Lists

list of things I love

my children

the sound of blackbirds at dusk

cherry blossom

sunshine

warm sand

laughter

my parents

snowflakes

friends

making jewellery

my studio

running

the smell of cut grass

tiramisu

being outdoors

robins and wrens

the northern lights

sunsets

list of things to do in 2015

run a marathon

stitch a quilt

get divorced

move house

teach more workshops

improve my photography

go to the beach

smile lots

laugh lots

have fun

create happy memories

work on new designs

make time for my friends

invite people over lots

take a holiday

journal

January's bite

The temperature gauge tells me it's minus four and a half degrees today. The air is biting, but the sun is fighting through and it will probably be a glorious day.

It's been an impossibly hard week here. The first bit waiting. Trying to be patient. Waiting for promised news to coming. Hoping it would be good.

The news arrived. It wasn't good. There had been hope. Hope for good news. Hope that I could draw a line. Hope that I could move on.

Then decisions. Huge decisions. Life changing decisions.

In some ways it was easy to pick the path to take. I am a mother. Mothers will understand that ultimately all decisions are made based on what's best for your children.

And so it's not over, and I couldn't draw a line, and I am not free just yet to move on. But it won't be long now.

Spring is just around the corner. Brighter days. New life.

It was nice to blow away the cobwebs and breathe in the frosty park this morning. Creativity is easily crushed under the pressure of stress. But you know me... 

... I'm a glass half full girl. The sun will shine bright again soon.

Homemade gifts are the best

I was lucky enough to receive lots of handmade loveliness at Christmas from my nearest and dearest. There were...

A pair of knitted boot cuffs made by my mum.

A paper cut made by my dad of some deer in the forest.

My big boy (11) had made a stencil of trees and etched the glass on a jam jar with etching paste. He twisted wire for the handle and put a little tea light inside.

My small boy (9) produced this tiny canvas of our little family. Mummy, Ollie and Jasper. A sunny day and snow covered mountains in the back ground.

It felt so lovely to know such though and effort had gone into my special gifts. 

A teeny mistletoe necklace

Every winter I light candles, fill my house with holly and mistletoe, bring a tree inside and yet never really question these traditions. This year as the winter solstice came around, I spent some time reading all about the origins of these rituals. Fascinated; I think I could write and write about Yule, the re-birth of the sun, holly, mistletoe, candlelight, yule logs, bringing greenery inside - but I feel the moment has been missed. I will have to save most of it for next year.

For Christmas, I made my mum two necklaces. One teeny hand cut silver holly leaves with glistening faceted garnet berries, the other - the tiniest sprig of hand cut silver mistletoe with the smallest of real pearl berries. I made a matching one for myself.

Mistletoe 

Sacred mistletoe, winter fruit, a sign of life in the dark and barren winter months. Held in great veneration especially when found growing among the boughs of the mighty oak. Five days after the new moon, after the winter solstice, the Druid Priest would cut the mistletoe from the branches with a golden sickle. The mistletoe must be caught as it falls, before it touches the ground. The Priest then divided the plant and dispersed it among the people who hung it over their doorways for protection. Folklore differs, but mistletoe is said to cure illness, ensure fertility, and is a sign of peace and goodwill. 

Mistletoe is excluded from Church decorations, this is probably due to it's connection with Pagans and Druids.

Happy New Year

Briefly...