Happy New Year 2017

(Photos taken of the London fireworks last night/this morning from the TV - I was pleased with how they came out as it almost looks like I was there!)
As has become somewhat traditional for me, today is the day I review my aims for 2016 and decide on aims for 2017.

• Make more felt - I made a grand total of two new pieces, one of which is not finished.  My other craft activities took over, including, of course, paper crafting.  So, not great progress by any means.  However, I have reserved a table at a craft event in November 2017, so that should give me the impetus I need to get making again.
• Read interesting books - Definite success here.  I read 84 books in 2016, many old friends which I enjoyed re-reading.  There were also some new ones including: Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey; The House on the Strand by Daphne du Maurier; several Miss Marple stories by Agatha Christie (and three more waiting on my Kindle); several books containing accounts of children's past lives and the Cazalet Chronicles by Elizabeth Jane Howard. I shall do my best to keep the eclectic mix going during 2017.
• Be Creative - I can safely say that I have continued my creative journey with kumihimo necklaces, stamping onto polymer clay, paper crafting (and making some Christmas cards).  I am hoping to use some of my Blockwallah stamps in lino printing, but felting has to come high on the list (see the first bullet point).
• Get rid of/donate things I do not want or need - I made a tiny bit of progress with this one, but if I had a report, it would be 'must try harder'.  I have far too much stuff and must really sort myself out.  Another aim for 2017.

No new aims again, as the ones above still stand for 2017, so lots for me to go at there.
Happy New Year to you all and I hope it is a healthy, prosperous and peaceful one.

Happy New Year 2016

 Happy New Year!  

(Photos from Daily Mail online)

As has become a bit of a tradition with my blog, today is the day I review my aims for 2015 and decide on aims for 2016.

• Make more felt - total failure here as I haven't made any new felt pieces in the last year.  I have used my felt to make lots of things, but I need to make sure I keep going with my felt making. Jewellery making and sewing seem to have taken over during the last year, but I'm sure I can find a bit more time for all of them!
• Read interesting books - success again with this aim as I have read some fascinating books this year: The Lost Pre-Raphaelite, The history of Colour, The Criminal Conversations of Mrs Norton (about the first woman to bring to public notice the way the law did not recognise women), a biography of Louisa M Alcott, Jonathan Srange and Mr Norrell,  the Merry Hall Trilogy by Beverley Nichols...in total, 63.
• Be Creative - I continued with various creative activities including starting kumihimo, using a heat gun to emboss stamped images, using foil flakes to embellish stamped images, more sewing, gardening. This will be a continued aim for this year too.
• Get rid of/donate things I do not want or need - this is ongoing but has become more pressing now as we have both decided we have too much stuff, and it is beginning to depress us.  The time has come to really get to grips with it and decide what we do need/want and get rid of things we don't.  It sounds easy, doesn't it, but it isn't!  However, this is a major aim for both of us for 2016.

So, no new aims there - but enough to keep me busy and creative in 2016.
 Happy New Year to you all and I hope it is a healthy and prosperous one.