A Long, Long Time Ago {Finally Finished Fridays}

In what seems like another lifetime, I set myself the dubious goal of working through all of my unfinished, unloved and otherwise abandoned projects. I started by sorting them into categories - barely started; got going; halfway through; a couple of tweaks; and almost finished. Believe me there were many that fell into that last category. Shame on me!

Once sorted, I then challenged myself to complete a project each and every week in the run up to Christmas - Christmas 2010! Challenge completed, I then promptly started on lots of new and exciting projects. Which are now lingering unfinished, unloved and otherwise abandoned!

I think it's time for another round of Finally Finished Fridays. It's a simple idea. Each and every Friday, I'll share some of my 'in progress' and 'finally finished' projects - it's my way of holding myself accountable. Let me know if you'd like to join in!

I'll be starting this weekend with a project that can definitely be categorized as 'almost finished'. All this mini-album needs to finish it off is some journalling. That's it. Handwritten, printed, stamped - it doesn't really matter. It's been waiting too long. But who knows, in a week it might be finally finished!

The Month Of Works In Progress

I've been a little bit on the quiet side this month and I've realised that this is because I much prefer to share finished projects, than works in progress. There's just something wonderful about proudly showing off a completed project! But, this month has been a month of works in progress and I've decided to share. That way, when all is done, I can feel extraordinarily smug.

We're about halfway through the redecoration of our hallway. I say that lightly because, really, we're in the finishing stages. We've lived with holes in the walls, no carpets and more dust than you can believe for at least the last three years. We're finally at the painting stage, but who would have thought a hallway could have so much woodwork? *sigh*

There's been a little re-organisation of the craft space as well - am I the only crafter that seems to spend more time organising than crafting? I'm making an effort to use more of my stash, so I've been methodically working through my huge box of paper scraps. Larger pieces are now back with my full sized sheets; smaller pieces are now in a dish on my desk, so that I can rummage through them easily and I've made a huge stack of ATCs - there's well over 100.

Of course, the box looks just as full as it always did, even though I can't figure out why! I swear the scraps are multiplying faster than Tribbles.

My buttons and brads are now out of their packaging and displayed in a little, vintage dish just at the side of my desk. It makes looking for the right one just that little bit easier and reminds me to use them. Plus, a little bit of eye candy never hurt anyone, right?

There's also been a little bit of beading. I've been working on my first piece of bead embroidery for this month's Monthly Moodboard over on Operation Tackle That Beadstash. I'm even using a pattern shared by one of our contributers, Liz, which was featured in Bead Magazine. For my first piece, it's coming along really well (just not fast enough) so Liz's instructions must be fantastic!

Okay, I'll admit it. That's a brad in the centre of my beading. It just worked so well with my beads!

Learn Something New Every Day {Finally Finished Fridays}

After categorising some of my works in progress at the beginning of November and promising to complete at least one project each week - a promise which I managed to keep for all of three weeks before I became ill - it looked as though the pile of unfinished, unloved projects would once again be forgotten. But the sense of satisfaction that came from finally finishing a project that has been sat gathering dust was hard to forget and I've decided that the idea of Finally Finished Fridays is worth continuing on into the New Year.

I admit that it will be hard to pick up those old, unfinished items when new projects are beckoning but, thankfully, I have you - my lovely blogreaders - to keep me on track and tell me off when I don't post something each week. You will help me, won't you?

Anyway, just to prove that I'll be following through on my promise this time around, here's a completed project to round off 2010. (There's so many photographs of it, I've had to pop them into a slideshow!)

I started this mini-album in September, when Shimelle's annual Learn Something New Every Day project began in earnest. I was determined to keep up with the project but, I had some extremely bad news not long into the project, and although I continued to keep notes, take pictures and jot down my journalling, it was too difficult to complete the actual album at the time. (And it's easy to see why once you start scrolling through the photographs.)

I'd made a start on putting together some of the pages at the beginning of November, because I felt that since I'd managed to keep on journalling and taking photographs, that I should be able to finish the album without too much trouble. But, because there were some very hard lessons for me in September, looking back was difficult - and a little overwhelming, and I only managed a few pages at a time. I finally finished today (though the photograph from Day 18 seems to have gone missing!) and it feels just a little bittersweet.

But, if I can finish this little album, I can finish anything and I feel as though I can let go of the events of 2010 and move forward into 2011.

Have a Happy New Year x

Progressing Nicely

I spent some time this weekend trying to categorise my works in progress - barely started; got going; halfway through; a couple of tweaks; and almost finished but too lazy to add the last, necessary component. Is it just me that has this problem with completing projects?

I'm going to try and finish at least one project a week between now and the new year - when I shall be recovering from the excesses of the holidays; when my probable detox diet will be creating issues with my manual dexterity; and when I shall, most likely, abandon all ideas of completing works in progress and start afresh.

I'll be sharing all of my 'in progress' and 'finally finished' photographs as incentive, but it won't work unless you, my lovely blog readers, hold me accountable. So watch out for Finally Finished Fridays and, please, tell me how you find the motivation to start working on old projects!

30 Things To Do While I'm 30 (Things I Love Thursdays!)

I love making my lists, checking them twice (!) and the satisfaction that comes from crossing things of them!

Just before my thirtieth birthday, I was inspired by some other list lovers (Elise Blaha - 24 and Hula Seventy - 38 Things To Do Before I Turn 39) to put together a list of things that I want to do before my next birthday.

1. Untitled, 2. the full wall, 3. Great Wheel Apocalypto - The Last Ride, 4. Spirito bollente.., 5. rose cupcakes, 6. japanese autumn, 7. Necklush, 8. sneak peek, 9. we are all giants in the worlds we build, with the powers to create and destroy

Today's Things I Love Thursdays! collection is inspired by all of the things on my own list of 30 Things To Do While I'm 30.

1. Start running again and enter the Liverpool 10k.
2. Complete my photography portfolio for my Beginners Photography course. (Check.)
3. De-clutter, de-stash and stick with the Use What You Have philosophy as far as possible.
4. Drink more water.
5. Start a blog. (I'd already done it. Check.)
6. Throw a big garden party.
7. Spruce up the garden in preparation for the garden party!
8. Go camping and sleep under the stars.
9. Go to the fairground. Yeah baby. (Check.)
10. Make these lovely necklaces, this fantastic skirt and this beautiful bracelet instead of just drooling over the pictures.
11. Build sandcastles on the beach.
12. Spend more time with my parents. (Check.)
13. Have cocktails with some good friends.
14. Plan a weekend away; take a road trip or just go somewhere new. (Check and Check.)
15. Refashion my wardrobe, mend old favourites and donate old clothes to charity.
16. Send a message in a bottle.
17. Dust off my bicycle and get my groove on.
18. Go to the cinema at least once a month. (Check.)
19. Take some craft classes. (Check and Check.
20. Learn a new beading stitch. (Check.)
21. Climb a mountain. (Just a small one to begin with!)
22. Start the family tree.
23. Organise my life and home.
24. Display more photographs - get them off the hard drive.
25. Take some photographs of Me and 'The Steve' - using these fabulous people as inspiration.
26. Learn to make pretty cupcakes.
27. Do something that scares me.
28. Clear out and organise our little shed. (I started, I really did. But the bottom fell off!)
29. Put up an inspiration wire or board.
30. Laugh more. (Check & Check )