Project Challenge 2015

I have always been a big fan of the new year.  To me, the new year means a time for new beginnings, fresh starts and fun challenges.  I always start the new year with some type of project in mind.  Last year, I decided to start documenting 12 on the 12th where I take twelve photos on the 12th of each month.  I loved this project, and especially love every single photo that I took this past year.  This challenge really made me look at our everyday lives...the daily stuff...the mundane....the craziness.  The photos I took weren't necessarily "stellar" family photos, but they captured our here and now like no other.  The project itself made me stop and look at our everyday; it made me stop and appreciate all that we have in our lives.  But it was a loooooong project.  And I realized that while I like projects, I really like being able to complete a project (in a timely fashion) and move on to something else.  I'm not necessarily ditching the 12 on the 12th, but will likely do a mini version of it....maybe quarterly rather than monthly.

For 2015, I am tackling a BUNCH of projects.  I want to learn a few new things, try out some things on my to-do list, get creative, and most of all....just have fun.  I had originally thought about doing one project each month, but some are easy and some are more challenging.  I don't want to feel guilty if something takes me longer than a month; and I don't want to feel like I have to wait to start a new project.  One of my 2015 goals (in general) is to be a little easier on myself.  Sometimes I like to "box myself" into timelines and constraints for no reason at all.  The end result is usually anxiety and guilt.....two things that I would prefer NOT to have as a part of my new year!

I would LOOOOOVE to have you all join in with me for ANY or ALL of these projects! 

Here are the projects I'm hoping to tackle in 2015.

1. Make bracelets.  I really love this wrap around bracelets.  They seem rather easy to make and I'm hoping to make a whole bunch this year!!

2. Knit a blanket.  Knitting a blanket has always been on my "to-do" list.  I've started several, but never actually finished them.  This time, I'm going with chunky yarn and big needles.  Hopefully this won't be a big fail!!

3. Crochet mini animals.  I don't know how to crochet, but I plan to teach myself this year!  My husband bought me this crochet kit for Christmas and it has a bunch of patterns for this cute little animals that my kids are dying to have.  So.....I guess I gotta make them, right???

4. Black & white photography challenge.  I always love black and white photography.  I'm thinking about maybe documenting one month in black & white.  Doesn't that sound so fun?

5. Quilt.  Yep.  I'm going to try to quilt.  I can't sew a straight line to save my life, so this should be interesting.  I'm a good paper sewer....not so much a fabric sewer.  Hoping my mother-in-law will help me out on this one!

6. Film photography.  I really want to take a few rolls of film photography just as an experiment.  Elise does a similar project and I love how magical her photos are!!  I don't have a 35mm camera, but I'm on the hunt for one!!

7. Another weaving.  I only managed one weaving project this year, and it was a little tedious, but I'm all for trying another one.  Plus, Anna wants one for her room, so I said I would try.  (Sucker...)

8. Embroidery.  I've never tried embroidery, but I bought this cute little kit last year, but never got around to doing it.  Adding it to my list this year. 

9. Letters to my children.  Carly over at Lily and Twig has this series, Letters to my Daughters, that I have been a big fan of for a while.  I wanted to start last year, but I never did.  I tried to do a "Little Talks" series here on this blog, but that never took off either.  (Sounds like a failure waiting to happen, right???).  But...I think this is so important and I really want to try to make it happen.  I think I got too caught up in "making a page" rather than writing a letter.  Planning to keep this one simple and sweet.  

I'm sure I'll add more throughout the year!  I'm all about trying new things!!  What about you??  Are any of these on your list???  What projects do you have planned for 2015??