Taking Stock...

My Taking Stock list for September (how is it September already?! I don't understand...), thanks as always to lovely Pip at Meet Me At Mike's for the inspiration!

Making : Little hats, millions of pompoms, my 2015 blanket, and shiny new jewellery!
Cooking : Junk food for healing power after two weeks of head-cold-lurgy in the household
Drinking : Tea, both regular English Breakfast, and Mango and Strawberry!
Reading: the Harry Potter books, again.
Wanting: to spend more time in my lovely studio
Looking: at the Plums at the top of our tree, and wondering how we'll get them down...
Playing: mix tapes from my husband, and vinyl from my collection!
Deciding: to finally purchase a Play Purse
Wishing: for days out
Enjoying: the autumn chill in the air
Waiting: to make plum jam
Liking: my new-to-me Dr Marten boots
Wondering: about the world
Loving: the increasingly large bundle of Big Knit Hats in my stall!
Pondering: my future and my new studio
Considering: what my next project will be when the Big Knit is over.
Buying: lots of things for my studio, mostly paint and screws but also pretty frames and huge mugs for tea
Watching: "Agents of SHIELD", "The Simpsons", "Jurassic Park"...
Hoping: I won't burst with excitement before we see Jack Off Jill next month.
Marvelling: at the changing seasons
Cringing: at things that happen
Needing: more hours in the day
Questioning: everything...
Smelling: lovely flowers
Wearing: pretty dresses and skirts, converse, boots...
Following: the progress of the plants in my raised beds
Noticing: the change in the air as Autumn arrives
Knowing: that things will be better soon
Thinking: about having a sofa day with my book and a cat and a big cup of tea
Admiring: lots of patterns for winter woollens
Sorting: through years of accumulated designs, postcards, bits of paper and fabric and knitting, deciding what will live in my studio
Getting: tired easily as I try to fight the last of my cold
Bookmarking: patterns to try and shops to buy from
Coveting: lots of lovely crafty books and pretty yarn
Disliking: the short days and dark evenings
Opening: bags of screws, tubs of paint...
Giggling: at the things that people do.
Feeling: like I need a day out...
Snacking: on cereal. I feel like I'm about eight years old...
Helping: as best I can as always

Taking Stock...June

Making : pompoms, socks and blankets
Cooking : mostly comfort food to help me through this run-down lurgy that I can't seem to shake off
Drinking : lots of tea
Reading: Gary Dexter "All the Materials for a Midnight Feast"
Wanting: a day at the seaside
Looking: at inspiration for a rockery
Playing: Pearl and the Beard, and crying into my tea at the news that they are parting ways.
Deciding: on dates for our Big Knit-Along for Innocent Smoothie and AgeUK
Wishing: for all of the Cath Kidston skirts
Enjoying: the sunshine and lovely long days
Waiting: for a day at the zoo
Liking: crocheting sock yarn squares
Wondering: if we're in for a summer storm
Loving: hearing tales of people carving Russian Dolls on the sides of roads, I have ever so interesting customers.
Pondering:  the purchase of succulents 
Considering: cake...
Buying: pretty summer clothes
Watching: "The Simpsons"
Hoping: to have some time at home this week, adventures are wonderful but I'd like to sit in the garden and read
Marvelling: at my pretty garden and how it changes almost daily
Cringing: at the thought of the 500 Big Knit hats that need pompoms!
Needing: the year to slow down a little, the days pass so fast.
Questioning: humanity after the atrocities in Charleston. My heart breaks.
Smelling: new pretty perfume from Zara, it's called Fruity and it lives up to the name
Wearing: pretty summer dresses and little pumps
Following: the news, and wishing people were kinder to each other
Noticing: that my 2015 blanket is growing!
Knowing: that I keep trying my best
Thinking: that I need to spend more time working in my sketchbook
Admiring: lots of lovely things on instagram
Sorting: out wool ready for the Big Knit this year
Getting: towards the end of a second pair of toe-up socks
Bookmarking: pretty patterns and inspirational blogs
Coveting: Cath Kidston loveliness
Opening: my big bag of sock yarn leftovers
Giggling: at my cats and their funny ways
Feeling: so happy that people like the things that I make 
Snacking: on crumpets

Thanks as always to lovely Pip for this list, she's always a source of inspiration!

Thoughts on Being 30 (and a half)

Today is my half-birthday. I am Thirty-and-a-Half and I've been doing some thinking about the whole "being thirty" thing. Now, I can't say that reaching this particular milestone was terribly bothersome to me - twenty-seven was rather more unsettling and I have no clue in my head as to why that was, but thirty was just fine. But I've been thinking about life, and how things change, and how I've changed over the years and I thought I would share some of my conclusions...

I've decided that I'm messy, and I'm busy, and really I'd rather be crocheting than tidying.

I have fewer friends now than I've ever had, because not so long ago it became apparent that fair-weather friends aren't worth the energy, and so there are less friends, but they are good friends. They are the people that know me best, that I could share anything with, that I would do anything for. I love my friends, they are the best! I make an effort to spend as much time as I can with my family, I love them very much, and after living away for so long I make the most of the time I have with them. My life is sweeter for having my friends and family in it.

I am finally reaching a point where I am happy in my own skin. I like my short hair, and I wear what I want, and I love bright coloured clothes and pretty prints and sweet little shoes, and I love big clunky Dr Marten boots, and some days I love Kawaii cuteness and my little pink basket and everything has to be pink, and other days I love Granny florals and my knitting bag and dainty little teacups. Some days I want to go on adventures, and some days I want to hibernate. And that's just fine. It's taken a long time to get here. 

My life as a full-time crafter is a happy one. I don't earn nearly as much as I did working in retail management, but my goodness, I hated working in retail, and I love what I do now. I make my own schedule, I work harder than ever but I have flexibility and I am so proud of my sweet little shop. I wish I could keep a sketchbook more consistently, and I wish I was a little braver at knitting, but I love my little brightly coloured shop, and all of the quirks of being self-employed. 

I must confess that I don't always find life easy, I still don't feel like a grown up, and sometimes I wonder how other people make life look so easy, and seem so capable, and yet I feel so awkward all the time. Of course, I'm sure to other people I seem utterly confident and capable and they probably feel just as awkward as I do on the inside, but still, some days it's really not easy. I watched a Ted Talk recently about how to "fake it 'till you make it" (I've only just discovered Ted Talks and they're really rather interesting, as usual I'm a bit late to the party...) and it really made sense, to keep coming across as confident until eventually you become it... I'm still waiting for it to happen, but the nice lady assures me it will. 

There are lots of things that make me happy - cats, tea, flowers, art galleries, knitting and crochet, cake, silly tv shows, cardigans, old movies, notebooks, pretty jewellery, buttons, taking photographs, reading lots of books, floral fabric, walking in the countryside, going to see my favourite bands, letters, the Harry Potter Studio Tour, vinyl, the seaside, London, museums, charity shopping, vintage brooches, cassettes, my favourite songs, pretty clothes, vintage toys, visiting new places, my garden, art books, home. All of these things are part of what makes me who I am. 

Patrick Caulfield - "Vases of Flowers" 1962 

If you've made it here, to the end of my rambling then thank you, I'm not sure if any of it means anything or is of any value or consequence to anyone but me, but I wanted to share anyway, if only to get thoughts out of my head. 

Taking Stock

Following in the footsteps of the always delightful Pip at Meet Me at Mikes, I am taking stock using her lovely list

Making : granny squares - a blanket and a cushion cover
Cooking : nice and easy Easter Biscuits
Drinking : Tea. Always tea
Reading: "The Power of Six" by Pittacus Lore and "We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves" by Karen Joy Fowler
Wanting: tea dresses and vintage brooches
Looking: forward to Pizza Night and hanging out with husband
Playing: "We Come from the Same Place" by Allo Darlin'
Deciding: what sort of edge would suit my Autumn-coloured cushion
Wishing: for a trip to see the Julie Arkell exhibition at Ruthin Craft Centre
Enjoying: cups of tea 
Waiting: patiently for a day of vintage/charity shopping and cake with one of my dearies
Liking: Allo Darlin' and Making Marks 
Wondering: if starting another pair of socks would be wrong when I have two pairs waiting to be finished
Loving: my Autumn fireplace bunting
Pondering: ideas for pretty things to make
Considering: a new hair cut and possibly going back to brunette (eek)
Watching: "Sherlock", "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D" and my my current movie of the moment "Splash"
Hoping: for inspiration
Marvelling: at how much I love my new shoes
Needing: a couple of extra hours in the day...
Smelling: not much of anything, still getting rid of a pesky cold
Wearing: my new shoes and newly finished scarf constantly, and my glasses today
Following: lots of lovely new blogs, but always looking for more!
Noticing: that the weather has suddenly changed from Autumn to Winter
Knowing: that the world is a bit of a scary place, but trying to make my little bit of it nice and cosy
Thinking: that I would rather like to have a go at Nale Binding, and arranging a cuppa with someone who can show me how!
Admiring: Sidmouth_Poppy and bodkincreates on instagram
Sorting: the homestead ready for festive cheer
Buying: lots of woolly tights for winter
Getting: a little bit excited for my birthday and the shenanigan plotting that is happening!
Bookmarking: lots of pretty gifty stuff for my favourite folks!
Disliking: the amount of things to do before I'm ready for Christmas
Opening: my eyes and being inspired
Giggling: at my grown up cats playing like kittens
Feeling: a little bit tired after a night in my dancing shoes (my regular shoes just not doing the regular walking)
Snacking: on Rhubarb and Custard sweeties
Coveting: Cath Kidston frocks for my birthday
Helping: lots of people starting off on their crochet adventures
Hearing: some chatter about Christmas, I think the excitement is starting