A year of achievements

Guess what? I've completed my 52 crafts in 52 weeks project - I can’t quite believe it. I came up with the idea whilst recovering from back surgery last June and I’m so proud to have completed a craft a week for a whole magnificent year.

 Another crazy idea I had a year ago was to take part in the Edinburgh Moonwalk. So I’m writing this post whilst resting my incredibly sore feet. I walked 26.2 miles through the night for breast cancer and completed it in a very respectable 7 hours. Something else to be proud of I think. I hope all this pride doesn’t result in a fall. As I can hardly walk that’s very possible.

Important crafting note: I decorated my bra with fabulous sequin fabric and tassels. The theme was Moulin Rouge so I totally had to add feathers to my hat too. Where would we crafters be without glue guns?

What has made you proud lately?

What a difference a year makes

This time last year I was in a post-anaesthetic morphine-induced haze after surgery to fix a bulging disc and relieve the pressure on my sciatic nerve. I'm so glad I had the operation - thanks to that, a healthy diet and exercise, I've never felt better. Long may it continue.

I took this photo just over a year ago - I now have a scar just under my tattoo, the only reminder of my surgery.

What were you doing a year ago?

Blogging every day in May on 52 crafts in 52 weeks

I've joined a challenge called Blogathon 2011 to blog every day throughout May. Instead of using this blog I thought it would be more of a challenge to do it on 52 crafts in 52 weeks as I only usually post once a week. Wish me luck!

I hope you're having a lovely Bank Holiday weekend - I'm hoping to get out into the garden. It's full of these beauties...

Happy Monday x

Writing from the heart

I write a lot - I write all day in my job as a communications manager. I write this blog, guest columns and 52 crafts in 52 weeks. I write tweets and Facebook updates.

I always try to be true to my heart and personality when I write (well at work I have to write according to the corporate personality) but I don't very often write my most innermost thoughts and experiences. For that, I have my journal.

I go through phases of writing in it. I do it when I feel I need to get a multitude of thoughts and worries out of my head. So for that reason I often write just before bed and just lately I've added a new section: today I'm grateful for...

Every day I jot down a few things that I'm grateful for on that day. It helps me reflect on the day and remember that even if I've had a bad day and there have been tears, there were good things too.

I don't intend to share all of those thoughts with you but I thought I could share a few of my gratitudes on an occassional basis. I'd love to know what you're grateful for today too - let me know in the comments. x

I am at my most beautiful (apparently)

According to a study, women are at their most beautiful at age 31. So I guess I'd better enjoy it for the few months I have left at this beautiful age! (via woo!)

This week I loved...

I've been struggling to know what to say about Japan - it's hard to comprehend. But this week I loved (not the right word at all but I hope you know what I mean)...

:: seeing and reading about all the things people are doing to raise money for Japan and the ways in which they're attempting to process the events of a week ago and the aftermath.
:: Laura from Bugs and Fishes is donating money from sales of Cherry Blossoms to the appeal (until 19 March)
:: Joejobi is organising an auction
:: paper and string has a raffle
:: Holly is so much more eloquent than I could hope to be on the subject.

Source: thecherryblossomgirl.com via Carmella on Pinterest

This week I loved...

:: making wedding favours for my best friend's big day
:: buying gorgeous gastronomic treats from Suffolk Food Hall (my new favourite foodie haunt)
:: giving away free books for World Book Night. When giving them to strangers I loved the conversations it kicked off about people's favourite books. Made me very happy
::  writing my latest crafty help installment (about recycling, do you have any ideas to add?)
:: walking five miles in the bracing Felixstowe sea winds
:: and finally, we had some sun this week which always makes me happy.

Coffee and cake as a treat after five mile power-stomp

What did you love this week?

{from the archives} poor Toby

As I've been writing this little blog of mine for so long I thought it would be fun to go back in the archives and find some old projects, thoughts and plans.

This week the time machine is taking us to...

{19 October 2007}

I know I'm a mean mummy but this is one of my favourite photos of Toby. There's something about his poor little dozy not-quite-awake-from-anaesthetic face that makes my heart melt.

You can read the original post here.

This week I loved...

:: fresh bread from Suffolk Food Hall

:: listening to this song again and again and again. And check out Adele's Radio 1 Live Lounge performances. Amazing.

:: getting this fabulous cookbook in the post that I've been lusting over for ages.

My signature is .... what's yours?

This post is entirely inspired by Smaggle.
Do you have a signature? I don't mean the way you sign your name when you pay for groceries (not that we do that so much now with chip and pin I guess. I can't actually remember the last time I signed my name) - but what are the things that are just very 'you' at the moment? Here are my signatures...

Source: breakfastatanthropologie.blogspot.com via Christine on Pinterest

:: I always have porridge with bananas and blueberries for breakfast - I recently added cinnamon on a friend's recommendation.
:: My absolute favourite perfume is YSL Parisienne. It's the only one I wear. And the only perfume I've ever bought a second bottle of.
:: My makeup is nearly always the same - light eyeshadow base with a bit of dark powder added at night, brown eyeliner and brown mascara plus a neutral gloss. Plus YSL Touche Eclat and Clinique foundation if I feel the need. Might be time to shake that routine up actually.
:: I have to read before I sleep. If I don't read I get snarky and can't nod off. My husband gets pretty grumpy about it to be honest but you can't break a habit of nearly 30 years that easily. I used to read by the light of the hallway outside my bedroom long after my mum and dad thought I'd gone to sleep. Might explain my myopia.
:: Hey Ya - the song I will always dance to when it comes on. No matter where I am. There is a hilarious (for some) video of me on Facebook dancing to it. I won't be sharing it. Sorry.
:: Coffee of choice right now is a skinny decaff latte - or lemon & ginger tea.

This week I loved...

:: the lovely feedback about my last post in the comments and on twitter. Thank you x
:: eyeing up the beautiful appliqué by Dear Emma
:: doodling
:: eating too many gorgeous cakes at my friend Shuv's baby shower

I've lost that lovin' feeling...

I've been feeling a bit lost with this blog of late - I've been writing it since 2006 but I feel like I've wandered off track a bit, especially since I stopped selling on Etsy.

I've lost my blog love.

But I have some ideas to bring back that lovin' feeling (I'm not as old as that cheesy song reference makes me sound).

I want to interview fellow crafty types (any ideas who you'd like to hear from?), I want to solve your crafty problems (an unscientific twitter survey suggested a lack of time and space are your main ones) and I want to keep talking about things I love and the ups and downs of life.

How does that sound? Anything else you'd like me to write about? Can you help me fall back in love with my blog?

Source: a-love-train.blogspot.com via Christine on Pinterest

This week I loved...

:: making gorgeous lentil salads with ready-to-eat Merchant Gourmet lentils. I mix them with veg like tomatoes, celery and cucumber plus fresh coriander, red wine vinegar and olive oil. Then top it all with feta cheese. Or I used left over roast chicken the other day instead. Yum!
:: watching Inception on DVD with my husband (he's only home for 2 days) on the sofa last night - I think I understood it.
:: picking up our wedding album! It's gorgeous (yes we got married 18 months ago, you can't rush these things).

Have a great weekend!

This week I loved...

:: finding out how easy it is to etch glass
:: playing imaginary house with pinterest
:: porridge with bananas, blueberries and cinnamon
:: this so so so cute video via yes and yes
:: singing at Lucky Voice for my best friend's hen night - the theme was Sex and the City (so of course we sang this).

The bride to be. With a Carrie-inspired bird on her head (courtesy of me)

Happy Sunday x

{monday muse} happy

This week's Monday muse is this beauty:

via pinterest via inspiredshares.com

It sums up how I feel - happy and light on my feet. I hope that feeling lasts all week!

What's inspiring you today?

This week I loved...

:: seeing my best friend try on her wedding dress
:: pilates - I went twice this week and feel really good for it
:: cooking Jamie's puttanesca from 30 minute meals. Recipe is online here. I didn't make the ganache sadly. Maybe next time
:: reading Sister 
:: appliqué
:: watching Mad Men (I'm up to season 2)
:: playing with instagram on the iphone

pretty magical rose

Did you have a great week? I hope so!

Book corner

I always have at least one book on the go so I thought that each week I'd talk a little about what I'm reading - and maybe you'd like to tell me what you're reading and enjoying too?

 

I'm reading Sister by Rosamund Lupton. I'm not very far through yet but I'm already engrossed - it's written in the style of a letter from the main character, Beatrice, to her sister as she tries to find out what happened to her.  It's full of tension and mystery and the style of writing literally makes you want to turn to the next page and the next... The narrative switches from the present to the past which draws you in - you know snippets of the present but not enough to know the answers to the underlying mystery. I don't know how it's going to end but I'm looking forward to turning more pages and finding out.

Have you read Sister? What did you think of it? (Don't spoil the ending or I'll cry!) What are you reading?

{balance} my word for 2011

If you're a reader of delicious blogs such as Susannah's you'll have seen her talk about her word of the year. I hadn't really considered choosing one until one particular word kept coming to my conciousness over the last few days: balance.

via flickr

I am after balance in my body through doing exercise like pilates.
And balance in my diet by eating loads of veggies and fruit plus grains and nuts and cutting down on the meat (I used to be a vegetarian but in recent years a meal hasn't felt complete without some kind of meat on the plate). I've also cut out caffeine and I feel so much better for it.
Plus I'm striving for a balance between work and life - and I want to find more time to do the things I love like creating and writing.

Do you have a word for 2011?

They say if you have a big task you should break it down...

I turn 32 this year. Instead of freaking out - well I might still do that - I thought I'd make the most of the next 7 months and try to complete as many items as possible from my 101 in 1001 list. I think that by breaking the big fat list down into smaller ones it will make it much easier to achieve.

So these are the items I intend to complete before I become another year older:

12. Read a book in a day

14. Take a book (maybe the one in no.12) to a coffee shop and spend the afternoon there on my own
15. Record a craft video tutorial
16. Eat 5 things I've never tried before (4/5) - I only need to eat one more new thing
17. Cook 5 things I've never cooked before (4/5) - again, I only need to cook one more

39. Go to an auction

47. Complete Edinburgh MoonWalk in less than 8 hours - it's in June (please sponsor me if you can spare a few pounds)

52. Make my own duvet cover and matching pillow cases

55. Visit an art gallery

59. Have a pedicure
60. Cook a ten-course meal - I'm thinking maybe for my birthday

66. Go to a classical music concert

69. Buy a vintage dress

71. Make sourdough bread

95. Have a spa day

100. Start an art journal
  
Hopefully it'll be a fun and action-packed few months!

Review of 2010 {part 2}

Here's part 2 of my review of 2010 - part 1 is here.

July

It was my birthday! I celebrated by making a pretty dress, getting spoilt with lovely presents and had a little party with family and friends. And Mr. Bunny made his début. Oh and I had a think about why I make stuff.

August

In August I attempted to learn to knit, had a look around some lovely studios and cooked up some Mexican food.

September

Cornwall greeted us in September and we had a fabulous time in the towns, on the beaches and in the restaurants. And of course I kept crafting, including a yummy cushion.

October

In October we celebrated our first wedding anniversary, wrote a guest post for whipup.net and went to lovely hot Dubai.

November

In November the crafting fun continued, including a visit to a ceramics cafe and I made a pretty Kanzashi flower.

December

And finally, December. Of course we had lots more crafting, Christmas and a trip to somewhere snowy.









It was a busy year! And I'm looking forward to what 2011 brings.