a fresh, new year

Posted by on January 3, 2012 in craft, knit, stitch | 14 comments

Happy New Year! I have high hopes for 2012, and I'm starting it off by cleaning out and finishing off and setting goals and figuring out what I want to be when I grow up. I'll be blogging up a storm here at Hey Lucy, and I'm starting to think about all the projects I can do and tutorials I can share, and things I can make for my Etsy shop. You see, while I was on vacation I learned that I had been laid off from my job. It was a bit shocking, and it's somewhat terrifying, but I really hope to turn it into something wonderful. 

It's quite fun wake up in the morning and have the whole day to putter and create, although it is surprising how much time all those mundane little things can take. I'm working on getting into a routine, a la FlyLady, and spending a certain amount of time in my little house studio. Later this week I'll be setting up my own little home office in a corner of our tiny guest room, which will involve building a desk, among other things, and I'm excited to see how it all comes together. 

In the meantime, I've whipped up and worked on a few things that have been waiting to be done for a very long time. I've had this polka dot fabric for dog beds for months, and I sewed one up the other day. It's just a giant pillow cover with an envelope back, and I stuffed it with some of our old pillows that have seen better days and needed replacing. I made it for Bear, our 10-year-old Golden Retriever, so he won't have to lay his old bones down on the floor, but Winston was eager to try it out and model for me.

image from www.flickr.com
He heartily approves. Oh, and Bear likes it too.

Ages ago I had the bright idea that I would hem some cheery blue plaid cotton squares and use them as handkerchiefs. I did a cute, hand-stitched hem on one and then ran out of steam. I really have to be in the mood for hand sewing, and the mood hasn't striked (stricken?) for awhile, so I zipped the rest through the rolled-hem foot on my sewing machine and called it good. The corners are not the prettiest, but it turns out I got them done just in time, since I woke up yesterday with a scratchy throat and runny nose. I have to say, it's no fun feeling under the weather when you can't even call in sick!

image from www.flickr.com
There has also been much knitting this past month, but I can only give you a sneak peek of a few projects, and I will have to tell you more later. I am finally testing my design chops, and the first photo is something I am working on that I hope to finish up and write up soon! I might need a test knitter or two, so let me know if you are interested! 

  image from www.flickr.com

So, I could use a little help. I really want to build Hey Lucy into a great site and have it be something useful, and then eventually to accept sponsors. I should probably do a formal survey, but in the meantime, I want to know what you think makes a good blog, what makes you come back every day? Tutorials? Original patterns? Links to cool stuff elsewhere? More photos of Winston? 😉 Fashion, design, crafts? One more than the other, or all three? Do you want to know about iPhone apps? Do you like to have lots to read, or just look at lots of photos? Please share! Either in the comments, or via email, if you want to keep it private (lucy (at) heylucy (dot) net). It would be most appreciated!

Here's to a fun new year!

14 Comments

  1. I’m sorry to hear that you got laid off, but it sounds like you have a wonderfully fresh and positive attitude! A routine is the most important thing, be your own drill sergeant! I’m excited for what this blog will bring 🙂

  2. I like your blog already. You have a calm approach and a variety of food and cloth and garden and pets. I like the mix.

  3. Thanks Fiona! I'm excited too, and I will be a drill sergeant 🙂 Once I have a routine down, I think that will help a lot! I'm getting there now that the holidays are over.

  4. Thanks Judy. I like your "calm approach" comment, I hadn't thought about that before, but I am a pretty calm person. I need to play to my strengths, right? 

  5. Wow…sorry to hear you got laid off…especially while on vacation! I agree with Judy in that I like your blog, your voice etc already, so I think if you just stay true to yourself and post about what interests you – that’s what I want to read.

  6. I’m sorry you got laid off also. 🙁 I love your blog already. Your photos are always beautiful and I love to see what projects you are working on. Of course I always like photos of Winston (and Bear!). Good luck with the etsy site and blog! I can’t wait to see what you have planned.

  7. I along with the others am so sorry to hear you got laid off. i have been thru that and i know it’s a shocker at first. I also agree with the others. I already come to your blog daily just to see if there are any updates. I love that you have a mix of everything…although more Winston is always a plus. haha. I like that you’re not just about the one thing like photos or knitting, or crafts, or food, or apps. i like that you do it ALL. You already know how to make a great blog as you’ve already done it. I say just keep doing what you’re doing chick! Whatever you want to type about we will be here to read 🙂

  8. Thanks Erica! I guess that will be easy enough 🙂 I'll just keep doing what I've been doing, only there will be a lot more of it!

  9. Thanks Monica! I'm excited to have time to start posting more. I'm going to have to work on taking more pictures of Bear. He's so neurotic, he gets all goofy when I point the camera at him 🙂 

  10. Aww, thanks! Well, I hope you will be rewarded for your daily visits, I'll just keep posting the kind of things I have been doing, but much, much more often!

  11. It’s struck I think 🙂 I’m always unsure what exactly makes me follow a blog, I think it’s good writing and an interesting point of view, which you have already. But I’m a dreaded feed reader and unless I want to leave a comment I often don’t actually visit s blog. I’m not sure what that means for advertising! And yes I’m always up for iPhone app ideas (thanks for the Happy Hour photo app suggestion on IG, it’s interesting!)

  12. I’m putting in my votes for your wonderful crafts, great photography app stuff (even though I have no clue how to use them, they are sooooo great!), and COOKING STUFF – I’ve loved all of the terrific recipes you’ve posted!!! Looking forward to more entries soon – weird that your cloud can become MY silver lining…love to you, dear Marne!

  13. I have no idea what it means for ads with feed readers, I obviously have some research to do! I use Google reader myself, and I know that lots of my visitors also do, based on the stats. Something else to think about, I guess!

  14. Oh, I don't know, I think this could be a silver lining for me too 🙂 And who knows, maybe I'll even finally figure out how to make you some notecards! 

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