I’m not big on resolutions, particularly New Year’s Resolutions. I like to take life head on, and have been very humbled by the last few years to realize that sometimes I just won’t have control over the chaos that we call life.

Resolutions are usually so noble, too, like, “I’ll go to the gym 5x/week!” or “I will quit smoking” or “I will be debt free!” I know better than to try to commit to something of that scale (though, thankfully, I don’t smoke, so I guess I can commit to that!), since the last few times I tried, life has taken it as a challenge to purposely put me off track. Instead, I stay prepared for as much as I can.

Goals, however…I do love goals! I can’t imagine waking up in the morning and having nothing to strive towards, nothing to achieve, day after day. My zest for life would fizzle. As crafting is one of my biggest passions and motivators in life, I’m starting off 2012 with a list of crafty goals, hopefully to be completed in this year.

1. Sew myself at least 2 aprons. Being an avid foodie and frequent culinary entertainer, I have no excuse for not owning a single apron (GASP!). It’s well past time to remedy that.
2. Organize my yarn stash. Nothing big here, this is just an item on my to-do list that has been lingering for longer than I’d like to admit.  I’m not yet settled on an organizational method, but it has to fit in my office/craft room closet.
3. Paint my desk. My office desk is already painted, but I did a really shoddy job, and I would love it to have a nicer finish and look intentional.
4. Organize the rest of my crafting supplies. I have a bunch of random bits and bobs (don’t all crafters?) that need to find a home. I need to get my “kids’ crafts” stuff into one bin, as well.
5. Try paper crafting. I’ve always been a yarn-crafter, sometimes venturing into sewing and fabrics, but have steered clear of paper craft. No more!
6. Try soap making. Another one of those crafts that has been sitting on my “Someday I’ll try…” list for too long. Cold process soap making, I’ve got my eye on you.
7. Finish a quilt. I have at least one quilt started, though I’m pretty sure at least one more started quilt will surface (see #4), so I should get one done.
8. Use up or donate half of my yarn. I am quite tired of looking at the piles of inherited acrylic. I don’t have any room to store new lovely luxurious yarns that I want, and refuse to buy any new yarn while my stash is at it’s current size. I want to start using beautiful yarns that make my heart sing when I see them! That means I have to nix some of the old.
9. Embroider Jaden’s portrait. I’ve been meaning to do this ever since my red Siberian Husky boy died just before Christmas 2010. I want to embroider a portrait of his grinning face to place on a shelf with his ashes. This will likely be a piece accented with many tears and lots of love.
10. Publish my first knitting pattern. And it will happen right here! I’ve got a few different patterns written down that I’ve been using, and I will be sharing them with you in 2012.
11. Make a chicken hat and photograph it on a chicken. I have two hens, and no chicken hats. This must be remedied. See this old post from Craftster.
12. Knit a pair of Bella mittens. I’m not a Twilight fangirl, but I love Bella’s mittens from the first film. You know, the gray ones with the sexy horseshoe cable on the back? I would love to have these done in time for the final film release (November 16th!)

I think 12 should do it, yeah? This isn’t a comprehensive list of all of the crafty things I want to make happen, but it should help keep me on track!

What is your #1 crafting goal for this year?