Last year, instead of making goals, I chose a word for the year. I saw this first on Christine Kane’s blog and she explains about choosing a word in her post Resolution Revolution.  I like that the word you choose is related to everything in your life as it is about “being” instead of “doing”. Keeping one word in the forefront of your thoughts is much easier than trying to remember a list of resolutions. Last year, my word was “choose”. I did get a lot done last year in relation to my fiber arts, I was happy with the choices I made and I want to keep moving forward in that same vein. While I was looking at the list of possible words that I might choose for 2012 on Christine’s blog, I came across several that spoke to me. I wrote those words down and my list included clarity, focus, mastery and discipline.  After I looked at these words for a few minutes, it seemed to me that all four of the words fit under the word focus. Focus has several meanings including the center of interest, to adapt to the prevailing light and become able to see clearly, to concentrate or to think about closely. So for the coming year, I will be thinking about focus and how that relates to fiber art.

 I also have a list of intentions that I want to accomplish during the year. I’m not sure how I’ll get them all done but I’m sure if I focus…

• Continue the Level II Hand and Machine Stitch course
• Promote my book when it comes out in August
• Begin teaching felting classes at a local yarn store
• Investigate future teaching possibilities (felting/fiber art) at the local community college
• Mentor artists through the Montana Arts Council program at the store about the business of art
• Participate fully in our new virtual studio The Felting and Fiber Studio
• Continue exploring the combination of hand and machine stitching with felting
• Begin making video fiber art tutorials (which I’m sure will involve more than I think it will)
• Learn more about Photoshop and use it more frequently
• Continue to explore surface design including more eco-printing with leaves with my local group
• Begin researching and planning for The Yurt Project

Now if you were paying attention, you might be saying “What yurt project?” I have really wanted to make a yurt  in the traditional way with a felt covering for a long time. It will be a ton of work and I’m sure I won’t get it all done this year. But I’m going to start working on it this year. I have already gotten some books from the library and my hubby is going to help with the frame construction. I may see if I can involve some school groups or civic organizations and teach more people about felting. The idea is still brewing but I’m excited about moving forward with the idea.

What are your plans for 2012? I’d love to hear about them.