Etsymetal blog carnival: New Year's Resolutions

Welcome to our EtsyMetal monthly Blog Carnival!

Blog Carnival is about a group of our members sharing their experience on a common topic.

New Year's Resolutions!

It's that time of year again to try and make and keep some resolutions, mine are generally always the same!

1. Learn some new jewellery techniques, I want to do some more stone setting this is year and crank out some pieces with stones, I am getting quite a collection!
2. Stick to the 'Earring a Day' challenge, I am always super motivated at the beginning of the year and then I fizzle out.  This year it is to make one earring everyday for the year and then put them in my Etsy shop under the asymmetrical section.
3. Get to 1000 sales in my Etsy shop! Not sure that will happen this year though but you never know! :)
4. Learn more jewellery skills in general, I am completely self taught so always learning.
5. Be happy! less anxious and don't sweat the small stuff. Try and be more positive.
6. Be organised, especially in my studio!
7. The usual, lose weight, eat healthy and stop biting my nails!

Earring a Day 1-4

Check out resolutions from other members of the Etsymetal team:

2 Roses

Beth Cyr

Fenton design

LjBjewelry

Markasky

Nodeform

EtsyMetal blog carnival

Welcome to our EtsyMetal monthly Blog Carnival!

Blog Carnival is about a group of our members sharing their experience on a common topic

Topic: New Years Resolutions!

Happy New Year! I always start the New Year with lots of resolutions to keep, whether I stick to them is another matter!

This year is no different of course but I hope to stick to as many as possible.

1, Lose some weight! of course I always start with this one, time to shift some pounds gained over Christmas and a bit more besides.  Also to become more active, I really want to start running, at the min I can possibly manage 10 meters without passing out. *snort*

2, Stop biting my nails.  Yes I have done this all of my life, it is a horrible habit but at the same time I enjoy doing it! Gross I know and my nails look beyond terrible bit I can't help it.  I would love to have nice nails to paint, so maybe this is the year!?

3, Start a creative challenge and stick to it.  This year is Brooch a Week and I have successfully completed week 1.  This is the first time I have ever made a pin/brooch and I like how it turned out.

Brooch a Week, wk1

4, Learn new skills.  I keep saying that I want to make rings and I will!  I need to practice more as I would really like to start adding some to my Etsy shop. Watch this space. Edited to say that I want to learn stone setting too, I forgot about this and was reminded yesterday when I received some lovely stones to use in the mail.

5, Be a more positive person.  I need to be more happy. Towards the end of last year I realised I was getting grumpier and grumpier and little things and people were annoying me pretty much most of the time. I need to have a more positive outlook and I am determined to not be as grumpy this year.

6, Be more sociable.  I tend to be a bit of a loner and I don't go out as much anymore but I think it's because I like my own company and to do my own thing, my partner is kind of the same so we are a good match!

7, Be more frugal.  I am a bit of spender and I like the idea of being more frugal and saving a bit more than I do.  I have been reading Frugal Queens blog and it is very interesting and a bit of an eye opener!  I won'r be as extreme but it has some great tips.

I think that is enough to be getting on with for now, see what other members of the team have in store for this years resolutions and goals.

Laura Jane Bouton

2Roses

Deborah Lee Taylor

Mary Anne Karen

Theresa Kwong

Danielle Miller

Nodeform

SilentGoddess

New Year's Resolutions

I thought I would make some resolutions this year and er, actually try and stick to them.  My list seems pretty big! I am obviously not satisfied about the way things are right now!

Here goes....
1. Stop biting my nails, yes this is my resolution every year.  I have bitten my nails pretty much ever since I can remember, I have never had nice nails.  I bite them to the point where they hurt and sometimes I can barely see nail, pretty gross I know. So far 3 days with no biting, go me!

2.  Lose weight & get fit, this is another resolution I make every year....so far the healthy eating is yet to start.

3.  Read 25 books, first I thought read 100 and then I thought, impossible! then 50 and even that is 1 a week so no life there.  I think 25 is a reasonable number and my sister and I decided we are going to do this one together.

4.  Say 'I Love You' more, just because it is a nice thing to do.

5.  Get another 50 sales in my Etsy Shop, well a bit far fetched but you never know....

6.  Join a challenge on Flickr, and stick to it.  I joined FAM, should be interesting.  A good way to help with achieving No.5.

7.  Blog at least 3 times a week, and get more followers in the process.

8.  Go to the dentist, I hate the dentist....a lot.

I think that is it so far, I will see at the end of the year how many I have achieved!

2009 Recap

I thought it would be a cool idea to have a look back at 2009, a little recap if you like of what was happening in my world! :)

January
I had just opened my current shop on Etsy so I was busy getting stocked up and working on my photo's (always something to improve on there!) I also made a resolution to blog more, I think I stuck to it :)

February
In February I started to move away from polymer clay and work with silver clay.  I ordered my kiln which arrived the day I went on holiday ( I nearly didnt want to go but stay at home and play with the kiln!)  I went to visit my mum in France, very cold but a lovely break away from it all.

March
I returned from my holiday and got busy with my kiln, yeah!  I also took part in Earth Hour turning all of the lights out for 1 hour.  I am a bit scared of the dark so I was sitting in the pitch black on my own with a couple of candles, good times!
It was also the month I discovered the awesome Shay Aaron and sadly Jade Goody died from her battle against cervical cancer.

April
I left all my pals at Lloyds TSB and moved back up to Northampton from Southend on Sea.  We used to move a lot with my boyfriends job as a pub manager.

May
In May I gave my thoughts on Precious Metal Clay while beavering away on new designs.  I was also cut off from the internet for a while when my boyfriend reclined the sofa on my laptop power cord.  Expensive they are too!

June
I went to York for the first time and loved it! we had lunch in the most haunted pub in Europe (apparently) I took a few photos but didn't capture anything :(  I have a slight obsession with ghosts and love all the t.v programs about them.  It was also the month of the very shocking death of Michael Jackson.  I have been fan since I was child so this was tough, MJ was a legend. RIP
I also had my first go with bronze clay and I joined the Etsy Metal Clay team.  The best thing I could have done, I love my team mates they are an amazing source of inspiration and knowledge.  Go EMC!

July
I had a nasty bout of flu, eugh, I think I was ill for about 2 weeks, not good!  It was also my sisters graduation, Dani graduated with first class honours so celebrations all round.  I also re-designed my cake topper website.

August
In August someone crashed their car into our pub below our bedroom window, that was one hell of a wake up call at 7am!
I also went to visit my mum again in France this time we took my boyfriends son James and this time it was also lovely and hot!
I also participated in my first charm swap with the EMC team.

September
I was really busy with the wedding season making cake toppers.  It was also the month my boyfriend got laid off work and we decided to up sticks and move to France! (as you do) A big decision but a
very good one.  Road trip!

October
September and October was not very good for me creative wise as all my studio was packed up in boxes still.  I think I went without creating for about a month, serious withdrawals there!

November
We moved into our own apartment, yay! This meant I was able to get my clay out again.  I bought a new desk from Ikea and got cracking.
I was also on the front page of Etsy, in the gift guides, featured twice on craft gawker, had 3 sales, bought a mannequin head and I got an ad on Regretsy!

December
Last but not least, in December I made new pieces, discovered some new favourite Etsy sellers and got some awesome Christmas Presents.

I am now set up for the New year and looking forward to what 2010 brings :)

Happy 2010

Wow that came round fast, I cant believe it has been 10 years already since millennium eve!
I think 2009 was a pretty good year for me but I am hoping 2010 will be even better. I want my Etsy shop to keep growing, I want to expand my line and work on some wholesale figures. So much to do so little time!

I have been thinking about New Years resolutions they always seem to be the same for me, eat less, exercise more blah de blah. Maybe I will stick to those this year and and achieve some new ones along the way :)

P.s Some new hearts for Valentines Day.