Round Up on 2012

Well, here we are: 31 December 2012. It was exactly a year ago that I decided to embark on the blogging madness of this year. It's not that I haven't blogged before: in fact I've been blogging on and off for 10 years now. But this year was the year I was aiming to:

+ Blog Every Single Day, and
+ Work up every block in Jan Eaton's 200 Crochet Blocks book, and
+ Learn to Finish Projects.

Nuts. Both of the first two are nuts! Well they are if you're also working full time & studying part time!!

This will be my 230th blog post on this blog for the year, which out of 366 days isn't too shabby. I really gave up the ghost once I'd admitted I wasn't going to be able to keep up the every day posting sometime in mid-August, and that's also when my course really took off. However, I did end up having my work hours pared back, so I could have gotten back on the horse. But I didn't. I am however really super happy with my blogging efforts this year.

And LOOK at what I made!!

I am even MORE happy with my crafting efforts! I managed to finish projects!  Just look at all those completed items up there!! It's such a happy collage :)  I am SO HAPPY to say that! I finished my friends' Celebration Blanket, which was one of the aims that I listed on the first blog post ever.

Isn't it beautiful! The recipient was VeryHappy with it, and I think her beautiful daughter loves it even more :) (Last I saw it was being used as not only a rug, but as a cape! Excellent Work Eve! Because it could be a MAGICAL cape!)

I also learned how to make Amigurumi! I started off with cute little monsters!

And my big project was a beautiful Bunny for my nephew. George The Bunny is Much Much loved, and as I hoped it would be, he is carried around by his ears :)

2012 has been a terrific year of growth in my craft. I have learned many new things and thanks to the Krista Crochet-Along project, I've made new friends.

My big end-of-year surprise was beginning my own business! LizzieBee: Handmade (over on Facebook too) is a quiet little enterprise I started up making home-made furnishings. At the moment it is only tea towels, but I am venturing into dishcloths, coasters, pot holders & napkins in the new year. It's exciting and scary and I had a induction by fire with xmas orders. I'm hoping to keep quietly at it in 2013. Watch that space!

And you, the people who have visited my blog this year. You have come here over 10,000 times, which had made me the Happiest Person! Thank you SO MUCH for visiting me this year, and please continue to visit :) I am hoping to continue making all the blocks from Jan Eaton's book, make more amigurumi's, and keep finishing projects, one square at a time.

Lizzie

Block #70: Lemon Peel

So.. it's December 30th and there's only 1 more day in the year, so I think I can comfortably say that this is the last block for the year. And it's only #70. Still!

Block #70!
From Jan Eaton's 200 Crochet Blocks, # 52: Lemon Peel.

Ta da! It's worked up in Morris & Sons Avalon 4ply Pima cotton in "Granite". Which was BEAUTIFUL to work in. (So it should be at $8 pop! Available here through the Morris & Sons website  where it's currently on sale till tomorrow!)

It really is lovely to work in, which is why I bought a bit for an xmas gift to myself a few weeks ago.

The Lemon Peel pattern (simply a repeat of dc, tr, dr, tr) is actually really soothing to make up, and it works up very quickly.

Xmas stash!

Got some stash for xmas!

Got two - TWO!! - Crazy Zauberball's from my Aunt Lorraine, and at the same time I got myself the two balls of Morris & Sons variegated cotton, the stitch markers (with soft pointed ends, good for using in close work) and the measuring tape. (We had all met down in Melbourne, so yay!) Bought my grandma a ball of the Luxury wool yarn from Bendigo Woollen Mills, and it was such a good price I got myself one as well! And look at those BEAUTIFUL scissors!! My partner got me those :) So excited!!

I love the measuring tape. It's got the little hold button in the middle so whilst it's all kept neat and tidy in the little container, you can pull it out, push the button and the tape is held out of the container as far as you've kept it. I love it! I've had an old one for years now and the button doesn't work anymore. Is very frustrating, since I love the way it's a neat-and-tidy measuring tape, so I'm thrilled to have a new one :)

I have NO IDEA what to use the Crazy Zauberballs for though! They're magical as sock yarn, but I don't make socks!! I'm thinking a matching hat & scarf, to be honest. At least with one of them :) Any suggestions?

And how was YOUR Christmas?