Friday 21 June 2019

Spring 2019........






Dear Vanessa,

You have zoomed into 2019 at such a pace. It amazes you how fast time flies. Does it get even quicker than this, the older you get?











So.....what did you get up to in the Spring of 2019?

Turns out.....not a lot. Spring seemed to pass by in a daze. You found it hard to get motivated. The mundane everyday took up, what seemed like, EVERY moment of your time. The same cycle of things OVER AND OVER again. It pains you that you don't enjoy the mundane. You just feel it gets in the way of all the stuff you have in your head you'd like to do. Have you got any better?




Your enthusiasm for crafting went down the pan. It really came with the realisation that you just didn't have ANY MORE space to store your makes. You found that putting your heart and soul into creating something, weaving memories into something, made it hard to just give away and discard. You knew you'd never be a maker to sell that was for sure.




At the beginning of the year you decided that it would be the year of the garment.






Victoria Shawl By Sandra Cherry Heart


However, even the reality of storing said garments was an issue. This just put you off being creative in any way shape or form. So the mundane took over and you felt like you were dying a slow death of lack of creativity. It was quite depressing truth be told.




Then.....there was a glimmer of hope. Just as it started to get warm......you decided to make something really thick and chunky. You decided to re-visit the Bella Wrap you made by Belinda Harris-Reid. Having loved making it the first time round, but in yarn you weren't keen on, you had always had it in the back of your head to have another go at it.


The above wrap was the first one you ever made but you dyed it and were so pleased you did!







Getting back into the knitting habit after 4 years of not knitting anything was a little daunting. Dropped stitches still scare the bejesus out of you and you pull the most horrendous faces whilst you clap the needles together. Heaven help ANYONE if they dare try and talk to you.....your stitch counting just gets louder to drown them out. You wonder if there will EVER be a time when you look back and read this with a smile because you have finally managed to master knitting.

You persevered with your wrap and didn't make a bad attempt. You made your second wrap in Drops Andes yarn in off white and you loved the colour choice and yarn so much better. In fact, you were so pleased with it that immediately you cast off, you cast on again to make another. This time a pea green coloured one. This one took even less time with you feeling more sure of what you were doing. Your strange faces became a little less, and you actually ENJOYED knitting rows! You had visions of a myriad of colours. You wanted a duck egg and a pink at some stage. You wondered what to do with the first one you knitted as you loved it, just not the shade. You decided to dye it dark blue. Not really taking into consideration that the yarn was acrylic, the dark blue came out the most perfect shade of duck egg/silver blue. It couldn't have been more perfect if you'd have tried. Happy with the fact that you didn't need to cast on a duck egg blue wrap, you immediately found the most perfect pink and cast on for that. That one came out beautifully, however, the yarn being 20% Alpaca loved you more than you'd like. You felt like you were eating it as you knitted, and you are not sure what you can wear that it won't shed dreadfully on. But the colour.........swoon.







You are like that Vanessa. You find something that you like then you do overkill. You know it's the fear of never being able to do it again. Like buses. I'm sure you've had a blog post with that title?








At this precise moment in time, you are completely forgetting the fact that these big bulky wraps will have to go somewhere to be stored. You are just happy creating. It's your happy place. Remember that you bought the Marie Kondo book this Spring to try and help in your quest to change your rubbish habits. I wonder if by the end of the year it would have had any effect or been a complete waste of a read? I fear I know what my money is on. Was I right?


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You are still finding it hard to stop procrastinating and just get on with things. You have reached the conclusion though that you will never really change. It's in your make up to be this way. You are a 50% person. You waste 50% of your day daydreaming. You also realise though, that daydreaming is fundamental to your overall well being. Music too. A life without music would be torture. Your day begins with a good cup of tea (always tea), followed swiftly by a coffee and a good cinematic radio station.




You have loved this time of year. You truly love the longer light........waking up to the sound of birds way before your alarm goes off.





You love sitting in the garden with your face to the sun, breathing in life and being utterly thankful for it. You feel happier in the 'you' that you are. Has it continued? I do hope so.












You have finally got your eucalyptus tree. You hope you don't kill it. You pretty much kill everything. 'Over Love' you call it!



You think that heading into summer you need to really give yourself a kick up the old posterior. You have told yourself you need a month burst of activity! ha ha!




You have loved that Gin seems to be the 'in' thing at the moment and you can get Gin in every flavour imaginable. It's a treat tipple for you and Rose Gin is your favourite.

You have enjoyed soaking up the moments of happiness and tranquil. Appreciating the quiet, the calm, and the beauty in the everyday.


Maybe it's an age thing, but you are trying so hard to step off of the spinning roundabout to try and stop and remember everything. To really appreciate this stage in your life.






The Bear's continue to grow and become the men that you had always hoped they would. You look at them and wonder how on earth they grew so quick? Your heart bursts for them, and the day they fly the nest your heart will break. However, in the interests of keeping it real, you'll get a dog and you'll soon forget about them!  ha ha! You are also TOTALLY looking forward to only having to do YOUR laundry and not clean a boys bathroom. Did that work out well I wonder? You are also thinking more wardrobe space to store more Bella Wraps!!!!!!!




So......as this season comes to an end and another begins, you have a plan of what needs to be done. You also have an idea of what you will probably realistically achieve, but let's hope you surprise yourself.



I hope you are well. I hope you are happy and content. 

Until the end of Summer.............




xxx






29 comments:

  1. hello My Lovely V,
    Dear long term bloggy friend, You never knew how much your blog meant to me when I was alone...Your beautiful blog and even more beautiful Photographs really cheered my days and gave me a sense of hope, happiness and to keep believing in what makes you happy...also your lovely messages brought me smiles!.
    I felt i knew you even though we have never met...like me, you quite liked just being behind the laptop.
    I so remember the days when our children were younger and we'd find that little piece of 'me' time within our blogs to remember the things we enjoyed in our simple daily routines...the little snippets of the good things in life...that gave us possitivity, creativity and so much joy!
    I would hop across to your blog and be so, so , so inspired!. You have such a beautiful talent with crocheted blankets, shawls, cushions and knitting garments too!~ And also your photography is so much admired by ME!.
    You bring the colours and beauty to all your posts...and make me crave a Coffee! in very pretty cup! hehe!
    p.s I love that word 'procrastinating'...Thats me to a 't'...I'm always highly inspired, great at getting motivated to get out all the things to get creative...but dwell, daydream...make more tea in between, faff and find other things i should be doing around the house...ahhhhh!...I thought once Sophia was at this age i'd be more organised...but 'mehhh' i'm just the same. A Day dreaming, pretty mug drinking dweller! haha!
    Oh' what is life without a little faffing anyway...?
    Its good to see you in blogland...I like that some are slowly being drawn back to their blogs as they seem a bit more meaningful than a quick snapshot on Instagram...though I do get that people seem in such rushed lives these days and instagram suits that quick routine...I wish I could blog more often as I fall in to that trap of busy days and trying to fit everything in. I try my best to post at least once a month now. As it does me good...I dont feel pressured to post every week, just when i feel I can and like you say as a journal of recording my simple daily happy things...to look back and reflect on at the end of the year.
    Keep up your journal lovely V...I for sure enjoy it so much! ;) xxxxx kazzy xxxxx

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    1. Awe sweet beautiful Kazzy,

      We have been on this long blogging journey together. I smile back with pure fondness for how it was all those years ago, the days when as soon as I got up i'd turn on the computer and check in on who had posted and what delights I was going to read about that day. It was such a great time and a great community when everyone was together in this lovely place. It was like picking up a good book daily and reading about a whole different life to your own. It was lovely, inspiring and fascinating all rolled into one.

      It's a shame really that the community has dissipated, but I think you are right that slowly people are coming back to it. The slow pace of sitting down to type and be thoughtful is actually a rare and precious thing, and I have enjoyed it so much again. I know a lot of bloggers have turned to vlogging now, and that's good, if you are ok with being in front of a camera. For the camera shy like me, blogging will forever have a bigger appeal! I have truly missed typing down my thoughts, and realising it's such a lovely place to record it all, I realised I needed to do it more often. I thought the other week about history. The history of seeing my great and great great grandparents in pictures. Not being able to really know who they were, what they thought about the world, what they loved and what they sounded like. I would have loved to have known that. It was then that I realised that I wanted my future generations to know me. So I think this blog is a good way of them getting to know me. I also take lots of video footage of family stuff now as a record for what our family was like. We have the technology now and I love the thought that my grandchildren, great grandchildren would be able to really get a good picture of life as it is now.

      Ha ha, we are soul sisters you and me! My daydreaming takes up about 85% of my day! I know i'll never change and i've made my peace with my lack of productivity on a daily basis! he he!

      So I hope to carry on this journey and keep it my place to share my happy!

      Much love and hugs to you Kazzy xxxxxxxxx

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  2. Love your Bella Wrap, Vanessa!
    I think I must knit one too!!😍
    Wishing you a lovely summer,

    Hugs, Ida

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    1. Thanks Ida!

      Oh yes do try one too, I absolutely adore mine! xxxx

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  3. Lovely!!! Missed your blogpostings. Hope you willhave agreat summer!
    Jeanette

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    1. Thank you Jeanette! I will be back in the Autumn to report on my Summer! xxxxxx

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  4. My dearest lovely, Vanessa! Joy and jubilation at finding a post from you. I am forever inspired by your sense of color, your talent with a hook, your beautiful photos and the way you capture a moment or a mood. Thank you for making my day a little happier.

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    1. Awe thank you lovely Jen for your sweet words. I could say exactly the same of you about your blog. Reading your posts always fills me with happiness. You have the most beautiful outlook on life and way with words. You also have the most beautiful family, house and dog! Your blog has the most calming influence on me. You have a beautiful magic in you my lovely xxxxxxxxxx

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  5. Dear Vanessa,
    Thank you for another lovely blog post. I do really enjoy reading them they make my day happier with your beautiful pictures and all those wonderful things you make and knowing there are others out there like me struggling with the monotony of house keeping when day dreaming is so much more productive. I like to go through your posts every once in awhile and just look at all your lovely pictures. Also I just received a book called "How to be a wildflower" by Katie Daisy and it reminded me of your blog have you heard of it?
    Have a wonderful summer to you and your family.

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    1. Hi Helen,

      Thank you for your kind comments! I'm sooooooooo glad I'm not alone in the feeling the way I do about the chore department!!! I often just wish I could blink and it would all be done, and then I could get on with what I really wanted to get on with!

      Oh I LOVE Katie Daisy. Her artwork is beautiful and amazing. She has such a way with her colours.

      Wishing you the most wonderful summer also Helen. Take care xxxxx

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  6. Thank you: a beautiful reminder that seasons of craftlessness happen to everyone, and that life is beautiful.

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  7. Always lovely to see a new post from you. Creativity ebbs and flows and isn't always on tap just because we need it to be. I always think it must be difficult to earn a living in creative fields for that reason - we need to release creative energy but allow it to build up again before it can flow freely and not feel forced. The demands of a consumer world must be great.

    Anyway, that is not me! As a hobbyist I can float airily around until it suits me. Besides my biggest hobby seems to be looking at all the pretty things other people make and telling my self that I should do some making of my own (one day!). That said I have been quite busy for me this year, just little things; mostly crochet.

    I always love to see you back with a new post, I love your writing as well as the lovely pictures. Time does pass quickly doesn't it? Thanks for sharing this lovely post with us. I will always appreciate new posts from you, and look forward to them. Hope you have a great summer, with lots of happy in it.
    Best wishes
    Sara

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    1. Awe thank you Sara for your sweet words. I have actually REALLY missed just writing my thoughts down in this little space. I guess it's a bit like the ebb and flow of creativity.....I felt after a long time blogging, that my voice had just disappeared. Life began to change as the Bear's grew older and it had an impact on my little world here. I guess I've moved on a bit yet again. The time is here when I can devote time once more to writing my thoughts down and recording my days. Thank you for visiting my space here. I always feel really humbled that anyone finds it interesting enough to read let alone comment(!) so thank you, and have a gorgeous Summer! xxx

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  8. Every word is spot on. What is it with time nowadays? How on earth did I once have time to blog multiple times a week? And at the same time I miss it so much and can get so sentimental about those lovely blog days. It was a good time back then. Things have changed and I think technology has made the days pass faster... I wish I could get back into blogging. Find my way back to my words. And if no one reads, may so be it. (I haven't blogged since March and no one seem to have noticed... that's just how it is nowadays sadly...). At least I will have a book full of notes for my kids to read one day. A book to show what a great life we had and how it was oh so precious with all the good, bad and the ugly in a delightful mix. Things that normally would get forgotten would be forever in print even when memory start to fail.

    The chores are piling up more than usual. I have this strong STRONG need to de-clutter and throw things out. Could it be that I've, just like you, reached a new cross road in life. Or more like a round about that I keep on just driving around in without knowing which exit to take next... I just know that the thought of down sizing and clearing out some space would be great. If the laundry pile could just for once shrink a little bit... If the dust bunnies could give me a bit of a break... If I just could stop feeling consumed by chores and home duties and find more time for joyful things.

    The crochet hook is lost. Might be stuck somewhere between the cushions on the sofa. I'm not bothered. I have no urge to dig it out. I'm thinking I should start something for the vacation... but I just can't come up with any ideas of what I would like to make. My husbands nephew is expecting a boy after the summer.. Maybe yet another baby blanket? Maybe. But what stitch? What color theme? Bulky or lean? I don't even know if I have the energy to choose. I feel lost.

    Yesterday I cried because my little one went on school camp for the night and I felt so incredibly lonely. Husband is on a travel trip. Big girl and middle boy spend 90% of there time in their rooms. I'm lucky if I see them around the dinner table for 15 minutes a day. And I thought to myself "How on earth will I manage to let them all go?" It breaks my heart. But, just like you, I might get a dog and life kind of goes on, right? This phase is really putting me to the test...

    Anyway, lovely to see you in Blogland today. LOVE the Bella Wrap and would love to make something similar for myself. Looks like the perfect garment to wear on a chilly autumn evening. To throw on when taking that dog for a walk after dinner. But I can't knit... I can not be bothered to try to figure out how to crochet one... Or maybe I should?

    Happy summer Vanessa. Hope you'll have a lovely one with sun, blue skies, rain and beautiful smell if roses. All the good, bad and the ugly in a balanced mix. That is life. We get older. And as we age we become wiser. More accepting and I realize that this is life. It won't get much better or much worse. It is what it is and it is bloody good. I'm content. And frustrated. At the same time. Totally normal, right? Just the way it should be.

    Lots of love
    Annette

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  9. Oh Annette, I think it's just life isn't it........it's changing so much. We are both at a different stage now in our lives. Our kids are growing up and needing us in different ways. We are beginning the process of preparing them to think about flying the nest, to become independent human beings. It's quite heartbreaking isn't it!!!!!!!

    I think many people are getting a bit sick of Instagram. It's copious adverts now, favourite feeds selling out to '#gifted' and annoying algorithms......but I don't think blogging will make its comeback. Vlogging seems to be the next thing in the crafting world. Which is lovely in a way. I enjoy watching them.........but it's not something I could see myself doing. Blogging was always something great for me to communicate through my shyness barrier.

    So I just now think I'll write and post on my blog for me......my future me to look back on.......and if anyone is interested enough to want to read it too, then that's fine also!

    Oh you should try a Bella Wrap. It's good for a novice knitter. As long as you can knit and purl, then you can make one! It's the kind of thing to wear which I think you would love too!

    Well my lovely, I hope that you also have a beautiful summer full of fun, laughter and all things good.

    Take care Annette, much love xxxxx

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  10. So lovely to find you posting again. I hope summer is treating you well. Love the wraps! I find myself making multiples of certain things over and over again too and, hard to find the space for all the things I want to make. Space runs out before our need to create sadly. I combat that with making them into gifts, that way I don't have to store them all. lol

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  11. Hi Angela,

    I'm so glad I'm not the only one to make multiples of something! I have made a pile of blankets that are to be donated to charity so I can create more space for myself. I still find it hard to part with my makes, especially the big blankets that hold many memories whilst making. I look at it though that it's giving me space to create and make more memories!!!!! Have a beautiful Summer! xxxxx

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  12. Your knitted work is so beautiful!! Sadly I can only crochet. Makes me happy to see a photo with lots of yarns! Gorgeous!! Looks like a fun book! I am working on a blanket inspired by your granny squares, thanks for the inspiration!

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  13. I just popped onto the computer to do a yarn order and you popped into my head.So pleased to see a blog post, made my heart do a skippity skip!Love your gorgeous wraps. You always pick the most perfect colours!I often look at your lovely Pinterest ideas when I need a bit of inspiration!Time does seem to speed up as we get older, all the more reason to make the most of it.I look forward to reading your next seasons ponderings. Hope you have a truly wonderful summer xxx

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    1. Hi Rachel,

      How are you?! Yes, I seem to want to post a bit more these days. Maybe my family are sick of me talking to them too much! ha ha! Oooooooh I do love Pinterest. It's still my daily place for inspiration!

      I hope you are well. Have the most beautiful Summer! xxxxxxx

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  14. I was thinking about your blog and just popped over to have a look in case there was a post. Oh what a lovely surprise. I enjoy reading your posts, thank you so much for sharing. xx

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    1. Hello Jan,

      Thank you for your comments. I'm glad you enjoy reading my blog! Have a super day! x

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  15. BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS AND LEVELY VESTS, I REALLY LIKE THE COLOUR OF THE WOOL

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  16. Hi, My name's Fe from India. love the pics, the flowers and all of your projects and of course the yarns.:-) Been following you for sometime now, and just thought of reading on what's new with your blog.

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  17. Прекрасные работы и отличные фотографии! У вас очень уютно!

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  18. Loving “ our” favorite colors too. Very happy to have you here in blog land. Looking forward to your New Year post. Maybe Christmas? Thank you for sharing your lovely pictures.

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  19. I like pictures. Colors very beautiful

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  20. Hi,love your blog,projects,flowers and pics of cutlery 😊 I found lots of similarities in both of us,like I don’t plan anything ,just jump to start the project and beautiful patterns are stuck in my mind,they actually haunt me,force me start making!
    I love your crochet blankets,have yarn enough to start immediately 😊 I too want to make big ones.Can you please tell me the size you made (for family to snuggle in)and the approximate yarn used! Thanks for help.

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