{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

{red red Texas reds}

The annual Texas Reds Festival took place just up the road from us this weekend. Some go for the steak, some go for the wine. I go for the red.

Well, that and the free samples. Spicy shrimp-and-bacon meatballs took first place in free grub this year, followed closely by sausage-on-a-pretzel dipped in barbeque-and-cream-cheese sauce.

Our littlest food critic was thoroughly impressed, and received everything with a "nunga-nunga-nunga" (Tilly language for "give me more of what you've got"). We firmly believe that our visit to the Festival last year in June, while I was a full nine months pregnant, was what finally encouraged Tilly to join us in the real world. Either she wanted a grilled corn on the cob for herself, or she wanted a free hug from the shaggy barefoot Texan who has roamed the streets both years.

My Creative Year

2010 has been a handmade year like no other.

January was spent patiently knitting for unborn Tilly, on needles so small that the blanket took ten months to finish.

In February, Wodger and Wupert Wabbit -- the original Travelling Tillberries -- were sewn, though Wodger unfortunately disappeared into the mystery of the Chinese postal system.

In March, I made my first quilt. I discovered Lotta's "Simple Sewing for Baby" in April.

May and June saw me desperately stuffing foxes and hand-stitching tea cups during the eight weeks of any-day-now Tilly panic.

July was a month of simply creating ourselves as a family of three.

In August, there were many nights of cutting out felt letters.

September, scarily, was when all of the Christmas presents were started, which continued through October.

My Mum's visit in November threw creativity into overdrive -- cardigan knitting, apron embroidery, cross-stitched ornaments, and the lid of the infamous can of blackboard paint was popped.

And December's proudest achievement was the advent tea wreath, a tradition I hope we'll continue for many years to come!

What have you enjoyed creating this year? Let's hope that 2011 is just as full of inspiration!