Goodbye Year 2016!

The year is pretty much over. With just a few hours left before we begin a new journey through 2017 I look back and feel that the year for me has gone by too quickly. Sometimes days and even weeks were rushed by without much realisation or productivity, they came and went in some kind of a sleep deprived haze. I know it's just a phase and it will pass like everything in our lives, but my goal for the next year is to slow down and concentrate on the happiness of every single moment no matter what I do or how tired I might feel.

When I saw Ali's of Arabesque Scissors post about her makes throughout this year, it got me thinking. How would my sewing year look like in photos? I was curious to see what I have made. How many things I finished? Honestly, I did not expect to see much. But to my surprise, these collages of photos that I pulled off my Instagram account made me feel extremely good, positive, productive and inspired. These are not big makes, but all of the pouches, place mats, baby things and embroideries were made with great enjoyment and with much love.

Some were gifts for friends and family, some things were made for swaps, some things were purely designed by me, some were inspired by so many talented and amazing people I met on Instagram this year or made by using their patterns for which I am full-heartedly grateful. Some were made just to try and learn something new, some made just for fun. 

This year I have made a few things using wool felt which is an absolute pleasure to work with and I would love to continue this adventure next year as well. I also used some of the sewing books that I have had for some time and I am really glad that finally I found the time and inspiration to put them to good use.

What I really enjoyed this past year is the way the inspirations found me, sometimes in some really unexpected places. Just like these lavender sachets. I was cleaning and sorting out our wardrobe when it occurred to me that I should make some lavender sachets for drawers and the cleaning business felt much more pleasant and exciting right away. Another one is the felt doughnut and cookie. I was shopping looking for a doughnut pan, but came across a cute play tea set that I bought for my Little One. When I got it home and set it all up to "have a cup of tea", I felt that something was missing... Cookies and doughnuts of course! So I made some. 

There are many other projects that I started, but have not had a chance or inspiration or patience to finish yet. These, I would like to believe, would be the first things I would try finishing next year. There are many ideas left sketched, scribbled and written on paper that never made it onto the fabric. There are quite a few tutorials that I was going to write, but the reason for them not being completed is quite funny - I found it very challenging using a photo tripod this year with my Little One being around and having really short naps. He was so fascinated with the idea of playing with the tripod and the camera, that every time I pulled them out, he would be right next to me trying to get the camera and carry the tripod away. It caused us a lot of "arguing" and at the end I gave up and put that idea aside till some better times. Maybe next year.

Year 2017! I am ready for it to come and bring all the joys, challenges, surprises, new things to learn, new people to meet, small thing to enjoy and hopefully more sleep for my Little One and for me, and more creative time. But the most important thing is the good health that I would love to wish to you and your loved ones, my Dear Readers, Friends, Visitors and Followers. Thank you so much for all your support, kindness, for your time and for joining me on my sewing adventure! Happy 2017! Lots of love, Larisa