Weekly Goals

Well, I got one goal done, the stars, but failed miserably on the organizing of the books.   I was super good about finishing the stars and I'm so glad that I've finished them.  One more gift to check off the list!  I really pride myself on my gift giving abilities and I work very hard on coming up with gifts that I think people will really enjoy.  Rarely will you find me hopping into Target 15 minutes before I need to give a gift and just picking up a random candle or notebook.  Not my style! Anywhooooo,  this just means gift preparation must begin early! 

Yay handmade presents!  I love that I was able to use up some old yarn.  And some fun silver packaging stuff.  And a Proactive box.  Let's talk about making something out of nothing!  I think my aunt will really like them.  I made her a scarf last year or the year before, I can't really remember.  But she loved it!  She and my uncle are a little on the hippy side, which I love and her home is full of handmade items.  The stars will fit in very nicely I think. 

As for my books, I was very, very bad.  I did put a couple of books that I know I'll never read in my used bookstore box, but I really need to have a Come to Jesus moment with the rest of my books and be honest with myself to get rid of books that I really won't be reading anytime soon. I'll leave that moment for this week!

So, my Christmas goal for this week is to finish up my Grammy's cross-stitch ornaments, which I talked about last week.  And for my organization goal, I really will finish up the books.  This is especially important this week because my parents are coming for a visit and I know we'll make an adventure up to the used bookstore because they have a great record collection and my dad is a little obsessed.  But I promise I won't be buying any books for myself ;-)

Week Goals... Late, my bad

Well, Monday came and went.  As did Tuesday and Wednesday.  I really must be better.  This week has been somewhat busy, and goal making wasn't high on the list.  But I was able to come up with my two goals, both organization and Christmas.  The organization goal is to get my book collection under control because it has gotten a little crazy.  We have a great used bookstore in Chattanooga, McKay's, and I have no control when I go in, especially when I have a credit.  So this has caused a massive build up in books at my apartment.  I have plans to read all of them, and I've stopped buying new books, but I still need to get the ones I have under control.  So that is the organization goal.  

So many books! 

I love to read but this is a little much.

For the Christmas goal, I want to finish some knitted star ornaments that I'm making for my aunt.  They follow my goal of using craft supplies to make gifts, as I had all the yarn and stuffing materials already. 

 Here is the finished product.  I've finished 4 so far.  

 And I have two more to finish.  

They were super easy and once I got the pattern down pat, I was able to knit the stars in under an hour each.  I think I'll give my aunt 5 and keep the other 2 for myself ;-)

Weekly Goal... A little late

Well, posting about my goals on Monday did not happen.  Life is a little busy.  But oh well, we do what we can.  Although I wasn't able to post on Monday, I did have all my goals completed!  I worked on Tuesday and Thursday to clean out the bathroom, throwing away a whole bag of old and mostly used products that I had been holding on to for no reason I can come up with, but they are all gone now.  

So much stuff!

And more stuff!

OMG! The stuff! 

I was able to organize things and toss so much stuff out that I was able to get all my products into the bathroom cabinet, which makes using the things I have much easier as they are all in one place.  

I'm feeling much better about my bathroom now that I know I'll use everything that I have and I'm not holding on to useless items.  Yay organization!  Makes life so good. 

And now for Christmas.  I was able to finish the cross stitch part of my ornament, which was the goal.  I'll wait until I've finished all the cross stitching before I sew them into actual ornaments. 

I'm really loving all the vintage cross stitch books that I've collected over the past few months.  They are so much more fun than anything you can find in a craft store.  I always feel like the craft store books have no real character, while the vintage ones are so full of fun!

Stay tune for the goals for this week! 

Weekly Goal

Every Monday, I'll be posting two goals, one related to organization or general life betterment, and one Christmas related.  These weekly goals will help to keep me on track with two bigger goals that I have set for myself, downsizing my life, making it easier to move, and a handmade Christmas. 

Goal 1- I've got big plans to move into a smaller apartment in the near future, so I need to downsize my life as much as possible.  Right now I have a two bedroom apartment for just myself, which is much too big and I've spent the better part of two years filling it with fun Goodwill finds.  While I don't want to get rid of all my wonderful vintage finds, I do feel a little cramped and need to rid myself of the things that just aren't that special.   Also, I've got to come up with $100 worth of "hard goods" to donate to my Junior League's rummage sale in the spring.  All this means I need to organize and downsize!

Goal 2- I want this Christmas to be all about handmade or locally produced presents.  To this end, I'm trying to make as many gifts as possible, especially for those in my life that already have everything they need or they have to money to buy whatever they want.  Making gifts will also allow me to use up some random craft supplies, and so, helping out with Goal 1!  For these wonderful family and friends, I plan on making the gifts. or buying fun consumable gifts, such as honey, jams, or such things.  And if I am unable to make a gift, or a handmade gift would be inappropriate, I'm going to try and buy something handmade from a local artist, Etsy, or buying fun consumable gifts, such as honey, jams, or such things.

Goal 1 for this week will be to clear out and organize all my bathroom/ beauty products.  I have a good size restroom with plenty of storage space and I've let this wonderful amount of room allow me to hold on to things that I'm no longer using and have no plan to ever use again.  In addition to all the space in the restroom, I have a big plastic box full of travel size bottles and random soaps that I am clearly not using, as I store it in my bedroom closet, which is out so sight and out of mind.  This box will meet its end over the course of the week.

Goal 2 for this week will be to finish one cross stitch ornament for my Grammy for Christmas.  My grandparents have everything they could ever need and they can buy whatever they need when they need it, making gift giving very difficult.  So this year, Grammy will be getting ornaments.  I've finished one, and started another, but have been distracted by other craft projects, so this week I plan on finishing at least one.  They are small patterns, and really should not take much time.  I think I'm going to make between 3-5, depending on how my craft supplies hold out because I'd like to make them without having to buy any supplies.   

Here is the first one that I have finished the cross stitch part, I just need to finish the ornament part. 

Yay for goals! Hopefully I'll be successful in getting them done.

Chattanooga Zoo

I was able to visit the Chattanooga Zoo a few weeks ago with my best friend Jessica and we had a great time! Now, this zoo is small, but it is well priced and has great animals.  You won't find the big ones, elephants, giraffes, and such, but they have my favorite animals, BIG CATS! So many big cats!  I think my favorite was the snow leopard.  Huge paws and the best tail ever! It was a little hot out, this is the south, so the leopard was not enjoying himself very much! Looking for a little shade seemed to be his main goal. 

They also had a fun red panda, just like the one that escaped from the Washington, D.C. Zoo a few weeks ago.  But this guy was just chilling, enjoying his sleepy times.  He looked so much like a stuffed animal it was a little strange.  But in a good way.  He was my second favorite after the snow leopard.  Look how cute he is! All asleep and trying to ignore all the people. 

 My best friend Jessica was in toe on this zoo adventure.  Here she is paddling down a dangerous river in Africa.  

And nothing says a good time like a carved chimp statue.  

A good time was had by all.  In fact, I enjoyed myself so much, I decided to get a season pass, so hopefully I'll be back with the snow leopard is a little more active. 

Point Park

If you ever visit the wonderful city of Chattanooga, I hope you plan a trip to the Point Park national Park, located on Lookout Mountain.  No where else in Chattanooga can you get views like those offered at Point Park.  Driving up Lookout Mountain can be an adventure unto itself, with fun mountain curves and beautiful homes.  I would not recommend anyone with a fear of heights do the driving up the mountain, as there are some parts of the road where nothing separates you from falling off the mountain other than a small stone wall.  Like I said, the views offered to those who make it up the mountain are well worth the $3 entry fee to the park.  There are several places with great photo opportunities, with various Civil War canons and wonderful views of the city. 

















I've gone 3 times while living in North Georgia.  I've taken both my family and my best friend and I plan on taking anyone else who ever visits me.  They all will be treated to a fun trip up the mountain.

I think the best part, other than the great views, is the small gallery of Civil War area pictures, which is located in a small stone guard house.  These men were able to take all sorts of amazing pictures, standing on the rock formations, making themselves wonderful souvenirs of the mountain, and for their time in the southern states. 
 Although no one is allowed to stand on the most amazing formations for their souvenir pictures, there are several fun locations for photo taking.  I myself enjoy a small rock that juts out from the path up the hill for my photo opportunities.  You must also visit the two gift shops that are located right by the entry to the park.  One is run by the National Parks Service and offers a giant painting of the Battle Among the Clouds.  There is also lots of information about the generals and the enlisted men who fought.  I will for sure be back again!

New Beginnings

Going to try this blogging thing again.  Just me and my doings. Hope you enjoy.