day 3...and more reasons to be cheerful

...even on a grey day this corner of the lounge is lit up with sunshine...the irresistible cheerful colour of the daffodils...brought with love and friendship...spills out into the room and lifts the mood of anyone entering..and there's that particular freshness of the smell of daffodils...like nothing else... you just feel that spring IS coming

 

 

 

and on the wall in pride of place... a simple beautiful basket...made by my very talented husband of patience...he has a new love in his life...willow...smitten after a weekend course taught by the amazing Phil...and now loving nothing better than heading to his toolshed with a bundle of damp willow, a set of special tools and Radio 4...

 

and in amongst a pot of tiny daffodils grown tall on the window cill...thanks Lorri!...a stray hyacinth with exquisite crisp white petals and a heavenly aroma...and such green leaves marrying with the green of a tree...so lovely to see sharp bright green after a winter of browns and greys

 

and don't you just love these two delightful handmade cards...thank you my dear friends Helen and Jaqueline...what is it about buttons that is soo attractive?...they are so delicious and small and tactile and simple and versatile... best kept in good numbers for company so they don't get lonesome...in clear glass jars or funny old button boxes....to be looked at and gloated over ...and spilled out for tactile counting and delightful fingering and choosing...and sometimes they even get used to add that 'certain something' to a making or stitching project...makes your fingers itch just thinking about them...and wish to get creative...

...a treasure of a corner full of love and nature and handmade and creativity and hope...hope you like it too...xx

reasons to be cheerful...day 2

a cosy corner...World of Sofa...is that Mollie Makes we spy?? yum-my!

 

 

 

memories...memories.. trusty lounge sofa = sofa + bed...sat on and loved every day... place of repose for anyone not well...bought after daughter mine was born so wonderful grandparents could 'sleepover' whenever they came up on many a trip from London to see a wee baby girl...and still they come 14 years on...cushion in front I just love the fabric...cushion behind was an old pillow rescued and re-loved...with a patchwork of happy fabrics including some of MY Granny's...I love the simple cotton Ikea throw which despite being cream in colour...cat prints and crumbs ...even chocolate... just wash out so easily and it's lovely and light and bright...

...and just behind comfy sofa is a quiet cupboard filled with so many happy thoughts and memories stored in it along with all the toys and marbles and dressing up jewellery boxes and jigsaws and...so much more...just an old tatty cupboard bought for a song at the auction...and revitalised with trusty tongue and groove wood by husband of patience...painted by moi in a 'distressed' fashion so any knocks or blemishes just add to it's beauty....at least that was the theory...and 'dressed' with a beautiful cosy heart of love and loveliness from a dear friend...ahem, Rowa you know who...I do think if a piece of furniture is well chosen and simply painted it will be comfortable to live with down the years and so it is with this funny old cupboard which I love for it's tranquility and calm presence...hope you like it too...

  

 have a peaceful day out there...live simply and simply live! look forward to sharing more with you tomorrow...

reasons to be cheerful...day 1

whilst I am experiencing the relaxing joys and challenges (!) of 'World of Sofa'...whilst resting my 'healing and getting much better' arm on a lovely cushion...whilst making and sewing and stitching and creating and all manner of art and craftyness are but a dream for the time being...I feel it is time to count some blessings...grey skies and chilly winds not withstanding...to do some 'house loving' by proxy...without a dyson or duster in any hand... as I look around hearth and home...I will seek to see past the dusty places...past the piling up piles...past the splodgy windows needing a good clean as the occasionally sunshiney light filters in...  to focus on the beautiful and positive ...on the simple but heartwarming...so please...come with me on my journey around my house and as my favourite children's book PEEPO says...what do we see?

a favourite spotty jug...don't you just love spots? and a delicious strawberry bowl ...and a little pot of sunny daffodils just emerging...brought in from the cold so we can enjoy their daily delightful flowering...

and there is more loveliness to come...please join me again tomorrow...for another reason to be cheerful* ...from the home front!


*with grateful thanks to Ian Drury

everything and everyday is an opportunity...

 

to make the best of any situation...to find the positive aspects even if it all seems too too challenging...how grateful I am for friends and family and simple things...time for a small confession...I am typing this verrry slowly with my left hand as 4 weeks ago I fell over whilst putting the ducks to bed...having tiptoed so carefully through slippery mud...I avoided the mud on our path to the veggie patch...tripped, flew, landed and thought *%$£+@?!!...so I  am now recovering very well indeed ....from a sadly broken wrist...so sorry my beautiful wrist...and I knew a huge change had taken place in my life...

and out of adversity...has come the most wonderful and amazing and lovely things...

starring husband of even greater patience and daughter mine who have supported and loved me through it all...

friends who have brought such love... and soup and flowers and lovely get well cards

the sheer pleasure of being able to take a bath (after that first week in the same clothes...)
taking delight in being able to make myself a cup of tea...
resting and meditating and thinking and ...or doing nothing but look at the trees out of the window
being able to get myself dressed...or do anything at all...albeit slowly
daytime TV viewing,,,so naughty but very nice
knowing that all is healing well and that this is only temporary
 

the Woolfest letter saying I have a stall that arrived just at the right time to inspire me...so that after much thought...I have given up the 3 day a week day job even tho' I loved it suddenly it wasn't the thing to be doing... time to be bold...to take the risk..to be self employed as an artist, maker and workshop provider...to share and do what I love to do...

taking inspiration from Beth Nicholls do what you love for life...

I believe the world would be a better place if more people were doing what they loved
Because life is more interesting when we open our hearts and minds.
Because we are happier when we discover our passion.
Because magic happens when we follow our dreams.

and inspired by flossie teacakes' wonderful blog...leap and the net will appear

Hope is an orientation of the spirit, an orientation of the heart.

Hope is not the conviction that something will turn out well,

but the certainty that something makes sense regardless of how it turns out. Vaclav Havel

can't do any making...but I can manage a little one-handed playing in my studio...enjoying fabrics and books...and taking photos with real ingenuity!

so I have been focussing on things which give me pleasure and make me smile...and that includes the lovely inspiration of all the crafty blogs out there...believe me when you are suddenly in a small (and cosy) world of home with no way to go out into the world... it is truly a joy that the world can come to me... in colour and loveliness! and that I can keep in communication with the world and especially friends near and far

 

 

 

practising being rather than doing 

always hopeful that 'only good lies before me' ...(Louise Hay - You Can Live an Exceptional Life)

homemade cake by wonderful daughter...and guess I won't be making the pancakes this year..