So I’m a horrible blogger. I totally have been neglecting
the blog here in the past month. I apologize- sometimes life gets in the way, sometimes (like
this past hiatus) you just don’t have the energy to do much of anything. Motivation is key when blogging is concerned.
I can name all the excuses in the book this time around- having a cold/sinus
infection (which I'm still battling), doing a theater production (longest 3
weekends ever!), having the winter blues, working a lot at my full-time job (even
throughout all the snowstorms we’ve gotten) and just all around having the
feeling of not doing much of anything.
With the show I did in January over finally, and no theater production personally planned
to happen in the next few months (hubs is in a show Feb-March, so I'll have a lot of lonely nights by myself to get some DIY/blogging done), I plan to get back on the blogging bandwagon. I have
projects that I hope will keep me busy over the next few months in and around the
home, along with some crafting projects that I’ve been neglecting.
I’m going to be honest here with ya’ll- some days I just don’t
feel like doing much of anything- and that makes me feel horrible. I’m one of
those people who likes to have plans, to be busy and have projects to always
do- I get bored just sitting mindlessly watching tv (hence why we haven’t had
cable in 5 years- I have to go out of my way to watch tv shows on Netflix or
Hulu). But for some reason, 2014 has really put me in a downer mood, and I’m
not 100% sure why. Maybe I just put sooooo much effort into planning our New Year’s party that I got burned out with being crafty, maybe it is the
after-holiday blues, maybe it is the crummy constantly snowing weather- I’m not
sure. All I know is I have to do something about it and get back on the horse.
Looking back at 2013, I got a lot done. But that just makes this slow start to 2014 more noticeable to me!
Here are my top Instagrams of 2013:
Now, looking forward to a new year, here are 14 plans for 2014 that I hope to do in the coming months (I hope this will encourage me to keep up with it all):
- Re-organize/purge/clean my craft room/spare bedroom: This room currently looks like a bomb hit it after the holiday season finished up. I have so many crafting products I don't use and I am determined to get this room cleaned up, so I can actually use it. Hubs claims he will help me build a crafting table if I figure out a good setup and/or layout to the room. Eventually we will be moving the bed from our other spare bedroom into this room (whenever we decide to try having a kid- that room becomes a baby room), so we are debating moving the bed in there to start, so we don't build something that won't work shortly from now.
This was pre-Christmas time. Organized chaos- with a lot of un-necessary items that need to be purged. - Create a new living room/tv setup with possible DIY computer desks: So no matter how many times I try to convince myself that having my computer upstairs will work- it doesn't. I enjoy spending my computer time in the same room as my hubs, so having my computer upstairs is just so lonely. Hubs suggested that we move our current dual bookcases that are downstairs up to the spare bedroom/craft room (meaning more storage for me!) and make a long computer desk for both our computers on either side of the TV. This project would cost less than $200 to do- if we got the cubes from IKEA or WalMart. ;)
Bookcases currently- possibly making way for desks instead! - Keep up with Project Life for this year: Since it is only February, I hope to get my January Project Life going, so I can get a better system going for it (along with getting photos actually printed in a timely manner, instead of having to get an entire year's worth printed at once- spending WAY too much to get them all printed at that time). I failed miserably with it last year, so I hope to start things off right (once I have a clear desk space to do so). *fingers crossed*
Project Life isn't hard, you just have to keep up with it and get pictures printed...
- Plan an awesome Roaring 20's Party: So hubs and I were going to host a Roaring 20's dual birthday party in the middle of March (my bday is end of Feb., hubs bday is end of March), however with him being cast in a show that runs Feb. 28-March 23rd, that plan went out the window. So we made the quick decision to push the party up a month and are planning to host it before his show goes up (eek!). That being said, I have a LOT to do between now and the 22nd- so starting today I am planning to kick it into high gear to get this party planned. Prohibition, Gangsters, Speakeasy clubs, Flappers...Eeek!
- Fix up the backyard/deck and make a better outdoor paradise: Our poor cute benches for our deck have not faired well in the weather, and therefore didn't make it through one whole year ;( That being said- I now have to redo my thoughts for setting up our backyard. I hope that in the next few months I can get a setup I like and make it lovely come summer (though with all the snow- I might not be able to really do much till summer!)
These poor benches didn't last through the winter, no matter how we tried. ;( If we had the space to take them indoors, they would of, but we didn't have the room in our shed. 
So this deck is getting a redo this summer, if I can help it. 
Boring backyard in need of an update! - Plan our last "big trip" before we start to try having a kid: So hubs and I have decided that at the end of the year we hope to start trying to get pregnant. We agreed that we wanted to do one last big trip before we tried having a child. I *think* I have an idea of what we want to do, but we have to a) save up the money for it and b) actually book the trip. The video gaming geeks in us hope to go to Blizzcon this year, but we will not know the actual days of Blizzcon till spring- so we will just have to wait to actually book our flights/hotels/other activities till then- boo!
- Redo my online portfolio website and resume: I am way overdue to do this- as my online portfolio has been wonky for a while- time to get the puppy into gear and showcase my actual graphic design talents properly. I want to make this a better resource to send people to who want freelance work from me. www.morgainefordworkman.com/portfolio
- Make a "Sleeping Beauty" outfit and plan my 'activity': A friend of mine runs the children's events at our local Barnes & Nobles, and has asked her fellow "theater friends" to help out on their Fairytale day- dress up as a fairytale character and either read your tale/sing a song/do an activity, etc. I hope to bring Sleeping Beauty to life this time around (I was Wendy from Peter Pan last time), so I have to work on my outfit/activity still. I was determined to be a princess this time around- everyone deserves to feel like one once in a while- lol!
Was Glinda at a Tony Awards party last year- I hope to reuse the dress to be Sleeping Beauty... 
I think I can make my pink dress work for Sleeping Beauty... - Get all those "sucky" appointments done: Eye doctor, Vet, Car inspection, Drivers License Photo taken- all that boring stuff that really needs to get done- yeah, I really need to actually do that!
Wendy is ok with me taking my time in making her vet appointment... - Cook more and try new recipes: Since hubs is in a show (with rehearsals starting now) straight through March, that means I need to cook more (shudder- I hate cooking), but I hope to try new things this year! Maybe I'll also try making a better lighting setup, so I can photograph my cooking creations too!
I gotta learn to cook something other than standard pasta dishes... - Clean out my closet (for real) this time: My friends want to have another Sip and Swap party this year, so I need to do some serious cleaning out of my closet- I still have way too many clothes I don't wear. Time to purge!
Last year's Sip & Swap haul... I need to purge more from my closet to make room for new stuff! - Finish some DIY projects that still have been only 1/2 finished: I need to finish our large wall clock (made from wood from an old vanity), also I have a black chandelier waiting to be finished for our dining room (I also have to find someone who knows wiring to help me take down the ceiling fan that this chandelier will replace). I also have a big gray wood box a co-worker made that I need to finish- he wanted music notes on the inside and outside, so I need to get that project going. (he didn't give me a deadline- which is a problem for me- deadlines keep me going!)
Remember this from last year? Yeah...still haven't finished the project... - Finish decor in powder room: Right now it is in an ok phase, but I really want to stencil the walls (have all the supplies- just need to do it now) of the powder room. I also need to actually sew the sink skirt- the sticky backs are coming off of the double sided velcro- so it just keeps falling down now. (DIY fail!) ;(
Wendy says "Why haven't you finished this room!?" - Paint tall dresser and end table for Master Bedroom: We recently re-arranged our bedroom, so our new setup includes furniture from our spare bedroom- so now it all is mis-matched. I want to paint them all BLACK to match the rest of the furniture in that room. lol
This is what happens when we re-arrange our bedroom furniture. Wendy decides to claw climb to the top of the box spring...
Now I'm sure I have many more things on my todo list, but these are the top ones. We shall see if I actually complete them this year. ;)
-M
