Creative Resolutions for 2026

Happy New Year!

For over 20 years, I've been making creative resolutions each January. I enjoy challenging myself by setting attainable goals that push me and help me grow creatively. Before I jump into my goals for 2026, it's time to see how I did in 2025. 

Of the eight resolutions I made, I completed five and made partial progress on one. I'm pleased with that, particularly considering I did a lot of other creative things that weren't on the list.


First, the resolutions I completed:

• I finished 46 scrapbook layouts in 2025. While I'm technically six layouts short of an average of one per week, it's close enough that I'm counting it.
• I exceeded my goal of taking two creative classes by participating in Summer Creative Workshop. I took six classes. I enjoyed them, learned a lot, and stretched myself creatively. 
• I had a lot of fun using acrylic paint with Gelli Plates. I'll definitely be doing more experimentation very soon. 
• I'm not sure why I specified that I'd do a monthly photo challenge. I prefer challenges with a bunch of prompts you do on a single day (a photo scavenger hunt) over the ones where you take a single photo each day for a month. I did a photo challenge at Disneyland and I'm totally counting it. 
• I used several new-to-me art supplies, including Kuretake Gansai Tambi, Ohuhu Kakaako Acrylic Markers, and Ohuhu Halawa Colored Pencils. I also made a point to use supplies I hadn't used in a long time, like when I made the most frustrating name art ever. 

I gave myself partial credit for one resolution:

• I tried a few recipes from Pinterest... sort of. In general, I don't like following recipes. I've done enough cooking that when I try something new, I usually read several recipes for the same dish, then mash them together to make up my own version. I did that a couple of times this year using recipes I'd pinned years ago. I didn't make a scrapbook layout, card, or craft inspired by Pinterest. I'm rarely on Pinterest since my job with Fun Family Crafts ended. 

There are two resolutions I didn't do:

• I can't believe it, but I didn't do any edible art projects this year, let alone use a new technique. I did create a roundup of all the edible flower crafts I've made. It doesn't count for the resolution, but I'm proud of it so I'm sharing it here. 
• I don't think I made any projects inspired by books. If I did, they weren't memorable enough for me to think of them now.  

Here are my creative resolutions for 2026:

Have you made creative resolutions for 2026? Tell me about your plans in the comments!

Creative Resolutions for 2025

Happy New Year!

I've been making creative resolutions for around 20 years, which is even longer than I've been blogging. I wish I could go back and see my very first set of resolutions, but they're long gone. The oldest set I have documented are my 2011 resolutions. It is so interesting to me to see how my creative priorities and focus have changed over the years.

Before setting new goals for 2025, let's look at how I did in 2024.

Of the eight resolutions I made, I completed five and made partial progress on two. All things considered, I'm extremely happy with this. It's much better than I expected.

First, the resolutions I completed: 

• I greatly exceeded my goal of taking two creative classes by enrolling in Sketchbook Revival. I attended all 33 sessions and completed the projects for six of them. 
• I took an in-person cookie decorating class, which is where I tried a new technique in edible art. I've never used a stencil with royal icing before, like we did with Madame Leota. I had no idea that stiff tulle netting helps make complicated stencil designs come out crisp and clean. I used another new-to-me technique when I made my personalized candy bar. 
• I read a lot of art-related books (at least a dozen), courtesy of my local library. I love the library. 
• At the end of June, I had at least four craft ideas for 46 of the 50 states. Six months later, all the states have more than 4 and I'm continuing to add more all the time.  
• I used several new-to-me art supplies, including: Woody 3-in-1 pencils, masking fluid, and Ohuhu's Pupe paper-friendly markers. 

I gave myself partial credit for two resolutions:

• I finished 40 scrapbook layouts in 2024. That's twelve short of the one-per-week goal, or 77%. Definitely a solid effort, considering. Fun fact: I didn't make any two-page layouts this year. Every layout was a single-pager. I've never gone a whole year without making a double-pager before.
• I tried a handful of ideas from Pinterest, including a fireplace craft, a card featuring lots of patterned papers, and multiple recipes. I didn't make a layout inspired something on my Pinterest board. Oh well.

There is one resolution I didn't do:

• I did not make Caldecott-inspired art. I actually checked out a bunch of Caldecott winners from the library, read (and enjoyed) them all, but wasn't inspired to make any projects. I'm not sure why, but I just wasn't.

Here are my creative resolutions for 2025:

Have you made creative resolutions for 2025? Want to join me as I tackle one of my goals? If so, please tell me in the comments!

Creative Resolutions for 2024

Happy New Year!

It's resolution time! I've been making creative resolutions for longer than I've been blogging. I wish I could go back and see my very first set, but they're long gone. The oldest set I have documented are my 2011 resolutions. It is fascinating to see how my priorities and focus have changed over the years.

Before setting new goals for 2024, let's look at how I did in 2023. (Spoiler: Poorly. And I'm totally ok with that.)

Of the eight resolutions I made, I completed two and made partial progress on two. 

First, the resolutions I completed: 

• I made projects for each of the books in my Library Roulette game. It was really fun, and definitely stretched me creatively. The projects are very diverse. I particularly enjoyed drawing kawaii vegetables and exploring quilt designs in paper. 
• I used a bunch of new-to-me art supplies, including: Ohuhu markers, gouache, paint sticks, blending brushes, Folk Art Dots, and Apple Barrel Paint Pens. There are probably more, but those are the ones that come to mind. 

I gave myself partial credit for two resolutions:

• I made 45 scrapbook layouts in 2023. That's seven short of the one-per-week goal, or 87%. Definitely a solid effort. I played along with multiple events at BYSS, so the layouts I did make don't all feature my go-to grid. 
• I came close to filling my sketchbook. In fact, I probably would have filled it if I hadn't painted over some of the pages that weren't working for me. In late November, I thought about making a last push to fill the final pages, but ultimately decided not to force it. I've learned that, in general, I don't love using a sketchbook. I prefer the freedom to cut paper to the size I want it and for everything to be perfectly flat while I work and later when I scan it.

All four of the resolutions I didn't complete still interest me: 

• I definitely want to take more painting and/or drawing classes, but I didn't prioritize them in 2023. I plan to in 2024. 
• I tried multiple times throughout the year to take an edible art class, but couldn't find what I was looking for on a date that worked. (I did take an Italian cooking class as well as a fantastic ramen class, but neither count as edible art.) 
• I did not make Caldecott-inspired art, but still really want to. I did make art inspired by Eric Carle (and visited The Carle in Massachusetts!) but sadly - and surprisingly - Eric Carle never won a Caldecott. 
• My crafty besties and I talked many times about visiting two art reuse stores, but we never found a date to actually do it. We might do this in 2024, but I'm not going to list it as a resolution. 

So why am I (a nerdy A-student type) ok with failing to complete so many of my creative resolutions? There are several reasons, but the main one is that I did a lot of other things I'm proud of. Our family met our goal of visiting all 50 states. We took in our first foster rabbit. I hit a big Duolingo milestone (and became a lot more comfortable speaking Spanish). I did a lot of volunteer work. I attended my first in-person travel conference. I tried speed puzzling for the first time. I've grown as a person and have done a lot of new things, which is the whole point of creative resolutions. 

Here are my creative resolutions for 2024:

Have you made creative resolutions for 2024? If so, please tell me in the comments what you hope to accomplish!

Creative Resolutions 2023

It's time for me to look back at my 2022 creative resolutions and set new goals for 2023. One of my priorities for 2022 was to tackle some of the resolutions I didn't complete in past years. Let's look at how I did.

Of the eight resolutions I made, I completed six and made partial progress on two. 

First, the resolutions I completed: 

• I made 50 scrapbook layouts in 2022. Technically, that's two short of one per week, but close enough. I have more than 2 pages on my desk right now that are 75% done. 
• I took a LOT of art classes during 2022. Counting just the Sketchbook Party, that's 16 classes. There were many others.  
• Before summer started, I  finished the goal to make artwork outdoors three times without having put in intentional effort to do so. 
• I had so much fun creating artwork inspired by contemporary artists Julie Fei-Fan Balzer and  Deb Weiers, and by artists no longer living, including Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, and Pablo Picasso. 
• I just finished up the series of 10 crafts based on crowd-sourced answers to prompts. Of the projects I made, I am the most happy with the Statue of Liberty at sunset. It's something I never would have made without this creative goal. 
• I visited a lot more than three art museums, galleries, or studios. Two of my favorites were in Tacoma. 

I gave myself partial credit for two resolutions:

• I did 10 consecutive days of a 30-day drawing challenge. I thought I'd come back to it, but I always had other projects I'd rather do. I could have forced myself, of course, but that isn't in the spirit of my creative resolutions.
• I checked out the books for my Library Roulette project, but haven't started the projects yet.  

As usual, I've put a lot of thought into my 2023 resolutions. I want goals that I'm excited to do, that are measurable, and that push me creatively. Here is what I hope to complete in 2023:

Have you made creative resolutions for 2023? If so, please tell me in the comments what you hope to accomplish!

Creative Resolutions 2022

It's time for me to look back at the creative resolutions I made for 2021 and set new goals for 2022. Last year, I tried to set myself up for success, not knowing where we would be with COVID. It looks like I'm going to have to do the same thing again for 2022. 

Of the eight resolutions I made, I completed six and made partial progress on one. 

First, the resolutions I completed: 

• I made 53 scrapbook layouts in 2021. I honestly thought it was more because I am now caught up with everything on my need-to-scrap list from 2020 and before.
• I taught two craft classes for my church - a cross with Easter lilies virtually during Lent and a Nativity scene in person during Advent. 
• I took a class during the virtual Creativation show, took a deep dive into colored pencil art, and started a drawing class. 
• Trevor took Art History 3 (Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas) through the community college during the spring semester. Since the class was virtual, I sat in on all the lectures with him. The class was fantastic!  
• In June, I completed 30 days of drawing food. It was a really fun challenge and definitely something I'd like to do again. 
• I made a lot of cards this year. I didn't count them, but I know it's at least 46 because that's how many I shared on the blog during the past year, starting with a card featuring a rainbow of hidden gift cards and ending with holiday cards. I played with a wide variety of techniques and materials.   

I gave myself partial credit for one resolution:

• I hosted one general crafts party in addition to 6 Zoom craft days with my crafty BFF's. 

There is one resolution I didn't start:

• I wrote a survey but never sent it out and thus did not make crafts inspired by my friends' answers.

As usual, I've put a lot of thought into what I want for my 2022 resolutions. I want them to be broad enough to allow me to take them in fun directions, but specific enough that they're measurable and push me creatively. I also want to tackle some of the resolutions I didn't complete in past years. Here is what I'm hoping to accomplish in 2022:

Have you made creative resolutions for 2022? If so, I'd love to hear what they are! Tell me what you hope to accomplish in the comments. 

Creative Resolutions 2021

Happy New Year!

It's time for me to look back at my 2020 creative resolutions and set new goals for 2021. March-December didn't go as expected (to say the least), so I'm pleasantly surprised that I was able to meet as many goals as I did. 

Of the eight resolutions I made, I completed five and made partial progress on one. 

First, the resolutions I completed: 

• I made 61 scrapbook layouts in 2020. I did a great job scratching older items off my need-to-scrap list. 
• I tried a bunch of new-to-me art techniques and media. Many were at Creativation, but I've played around with some new things since then too. 
• I took an in-person painting class at Creativation and have done a few online classes since. 
• I hosted 10 Zoom craft days for my crafty BFF's. The pandemic allowed us to get together (virtually) way more often than we normally meet in person and it's been awesome. 
• I taught about the Diamond Art Freestyle Program via Facebook Live in April and led an Advent directed drawing over Zoom in November for the members of my church. 

I gave myself partial credit for one resolution:

• We had to cancel three planned visits to art museums due to COVID. We did visit one museum this year for a bunny-themed, socially-distanced outdoor exhibit. It was awesome, but it was a museum I'd visited before. I poked around a few art museums' online galleries, but didn't do full-scale tours of three new-to-me museums. I'm jealous of the penguins who got to visit an art museum we enjoyed last year. 

These resolutions are incomplete:

• I'm not sure how many cards I made during 2020, but it probably falls a little short of 25. Also, I didn't make any with the intention of experimentation I'd intended with this goal. 
• Library Roulette, at least the way I want to play it, is dependent on visiting the library. Even when our libraries reopened (with limited services, by appointment only) after closing at the start of the pandemic, I am not comfortable going there. (As a side note, I've become obsessed with the library's digital offerings and read almost twice as many books in 2020 as in 2019, despite already being a prolific reader.)

I've put a lot of thought into what I want for my 2021 resolutions. I want to set myself up for success, which means I'm not going to include anything that requires travel, visiting a public place, or gathering with people outside our household. I certainly hope I can do those things soon, but I've written my goals so that I can meet them virtually, if need be. Here is what I'm hoping to accomplish in 2021:

Have you made creative resolutions for 2021? If so, I'd love to hear what they are!

Creative Resolutions 2020

Happy New Year!

It's time for me to look back on my creative resolutions for 2019 and set new goals for 2020. I've been making creative resolutions since 2005, which is six years before I started blogging. My goals have changed a lot as my hobby slowly become my business; when I look back at past resolutions, I am really proud of how far I've come.

So, how did I do in 2019?

Of the eight resolutions I made, I completed six and made good progress on one.

First, the resolutions I completed:

• I made 56 layouts in 2019, which is right in line with my goal of 52 for the year.  
• I went way above and beyond with creating blog pages! Not only do I have a page of Edible Crafts, but it's one of four completed pages within a category called Fun with Food. I'd originally planned to make a single page of Animal Crafts, but I ended up dividing that into Fish, Birds, Invertebrates, Reptiles and Amphibians, Mammals, and Mythical Creatures. I also made pages for Creative Money Gifts and Name Art.
• I took a hands-on painting class at Creativation (and loved it).
• I hosted multiple crafty get-togethers throughout the year and co-hosted a craft event for my church. 
• I did a great job of digging out supplies and tools that had been sitting untouched in the craft room and using them. I lost count of how many I used, but it was way more than three.
• In digging out unused supplies and tools, I found quite a few unfinished crafts. I completed most and tossed a few. 

I made good progress on one resolution: 

• Of the 50 states, I have at least one craft tutorial for 47 out of 50. (I'm missing Montana, South Carolina, and Virginia.) There are 19 states with only one craft tutorial. So that means I have at least two craft tutorials for 28 states. I see now that my goal was overly ambitious.

Incomplete resolutions:

• Once again, I did not do anything to improve my photography skills. (I did, however, greatly improve my photoshop skills.)

For 2020, I want to keep the focus of my resolutions on creativity, as opposed to business-related goals. After much thought, these are my creative resolutions for 2020:

Are you making any creative resolutions this year? If so, I'd love to hear what they are!

Creative Resolutions

Happy New Year!

I've been making creative resolutions since 2005... six years longer than I've been blogging! There is a real sense of accomplishment to writing down my goals for crafting (and my creative life in general) and checking in once a year. My goals have changed a lot over the years as my hobby has become my business. When I look back at past resolutions, I am really proud of myself and how far I've come. I've worked hard, and while my progress has not been as rapid as I might have hoped, I know that 2005 Cindy would be blown away by what 2019 Cindy has accomplished and where my creative life (or more accurately, My Creative Life) has taken me.

So, how did I do in 2018? Of the nine resolutions I made, I completed five and made excellent progress on two.

First, the resolutions I completed:

• I made 64 layouts in 2018, which exceeds my goal of 52 for the year.  
• I took multiple classes about blogging, both in person at Creativation and online through CreativeLive.
• I taught a class at Creativation about marketing crafts toward kids, teachers, and homeschoolers. 
• Believe it or not, I actually did learn some HTML! I'm amazed by this. I still rely on Steve's knowledge a lot, but it's so helpful knowing enough to fix the little problems. 
• All 50 Little Passports adventures are complete!

I gave myself partial credit for these resolutions:

• I did finish organizing all all my craft tutorials by holiday, which was a HUGE job. I also kept up-to-date with my page of crafts from A-Z. However, I did not organize my craft tutorials by topic or theme. At the very least, I would like to organize my animal crafts and edible crafts. 
• Of the 50 states, I posted craft tutorials for 44 out of 50. The missing states are Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, South Carolina, Virginia, and Wyoming. I'll work on those during the first part of 2019.

Incomplete resolutions:

• I did not do anything to improve my photography skills. 
• I did not add a recipe template to the blog. After I did the research, Steve agreed to write the code for a template so that I don't have to pay a monthly fee to the developer of the recipe template many bloggers use. Recipes are not very important for my blog, however, so I don't feel too bummed that it didn't happen. My efforts, and Steve's, were better put elsewhere.

For 2019, I've decided that my creative resolutions should, for the most part, focus more on creativity and less on my business. I don't want my resolutions to just be a checklist of blog chores I should do - I already have one of those. Instead, I want to challenge myself to grow creatively. And I want to be excited when I look at the list! 

After much thought, here are my creative resolutions for 2019:

Are you making any creative resolutions? I'd love to hear what they are!

Creative Plans for 2018

Happy New Year to all of you!

Every year I pick resolutions for myself that relate to my creative life, which means it's time to look back and see how I did.

In 2017, I resolved to:

• Complete an average of one scrapbook layout a week.

Check! I made exactly 52 layouts. 

• Migrate to Wordpress and make other changes to improve usability and attract more readers.

Looking at this now a year later, I see that I should have split this into two or more goals. I actually joined a "Bloggers on Blogger" group and made an informed decision not to migrate to Wordpress. I made huge changes to improve usability throughout the blog. I'm calling this goal a success.

• Explore new ways to monetize the blog.

Check! I've added more affiliates and am adding banner ads at the end of some of my posts. I added a single ad to the right-hand column. Blog revenue is small but growing.

• Attend a blogging conference.

Check! I went to SNAP Conference in April and came home with new friends, useful business connections, a lot more knowledge about blogging, and tons of inspiration. 

• Complete, photograph and share my craft room reorganization.

Check! I love my newly-organized room!

• Improve my photography skills through classes, challenges and practice.

Check! I took a photography class at SNAP and have been practicing with both my camera and my iPhone. I've progressed significantly with my photo editing skills.

• Try at least one new-to-me craft.

Check! I took a crochet class at SNAP. It was fun, but I'm going to need a more instruction if I ever want to take up crochet!

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And here are my goals and priorities for 2018! Wish me luck!

Did you make any resolutions related to creativity or crafting? I'd love to hear them!

Creative Plans for 2017

Happy New Year!

Every year I pick resolutions for myself that relate to my creative life, which means it's time to look back and see how I did. But first, I want to mention the graphic above. Normally I grab a quick stock photo with the coming year, credit it, and move on with writing my post. This year, I decided to use the new Templates by PicMonkey to design my own! I started with their Punkin Pie Template, which looks like this:

I changed the background and pie filling to a light blue, the floral overlay and crust to black, and the circle around the pie filling (which is there, but not visible because they're both orange) to a dark grey. I changed the text block content, color and font, then added a second text block with my blog address. I used the Sparkle Stars overlay to make the 2017 look glittery. The final touch was adding a party hat and bow from the Celebrate theme. It was so much fun and so easy! 

OK, back to my crafty resolutions!

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In 2016, I resolved to:

* Complete an average of one scrapbook layout a week.

Check! I made 62 layouts of various sizes. 

* Make necessary changes to the blog to improve the usability and attract more readers.

This is definitely a work in progress. I'd planned to migrate to Wordpress by now to improve the search feature and to add plug-ins that would improve the usability, but that hasn't happened yet. However, I've made some more minor changes to better the blog. My readership has increased steadily over the year, so I'm happy about that.

*Explore and implement optimal ways to monetize the blog.

Check! I've taken in-person classes and webinars about monetization. I am now an affiliate for some companies I love, including Little Passports, Amazon, and these:

   

Thank you to each of you who has supported this blog by making a purchase through one of my links! I can't tell you how exciting it is to finally be earning a little bit of money from something that has become my passion.

*Take at least one jewelry-making class.
Check! I did take one and have plans for another in the next few weeks.

*Earn enough money through craft-related jobs or blogging to support all my hobbies.
Check! Between my work as Editor of Fun Family Crafts, my freelance jobs, and my blog income, I've earned significantly more in 2016 than I spent on all the classes, craft supplies, and crazy birthday adventures I had.

*Improve my photography skills by completing at least 6 challenges or specific assignments.
Check! I did five photo challenges. My favorite was eye bombing. I also took Andrew Scrivani's outstanding Food Photography class through CreativeLive.

*Do a complete craft room reorganization so that everything has a place it belongs.
This is another work in progress. It's significantly better and more functional now than at the beginning of 2016, but there are still plenty of things that don't have a permanent home. I'm fighting the urge to just put them somewhere, instead trying to live with the most-reorganized space to see where things naturally belong.

In 2017, I resolve to:

* Complete an average of one scrapbook layout a week.
* Migrate to Wordpress and make other changes to improve usability and attract more readers.
* Explore new ways to monetize the blog.
* Attend a blogging conference.
* Complete, photograph and share my craft room reorganization.
* Improve my photography skills through classes, challenges and practice.
* Try at least one new-to-me craft.


Did you make any craft-related New Year's resolutions? I'd love to hear them!

Craft-Related Resolutions for 2016

Happy New Year!

Image credit

Every year I pick resolutions for myself that relate to my creative life, which means it's time to look back and see how I did. In 2015, I resolved to:

*Complete an average of one scrapbook layout a week.
Check! This year I completed a total of 53 layouts (twenty-seven 12" x 12", twenty-four 8" x 8", and two 8.5" x 11"). It's down a bit from last year, but I have a huge pile of nearly-finished layouts on my desk, so my numbers are artificially low.

*Work to increase my blog readership.
This is a tough one. Goals are supposed to be quantifiable, and for good reason. Did I work to increase my blog readership? Yes. But was it enough to say I accomplished the goal? I suppose so. My readership has had ups and downs and I haven't gained many regular readers, but I'm getting significantly increased traffic from Pinterest and Google searches.

*Earn enough money through scrapbooking or crafting to support all my hobbies.
Check! Between my jobs with Fun Family Crafts and Scrapbook.com, I'm getting regular monthly paychecks that are more than enough to cover the costs of all my hobbies (and Trevor's, too!)

*Experiment with tools or materials that I haven't used recently or at all.
Check! I feel like I've done a lot of experimenting and creative play this year. I didn't expect to do as much digital play as I have, which is a neat bonus.

*Improve my photography skills through monthly challenges and at least one class.
Nope. While I feel my photography has improved (slightly), it has been through trial and error, as well as random practice, rather than through a focused effort to complete challenges and take a class.

.....
 
Here are my craft-related resolutions for 2016.

*Complete an average of one scrapbook layout a week.
*Make necessary changes to the blog to improve the usability and attract more readers.
*Explore and implement optimal ways to monetize the blog.
*Take at least one jewelry-making class.
*Earn enough money through craft-related jobs or blogging to support all my hobbies.
*Improve my photography skills by completing at least 6 challenges or specific assignments.
*Do a complete craft room reorganization so that everything has a place it belongs.


Did you make any craft-related New Year's resolutions? I'd love to hear them!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Image credit

Every year I pick some crafty and/or creative resolutions for myself, which means it's time to look back and see how I did. In 2014, I resolved to:

*Double my blog readership.

Nope. Despite effort, the numbers are about the same as they were at this point last year. Blog reading is way, way down across the board though, so simply maintaining is somewhat positive. I'm going to keep working on this. 

*Seek out opportunities that will allow me to qualify for CHA membership.

Check! I am officially a Creative Professional with membership in the Craft and Hobby Association.

*Earn money through scrapbooking or crafting.

Check! I've been working as the Editorial Assistant at Fun Family Crafts for just over two years and my responsibilities have recently grown. I've been working for Scrapbook.com writing product descriptions since August 2013.

*Complete an average of one scrapbook layout a week.

Check! I made 72 layouts in 2014. I'm very happy with that.

*Improve my photography skills through classes, challenges, etc.

Not really. I've done little things here and there, but I didn't work on this goal as much as the others. I'd like to be more intentional about this in 2015.


.....
   
Here are my craft-related resolutions for 2015.

*Complete an average of one scrapbook layout a week.
*Work to increase my blog readership.
*Earn enough money through scrapbooking or crafting to support all my hobbies.
*Experiment with tools or materials that I haven't used recently or at all.
*Improve my photography skills through monthly challenges and at least one class.

Did you make any scrappy or creative New Year's resolutions? I'd love to hear them!

2014 Resolutions

Happy New Year!

Source

Every year I pick some crafty and/or creative resolutions for myself, which means it's time to look back and see how I did. In 2013, I resolved to:

*Complete an average of one scrapbook layout a week.

Check! I made 55 12x12 layouts. I feel good about that number.

*Handmake at least 95% of the cards our family sends.

Check! With the exception of our photo Christmas cards, I didn't purchase any cards all year.

*Submit at least twelve projects for publication in print magazines.

Nope. I did submit a few projects to print magazines early in the year, but none were published. As magazines folded left and right, I didn't put effort into submitting later in the year. Instead, I focused on having my kids' crafts and articles published.

*Double my blog readership.

Check! My average daily readership is almost exactly double what it was this time last year. 

 

*Teach at least one craft or scrapbook-related class or workshop.

Check!  Back in March, I taught a Scrapbook 101 class as part of my 40 Things. It was a lot of fun. I'd definitely like to teach another class or workshop.

*Earn money through scrapbooking or crafting.

Check!  I've been working as the Editorial Assistant at Fun Family Crafts for just over a year now. I've been a Contributing Writer with Scrapjazz for two years; since August, the articles have been published at Scrapbook.com. I started a new job writing product descriptions for Scrapbook.com in August.

.....
   
Here are my craft-related resolutions for 2014.

*Double my blog readership.
*Seek out opportunities that will allow me to qualify for CHA membership.
*Earn money through scrapbooking or crafting.
*Complete an average of one scrapbook layout a week.
*Improve my photography skills through classes, challenges, etc.


Did you make any scrappy or creative New Year's resolutions?

2013 Resolutions

Happy New Year!

Every year I pick some crafty and/or creative resolutions for myself, which means it's time to look back and see how I did. In 2012, I resolved to:
      
Complete at least 50 layouts
Check!  I completed 64 12x12 layouts. It's a good amount for me - a little over one a week.

Handmake at least 95% of the cards our family sends. 
Check!  I didn't buy a card all year, except for the photo cards I sent for Christmas.

Submit at least one project a month for publication
My hope was to have a scrapbook page or card published in a print magazine. I submitted 11 projects to print magazines, but none of them were published. I submitted 20 projects to online magazines and 4 of those were published. Scrapjazz.com published 19 articles I wrote. Fun Family Crafts published 43 of my tutorials. (Ten days ago, I was offered a job as Fun Family Craft's new Editorial Assistant. So far, so good!). Overall, it's been a very successful year for me in terms of publication, but I am still hopeful that one day one of my projects will appear in a print magazine.

Maintain a Monday-Friday blogging schedule with high-quality posts
I published a blog post every single Monday through Friday in 2012. My readership more than doubled in the past year and I hit a major milestone in December. I think the quality of my blog posts is high and my content is interesting. At least I certainly hope so!

Seek teaching opportunities related to crafting/scrapbooking
I taught a quilling workshop back in January, but didn't do any other in-person teaching of art or crafting. (I wrote dozens of tutorials, which is a form of teaching, but not what I intended with this resolution.) The job with Scrapjazz and other commitments diverted my attention away from teaching, but it is still my hope that I will be teaching craft or scrapbook classes in the near future.


So... what are my craft-related resolutions for 2013?

       *Complete an average of one scrapbook layout a week.
       *Handmake at least 95% of the cards our family sends. 
       *Submit at least twelve projects for publication in print magazines.  
       *Double my blog readership.
       *Teach at least one craft or scrapbook-related class or workshop.
       *Earn money through scrapbooking or crafting.

Did you make any scrappy or creative New Year's resolutions?

2012 Resolutions

Happy New Year!

Each year I pick some scrappy resolutions for myself. It's interesting to look back on them and see how I did.  In 2011, I resolved to:

Complete at least 50 layouts
I completed 57 12x12s and 2 8x10's. (I didn't keep track of how many smaller layouts I made.) I'm happy with 59 completed layouts- just over 1 a week.

Hand make as many gifts and cards as possible 
Technically, this wasn't a good resolution as it isn't measurable. I did a great job of creating homemade cards- I don't think I bought a card all year, plus I made several dozen for my mom to use too. As for gifts, I've done more in other years, but am satisfied with how I did.

Apply for a Design Team
When I set this goal, I'd been doing some Guest Design Team spots, but it had been a year since I'd been a permanent member of a Design Team and I really missed it. Almost immediately, opportunities started falling into my lap... and I didn't actually apply for any of them! I started with the Scrapping Stamper in January 2011. I'd been a member of the Guest Design Team at Flamingo Scraps in the fall of 2010- they offered me a permanent DT spot in February 2011.  In August 2011, I was invited to be a Contributing Artist at Ideas for Scrapbookers. 

I did submit two applications during 2011- one for a Design Team (which I did not get) and one for a position writing articles for Scrapjazz.com. I was shocked (and overjoyed) when they sent me an offer letter! My first two articles will be published in March. 

Submit at least one project for publication each month
It's long been a desire of mine to be published, but I wasn't actually submitting my work. Which, obviously, makes it pretty much impossible to be published. I submitted two projects in 2008 and neither was accepted, then I didn't submit anything again until late 2010. I was published for the first time in November 2010 in Scrapbook News and Review. 

I wanted to set a goal of being published in 2011, but that wasn't something I could control. What I could control was whether I actually submitted my work or not. Here's how I did:

January- submitted to four calls, one layout published in Scrapbook News and Review
February- submitted to three calls, one card published in Scrapstreet
March- did not submit
April- submitted to one call
May- submitted to two calls, one layout published in Scrapbook News and Review
June- submitted to one call
July- submitted to five calls, three layouts published in Scrapbook News and Review
August- did not submit
September- submitted to two calls, one layout published in Enchanting Creations
October- submitted to two calls, one layout published in Scrapstreet
November- submitted to two calls, one layout published in Enchanting Creations
December- did not submit

So I submitted to a total of 22 calls over 9 months and was published 9 times. Not bad, though I'm annoyed at myself for skipping March, August and December. I should also mention that I submitted 11 of my blog tutorials to Fun Family Crafts (including two in December) and 10 of those have been published. I'm very happy with that. 

Of my 22 submissions, 6 were to print magazines and none were accepted. I would love to be published in a print magazine someday. As frustrating as it is to be rejected, I need to keep submitting.

I did accomplish quite a few things that weren't on my list of resolutions. Probably the most significant was starting this blog. In the 9 months I've been blogging, I've kept up a consistent Monday-Friday schedule. I've grown my readership every month and done my best to keep the quality of my blog posts high and my content interesting. (I hope you agree!) 

So... what are my resolutions for 2012?

       *Complete at least 50 layouts.
       *Handmake at least 95% of the cards our family sends. 
       *Submit at least one project a month for publication.  
       *Maintain a Monday-Friday blogging schedule with high-quality posts.
       *Seek teaching opportunities related to crafting/scrapbooking.
     
Did you make any scrappy or creative New Year's resolutions?