Right where I need to be

We’re one month into the second half of 2018, and I’m finally getting around to writing about my first half resolutions to create at least one themed bracelet a month and to make a bead.

I started my themed-bracelet goal with Appreciate a Dragon Day in January, kicked it up a notch with two combos in February (Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day), then three in March (my hygge combo, St. Patrick’s Day, and Easter). That’s when I lost my momentum. I managed National Bat Appreciation Day in April, but completely missed May before coming back with a good vs evil combo in June. I had a few others ideas jotted down, and some even started, but didn’t get a chance to finish them in time.

I did finish two metal clay projects, though! And, I didn’t burn myself!! I’m especially happy with how my spoon theory bead turned out since I had been thinking about it for over two years (and had tried making it at least twice before). I’m less happy with the turmoil that went along with my other silver clay project, but my friend seemed to like the final result.

It’s odd that I only missed May in my themed-bracelet goal (and completed my goal to make a bead!), but I still feel like I didn’t do that well with my first half resolutions. Perhaps because I had a few more bead ideas in mind, or because I didn’t get all of the themed bracelet combinations done.

With that in mind, for my second half year resolutions, I’m extending my resolution to create at least one themed combination every month (luckily, I did one for Canada Day in July ;)) Beyond that, I’ve been having a bit of trouble figuring out what I want to accomplish. And I think part of that is because I’m pretty happy with where I am and what I have.

At the beginning of 2017, I must have had over 100 beads on my “want” lists. I don’t know the exactly number, but after a huge cull in the first few weeks of January of last year, I still had 78 beads on the lists, so the original number must have been over 100. By the middle of last year, after my resolution to re-evaluate my lists, I had narrowed that number down to 26. Today, I have 20 beads on my lists.

Of those, five are Elfpetite, a brand that I didn’t start to collect until March. Another five are Thomas Sabo Karma, and the remainder are a mix of Ohm, Trollbeads, X Jewellery, and a few smaller brands. My Pandora Essence collection is complete (unless something interesting comes out in a future release).

I would like to knock some of the Elfpetite glass off of my lists, but I also feel like I’d want to pick them in person and that will take time to find the right ones. I would also like to shrink the number of Karma beads on my lists, but was waiting for a deal and the most recent deal came at a bad time (there’s a reason that my Pandora Essence collection is complete …)

I’m not going to make a resolution unless I have something that I want to accomplish and that I can reasonably accomplish. And I’m happy where I am.

So, I’m focusing on using what I have, loving what I have, and hopefully sharing with you what I love!

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