365 questions - number one

I'm a believer that we need to keep asking questions, it's the only way to learn (as well as observing and listening). And I like learning. And searching. I like challenging myself and exposing myself and finding a moment to see the possibilities.

I have 365 thought provoking questions to ask myself this year, and I'll endeavour to answer one a day. Some will be lengthy in response, some will be minimal. Let's get started.

1. When was the last time I tried something new?
I craft. I enjoy crafting, and I find the more you do it, the more you want to learn and challenge yourself in new techniques. I scour the internet for beautiful and inspiring patterns and tutorials, and it was by this method that I found instructions for a lovely Larksfoot Blanket, provided in turn by the lovely Pip Lincolne, on her blog, Meet Me at Mikes.

I've done a lot of crocheting; I prefer it to knitting as the results are somewhat more immediate. Lately I've been wanting to expand upon my craft repertoire, so I've decided 2012 is the year of the embroider. I've turned through pages and pages of Etsy wares, finding patterns such as the ones below. I guess if i was to respond to the above question in about a week, I would have answered 'I am learning to embroider'.

Buy here

Buy here

I have also been trying my hand at running at the gym. Although I am not new to running (having learnt the art almost 28 years ago), I assure you I found it repulsive as my gangly awkwardness clustered my ambition to be gracious. Nevertheless, in the vain hope to carve out some sort of Summer physique, I jumped on the treadmill on a quiet Saturday morning not so long ago, and decided to try my hand (or feet, as it were). I lasted 13 minutes.

Since that day, I have increased my speed and length; now I run for about 30 minutes, my last efforts tracking 8.3kms. I was a proud girl. And the best thing, I felt like I could come home and eat anything I wanted. I conquered that fear, because it definitely was a fear.