{my creative year}

Today is for looking back. Today is for pulling out the old photos and exclaiming, "Can you believe how bald she was back then?" Today is for watching as more of the signs and turns on the path of your life come into focus, and for seeing that now, right here, is where you've been heading the whole time.

This is a little glimpse at my year, and all the things that have inspired and built upon each other in 2011.

In January, my first (and only) loaf of bread was baked, and I ate it all by myself, in one day, with vast amounts of butter. A good day.

One night in February, freezer-paper stenciling was demonstrated on my kitchen table. I was in love.

In March, I began knitting the giant patchwork blanket which later accompanied Alice off to university.

In April, the preparations for Tilly's birthday party were well-underway -- a rainbow of felt.

In May, I finished Tilly's party dress -- a vision in ruffles, a true labour of love. She wore it to Justin's cousin's wedding, and later, to her birthday party.

In June, we hammered together the world's cheapest photobooth, and celebrated one year of Tillyhood.

In July, I slowly, slowly embroidered over all of the names on the signature tablecloth.

August saw us jetting off to Denmark. All of our creativity went into entertaining Tilly on the plane.

In September, my granddad turned ninety, and we threw a bright and artistic party for all of his painting-class friends. A wobbly cupcake stand was made out of a cardboard box, and many batches of Bakewell Cupcakes were baked and pigged.

In October, Terri taught me to make aprons. One of which the Royal Mail seems to have swallowed up. Must I lose something to the postal black hole every year?

November was a blur of orders -- enough felt Polaroid frames were cut out to circle the world, enough pegs were stamped to number the stars, enough trips to the post office were made to drive me half insane.

And December, a quilt thought-up and completed and donated. And then a little rest -- a bit of sorting, a little Lord of the Rings, and tonight, a celebration of the year with friends. Hope you all have a lovely end to the year (if it's still 2011 where you are...) and see you in 2012.

P.S. Want more? Check out last year's mosaic: My Creative Year 2010