This past year I tried to make as much time as I could for my own personal creative pursuits. I really do like creating things - for myself, for my home and for others. I always have several projects on the go at any one time - usually a knitting/crocheting one, a large sewing project and smaller gifts meant to be finished for certain people and dates.
I have selected a few my favourite ones from this year to show you here.
(Oooh!! I get totally giddy to see all the colourful bits and pieces I have put together all by myself!!)
Favourite Sewing Projects
Clockwise: ~ A hexagon stitching travel case - it held everything I needed to make hexi-flowers while we were on vacation in France. Perfect for day-tripping!
~My collection of hexi-flowers created on our vacation. I've decided that I will only work on this project while on vacation so it's put away until our tip to the UK in March.
~ Union Jack pillow ( with cute polka-dots, of course!)
~ Appliqued Foxy - he became a pillow for my living room.
Favourite Crochet Projects
Left to Right: ~ A baby blanket made with scraps of pastel yarn
~ My Cherry Heart tree skirt
~ A baby blanket made with Simply Crochet's Granny square App.
Projects for Kids
Left to Right: ~ An Eiffel Tower printed skirt for my daughter for our trip overseas
~ A Foxy pencilcase for my son who was starting first grade
~ A vest for a cute little family friend who was turning one!
Patchwork Projects
Left to right: ~ An appliqued circle quilt in shades of blue and red
~ My chevron Christmas quilt ( I promised the kids a new quilt each year, and this is the Xmas 2014 edition!)
Gifts for Danica
(She is our new niece and we ADORE her!)
Left to right: ~ A newborn sized sweater given to her mommy Amy at her baby shower.
~ An afghan I created in pretty pastel shades to celebrate Danica's arrival.
~ This is the pennant decoration I made using my Cricut machine for Amy's baby shower. We had an autumn-themed shower back in September.
Painting Projects
I promised myself I would take up a new "craft" during 2014. So, my daughter and I gave water colour painting a try. We bought a set of colourful paints, some new brushes and a variety of water colour paper pads. We painted whenever the mood struck us. Above are two "paintings" I did during the summer - one of a corner of my garden and the other of a foxglove flower we picked at our vacation home in France.
Well there we go. Two blog posts out into cyberspace. So far I have really enjoyed flipping through my picture files and sharing my thoughts that go with them.
I have many more posts flying around my head right now.
I REALLY hope I can keep this up after I return to work in a few days. It's easy to blog when one is on holidays, but will I have the energy after I head back to my classroom filled with 30 kindergarten children??
I HOPE!!
Hugs to you and yours,
XOXO
Bronwyn
Happy New Year, Bronwyn! It looks like you were very crafty in 2014 :) I had my first FDK experience last year and it was so busy that I completely fell off the blogging train. I have 26 this year so I can't imagine what 30 feels like in your room. Good luck with your goal to keep it up. I hope 2015 brings a better work/life balance . . .but first, report cards! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHappy New you to you, too Claire! FDK is exhausting but so rewarding. My 30 give me a run for my money, but I have a marvelous ECE with whom to share the journey so I continue to love my job. Hoping to keep the self/school/family balance on an even keel in 2015 so that I can be a blogger again! xoxo
DeleteHello there! I had started following you not too long before you took a break from blogging. I am glad to see you back. I am loving all of your projects. Each one is beautiful...but my favorite is the hexi-flowers! so bright and cheery. What a wonderful idea to only work on it while on vacation. What special memories it will hold. Your trip to France must have been wonderful...:) Love the skirt you made for your daughter. I'm a kindergarten teacher too! I can't believe you have 30 students. Do you have a teacher's aide or anyone to help you? I have 20 and that's enough...lol! Happy Friday....Vicky
ReplyDeleteHi Vicky! I'm glad you held on even after I faltered last year! The hexi-flower project holds so many memories already - I can't wait to add some more while we are in the UK and Italy this year. I hope to share some posts about our France trip on the blog. We "lived" in France for 3 weeks and had so many amazing adventures.
DeleteYes 30 kids in my class!! I share the room with an ECE who helps me keep the munchkins in line. Twenty students would be closer to the ideal number, but these days, in my area of Canada, this is how the kindie classes are run - 30 kids, 2 teachers!
Thanks for visiting. Come back soon!
Check you out, I'm impressed :) I know what you mean though. I have been blogging quite a lot over the past couple of weeks but I too have been off work, it certainly makes a difference. I also find when I'm at work all day, even if I do have the energy in the evening, I don't necessarily have anything to blog about.
ReplyDeleteI love your crafty projects from 2014. That pendant bunting is just too cute x x x x
I predict NO energy in the evening once I go back to teaching, but luckily blogging only requires me to sit at the computer and move my fingers! :)
DeleteYou are my hero! What an inspiration. Is there anything you can't do? I love it all but that circle quilt especially spoke to me! Also, that watercolor of your garden-amazing!
ReplyDeleteHow do you find the time?!
Thanks, Jen! I try to fit some creative time in every evening. The kids are all in bed by 8pm, so anytime after that is MINE!
DeleteYey!!! Welcome back Bronwyn - I've missed you! You've certainly been busy on the creative front - I really love that applique fox!! I know what you mean re blogging. I know that my blog will never be hugely popular, I don't aim to make a living from it or promote anything. I enjoy creating a record of our family life, developing friendships with a few like minded people and having a space to celebrate the simple things which make me happy. I think as long as you don't compare yourself or have blog envy you'll be happy!! I look forward to following what you get up to this year. Hugs, J9 x
ReplyDeleteThanks Janine! So glad to see you back visiting my piece of blog heaven. Even though I haven't been blogging, I've been busy, but without all of the pressure that comes with blogging! I decided it was time to give it a try again because I have found that I have a much better balance in my life and I have a few spare minutes to spend on me and want I like. I hope to post about once a week, but if I don't, I am not going to stress! You'll wait patiently for me, right? : )
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