If you're looking for a symbolic time to start a new project, you can usually find it. There are lots of "new year" beginnings within one calendar year. You don't have to wait until the start of a new Gregorian calendar year. Unless you really want to, or it happens to be the closest.
There's Chinese New Year. There's the old New Year, at the start of Spring. Islamic New Year. Jewish New Year.
Even the New School Year, which is what I'm going with.
For a couple of reasons. One, it's the end of my maternity leave, which resolved itself into not going back to my old job. And two, because it's the start of a new "school" year for me: encouraged by receiving a somewhat better grade than I thought I had any right to receive for the module I completed, I decided to enrol on the Open University's MA in English Literature, which begins today.
It's time to try something new. Time to resurrect old wishes and dreams and turn them into reality.
Admittedly, Tiny will still take a lot of my time, as will the MA, but I should still get time in the craft room. Although I am continuing with the whole idea of trying to reduce decisions by using one stamp set or theme each month, and I'll dig out the corresponding magazine for inspirations. I'm also going to use this as a method for decluttering the craft room.
It's too easy, as a crafter, to collect supplies. Often, with ideas for use; sometimes, just because you like them. And then they never get used. Like my lovely big chest full of fabrics. Oh so many fabrics! Such pretty ones, too! But I have plans – honest! Which, now that I'm a student again, may well happen. If I can find the time and clear my desk properly.
Lack of crafting time notwithstanding, I am aware of the supplies that don't get used. So, in using one stamp set or theme a month, I intend to make decisions about the ones which I will keep, which are versatile and which, importantly, I like and can easily decide what to do with, and then ditch the ones I don't. Also, that way I can make room for new ones without M complaining too much…
Actually, it's just occurred to me that when I write of my craft supplies, I'm mostly thinking of my papercraft supplies. And totally ignoring the folders of cross-stitch patterns, the box of kits, and the box of yarns, that chest of fabrics, to say nothing of the miscellaneous other crafts. Apparently, they don't count. Perhaps because they tend towards Large Projects. Cards are easy, can be done in five minutes, so tend to be made more often. But the others, well they take time.
In line with trying New Things, I can also now be found on Instagram, where I'll be posting my crafty projects more often (maybe), and my Library Adventures can be followed here. Because, you know, I don't have enough things to do with my time, between baby and the studies.
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