I've pondered what my exact manifesto is going to be for next, I mean this, year.
Having SUCH an outlet for my creativity last year was incredible, and with such a specific manifesto to keep to it really created an artistic drive that I'd not had the opportunity to work with before. I couldn't possibly just go back to purchasing "soul-less" gifts, and despite not being much of a shopper before, mindless meanderings in the direction of shops never bodes well.
So, I think for this year, I'm not going to "not buy" at all, there are some people for whom there's very little you can make for, but I think in this economic climate it's all about the little people. Supporting the sole traders and small businesses. The market stalls, the craft fairs, the charities, if I'm going to spend, it'll be with them. And another important factor is that it's MUCH better to have one nice, wanted, useful gift than ten that are not your thing. We've all had that, you unwrap it and think "did you think about this at all?!"
The main focus of the ole bloggeroonie will be UP-CYCLING. Not revolutionary, I know, and an awful lot of the things I did last year were up-cycled, and I truly believe it's the way forward. I love very little more than turning something at the end of it's current life into something else and giving it a new life.
The pleasure I had giving hand made gifts and gifts of time far outweighs the pleasure of buying a gift and giving that, so the emphasis is very much on home-made, up-cycled, money cheap but time and effort expensive gifts.
Lets face it, I've only got one lot of friends and family so I'd better look after them - even if they do think I've lost the plot!
I want to hone my existing skills, learn new ones, continue breathing new life into old things (and gradually turning myself into the British Martha Stewart and then shape shifting myself into Kirsty Allsop) and writing. I love writing, and sharing. It occurred to me recently that I always wanted to be, but was never any good at being, a diarist. Well I've only gone and done it! I suppose I never could see the point of writing if no one was going to read it.
Oh and my new year's resolution is that I'm going to stop reading my own press. It's not good for you.
