2014

I love this quote from Neil Gaiman, and intend to take his advise to heart this year.  

I really hope to surprise myself in 2014.

image taken from Pinterest but no credit, if it's yours let me know (I'd love to buy this image as a print).

Blurry Wanderings and a World Waking Up

January is a time for waking up, after the tinsel and baubles are put away the job off getting on with the rest of the year happens. Resolutions are made, goals are set people start making their plans.

 For me it's a lovely slow time of year, everything seams to go a little slower, such as walking to work after dropping Lucas off at nursery (he was very excited to be back). There's no Christmas shopping to fit in, no jobs to do just time to relax and look around my city as it began it's day.

 I love where I live it has such beauty everywhere you look, and I didn't go 5 minutes from the city centre. The parks just outside are beautiful, but I'll save them for another day.

Take time to have a look around your home town this month, I'll be taking a lot more pictures of mine.

Epiphany

Epiphany: The sudden realization or comprehension of the essence of something.


So this blog post hopefully fills in my absence from before Christmas, not Christmas is normally a very hectic time for me and this year was no exception. It's normally the best chance of getting overtime at work(Monsoon), I had my own makes and commissions to finish as well as doing all my shopping and cards etc....
I love Christmas but never actually rest long enough to completely enjoy it, all I wan to do on the day is sleep.
However this year something happened, my cousin Lesley died very unexpectedly she was 38 and left behind a loving husband and 6 young children 2 days before Christmas. She was a wonderful person and it was heartbreaking to think of her family without her. 


It made me concentrate on what actually matters, my own family, so every spare moment I had I tried to spend more time with them than doing for others, we made paper chains, I enjoyed the wonderful biscuits Hubby made with them, I tried to relax when I got home from work so I wasn't so tired when I was with them, I hugged them harder.  I loved them more. 
So sorry blogging world I was too busy to talk but I had things to do, we had Santas to visit, things to bake, gifts to make and people to appreciate; I'm sorry to say I didn't blog about any of them..
This year I enjoyed Christmas because I had the realization that it wasn't about gifts,cards,posh food, drink but family, just sat round chatting enjoying each other, and that is exactly what I did.

I hope you enjoyed your time together this year.
Amanda.x.

New Beginnings

Every new beginning comes from some beginnings end.

I think it's a fitting start to my 100th blog post that we celebrate the dawning of a new year, I hope that 2011 will bring inspiration, joy and meaning to everyone I know.

Thank you for all your lovely support in the last year, Happy New Year.

Amanda.x.

Out with the old...

And so I wave a welcome goodbye to 2009, not a completely bad year; I've made some amazing new (and mostly crafty) friends, seen my children grow far to quickly before my eyes , started my business, seen friends & family children grow strong, done craft fairs, and seen 3 friends start families too.

However I've also seen major illnesses, deaths, grief, job & money worries, friends & family suffering mental & physical illness, and the world itself suffering greatly through natural & man made problems.

All these things often keep me from my sleep at night and although I'd love to fix the worlds ill I cannot, and that is quite a realisation for me.

Instead I've made some goals for this year & if I accomplish these then I can ask no more from the year I'll be happy lady.

1. Make time to spend with my family doing nice things and staying in touch with my friends, above all housework & business.

2. Keep myself and family healthy.

3. Learn 3 new skills this year, not including the one below but hopefully knitting socks.

4. Learn to drive by September so I can take my daughter to school.

5. Complete at least 250 handmade item items, & document them here

(harder than to seems for a serial starter... I have a lot of WIP).

6. Learn to bake nice bread.

7. Get my website up and running.

8. Have my handmade items appear in 3 magazines, I know which ones I want too.

9. Learn to love the home I'm in rather than constantly thinking I'll sell it soon & not enjoying living in what is a perfectly acceptable house.

Well they are my goals for now, more may be added later but I'll work on these for now, and just to start here is our family enjoying a snow day sledging

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE.