STEPHIE'S BEADS AND BAUBLES

I am always excited about a new year !! There is nothing more promising then a fresh start, and the new year is the big one , the biggest fresh start we get, once every 52 weeks. The newness of the fresh year passes quickly as do many of our resolutions !! Regardless of that, I still find inspiration every new year to start over and do better this year.

I read on another blog that we should all have a word for the new year. One word that will be our inspiration for the year. I have been thinking about it, and I have a phrase instead.

Be better than I was  last year.

Thats it. Just work on being better. Do better than last year. Pay off more bills than we did last year. Lose more weight than we did last year. Work on great projects and do more stretching and growing in my art than last year.

Be a better wife, mom, grandma, friend, blogger, artist, than I was last year.

If that sounds vague, I really do not mean it too. I want to stretch myself in many ways. Step out of my comfort zone a bit. Do what I really want to do, not what I think will sell.

I am fairly certain, for at least a while, I will shut down my Etsy store. If it is open, there will not be much in it. I have not sold much this year.

I looked at this year vs last year.

Last year, 2014 I had 3, 217 views of my Etsy shop. I sold 29 orders which resulted in $753.06 in sales.

This year 2015. I had 2,263 views of my Etsy shop. I sold 18 orders which resulted in $432.33 in sales.

This really is upsetting as I did much nicer pieces,  used better materials and worked much harder this year.

So, 2016 is about what I want to do. What I want to make. I am not going to even think about sales at this point.

I adore my beaded ornaments, and using seed beads, sequins and felt to create lovely things. So, that is what I plan to do. I have so many sequins and seed beads it is almost obscene. I will do a post where I show exactly what I have. It is a LOT.

I am seriously considering making kits up for some of my beaded items and selling the kids on Etsy. I plan to write more, finish my book, write more here and maybe look at other writing oportunities as well.

I want to draw again. I used to draw a lot, but stopped along the way while raising four kids.

Some of the big projects we are working on, finishing our kitchen reno and repairing, which is almost rebuilding our picket fence around our 90 year old house. I plan to write a lot more on my other blog, Our Cute Vintage Cottage, which should have a link on the side, and will soon if it is not there.

We have a lot to do around here and we want to make her pretty again, fix her up and really enjoy the house. We were gone for 22 months, have been back a year and a half and she has seen some neglect that just cannot be ignored. It is time to make this cute old house pretty again and make our yards look like a park again.

My husband and I want to lose some weight and get in better shape. We are restarting our low carb diets. We  may join a new gym opening here in our town.

A lot to accomplish but the goal is to be better, not to get it all done perfectly. We will get a lot done. Maybe all of some of the things and part of others, but that is okay.

We will just do better than we did this year !!!

What are you goals for 2016 ? Do you have a word or phrase for the new year ??

Thanks for making my 2015  nice with all your support !!!

Stephie