Breathing New Life

I am attempting to launch myself back on the "blogging" bandwagon. It had been too long.

Although up cycling furniture and breathing new life into it is one thing that I LOVE. I love all arts and crafts, sewing, knitting, painting and cooking... I'd like to add music to that list but apart from being able to keep key when I sing, all that talent went to my cousins. I was looking through the blogs that I love (check out my Fave's list) and I realised that they all have a theme or purpose. Something that mine doesn't seem to have (at the moment). I created this blog to share all thing about my home. Whether it be the upcycling of furniture I decorate with. The artwork on the wall. The cloth that I put on the table. The cleaning routine in my home. My cooking. The sewing that I do. My blog's purpose is to provide "inspiration" and the "yes, you can" not "no, you can't". ALL of us have talent and skills, its about practising and harnessing those skills. Its about taking a chance.

Life is beautiful. We have been given an amazing opportunity in life and we should take it. You know that feel good feeling you get when you walk away from watching a movie and it just has that effect. Everyday should be like that. For me creating things and sharing them with others gives me that feeling. For some people it might be the silence and wind hitting your face on your morning jog. For others it is the rush of cold water as they go for a surf. For some it might be that 15mins in the morning that you can sit in peace and quiet while you drink your coffee. Regardless it is that good feeling that we should be carrying through our day.

I mean I don't know about you, but it is easy to get caught in the drama and the negative of things in life. I think that it is harder to decide that, that isn't the way we should be (don't get me wrong I understand life happens) but all day everyday and you become all that you are feeling. You make others feel the same way. You teach your children to be the same when they are older. I am not perfect but I am trying to find a way to have that feeling more often.

I have two little girls under 3. Both very spirited children. Both with very strong personalities. When they are tired. Or have lost the plot... Well lets just say you and everyone within a 100km radius know about it. 99% of the time they are good and happy little girls, but I cannot tell you how easy it is to be caught in the negative, to latch on to the bad behaviours and forget that for an entire 40min walk they held onto the pram. That they giggled and talked to the shop assistants. That they said, hello, thank you and "see ya". It is Miss 2.95's birthday in a few days and I made her a play car mat. She came into my sewing room (she got bored trying to sleep) and she said "wow mummy, beautiful". Now she had no idea that this "beautiful" thing was for her, but I had this sudden realisation. This little girl is kind and wonderful and how could I forget that. How could I forget that I am incredibly lucky to have two beautiful healthy little girls? Easy. It's life, right? Wrong?

So. I started by removing myself from Facebook. Admittedly I have thought about getting back on... I havent though... yet. Why you ask? When I signed up all those years ago, I did so because it was the best way of keeping in contact with people who were far away from me, it used to be about noting your adventures. In the last 12 months, my page has become filled with political opinions, slagging off other people, sports or business', making fun of others, whinging about how terrible peoples lives are, garnering sympathy by a woe is me post, hourly updates and advertising... LOTS of advertising, whether through "liking" or "sharing" a page. To be honest I have been on and off Facebook over the years. I found that people would be dragging me into the negative headspace. Don't get me wrong... Everyone is entitled to feel how they feel and that is fine but I don't want to hear it anymore. Why should I? I thought about removing people as friends, but I could see a few of them creating a right stinker. So... off we go. I didn't tell anyone that was what I was going to do but the funny thing is... Noone has noticed. I haven't had a text message to ask how I am. Those that I spoke to via text I still hear from.

Once I did that I began setting up a clear routine for myself and the girls. I have found that they thrive on routine and to be honest I do to. Having a clean house everyday is nice. I had signed up to a website called The Organised Housewife years ago and subscribed. I received daily emails, giving me task etc for the day. It is amazing the things you DON'T think to do that really if you did would make life so much easier. I set up a daily cleaning schedule for myself with monthly additions (ie washing windows, wiping door handles, cleaning light switches etc). So far I have stuck to it this month (we ARE only 6 days in) and to have my house clean by 9 every morning is comfort for me. Mind you mopping the huge floor space I have can only be described as a pain in the proverbial.

Then I created an updated calendar of arts and crafts to do with Isabella. We don't really get one on one time so I needed to MAKE time for us. She is a really good little girl but I have found that the bad behaviour is when she wants attention. She loves "paintin" and Mr Maker. Being a school teacher and wanting her arts and crafts to have some purpose I created "themes" ie one week the crafts we do are based around insects another week it might be about the sea. I am considering creating a blog to document this but I am still umming and ahhing about that.

Once I did that, I went and dug up my knitting, wiped down my sewing machines and put down my paint brushes (temporarily of course) and created some new bits and pieces. I found lots of new dress patterns... both for my growing belly and for the girls and a few "other" patterns for games etc and I launched myself into them. It took me 10 minutes to create my trousers (although I still need to do the shirring and hem) and it took me the rest of the day on and off to create the foldable car mat. I sat down last night and felt so proud of myself. I had achieved so much.

It was all about creating that happy feeling. Making my life a little more positive.

What things make you happy?

Keep smiling.

Lauren
xx