After what felt like a treacherous year, we are finally in 2025! I am personally not a fan of typical New Year’s resolutions, however as an ADHD girlie I like to do yearly hobby carryovers to keep my hobby-hoarding to a minimum. Rather than picking up more hobbies each year that are inevitably a money pit for me, I prefer to choose a hobby from the previous year, stick with it, and grow my skills during the next year.
While last year was a whirlwind, I did pick up quite a few new skills and hobbies, two of which will be taken into this year for more practice. The first is cross-stitching, and the second is wood carving, both of which I have found a love for. While I have been doing more stitching than carving, both have been a fantastic outlet for me to relieve stress and as an outlet for any pent up creative energy.
After picking up cross stitch in early October, my obsession only grew worse as I became more and more invested in the projects I was working on at that time. My first piece (a Stardew Valley chicken) did not turn out as planned but it was a fantastic learning experience. The second attempt of a frog dressed as a wizard went much better, and after picking up all the tricks froma few YouTube videos and craft blogs, I was off to the races!
Since picking up this hobby, I have made each of my friends their own personalized cross-stitch pieces that were also framed in thrifted frames. Ranging from quotes about hobbies and interests, to pet portraits and characters from different media forms, I have made about 30 projects total in the last few months. My personal favorite being a stained glass church window with a quote from one of my favourite shows!
Wood carving is still a newer hobby for me, but my first project has been the handle of a small knife. It was a simple enough project to start with and I think it gave me a perfect jumping point for the rest of my work. While the knife is still in the works as I perfect it to fit my grip, I have started a secondary project of a small bowling pin as a gift for someone special to me. While it has also been a challenge, learning new skills is what keeps me interested in art as a hobby!
Maybe if the year goes well, I will pick up another new hobby, but for now, I will stick to working on the two I want to bring forward with me into the rest of my creative life! Art has always been an important part of my self -expression, and picking up new hobbies to work on helps keep my mind from wandering and my ADHD from wanting more new things to do.