The Christmas Challenge. Keep a note book.

We have almost reached the end of our first month! Typically I think January is a busy time. Here it is warm, school holidays and a fairly relaxed month. So if you managed to get started on some presents for your supplies or even keep up with Birthdays then you did well!

My aims for January were to review my supplies and try and plan ways to use these things up during the challenge. Also to think about what I have available to me that could be used for present making. I came up with quite a bit on that list... Bay Leaves from the farm plus lavender, honey also from the farm. Lemons from my friends tree...

Next was to look for ideas that I think I can do, are new, and will suit someone on my list. This bit I did well on! I have a seriously long list of things I really can't wait to make.

Finally to get started! To be working on things and even finish some things.
And I did! I will get to that in a minute!

From the beginning I said it is important to keep a note book. You can have great ideas and with everything else in life they are forgotten. I see things all the time and where possible I take a photo. Also I use Pinterest and have a file called "future projects" so that at least if it is on the internet I can put it on my board and later it is there when I need a jolt. Plus the link and the instructions are there. This is truly so helpful.

In my notebook I keep FBI type notes on people. I have names along with the colour of their kitchen and bath room, favourite colours and any detail that might be helpful. This list is very handy! When I hear something in conversation that is some kind of clue I write it down.
A while back at my daughters she had made a lovely desert. She said she was short on desert forks. So when I came home I wrote "desert forks" next to her name in my book. We hear clues and by Christmas we forget. (or I do) If someone is making jam I note that. It means I could give them labels or jam tops... and so on. If I know they make cards or another craft that is a great peace of information full of gift ideas! If I did't write this all down I would be hopeless!

So now is a good time to start keeping notes. By the end of February, if you are anything like me, some ideas will be lost.

My actual progress this week was I finished some hankies. The first couple took a while as I had just learned to do a hand rolled hem. I am really pleased though and am getting faster at it. I have large cellophane bags and they are packaged folded in quarters. They are a larger sized hankie.

I have really loved learning a new skill too.

I also found more microfibre for my planned face cleaning cloths and eye make up remover pads. This is lovely super soft fabric sold as face washers in Spotlight...

So now I am set to make another gift. The ones I am copying were about $150 for the set. They will cost only a couple of dollars a set to make!

Looking in our local florist I saw another very easy to copy idea and took photos to remind myself. I have these exact same succulents growing and multiplying in my garden!

They were only in plastic pots and it was all in the wrapping. They did look lovely. Once again it is all presentation!

When I was at IKEA I grabbed some soap pump bottles. I had in mind to use them as gifts as I had left over pink liquid soap from an earlier bubble bath making project.  I filled them up and added a rose decal. I am keeping one in the kitchen and the others will be gifts.

Also I got one plain white one and online I ordered a deer decal. I was only a couple of dollars. This will go in a gift for my brothers household as he loves deer.

So I have a few things made, a lot of things started and planned! I have a lot of hankies cut out and the cellophane bags to package them and the fabric I need to make the cleansing cloths. And ideas! So that is an ok start for January!

I got a lovely letter from Jen. I want to share this as it great! Jen said she decided to learn to crochet! She said she put it off for ages then went to You Tube and watched a lesson and learned to make a granny square.  She said it surprised her how easy it was to learn that way! Then she followed a tutorial by Bella Coco on how to make a straight row granny pattern and began a rug which is for a present for her daughter.

This is where she was up to when she wrote during the week...

It looks amazing! Jen said she loves the teacher Bella Coco so I went and looked for her. Oh my goodness now I have new things planned and new stitches to learn. She does a pom pom edging... I am learning that!  Thank you Jen! I am planning to get super soft fleecy or minky fabric and doing a crochet pom pom edging around that. I'm so excited to start it!
So what this means is if you want to learn to crochet this time next week you could be up and running and making something. You just have to take that first step and it is so much fun!

Thank you Jen for writing and I think your crochet looks gorgeous and your daughter will love this so much!  It is fun. Working on something is wonderful and learning a new skill is fantastic.

So now over to you! Next week is Show and Tell for January's crafts and presents made. Things don't have to be complete, you could show me something underway as Jen has and do progress reports! Last years Show and Tells were amazing and inspiring. We got ideas from each other which was great.

You can send photos to me directly at brinkzi21@hotmail.com or post them to the Bluebirds Facebook page as comments let you post pics.  You are also welcome to post a picture of supplies if you are looking for ideas of what to make with them as we will all come up with ideas for sure!

It feels really good to have made progress in January and to have ideas and new skills to learn. After looking at the projects Bella Coco has I have heaps of "next thing I want to learn" ideas on my list. There are not enough hours in the day!  I know when winter comes I will get a lot more crochet done as we are indoors much more and having projects is so nice then. Some of you are in that situation now with snow and ice outside!

How did you go this week? If you are thinking of starting something or learning something make this your week to do it! xxx