A new year!

I've been enjoying all the 'wrap up' posts on people's blogs, especially the blogs that have wonderful mosaics of the writer's achievements over the past year.  I haven't photographed everything I've made in the last 12 months, but here are a couple of my favourites:

I made this simple scrappy quilt to feature some fabrics my daughter gave me - blogged here.

This hourglass design is so sweet, I'm going to make it again some day (well, it's on the long list!) - blogged here.

I haven't taken photos of all the small things I've made this year.  I've made lots of bags, purses, ornaments and runners.  I think a big photo session is needed!

I had a lovely Christmas with my daughter, although it was quiet with just the two of us it was also pressure free and very relaxing.  We had a family get together a few days later that was full of noise, food and fun!

Hope everyone has a wonderful New Year's Eve - I'm here with my daughter and a niece and nephew, and I am sure I will be in bed before them.  I do like to make a few New Year's resolutions, in fact I try and make six monthly resolutions as I find that going 12 months is a bit long for me.

• Blog more regularly!  I've had such a long break from blogging and honestly I think that I just got a bit overwhelmed by work getting busy and getting my daughter home from uni for the summer holidays and having another person in the house again, lovely as it is.  
• Improve on my 'start a project' and 'finish a project' ratio.  It's so easy to start things, and much harder to finish them!  I made this a resolution last year, and I did improve, but there's still a way to go.
• I'm going to perfect some of what I see as the more difficult bag making techniques.  Using buckles, stiff interfacing, professional looking straps, zipped pockets and metal catches.  I love making bags, but I tend towards 'safe' patterns, this year I want to challenge myself.
• Destash WIPs that I will never finish.  I made a start on this in 2011, but there is still some projects that I really have to decide to either finish or pass on to someone who will, or throw them out.
• Perfect machine sewn binding.  I usually machine sew one side and then hand sew the back, but I want to be able to neatly machine sew both sides.  
• Get more adventurous with free motion quilting.  I have a handful of basic designs that I use over and over - it's time to expand on these.

There's also some projects that I want to make this year, particularly quilts that I am really excited about.  It's minutes away from the end of 2011 so I will document them another day.  

Hope everyone has a wonderful New Year's Eve and a fabulous 2012!