Wednesday 1 January 2020

Happy New Year 2020

 
Happy New Year!  Here's hoping 2020 will be a good one for us all.  All the photos in this post were taken off the TV during the London Fireworks at midnight.

Today, as has become a bit of a tradition, I review various aims from last year and think about this coming year.  

Make more felt
Well, felting has been put on the back burner for now and papercrafting/art journaling has moved into first place.  I will probably do more felting at some point in the future, but not at the moment and possibly, not this year. 
 
Read interesting books
I have continued to achieve this aim and have read 91 books this year, down on the previous year, but still a pretty good total.  I have revisited old favourites and been introduced to new writers and books (some more successfully than others, which is always the way). Some of my favourites have been the young adult series 'The Bartimaeus Trilogy' and 'Lockwood and Co' series, both by Jonathan Stroud,  the Miss Marple series by Agatha Christie, the Nursery Crime series and 'Early Riser' by Jasper Fforde (which I do need to re-read as there were some complex ideas in all of them), Jane Austen, some Dickens, 'The Easternmost House' by Juliet Blaxland and the Nell Sweeney series by P B Ryan. 
This is an aim which will definitely continue through 2020 especially as there is already a pile of books waiting to be read...
Be Creative (using what I have)
I have achieved this as well, with papercrafting, journaling, making my first patchwork quilt...I haven't made the other pinafores I wanted to, nor have I attempted making a tunic dress using stretch  material, so those are aims for this coming year too.  I have my ATC monthly project to work on.   I would also like to be able to draw faces and figures in my art journal and have bought two books to help me with that.  I would also like to aim to concentrate on using what I have, rather than always buying something else.
Get rid of or donate things I do not want or need
This is also on-going as I haven't made as much progress as I would have liked.  I have too much stuff and I do need to make a real effort to go through it.  It is very easy to just ignore it, but it won't go away.   If I buy something new, an equivalent something should go.  (It is easier said than done, particularly if you are a hoarder/collector, which I am.)   I think this needs to be a main focus this year.

There we are then - I wonder how well I will get on with these aims in 2020. 
Happy New Year to all my lovely readers.

6 comments:

  1. 91 books, wow that is alot of reading! That is nearly two a week, I am in awe.

    I love your aims and hope that you meet them in 2020. Getting rid of stuff is on my to do list this year too ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, sustainablemum. I am not sure whether my aims are a little ambitious, but I shall try my best with them. I have got to get rid of stuff whatever else I do, otherwise I'll be featured in a programme about hoarders!
      Best wishes
      Ellie

      Delete
  2. Dear Ellie
    New Year's day is a good occasion for thinking about how I live this year.
    I still have a full time job as an orthopaedic surgeon, but I want to decrease my workload because I've just become a 'young old' and I want more time for gardening.
    At the beginning, I am going to work four days a week.
    I need negotiation in order to do that:)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks, Poirot.
    I work part time, three days a week and I think it is the right balance for me. My life outside work is really important to me.
    I hope you manage to negotiate your four days a week - I am sure you will enjoy the extra day gardening!
    Best wishes
    Ellie

    ReplyDelete
  4. A very, very Happy and Productive year to you dear Ellie. And a book filled one too. Have you read Jasper Fforde's Dragonslayer series? If not, I suspect you would like them too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, EC and I hope your year will be a Happy and Healthy one too. I think I can safely say mine will feature books! I haven't read the Dragonslayer series but I have the first on my wishlist. I feel a purchase coming on...
      Best wishes
      Ellie

      Delete