A Good Start/Finish 2021

I have a first finish of the new year!

When I looked over the table of January 2020 I realised there were two things on it that really hadn’t changed over the past year, the summer cardie and the Autumn Plaid blanket. I decided it was going to be my project to complete one of them it during Twixmas and I finished off the last ends yesterday.

As we only saw the family for just the one day rather than the planned week there was plenty of time. It was strange and quiet but at least we did see them and we’re grateful for that.

I treated myself to two things for Christmas. First was a pair of Pointer glasses. I always have a pint of water with me so I may a well have it in a nice glass and the other is for the occasional other type of drink be it gin or wine!!

The other treat, I have been waiting for ages for the right thing to want me to buy it! Alex at Under a Topaz Sky upcycles old and broken jewellery and I knew the right one for me would come along eventually. I saw this brooch she recently rescued and loved the pen type shape of it, I have a rack of my beautiful fountain pens in front of me as I type, and I loved the porcelain bead (which I may have to try and find some more of sometime!!). The insert is silk carrier rod embellished. All I need now is the destination to wear the jacket I will put it on!

This morning I altered a hoodie. I’m not really into dress making or the like but I don’t mind the odd bit of winging it alterations!! This hoodie has the thickest and most uncomfortable to wear hood on it. Not that I wear it up, it’s just too much bulk around the neck.

So I cut it off. It’s much nicer now and I can wear it under a coat too!

Today, as well as taking down decorations, I may be book binding. If you’ve been with me long enough you know I don’t do sketchbooks. It’s not through lack of trying (many courses have been taken!) or lack of sketchbooks!

Most of those are unused A4 with a stack of A3 on the bottom. Shameful. I do however use notebooks. I carry one almost all the time so I thought I would try a different approach to the standard shop bought A5 lined notebook in a fancy made jacket. I took a couple of the ones above…

…stripped out the nice mixed media paper and gave them the lightest of tea coffee stains just to make them a little more interesting.

So now I will decide what cover to put on and bind them. Just because I use them in a boring way doesn’t mean they have to be boring to start with.

This year I will still be sticking with Use It Up and I hope to eat into a little more of my supplies already here! The new 2021 table has started with a nice green finish. Lets see what I can do in this year! Obviously little things like the hoodie don’t make it on there.

We wish you a healthy and happy New Year. I think everyone has positive hopes for this year and all those good vibes will hopefully resonate together enough to get everything moving again! Stay safe x

Sunrise 1st Jaunary 2021