New Year, Same Me.

I love the New Year, that feeling of possibility and fresh start. In fact I love it so much that a few years ago I made a decision (one may even call it a Resolution) not to make any more New Year Resolutions. I think it is probably the only Resolution I have ever managed to keep. I do understand that when we have something about ourselves or our lives that we want to change, particularly if it is a difficult habit to break or new habit to begin, it is helpful to consciously begin at a specific point and for many people New Year is helpful in that way. Personally though and this is very personal to me, I spent many years dreading and detesting New Year as each one just marked the end of a year through which I had not been able to live the life I knew I needed to live and the beginning of another one very likely to pan out the same.

However, things do change and wonderful things do happen to quite ordinary people sometimes and so fourteen years ago I got to have a wonderful New Year and every one since then has been equally blessed, so why would I spoil it by setting myself up to fail at something? I am by no means perfect - not by a long chalk and there are many things I would like to change about myself and my life but I refuse to tarnish the freshness of a New Year with thoughts of my inadequacies so I will not be starting a diet, giving up anything or trying to add anything to my routine, I am just looking forward to 2016 and all it has to offer me and all I have to offer it!

I had a break from computery things over Christmas so now would probably be the moment to say, HUZZAH, I finished the gift knitting in time! Just. Midnight on Christmas Eve found me weaving in ends so I could wrap things.

On my needles today is nothing more technical than a swatch. A while back I spun some yak and after plying it I had a bit left on one of my bobbins so I tried plying it with a gold metallic thread. I think it looked lovely in the skein but I wanted to check how it knits before making the yarn intentionally. I think I like it so when my highly anticipated New Year fibre order arrives containing some more dehaired Yak, I think I will make some more yarn like this.

I began reading The Misremembered Man the other day but I have not got far enough into it to say much yet. As usual I am not finding much time to read these days - if only I could read and knit or spin! I am still listening to Diana Gabaldon's  A Breath of Snow and Ashes from the Outlander series. I didn't listen while the children were at home for the holiday but now that term has begun again I can get back into it. It is amazingly long which makes it fantastic value for an Audible credit.

In other craft news, I had a commission for a Journal for Christmas, the photo is not brilliant but I think the Journal turned out nicely and my lovely customer was happy

I am really looking forward to getting back to productivity over the next week or two. It seems too long since I was able to focus on making and my shop.

As usual I am joining in with Ginny over at the Yarn Along and with Frontier Dreams for the Craft Along.