Every time the mail gets
brought into the house, I look through it to see what needs to hit 'file 13'
and what needs to be filed away. You know, bills, statements, cards, etc. As a
crafter, I find it hard to throw anything away because I always think in the
back of my mind, oooooo - -"I CAN use that on a project" or
"THAT" would be awesome with this project. How many of you can
relate?
2020 has been an unusual
year for everyone in general due to the COVID Pandemic. With all this time on
my hands since we could not get out and about, on many occasions, I found
myself going through things in my craft room to 'purge' instead of oohing and
awwing over. In fact, I threw so much 'stuff' away that should have hit file 13
upon its arrival than I care to blurt out loud. I am sure one day in my future,
I will kick myself for doing so. But not today...
Here is an example of
what I am talking about. Periodicals in every form. Words I have cut out and
placed in bags to use in collages. I have about 25 assorted magazines that I
still have not gone through tearing and cutting pictures and/or words out of to
use in my crafting projects. With that stack of magazines, I probably have 5 -
9 large freezer bags full of torn out words, neatly cut words, and assorted
images. Yes, too many!!! I never thought there would be a day that I said
"I have too many"...I always want more, more, MORE! (chuckling out
loud)
I feel accomplished that
I finally finished all the albums I have been working on since the end of
September. This is one of the reasons I have been away from blogging for the
last few months. They took most of my time and focus as I had
to be precise in measurements, cutting, and placing things for them to be a
success. Not to mention the constant health issues that continue to
plague my body. I had to shift a few days, make other arrangements and in fact,
cancel days that I had planned for crafting or genealogy just to become a couch potato
due to health issues. Today, I feel okay...and I will leave it right there.
Do not want to jinx it...not that I am superstitious or anything like that! LOL
My focus in 2020 started out with a plan at the end of 2019...I was on a smooth ride until the early part of February when I got extremely sick. Then my mom died and shortly after that, I ended up in the hospital for almost three weeks because I was 'that' sick. I have not been at 100 % since. But I manage. Each day, I make a constant effort to get out of bed, clean myself up, put on clothes, and begin my day. Whatever it looks like.
Some days I make plans to craft or work on my Genealogy (which is another one of my most favorite past times in the world). Pertaining to crafting - I have so much stuff that I could craft for days on end and never even make a dent in my things. I have donated things, I have sold things, and yet...at the end of the day, I still have STUFF! Plenty of stuff...
Genealogy and research stuff are in my room too. Drawers and drawers and drawers of it. There are tubs of photos that I am in the process of scanning into the computer. Remember those binders I blogged about earlier in the year? Yes, I am still working on the binders I started earlier in the year that was on my 'to do' list for 2020. When will I ever get to a stopping point there? Probably never...as research always uncovers a new branch on my Family Tree. But I am not complaining...love the history of my ancestors!
In between all the
projects I have on my plate, I try to always find time to do a page or two in
one of my many Glue Books using those cut-out words and images I mentioned
above. This morning as I wrapped up a few things I had left undone from last
night, I glanced over at my bookcase and saw a bag of torn/cut out words and
images. I grabbed it and quickly picked up one of my Glue Books. I do not ever
have a focus or theme in mind when I am working on these books...I just go with
the flow and today was no different. One thing I will say though I do is stay
within the bag I chose, or the box of things cut out. I do not look for other
things to use instead of what is in front of me. FOCUS...stay focused!
I pulled out a photo of
a car that I had fussy cut. I placed it on the page. Not in any order or
thought process. I just glued it on. Then I added a few more images. I had
pulled out a handful of torn, cut out words from the bag like I showed above. I
looked at the words in my hand. CELEBRATE was the first word I touched. I
placed it on the page.
Continuing to build the
page out, another set of words I had in my hand was, COME TO LIFE -
so I placed it on the page...
The page was beginning
to bring on life. "COME TO LIFE, CELEBRATE". What a
concept...especially in 2020! This year has brought so many heartaches,
uncertainties, loss of income, loss of life, and yet on the opposite side of
that statement, 2020 has brought people closer together because of 'stay at
home' orders, brought life, brought new revelations, and has given purpose to
many in some way or another. Looking at the page and the words in my
hand, a world of wonderful and the TODAY fell
onto my desk. Okay, I will use both on the page was my thought.
Piddling around trying
to figure out where I wanted to place them, I ended up putting 'world of
wonderful' next to the word, celebrate and the word, TODAY just
underneath.
So now I have with my
images this...COME TO LIFE, CELEBRATE A WORLD OF WONDERFUL TODAY. That began to
resonate with me. Thinking about 2020, the world has not been wonderful at all
this year. It has taken and taken and taken and what have we been given back? I
pondered this for a little bit while staring at the page before me. I pushed my
chair back and would not you know it, I knocked off the bag of torn out cut-out
words to the floor. Oh my...so much for my cleaned-up floor! LOL
As I picked up the words
and images (there must be about 150 or so in this bag), I saw the words,
FINDING FOCUS...that is it! That is what I want to use next. I placed it on the
page. FOCUS...we all need to find focus whatever it is. I am sure it is different
for many of us and the same for some. Have you ever just let that word resonate
with you for a moment?
F * O * C * U * S - what
does it mean? I am glad you asked. Let me tell you the definition of the
word.
FOCUS:
*the center of interest or activity
*the state or quality of having or producing a clear visual
definition
Well, what my focus was at the end of 2019 is not how
2020 ended up. I had a clear vision and plan of what I wanted to accomplish
this year. This is what it looked like:
January: Start my BLOG, do
more crafting projects (Junk Journals, Portfolios, meet new cousins by way of
DNA matches) just to name a few
February: Build my followers,
order themed papers and ephemera for crafting projects, make plans for trips to
different parts of the USA
March: Continue to build
my brand, begin working on Junk Journals and other crafting projects, make
travel plans, etc.
April: Continue building
followers, continue working on the brand, get a website up and running, work on
crafting projects (for sale and for fun), get ready to meet new family
May:
June:
July:
August:
September:
October:
November:
December:
I will not bore you with all the details of my vision I put in
place in the latter part of 2019, but you get the picture. I was FOCUSED on 2020
and wanted to put things in motion and I did. Like many of you, I have had to
reprioritize my 2020 plans and make changes. Nothing was ever concrete so adjusting
was somewhat easy.
Here we are, two and half weeks before we hit 2021, and looking
back on the accomplishments I had for myself in 2020, have been nothing but
unsuccessful - -but that is OKAY!!! There is always tomorrow...after all,
sometimes - we just need to be still and wait. Sit quietly and listen...
2020 has given me reassurances that tomorrow is
not always promised. Love your loved ones today. Make amends
and learn to ask for forgiveness (whether it be for self or
for another person). Have a sense of self-worth because YOU
matter. Learn what you are made of - OWN it.
Finishing up the page in
my Glue Book, I ended up with this...
The
page says it all...how did your 2020 focus end? Did you get wrapped up in all
the muck of what this year brought forth? Or did you stay in your vision and
take this time to grow and find strength?
Thinking
about "FOCUS", what was yours this year? The virus, family, loss of
life, finances, or survival? Whatever it was...did it ever shift for you? How
is your focus in 2021 going to be different than this year, 2020?
What
are some of the changes you are going to put in place to ensure that your focus
shifts?
Here
is to a new tomorrow, a new outlook, change, and new beginnings...
Heart to Heart Soul Creations
H2hsc2020
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