Manifesto Monday

You know there is nothing better than having the family around.. But after 2 weeks of vacation there is nothing better than having them get the heck out of the house... and get back to their real lives. I get harassed a little on the home front for my blogging. Not too much, but it tends to keep me off the internets more, when witnesses are present. Between the guilt trips and the power outages, I have had plenty of time for non-electronic reflection lately. Please do forgive this wordy post.

I am still really involved in the "New Year's Purge" around here. So far, the linen closet, the hanging portion of my clothes closet, and some (read: an exorbitant amount of really aging) magazines are all "reorganized and downsized".
I need to get to my books, I am about 3/4 of the way through the craft cave, and I am working on a Futuregirl like system that will use binders for my daily schedule and inspiration stuff. I love my recipe binder. It helped me try a lot more new recipes last year, which helped us use more of what came in the veggie box. Maybe this will help me out in other areas too.

The main idea that I have for 2008, I guess, "my mission statement", is basically "Live within Your Means". To me this is a principle that think could really improve my life and cause me to have a more positive impact on my planet and my family too. This isn't so much about sticking to a budget fiscally, (that is a good idea too,) it is about really coming to grips with the way I budget my time, the size of our little cabin and living economically. That is cutting out all the stuff we have accumulated and don't really use. I am all about getting rid of the luxury of "stuff" to make way for the luxury of space. Embracing the idea that you don't buy 3, you buy one good one. Unless you are talking about underwear... but I digress.

I want apply "living within my means" in an ecological sense, being even more conscious of the little things I can do to Use Less. This in conjunction with "living within my means" on the "house" level should help me finish projects and use up the stash that threatens to envelop my entire house and surrounding out buildings. This is very much a win win situation, to my way of thinking. In any case, my mission statement and My crafty manifesto are related but they are not the same thing, and hopefully they encompass all my aspirations in a manageable way.

My mission statement- 2008:
"Live Within Your Means"

Bitter Betty's Crafty Manifesto

I acknowledge it to be my life's work to develop a myriad of skills to be able to use materials (preferably, at hand, rescued or reused or recycled) to make things that are beautiful, useful, and reflect my curiosities and obsessions.
I will do my best to use my imagination and talents to delight myself and inspire and amuse others in ways that will have a positive impact on the world around me... Which isn't to say I will be sunny and not sarcastic. It is my intention to create dialog.. even internal dialog.
I will do my best to share what I know so that anybody, and everybody can play along.
And I will rejoice in, and allow myself to always be inspired by the craft of others, even if it does make me feel a little bit jealous.

Craft On!

WIP: Bitter Betty's Crafty Manifesto

I am working on my Manifesto, My Mission Statement.
It is the first and perhaps only real "Re-soul-ution" that I will undertake until I get my kid back to school and my husband back to work.

I am Not Finished With It yet.. but was inspired by this quote:

"Imagination is the beginning of creation. You Imagine what you Desire, you Will what you Imagine, and at last you Create what you Will."
George Bernard Shaw

and of course:

"Be the change you wish to see in the world."
Gandhi


Taking a couple days to clear my vision..
be right back.