Closing......

.....My eyes to last year and opening them up to this new year.

New plans

New enthusiasm

I have spent the week so far trying to be a domestic goddess. Failing miserably I might add. I am fighting a losing battle with the washing piles, and seriously getting cheesed off that I am just moving one pile of rubbish from one place to the next...then moving it back again. There is, however,  a sense of joy at removing all packaging from Christmas stuff and piles not looking so big to put away. I did find my day to day china collection on sale in a shop while I was away (the blinking stuff never goes on sale) so I felt the need to splurge a little. I'm now regretting it as it's giving me a headache trying to fit it in cupboards. I'm pants at sorting that kind of stuff, like I'm pants at sorting out the fridge after a big food shop.

Onwards and upwards though. I shall not be defeated.........

The decorations have come down and the Christmas Mantel shall make way for something more appropriate. A posy of tulips and hyacinths to add a bit of colour. Scented candles are still featuring heavily on the gloomier days.

I know that I want to start the New Year with eyes wide open, and let all the sunshine in. I want it all to be about the sunshine this year. Most definitely.

Last year was a weird one. Really good, yet really rather awful. I left 2014 feeling drained in every way, shape and form. I have realised that I need to spend a bit of time on myself. I have also realised, that I have reached the age where I have no patience for a lot of things. I found this quote by Meryl Streep on Pinterest here, (Well, at least I think it is. I'm not sure you can ever be too trusting of where these quotes come from on Pinterest. I like it all the same.) I think I'm heading that way.


I don't want to be a grump. Maybe it's just how I am at the moment, or maybe it's an age thing, but I'm feeling like I am wanting to spend my energies only on things and people that/who deserve my energy being spent on. I have wasted a lot recently on people and things that I realise don't deserve it, and I do feel like that quote. Time really is limited and I just don't want to waste it anymore. 

 Having spent the last 3 months fighting off one cold after another, it's time to really get to grips with things. Start to boost my immune system. I have half heartedly tried to get fitter over the last year, but always found an excuse not to keep at it. My motivation was never really quite there as I seemed always so distracted. 

So, I have been thinking about a lot of stuff. What I want......what I need, to keep me healthy, both physically and emotionally.

I need to get fitter, and I need to be creative. 

It's pretty simple. 

Only two things. 

Two teeny tiny things.

Two things that can be done to keep me functioning nicely. So, I need to allow time to exercise, and allow time to be creative. I'll just have to work a busy household around both! ha ha!

I do have the dilemma of having a MASSIVE stash of choccies, cheese and alcohol left over from the Christmas binge. I thought, do I do a 'Joey', and eat all the contents from the fridge and cupboards, getting it all over and done with in one gluttonous swoop; or do I allow myself a treat each weekend if I've worked hard all week? Decisions, decisions.

Well, fitness has started, and I'm paying for it already. My poor body is in shock. It can only get better, right?

The creative juices are already in full flow too for this year.

Lots and lots of motifs in the making.....

I made a start between Christmas and the New Year on a new blanket. Yes, yes, yes, I know.......RiDiCuLoUs. Eeeek, but I'm loving it.......and I'm trying my hardest to make it more of a 'lap' blanket than a big blanket. I don't know what's wrong with me and blankets. I just cannot seem to make them single sized things. They are always huge. I guess I feel that I should make them big enough to house the Bears for snuggles, but I really ought to calm my sizes down a bit. It's Alicia Paulson's 'Sunshine Day Afghan', at least it will be, when it's put together. I wanted a base of grey and pops of colour. I'm liking how it's coming together. It's a very good stash buster, a bit eclectic colourwise, but I'm happy with it. Typically, the pic below is my fave colour combination. Although I am liking the bright pops of pink and green to offset the grey.

I have a few other projects in my head I want to get cracking on too, so I'm hoping this will be finished off soon. Yay!

I have some lovely yarn to put to good use, and I'm excited to find a project that it will be perfect for.

Yummy, scrummy yarn. I cannot stop scrunching it in my hands.

I also have plans to do some room decoration this year. I feel a need for change. I went to Ikea and bought lots of tubs to pack stuff away. Ironic as I fill my kitchen up with more stuff. I never learn and make life more difficult for myself.

I realised that my head has been quite cluttered this past year....and the space around me makes it feel more so. I need clean lines and breathing space. So, I have been squirrelling away ideas to be able to achieve this. I want a change of colour and a new view. Nothing drastic, just a splash of paint and some new makes. I feel quite excited in my head to get this year started. If nothing else, this past year has taught me to 'do it' and stop 'thinking about it'. Life really is too short.

I'm opening my eyes to the year ahead.......

xxx