Wednesday, December 26, 2012

10 Ideas for your New Year's Resolutions

10 Ideas for your New Year's Resolutions!

1. Square Goals
As a family we set 4 separate goals in these 4 categories each year.  We get together at the beginning of the year and decide what goals we are going to try and accomplish that year.  Throughout the year we check and see how we are doing.  Just like every family, sometimes we do great and other times we have to work on it.  Getting your children involved with goal setting truly helps because they help motivate you when you don't want to do it. 

 Here are some ideas for each category that we have done as a family: 

Spiritual: Memorized scriptures, Memorized the Articles of Faith, and having family prayer.
Emotional: Date night with Dad, Wii Party, Football Party, Game Night and Holiday Parties.
Educational: Read every day, Memorize times tables, Summer School, Memorize States & Capitals, Learn ABC's sounds.
Physical: Train for a 5K, Train for a Triathlon, Exercise 5 times a week, 4th of July 40 mile bike ride.



2. Picture Frame Accomplishments

I like to not only try to come up with new goals but to reflect on what I did the past year.  Here is an idea of making a picture frame with ipiccy.  Print it and put in a frame. Celebrate what you did accomplish the previous year.  It sure beats giving yourself a guilt trip for not setting New Year's Resolutions.
My accomplishments: Girls Weekend, 5K run as a family, Rode the Boomerang at Seven Peaks(I hate water slides), Rode my bike 40 miles with my family, Started a Blog with 4 other great women, I tried and finally like eating tomatoes (Another huge accomplishment for me) Made a Movie Maker Video for my husband's family reunion.
3. Word

My sister Karalee introduced me to this idea that she found on this blog called one little word.  The idea is to choose a word for the year to live by.  I have done this for the past several years and it has been an amazing experience for me.  One particular year I chose the word "Overflowing".
o·ver·flow



1. To flow or run over the top, brim, or banks.
2. To be filled beyond capacity, as a container or waterway.
3. To have a boundless supply; be superabundant.

My husband had gotten laid off and had gone back to school to further is education.  I went back to work after being home with my girls for 4 years and things were so financial stressful.  I felt so overwhelmed with life.  I was tired of seeing the glass half empty and feeling like there was actually a hole in the bottom of my cup.   So I decided I was going to focus that new year on my cup runneth over.  My cup was so full that it was "beyond capacity".  It was amazing to go through that year and realize how blessed financial, emotional and physically we were.  My abilities were overflowing as well as my love for others and myself.  Check out her site it is a powerful opportunity to change your life by focusing on just one word for the year.
4. Quote


Choosing a quote is very similar to picking just one word.  Sometimes having a quote or an affirmation to focus on for the year can help you to see the good in life or to help you accomplish goals.  One year I tried to live by this quote.  That year I accomplished many fears including the fear of going down a water slide.  It was the first water slide I had been on since I was about 14.  I stopped having fears about my future and realized that my life was really good.  When I had fearful moments throughout the year, I would think of this quote and it almost pushed me to do something that I was afraid of doing.

5. Vision Board


This is another great idea that hangs in my room above my computer.  During the year, I cut out pictures or words of things that I want to accomplish during the year.  It is my vision of my life.  It is what I vision myself doing and achieving. These are great for teenagers and children so that they have a visual of the goals they want to set. 


6. BOOK

 
This is absolutely one of my favorite "New Year" self help books.  Cheryl Richardson gives you a goal each week to accomplish.  This is great for a book club.  My sisters and I went through this book one year and met each month to discuss what we had learned and what we had done.  It was so much fun.  If you have a group of friends who need to discover who they are or to have a little Life Makeover put together a group and follow Cheryl Richardson book Life Makeover.  

7.  Bucket List

Make a bucket list this year.  If you already have your bucket list pick one or two things and  accomplish them.  Sometimes we make our self fail with our New Year's Resolutions because we think we have to accomplish 10 or 15 things.  Just pick a couple and really do them.  Imagine if this was the last year you could accomplish your bucket list choose the most important one and just do it!!



8.  Calendar or Calendar Apps



Write your goals on your calendar.  Haven't you heard people say if it is on the calendar, I will do it, otherwise, it doesn't get done.  So here is your chance.  If your New Year's Resolution is to get organize set a few days a month to focus on small projects.  Organize the kitchen cupboard, clean out your junk drawer and organize your dresser drawers for January.  Clean out the toy box, underneath the sink, and underneath the beds for February.  By the end of the year you will have more things organized because you
set a date with small projects.  

9. Chains



Another idea like the calendar is a paper chain.  Cut 12 strips of paper and write on each piece of paper one goal that you can focus on each month.  If your goal is to get healthy try doing 12 separate smaller goals that will have you reach your bigger goal.  

Strip One: Exercise 3 times a week this month.
Strip Two: Eat three healthy meals each week for the month.
Strip Three: Take a multivitamin each day this month.
Strip Four:  Drink 8 glasses of water each day this month.

Hopefully by the end of the month you have set a habit so adding the next strip will not be hard to do. Again, take small steps and by the end of the year you will have made better strides to your goal then quitting after the first couple of days.

10.  Pick an Event


Pick your goal by an event and work towards it.  It may be a 5K, seeing a Broadway play, going on a vacation, a shopping sale etc.   Let's take the shopping sale.  Maybe your goal is to decorate your home on a budget.  You really want a new couch but you are afraid it may not be in the budget to buy it in January.  RC Willey has a 4th of July sale so you pick that event to buy your couch.  Now from the first of January to July you put money away each month so that in 6 months you will have enough for your purchase.  Now remember it takes sacrifice just like any other goal but you can do it because you have the event planned and you need the money to buy your couch.

Happy New Year's! 
May you accomplish great things this year!!!!
Jan
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Monday, December 24, 2012

50 Cute, Fun and Chic Hats

Knit them, crochet them, sew them, or just BUY them....

Happy Christmas Eve!!

As I mentioned in my last post, I love hats. I love knitting them for Christmas. Sadly, I didn't make ANY this year. Just hat cookies

Instead of getting out the knitting needles, I've found 50 amazing hats.  It's too late to make them or even buy them for Christmas tomorrow (unless you're a superhero, and you might be), but there's still a few long months of cold weather. The day after Christmas pull out those needles, hooks, sewing machine, or cash and make or buy a new hat for someone.  Here are a bunch of ideas. 

First, cute hats for the babies and kiddos....

1.Adorable baby stocking cap. Free pattern by Hands full of Happiness.



2.Baby Cape photo from Flickr.
Free Pattern found here by Drops.


3. Picture by Kamieo Photography. Buy this hat from Milk Money by Sonia's Etsy shop.
I've also made some very very similar hats from the book Itty Bitty Hats, which I talked about how much I LOVE, here.


4. Buy this Paddington Bear Hat Pattern from Avrellynrose's Store on Craftsy.




5. Baby Newsie Hat pattern by Noble Knits.




6.  Aviator Hat Pattern  by Julie Taylor available at Ravelry.



7. This hooded scarf is made by Cabbages and Kings. All of their products are handmade by people living high in the Andes mountains. Each piece is handmade and unique. These may be sold out, but perhaps they'll make more. Or figure out how to make one :).



8. Hello Kitty! Awesome free pattern at Crochet in Color.



9. The Beautiful Briar Hat  you can purchase at Dear Lillie.




 10. Angry Bird hat. Find it at Sweet Meadow Sweet Etsy Shop




11. The Paisley Cloche. Find the pattern on Ravelry.



12.  Lace Bonnet from Sweet Pea Toad Tots Etsy shop.



13.  Cute Newsboy hat for girls at Prairie Blossom Boutique.



14. Another cute crocheted hat from Prairie Blossom Boutique.











17.  Lamb Hat by Nolie Polie Olies.  Photo by With a Touch of Bliss Photography.




18. Little bear hat by Little Buttercup Baby.




19. Jessica from Running with Scissors gives free tutorials for these cute monster hats here.
She sewed them using fleece. Cute!





20. Free pattern: Candy Puffs Beanie by Busting Stitches.





21. How to SEW hats from sweaters. Awesome tutorial by Ashley from Make it and Love it. (One of my absolutely very favorite blogs).


I've heard there's a hot new hat trend...

22. Little boy crochet bearded hat available at  Little Buttercup Baby Estsy shop.











Sock Monkey hats are still a rage...

25. Sock Monkey Knitted Hat Pattern by Trappings and Trinkets Etsy Shop.



Some nice conservative hats for the men...

26. Botanic Hat pattern at Loopyarn.




27. 'Turn a Square Hat' pattern by Brooklyn Tweed.





28. The Man Hat... high rated pattern available for free at Ravelry




The ever popular slouch hat...

29. The Graham slouch hat by Jennifer Adams. Free pattern at Ravelry.


for yourself, a sister, mom, or friend...

 30. The Sarah Slouchy hat made by the Nolie Polie Olie's Etsy shop.






31. I think I'll be making this knit slouch hat. The free pattern is simple and adorable by .meet.make.laugh.




32. The Tree bark pattern beanie by Breeann Elyse Miller is free on Ravelry .




33.  Buttercup Beret is a free knitting pattern by Sweet Sassafrass.




34.  Through the Woods hood by Kalurah pattern available on Ravelry .





35. This Crystal-embellished knitted cotton beret is available at the Outnet. Yes, it's way more money than I could ever pay for a hat, but I can dream...hmmm, now how to figure out how to make one...




36. I don't know a pattern or where to buy this hat, I just love how it looks with that zipper flower. It can be viewed here on flickr.




37. Newsboy hat with zipper flower crochet pattern and tutorial, by Viktoria Gogolak on ravelry.




38. Crochet Cloche with flower and braided band. Pattern available at Artfire.




39. The Atomic hat. Pattern found on Crochet me.




40. Honeysuckle Hat pattern found on Crochet me.




41. Made by Ebrunk Etsy Shop. Sadly, I noticed they are sold out. Still worth looking at though.




42. The free pattern for this crochet head wrap is at Sweet Sweezers.




43.  In Bloom Crochet Beret is rated as quick and easy. Free pattern by Brittney Waterhouse on Ravelry.




44. Crochet Newsboy Hat made to order from Lady Baron's Etsy shop.




45.  Yellow knit hat with pom poms can be bought at Tulles4us.




46. The Starflower knitted hat pattern by Eveli Kaur can be purchased at Ravelry.  Rated quick and simple.




47. Solitary Hat by Anthropologie. Love it.







48. The Brangelina Hat by Laurie Perry... a simple free pattern found on Ravelry or Crazy Aunt Pearl.





49.  The Lizzie Cloche pattern  by Little Birdie Secrets on Etsy.




I could not resist these cute hats made from sweaters. Definitely on my to make list for next year...

50. Free sewing pattern from Make it and Love it.




Oh, and after I found all the hats, there was one more I could NOT resist...
 This adorable crochet pattern The Baylie Bear Cowl can be purchased from the Velvet Acorn Shop.



Such great hats out there!!! Make them or buy them before it's too late! At least we know the world hasn't ended, and there's always next year :).

Merry Christmas!!!
XO, Nancy

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