Hello and welcome to The Craft Room Podcast. And … Happy New Year! Today is the first day of 2026, so I figure it’s a great time to talk about our crafting resolutions this year. Yes, I have talked about this before, back in episode 32, mainly focusing on planning and different types of crafting resolutions that can be done over 12 months (CLICK HERE to listen). Today, I want to focus on something different, plus I have an exciting announcement, but let’s start at the beginning.
During that delicious week between Christmas and New Year, I spend my time enjoying Christmas leftovers, cheese platters and not knowing what day it is … notepad & coloured pens in one hand, tea in the other, and my feet up on the couch. I review the year that was, and think about the year ahead.
One of the things that I have been giving much thought to is my crafting goals. One goal in particular, which has been on my list of New Year’s resolutions for, easily, the last decade, is to use my stash. If you were to go back to some very old videos, podcast episodes and social posts, you’d see me talking about how I’m going to finally put a big dent in my craft stash. Spoiler alert … I have barely put the tiniest of dents into the stash. I actually checked back on my TikTok channel, and it’s been 357 days since I shared a video about my hot mess craft desk. I was so sure I was going to get that desk fully cleaned up in just a few days. I was wrong. And now, a year later, I am setting the same goal, but this time I am coming at it from a new direction (and a new location).
Here’s the thing about new year resolutions. The first day of the year is when everything feels fresh, and there are so many days ahead to achieve it all. Every time I make my list of goals for the year, I want to do it all, and that list becomes incredibly ambitious. This year, rather than writing ‘use my stash’ on my list of crafting goals, I’ve created a whole page titled ‘Stashbusting in 2026’, and filled the page with ideas that will help me work toward the larger goal. I am 100% confident that I will not do everything on the list, because it is merely a starting point. Setting creative goals doesn’t have to be overwhelming … in fact, this year I am striving for progress over perfection, because done is better than perfect. Here are a few highlights from my list, and perhaps some of these might be good additions to your list …
1. Get hands-on with my supplies
Yes … it’s time for a treasure hunt through my craft stash. It’s a great opportunity to identify any products that need to be binned, like dried up paints, mediums or ink pads. I can’t use it if I don’t remember that I own it, so flipping through every paper pad, embellishment box, stamp tubs, die storage, stencil collection, paint colours, etc will refresh my memory.
2. Re-organise my supplies
I have been slowly moving my papercrafting stash from my hot mess craft desk into my office, and I’ve been creating cards at my desk after each addition. This has been helpful to ensure the supplies are easily accessible for the way that I create, and I’ve been able to move things around more easily because I’m not doing it all at once.
3. Catalogue my craft supplies
When things are in the right place this is much easier to do. There are apps for this, but I’ve opted for a spreadsheet … for a couple of reasons. I’m a touch typist, so I prefer a keyboard to touch-screen. The spreadsheet is also searchable, so if I’m looking for a ‘happy birthday’ sentiment, I can search ‘happy birthday’, see my options then go directly to that set. I also created a secret Pinterest board of my stamps, dies & stencils, because a visual reference is great to scroll through when seeking inspiration. I’ve also noted on the spreadsheet if the set has been added to the Pinterest board, that way I don’t double up.
4. Consider the ‘why’
Yes, I want to use up all my scrap cardstock & paper, but why? Well, the longer it sits in the scrap folder, the greater the chance that it will become damaged. Also, my scrap folders are taking up 2 shelves on my desk (see pic), and I would prefer to use that space for other things. Understanding WHY I want to do something helps me with the next point.
5. Consider the ‘how’
Once I figured out why I wanted to use my scraps, the ‘how’ became more obvious. I was trying not to cut into full 12×12 sheets, and only work with scraps, but with the new no-waste 12×12 template I’ve been working on, it’s a double win. I can add scraps to get more from the template AND I’m not left with additional scraps. And now that I have all my die sets in one place, I’ve been using scraps to create fun die-cut feature images, frames and flowers.
6. Tracking
I am adding a Rule of Three notepad page or old business card to every pack of stamps, dies, stencils, etc and marking them each time I use the set. This will give me a visual of what I’m using a lot, or not using at all.
7. Playing Rule of Three
In 2026 it is non-negotiable that I play Rule of Three (aka ROT) any time I’m tempted to make a purchase. This is where the catalogue will come in handy as well, because I can quickly check to see if I already have something that will do the same job. If you’re unfamiliar with ROT, I have a playlist on my YouTube channel HERE.
8. Corral unfinished projects
I can’t finish them if I don’t remember that I have them! When moving my papercrafting supplies into my office, I found stacks of unfinished cards. Now that they’re all together, I can create feature images to match the colour of the card bases, and get those cards finished. I’ll be doing the same thing when I tackle my fabric cupboard, and my paint cupboard. I don’t even want to think about the yarn! It’s going to be a busy year
9. Challenges
I used to take part in a lot of card blog challenges. These days, though, I’m challenging myself in other ways.
* To complete a certain number of cards .
* To use up a particular product.
* To use a product or pattern that I’ve never used before.
* To embrace a style, technique or colour scheme I wouldn’t usually use.
* To create feature images to fit card bases, or create card bases to fit pre-coloured images.
The beauty of creating your own challenges is that you can make them fun to fit your ‘why’ and ‘how’.
10. Let it go
I have a drawer (and several boxes) full of finished cards, and it’s time to send them to their next assignment (ie, putting a smile on someone’s face when they really need it). The ones that are hard to part with will be photographed and turned into a photo book, so I can keep the visual and let go of the card. Same goes for craft supplies I no longer want, need or use, and I have been destashing as I move items from the papercraft cupboard into my office. Letting them go creates space, which makes it easier to store and find things that I do love and use.
11. Celebrate wins AND progress
I’m photographing and sharing everything! When I finish the Mario quilt you can bet I’ll be shouting that exciting win from the rooftops!
While a lot of these tips are specific for card makers, they absolutely can be tweaked and applied to other crafts. For example, if you’re working on a large cross-stitch design, challenge yourself to do some for a certain amount of time, or complete a certain number of crosses per day … or per week. I’m also a crocheter, and I’ve started cataloguing my yarn and printing my patterns to put in a binder. Knowing what I have helps me plan my next project.
As well as planning my crafting strategies for 2026, I’ve been making plans for what comes next. It all comes together, but first … some context.
2025 was a HUGE year for me. Most notably, I took a massive step back from retail as I radically downsized my online store. This change was due to a variety of reasons (and maybe one day I will go into more detail about that on a podcast episode) but the biggest reason was a growing unease with overconsumption, which has been building for the last 2 years. During the pandemic and lockdowns I was absolutely flat out, but a couple of years ago, things changed drastically. Here in Australia we had 12 interest rate rises in the first 6 months of 2023 and entered a cost of living crisis. Sales dropped, and rather than doubling down on marketing to try to sell stuff that people couldn’t afford, I knew I needed to help people figure out how to get more use from the products they already had (and if they were going to make a purchase, ensure that they were really going to get their moneys worth from it). That’s when I went all in on Rule of Three. It changed the way I chose products for the shop, and at the time I felt like I was the only person feeling this overconsumption thing, amplified by the cost of living crisis..
Then in 2024, Tim Holtz and Ranger announced the final colour in the Distress Ink range, and I had a strong feeling what was coming next, which is why his announcement at the beginning of 2025 came as no surprise. Find the video HERE, and the announcement is at the 3:30 mark, but essentially, he announced that he would not be designing any new products. We all have enough, and he wanted to focus on showing how to use what we already have, which is exactly the feeling that had been building within me over that past year. When I attended Picture 2 Page in May last year, several people approached me and said “Unpopular opinion, but I think stamping companies are releasing too much, too often” … and I agreed. This is when I knew I absolutely was not alone in this feeling.
On top of that, I was incredibly time poor and my health had not been great, and so, six months ago I announced that I was going to close the store. As I said earlier, it’s more of a radical downsizing than full closure, as I am continuing as an authorised Australian Copic Stockist, and I have some digital products and my own range still in the shop, but nothing like I had before. The downsizing process took about 3 months, and I’ve been enjoying more down-time than I’ve had in forever. I’ve had time to rest, clean up my office, do more hands-on crafting and so much time to think about what comes next. I had lots of ideas, but not exactly what you’d call ‘a plan’. But in November I drove down to Melbourne for a work retreat with some awesome business friends. I could see all these pieces, but was too close to see the big picture. To them, though, it was obvious … and they were right. It’s going to take a little time, as I still need to do some catching up, and get a few technical ducks in a row, but the first step starts today.
If you’re wondering “Dawn … how does this tie back to New Year’s Crafting goals & Resolutions?” … well … that takes me to
12. Community
A great way to stay motivated is having a crafting community. Being part of a community of like-minded crafters who will celebrate your crafty wins, and get behind you when you have creative blocks is a major ingredient for craft success! For the longest time my community has been asking me to start a Facebook group, and I just didn’t know what the point of starting a group would be. I mean, there are so many card making groups already on Facebook, what could I offer that’s different? While I was in Melbourne, I was able to put all the random thoughts into order, and it all became clear. I now know that I’m not the only one who wants to use up my scraps, bust out the cool craft supplies I’ve been collecting and hoarding for decades, and get the best value possible from them. AND I’m not the only one feeling like that meme doing the rounds, that says ‘I believe that buying craft supplies and using craft supplies are two separate hobbies’.. And, yes … there are loads of crafting groups, but now there is one more because I am excited to announce todays launch of my first ever Facebook Group … Craft with Dawn Lewis.
It does exactly what it says on the label.
* It’s a place for crafters, in all mediums, to connect with and support each other.
* It’s a place for inspiration, sharing tips and showcasing our work (be they under construction or complete).
* It’s a place for crafters at every level, crafting from couch, kitchen table or craft room.
* Most of all, it’s a place for crafters who want to use all those excellent craft supplies they’ve been collecting … who want to get the best value from those supplies … who are making 2026 a no-spend year … or who might want to be de-influenced just a little bit.
I’ll be doing live craft-along sessions, we’ll play Rule of Three, and I’m excited to hang out with fellow crafters and see your gorgeous projects. If this is all sounding great to you, like this is the group you’ve been looking for, then you can find Craft with Dawn Lewis on Facebook via THIS LINK . Now, if you’re not on Facebook, you don’t have to miss out entirely. Once I get a couple of technical ducks in a row, I should be able to share the live craft-along sessions on my YouTube channel, and will be sharing crafting tips and inspirations on my socials and in my email newsletter. If you’re not already on my newsletter list, you can sign up HERE.
So if you are thinking about your crafting goals for this year, and feeling the way that I’m feeling, I look forward to seeing you in the Craft with Dawn Lewis Facebook group, and am excited to take this first step in my new direction with you.
Thank you so much for listening today, and I hope you’re feeling inspired to set and work on some amazing crafting goals in 2026.
LINKS
Episode 32, New Years Crafting Resolutions
Tim Holtz announcement video
Sign up for newsletter
Rule of Three playlist
‘Craft with Dawn Lewis’ Facebook Group
