Tutorial tuesday- How to get your mojo back

Hi

I haven't been around here much. I am sorry. But, when the mojo is gone, it is gone and that is something I have really been struggling with these last few days. I had got to a point where i couldn't really see what to blog or where to go with this.

So. I sat down. I wrote. I wrote a list of things I like when I see other blogs..
-humour
-honesty
-tutorials
-beautiful photos
-real life

I then wrote out a list of ways I could achieve that.
Putting the two together wasn't the hard part. The hard part was finding the missing ingridient...STRUCTURE.

I admire bloggers who can post several times a week. With working I thought this just couldn't happen. Then I thought about the many women out there with children, a house, a husband and work. They blog nearly every day. Why couldn't I?

What I was missing was a clear guidline to follow, a structure so I knew when and what to post. I sat down, thought and wrote one out.

So. In the coming months that is just what will happen. Each week (God willing) There will be a core number of posts around things I love, things in the above list that I like to see in other blogs. There will of course be the random post thrown in here and there-can't let things get boring can we!

This starts today with Tutorial Tuesday. This is my tutorial. How (according to Abi) to get your blogging mojo back!)

Thanks for stopping by (the picture has no relevance. I just love it!)

loves xxx

(These are just my thoughts, not a difinitive answer just my way of solving a problem. Please tell me if this inspries you in any way! Love to share the love.)

Several little projects.

Hello

The issue of being busy and away from home is that I have little time and little equipment to make what I want. Some would see this as a disadvantage but as part of my "glorious 2012" I am seeing this as a blessing in disguise.

I have been forced to research and look into crafts that I can do with very little equipment or resources and that can be picked up and taken around.

Pinterest has as usual come to my aid so I thought I would share several sunday projects that I might try and tackle in the near future...

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So, quite a few to be going along with I think! If anyone has any more simple sewing or crafting tutorials I would be so grateful. My hands have to be kept busy!

Thanks for stopping by after an inexcusiable blog break on my part!

Loves xxx

On blogging

I love blogging, don't get me wrong, I love being able to share with creative like minded people. I love sharing photos and stories.

But. I don't enjoy the guilt at not posting (although this is irrational). I don't enjoy the viscous cycle of looking at pageviews and  numbers of comments and readership.

So, as part of my Glorious 2012 mantra, I am going to put aside those things I don't like. yep, this post has no photo, yep it isn't greatly planned, yes, it is a combination of things on my heart. But once in a while I need this. I need the outlet a blog is, I need it as my journal and my stream of conciousness.

So today..

I am writing this post in a room surrounded my children, with noise on all sides.

I am exhausted from the first week of term but exhilerated with seeing the children again and getting back into working.

I am loving documenting the best thing in each day.

In any spare minutes I have I am gaining inspiration from all those beautiful blogs out there.

I cannot get enough of talking to the boy.

It feels weird to be a thrid of the way through my time as a gap student.

I am planning some big blogging/craft/ inspiration goodnes for the coming months- if time allows!

As I write I am planning my next post which will I assure you contain photos and a better structure.

For now though I am happy to leave you with me. With no frills, no pictures, just the bare bones of what is on my heart.

I think I will leave with this for now though. thanks for taking the time to listen to a ramble! What are your views on blogging?

Glorious 2012

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Hi

So, as you may have seen the blog has had a bit of a makeover. I wanted to make it simpler, cleaner and more grown up-maybe! I have also made a facebook page so please do check that out if you have the time! I would love your opinions on any of it!

Back to the title of the post. The beginning of a new year always makes me feel odd, like I need a bit more get up and go. I knew I needed a project but didn't know where to start or what to do.

Inspiration came in two forms and I want to put this out now..the web is an awesome place for inspiration! The first came from Elise on her blog where she picks a word for the year. The second came from Ashleys "best of my days" project.

In short, I decided to choose a word that would sum up my year.

Glorious

(Bev will love this!) Glorious, is how I want 2012 to look. I've come to realise that I have a- what I believe-is a God given talent for creativity. I have the ability to make my space, my life look glorious through what I can create and photograph.

Naturally after deciding my word I needed to start brainstorming it. Enter Pinterest.
Man, I love this tool! These are a few of my favourites that sum up my mantra for the year.

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The project I needed was inspired from Ashley's idea of writing down the best part of each day. So simple yet genius. This is Glory in action!

I wanted to make something pretty that could contain my best moments but also be practical. Thus, I cut up kraft paper, got out the sewing machine and made twelve little envelopes. I then decorated each with the month and pretty paper and filled with some lined card.

I hole punched the top of each and the tops of pretty prints I found on the web. I then joined the whole thing together with twine. Each month I can take off the appropriate envelope and it can very easily be carried around and written in. On the back of each envelope I have also written a small goal for that month- cannot wait to look back at these in a years time!

This is where I am at the moment, trying to find the glorious things of 2012. The blog redesign is part of that. It needed a facelift and what better time to do it!

Do you have a resoution or goal or word for 2012?

Thanks for stopping by

xxx

Jelly roll floor pillow

A while back I found this tutorial from the lovely Laura.

I immediatly had to have a go at making it but time was short, funds were low and it was a bit of a non starter. I put a moda jelly roll of fabrics on my list to santa and low and behold guess what was in my stocking!

This has to have been one of the most rewarding and easy tutorials I have found. For those not in the know, a jelly roll is a roll of eighty fabrics cut into 22" strips. They come in sets so the colours coordinate.

The tutorial is very self explanatory but I want to go over some points- just things that helped me-in case you are thinking of making one!

Firstly, the top piece looks hard. It isn't. If anything it is so simple it is boring. The cut, pin, sew iron thing became a bit waring after the 60th piece! The tutorial suggests just adding piece after piece to make the circle. I did mine in 10 piece segements, then ironed the segment then started another. it broke it up a bit and made sure that my segments all met in the middle.

To keep costs down I bought a double sheet from Ikea and two single duvets. This came to just over £10-amazing! The sheet was used for the backing and I undid the duvets and used the stuffing to fill the pillow. You definitley need two duvets, three at a push!

On the tutorial, the author uses a beautiful patchwork piece for the back. Trust me after so much piecing for the front I used one piece of material and it was a blessed relief.

I have never done piping before, but it was very easy, don't let it put you off. The middle of the pillow is pulled together with a fabric covered button and really does look good.

The bottom line is-this pillow is HUGE! It is around 44" across. It is amazing to put at the back of your bed to lean on when reading or to throw on the floor as an extra seat. You can stuff it with anything too. Beanbag filler, proper stuffing, duvet etc etc!

It really is an impressive sight. the middle brother even deemed it "proffesional". High praise indeed!

And you know what the best thing is? Little mistakes get swallowed up into its hugeness so they aren't noticed. Win, win I say!

Have you created anything exciting over the holidays?

xxx

Hello 2012

Happy New Year. 

I don't do resolutions but I do do goals. I also do goals from the heart so that is why I am linking up with Stephanie for her blogging from the heart series. 

In 2012...

I want to laugh a lot. 

This is the one year really I am totally unburdened with work. Yes, I have to literally go to work but holiday is free, family time is free. I want to relax and laugh and chill with the ones I love. 

I will make more.

Scrapbooking I have to admit has taken a back burner. That is cool until I find my mojo again. In the meantime I want to create, I want to be further inspired by blog friends and pins. On the note of pinterest, I want to pin and create, not just pin and look at later. 

I want to truly engage and build on my relationship with the boy. 

I have this theory that if we nurture this year, if we set up such a good foundation of when we can talk to each other when we can see each other, next year when we are both at uni will be so so much easier. 

I need to focus on the people who matter. 

Finishing school has brought a huge complication in who I spend time keeping in touch with. I want to make the effort this year in contacting and sharing with those who really do matter and not stressing over those who really don't. 

I want to continue learning. 

Before I head to uni in september I want to have done lots of reading, I want to have really filled my brain and absorbed myself in history so I am ready to tackle academic study again. 

I want to take more photos. 

Doing my year in photos this year was, I have to admit, harder. I had taken less pictures, less moments. I had missed opportunities. This will change. 

I will grow in my relationship with God. 

I want to read my Bible more, pray more. I want to find a real time in my day to do this as well. 

These are my new year goals. What are yours? 

Thanks for stopping by xxxx