Blog Hop With a Difference

There has been a blog hop with a difference happening in creative circles and my lovely friend ,Janelle Wind tagged me. I met Janelle in real life last year after following her through magazines and her blog for about 10 years. One day we will sit down for a proper chat, Janelle.

I have a series of questions to answer and then I tag someone else and that is how this blog hop keeps moving along.

What are you working on right now?  I have a couple of projects on the go - a crochet cardigan for my niece and a pair of fingerless mittens for myself.  Not to forget a quilt I have been trying to finish for a year 😳

How long does it take to create a project?  well, that really depends on my level of interest.  My large sewing projects take awhile, my knitting and crocheting takes anywhere from a day to a week.  Scrapping and Project Life layouts doesn't take long at all as I am trying to just do it and not overthink.

What  are my  favourite things to create with at the moment?  I have to admit that I am in love with yarn at the moment.  I really cannot walk past a yarn store.

How does my creative process work?  I tend to just go with the flow. With scrapping I start with a white background and a photo, then I spend a few minutes putting patterned paper and embellishments with it. With yarn, I seem to buy yarn and then come home and search Ravelry for ideas. At the moment I am discovering knitting and so I can take a whole day to actually get the right pattern and needles sorted.

How do I become inspired and stay inspired?  I spend time checking Instagram, Pinterest and Ravelry almost daily.  I find that if I am making something that others are also making, I can keep the inspiration flowing. Other times, it is just plain hard work.

What is my signature style?  I really don't think I have a signature style.

Now its time for me to tag someone. I really hope you check out the blogs and I hope you have enjoyed a little insight into my creative process.

I tag Jenny from Elefantz.  I have followed Jenny for a few years and love the stories she tells, and her stitchery designs are amazing.  I also have found inspiration from the journey Jenny and her husband are taking both with their health and as empty nesters.

I am still here

Wow, I didn't realise how long it has been since I visited my blog!  I have every intention of changing that.  For now I will just catch you up on the happenings here.

Len - still loving his new job and starting to travel more. Recently spent a weekend in the country helping his brother renovate an old church he and his wife bought.

Megan - spent her Uni break on the Gold Coast with her boyfriend and is now back at Uni.

Andy - decided he wanted to leave school and join the Army. Changed his mind and now wants to finish his education at Tafe.

Me - lots of knitting, crochet, study, reading, cooking and all of the other normal housewife stuff.  I have also been working some casual hours at a child care centre.  My bad days are getting less and I am starting to get excited about life again.

Hope all is well with you,

Deb x

Vivid Sydney 2014

We went to Vivid a couple of years ago and really enjoyed ourselves.  After realising that we were all free on the same night of the long weekend, we decided lets go to Vivid.  As our children are getting older we are very conscious of spending quality time with them and making family outings a priority.

So we left home at about 3 in the afternoon and had a really good run into the city, the trip took just over an hour, and we managed to find a really good parking spot.  Andy wanted to buy a winter jacket so we trudged up to the Queen Victoria Building and he found a jacket in Top Shop.  The rain had stopped so we walked around to the Rocks with the plan of having dinner at Pancakes on the Rocks. Unfortunately, the lines were so long that we kept walking.

I must admit that the crowds were horrendous and Vivid was very underwhelming, but we enjoyed the family time and had lots of laughs.

We decided to head to Leichhardt for dinner, and found a really nice pizza and pasta restaurant that had a lovely atmosphere.

 

 

 What did you get up to this weekend?

Debbie xx

Cushion Sewing

A little while ago, my friend and I named my depression Carmen. No particular reason. I was just drawn to that name.

Anyway, Carmen has been visiting these last few days, which is why I have been quiet. I just needed some time to reflect and regroup. I still don't feel myself but after an afternoon of sewing, I am feeling a bit more centred.

A couple of weeks ago I bought a kit from The Crafty Squirrel to make a cushion from charm squares cut from vintage sheets.  I spent a week trying to put the squares in the perfect order and of course, didn't sew anything. Today I just got out the kit and quickly put the squares in a pleasing order and went for it.

There was a lot of sorting, some sewing, some ironing, learning how to sew buttonholes again, some quilting and finally, putting in a cushion insert.  It was a really clear set of instructions and we all love our new cushion.

 

 

 

Debbie xxx

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Some sewing
 
 
 
 
 
 



 

June's To-Do List

Winter seems to be here at last and tonight we are enjoying an evening in front of the fire. I love my fireplace and how warm it makes the house.  I am curled up on the lounge with my planner and my notebook and I am just enjoying the slowness of a winters night.  I got so much out of posting every day in May that I am going to try and continue the habit.

Today we took Andy to the SMH Careers Market at Moore Park. it was so nice spending time with him and it was interesting the way he approached the market.  No questions and just collecting everything he could. We spent the hour long trip home listening to him read information to us. At the moment he is thinking about doing a gap year with the Army.  I am not sure how I feel about this.

Anyway this month will see me start prac at a pre school for one day a week so I have to be in a much better routine.  I will also need to spend at least one day a week studying.  The problem will be saying no to distractions.

On a personal level, this month I am aiming to -

meditate more
keep the house tidier
exercise more
take more photos

What does your to-do list look like?

Debbie xx

Gratitude

Today marks the end of Sunday's Post Every Day in May challenge and I made it! I did miss a couple of days but I am really happy with what I have achieved. I have some new followers and I have some new blogs to follow and my writing is becoming much easier to me.  For all of this I am grateful to Sunday.


I am grateful for -


my husband
my babies
my fur babies
our life together
our extended family
our friends
our health
that we have a roof over our heads and food on the table





What are you grateful for?


Debbie  xx

Advice

Advice is something we either get when we don't need it or don't get when we do need it.


One piece of advice that I gave my children and their friends is to take every opportunity that comes there way and to live every square inch of their lives, but to be safe whilst doing so.


Interestingly, I haven't really followed this advice myself. 


When I lost my job before Christmas, I was devastated. I allowed my feelings to rule my life again. the common theme was - who would employ me? I have no skills. I am too old.  I fell apart.


Fast forward to March. Len was told he was being made redundant. Did I fall apart again? No. I stayed strong and positive.  I kept saying to him "that wasn't your job anymore, its time to see what opportunity comes along" and guess what? Len had exactly one week off before he started a new and better position.


The alarm bells started going off, if I could remain strong and positive for everyone else, what about me? Didn't I deserve the same? So I started telling myself this was our year and how exciting to face new opportunities that come our way.  I said it so many times that I was almost saying it in my sleep. 


I am happy to say that taking my own advice has worked, I enrolled to study at Tafe and I have organised my own prac work at a pre school and I have had a stall at a craft market.  These are huge things for me as I am an introvert and really have to push myself to talk to strangers. But I did it!  I am so proud of myself for following my own advice.





Debbie xx

Yes!!!!!!

 

In September, Len and I will be celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary and after lots of discussions we have said a great big YES to a 4 day holiday in Melbourne at The Grand Chancellor Hotel! I am so excited that I am already planning my wardrobe.

 

Do you have any special occasions coming up this year?

 

Debbie xx

Post Every Day In May - Day 29 - Family

I love these selfies of us, we really don't have a whole lot of photos of us as a family unit. They also make me think about genetics and how different we all are. Megan is blonde and so pale, whereas Andy has brown hair and darker skin. We all share blue eyes and that's about it, I think.

Debbie xx

Post Every Day in May - Day 28

Last week I decided to make an infinity scarf for myself. Len and I were heading out for the day on Sunday and I wanted to have something new to wear. So off to Spotlight I went and bought some yarn and headed home to find a pattern. I started on Friday night and finished on Saturday night as it was nice and easy. Guess what? Yep it was too warm to wear it. Oh well, next time.

 

Debbie xx

Post Every Day in May - Day 26

I have been on a journey of self discovery this last 18 months or so and one major thing I have discovered about myself is that I start a project full of enthusiasm and struggle to keep that enthusiasm going to the end.

At the start of the year I signed up for Ali Edwards course, One Little Word, and whilst I still have my word in my thoughts every day, I have not kept up with the prompts.

Fat Mum Slim puts up photo prompts every month and I have stopped even reading the prompts because I never get to the end of the month.

When I read about this Post Every Day in May being run by Sunday at Love Happy Daily, I was so enthusiastic, but I am finding it hard to keep the momentum going.

I am happy to know this about myself but I would love to be able to change it. I am not sure if it is indifference, lack of enthusiasm, laziness or what?  Does anyone have any tried and true methods for keeping focused?

Debbie x

A List For The Week

I have a reasonably quiet week coming up, which is lovely as I have a lot of things I want to do here at home.  My to-do list looks something like this -

• Take Andy to physio appointment
• housework
• food shopping
• keep washing up to date
• study every day for 1 hour
• work on One Little Word prompt

I think that is enough and I just might get through it all.  I forgot one thing though - something for me to refresh my batteries.  Maybe a coffee with a friend is on the cards this week.

What does your list look like?



Debbie

Dinner

Well, I really fell off the wagon this week. My anxiety levels have been high and I just did the necessities until it settled again.  So I decided rather than try to catch up I would just start where I am.

Todays prompt is "if you could invite 3 people for dinner, who would they be and why"

This is interesting because I would like to meet Maggie Beer, but imagine the pressure of cooking for someone of her calibre.

As for Oprah or Ellen, would I be able to continue a conversation with these ladies and not feel inferior.

JK Rowling and Diana Gabaldon are two of my most loved authors, would I use words big enough?

If I am truly honest I already share dinner with the 3 people I most love to eat with. We talk, we laugh and we love.

What about you? Do you have a dream dinner guest list?

Debbie x

Post Every day In May - Catch Up - Day 19

Dream Job  is the prompt for today and it wasn't too hard for me to come up with this one.

I have been "working" at my dream job for years.

I love being a parent and whilst there have been times where I thought I was a terrible parent, I can honestly now say otherwise.

Hubby has worked hard, and I worked at whatever I could do in school hours to ensure one of us was home when the kids were. Its been hard financially, but the rewards far outweigh that.

I look at the adults our two are becoming with so much pride.

However, now that they are older I am having to rethink my job.  Which has lead me back to study and hopefully into a new dream job. Caring for other peoples little ones.

Whats your dream job?

Debbie x

Post Every Day in May - Catch Up - Day 18

Today's prompt is to share ten things that make you happy.  I have really been thinking about this and how I tend to think happiness does not come from things but how you are feeling, and then I thought I was over thinking the whole thing. So I have stopped thinking and I am just going to list and hit the button!

My husband  - this year we celebrate 25 years of marriage (31 years of living together) and it makes me happy that we are still together.

My girl - there is a bond between us that I hope never breaks, this girls smile makes me happy.

My boy - this child only has to enter a room to make me happy.

Family.

Lucifer, my cat, curls up with me every night to sleep.

Diesel, our dog, lays his head on my lap when he wants a pat.

After leaving school 33 years ago, I am studying again.

Creating.

Sharing meal times together as a family and always laughing at something our boy does.

Having the time to spend with my family.

Funny, that for all the thinking I did, my list came together quite quickly and its all about the people I love and doing things for me.

I wonder what your list would look like?

Debbie x

Post Every Day In May - Catch Up - Day 16

"Blogging is about sharing the love. Tell us about 5 blogs that you love reading regularly"

Every morning whilst I drink my first cup of tea I can be found reading blogs.  In fact I probably need to cull a few as they no longer resonate with me.

I love reading Lily's posts over at Block A Day, her writing is amusing and full of her adventures as a wife, mum, student and thrifter.

Jenny of Jenny of Elefantz is a beautiful writer who loves to embroider, and look after her family.

I have been a long time reader of the lovely Janelle at Janelle Wind.  I have had the pleasure of meeting Janelle in real life and I really enjoy reading about her stitching and family life.

Tammy from Girls Wear Blue Too is another real life friend. Tammy and I share a few common interests including a love of crochet and I fond her gentle ways remind me to slow down.

And lastly Anna, from One Big Sunshine Spritzer. I have become friends with Anna over the last few years and thoroughly enjoy her outlook on life and I get quite a few chuckles at the antics of her beautiful girls.

What about you? Do you have any favourite blogs you would like to share?

Debbie xx

Post Every Day In May - Catch Up - Day 15

Today's prompt is to share or create a poster, card or piece of artwork with message that inspires you.  This is very hard to narrow down. I am going through some challenges both personally and on the home front and spend time most days reading quotes on Pinterest.

My mantra has become - Let It Go.

As an introvert I can live in head quite easily, so I chant this phrase in my head, when I am getting too anxious.

It seems to work. Maybe a new tattoo idea.

Do you have a phrase or word that helps you through tough times?

Debbie x

Makes Me Laugh

Today is my boys 17th birthday, and I have to admit he makes me laugh all of the time.  Sometimes I laugh when I shouldn't.

When Andy was little he couldn't say "alpaca" instead saying "old pecker". I laughed every single time he said it.

On his 9th birthday, Andy told me he would be having his 18th birthday at a pub and when I asked why, he told me he was going to be a drinker not a gambler.

Every day Andy makes it his mission to make me laugh. He also likes to bring a smile to other peoples faces. Today his friends took him to Tex Mex for his birthday lunch and they all completed the 1kg burrito challenge and their prize was a wrestling face mask.  On the way home, they went through the Macdonalds drive thru for ice cream and yep Andy wore his mask.

I love this about my boy.  Happy birthday Andy!






Deb xx

Photo Walk

Yesterday was the sort of day where I stayed in my pyjamas until lunchtime and ate nothing but rubbish and then felt awful. So, I gave myself a mental kick in the tush, got dressed and headed out for a walk, camera in hand.  There is a lovely garden not far from home that I love so I headed there to look at the changes Autumn has wrought. I love Autumn in the Blue Mountains, so many colours.

Do you have anywhere you like to head for photo walks?

Debbie x

Blog Name

As a family living with depression and anxiety, menopause and 2 teenagers things can get pretty crazy around here and so thats where the name came from.

Debbie x