Summing up the year

On the QuiltArt yahoo group today, they are starting to re-visit the concept of designating a single word as your anthem during the year.  In some of today's postings they are looking back over the past year and examining whether the word chosen actually became a by-word for the year, or if another word would have been more appropos.  I had toyed with the concept behind several words, and most of them would have been right for my year.

2011 was a year of re-birth for me.  A year of stepping back and re-examining my life and what I want from it.  Last December/January I wasn't sure where I was headed, or what I wanted my future to be.  Looking back, I can also see that I wasn't emotionally or physically able to visualize my future, and visualization is an important part of future planning.  Physical health was a bigger issue in 2012 than I had thought it would be

I have not participated in a show/sale since November of 2010.  Now I have seen that I didn't miss the shows and sales at all.  I sometimes missed the income, but most of the sales I participated in were on a "break even" basis, with participation being more inteneded to get my name out there--which is not a bad rationale for it. 

So, decision #1  Shows/sales will be limited to one or two per year, and only if I have sufficient stock to participate, without a mad scramble to produce. 

Teaching has not been good for me for several years.  This past year I did some teaching of  more basic quilting methods, to individuals and small groups, more informally than in the past, and I had much more fun.  Most of these chances came as a result of informal, word-of-mouth promotion.  Formal promotion resulted in nothing!

Decision #2  I will no longer engage in active, formal promotion of my willingness to teach, but rather will rely on informal methods.  I will be willing to teach anything anything I feel capable of teaching, including back to basic traditional quilting.

This year there was the opportunity to exhibit more widely than in the past.  Given a reasonable deadline, this was wonderful, and the process resulted in sales.  Gotta get me more of this.

Decision #3  In 2012 to focus more energy and resources toward exhibitions rather than shows/sales.

What went well in 2011?  I firmly believe that I am finishing 2011 a much healthier person.  Many health issues have been moderated.  ( People my age don't get cured of anything!)

Decsion #4  To make every effort to maintain the health gains achieved in 2011