24 THINGS IN 2013

I'll be 24 this year, so I have a list of 24 things to work on throughout the year to get the most out of it. I'm realizing (or maybe I've just known it all along) that it's really easy for me to waste a lot of time doing things that are actually me doing nothing. And then I spend time thinking about what I could be doing instead. I want to not do that so much anymore. This might help me. I'm excited.
1. read 12 new books
Reading was one of my favorite things to do throughout my teenage years, and since college I've done it less and less. Despite this, I still keep a list of books I want to read. This year I want to finally get into that list and start reading again.

2. take more more polaroid 300 photos and figure out my diana mini
I want to use these cool cameras I have more often. I used to take Polaroid 300s all the time, but stopped having film handy. And I got a Diana Mini as a gift last year and avoided using it due to a film winding problem. This year I want to fix the camera, start using it, and get film developed.
3. finish decorating our apartment and getting everything organized

I'm so close to having everything organized, but not quite that close to having the space decorated how I want it. It just doesn't have the touches and atmosphere that I'm happy with yet. I need to work on it a lot.

4. re-open the anykind shop and update it weekly

I closed my online shop in December to reorganize after all my shows and moving. I also want to do a better job with my product photos and the overall aesthetic of the shop. I talked here a little about the new direction I want to take my work, and this year I want to apply that to my shop as well. 

5. explore 6 new hampton-roads thrift stores

After living in Saratoga for six months with virtually no thrift store opportunities, I am overwhelmed in a good way by all the thrift stores in Norfolk and surrounding cities. I can't wait to go explore new ones.

6. rent and watch 25 new movies/shows from the local video store

I haven't mentioned the video store here yet, but it's amazing. They have probably any movie I could come up with that I wanted to see, and I want to take advantage of it by watching 25 new movies or shows this year.

7. make and stick to a weekly cleaning routine for the apartment

I'm pretty bad at cleaning a little bit at a time to make the work easier for myself. Instead I just let things pile up and then feel bad enough to work on it. I am realizing how easy it would be if I just do a little every day, room by room. This is a goal for me this year to make my home life more enjoyable and less stressful in an easy way.

8. set-up my screen printing station, design, and print fabric

I have always wanted to screen print, ever since I religiously made freezer paper stenciled t-shirts throughout middle school and high school. Now I have the perfect space to do it in and nothing is standing in my way.

9. go on five dates with Douglas before he leaves for deployment (stuff we haven't done yet)

This is a little bit of a "make the most of it" goal but still an important one. Douglas is going to be gone most of this year, so before he leaves I want to go on five special dates with him, doing things we haven't done together. We have thought of most of them, but still need a few ideas.
10. give away/discard unwanted clothing and housewares every season

This is another one that is going to make my life easier and more enjoyable. It's hard to start giving things away, so I want to do an apartment purge every season. Once you get going it feels so good.
11. get a dog!

We're are in the process of this now because this takes a little more planning. But we still have to go to shelters and search around to find our new little family member. We can't wait.
12. do a diy blog post at least every other week

DIY tutorial posts are some of my favorite to do, but I when I get out of the habit of doing them it's hard for me to start again. I want to do good, quality DIY posts at least every other week this year.
13. get a new slip cover for our futon

Okay, so this isn't the biggest deal, but it's taken me this long to do it. So I need to put it in writing that I will do it this year. The cover we have now is bland and blue and weird. And it's getting me down. I want to get something fresh that will look good in our new place.
14. take really good pictures of our apartment room by room

When I get done decorating and arranging, I want to spend time taking really good photos to share, room by room.

15. visit sam and katie in austin

I visited my brother and his girlfriend/my best friend last year in Austin for a just a few days. This year I want to visit for a little longer and see more cool stuff with them.

16. find and make 10 healthy recipes i like and will eat

I have yet to really try new recipes and find ones that I want to make on a regular basis. I have some bookmarked and clipped, and now I really need to get into them.
17. go to zumba at least four times a week

I've found a perfect place up the road that offers classes every day, and I'm excited about it. I started going to Zumba all the time in Saratoga and it was so much fun.

18. make french macarons until i am successful

I first had a macaron when my dad and I were in Paris two years ago, and I never really thought of making them myself. Recently seeing so many recipes and posts about making them at home, I have a huge desire to try it myself. I'm sure this post by Beca is going to be my lifesaver here.
19. EXPERIMENT with new kinds of bags and make bigger purses

I have so much fabric now that I've saved up for making more complicated and bigger bags, and I have to start sometime. I have pages in my notebook filled with designs I want to try.
20. participate in a monthly photo-a-day challenge (every month!)

I started a January photo-a-day challenge today (you can follow along on Instagram @jessemcknz), and I really want to do one every month. So consider this my official 365 Challenge.
21. participate in 8 craft markets throughout the year

I had so much fun going to seven different craft shows in 2012 and learned a lot as well. I hope to do the same this year (hopefully one more!).
22. dye fabrics using shibori methods

I've had muslin and fabric dyes waiting for me ever since we lived in Charleston. This year I want to finally play with Shibori dying and maybe come up with some new ideas for bag designs because of it.
23. print instagram and phone photos throughout the year and display them throughout the apartment 

I've only printed a batch of phone photos once, and I love their little squareness together in a big frame on our wall. But since I did it that one time, we've had a lot of new adventures together and done awesome things. I want to print photos I love throughout the year and display them in our home.
24. keep up with my writing/list/drawing notebook all year 

I feel as if the success of all of the other 23 things depends on my ability to keep up with this one. Plain and simple, I am way more productive and organized when I have a notebook and constantly write and jot things down throughout the day. I am more creative this way. I love writing by hand and doodling, and when I make lists this way instead of on my computer, I feel more driven to accomplish things. Plus, I just really like the physical feeling of holding all my thoughts and lists in my hand, carrying it around with me. I haven't kept up with a notebook since my sophomore year of college, and I really need to do it again. 

There it is. It feels long to me now. Long in a good, that's-a-lot way. I worked on this list through December, adding things and taking them off. And I'm really happy with the final one. I feel like it's really representative of things I actually want to do, as opposed to things I feel like I should do. So here we go.

Have you made a list of goals or things you want to do in 2013? Let me know! I'd love to see and keep up with each other throughout the year.