Focus – Week 1

I am going to add yet another weekly post (OOTD being at the beginning, so not sure how weekly it will end up being).  Several years back when I was largely into photography there used to be weekly and annual prompts people would follow to give themselves a creative impetus to go out and take photos.

I am going to choose a word for this year, and not only will it be a photography challenge, but a self-improvement challenge.

FOCUS

I don’t know about the rest of you, but as the world has gotten more connected, I have lost my focus.  I know it seems like I get a lot done, but I also spend a lot of time randomly browsing the internet.  This effects me at home and work when  I should be focusing on more important tasks.

That is the short list of things I want to get done.  I also want to clean out all the excessive crap in our house we don’t use, figure out how to do a resume after 17 years of not having done one, exercise, find some fun things to do with the family, teach the kids to cook, etc, etc… the list goes on.

I would also actually like to read.  If I am productive enough in my other pursuits maybe I won’t feel like I don’t have time to read all those books piling up in my Nook and in our library.

My accomplishments this week:

Focus Photo –

This photo symbolizes the end of the holiday season with the wilting rose in this centerpiece.  It was a long holiday season, but it seemed to have gone by very fast.  It was full of gatherings with friends and family we don’t see often enough.

Sewing –

• Over the break I had cut up some items to get sewn up, so I started working on those.  I really don’t need a lot of clothes right now, so there is no hurry in any of it.  It is kind of nice to not have a fire drill with sewing.  There have been some sewing pattern tests this week that last year, I would have likely volunteered for, but not now.  I don’t need the stress.

I am participating in a 52 week sewing challenge, and next week’s challenge is to sew something from the last fabric you purchased.  I had purchased a load from Nature’s Fabrics on Cyber Monday, so I am using the grey bamboo jersey in a new pattern hack.  Here is my “unboxing video” of that fabric.  Yes, I went there. 😉

The first week was something soft & warm, so I made two rice warmers and two flannel covers for gel ice packs for my Grandma Jo that broke her arm.  Should have maybe written down the measurements I used.

• I also put together my #makenine list for the year, which is basically nine things you want to FOCUS on getting made.  Perfect for my challenge for myself this year!

It is basically a push to get me to make things I have been wanting to make that I’ve had fabric for forever, or that have just been on my “I really want to make that!” list. Some will be ones I draft and some will be patterns I already own. These should all fit into my current closet pretty well.

– The first top is just a nice black knit tunic top basic that will work for so many outfits.
– The second is a Vivienne Westwood copycat. I’ve had that buffalo check for at least a year waiting on this skirt
– The third black top is a nice cross front top. Not sure if I want to do woven or a sturdy knit yet. It will be something to wear when it gets warmer with cropped pants and heels. My butt needs a lot of squats right now, so that is my camouflage. 😉
– The fourth I already basically have cut out. It’s a little different, but I love how the buttons dress up the front. Need to order the buttons yet.
– The fifth is a pair of cream wide legged trousers that I have had the fabric for about 4 years. Need to get that made!
– Again fabric and pattern have been sitting there for a faux fur vest.
– I really love those structured bolero jackets, so I’d like to give it a shot. I also like these in knit with a hood, so maybe two versions.
– I’ve had this skirt saved for many years. I have a stock of black pleather right now and various pieces of black ponte, so time to tackle it.
– This last one is a fabric I designed and printed it at Spoonflower in satin. I originally was thinking a pencil skirt, but I am going to do a wide waistband with a slight A-line to it. It will be lined.

Now to just get these all made up before the end of the year!

House cleaning –

• Yeah, this week was a bad week to start this type of challenge.  I worked until almost 7 most nights, and then we hosted a family Christmas party on Saturday.  Sunday I went in to work to try to get what I needed done.  The house was cleanish for the party, though!

Time with family –

• Well, we hosted a Christmas party for the hubs side of the family, so we had a lot of family time.  It was a firedrill getting things ready, like usual, but it was nice to see everyone.

Health, exercising, making healthy meals –

• Exercised 0…ZERO  times this week.  My goal was three times on the elliptical.  This is what happens when I choose the busiest time of the year at work to start a plan.  Next week will be better.
• I made some healthy meals and brought salads to work for lunch 4 times this week.  I also cut back on the alcohol, so baby steps.

Creative Design – Week 1

Full disclosure…I drew the Phoenix last year, but I did make the coordinate this week.  I will likely be using my existing designs to create new patterns.  I needed to create a new brush folder for them in Photoshop.  I got a new computer in December so I somehow lost all the brushes I had made with my designs.  I spent an hour making a new brush folder with the ones I could find.

This week I also made a new watermark brush pattern.  I figure I should  PROBABLY make it not so easy to steal my designs.   The design here is one of my drawings that I warped along the text.  I’m not sure if I should go with “Stylin Stacy Designs” or “StacyCK Designs” or “SCK Designs”.  If I do end up going into business, I should probably pick a name…

As for Illustrator, I made sure it was loaded on my computer and opened the program. 😀

Reading –

I finally finished this book this week, which I started at some point last year.  It was an interesting read, and shouldn’t have really taken me that long.  I am not a big non-fiction reader, but I would like to read more of that this year.

I am also working on finishing up Nevernight.  I got 2/3 way through it over the holidays.  It is a pretty good book about a female assassin in a fictional land of 3 suns.  She’s out for revenge!  He has a lot of little asides/stories/history of the land in the bottom of each page in small type, so it is taking longer than anticipated to get through it.

I have also been writing a book, but barely worked on it last year.  I’d like to put more words to pages.  It isn’t something I ever intend to publish, since I don’t really think I am a good enough writer.  It is just a fun project for my imagination.

Week one down in the books, and I am hopeful of keeping up with this project.  I know that some weeks I likely won’t, so I am prepared to give myself some grace in not getting to everything.