross stitching. I would create goals every year and then track how well I was meeting them. Here’s a list of those posts.
2019
By the way, all of these were also noted in February’s lookback for the category Books.
- My 2019 Challenges Update – 1Q
- My 2019 Challenges Update – 2Q
- My 2019 Challenges Update – 3Q
- My 2019 Challenges Update – Final
2020
The first two of these posts were highlighted in the Books category in February.
In 2021 and 2022, I’ve pretty much been winging it. I still have goals, but I’m not tracking them quite as much or working extra hard to meet them. Especially as I took a pretty long break from cross-stitching at the end of 2021 into early 2022. But I’m definitely back at it. So stay tuned for some updates in the future.
I can share a cross-stitch project that’s half done. I’ve been working on it all year and decided to focus on something else for a while. I’ve spent over 200 hours on it so far.
I don’t have any posts dedicated to knitting, but I’ve included updates on those projects throughout other posts, making it difficult for me to find them.
I also took part in a couple of cross-stitch challenges through social media groups.
Sewing
One thing I vowed to do once I retired was to spend more time experimenting with my sewing machine. I’d had it since 2004 but had never taken the time to truly understand everything it could do. In 2019, I finally took the time. You can read about it here.
I also posted about some projects I finished. I made matching pillows and a table runner. In 2019, Tim asked me to make him a t-shirt quilt from his running shirts. To get started, I took an introductory class. But I’ve yet to make the quilt, which he periodically reminds me of. 🙄
Finally, have you ever started a project and found out you didn’t really like it? I had that happen with a table runner. I vowed to finish it, but I’m not using it as a table runner. It’s on the back of my desk chair!!
Card Making
While this is probably where I spend most of my time, I’ve written very little about it. Hopefully, that will change. The most I’ve written about so far is Stamp Joy, which is coming up again in a week. It’s an event put on by Taylored Expressions and last year was the first time I attended in person. I’m so excited to go this year.
Project Gallery
I recently updated my Project Gallery page, so be sure to check it out. You’ll see examples of my sewing, cross-stitching, knitting, and LOTS of cards. Let me know what you think!!
Your cross stich is gorgeous! I have a lot of unfinsihed projects hanging around. I always start with enthusiasm, then lose interest. One thing I’ve done in retirement is get real about projects I’ll actually do. If it’s not in the cards, I pass on the items (beads, fabric, etc.) that I bought to someone who can use them. Our local Buy Nothing group is great for that.
I wonder if we have a Buy Nothing group here. I have sold some things before in a garage sale and have donated some to Goodwill but I still have a good size stash. It doesn’t seem to stop me from buying more although I have slowed down on cross stitch buying and am actually working on projects from that stash.
My wife’s most recent project for me is to cut pumpkin shapes out of wood for her to decorate with. We were able to collect some nice wood scraps from the curb during a recent bulk trash pickup day in the area. I plan on getting them cut out this weekend so she can begin the painting.
That sounds like a fun project. Good luck with it!!