Hello 2020

So, long time readers of this blog may remember that I don’t do resolutions; instead I come up with a word/phrase to try and emulate for that year. Last year was breathe. I’m still trying to emulate that, and remember to breathe and not stress so much.

This year…It has been harder to pick a word. So much of my life is already so good, I couldn’t really think of anything specific I wanted to work on. I thought about picking something that I *am*, like introvert, or acknowledge my bipolar, but none of them really sprang out at me.

Then I thought about how I want to do more cycling this year, and in particular more cycle touring. Add that to my inability to *not* pick up new hobbies (I got a batik dye kit for Christmas, and my brain is exploding with ideas for designs and hopefully adding embroidery bits to it), and so I decided Explore would be a good word. I’ll combine batik and embroidery to create this hoop. (At some point!)

FO Friday- double edition

Because I have finished two things!!!!!1

The baby hat is finished! Turns out I can knit an entire baby hat in a week (including time needed to finish spinning the fluff) Aside from one slight hiccup where papa tried putting the hat on upside-down (I think it’s called that? Maybe back to front???), it seems to be well received.

(Picture posted with both parents permission). And as you can see, there’s plenty of room for growing, something I planned for then thought I’d messed up so there wouldn’t be any. Phew!

I alsooooooooooooo, finally finished breathe!!!!!!!!

Not that you can really tell on that picture, but I’m really relieved it’s done! For those new people, this is a thing where every year I come up with a word/phrase of the year and create a hoop of it in some way, so that when I’m a ‘proper’ adult I can hang them all up on a wall. Last year was preparation, and now I’ve got less than 2 months to come up with next year. I’m thinking maybe Ravenclaw, since that’s my Hogwarts house and I’m thinking I want to try a word which I can aim for, if that makes sense. We’ll see…

 

Feeding the Stash- I will use it soon (promise!) edition

So, since it is getting near the end of the year (I may in denial about Christmas, but the end of the year has no such connotations, so that’s alright. The New Year is allowed!) I’m looking forward to 2019, but I’m also aware that I’m currently piling too much on my plate, and I should do something about it. (But not right now, everything I’ve started needs finishing!)

So, next year will be the year I (try to) pace myself, and not end up saying yes to too many things. For one thing, I think I might make it a no handmade (by me) Christmas present year… Other than maybe the socks for my mother. That feels kinda scary to write, and quite possibly I will have forgotten by then, but we shall see.

Some of you may remember that this year my word of the year was preparation. I feel like I do now prepare more for things (hello monthly plans, I intend on keeping you!), and (drumroll please!), this year I have chosen:

BREATHE! This is a custom kit from Etsy designer NogPepperMe. I am very much looking forward to starting this (hopefully before 2019, but we shall see…), but I need to finish the socks and elephant first *lesigh*.

This word is going to be a challenge for me. I like making things, and I want to make all the things *now* (because tomorrow I’ll have a new pile of things to make). Remembering to breathe and not do everything I want because there isn’t enough time will be hard, but hopefully it will also make me more focussed and mindful of what things are actually important to me. I don’t have the time to do everything, and I need to remember that. I will try to bring back the timing myself to see how many hours I spend on things to hopefully learn how many craft hours I have in a week. (I have this vague craft plan to make lollipop sticks with units of time on so I have a visual way of seeing things, but that involves making things, and I’m trying to not do that so much…)

If anyone has any suggestions of things they’ve tried and worked, or things they’ve tried and didn’t work, or books I can read about it, please *please* leave them in the comments. I think I’m gonna need the help with this. But next year, I have too many things on right now!