Reflective

We’ve established I rarely blog these days and a quick look over the past few posts it is always when I am feeling reflective. It is obviously my outlet. And, a good one at that.


Bradgate Park, November 2013 (Mine, taken on iPhone)

I am currently in that point of the Christmas break where the excitement is dying down and thoughts are moving on to the year ahead. I normally get annoyed at myself of all the things I haven’t achieved in the previous year and start getting optimistic about the one ahead. I looked back on my ‘resolutions’ for 2013 and surprise surprise the same could stand for 2014, and probably will. In fact they have been mostly the same for the past 5 years at least. This year I may even share them.

Another unlikely surprise is that these resolutions are likely to include more blogging, one year I will achieve this. I was going through all the photos we had taken this year and there were so many that I had took thinking ‘that will make a good blog photo’, they just never quite make it that far. I guess being in front of a computer screen for 8/9 hours a day at work doesn’t make blogging in an evening a very attractive activity.


Bradgate Park, November 2013 (Mine, taken on iPhone)

So, the planning is beginning. The 12 month Moleskin planner to sort my head out for 2014 is ordered and should arrive any day. In the meantime I might just look back over some of those photos whilst listening to our new record player and Carole King.

After all, I need all the relaxation I can get, 2014 is set to be the biggest yet with a new addition to the family. Arghh!

September starts

There are two times during the year that I start to feel twitchy. I start to feel the need for lists, for new beginnings, that it's the time to take action. I get that little buzz from new ideas, new projects.

Photo: Taken by me (iPhone)

One of these times is the period between Christmas and New Year when the urge to start a list is just too strong to ignore. The other is now, the start of September. Now we all know I like a project and a good list but there is something about these times of the year where it is particularly strong. It probably has something to do with the weather changing, the start of the countdown to the end of the year, the fact that my holiday entitlement is fast being used up - but it is most likely to be the many years of returning to school after the school holidays.

In fact, I've just googled it. After not really knowing what search term to use 'back to school syndrome' seemed to do the trick. In an article on cosmopolitan.co.uk there is evidence to suggest that I am not alone. The article talks about exactly what I have been feeling, stating that 'essentially, after 16 years of school and uni, we’re mentally programmed to get ready for new beginnings in autumn' and that following the summer we are 'more focused and therefore more emotionally ready for change'. Apparently, and I could not find a source for this elsewhere but, stats have shown that more than 70% of us are still more likely to make a life-changing decision in the month of September.

Well at least I am not the only one going through this. I had started to put these feelings down to various other things. My 'baby' is growing up fast, I've been in my job for nearly 12 months, we have been getting itchy feet with our house etc, etc but this has probably just made things feel stronger.

All the talk about 'back-to-school' on the tv, radio, and in shops has after (a fair) few years out of the education system started to feel a bit too real. Children's friends are starting school and there are only a couple of years before it will be E's turn. School life will be here all too quickly I am sure.

So, I might have to embrace these feelings. Start a new hobby (urm, I may have tried that before!) or maybe I should just treat myself to some new stationery.

Does anyone else have these feelings? I'd love to hear your experiences and solutions!

And it's December!

Where are the days going?!

I can happily say a lot of my time is now being spent on {Mason & Co} with business going well. I am loving uncovering the treasures, researching them online and then sharing them. Oh, and selling them is not bad either.

I have also set up another new project (this is the project lab after all!) but have decided to keep that on the back burner until the new year. It is safe to say there is a lot going on.

Little E is now not so little and is crawling well and attempting to stand up. He was nine months yesterday and I can't believe how grown up he seems already. He is always happy and smiling and I am so proud of him everyday.

Enough of the soppy Mum stuff, I have spent the last hour browsing Etsy for felt Christmas decorations. I am starting to think a crawling nine month old, a real Christmas tree and glass decorations might not be the best idea. I hope you like my felt-tastic selections for Christmas 2011.

I hope to see you, at some point, before January!

Christmas decorations f... FishesMakeWish... $13.00	Retro Felt Christmas Or... SillyOllie $5.75	3 Pink and Grey Ornamen... RedRedComplete... $9.00	Reindeer Head Ornament ... deargirlface $22.00
Mittens Ornament - Vint... WearTheCanvas $14.00	Set of 5 Felt Christmas... FruityCocoIsla... $29.00	Red Heart Eco Felt Chri... SweetPB $12.50	Vintage style Christmas... FruityCocoIsla... $14.00
Enchanted forest -Whims... BalloonHighway $7.00	Felt Christmas decorati... PrettyPlush $48.00	Holiday Heart decoratio... luluhopping198... $6.00	Christmas Decorations 5... spottyhen $9.99

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

An evening of inspiration

Well, last night I had an evening to myself and with nothing on TV I decided to spend it sat upstairs in the 'new' spare room looking online at various craft and design websites and blogs.

There was a time (probably about five years ago) when I would do this quite a lot but I weaned myself off it as time was just disappearing into the internet vortex! But one evening, that can't harm anyone surely..?

These days I tend to be directed to websites through Twitter and this was no exception. I had read that the latest issue of UK Handmade had been released. I have never really looked at a copy, as I am usually browsing the internet on my iphone but I was pleasantly surprised.

It is full of interviews, reviews and tutorials and has introduced me to some new names.

The first thing to grab my attention was the Scandinavian Cosmetics Pouch on page 14 which on first glance looks like a great tutorial and perfect timing for last minute Christmas gifts. Also, unlike many tutorials you see it would be easily adapted to make a pencil case or larger bag.

The next thing to catch my eye was the illustrated interview with artist Bryn Hughes on page 42. I have wanted to have the confidence to sketch for a long time (even enrolling on a water colour class earlier this year) but, as is typical with me, one thing led to another and I never kept it up. Anyway, Bryn's sketches are completely my style and are what I would aspire too. The speed that seems to be captured in them, their immediacy and the colours are all perfect.

And, as an evening session on the internet dictates, visiting Bryn's blog led me to discover yet another one - Urban Sketchers. Described as a "nonprofit organization dedicated to raising the artistic, storytelling and educational value of location drawing, promoting its practice and connecting people around the world who draw on location where they live and travel. We aim to show the world, one drawing at a time." Gorgeous! 

A quick scroll here, click there, and I was led to their Flickr Group and the piece below stuck out for me. It is by user 'Charkie_44' who I think in real life is Jack Noel?? You can see the full version here.



I think all this looking at sketches has encouraged me to get my Creative License book by Danny Gregory out again.

We'll see...

[ . . Wonderful Wednesday . . ] everything happens for a reason

Today is wonderful for a number of reasons.

First of all it is December the first and that for me means it really is nearly Christmas. I tend not to have many Christmas related activities until it is officially December, no decorations, no mince pies. So it can all now begin.

Second, today marks the first day of the next phase in my life. I am officially unemployed after taking voluntary redundancy in November. This was not a easy decision, after four years of giving your life to an employer walking away was not easy. But, it could not have come at a better time for me. So, after a couple of weeks out of the building, a number of mixed emotions and missing some really good friends, I finally feel I am becoming the new 'Lucy'.

Thirdly, I am now also in my third trimester of pregnancy (well depending on which definition you read!) which means it is the home stretch. There have been many times over the past six months that we never thought we would get here but it feels very good to be here, and having a very active little baby kicking me every now and again to remind me what is important.

Finally, I hope this post will be the first of many [ . . Wonderful Wednesday . . ] posts in the coming weeks as I share with you what is wonderful and also strive to remind myself.

So I leave you with the following, please stick around to read my musings. I can't promise to be interesting but I will certainly try.

Design by me, quote anon

Neglect

Neglect, originally uploaded to Flickr by wulfrunnut.

I long for the day when I can write a post for this blog which doesn't start with an apology.

So, after a few months of no posting I am back - *hopefully* this time for good. This time I have more confidence in saying this as a few things are finally conspiring to make this happen.

Therefore after a while of neglect lets hope something of beauty can emerge.

The coming months...

Well I have been very quiet in recent months.

This has been through a mixture of not having anything to say, and then having too much to say and not trusting myself to keep quiet.

I may have finally reached a happy medium so I hope over the coming months to share my thoughts and feelings once more on numerous topics such as:

INTERIORS
I am constantly inspired by features I see on the Internet and thoroughly enjoy my copy of LivingEtc every month. This combined with the fact that the lounge/dining room decoration is progressing I may soon be able to splash out on some accessories for the room :) Oh and then there is the fun job of decorating a nursery!!!!!

CRAFTINESS
This has been far too lacking in recent months (..ahem years!). I always seem to have the desire but somehow not the motivation. I think I am always a little scared of disappointing myself with an inferior finished product. Anyway, as I continue to generally chill out and realise that nothing really matters that much - and be inspired by Christine's 52 crafts in 52 weeks I hereby declare that I will make something in the coming months

PENDING PARENTHOOD
Now, I doubt I will be turning into Nigella and becoming a perfect mother and general homemaker, however I do hope to share some of my journey into this scary world. After already spending hours on the Internet looking at Mothercare, Mamas and Papas, John Lewis and wondering if I will suddenly feel the urge to make homemade pickle I feel there is a long way to go. For a start there are still 26 weeks until March 1st...

Well that should keep us going for now so I do hope you will join me in this journey. And if not, well I will continue to type away to myself.

Have a lovely evening,

Lx

Weekend

I am so glad that it is the weekend, time for relaxation.

I am leaving the ill husband at home to get better and going off to my friends house for lunch. I spotted this photo on the great website ffffound and it summed up how I feel today!

Journeys

I'm reading a book at the minute and there are sections that are ringing true so i'm going to include them here to remind me:

"the inborn calling to make progress in our life is overwhelmingly strong... We want to feel ourselves moving forward in some way. When we come to the end of one journey, we very quickly hunger for another."

Umm, anyone that knows me will know this could be written about me!

x

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

So what is this all about?

I have been wanting to (and have tried a few times) to have a blog to share my thoughts - although be it mainly with myself. However, I have never quite found the time to keep it up or have anything interesting enough to say. So, 2010 (start of a new decade and getting scarily close to my 30's) I have decided this is the year - and if it isn't then at least I have tried.

I want to create a place for me and some time for me to look at and be inspired by the things I enjoy.

I was heavily into the UK craft 'scene' back in 2005/06 and joined Sally/Scally B now of Northampton Fish Market fame to run Craftermath.

To be honest I couldn't remember when it was then and had to check by looking back at the old forum - I was gone for a while reading the old posts. Sally had been inspired by the US scene and mainly Craftster (which I used to frequent daily) to set up a UK version. At the time there was nothing out there for UK crafters that didn't do the 1990's style craft fair stuff. It's a strange thought now when looking around the internet - things change a lot in 5 years - Facebook, Twitter, social networking - and a wealth of UK craft.

So, I guess we never really took Craftermath and the opportunity to be at the forefront of the UK craft scene to its potential and that is sad to be honest.

Anyway, rather than dwell on it all there is time to do something about it.

I am going to use this site to post/share/remember not only craft and handmade items but anything that inspires me. Since my 'craft days' a lot has happened, I own a house (well about 10% of a house!), am a wife and have widened my creative interests to include photography, design and writing so there is likely to be a mixture.

That is probably more than enough rambling for one night then and the bets can start now as to how long I can keep this one going... Feb, July, next week..? We'll see.

x