Happy New Year and I would like to send you good wishes for 2025. Yet again, the year seems to have gone quickly, so it is time to look forward with plans for 2025 and revisit aims from last year.
Read interesting books - this is never a difficult one for me. I have read a total of 88 books this year, including all the Brother Cadfael murder mysteries. Other books I have enjoyed are Divine Might: Goddesses in the Greek myths and Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes; Frank and Red by Matt Coyne; Berserker by Adrian Edmondson, The Socialites by Caroline Lamond and Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher. I have (of course) also revisited Miss Marple stories by Agatha Christie and various other books by Jane Austen, which I read on a pretty regular basis. Reading interesting books will definitely continue through 2025.
Be Creative (using what I have) - I have certainly continued this aim, having signed up to lots of interesting online courses. (In fact, I need to actually do some of them this year as I took on rather too many all at the same time!) There is a Colourplay course, a sketchbook course, a mixed media collage course and a gratitude journal course, amongst a few others!
I am becoming increasingly fond of watercolours and want to work through the abstract watercolour book I bought. I also would like to work through the collage book. Over and above all that, I would like to focus on lino printing and gel printing more.
I continued to do the Wednesday slow drawing class with Amy Maricle and loved that quiet and relaxing hour, so that will be continued. I am also enjoying using pen and watercolour together, so I hope to develop that further. I completed the Whimsies, Words and Watercolours course, with Joanne Sharpe and enjoyed learning how to create interesting lettering styles. Colour swatching continues to be one of my favourite things to do and this course included quite a lot, so I was in my element. I have bought a few more supplies (of course!) but I have used many supplies I had but had forgotten about, so that has been good. I am starting to notice what supplies I use the most and what I can possibly donate, which leads me nicely on to...
Get rid of or donate things I no longer want or need - I have done really well this year, probably halving my book collection and donating lots of things to charity, to let someone else enjoy them. I need to continue this into 2025 as I still have far too much stuff. I would like tidier areas and spaces so this will continue to be a focus. It isn't something I find particularly easy to do (as I am a hoarder!), but I am encouraged by my progress so far.
Take more notice of nature - I have done this through gardening as well as when I am walking home after work, or walking anywhere, enjoying the changing seasons. Birdsong is a delight to me and I never fail to be uplifted wherever I hear this. The mixed media art journaling course (Wanderlust) often focuses on nature, so this also encourages me to get out and be more aware. I have pressed some flowers and leaves from the garden, in order to be able to use them in my journal.
Sadly, I haven't visited any other gardens this year either, which is something I do enjoy, so I would like to put this right in 2025. I still have these two gardens on my list: York Gate near Leeds (described as a beautiful Arts and Crafts garden) and The Manor at Hemingford Grey, near Ely, (which was the home of Lucy M Boston who wrote the Green Knowe stories) so I must make an effort and get out there.
Those aims are now plans for 2025 and it will be interesting to review them again this time next year.
