Another one bites the dust...

Yet again, another year is on the horizon, another year comes to a close.  I use this time to reflect on what I have achieved-this shall be short.  Craft-wise I have expanded my yarn collection somewhat, but some of it has gone towards making stuff.  Here are a few of my most important achievements:

1. Skirt.  The Noro skirt is actually finished!  The one and only garment (as in covering a significant amount of the body garment, I do not include hats) that I have actually completed!  It was a trial, I wanted to throw in the towel on numerous occasions but I persevered and I did it!  It has been worn twice-the first time no one noticed it as it was mostly covered by my coat.  This outing was merely a road test to ensure that I could wear this handmade thing and it wouldn't fail me by suddenly unseaming itself and falling in a multicoloured puddle on the floor.  The second wear was a blatant show off opportunity to one of my good friends who knits herself so I knew she would truly appreciate it's beauty.
2. Scarf.  The third scarf that I have made for someone who has actually asked for it and was willing to pay me.  What I regret about this scarf was that I never got the chance to photograph it properly as I gave it to the recipient the morning after I finished it and the weather decided to be rubbish and rainy so the natural light was atrocious.  I haven't seen it since I gave it away, admittedly I haven't seen the owner all that much but he told me that he has worn it but not often as he was worried he would snag it on something.  Mostly I was touched that he wanted to preserve it yet a significant part of me wanted to slap him in his face and say 'I did not spend all that time, knitting literally hundreds of stitches for you to come over all precious because you're scared the thing might show a bit of wear.  You don't see me behaving with such regard with the scarves that I wear, I am perfectly aware of the futility of trying to keep them as pristine as possible. The next time I see you it better be around your neck or else...'
3. Shawl.  Merely because it took over two months, instead of a week for the yarn to reach me.  The shop that I had ordered it from had a problem with their suppliers in Germany and the woman who I spoke to over the phone was very pleasant and honest and said she had no idea when it was due to arrive.  When it was finally posted through my door there were some money off vouchers inside the package so I was happy.  I started the shawl in October and have only finished it this week as I was distracted by other things.  And couldn't be bothered to wind the second skein needed.
4. Cushions.  My first attempt to make something more significant than a bow using Tunisian crochet.  The recipients were friends who had recently moved to London and uncannily they matched the colour scheme of their other furnishings without me ever seeing the place before I visited.
5. Mario mushroom.  Simply because it's one of the darned cutest things I have made.

In my online life I have joined Blogger, Twitter and Ravelry and have learned a lot, useful or otherwise.

What do I have to look forward to next year?  Off the top of my head, yet another four pound price increase by Network Express West Midlands on their Direct Debit bus fares, after the four pound increase in July, making an overall 21% rise in five months.  A trip to Paris, postponed from October.  Eating all the Christmas chocolates I received.  Drinking the delicious box of spiced redbush tea that my mother very kindly gave to me today-I have started early and just had a cup whilst typing this.  More yarn buying.  More making things-I have decided that I will try and make myself one garment a year, as a challenge to overcome the 'It's no longer sunshine and rainbows, I'm bored' barrier, a little tedium will do me no harm.  And hopefully selling what I make.