2014: A look ahead

 

This is going to be a text heavy post, so I thought I’d start off with a gigantic image.  I mentioned new year’s resolutions yesterday and how I don’t like them very much.  The thing is, I can never seem to keep them.  I like to just go forward with things and make changes, but it seems disingenuous for me to make resolutions, and so I won’t.  However, I thought I would talk a little bit about what my plans are for the upcoming year.  Of course, these are all subject to change as my thoughts and lifestyle changes, but that’s life!

One of the things I really want to do is be a bit more true to my geeky self.  I’ve been doing a lot of generic crafty things lately, and they just don’t do as much for me as the geeky things.  The truth of the matter is that that particular direction was necessitated by Christmas.  My favorite gifts were the chain mail dragons and the space invaders baking pan.  When I make something for someone, I like to make something that I think they will like, not necessarily something I would make for myself.  Does that make sense?  So, while I’ll still be doing posts for the gifts I made, I’ll be working on some geeky things in the background.  I guess I’m telling you this so you aren’t completely caught off guard as I sprinkle more geeky goodness into my posts.

Another thing I want to do is continue on with my software based posts.  I feel that those are helpful for people.  In addition to finishing off the Photoshop series (I’ve got two more lessons planned), I want to go ahead and do the same lessons in Gimp and Photoshop Essential.  I’d also like to do a few Silhouette tutorials so that I can link to the different procedures I use in my silhouette tutorials and cut down on the length of those posts.  And speaking of the Silhouette, I have a series of posts I want to write on how to do the projects I do if you *don’t* have a silhouette.  And while I’ll still be using my silhouette a ton (because I love it that much), I want my main posts to focus more on the project itself and less on the silhouette so that everyone is tempted to try it, not just silhouette users.  Of course, these posts will take some time to materialize and aren’t ready right this moment, but that’s the point of looking forward to the entire year, isn’t it?

I’m trying to integrate social media a little better.  One of the things I’ve done is started my 30 day drawing challenge, which I show on my Facebook page.  I’ve also started paying more attention to my images and optimizing them for Pinterest.  I’ve thought about starting up an Instagram feed, but the truth of the matter is that I find this whole social media thing rather intimidating.  I have a Facebook page, but I don’t really use it other than to see what other people are doing.  Of course, with the whole Silhouette Challenge Facebook group I’m part of, that’s changed a bit.  Same deal with Pinterest.  I’ve used these services more since I started blogging than every before.  So for now, I’m sticking with Facebook and Pinterest.  Maybe I’ll try Instagram before the end of the year, but I’m still iffy on adding more.

One of the things I really like doing is giveaways.  I know, I’ve only done one, but still, I liked it.  And now I’m hooked.  I’ve got another one that I’ll be doing soon, and I did do Craft it Forward 2014 on Facebook.  I’m so happy that I was able to fill up my 5 slots so quickly!  If I finish those off before the end of 2014, I’ll definitely do another.  Do I really need to limit random crafty goodness to only 5 a year?  I don’t think so!  In fact, I did craft it forward on my personal page as well, so there!  Hopefully I can get myself in gear and work with some of the awesome blogging friends I’ve made to do more giveaways.  And maybe, just maybe, I’ll make it to a blogging conference one of these days.  Probably not this year though, there are just too many academic things I need to do.  Though, I do want to start looking into things like advertising, affiliates, and so forth.  I figure if I’m spending my time writing about these things than maybe I can start to venture out into the world of monetization(without selling my soul of course).  And the truth of the matter is, I do pay for this space, so it would be nice if I could get this page to at least pay for itself.  However, it is a realm that I will tread carefully in.

And that leaves me with the last thing going forward: balance.  I need to balance out my crafting and my academic life.  I dropped my academic blog this year because it was actually hindering my academic writing, but I do want to start it up again, but this time with a different purpose.  Instead of using it to get my writing started, I’d like to use it as more of a log of what I’ve been doing.  Weekly check ins to show myself that even if it doesn’t feel like I’ve done anything, indeed I have.  Along the lines of balance is being careful what I commit myself too on the blogging side of things.  I have a habit of saying yes to everything and then stressing myself out, so here’s to hoping I won’t let that happen with this blog.

Ok, I think that’s enough blabbing for now.  Thanks for listening to my babble, and I look forward to writing more here.  Let me know if there is anything you think I should do going forward!  Finally, I”ll leave you with another pretty graphic.

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