Let's start with some exciting news. The new Quilters Companion 2023 diary is out and I have three projects published in the diary. Yay! 

The projects included are Breeze on Lee (quilt), Bring me the Scraps (quilt), Pretty in Pink (Cushion).

In previous months/years, I used to do a monthly catch up post. It was a good way to keep track of what I'd made/finished that month as well as a general "what I'd been up to" type post. I used a list of prompts to keep it relatively easy to keep up with and honestly enjoyed sitting down to write up those posts. 

And then 2022 came along and I seem to have stopped taking stock completely. This year as flown by in a blur and I feel as though I don't know whether I'm coming or going most of the time.

Let's try this taking stock again... although I'm calling it my stocktake. I'll include the list of prompts below if you'd like to join in too.

Stocktake : make or include in an itemized record or report

Making: Looking back, I've actually made more than I'd remembered this month. This both surprises and makes me happy in equal parts. 

Cooking: Hmmm... not much that stands out really. I don't have any photos of food saved on my camera roll, which is very unusual for me, as I have a friend who I share food pictures with all the time. 

My son and I did make a bread pudding using a Nigella bread pudding recipe, but instead of old bread, we used a choc chip panettone instead. Sooooo yummy! 

Reading: I've finished four books this month and my tally for this year stands at 43 (13 over what my goal was for 2022). 

Gathering Dark : Candice Fox

The Cipher : Isabella Maldonado

The Inn : James Patterson and Candice Fox

Small Game : Blair Braverman

Seems I enjoy female authors over male authors. Looking at my list on Goodreads I think I counted 10 books by male storytellers and the rest are female. 

Hearing: Charlie snoring beside me. Charlie is my dog (1.5 yr old). He loves my husband most, but when he's away at work, I'm his next favourite person. He follows me around and when I'm in the sewing room, he plonks himself down on my nice comfy arm chair to sleep. And he snores. Harry, the younger dog (9 months old) follows too, but isn't as clingy. And he likes to spread out on the floor. 

Wishing: Time would just slow down! My son starts his final year of high school next year and I'm not sure I'm ready for the next stage of life just yet.

Enjoying: the lead up to Christmas. I find that the lead up is always more fun and exciting than the actual day. 

Eating: I'm not eating these just yet, but plan on them soon though. Yummy Festive Brownie recipe by Threadbare Creations (and surely they're not just for kids?)

Buying: Bits and pieces through the Black Friday weekend sales. I now have a few Christmas presents sorted, some new curtains for the family room windows and a nice new large cutting mat for me. I bought the double sided Fiskars 24" x 36" mat which worked out at around $50 after discounts. And it was delivered to my doorstep. Bargain!

Watching: Gilmore Girls. It's my go-to show when we're not bingeing something or when I'm alone with the television (a rarity). What's your go-to show?

Needing: to go and get the washing finished. The washing machine has dinged at me and I need to get things out on the line before it's too late in the day to dry. I lead an exciting life, right?

Wearing: my usual at-home clothes which are shorts and a t-shirt. This ensemble is paired with my Ugg slippers. Just call me a fashionista! I'm also wearing new hair - is that a thing? It had probably been close to a year since I'd been to a hairdresser to get a proper cut and colour, so with the lead up to the holiday season, I saw an opening and took it. 

Following: the soccer World Cup. We have three teams which we support in our house and so far, they're doing okay. Portugal and England are pretty much through to the next stage and we just need Australia to do well tonight in the last game of the round.

Sorting: nothing yet, but I really need to go and Marie Kondo my drawers again. I'm sure there are things still folded up into teeny tiny bundles from when I Marie Kondo'd them back when we all did.

Saving: recipes from the free grocery store magazines before putting the rest of the magazines into the recycling. I seem to save a lot of recipes but don't follow through and use them.

Feeling: Hungry! It's time for some lunch.

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If you'd like to do your own monthly stocktake, here are the prompts which I used. Happy stocktaking!

Making:
Cooking:
Reading:
Hearing:
Wishing:
Enjoying:
Eating:
Buying:
Watching:
Needing:
Wearing: 
Following: 
Sorting:
Saving:
Feeling: