Tip Thursday: Planning 2013

Hello and welcome to Tip Thursday.  

2012 is about half through its cycle of events.  Now is the time to start organizing for 2013.   I know, it is not even July yet, and I am talking about 2013.  Hear me out for the moment, because it is never too early to start planning for the new year.   Think about these questions for a moment.   If you are a scrapbooker, how many projects have you worked on this year?  What are your goals?   It does not matter if the project is ongoing or not.  

I have planned that I was going to set my goals to work on as many cards as I can.  For mini books, 10 (4 are already done).  Scrapbook pages are about 50 pages (I am not doing so well on those goals).  Finally, Journals, 10 (4 are in the works).   If I go over the amount, great, if not, still great.  Never set yourself so high on a goal, until you are disappointed.  If you fall off a horse, don't get back up, and try again, or do you go home limping.  Never give up.  So you planned on 50 cards for the month of December, and got only 25 done, that is still an achievement.  Deliver the ones you have done, and apologize for the rest.  Life happens and we are all human. The point I am making is you have the cards planned to be made, and you are not doing them at the last minute.  If you want to know how to do it, you will need the following:

Ingredients:

1 2013 calendar-to look at holidays, birthdays, and events
Notebook paper or your word processing software if you are going to type it out.

Screen shot of Outlook Calendar

• First clear a time to do this task.  Ask the hubby to occupy the kids.  Ask the Hubby (or whoever you assigned kiddie duty) 2 hours max.  (Any longer, and someone may have to send in the troops to find you)
• Decide your goal.  Examples are "I am going to make 1000 cards in 2013", "I am going to complete my child's scrapbook in 2013" or "I am going to learn how to make a mini book by June 2013."
• Decide how t
•   hat goal will be achieved.   Are there classes in your area on mini books?  How about setting up time, where you can be along in your thoughts to get creative.
• Decide your budget.  Sometimes is the matter of how much money you have and how much of that money can be designated towards your hobby.
• Once that is decided, get out your 2013 calendar, and decide what holidays you want to cover if you are making cards, when are you making gifts for special occasions, or if you are organizing your space when to get started.  If you are using a program like Microsoft Outlook or ICalendar, duplicate where you are setting up your time and sync with your phone, or paper planner.   I would even place all paper crafting event in another color.  (example:  June 19: make a card for Jane's birthday which is  June 27-mail tomorrow)
• Once you have planned and placed all your events, and made your goals, take out a sheet of paper or open up your word processing software, and type up your schedule, and make a copy for you to see it.   I will be sure it will help you remember, and seeing your calendar will you make time for your crafts.

Screen shot of word document

Always remember, life happens, and for the things you can control, allow yourself time by making things before the due date.  you do not need to tie a string around your finger (who does now anyway when you have smart phones to be your finger.)  For the things you cannot control, like illnesses, do not worry, and move on.  Jane would probably would like a phone call anyway.  At least you were thinking about her.  Tomorrow I will have a card I made for the Card a day Blog, so come to see it.   Here is a hint... Father's day is around the corner.  What are you doing for the man in your life?    Take care, and God Bless You.