2016 Hopes, Dreams & Creative Plans

Happy Holidays~Joyeux Noel~Merry Christmas~Happy New Year! 

I hope you had a wonderful holiday season, filled with light, laughter and the companionship of good friends and family, time to enjoy the special smells, tastes and feelings that happen only this time of the year and a chance to breathe sometime during the busy season. 

We enjoyed a lovely Christmas ... and for the first time in I don't know how long, I didn't even feel tempted to dismantle the tree on December 26th! This is a record for me. In fact, it's still up in all it's silver and blue glory.

I'm glad it's now a new year, though I never make resolutions anymore (too discouraging) and rarely do anything special like go out and party the night before. Who wants to start the next year off hungover? 

I have been working on a mental list of creative projects and home-caring goals though. 

One is to do more sewing, especially upcycling. I have been drooling inspired by so many great pins on Pinterest and once I figure out how my new Instagram account works, I'm sure I'll find even more there. 

I would love to find a local sewing group to take classes, or better yet, just a circle of other women who I could meet with to sew and ask questions of. My skills are still pretty basic. 

Here is a creation I recently finished. I'm happily placing some of these items in the vintage shop in town. A friend and I are sharing a room there which I'm thrilled about. 

Posy made from upholstery fabric from a previous project

Vest--on it's way to Goodwill before I saved it from the bag

I have a bunch of other projects I'd like to try: reworking old hats, making hair accessories (Downton Abbey-style), skirts, tops, maybe making a neck warmer or two out of old suits ... 

In addition, this year we're planning to get chickens once again. We had them at our previous house but relocated them when we moved. This will require a coop and outdoor pen of some kind. 

I'd like to build another raised bed for the garden and a smaller raised bed to transplant some strawberry plants my Mom has been offering me. I'd love to also put hedge or fencing across the backyard for more privacy. (I've been wanting to do this for the past four years--will this year be the magical one where I actually take action?)

I want to learn some garden design. Someday my dream is to have a garden that looks half as good as this beautiful White Garden that Brandy created. I created an herb garden last year and loved it .. even though I forgot to collect herbs out of it most of the summer. (In fact, the little green sprig on the table above is rosemary from that garden. You can tell it's been an unseasonably mild winter here in Vermont for there to be anything green left outside other than pine trees.) 

Lastly, I want to keep saving for my next adventure, whatever that may be. We're planning a big trip this spring out west as a family, but I always have a jar of change that I save for my next solo adventure. Maybe one with Sisters on the Fly? Or maybe buying a vintage camper like I've been dreaming of?