I find that no beginning is ever a new beginning, but we can try and take a step back -start with a new chapter- and breathe.

2015 wasn't very fruitful regarding my resolutions I'd made earlier that year. 11 books? My behind! Although, in total I must've read like a hundredthousand or so books, but -as I didn't specify at the time- these 11 was only to be included things I'd read in my spare time and everything school-related didn't wouldn't make the list. *sigh* I mean there's a slight difference between reading about the vision of the Dutch government regarding the cultural sector in 2017-2020 OR reading idk the biography of Vivienne Westwood.*

To be honest, I'm not quite sure if I've reached my second 'goal' of the year either (20 things sewn by moi). I've indeed been much busier with the sewing machine, but twenty? TWENTY? Uhm... most probably not...


For 2016 I think a different approach will be needed. So instead of violently grabbing any number that hangs in the air (11 books? Why 11? I mean, at least I could've typed like, I don't know, 12. Like, ya know, one book each month or something. Not that that would've bring me any closer to achieving the actual reading of it all, but still.... 11?), this year I've decided to clearly specify my goals.

Without any real logic to it, here's my list of 7 resolutions for 2016:

1. Make myself dungarees in all colours of the rainbow. Or to start with just one, either in curduroy OR in tartan (OR if I'm really feeling frisky: velvet I know I know). I've already got a pattern and fabric lying around the house, I just need to do it (and getting yet one step closer to my dreamjob of being Alexa Chung. Or naturally being that girl who casually can pull of dungarees (which in fact is Alexa Chung FULL CIRCLE)).
2. Make myself a 1950s dress. I'm actually cheating with this one. Not only do I have a pattern and fabric lying around the house, the actual pattern and fabric are already cut. All it takes is to grab the sewing machine and start sewing. Just do it man!!
3. Knit/sew/crochet myself a hat of some sorts. I've once tried making a crochet hat, but it went terribly wrong (pattern didn't match up to reality. Hate when that happens). And never since have I attempted hat making again, which is a shame really! So when I received from my Vintage Secret Santa a fabulous handmade hat/turban, I thought another try is in order...
4.  Knitting [this] coat cape. Fell in love the moment I saw it. And while I'm at it, also [this] crocheted bolero should make the list. *sigh*
5. In 2016 I want to have read Longbourn by Jo Baker (already started and it's AMAZING so far), Manet and the Object of Painting by Michel Foucault, Vogue on Vivienne Westwood (and naturally Vogue on Coco Chanel) and last but not least The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton.
6. Getting myself out there. This year I want to get something by me or about me (I'm not picky) being published somewhere. Positive, obviously. Not for instance a news item on how I've robbed a bank or rather: how I tried to rob a bank and failed, otherwise I obviously wouldn't make the headlines. Duh. (note to self: don't get caught while robbing a bank)
7. And to end with a bang: 200 blogposts will be published in 2016. Mind you, not all at once! But a nice achievable goal (like, I'm on a roll! This is already 1/200!).

As a way of keeping track on the 'completion' of these resolutions, I naturally will be making blogposts (as a blogger ought to do (AND keeping goal #7 in mind *wink wink*)) when... ya know... it's done. Finito. So, something to look forward to this year... Or not.


What SPECIFIC goals are hanging above your head this year? Let me know in the comments!

Love,
Dominique


*Books I've read this year:

•  Loving Art: The William & Anna Singer Collection by Helen Schretlen This book is about the American couple Singer (not from the sewing machines) and their love for art (especially their love for collecting art). You get to taste a bit of their life through the works they've collected in combination with the places where they lived. Quite interesting.
• Vivienne Westwood (biography) by Ian Kelly & Vivienne Westwood Words to live by!
• The Wooster Code by P.G. Wodehouse Reading this book is like watching Fry & Laurie in your head, through words and stuff. Funny, quick paced and brilliant (had to take a break from it once or twice, because of the too much silliness).
• Love Letters of Great Men and Woman edited by Ursula Doyle Love letters jumbled together of big names we all have most probably heard of. Kills the idea of romance with romance and gives you another understanding of the meaning of love through different ages. 
• Insanity in world of literature by Pieter Steinz An essay written for the Dutch Booksweek 2015, giving you a peek in the way literature has described (and been described by) insanity. Not only concentrating on the characters or creators of 'insane' works, but also giving you an understanding in the history of insanity and the way people treated and looked upon it (so not only the insane, but also the role of psychiatrists and the way they've been depicted throughout famous literature works). We want more!
• Sidney Chambers and The Shadow of Death by James Runcie This book contains five short stories about one of my favourite 'detectives' I've met this year. It's funny how the stories have a lot of simmilarities but a whole different tone to it than the series. The serie is very true to the basic nature of the book, but is -I think- much stronger in narrative (James Norton brings Sidney Chambers more to life than the book does). Good read, can't wait to get my hands on more, but definitely go see the series too...

[EDIT 4 January 2017]
As I'm not planning on making an updated resolutions blogpost *because I'm already perfect* (just kidding). Here's a little update on how well/bad I did this year in regards to my 2016 resolutions:

1. Indeed made myself a pair of dungarees. Not in every colour (sadly). But one in dark grey with a small stripe and one in orange check print (although that one still need buttons...)
2. I tried. I failed. I will try again. (Hopefully).
3. I made a hat! A white one and a yellow one. The pattern of it you can find in the first issue of my zine... fancy, I know...
4. Nope. Not even close.
5.  Check, no, no (no) and check. I actually read a lot of books this year, just not all the books I listed...
6.  Well... sort of... I 'published' my first very own zine, got a small mention on a review I wrote about Bloom Magazine London on their Instagram and... well... I'VE BEEN BUSY ALRIGHT!! Past me very seriously miscalculated the burden of trying to get a degree.
7. No. 64 in total. And this year I'm aiming even lower: 52. One every week. That should do the trick, right?