It’s 2010! It’s 2010!

This year I decided to make some resolutions. I’m not the resolution type, but I need a little burst of motivation this year. I’m going to share them with you!

I started the new year in *true* Mrs. McPorkchop style, with a double ear infection, sinus infection and out of control asthma! GOOOO ME! So my first few days of the new year have been spent laying on the couch, crocheting a giant granny afghan and watching reruns on tv. Doing lots of thinking. Lots of daydreaming.

Some of my resolutions are the 365 project, I’m not comfortable taking a self portrait everyday, so a photo a day is more “me”, and then each month I’m going to set mini goals for myself, my entire month of February I’m taking a photo a day of something pink/red/coral with FILM and getting them all developed the last day of the month. Cool right? At the end of the year I’d like to get a blurb book printed of 2010.

I’m launching a fantastic new online shop within the next week or so, kindle cozies, iphone cozies, mini quilts, slots for custom mini quilts, patchwork camera straps…it’s going to be RAD! I want to start sharing the stuff I sew more, I only post 1% of the stuff I create on a daily basis, mostly because I’m paranoid people won’t like what I make. (Note to self…maybe work on some self confidence?! lol See below!)

I also decided that 2010 is going to be a slow year. I’m not spending money on anything “new”. I’ll buy fabric for projects and whatnot, but I’m just not wanting to spend money on silly things, no new nail polish, no “impulse” purchases, no new clothes unless things fall apart. I really want to get ahead financially and be more comfortable with who I am, instead of who advertisements say I should be. I’m planning on going on a MAJOR purge when I get home, donating, cleaning, selling…just streamlining my life, less STUFF. I’m the first to admit that new shiny things are my emotional pick me up and that isn’t good or healthy! After I spend money I feel guilty, so this year, stop spending money of silly stuff!!!!

2010 I’m going to indulge in things that make me smile more, everyday things, new skills, small pleasures etc. I’m learning to crochet, I want to embroider/cross stitch more and I’m really into kawaii. When Mr. McPorkchop is putting drops in my ears,  I’ve been looking at kawaii websites on my iphone. Kawaii is so fantastic and genuinely cracks me up. Lisa gave me some kawaii stickers and I promptly attached them to my sewing machine and kindle. I also have been obsessively reading japanese craft magazines and I love the interiors of their homes, light filled, bits of patchwork here and there. I need more order to relax and unwind at night.

Less internet time. I love the internet. Don’t get me wrong. But I sometimes find myself comparing myself to other people, flickr, blogs, etc and it gets old and depressing. “Why can’t I sew that fast? Why didn’t I think of that? Why can’t I take photos like that? Why can’t I sew that neat/straight/beautiful? Why is my stuff wonky? Why can’t I dress as cute as her?” I’m not the only one who thinks like this and 2010 is the year to work on less negative thinking! In my slow year, I’m slowing down my sewing/quilting/scrapbooking/crocheting…I want it to get genuinely make me happy during the process, not a giant rush to finish it so I can get 9000 comments on flickr..haha. ;) I’m not competing with myself or anyone else, at the end of the day, it’s just ME in my own skin.

Spending more time with my best friends. I rarely get to see them and I miss them so much. 2010 is the year to really give my all to my close friends. I ended 2009 by breaking off contact with one of the most rotten people I’ve ever come across and I realized staying friends with her was taking up time I could have been spending with people I genuinely LOVE. 2010 will be out with the grumps and negatives, in with the besties and new friends! I got to meet up with Lisa & Christin a few weeks ago and it was  BLAST. I need more lovely ladies like them in my life…or just spending more time with them in general, lol. I want to be closer with the people I interact with on a regular basis, be prepared friends, your about to get a ton of Amanda! ;)

The biggest change of all…going vegetarian. I spent an afternoon out at Mr. McPorkchops grandmothers cattle ranch and it was GREAT! Her home is gorgeous, the land is stunning, the cows are hilarious (and EXTREMELY well treated! I need to point that out!) but at the end of the day I realized I’m just *not* comfortable eating meat anymore. I’ve been thinking about this for the past year and two days after Christmas I decided to try it and haven’t looked back! I’m doing it in combination with Weight Watchers. Something I’ve learned about myself is I need to stick to an “eating plan”. I either over eat or under eat. Neither of which make me feel great! Sticking to a plan and being more “aware” of what I’m eating, at what times, is something I need to do. I’ve decided that when I get home I’m taking all my books that I read once and bringing them to a local used bookstore and trading them in for some vegetarian cookbooks. I also had some gift certificates that I’ve been saving and bought two cookbooks that I’ve been obsessively reading cover to cover. The Passionate Vegetarian and Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone. Both are fantastic. I’m planning on subscribing to a CSA delivery once I can find one that I like! My biggest challenge is allergies, no soy so that cuts out most pre-made vegetarian foods and I can’t have any raw fruits or vegetables. But roasting has been AMAZING! I could eat roasted veggies 24/7. And soups. And hearty winter warm salads. Amazing! It’s been pushing my culinary skills to the extreme, but I’m loving it! I got an immersion blender with a gift card and holy smokes, I use it CONSTANTLY. What a nifty tool!

2010: The mantra is “awareness, slow down, grow and enjoy”.

Signing off and leaving starbucks….xoxo