Monday, January 1, 2018

Happy New Year!

2018 is a new year for a new me.  I am changing a lot of things in my life and business this year.  Restructuring a lot.  Last year was not the best year I've ever had, it was one of the worst, financially.  The needle felting made me the most money, the crocheting the least, none of which even came close to breaking even, let alone make a profit.

*There were some good things last year.  The goats were healthy all year long.  I got a good cashmere harvest off them, which I just got sent off to be dehaired the week before Christmas.  I'll get that back just about the time I finish combing out this years' harvest. 
*I was/am the winter president of the weavers and spinners guild I belong to.  Not sure how good a job I'm doing, but they wanted me to do it again this year, so I must be okay at it. 
*We had a good pumpkin harvest out of the garden.  There are still 4 left!
*I signed us up for Hip Camp, we have two campsites on our place.  Had a couple of campers a week until the fires and smoke ran all the tourists away in late August and September.  Hopefully we'll have a steady stream of campers this year.  We got a late start on it, I only signed up in July.
*We had some great helpxers last year!  Hope to get some more this year.  Lots of projects to do, as usual.
*I got an Arabian horse again!!  I can hardly wait till spring to start riding her.  I need to sell my old saddle and get one that fits her, first.  I have the saddle at a saddle shop in Kalispell on consignment.  Hope it sells before March!!
*I'm learning how to weave!  My Christmas present this year is a 28" Ashford Knitters Loom, which is a folding rigid heddle loom.  John ordered it the day after Christmas. I have always said I would never ever take up weaving, the warping was too complicated and involved.  Then I found out about rigid heddle looms and I got an urge to check those out.  I borrowed one from a friend for a month, then rented the guild's loom, and now am waiting for mine to arrive sometime between the 4th and 9th of this month.  I can hardly wait!  I got addicted to weaving right away.  I've made 9 projects so far.  Scarves and a little bag to hold my sunglasses.  I don't know if I will ever go beyond a rigid heddle or not.  I want to master that before expanding to anything bigger.  I will need a craft studio before I get anything bigger anyway.  There is barely room in this house for a rigid heddle one!  I am encroaching farther into the living room as it is.  We got rid of the couch a couple of months ago, now there are only two recliners in there. :-)   When I set up the folding table to warp the loom on, it takes up the whole living room area.  Yes, we have a very small house! 

2018 is going to be a year to get things done around here.  I am building a craft studio starting as soon as the snow is gone and the ground has dried out a bit.  That is the first project, and we will expand from there.

May this year be the best year yet, for all of us!!