I planted some successful and some unsuccessful veg in the garden - spinach and butternuts failed but had crops of runner beans right up until last week.
The running went great - I did the race for life and then staggered through the great south run. Since then I have to confess I have not stepped outside for a run but I have joined a gym and have been going along and enjoying exercising in the less freezing temperatures - combined with a warm pool and working hairdryers makes me very happy. I do like to be warm!
The crafting has been wonderful - I have been stitching with quite some dedication and managed to gather a whole table full of stock to take along to the craft fair yesterday.
Financially the craft fair was not a success for me to be honest - I sold a few pieces but not lots so returned home with nearly all my bits and pieces. So what has been good?
- Since sharing more of what I sew I have been in contact with a variety of crafty types and upcyclers from all over the world via various social media sites. I've learnt from them, marveled at their achievements, shared some of their struggles and loved looking at all their gorgeous crafts.
- I've made sewing a part of my life in a way that it wasn't before which means I make more things for more friends because they see me sewing things and I love doing this!
- I met fantastic people at the craft fair
- Doing the craft fair has given me time to think about and realize what my USP is - upcycling - and to consider how to make this appealing to others.
- The time I spend in front of my sewing machine is simply wonderful - I sit and think, I sing along to songs, I listen to stories and generally just take time out for me to process and deal with various things going on in my head.
I think in summary it has been wonderful to move through my life in the last few months with a bit more purpose than simply ticking days off of a calendar. By setting goals and working towards them I have used my time more wisely and done more than I had in the previous months. By sharing my goals I feel somehow driven to achieve them by my own desire to do well. By sharing my moments that aren't quite as successful as I would like them to be I feel I am able to hold my head higher - not keep secrets and pretend that everything went exactly as planned but instead embrace the reality of where things are at and get excited about moving forwards with input from others. These things are all on a very small level - after all the goals I set were really just about spare time - but for me the lessons I have learnt have been so very applicable to every part of my life.
So where next? I definitely plan to set myself more goals in the future - I think I will begin with some new years resolutions in January (more on that in a future blog). I definitely plan to keep crafting, exercising and I have to say I have fallen in love with blogging. It is evolving slowly into a type of crafty journal with anything I experience thrown in - but anyone who knows me will verify it never was going to be a hugely focused blog on one single topic as that just isn't how I operate!
So watch this space for a few bits in my etsy shop and some new adventures coming up! Thanks for coming along on my journey - its ace having you on board!
