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Big thank you going out to http://www.prettymuchpenniless.com/ - who featured my snowflakes this season in their blog. 

I had a great Christmas, my origami Christmas cards went down well and I was lucky enough to be given some great gifts, like a brilliant make-up bag from liberty, the first pair of jeans which have ever fit me (check out Levi's bold curve jeans if your jeans are tight to get on and then loose at the waist like my cheaper pairs in the past always were), and some brilliant handmade jewellery

Massively looking forward to working New Years. My partner's jazz band is performing at our pub this year, which will be great. I got to listen to them rehearse for 6 hours today while I moved my crafting into a south facing room to make the most of the sun.   

Now I can get on with the crafting and keeping an eye on pretty much penniless for tips to save money this year!

 
This autumn saw me carving my first ever pumpkin - and I LOVED every second of it. For me crafting has always been about finding new ways to express myself and living life more frugally - finding pleasure in recycling and reusing rather than in shopping on the high street. I do need to say, however, the eating part of the pumpkin didn't go quite as well, definitely not a fan! Next year I'll carve a squash. 

Anyway, the point is that carving got me thinking about all those other crafts I just hadn't tried yet, A bit of a search on craftster showed me I wasn't the only one interested in trying out new things, and I've decided to join in with some of the challenges they throw up next year, as well as challenging myself. Below is a list of the craft projects I have in mind for next year,  which will be updated with links to posts following the creation of each one. I've decided to go for around 20 projects in total...

  1. 1. A blanket based on this great idea: knitting 2 rows each day the colour of the sky.
  2. 2. Clay plant markers, inspired by a gander at this great social enterprise. Oh, if only you delivered to the UK.
  3. 3. Vanilla essence using vodka and pods (yum!)
  4. 4. Screen printing - using an old pair of tights and glue.
  5. 5. Weave a bramble basket using brambles from my dad's garden.. love this guy for ideas and a great tutorial. Or alternatively screens for the edges of my vedgy patches.
  6. 6. A bird feeder
  7. 7. A huge paper collage art piece.
  8. 8. Tie-dye/batik using lemon juice on a hot day and natural dyes ( see herehere and maybe here)
  9. 9. A welly stand for my back door (Possibly from wine corks?)
  10. 10. To finally découpage the drawers I got from a charity shop almost a year ago.
  11. 11. A recycled plastic bag liner for the back of my car. (This sweet video is a great tutorial for a tote using a similar idea)
  12. 12. Create some really unique pots (maybe altered books?) for my succulents.
  13. 13. Sloe Gin!
  14. 14. Turn the tiny gift boxes I saved from my work's bin into advent calenders before next December.
  15. 15. A series of light box artwork using handmade paper.
  16. 16. Frosted glass - up-cycle some old jam jars - use for chutney, or collecting coins, or as a vase - who knows?! inspired by this cutie
  17. 17. Get some sturdy branches and decorate to make stakes for raspberries.
  18. 18. Really want to try felting at some point, pot holders perhaps? Felted soap stones
  19. 19. Hooks for in kitchen for-where-to hang up oven gloves and perhaps my new pot holders!
  20. 20.  ... Leaving this spot for something really exciting!