The 2020 Year Look Back and Looking ahead to 2021

 Hi Everyone.....

What a year we have had and continue to have!!  This pandemic is a wake up call for everyone.  For us, it made us think: are we really ready in the case of emergency?  What if all the services have to close down and we have no way to get food and necessities for everyday life? 

A few years ago, I assembled five backpacks filled with 72-hour kits for all my immediate family and my father and mother-in-law.  We have some food storage in our pantry for emergencies but we didn't really update or pay much attention to them until early this year.  When I did, I realized we were not as prepared as I thought we were.  A lot of food/medicines were expired and had to be tossed out.  It's time to overhaul our food storage system....

Looking back on 2020:

1.  I have posted more blogs this year, 37 blogs to be exact.  It came to 3 times a month.  I can do better, I think.

2.  I didn't set many goals for 2020, but I did say this year would be the year of actions and motivations and it would be a year of hobby with a bang!  You can read about it here.

    For motivations, I decided to join in the #OneMonthlyGoal at Elm Street Quilts and I’m glad I did. This monthly linkup has helped me to stay on task and accomplish every goal I set for this year.  

     I also joined the 30-day Sketchbook challenge on Instagram, hoping that it would motivate me to design more but I didn't finish the whole program.  After two weeks, I went back to doing my own thing.

    For the actions part, I designed and made several tops.  I finished 12 quilts.  The picture below only shows 9 quilts that I didn't forget to snap a picture before I gifted some away.  I highlighted some of them in this Best of 2020 post for the linkup party at the Meadow Mist Designs.  I sewed everyday and I really enjoyed it.  This will definitely continue to next year. 

    One of my quilt designs got published in the Make Modern Magazine.

    My 2 quilts got accepted to QuiltCon.

  

Looking ahead to 2021.  I will.....

- Continue to work on more designs and make something everyday.

- Work harder on pattern making/writing.  Graphic seems to be the most challenging thing for me.  I would like to outsource this part to someone who is good at it because I rather do the designing and sewing parts.  If anyone out there wants to collaborate with me on this, I will welcome this new venture and recommendations.

- Take more pictures and seek inspirations all around me. 

- Improve my quilting skill.  Try new FMQ techniques and do something outside my comfort zone. 

- Work on ideas for a book either on my own or collaborate with other quilters.  Five years ago, I got a book published by the AQS and still remember how much fun I had working on it.   I submitted 16 projects for them to choose, they ended up picking every project.  I was overjoyed.

- Continue to post regularly 1-2 times a week or as content arises.  

- Participate more in social media and interact more with others.  I like to collaborate with other quilters/bloggers on a project.

- Continue to participate in charity quilt making.  I really enjoyed the #Hands2Help2020 project this year.

- Work on quilting the tops I made this year.

 

On a personal note I will:

- Exercise more and take better care of myself; mentally, physically and spiritually.  

- Be kinder to everyone around me, including myself.

- Work more in the garden.  Growing my own food is very intriguing to me.  I'm very happy when I harvest my own vegetables and herbs.

- Take more walks with my husband and our dog.

 

The year 2020 is ending and I gladly say goodbye to it.  Wishing you all a better and brighter new year.   

Happy Creating and Sewing.....

Linking up with the #2021PlanningParty.