One week left...

...and I still have much to do!

What I have done is listened to 'Gone Girl' (review below) and read 'Dolly' but haven't reviewed it yet.  It's been a very busy month with lots of travel for work (poor excuse I know) but I have managed one Yoga session which is better than none Yoga session.

Last night I started watching the Great British Sewing Bee, I knows 'citing innit, which has made me want to sew something again...so lets add 'sew a something' to the list.  I have several ideas in the mill, 1. Using material from an old tshirt sew a baby hat (as per a pattern I have somewhere) 2. Sew some fabric boxes using fat quarters to keep my make-up and 'stuff' in 3. Sew a drawstring laundry bag for the nursery.  

I've also bought myself a ticket for Wonderwool for the Sunday (can't go the whole weekend because of a friends wedding) which has given me the inspiration I need to knit something but also I refuse to meet up with my knitty friends and when quizzed upon what I have made with last years purchases I'll have to dive and hide in the nearest yarn pile.  So before April I have to knit something from last years Wonderwool buys.  Ideally a pair of pink fingerless mitts the pattern for which a friend gave me and reassures me it couldn't be easier.

This to do list is getting even bigger, time to actually 'to do' I feel!

Progress?

Well my last post was all about my aims for this month which were:

• Knit a square for the knitted blanket (still not started)
• Give away or knit an item from my stash (I may start on that tomorrow)
• Paint a watercolour for January (done!)
• Sew some napkins (sort of done)
• Read Stephen Kings' 11.22.63; Listen to Kate Atkinson Life After Life (started)
• Write book reviews for the above
• Do 4 Yoga sessions, 4 swimming sessions and get out walking (1 walk and 1 swim done)

Today I painted a watercolour based on a photo we took whilst on holiday in Pembrokeshire.  I'm quite impressed with myself as I even managed to sketch it out first and I can not draw.  Anyhoo the original photograph was this...

... Somewhere along the Pembrokeshire coastline between Druidstone and St David's.  The watercolour became this...

It definitely reflects the stormy, dark skies of this January but the hope that spring and blue skies are not far away.  I think I made the grass too bright and think I should have done an entire back wash in dark grey but hey that's why I'm learning to paint.  

The next part of the to do was sew some napkins which ok I've cheated. I was in Tesco and they had a pack of four white napkins for £4, so I just got them BUT they could do with jazzing up and I think a nice silvery grey strip or ribbon would look lovely.

I've also had an email from the Reading group and the next read is Susan Hills' The Small Hand so I need to add that to my reading list and get going. Oh and I set myself a challenge on Goodreads, read 25 books in 2014. I thought if I read 12 books with the book group I could read/listen to (I'm counting my audible books) an additional 12...wish me luck!  I can't wait for my underwater MP3 player charger to arrive so I can get some audio books on their for my swimming.  I went swimming on Friday (6pm is a good time to go) and did miss having something to distract me/ keep me going! 

Happy 2014!

Hello and welcome to my first post of 2014.  We're now two days in to the new year and I have been thinking about what I would like to accomplish this year. So here goes:

Knitting

• Finish the knitted squares/blanket from 'Art of Knitting' magazine.  This blanket has been around 6 years in the making and I would love to get it finished this year.  From what I can remember I am half way there and on the learning how to do cables so its quite an exciting project made up of lots of quick, fun knits.
• Stash busting - either sell (eek), give away (bigger eek) or actually use the yarns in my stash.  I'm thinking each month I will make something or give away/sell something that should cut it down by quite a bit.
• Learn to knit in the round.  I realised making the Robin decoration in December I hate making up so think knitting in the round will suit me nicely.
• Knit a pair of socks.  I would love to learn to do this and would really love to start with a book I have called two at a time knitting.  

Watercolour

• Paint a picture representing that month/moment.  Each month aim to paint a picture using my watercolours that represents what is happening that month, any moments or just for fun.
• I'm very much the beginner so anything I do with watercolours is completely new and exciting and I know I have so many techniques to learn.

Sewing

• I want to have a go at making some items I can wear.  I can't help think I'm struggling to find nice pyjamas so might give that a go.  I have a giant white cotton bed sheet we never use so might use that to have a practice
• I also need some napkins for the dining table, not sure what colour or how yet but thats another idea.

Books

• The plan is to go swimming every Friday and I have a waterproof MP3 player that I am hoping I can add an audio book to so I can listen to an audio book each month.
• Each month I attend the Builth Wells Reading Group so have a monthly read from them an often find it difficult to make it through any more books but I do have a wishlist on Amazon the length of..well...the Amazon and a whole bunch of unread books on the bookshelf and on my kindle so it would be nice to make a dent in them this year.

Creative writing

•  I haven't done any since that course last September and it would be nice to try writing something each month but think I may have given myself enough tasks!  Although I hope to use what I learned to write a good book review each month if nothing else.

Exercise

• Keep up the weekly Yoga sessions although this time at home and not at a class.
• Start weekly swimming sessions, Friday nights will probably work best as Mr C is often out with friends so I get a bit of time to myself.
•  In general I'd like to up the amount of walking I do, both throughout the week and a big weekend walk with Mr C.

I think that's quite enough for one year!  So my aim for January is to:

• Knit a square for the knitted blanket
• Give away or knit an item from my stash
• Paint a watercolour for January
• Sew some napkins
• Read Stephen Kings' 11.22.63; Listen to Kate Atkinson Life After Life
• Write book reviews for the above
• Do 4 Yoga sessions, 4 swimming sessions and get out walking

By the way my official new years' resolution is this, to be more optimistic and a friendlier person.  I wasn't sure exactly how to word that and then I seen the new years' message from the Dalai Lama and it clicked.  So my new years' resolution is this...