All that was 2025........

 

Time.  

I need more of it. 

Don't we all?

I went into 2025 with a sense of trepidation. 

It went better than expected if I'm honest, but a couple of weeks before Christmas, we lost a seasoned family member. Always quite a devastating thing to have to come to terms with.

December was stressful from the start (for very mundane reasons), and I was working all hours. I didn't feel Christmassy at all. If you are a seasoned reader here, you'll know that I have this love/hate relationship with the Christmas period. I always want to indulge in crafting, cooking, and just enjoying the magic of the festive season. The reality is stress. Pure and continuous stress. No time. Not being able to do what I want to do. Getting in such a grump over it. Getting even more grumpy with the fact that I am getting grumpy about it. The Christmas season is pretty much always a frustratingly awful disappointment.....that I totally bring upon myself. I just can't seem to break the cycle.

I had planned so much early on, and wanted to really go to town in December, but it all seemed to just fizzle before it even got going.

The house felt overloaded and I decided a tree would add to that hemmed in feeling, so we forwent a tree. My most favourite thing of the season......getting up stupidly early to sit in silence with a hot drink in front of twinkly glowing lights. I missed it dreadfully. Having no tree meant I didn't have to get in the loft to get the decorations down, so, consequently NO decorations came down at all. Nothing to adorn any parts of the house. I just had a few paper snowflakes from Sostrene Grene up that I had purchased in November, and that was it. I felt fine about it, and the Bears didn't complain..........until Christmas Eve.

Middle Bear left for work singing ' It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...' to which he then added in a fairly flat tone 'except it's not because no one has made an effort in the house'

Geez, the guilt! So......as soon as he left and the house was Bear free, we raided the loft and got down all the tree lights and strung them all over the house. It looked like some big grotto, but the smile on their faces when they arrived home on Christmas Eve was worth it all. Note to self, not to make that mistake again.  No matter how old the Bears are, they still love the magic.

I have to admit, that I don't think I can take the lights down just yet. The twinkly lights on the dark days really make me smile.

What was absolutely wonderful in 2025, was that my crafting mojo came back. Something I had been lacking for quite a few years now. It just seemed to come back all at once. Suddenly, the light turned on, and I was flooded with the desire to create everything. 

There does not seem to be enough time in the week to cater for work, household maintenance and crafting wanties, but I'm trying really hard to pack in as much as I can whilst this creative desire is overflowing.

Socks and scarves have really been my creative main stay. Actually, for the last few months, it has been scarf making. The Sophie Scarf by Petite Knits to be precise. I just adore them. The little neck scarflets and the big shawl scarves. I have wanted them in a whole range of colours. Absolutely ridiculous thing for me to make, as I have way too many scarves to begin with to need any more. But, when that itch itches, it most certainly needs to be scratched. There has been the odd bit of watercolour painting (I'm terrible, but I enjoy it), the odd bit of saltdough making, the odd bit of egg and pumpking painting, and the odd bit of foil crafting. 

I still need to master my sewing machine. I am desperate to make some basic clothes for myself. My sewing machine is a bit like my knitting needles. Both have scared me for so many years. I took the plunge with the needles after some wise words from a friend. I mean, I'm still a scaredy cat pants knitter, but my confidence is growing slowly. I'm guessing if I just take the plunge and try to become friends with my sewing machine, the same can happen with that too.  I need to find the time. It's just such an elusive thing.

❤

My garden in 2025 was pretty pleasing. I actually tried for a change. Well, I have tried before, but got so disheartened when it all failed me. Spending money on plants for them to just wither and die....or the sun kill them.....or disease get them.......or bugs devour them. I just find it so frustrating, and I don't seem to have the patience to work out what I'm doing wrong. I did plant a heck of a lot of spring bulbs last autumn. They made a spectacular show in my weeny garden and it seemed to encourage me to try again this autumn for 2026. I have been pretty rubbish. Very late with my planting. Who knows what will pop up. I'm guessing anything will be a nice surprise!

I am always in awe of these ladies that can just produce amazing gardens. It doesn't matter whether they have big or small gardens, they just seem to know what to do. I appreciate that they have TOTALLY put in the effort that I surely haven't and that's why their gardens look fab. I think I just want to 'blink' and it all look amazing. 

Heading into 2026, I have a word. I don't like making resolutions. You always feel such pressure......then usually feel such a failure.

I usually have a word I like to take into the New Year to keep falling back on and motivate me for whatever reason.

My word I'm tentatively taking with me into 2026 is

ACHIEVE

It's probably the most productive word I've ever decided upon.  I just want to achieve things in 2026. Thinking back on 2025, the word that just circled in my head was 'stagnant'. That's how I felt I was this past year. I had a few health issues which just seemed to stop me from achieving anything.  Time is passing at such an alarming rate, and I have reached an age where I now need to not let it pass me by. It's such a precious commodity and I need to get the most out of it.

I did wonder if the word 'achieve' was a bit too much,  but I thought it can be as big or as small as I want it to be. 

No pressure. 

So there we go. 

❤

I got a new lens for my camera. I stopped using my camera a while ago. Big Bear, who I love dearly, I also get irritated with. He loves cameras. He takes lovely photos, has a million cameras, but always seems to love fiddling with mine. I go to use it.....the battery is dead.......the lens is swapped......the card is full......the settings have all been changed.....it's not in the case........the battery pack is missing......my favourite lens has suddenly broken. He asks me....'mum, why don't you ever use your camera now?'

ERRRRRRRRRRR!

I do hope to start taking pics again in my favourite way. Big Bear has been given VERY strict instructions to keep his mitts off it. I won't hold my breath though. Watch this space.

I hope to fill 2026 with craft, and feelings of achievment. 

It would be nice too, if I could make a few more little entries into this little corner of the web of mine. I do miss not writing more regularly. Just recording snippets at a more frequent rate. Even if nobody visits this little space of mine, it's a lovely little reminder to myself of a life lived.

❤

just a few little snippets of pretty places in 2025

Wishing you all a very happy and healthy New Year

Cheerio

xxx