18 for 2018, Part 2

18 for 2018: Hobbies

1. Complete one sewing project a month
2. Take a picture every day
3. Complete my children’s book
4. Finish Eleanor’s 1^st Year scrapbook
5. Read books every day
6. Finish my granny square dishcloths

Continuing Saturday’s post on my 18 for 2018 goal list, today focuses on the 6 hobby-oriented goals I want to accomplish this year. I think I’m multi-passionate, which is the new-fangled way of saying that I have meaningful interests in more than one thing. At least, the TED talk about it made sense to me. However, I never really focus in on anything, and I don’t want to be a “Jack of all trades, but master of none”. This year, I’m focusing on 6 things that bring me joy, but the goals I’ve set are to actually finish projects I’ve started.

I have “shopped” in my mom’s craft room for fabric for several years now, and while I have sewn some things that I’m proud of (I made a really cute skirt for my baby 11/2 years ago, and she can still wear it through many washes), I’ve really slacked off and could use some motivation to add beauty to my home.

Taking pictures is something that I love and brings me joy. A talent not cultivated is lost, and even though I haven’t taken a photography class in 4 years, I can keep up with my phone camera until I get a new camera.

I’ve been writing a children’s tourist-y book for several years (since 2011?), and even though my ideas have changed a few times (drastically last year), I still haven’t found an illustrator or written a final draft. This will happen this year, I am determined. Publishing isn’t a requirement, but having illustrations and words to go with them are.

I have bought paper, a scrapbook, everything necessary except for printing pictures to finish this scrapbook. I have procrastinated about printing those pictures for long enough. It shouldn’t be hard to finish 18 pages over the next year. If I can keep on going, I can work on ages 1, 2, and even 3 before her 5th birthday. I definitely have all or most of the materials I need.

While I do read every day, couldn’t live without it, I’ve found that I haven’t actually deepened my daughter’s natural love of books and reading quietly as much as I could have. My habit of reading mostly on my phone that she associates with playing games or talking to someone probably has the biggest impact on this. I definitely have plenty of physical books that I’ve never read, and this habit gets me checking those off my to read list, showing a good example, and keeping my screen time low. In March when I start imposing an electronic curfew an hour (or more!) before I want to get to bed, I’ll have this habit to fall back on.

Finally, my granny square dishcloths. I was given dishcloth yarn 2 years ago, because I wanted to crochet dishcloths for my kitchen. Luckily, my ideal kitchen colors and theme hasn’t changed since then. I also bought a book of 20 different granny square patterns. The granny square is something that I had wanted to learn for a while (I love the way blankets look when they’re made with them), and decided to combine the 2 things and make washcloths with these patterns. Having 20 washcloths isn’t necessary though, so I’m going to combine some into towels and drying mats that can also be used.