progress + planning

January is always the longest month of the year for me, but in the best kind of way. Work abruptly quiets down, and the weekends--once packed with holiday events and family get-togethers--finally return back to normal. Over the past month, I've spent some serious time by the fireplace with my needles and a big-ol' pile of fiber. I'm about halfway through this Shale Baby Blanket, and because it's such a slow, meditative patten, I've had a lot of time to think about the future and where I want to focus my creative energy. For so long, it's been my dream to join the knitting world professionally, and I've officially decided to start planning ways to achieve that goal over the next few years. There are so many ideas running through my head, but I want to be slow and deliberate about how to move forward into this new space. There are still lots of questions to work through first: Do I want to build my own brand? (Tempting) Do I want to join the marketing team of an established fiber company? (Absolutely) Should I do both? (Could be fun...)

Either way, I think we'll eventually end up moving to Maine, the unofficial capitol of the knitting world. Last year, the hubby and I spent Christmas in Kennebunkport, and even in the dead of winter, we immediately knew it was the place for us. This year, we're planning two trips Downeast. The first will take place in the late spring--we'll fly into Bangor, then explore the entire coastline from Camden all the way up into Lubec. We can't wait to scope out some of the smaller, seaside neighborhoods and visit some of the homes I obsessively save on Zillow each weekend. We'll whale-watch, hike through Acadia, eat our weight in lobster rolls, and do the touristy, schooner-thing. Then, for Christmas, we'll rent a cabin in the mountains, to ski, watch holiday movies, and drink hot toddies by the fire. 

It's fun to plan and dream, and have nice things to look forward to...

p.s. If you have any recommendations on where to stay or what to see in Maine, we'd love to hear them!