{charmed earth}

The Lifestyle blog of Katie Storms.: something simple, something sweet, something styled.

22 November 2011

{something accomplished} 29 before 30 review

I didn't forget my list, and my next list, 29+1 {it sounds much more magical than "30 before 31"} is written, just not public yet. So here's the recap of Year 29, accomplished and unaccomplished.

1. Make a scarf out of an old t-shirt: Check. I don't have a photo. It was a steely/dove gray, and I wasn't super excited about it. Next time, I think I'll try a braided headband.


2. Visit New Orleans, Louisiana: Check. It was a wonderful summer trip. It might be too much information, but I'm pretty sure it's where our baby *Jupiter* found the way into the world. It was the perfect city to just have fun, take lots of great pictures, and enjoy lots of great food and music.


3. Visit Death Valley, photography it: Check. I almost thought this one wouldn't happen. But it did. And it was the best place I've ever been with Jv. The landscapes were beautiful, it was so simple to just be there without towers of buildings and crowds of people. I have never seen stars more beautiful than the ones we saw the first night in Death Valley. I loved it, and I can't wait to go on a family vacation there. It was wonderful to photograph.


4. Open Etsy Shop: Check. I've been so invested in the shop, I forgot it was a 29 before 30 goal. It seems like such a part of my life now. My next goal is to make more sales, but for now I am just happy that it's there. My business needs more growth, but I am happy to be with etsy, The Corner Cottage, and The Metro Gallery. It's wonderful.

5. Enter another craft fair: Better luck next year on this one, I hope. I had good intentions, but I decided to invest my money sponsoring a few blogs and hosting giveaways this summer. And since sponsoring blogs wasn't a goal, I think this was a good replacement.

6. Mama's Recipe Cards: Check. Though they are still in progress, these are more complete than not complete.


7. Submit Art to Gallery: Check. My jewelry, photography, hair accessories, stationary, and other items are at the gallery in Dexter, and I couldn't be happier.

8. Print Notebooks with Quotes: Not yet. I did start my quote blog posts, so at least I'm still quote collecting and designing!

9. Empty My File Cabinet at Work: Check. I was pretty much forced to do this one since my office space was demolished over the summer, but it felt so good to whittle down seven years of files, 12 years if I add on the college papers that I found in the mess.


10. Organize Storage Area(s) at Home: Check. This felt so cleansing. I think I filled the curb out front by our bungalow nearly five times. And I filled my entire sedan--trunk, back seat, passenger seat--for a church rummage sale. It felt wonderful. I know I could still cut back even more, but what I let go of was so refreshing. This pic is my design closet restyled. I love how my stash of perfume boxes--from over a decade of Christmases and birthdays--look so perfect and organized with my vintage-style "Hello-My-Name-Is" labels.


11. Garage Sale and Purge:Sorta-check. I can lump this one with goal 10. And I decided to donate instead of garage sale it. I'm border-line embarrassed to post the pic above, but this is just a small percentage of what I donated...reality at its finest.


12. ReInspired Bedroom Makeover: Check. Painting the walls this summer has set such an everlasting, calming mood in our bedroom. I love every detail--my golden quotes that share how we fell in love, the collages of prints and photos, the romantic bedding and lighting, and the simple map drawer pulls on real night stands. It's a beautiful place to sleep...

13. Backpaint Glass with Favorite Quote: Nope.

14. Embroider a rainbow on felt: Nope. But I like this one...


15. Road Trip and Thrift Somewhere: Check. I drove from Dexter to Springfield, Springfield to St. Louis. And it was a delightful trip where I discovered my ivory 29+1 dress at Red Velvet, mint green ice cream bowls, vintage cookie cutters, gold clutch purse, vintage Star Wars sheets, vintage buttons, and more fabulous finds. Plus my sister met me in Springfield for a delightful weekend.


16. Photo Journal Years 4 and Five: Half-Check. We did year four, but we need to get year five. We should get it written by the new year...

17. Learn to Crochet: Nope. And the sad part is that I didn't even try. But I really want to do it this time around. My dream is to learn how to crochet flowers, red roses to be precise.

18. Moosewood Mondays: Check. I did a few. The best recipe was the tomato soup. Yum!

19. Apply for MFA: Nope.


20. ReStyle Art/Design Space: Check. I loved the black, white, gray, and yellow motif that spilled out as I built the collage of art on the wall. Plus, reorganizing my art supplies with "Hello, My Name Is Name Tags" and old perfume boxes makes me smile every time I go to my supply closet.

21. Host a MadMen Dinner Party: Nope.


22. Create a Design Notebook: Check. I think I created at least three:)


23. Discover a New Band: Check. I fell in love with "She & Him."

24. Hang Vintage Family {wedding} photos: Nope/In Progress.

25. Write a Poem: Check. I actually wrote a few. My favorite is one I wrote about crickets in Wyoming. Or maybe the ones about distance in a field of maize or Chinese take-out.



26. Continue to Blog: Check.

27. Find White Truffle Butter and Make the Pasta: Check and Nope.I found the butter, but I didn't make the pasta. I made fabulous grilled cheese with it, though.

28. Discover a New Poet: Check. This one is difficult, but I discovered how much I still love Billy Collins. What's incredibly terrible is that I found two poets, and one of them slips my mind. I also found Priscilla Becker when I read my poem a day in my inbox {from Poets.org}. I love her conclusions in the few poems I've read. I might find my way into buying her collection...


29. Listen to Records on a Saturday Night: Check. We listened to Joni Mitchell, Connor Oberst, Warren Zevon, and Van Morrison. Plus we had wine and snacks. I can't wait for our next record party; I'm trying to decide what vinyl I might wish for for Christmas.

Wow. Typing this up, I feel greatly accomplished and inspired to write my 29+1 list. I hope you reach all the goals you set for a day, a week, a month, a year, a lifetime.

xo.

1 comment:

  1. That's a lot of accomplishments. I think I'm too flighty for such a list.

    ReplyDelete