HAPPY NEW YEAR .. and may all yours be white!

To all my blogging chums, fellow crafty folk, avid readers and hopeful wannabee writers... HAPPY NEW YEAR!
This was what we woke up to this morning, an inch of fresh snow, broken only by the large footprints of the local pheasant and a young male black and white cat, who are regular visitors to the garden, though not at the same time obviously! Refreshingly cold, not that painful uncomfortable cold (apparently that's coming for us next week, something to look forward to then!) but the sort that revitalises you and fills your lungs with clean, fresh air. So peaceful too, but then, so was last night. If there were fireworks, we didn't hear them... but we are always fast asleep by midnight anyway!

But it is at this time of year I always feel hopeful, positive, energised with new ideas for the decor of our little home (so we bought new blinds for the conservatory yesterday, taking advantage of bargains - we only went out for storage boxes!), for the garden, this year the summerhouse gets a revamp. I'd like to say, so do I.... and at this time of year I never make resolutions, for they put too much pressure on you I think. But I have good intentions... like losing weight is a given, I say it every new year, and the best I can hope for with my medication is to control it.. if I am lucky. I intend learning how to use my sewing machine for something other than everyday stuff.... taking up a subscription to my favourite writing magazine again, for a year, and to do some creative writing exercises for at least a couple of hours one day a week, probably Wednesday. Because it begins with W too (for Writing) and is easy to remember that way. I am not good at routine. Had years of it of course with young children growing up, then a part time job. But I think getting into some form of routine with my writing is the only way it will progress, but it will be hard sticking to this resolution I know. A bit like cleaning the oven, if it's something I tell myself needs to be done, I can prevaricate with the best of them and ALWAYS find something better/more useful/more interesting to do... even ironing has its appeal at times like this!

And the other thing I am doing is a creative calendar, which many of you will know about from jilltaylor-thirdagemusings.blogspot.com who has laid down a challenge. I had already started mine anyway, having been inspired by sights of her own calendar on previous postings on her blogspot.

This book is my inspiration. It is so easy to read, gives you ideas aplenty, if you need a kickstart in the arty department. I just don't need a kickstart, I need to be pushed along as well, for I am not that good an artist. No, correction. I am a lousy artist. I can design abstract and other designed cards, can do freestyle tapestry, but when it comes to actual drawing... forget it. However, Violette in the above book tells you how to draw a face. I followed her instruction and voila, I had a face. So this has filled me with hope - and determination to try harder with this as well. So I am starting with the calendar, using bits from the JOURNAL BLISS book for inspiration.

I love the colour purple... this has come out more virulent than it actually is I have to say, but I wanted to start the year with a colour I particularly liked, to inspire me to carry on, and because I love the colour. I have two inch squares of blue card cut out and a plethora of bits and bobs to play with to add texture and colour.

I saw this carrying bag in a certain craft catalogue a couple of years ago, it comes in two different sizes. I loved it, wanted it, but couldn't justify the cost. Then sometime last year (nearly put 'this year' then!) it was on sale, so I could suddenly justify buying it.. to myself only you understand, my lovely husband never questions what I spend our money on. Then it sat in a cupboard, as I couldn't fill it, it didn't look right with needles and yarn, didn't seem designed for that, even though I had seen it so filled. Then I bought pots of paint, discoverd boxes of chalks, tins of watercolour pencils, glue sticks, felt tips, gel pens..... and all those little pocketses were about to be filled.

Then there are packets of paper notions, different shapes and colours and designs.

Then a box of rubber stamps and inkpads.

And suddenly I have enough crafty pieces to be going on with, though I still want some smaller pots of acrylics. And no doubt by the time I have finished looking at the craft catalogue again, there will be a few other little items I can't manage without!

I am also coming up to my one hundredth posting on this blog and plan a giveaway all to do with knitting. But more of that anon.

For now, let me wish you all a HAPPY NEW YEAR. I have so enjoyed this journey through blogland, read some fab blogs, some not so good so they were only read the once. There are some intersting, talented, funny bloggers out there, mainly women it has to be said.. or maybe it is only women mainly who follow me. I know there is the lovely Mark with his often thought-provoking postings from the bikeshed, and my old friend Fyldecoaster, who has finally got his blog up and running at fyldecoaster.blogspot.com if you fancy a bit of nostalgia, which is the theme of his first posting, and possibly future ones as well.

I look forward to reading more of your postings, all of you, and your comments on my own blogs.

Thanks for dropping by as ever.