Explore 2016

Where less will be more.

 

RECAP

Last year I decided to continue with the theme of Explore. We finished renovating the house in Ashcroft, purged a lot of our belongings, sold the house without listing it, and moved to Kamloops on July 1. The Spousal Unit had to start chemotherapy for his cancer in the fall. Explore 2015 went out the window quite quickly due to all of this. It was quite the year and one we hope not to repeat for a few years.

EXPLORE 2016

I will continue to explore again this year with the theme of less is more. Though we purged, we still have too much in certain areas of the house. It needs to be dealt with as we redo each room in the house. Plans will be made and they can be broken or unplanned if necessary.

 

Lifestyle

Lifestyle will be the forefront once again. As we age, we need to take care of ourselves.

• Exercise - I walk a good distance most days at work and lift bolts of fabric on a daily basis. I want to get out and walk the River Trail three times a week and then begin my running program again.
• Eating healthy with a once a week treat. Loose weight. I need to keep the stress levels down.
• Support the Spousal Unit who continues undergoing chemo treatment. He should be done in February and will need time to regain his strength.
• Update the upstairs of the house one room at a time. Take my time and not set a deadline.

Sewing

It was a dry year for sewing in 2015. I was fine with that until late October. The closer I got to upgrading the sewing room, the more I wanted to sew. I allowed myself to sew some Christmas gifts to fill the void. Now, I want to:

• Watch Craftsy classes and start building slopers for myself. I see this as the best way to get good fitting patterns.  
• Sew the stash up either for myself or give away some of the fabric I don't want. I have a lot of fabric I love, some I don't and a few pieces that are iffy. I do know some of the fabric will be used when I make slopers and will more than likely be trashed.
• Build a wardrobe of simple clothing items. This is beginning to look interesting. Working in a fabric store allows me to sew clothing to display and promote fabrics in the store once a month. As I look at what I want to make, I see a style emerging thanks to a few blogs I read and what other employees wear in the store. I see leggings/slim pants in Ponte and other stretch fabric so I can bend and move easier. I also am seeing longer tops in knits and crepes and maybe items in fleece, boiled wool and a lovely faux suede. Maybe I will get a 6 PAC made.
• Make the Spousal Unit shirts. I have a lot of fabric on hand for him and he needs a lot more shirts in the closet.

Knitting

• Start a new course to stretch my knitting. Basics, Basics, Basics or Taming Your Tension from The Knitting Guild Association.
• Finish knitting the yarn for charity.
• Start knitting for myself - socks, hats, scarves, mittens and a sweater
• Knit for Grandson, Daughter, Daughter-in-Law

Crafting

• Work on photo albums.
• Use up the craft/quilting cotton. Begin Christmas Once A Month and make several of the same items out of cottons until that stash is used up. Sell those items at a craft bazaar.

This year I plan on continuing the purging to have the More Is Less theme in our house. It seems to get easier with time. What is left requires me to be more creative in my thought process but ideas do come to me on what to do.

 

Welcome 2016

Bring on What You Have In Store For Me