The 12 tasks of holiday.

As the holidays approach, Jacqueline shares with us her plan to conquer December.

Let December begin. The month of meetings, parties, events and holidays. When every day seems too short and the to-do lists pile up and up. Soak sales are also on the rise, as lingerie loving fashionistas and crafty knitters alike choose Soak for their loved ones and themselves this holiday season.

Rather than chronicling the 12 days of Christmas, or a countdown to Hanukah, or worrying about all the other obligations of December, today I’m outlining my 12 tasks for the holiday season. I’m limiting myself to 12 specific deliverables, in an effort to actually get through (some of) them, and to avoid wasting days and hours of pondering what I’ll do for the week between Christmas and 2012. We work hard throughout the year, to we cherish a few extra days off while the office is quiet.  This year I’m making the most of them.

I’m balancing tasks between the Soak office, much needed love at home and my craft projects. While I wish I could devote the holiday week entirely to craft projects (in my newly sewn pajamas), reality says otherwise. Reality, plus two tradeshows in January.  So here’s my list. I’m already on it, so as to finish by the end of the month. I’ll keep you posted as each event progresses. Some may seem more inspiring than others, either way, they must be done!

1. Determine scale and fabric plan for Farmer’s Wife Quilt Along. I’m thinking about enlarging the original pattern to 8” or 9” squares, in order to make a king size quilt with slightly larger pieces.
2. Finish (mostly) 4 ongoing quilt projects so I can start my Farmer’s Wife Quilt guilt-free.
3. Rearrange my office; it has been 4 years now, and I’m ready for some change. Plus, it’d be nice to have a work surface for new product development that doesn’t have to be cleaned up by lunch.
4. Reorganize files on the server. Growing from working alone to having a team of four means messy file folders.
5. Organize recipe binder. I love to cook; I don’t love to put stuff away after.
6. Update mail server and all related details (clean out emails, organize mailing list subscriptions). I receive a lot of newsletters and industry information.  It needs some organization.
7. Pre-launch testing on new website, complete with wholesale ordering online! Yup, it’s really happening. We’re moving into a new age of online shopping.
8. Make a carrying case for my sewing machine table. It’s one of those large objects that are always in the way, when not in use.
9. Update warehouse layout for new products (an excuse to play with the forklift).
10. Edit more how-to videos for YouTube and our media friends.
11. Frame this year’s ‘thank-you cards’ for the office. And frame last year’s, which are still in the bag with the frame.
12. Plan a crafty menu for my annual New Year’s Day brunch.

Here is a sneak peak of my Liberty stash. I’m going to work very hard to accomplish and share all of the above tasks, instead of locking myself up with my Liberty fabric, like I’d like to do.