2015 Wrap Up

Hullo hullo happy New years Eve everybody. Can you believe it? In less that 5 hours it will be 2016. That is truly terrifying. To stand once more at the foot of the unknown...

2015 wasn't too bad of a year, all things considered. Yes, my gran went into a home this year, but if that's the worst thing to have happened.... Me and the man made it to 4 years together without killing each other, and then 29 years with out killing ourselves (me through sheer clumsiness,  him through his habit of cycling everywhere). I also made it three years in my job and got moved up the role of 2IC - shame that didn't come with a pay rise,  but I understand the reasons behind that. The house renovations got started this year, and while they haven't moved as fast as I would like, we have been actively looking at other properties so hopefully our "grown up" will come sooner rather than later.

Though on that note, my savings in 2015 didn't climb as high as I would have liked.

Hobby wise, I am claiming 2015 as a total win. While I didn't make my reading goal, only reading 63 of the 70 I had hoped for, I did do exceptionally well on the crafting front.

I taught myself to knit this year - not only taught myself but also completed three projects. Two hats and a tablet case that I completely made up as I went. Little bit proud of that achievement. I just have to block it and buy a button for it and it'll be good to go.

Diamond embroidery also got attempted, and while I did finish the project, I don't think it will get a repeat performance,  despite the affordability of the kits.

Just today I tried my hand at fabric dying - the results are currently either sitting in plastic bags waiting on various rinsing times (I'm experimenting) or on the line drying, so no photos just yet, but it's definatly something I can see me carrying through to next year - current blue skin tone not withstanding. Turns out my glove had a leak in it.

Finally, cross stitching. In that particular regard - what a year. I have thankfully had this week off work so I  managed a few sneaky finishes before the year closes.

Canterbury Santa

Saxony Santa

Avignon Santa

Debi's Roses

Eleni of Troy

I also put The Reader back on the frames, but I doubt I'll get the remainder done in the next few hours, so that will probably end up being the first finish of 2016.

All up that brings me to 27 finishes for the year, 31 if you count the ones from other crafts. That number blows my mind. I have never finished that many things. And I think for that I can thank everyone in this wonderful cyber community of ours. Seeing everyone's beautiful work on blogs and Facebook and YouTube really helps motivate me. So for that I thank you all - each and every one of you, from the bottom of my heart. Thank you.

You may have noticed that thanks to the week off letting me have a clear head to focus on such things, I've made a couple of changes around here. I think I have FINALLY got the subscription issues worked out - a far too simple fix that I was overlooking, but such was the state of my brain towards the end there. I have also i mported past posts from various other blogs that I had scattered over the place. One of my goals for 2016 is to be far more active in my blogging and that, in my head at least, means being more streamlined and not having thoughts scattered everywhere. 

We have probably all noticed over the last 6 months or so that I am terrible at sticking to plans. It is for this reason that I generally don't make new years resolutions. That being said though, I do have a few goals this time round that I really am going to make a conscious effort to try and achieve over the up coming year. The first being to blog more. Like I just said, I want to be more active in my blogging. I really do enjoy it whe  I find the time for it. Even if no one reads this, just the act of getting it out there has a similar calming effect to cross stitching. And of course, cross stitching will still be the primary focus of my web-endevours, but I'm also going to start including my reading adventures and more about life in general - not that I think my life is particularly interesting - its not, since I'm a homebody, workaholic - but I am going to try.

Other goals I would like to meet in 2016

1. Amp up the savings - a house deposit by the end of the year would be absolutely amazeballs.  This means no unnecessary spending - I don't like the term stash diet, but it is what it is.

2. Be healthier. I am back up to the weight I was 5 years ago, and I'm not overly happy about that. I need to stop being lazy when I get home from work and start going working again - also to cut back on the sugar I'm consuming. While I love my job, the hours and the food are starting to take their toll.

3. I'm going to aim for 75 books this year. While still more than I read this year, I like to aim high.

4. Get the bedroom, entrance and living room completely renovated. This means painted, construction of what needs to be built and spring cleaning everything that's not needed anymore. We have far too much stuff. And by "we" I totally mean the man.

There are also a couple of stitchy goals that I have, but I think I'll put them in the 2016 finishes tab so that I can update them as I complete them.

On that note I think I'll leave it. I'll pick up The Reader for a little while longer, before I make a new start tomorrow. I will stay up and watch the fireworks, but I'm not going to go down to the public concert. Large crowds still make me nervous thanks to the earthquakes. Don't think I'm ever going to get over that, but never mind. 

Once again, happy new years everyone.  Hope 2016 brings you joy and laughter and all that you want it  to bring you.

Till next time.

Wheel of Time Series - Robert Jordan

Reading this series so early in the year, and trying to marathon all the books back to back, was probably not the best idea when trying to complete a year long challenge of 100 books (I have since amended that goal to 80 books). I gave my self a serious case of burn out and had to switch to other pursuits to try and get my reading mojo back. 

That's not to say that I regret it - because I don't, not at all. I loved this series. It was just a lot of words; a lot of pages of world building and high fantasy, to read all in one go. And a good chunk of it while on vacation and doing nothing but reading.

There are low points of course, every series has those books that just aren't up to the same perceived standard or that you have to force yourself through - book 10, Crossroads of Twilight in this case - there is enough in the other books to make up for the transgressions.

Jordan's story of Rand and his friends is fantasy done right. The world building alone is phenomenal. There is enough detail (some say too much at times) and enough imagery that this could be a real world sitting just to the side of ours. The character development follows the natural and logical course of the characters lives. They change, they grow up, they let their environment and their circumstances become a part of who they are and who they shall be. Yes some are more likable than others, but the things that make them unlikable are their truly human flaws.

While I don't think anything will ever knock Eddings' Belgariad off the top place in my favourite fantasy series (it was my first, it will be my last), the Wheel of Time series has definitely wrangled its way up there in the rankings. I can see re-reads in my future, though I may stagger them out a little next time.

Over all, I give the series four out of five stars

And yes I realise that it is cheating a little bit to lump the whole series in with each other as one post, but that's life.

Over for Another Year

Hullo hullo, happy post-Christmas everyone. Hope the holiday saw you all well fed and we’ll looked after. We just got home this afternoon after a grueling drive. There truly are some crazy people on the roads at this time of year. Kind of always make me want to stop and start screaming “I’m sorry for driving according to the road laws”.

Anyways. I know I haven’t been the best at keep up with updates in the last few months and once again I am very sorry for that. As I’ve mentioned before, work has been brutal. But now that christmas is over I am sincerly that I can start reclaiming my life. I have this week off so that will be a good start.  

As a nice little start to the holidays, my long awaited Stitching Bits and Bob’s order finally arrived so with any luck, the now three projects that were waiting on it might just get finished before the end of 2015. The three being Eleni of Troy by Cross Stitch Art, Debi’s Roses by Chatelaine and Joan Elliots The Reader which despite my lack of blogging, I have been faithfully plodding away at.

I got as far as I could with her but I needed more of that gold (kreinik 028) so I had to put her in the waiting pile with the others.

I picked up Love Birds for a day or so. And then remembered why progress is so slow with this one. It’s one of those infamous Chinese kits that I got off Aliexpress.  And while I do still think that the pattern is cute as pie, it actually physically hurts me to stitch. The pain adds to the all round disappointment really. The threads are coarse and in a far more muted pallet than the picture would have had you believe and the aida is so stiff that it even though it’s 11 count, pulling the three strands of floss through the holes not only makes that horrible near ripping sound, it makes bruises on may finger tip from the force of the needle.

But I finished a page at least.

I will finish this one. I’m not relegating it to the UFO pile yet. But I think it will have to be a bit of a slow and steady type of thing.

To give my poor finger a break I thought I’d treat myself to something new. While I have been trying my best to avoid the dreaded fear of missing out plague, I have notice the Plum Street Sampler 12 Days of Christmas that so many are doing and decided I had to do it too.

The red is good old 115 and while I am stitching it all on one big piece of 28 count white lugana, I am planning to do them all as individual ornaments. One day. Don’t know when but that’s the plan.

Finally, since my parcel finally arrived, I had some smaller things to pop in my bag to take with me to mums to potter with over Christmas. I had ordered all three of Mill Hills Medieval Santa ornaments so I started with Canterbury Santa on Christmas day, since I was in Canterbury after all.

I was going with the theory that beading would be easier when there wasn’t a small fluff ball of a dog sitting on me so this week will end up being a bit of a bead-a-paloza I think.

Luckily I took all three of the kits with me so I moved on to Avignon Santa since he was similar colours to Canterbury.

And because boxing day is the best day for being lazy (not that I ever need an excuse), Saxony Santa.

It’s entirely possibly that I miss judged how many beads were on these things. I have a feeling it’s going to take a lot longer than the stitching. But that’s okay, I have very few plans for my week off.

On that note I might leave it there for today - I want to unpack and get the washing on while the man goes gets pizza for dinner - Harry Potter marathon tonight I think since I got the complete set for Christmas - and back to the Santa's. 

Hope every one enjoys the last days of holidays - till next time :)

Merry Christmas Times

Just a quick little note to wish every one all the best for the holiday season - whether it be christmas or Hanukkah or just a Friday off work I hope it sees you happy and well and all that good stuff. For those of you  that like me are having to travel - stay safe out there - people on the roads seem to go crazy at this time of year.

Merry Christmas every one :)