My Resolution for 2017: Read More Books

I grew up surrounded by and addicted to books.

Every birthday and Christmas as a kid, I asked for new books. Most weekends as a teen I was either down the library or browsing my local second hand bookshops. I read widely and voraciously and didn't really understand people who said they didn't like reading, or weren't "interested" in books. There were whole worlds in there, both real and imagined and I wanted to explore as many as I possibly could.

Then, somehow, gradually, I stopped reading. I don't know if it was just the distractions of exams and Uni and the internet (and writing things of my own!), or the number of books I was told I "should" read as I got older and loathed but kept on trying to like because they were apparently "the best books" (so foolish!). Either way, books stopped being my constant companion and became something just for lazy holidays or long train journeys.

In recent years I've made efforts to try and get back into reading - with mixed success.

My Nice Days Out have helped, as I now always take a paperback with me for reading in cafes and on train journeys (and during train delays!) so I always have at least one book that I'm slowly working my way through... but I have resolved and then, er, re-resolved to make more time in my regular life for books and it just hasn't worked out.

Lots of people swear by audiobooks, but I find that unless I'm doing something really, really mindless while listening to them I can't concentrate on the task and the narration and I tend to suddenly realise I have no clue what's going on in the plot (is this a sign I am getting old? It probably is). I used to listen to them (and BBC radio dramas) quite a lot when I was doing repetitive work tasks like cutting out felt shapes or making up felt bundles for my shops, but these days my schedule involves a lot fewer tasks like this!

So this year I am determined to try to read more actual books. To read a chapter in the morning instead of checking Twitter on my phone. To have a proper lunch break, paperback in hand. To turn off the telly or the internet in the evenings and pick up a book instead. To go to the library more often so I'll always have something I can't wait to start reading...

... and, of course, to blog about my progress to try and keep myself focused.

So, I'll be blogging once month about what I've been reading (I've started the year with some of the British Library's Crime Classics) and how/where/when I'm managing to make space for books in my day - what works for me, what doesn't. I hope you'll enjoy following along with my progress throughout the year.

What are you looking forward to reading this year? And when do you find time to read? Have you ever fallen out of love with reading like I did? Maybe you've even made the same New Year's Resolution as me and are embarking on a similar journey to fill your life with more of the joy of books? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Reading vs Crafting

Do you spend your spare time in the evenings reading? Or crafting? Or doing a bit of both?

I'd love to do both but I usually find that I'm so absorbed in a craft project that I sit happily stitching away (while watching a DVD box set or something good on the telly with my family) until it's time for bed (or way past my bedtime if it's a particularly exciting project!) and the books on my reading pile get a bit neglected.

Above: some of the current projects I've got in progress - embroidery, cross stitch and knitting.

I resolved to try and read more a couple of summers ago and I have definitely been finding more time to read since then - though my plan to blog about what I was reading kinda fizzled out! Oops.

But while I've been reading a bit on my Nice Days Out (train journeys are sooo much more interesting with a good book) at home I keep falling back into old habits and neglecting the interesting things I'm reading in favour of MAKING ALL THE THINGS or just doing a nice bit of colouring in to relax down after a busy day's work.

Above: testing felt tip pens ready to do some colouring-in.

There is nothing wrong with this, of course! Making stuff is awesome! Colouring in is super relaxing! But it does make me sad not to be reading as much as I'd like.

On my reading pile at the moment:

...The Knocker on Death's Door (a nice little whodunnit to read on the train)
... QED: The Strange Theory of Light & Matter (something science-y recommended by my dad)
... The Hare with Amber Eyes (the hare was part of the excellent Magnificent Obsessions exhibition I visited recently so now of course I wanna read the book)
... A Short History of Nearly Everything (I was reading this on trains last summer and really enjoying it, then I got a smaller bag that it didn't fit inside!)
... The Wealth & Poverty of Nations (an old fave that I started to reread to see if I wanted to get rid of it but am now continuing to read because it's great)
... Work/Life 2 (lots of great illustrators, very inspiring)
 ... Homeward Bound: Why Women are Embracing the New Domesticity (this is all about Etsy and blogging and women giving up their jobs to grow organic veg and homeschool their kids and it is soooo interesting)
... Studio Life: Rituals, Collections, Tools & Observations on the Artistic Process (I reviewed this recently, it's great and I want to read the rest of it!)
.. A History of the World in 100 Objects (I tried listening to the podcast version of this but my mind kept wandering, so I'm trying the book version instead and am looking forward to tracking down all 100 objects in the British Museum when I've finished)
... and an issue of UPPERCASE magazine (I treated myself to a whole stack of copies of this beautiful magazine last year, I just need to find the time to actually read them)

I want to read / finish reading all these things! And lots more!! 

So, this post is me resolving, again (re-resolving??) to try and carve out more time in my day for reading.

I'll let you know how it goes :)

Hello 2015

Happy New Year, everyone!

Have you made any New Year's Resolutions - crafty or otherwise?

Apart from working on my Use It or Lose It de-stashing challenge, I'm resisting the urge to set myself a list of specific resolutions or goals for the year.

Instead I'll just be focusing on working hard to grow my business and doing my best to fill my year with designing, making, writing, cuppas and catch ups with friends, decluttering, good books, tasty cake, happy post, Nice Days Out... and lots of other good stuff.

Here's to a busy, happy year filled with crafty goodness!

Resolutions for 2014

I know we're already 10 days into the New Year but I've finally decided on my New Year's Resolutions!

As well as all the usual stuff like trying to eat better, save money, etc, I resolve to...

1. Get out of the house and go places and see people.

My "weekly" Nice Days Out have been awesome. It's been really good for me to have some proper days off from work (less stress! more exercise! loads of inspiration!), and going to all these new and interesting places has been great. I'm aiming to go on 50 Nice Days Out this year and also to take 2 slightly longer trips (one in the spring - which I've just booked! - and one in the autumn). I also need to actually make the effort to meet up with people for coffee, etc, instead of failing to get round to it like I usually do.

2. Make more time for books.

The internet is great, but I need to be a lot stricter with myself about turning off my laptop in the evening and picking up a good book instead. See also: turning off the TV. So I am aiming to read at least 36 books this year. My teenage self would be frankly appalled at the idea of reading so few books in a year, but I think 3 a month is a sensible target: more than I managed last year, but still achievable.

I also have a big stack of lovely craft books sitting in my "to review" pile that I need to look at and, you know, actually review! So.... I'm going to aim to review at least 36 craft books here on my blog (just revewing the ones I currently have to review will take me up to 25! Eek).

3. Make more stuff and write lots of tutorials.

Making stuff is a) something that makes me money (because, you know, it's my job) and b) something that makes me happy. I need to do more of it!! Designing new things, sharing tutorials, publishing patterns, finishing old projects... I want my 2014 to be full of crafty goodness, and only I can make that happen.

I am not setting myself any fixed targets for most of this, just trying to focus on making time each week to be creative and work on my projects so they don't get stuck in my sketchbook or work-in-progress pile or drafts folder. But, I have decided to aim for sharing 36 free tutorials here on my blog. I have loads of tutorials I keep meaning to write up and share with you guys but they end up getting put off because other things take over. I'm hoping that by setting myself the target of 36 tutorials, that will give me a bit of "deadline pressure" and I'll actually get them done :)

My New Alarm Clock

I've avoided making any big resolutions for 2013, but I am hoping to make some small changes... including trying to go to bed earlier and to get up earlier.

I have never been a real "morning person" but getting up early (when I actually manage it) makes me feel super efficient and organised. I'm also someone who (when I actually bother to stick to one) really thrives on having a routine, so I'm hoping that setting my alarm for the same time each day will help me settle into a more regular working rhythm over the coming months.

I had been thinking about buying a second alarm clock to make sure I don't just turn the first one off in my sleep but it turns out I don't need to buy a new alarm as this furry fellow has decided to volunteer for the job:

I have been living with my parents for about 15 months now, and all of a sudden this Christmas one of their cats has decided that my bed is THE place to sleep. He arrives in the wee small hours of the morning, curls up at the end of the bed and then (when he's woken by the paperboy delivering our paper) he wakes me up at 6.45 loudly demanding food.

Unlike a regular alarm clock, this one cannot be ignored as he has a trick of sitting on the bedside table knocking everything off onto the floor until I get out of bed. Cheeky, but very effective!

Crafty Resolutions for 2011

Happy New Year!

We saw the new year in very quietly - I was actually sitting on the sofa knitting when the clock hit twelve... start as you mean to go on, eh?

This time last year I made a New Year's Resolution to "maintain a balance between my crafty life and my crafty business" and I've worked really hard to keep it, though to be honest I've not always succeeded!

I'm going to be trying to keeping up that balance this year, and I'm also making two more crafty resolutions... to spend less time on the computer, and also to finish a couple of large crafty projects that have been languishing under the spare bed for years.

Running an online shop, with customers in different timezones it can sometimes be really hard to switch off the computer, or to leave those emails until tomorrow. The internet (wonderful as it is) is also full of time wasting distractions when I'm feeling lazy, and far far too many amazing talented people making amazing fantastic things when I'm feeling full of self-doubt.

Basically, I just need to turn off the computer more, and make things instead!

I've got a big to do list of things I want to make this year, but I'm also determined to make stuff that has nothing whatsoever to do with work, and have a crafty project to help me relax like I did when this was just a hobby...

And lo, when I was tidying the spare room, what did I find? A box containing two small bags of blanket squares and one pile of little fabric squares cut out for a quilt many years ago. Perfect!

Two blankets to knit and a quilt to sew will keep me busy for ages (not least because I don't own a sewing machine so I'll be sewing the quilt by hand!). I'll take some photos soon so you can see what I'm working on :)

Have you made any crafty resolutions for this year?

Crafty Resolutions

Happy New Year everyone :)

2010 is off to a good start so far with lots of good telly (Agatha Christie and Doctor Who) good food, kind words and perhaps most importantly lovely lazy afternoons curled up on the sofa tinkering with new felt things.

As you may guess from my colour palette I'm already dreaming of spring...
Much as I'd like to wish away the cold (brr!) I do love this time of year. With the wonderful exhausting madness that is the "Christmas shopping season" out of the way (so many parcels to pack! and so many shipping deadlines to meet!) I've got a chance to catch my breath, put my feet up and think big thoughts about my schemes for the year to come.

I've got a big to do list for 2010, lots of things I want to try and lots of ideas in my sketchbooks, but I've decided that my main crafty resolution for this year is to maintain a balance between my crafty life and my crafty business. I want to develop my little business without becoming a one woman sweatshop, and to make sure I keep on making things just for fun and to feed my soul as well as my bank account.

Have you made any crafty resolutions this year? Are there any crafts you're determined to try or projects you've sworn to finish?

Stop Press: Crafting 365 Article published, yay!

Just a quick (late night for me!) post to say hurrah hurrah the article I wrote about the Crafting 365 project has appeared on Etsy. Please do go check it out, and follow the links at the end to some lovely things made by the group members (some seriously talented guys and gals).

365 / 135 - A Quiet New Year, and some Resolutions

Happy New Year! No wild parties for me last night, just a quiet and cosy night in doing some sewing...
I was so pleased with the woodland creatures I made on day 134 that I started cutting out pieces to make a few more, and I worked on 3 new designs as well: an antlered deer, a little fawn and a feather. I'm very pleased with the deer but the lighter, cuter fawn ought to have all-white detailing I think.
I am so pleased that it's January. After crazy pre-Christmas shipping, being ill, and eating far too much chocolate over the holiday I feel absolutely ready to start new things, tackle new projects and stick to new year's resolutions.

My crafty resolutions for this year are
1) To be more serious and business-like in my approach to my work, to run my business better and to promote it more actively.
2) To make lots of things in batches (higher stock levels means much less stress for me) but not at the expense of trying out lots and lots and lots of new designs.
3) To stick with my 365 project, missing out as few days as possible!

2008 is also the year of getting our flat sorted out - we have so many unpacked boxes, unhung pictures, curtainless windows, unfinished DIY projects etc, this is the year for tackling them. My pre-Christmas "give something away every day" project has finished but I'll be keeping it in mind and doing lots of spring cleaning. One of the first household tasks "to do" is attending to my potplants, giving them some love and attention and potting up some cuttings I've been rooting on my kitchen windowsill in teeny little herb jars:
It seems that 2008 will be a year filled with Etsy shopping, too. It's only 12 hours into the new year and I've already been on an Etsy shopping spree! I tried so hard to treat myself to something on the high street with my Christmas money (bargainous post-Christmas sales and all) but there was just nothing nice to be had so Etsy-shopping it had to be. Details about my shopping another time, but for now here's a picture of the lovely Etsy post that arrived yesterday, from Blomma:
The lupin cards are to be sent out in special parcels (like the celebratory free-gift-packed parcel I sent out to the buyer of my 500th item) and the dahlia is a lovely freebie. I really like how it's a thankyou from the seller and a free gift. Such nice cards, from a lovely friendly seller. Also the coloured envelopes are just yum (I'm a sucker for a fancy envelope).

365 / 133 - sketching new ideas

As yesterday was my 1 year Etsyversary I spent much of the day musing on the past year, the progress of my business and craft and the plans I have for the year to come. It was my New Year's resolution to set up shop on Etsy in 2007 - a resolution made almost on a whim after finding Etsy via Flickr during a dull few days last Christmas. I don't know that I've ever had a resolution that's changed my life more.
This time last year I was unemployed, bored, not sure what to do with my life, making stuff occasionally to while away the hours... and now here I am with my own little crafty business, 133 days into my daily crafting & blogging project and with my house overrun with felt...
In 2008 I hope to be more serious about all this - to be more business-like (setting up a proper office space, doing my accounts etc) and less lazy in promoting myself. I'm only just starting to become confident about saying to people "this is what I do, look", don't even do simple things like wear one of my brooches on my lapel, and have been out of stock of my business cards for months so there is lots of room for improvement! I'll no doubt be wittering on about all this over the coming few weeks and months so I shall shut up about it now.
I am very excited about the plans I have for the New Year but above all I'm excited about turning all my sketches and schemes into real felt lovelies. It is just so awesome taking an idea in my head, drawing it over and over until it's just right, and then sewing it together for the first time. Lots of my ideas are still secret works in progress, but as I did a whole bundle of sketches yesterday here's a sneak peek:
I'm working on a range of English Woodland items, you see - botanical stuff to go with my oak leaves etc but also lots of cute woodland creatures. As you can see, this will include a slightly crazy-looking fox!