Projects I want to do in 2013

So...

As we know, I am very sporadic when I find a project that sparks my interest. So, I am trying to be slightly more organised and focused.

I want to make/do the following projects.

A baby mobile for my placement supervisor at school who is due a baby in April. I want to get the children to help me with it, so I have to do it in secret.

My boyfriend is moving house soon and I have a few things I want to do to make his new house more of a home. One of these is a version of a mural from Kirstie Allsopp's Vintage Home (amazing TV series and a book I got for Christmas).

Basically, you paint an image on the wall (or use pieces of wallpaper) and then you make shelves and mount them so that they are part of the branches. In Kirstie's version, the tree was made from vintage wallpaper and the shelves had wood on the front so they looked like part of a real tree, they also had a lip on the front so the things couldn't come off. The image here puts the shelves on a slant to match the branches. 

I also want to make a felt rug. Again, inspired by Kirstie Allsop. This rug is by Selena Rose and is made from magenta felt and then the shapes are punched out. I want to make a rug using circular punches to create an outline of a design. 

I also want to make some pretty candle holders from re-purposed bottles. I love bottles. I keep ones that are interesting shapes and colours and things like that. But have never known what to do with them... well, now I do! 

Take a clean, empty bottle and spray paint it in a basic colour (white, pale blue etc) let it dry properly, then tape off the parts you want to keep that colour (you could make stripes or images or spots) and then spray with another, contrasting colour. Remove the tape and voila! Stick a candle in the neck of the bottle and you're sorted. You could also use jam jars and put tea-lights inside, if doing this, don't do a base layer, tape off parts first and just use one colour. 

See how excited I am already?! 

2012 Survey stolen from Lau

2012 in survey form

This is borrowed from a friend, I enjoyed reading hers so much that I thought I'd pinch it. 

1. What did you do in 2012 that you had never done before?

This is a hard question, since I feel like a different person this year I sort of feel like I've done a lot of things I had done before, but with a new outlook on life. How's that?!

2. Did you keep your new years resolutions and will you make more for next year?

I don't even remember my new years resolutions, so I would guess I didn't keep them. I might make some for next year but I don't have much faith in myself that I will keep them!

3. How will you be spending your new years eve?

At my parent's house with my mum, dad and brother and my boyfriend, probably playing board games and drinking gin, apart from my brother who is t-total. 

4. Did anyone close to you die?

A close friend of mine died in March after a fight with an aggressive form of cancer. She fought hard and died peacefully in her sleep at home, but she is very much missed. 

5. What countries did you visit?

England, Scotland and I live in Wales. 

6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?

I would like to spend more time with my boyfriend, friends and family. 

7. What date from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory and why?

There are lots of dates from the year which will stay with me, the date my youngest nephew was born, the start of my new relationship, the date my divorce was finalised, the date my friend died, lots of things for lots of different reasons. 

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

I made a dress, from scratch. Doesn't sound much but it is the first project I've ever completed on a sewing machine, I wanted to give up several times but I didn't, and I wore it out, it stayed in one piece and has even survived being through the washing machine!

9. What was your biggest failure?

Everything I've done this year I have learnt from. So I'm not counting anything as a failure. 

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Nope, I'm actually recovering. 

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Probably petrol to drive back and forth to see my boyfriend, friends and family. 

12. Where did most of your money go?

Petrol, vets bills for my rabbit when she needed an operation, craft stuff. 

13. What song will always remind you of 2012?

FUN. We are young. 

14. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Walking, reading, all the things I ought to do instead of sitting in front of the telly when I get home. 

15. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Sitting in front of the telly instead of going out and doing things. And moping. I wish I'd done less moping. 

16. What was you favourite TV programme?

Pointless. My mother and I love Pointless.

17. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

No. 

18. What was the best book you read?

Jodi Picoult Sing You Home. 

19. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Quite enjoying Fascinating Aida at the moment, because middle aged women swearing in song is awesome. 

20. What was your favorite film of this year?

Muppets. 

21. What did you do on your birthday?

I was on a canal boat somewhere on the Monmouth and Brecon canal with my family and boyfriend. 

22. What kept you sane?

Mostly Paul, and my family. And tea. And crafting. 

23. Who did you miss?

Paul, as he's a long way away a lot of the time. 

24. Who was the best new person that you met?

Ceri, my class teacher on placement, she's the nicest, most fun and supportive person I've come across through college and she's having a baby in April. Which is very exciting. 

25. Tell us a valuable life lesson that you learned in 2012?

S**t happens. Life sucks sometimes, but then it gets better. If bad things didn't happen you wouldn't be able to appreciate the good.The good is a million times better when you've been through the bad stuff. 

2012 has been a year where I've done quite a bit of growing up. Last Christmas my mother told me to quit feeling sorry for myself and try to get better. It felt like a bit of a slap in the face at the time, but she was SO right. Since then I've had ups and downs but I'm definitely in a much better place than I was then. I am looking forward to 2013, I'm sure that not everything will go to plan, but that's part of the fun. 

Jumper Sleeve Hot Water Bottle Cover

You can make a lovely hot water bottle cover using the sleeve of an old jumper. 

You'll need: An old jumper, some scissors, needle and thread, a hot water bottle. 

All you need to do is cut off the sleeve at the should and then measure the sleeve against your hot water bottle and cut it so that it's a little bit longer than your hot water bottle. 

Next, turn your jumper sleeve inside out and sew up the shoulder end, not the cuff. I hand sewed it but you could easily machine it for a more professional finish. 

Then turn it the right way out and put your hot water bottle inside, the cuff will fold over or gather in around the neck of the hot water bottle. 

et voila! a lovely cosy hot water bottle cover in a few minutes!