Tuesday 2 September 2014

I read something on Facebook yesterday, and it inspired me.  After everything that's been going on over the last few months, and how I've allowed myself to be made to feel, this really struck a massive chord with me:

I NO LONGER.


“I no longer have patience for certain things, not because I’ve become arrogant, but simply because I reached a point in my life where I do not want to waste more time with what displeases me or hurts me. I have no patience for cynicism, excessive criticism and demands of any nature. I lost the will to please those who do not like me, to love those who do not love me and to smile at those who do not want to smile at me.

I no longer spend a single minute on those who lie or want to manipulate. I decided not to coexist anymore with pretense, hypocrisy, dishonesty and cheap praise. I do not tolerate selective erudition nor academic arrogance. I do not adjust either to popular gossiping. I hate conflict and comparisons. I believe in a world of opposites and that’s why I avoid people with rigid and inflexible personalities. In friendship I dislike the lack of loyalty and betrayal. I do not get along with those who do not know how to give a compliment or a word of encouragement. Exaggerations bore me and I have difficulty accepting those who do not like animals. And on top of everything I have no patience for anyone who does not deserve my patience.” 



- Meryl Streep


I think I'll have to recite this to myself everyday, as I know I have placed far too much value on what I perceive others think of me.  I've got to be more independent.  If I receive criticism, valid or otherwise, I always take it to heart and far, far too personally.

At times, a 'well-meant' apparently friendly rebuke has had me in tears - once for several months.  The author of those comments had. I'm sure, no intention of causing such suffering on my part.  But the implication I read into her words left me feeling that everyone thought I was a horrible person, and had been talking about me behind my back.

And I'm not.  Honest.

I have my moments, as do we all, where I'm not being the best of myself.  However, I'm human!!  Generally I try so hard to be the best I can be.  Most of the time!

Anyway, have got some orders to fulfil - 2 sets of baby bear items, one in brown and one in pink, and a set of 3 owls.

And there is always the small matter of 5 more days until the kids go back to school!

Night peeps!








Monday 1 September 2014

Another new beginning!

So here at PLNT headquarters, we've had a busy year!

Last September I reluctantly took on the role of Chair of the PTA at my kids school.  I think I did a fairly good job, but hadn't realised the time it would take from the rest of my life.  I'm no super-mum, I am not good at being organised in my family life, and housework and me don't always see eye-to-eye.  However, I was determined to do the best I could do by the school, and for that role, I managed myself pretty well.  We did ok, running successful events and increasing the amount of funds raised.  It was an intense year!

The flip side was my family, and my home life, suffered.  I also discovered that I'm not the strong person I thought I was.  Criticism couched in 'friendly' terms cut me deeply, and left me an emotional wreck for months, paranoid that people didn't like me.  The negative emotions had an impact on my interactions with my husband, and on the kids.  I was short-tempered, snappy, pushy, over-emotional and definitely not a delight to be around.

So, at the end of the school year, I sat down and properly contemplated my future.  When thinking about remaining as Chair, everything felt bleak, and dark.  The thought of NOT being Chair though - well!  Happy days!

And now, after a busy summer of holidays, and entertaining kids, I'm coming back to what I love doing.  Creating!

After sharing pictures of one of my favourite makes, a Baby Bear combo of hat, mittens and booties on a writing blog, I received two orders!  I was ridiculously excited, and it's really fired me up to get going on more!


I've also ordered in new stock - pretty stuff that I'd like in my house (and, at the moment it is!).  
What do you reckon?


Anyway, come the 17th Sept, I will hand over my Chair-ship to a new incumbent, and then I'll be free to concentrate more on what I want to do!

Tuesday 21 January 2014

A special little mouse

Yet another bookmark - inspired by another fabulous author (you know who you are!).

This one will be winging it's way to it's new owner soon


Monday 20 January 2014

Hurrah!  I finished my orange dragon bookmark, and am pretty pleased with the result.  Took me a while to figure out the attachment of the wings - the instructions were quite straightforward but my brain just couldn't wrap itself around them.

What do you think?


Once the ends are all sorted I think this one is on the way to the person who inspired me to try it in the first place.  

I wonder how it'll look in red . . . 

Saturday 18 January 2014


Today I've started on a Dragon Bookmark, in honour of someone who writes fabulous stories about an orange Dragon.  Once I managed to get my head around it, the pattern is fairly easy, so far!  It's been pretty quick to make up (at least to this point!) so will see if I can finish the whole thing today. I have a lot of washing to catch up with, and a mountain of ironing to do, but somehow I feel this should take priority!


If you like the pattern, you can find it here, on Etsy:  https://www.etsy.com/uk/transaction/174946169?ref=fb2_tnx_title

Friday 17 January 2014

I'm back!!

Golly, it's been a bit of a busy year.  I'm terrible at keeping up with these things anyway, but the year of 2013 was obviously awful for my organisational skills!

In a teeny, tiny nutshell, hubby started a new job which proved rather stressful for us all; his mum was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer, which obviously was extremely stressful for everyone; my weight ballooned (as did I), I signed myself up to be Chair of the PTA for my kids school, and I tried to make a bit more money making scarves.  In the last few months of the year, I shook myself up and lost nearly a stone in weight, dropping a dress size in the process; my mother-in-law has beaten the first round of cancer, and the new job for hubby is looking up.

Wow - my potted history of 2013.  There was obviously a lot more, but that's all enough for now.

In amongst everything else recently, I've rediscovered my love of crochet, and quilting.  There is nothing to show for my quilting efforts yet, but I had a bit of fun making some crochet bunting with granny triangles - so easy and quick, and the bright colours are cheering me up in the miserable weather as I look forward to spring.  What do you think:



The twig tree is from a Lilac tree we pruned last spring, that I found whilst rummaging around my garden before Christmas, and on a whim I spray painted it white.  It looked lovely with a few selected Xmas decs on before Christmas, but now my plan is to make loads of flowers and butterflies, and decorate it for the coming spring/summer.  Something the take my mind off the rain.

I've never written a pattern, and I'm sure that anyone with basic knowledge of crochet would be able to make the bunting with no problem, but if you'd like some guidance, let me know and I'll do my best.

Cheers Peeps - lets not leave it so long next time, hey?
xx