Monday 30 December 2013

Looking Back at 2013 (part one)

Oh 2013, I can hardly believe you are almost over.

With all these days, weeks and months having zipped by so fast it's great to be able to look back at my blog and think "oh yes, that's what I got up to this year!"...

January was spent working on my new book (which was still a secret) and trying to come up with things to blog about when I couldn't talk about what I was spending most of my days working on! There were a lot of posts about felt scraps and threads this month. 

The Woodlands issue of &Stitches Zine was published, including an interview with me and a wren embroidery pattern I designed. I did sketches for some new projects, bought some index cards to help me better organise my crafty ideas, did a bit of simple crafting in the evenings after work, and knitted the last square of my sky blanket. Oh, and it snowed! Which was rather nice.

http://bugsandfishes.blogspot.com/2013/01/wren-embroidery-pattern-for-zine.html

http://bugsandfishes.blogspot.com/2013/01/more-threads-more-scraps.html


In February I finished working on my book, destashed lots of craft supplies, stuck pictures in my "inspiration" scrapbooks, blogged about positivity, shared a tutorial for a tea-themed Valentine's Day card and was kept company by my studio assistant (a.k.a. my parents cat).

http://bugsandfishes.blogspot.com/2013/02/i-sew-he-snoozes.html

http://bugsandfishes.blogspot.com/2013/02/diy-valentines-card-i-love-you-more.html


There were big changes in March as I decided to stop selling felt squares and other craft supplies, I did lots of thinking about work and the shelves in my studio slowly emptied. I made dozens of felt buttons, organised my archive of crafty photos and made lots of photo mosaics.

http://bugsandfishes.blogspot.com/2013/03/more-buttons-more-destash-bits-bobs.html

http://bugsandfishes.blogspot.com/2013/03/studio-shelves.html


In April I shared the cover of my new book, designed a cross stitch sampler, got super-organised and put my magazine clippings in neat folders and had a couple of crafty flashbacks. I also stitched lots of owls (which are still in my WIP box - oh dear!), finished sewing lots and lots of cherry blossoms and created a photobook with six years of crafty photos.

http://bugsandfishes.blogspot.com/2013/04/cherry-blossoms-finished.html

http://bugsandfishes.blogspot.com/2013/04/six-years-of-craftiness-in-book.html


May brought lovely sunshine (perfect for knitting in the garden) and some very good news. I proofread my book, reviewed lots of craft books, knitted squares from leftover sky blanket yarn, blogged about my projects from So Pretty, Felt!, and worked on some secret projects including one that involved yummy glass beads.

http://bugsandfishes.blogspot.com/2013/05/omg-sunshine.html

http://bugsandfishes.blogspot.com/2013/05/photos-from-this-week-craft-supplies.html


Then in June I bought a pinboard for my studio (I now don't know how I ever managed without one!), worked on lots of blue projects and blogged about my projects from Made in Felt and Mollie Makes: Feathered Friends. The cats kept me company while I stitched and blogged!

http://bugsandfishes.blogspot.com/2013/06/designing-sewing-writing-photographing.html

http://bugsandfishes.blogspot.com/2013/06/my-new-pinboard.html

My look back at 2013 continues tomorrow :)

UPDATE: My wren embroidery pattern is now available in my shop, and the pattern for sewing those cherry blossoms is coming soon! Visit my shop to see all my printable PDF patterns

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