Looking for Ideas for micro-controller project

Hi,

I would like take micro-controller project (C language) to work on my low-level programming skills and to put it in my resume, as I'm about to look for a new job soon (I'm currently work as a validation engineer but see my future in development).

I don't have any HW here so I believe I'll need to buy some evaluation kit.

Could you please share some ideas for project and a good & not expensive evaluation kit?

Perhaps a project that I could be proud of putting it in my resume, something useful, however not one that takes too much time to complete.

Thank you very much

Atmels XPlained kits are very nice. They have all kinds of stuff on board for you to play and there is also some add-on modules like sensors etc. Go for the MEGA-1284P Xplained or for the next advanced XMEGA-A1 Xplained. Atmels development software is also very nice.. and its free. The xplained boards are also very cheap.. around 30 dollars.

http://www.atmel.com/products/microcontrollers/avr/xplain.aspx
http://www.atmel.com/microsite/atmel_studio6/default.aspx
http://www.digikey.com/product-sear...and-kits-mcu-dsp-fpga-cpld/2621773?k=xplained

Thank you very much Mister T.

I'd be happy to receive some ideas for interesting and useful project.
I'm very into communication stuff, wired and wireless communication, as SPI, Zigbee, TCP, etc.

I even think of taking to controllers, have them communicate with each others (wireless or not), and use this communication for some goal.
I just don't have any idea for such a goal.

Could you please share your ideas?

Thank you