• Start Here
  • About
  • Blog
  • Get In Touch
  • The Paper Pack
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Marybeth Hancher

Marybeth Hancher

Hello, 2017! A Few of My Goals {that YOU are going to hold me accountable to!}

January 4, 2017

First blog post of the year!  🙂  Oh how I love new year’s.  I’m not sure why the switch on the calendar means so much to me, though.  Is it because I desperately want an excuse to have a fresh start?  Maybe.  But no matter what the reasoning is behind why so many of us cling to January 1st like it’s some “magical” day, one thing is for sure- a new year makes me feel very expectant of what’s ahead.  It renews my sense of hope and is my permission slip to go after the things that were left unaccomplished from years prior.

Clipboard @marybethhancher

I sent a newsletter out to my subscribers earlier this week about goal setting and what I was doing to get them out on paper. (You can still receive that newsletter if you sign up today! [wysija_form id=”1″]

I haven’t yet completed my goals list, but I did spend some time looking backwards before moving forwards.  I used Susannah Conway’s Unravelling the Year Ahead workbook once again, and that made me really dig in deep to reflect back and make a good plan to move forward.  Full disclosure:  As a Christian, I can’t get on board with everything Susannah Conway teaches (i.e. the use of tarot cards and other practices that don’t go hand in hand with my relationship with the Lord), but she is very insightful and has a very gentle nurturing soul that I can’t help but to be drawn to.  That being said, I simply skip over the things that don’t apply to my life, or I find a different use for them.  For example, in the workbook there’s a page on drawing an oracle card for each month, so instead I chose 12 scripture verses & wrote that in place instead.

Honestly, 2016 was a good year.  The problem is, I was only remembering all the bad stuff.  I amplified the crummy parts so much in my head that I forgot all the good.  Pastor Steven Furtick from Elevation church said,

“God doesn’t want us to leave the year empty handed.”

How right he is!  SO, I’ve taken the lessons I’ve learned over the past 365 days and am applying them to my next 365+ days.  Today I thought I’d share a few of my goals with you… and yes, I’m expecting y’all to hold me accountable on some of these, got it?  😉

A small list of my 2017 goals:

– Create one scrapbook layout per week.  
At the end of the year, I would like to have 52 layouts that I can bind together into one big book using my bookbinding tool.  I think it will be a fun way to not only get better at scrapbooking but also share my favorite story or event from the week on one page.  And I’ll share them with you, too.  Actually, I think I’ll make a new Instagram hashtag that we can all use if you want to join me.  #scrapmyweek

– Simplify my craft room.  I don’t know what the heck has happened over the last few years, but I went from happily scrapping out of a big bag into having a room exploding with papers and goodies.  And over the past year, I’ve discovered that I actually prefer having a minimal amount of everything to use.  Because then it actually DOES get used instead of lost in the midst of so many other pretty things.  So this is the year I simplify my creative space and stop feeling so entitled to get all the cute new paper collections before I even finish using what I have.

– Journal a little each day.  Not for anyone else to see.  Not with pretty decorations or doodles on the page.  But messy, REAL journaling.  Cause I’ve discovered there’s a lot that swarms my head that needs released… daily!

– Send more letters.  I’m not really talking about all the pretty “flip book” and super crafty mail that’s popular right now.  That’s fun to do every so often with some of my gal pals, but I’m talking traditional letters.  I have a friend Jayne who has inspired me to put my pen to any old paper and write.  Cause every single time I open my mailbox and find a letter inside from her, I’m beaming from ear to ear.  She writes from the heart and sometimes tosses a card in the mail with one or two lines in it.  And I can’t tell you just how meaningful that is to me.  So I’d like to do the same for her and for others.  Sometimes simple is best.

– Blog from the heart on a weekly basis.  I love blogging… yet for some reason weeks will pass and I have yet to post anything.  Believe me, there’s A LOT going through my head that I want to share, but it seems like I never make the time.  And then when I do have the time, I justify not blogging because “I don’t have a pretty picture to share with the post so it will look boring and nobody will read it” or some other lame-o excuse that pops into my head.  What I HAVE learned over the past few months is that there really are people who read my blog and enjoy hearing what I have to say.  I’ve said it before & I’ll say it again- I have absolutely no interest in having a “following,” and social media likes and follows don’t mean anything to me.  Right now I have almost 6,000 subscribers on my YouTube channel, but do you know what I’ve recently discovered?  From viewing the analytics, it’s mainly my subscribers that do the unkind thing and give me thumbs downs after I work so hard to scrape together the time to create and edit a video for their enjoyment.  I’m not trying to sound bitter about it- I’m just wanting to make a point that the number of readers doesn’t matter to me because I know for certain that there are a handful that have been nothing but encouraging and loving to me.  I won’t publicly share some of the things they’ve said out of privacy, but there are moments I get an email or message after writing a post and the feedback leaves me in tears.  I’m grateful that I’ve been allowed this opportunity to share my heart with you all- no matter how few or how many.  So I want to spend time doing more of that and not taking that gift for granted any longer.

rebel apparel dec 11-0428

And as for some other personal goals, there are things like:
– Finish two rounds of my new favorite Core de Force workouts.
– Have date nights with my husband seasonally.  (We’d have more if we had family close that could watch Nadia, but we don’t so we can only get a sitter every few months.)  😉
– Read 4 new books this year.  (Some people choose 12 books a year, but I’m being reasonable here… I barely finish a book in 3 months so I’m not going to set myself up for failure on that one.  LOL)

Of course there’s more- but they are actually personal.  Like, not-for-public-viewing kind of personal.  So that’s all I’ll be sharing today.  Let me know if you’ll be joining me with goal setting this year, and if you pick “one little word” like I do, what’s yours??  I’d love to hear from you so be sure to comment so I can say hi!

Hope your new year is off to a great start!
mh-new signature

in Misc.

Reader Interactions

you may also like
Pretty Pink Peonies
What’s In Store For 2016?
A Recap of January (2019) | Favorite Photos
File Folder Snail Mail Flipbook

Comments

  1. Kimberly Eddy says

    January 4, 2017 at 4:39 pm

    Hi Marybeth! I love when I see a post from you. This was a great post and resonated with some of my goals for 2017 as well. “USE” what I have and stop buying every “NEW” thing that comes out. I mean, I have things I have purchased and not even used. Crazy! I love the SEND LETTER idea. No one does this hardly anymore. It does make your heart sing when someone takes the time to send you a handwritten letter. I think my favorite part of this post is how as a Christian you don’t sway. You are not afraid to say you are a Christian and in today’s world that is lovely and refreshing to see. Love how you just skipped over the parts of the book you were reading and did your own thing. Yay for you!! I hope you have a wonderful start to 2017 you are such a sweetie! God Bless my sister in Christ!! If you ever need a penpal I would love to write you!! 🙂

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

with love
Marybeth

Family Storyteller + Illustrator here to support you & your creativity. Thanks for joining me!
read more

Top Hits!

  • Flip Book Fun!
  • December Daily 2017- Part 1
  • The Flow Book Review | “A Book That Takes Its Time: An Unhurried Adventure in Creative Mindfulness”

Click To Join!

Categories

  • 365 Photo Project
  • Bible Journaling
  • December Daily
  • Faith
  • Favorite Things
  • Film Photography
  • Life Through My Lens
  • Love
  • Marriage
  • Memory Keeping
  • Misc.
  • Project Life
  • Scrapbooking

Subscribe to Blog via Email

marybethhancher

I always have much to say, but this time it’s re I always have much to say, but this time it’s really simple: This is all I’ve ever wanted. 💕
You know, I’d be totally fine if my kids didn’ You know, I’d be totally fine if my kids didn’t like the same things as me, but MAN am I glad they’re also little artists! 💕Yesterday, I had lots of stuff to do and catch up on. But in the middle of my work, Tashie asked if we could paint, and I immediately put down what I was doing and got out some canvases, acrylic paints, and oil pastels. We went outside, put on some worship music, and we both painted what we felt. Hers is an adorable sunshine, and mine turned into an abstract seascape.Every part of this makes me happy and fills my soul. Thank God for art. 🙌
Putting this here for me. Cause one day I’ll scr Putting this here for me. Cause one day I’ll scroll through my feed and remember the perfect morning I had when the rainbow hit the pages, the sun lit up the sky, when my tea was the perfect temp, my cats were being cool, my house was quiet and I was greeted with a smile and a kiss…Mondays get a bad rap, but I kinda like ‘em. 😉
I’m here for all of it. The mom jeans. The late I’m here for all of it.The mom jeans. The late nights and early wake ups. The easy pregnancies, the hard ones too. The miraculous joy that overwhelms your whole being the moment you see your tiny one for the first time. The memorized books that you read over and over, and the requests for one more time. The extended bathroom breaks that consist of nothing but sitting on a toilet in silence, whether it’s for a sanity break, a moment to catch up on messages, or to let out the cry you’ve been holding in all day. The getting peed on mid diaper change and laughing about it. The 3 a.m. cries for comfort after a bad dream and the snuggles in a too small bed that follow. The cheers of excitement from the backseat when you pull into a drive thru cause you’re way too tired to cook dinner or to care about which oil the fries were fried in. The tears of pride when you watch your kids accomplish something great & the tears of sorrow when you just don’t know how to heal their hurts. The stretched skin that we put way too much emphasis on. The months upon months of greasy top knots and postpartum stretch pants. The kissed boo boos and expensive fancy bandaids. The requests for more playtime with you when all you want to do is kick your feet up and read your own book. The birthday parties, the Christmas mornings, the first Ferris Wheel rides, and first taste of ice cream. (Or bacon. 😉) The laughter that melts your heart and the I love you’s that can take every worry from your mind and put in perspective what really matters.I’m here for all of it. And if I had to guess, you are too. Happy Mother’s Day to my fellow mama bears.  I wish you as much joy in this journey of motherhood as I have felt for the past 11 years in mine. ❤️(Here’s a peek into my day. Simple, silly, and beautiful. Just the way I like it.)
So the lovely @tamaraarcilla revealed her newest t So the lovely @tamaraarcilla revealed her newest to us recently, and I’m tellin ya, I squealed in delight when I saw this. The colors, the florals, the stinkin sunglasses… come on now! 😍💕😎 But you know what I love best of all— the message behind it. We allllll need a good old fashioned “check up” and I can’t wait to use this set in my creative worship time and see what The Doctor shows me. 😉Swipe for a quick video to show all the goods (and craft room Clusia getting all up in my biz), then go snag your set for 20% off in the @illustratedfaith #printandprayshop! #biblejournaling #illustratedfaith #faithjournaling #journalingbiblecommunity #journalingbible #illustratedfaithcommunity #if_heartcheck #tamaraarcilla_squad #printandpray
Aaaand, it’s out there. The Paper Pack email sub Aaaand, it’s out there. The Paper Pack email subscribers, check yo’ boxes. Save, print, play, amen. 💕💐🌻I hope these designs make you smile! And as always, if you use them, please tag me so I can see! 😊 I’m going to be making a couple cards outta this as well as using it for Mother’s Day in my album. How would you use this?? #thepaperpack
It’s a new month, and you know what that means i It’s a new month, and you know what that means if you’re part of #thepaperpack. If you’re not, ya got like an hour before this months email gets sent out with these freebies! 💕Sign up with the link in my bio and share with a friend if you know someone who might enjoy this set. No strings attached… just need your email. 😉#papercrafting #digitalpaper #memorykeeping #projectlife #pocketpagescrapbooking #cardmaker #scrapbooker
I haven’t really talked about this publicly yet I haven’t really talked about this publicly yet because… I just couldn’t. It’s hard to make words when you feel like the weight you’re carrying is limiting your breath. A year ago my oldest sister was struggling with some health concerns. We told her not to think the worst, because the likelihood it was what she feared was slim. Or at least that’s what we said. But then she called my phone & if it didn’t come in a text, I knew what she was going to say might make me collapse. But I stood & paced & tried to just speak hope into her diagnosis while we talked. After we got off the phone, that’s when I fell apart. My sister couldn’t have cancer… but she did. And there wasn’t anything I could do about it.My sisters are everything. When one of them hurts, we all hurt. So for the months that followed, I could barely get up in the mornings and go about my day “as usual” because how could I? Everything was different. It was heartbreaking to see her grow weaker. It was heartbreaking to know her “lions mane” (as we always referred to our hair) was coming out in clumps in her hand. It was heartbreaking to see my dad cry and say to me, “I. Won’t. Let. Her. Give. Up.” It broke me to hear my mom who I think has openly cried maybe twice in my life cry over the phone, “My baby Stephanie…”But God.Today, this sister of mine who was an avid runner before… she took her victory lap. There was a moment when we prayed this day would come but ultimately knew it was in Gods hands. So despite my own need to “fix” things, I knew I needed to go to the only one who could. So I prayed, begged, relentlessly.I kept close to me this little Bible Steph got me on my 21st birthday. The pages were already tear soaked cause it was the first Bible I ever actually read and loved, but the last year has only wrecked it more.Last night I sang “Lion” at @elevationworship & my roars were louder & stronger. And this morning, cancer-free Steph ran her 1/2 marathon, but with a different perpective this time.My family is different now. We were good before, but we’re better now. So I printed out the photo of my precious sis to hang on my wall as a reminder of miracles. Healing. Strength.Of Jesus.❤️
(Note: Please, for the love, don’t take me serio (Note: Please, for the love, don’t take me seriously. For cryin out loud, I said to get knock off Birks and tithe your $ instead. 😆) My daughter is very into fashion… (like her own version of it. 😂) So when I actually get out of sweatpants, she gets so excited. “WHOA MOM! I love your style!” she told me today…And then I had to laugh when she asked me what my style was called, and without missing a beat I blurted out “Modest Casual Church Mom.” 😉That basically led to me doodling this nonsense this afternoon. Yes, I’m poking fun at… well, I don’t know exactly. 😂 Maybe our church culture or how others view our culture. I know “modest” is one of those trigger words for some. Doesn’t bother me either way. I just wear whatever. 😅 My husband saw me drawing this and laughed… and then we came up with some pretty hilarious extras that I’m sorry to say, I just couldn’t add. 😆I share this for no other reason than to say, it’s ok not to take life too seriously sometimes. It’s ok to laugh at yourself and with yourself, and if you can bring a smile to someone else in the process, awesome.Hope this finds my fellow Church Moms sitting in your Post-Church Daisy Dukes happy and smiling. 😊 Have a great Sunday evening! 💕#illustratedfaith #biblejournaling #illustratedfaithcommunity #coffeeandjesus #lampandlight #shesharestruth #documentedfaith #faithnotes #biblejournalingcommunity #biblegram #churchmom
Torn magazine, where’ve ya been my whole life? 🥰 I flipped through this gem by @tamaraarcilla & @jill.drangsholt (editor) and yo… it’s a work of art. Truly. While the digital copy is a joy, magazines like this are begging to be (literally) torn apart. Cut. Pasted. Used. Loved. 💕For the next 24 hours, you can get it on sale. Follow @tamaraarcilla & snag your copy along with me. Congratulations ladies! You’ve done a phenomenal job! 👏#tamaraarcilla_squad #tornmagazine #magazinelover #faithjournaling #junkjournaljunkies #journalingcommunity
Words hold weight. They can be used to lift someon Words hold weight. They can be used to lift someone up or be used to push them down. God, may I be careful and not careless with my words. 💕This page is about Jesus’ last words before his death on the cross. They’re quite powerful, and @levilusko did such a great job breaking their meaning down that I just took his post, printed it out, and folded it up into a little book I could keep in this pocket. I really spent time listening in on what those final 7 statements had to say. Whew…I’m really loving #biblejournaling lately… but it’s not about the pretty page. It’s about the reflection and worship that happens AS I’m making the pretty page. And today, I’m grateful that I could reflect on this “Gold from Golgotha.” ❤️Journaling supplies used are from @tamaraarcilla— More or Less + Plant Peace. Shop it in the @illustratedfaith #printandprayshop. 🙌#illustratedfaith #journalingbiblecommunity #tamaraarcilla_squad #illustratedfaithcommunity #documentedfaith #faithnotes #biblejournalingcommunity #journalingbible
Today marks the first time in a few years that I’ve gone to church on Easter, and me being there today is resurrection power at work. There’s much I could say about that, but I think the gospel speaks best for itself.Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” John 11:25-27“He is not here, for he has risen, as he said.” Matthew 28:6All Hail King Jesus.
Today was good. First day in many weeks I’ve fel Today was good. First day in many weeks I’ve felt like I can say that. Spent the morning in full on praise mode— loud singing, getting creative, next level worship, y’all 😂— then I cleaned the house and felt SO happy doing it. (Some days it’s cleaning that kicks my anxiety to the curb! 😅) I had a really unusual moment at lunch where I had the compulsion to pray and it was like a Holy Spirit straight outta Acts moment (you know, without all the “tongues” stuff 😂). I can tell you that my house became Holy Ground today… no other way to describe it. If that makes me sound off my rocker, so be it. Don’t care. 🤣 Like I legit don’t care anymore what it may look like to the rest of the world if you’ve seen me go from coasting through it fitting the standard, doing all the “normal” things to… well, whatever this is. Whatever this version is of me that’s been uprooted and transplanted in a brand new garden that’s being tended to by God himself. Or at least that’s what it feels like. Things change after you surrender and give it all to Jesus, friends. They really do. There’s this line in the show @thechosentvseries “Get used to different.” And I feel that so deeply & I’m forever thankful for “different.”Made this page in my #journalingbible using @tamaraarcilla’s Plant Peace set from @illustratedfaith. 💕🌸🌻☮️#biblejournaling #tamaraarcilla_squad #printandprayshop #faithjournaling #biblejournalingprintables #biblejournalingcommunity #illustratedfaithcommunity #illustratedfaith #if_morejesus #documentedfaith #if_goodsoil
Here’s the thing… I love me a good bookmark. 🥰 When I was little, I designed a bookmark for a contest I entered at my library and I won. They printed out like 500 of them and for my entire childhood we never managed to get rid of them all. 😅 I’m gonna be real here… I unfairly won that thing. My sister @mymcdoodles did all the work. 🤣 I wrote some terrible poem about chocolate and used the word “yummy” like 50 times to take up space 😂 but Diana wrote it out for me, drew it, did it. And my name was on it. So this is my gift to you on National Siblings Day, Diana… I humbly admit that you should have won that contest (as well as all the other contests I won because I was the youngest *CoughBeauBearCough*). Steph’s siblings day gift is that she was born with enough of a head start to avoid some of my nonsense. You’re welcome @stephtea1. 🤣Really though, bookmarks always make me smile, so here’s one I made using the new Plant Peace set designed by @tamaraarcilla for @illustratedfaith. Love the wings in this one!! 💕 Happy Palm Sunday!#printandprayshop #illustratedfaith #tamaraarcilla_squad #journalingbiblecommunity #biblejournalingcommunity #biblejournaling #journalingbible #handmadebookmark #bookmarksofinstagram #unseenrealm
Nadia had dance photos last week. Naturally I coul Nadia had dance photos last week. Naturally I couldn’t resist taking my own when she got home… ones that are fully her being herself in our messy house. No fancy lighting. No backdrops. No poses aside from whatever she wanted to do. And while I’m sure the professional ones will be just fine, there will always be something special to me about pictures like this, the ones we’ve taken together. I can hear her laughter when I look at them. I know what she was thinking and what I was saying. It’s like we have a language of our own when we’re doing this. I’ve always loved taking photos of my girl. She connects to it in ways I don’t always get to experience when I photograph other people, and it makes me so so very happy. 💕 Just wanted to share a few.
Today I picked up my “big girl” camera for the Today I picked up my “big girl” camera for the first time in months, and even though I only took a couple pictures of Tasha’s precious ponies, it felt good to capture something without using my phone.The iPhone cameras are great. They really are. But yo. There ain’t nothing like picking up a bulky camera and heavy @$$ lens and just GETTIN IT. 😉 I’ve missed this.Swipe to see my childhood “baby pony” that the kids understand will NEVER be misused, played with roughly, scratched, dented, or part of any other buffoonery that could cause potential injury or destruction of this highly prized gem of mine. 😅 I love my little brown pony and always thought she was way cooler than even the newest and best My Little Ponies of the 90s. And she sure as heck beats the ones they make today. What is UP with their faces?! 🤣Happy Thursday!
I’m not about all the “normalizing” ridiculo I’m not about all the “normalizing” ridiculous things 😅, but in 2022, it would be kinda awesome if we could make an attempt to #normalizesobriety and start letting people make that choice without assembling a jury.Please swipe and read when you’ve got a sec, will ya?If you feel me on this, please gimme a high five cause I’m starting to feel a little alone in this. ✋😉Edited to add: my friends are really great, and I have no doubt they love sober me, too. Just wanted to clarify that in case anyone reads this and thinks my real life girlfriends are unsupportive… they’re amazing. ❤️(P.S. Ignore the typos. That’s not the point. Lol)
Heeeeeeckkkkkk yes. 😋🙌 I totally gave myself Heeeeeeckkkkkk yes. 😋🙌 I totally gave myself a high five after I finally used that pink piano sticker I’ve been hoarding for half my life. 🤣 Really, though, I’m just ecstatic when a couple pages come together in my album almost effortlessly like these did. The colors make me happy but even more, the pictures. I love documenting our family memories in all the places, but these giant Project Life albums will always steal my heart. 💕What’s your go-to place to put your photos/memories? (And if your answer is your phone, go get some printed. Like now please. 🤣)#projectlifecards #projectlife #wermemorykeepers #studiocalico #memorykeeping #memorykeepers #cratepaper #useyourstash #pocketpages #pocketpagescrapbooking
Don’t underestimate God’s ability to speak to Don’t underestimate God’s ability to speak to you through words inked on a coffee sleeve or through the smile of one of your favorite baristas. 😊Words, smiles, it all matters. And it doesn’t matter if you’re young, old, neurotypical or neurodiverse… If you open your heart towards Him, I can guarantee you’ll be used for greater purposes even when you don’t realize it.The kiddo who wrote this on my cup is named Julie. She signed the back, and as I do every time I get a latte from @specialgroundscoffeeco, I’m giving thanks & saying a prayer over her life.What I received today was more than just coffee. Bless ‘em. 💕
I’m digging all the doodling I’ve been doing. I’m digging all the doodling I’ve been doing. 😉I’m such an “analog” girl that I never thought I’d be using my iPad for all the things, especially art. I like getting my hands messy and hearing brush strokes on canvas and the sound of pencils scratching on paper. But MAN, there’s something genius about “painting” on a screen. I can do it anywhere. Pick it up at any time and keep going. No waiting for paint to dry. (And no need to hurry up & blend BEFORE it dries!) I can try different mediums, make mistakes with colors and not feel the anxiety of messing up a piece of work without the chance to get it back. I could go on and on…But I’m in love. I wanna procreate with Procreate. 🤣(Doodle of Tasha jumping on the couch cause why not.)#procreateart #procreateillustration #digitaldoodles
Load More... Follow on Instagram
2019 © guinevere
Design by FD