Moments Moving On

So fast. Time moving so fast. I'm spending my days working between new products for my online store. Card making. Yep. Card making. I've been creating a new printable range of patterns and embellishments and needed to get them all printed up so I can "test" them and get some cards made. Will show photos soon. I've also been helping out with my family as and when I'm needed. Including babysitting my niece and granddaughter.

What else? Oh yeah. More exercise. Losing weight. Yay! Talking and planning our next step re: moving home next year. Buying or renting? Reading. Lots of home and country magazines. Art and design. Crafting. And I've been meeting up with my college friend brainstorming new greeting card designs. So much. All good. Keeping my head above water. Working through issues. Staying positive. Focused. Hopeful. Mustard seed Faith. Faith nonetheless.

Feeling of Spring

I know there's a wee while to go yet before Spring but right now it feels so lovely outside. It smells like Spring is around the corner. Little bulbs are peeking through the earth and the air feels warmer and fresher somehow. I'm inspired. I need to go create pretty spring graphics on my computer.

Happy Sunday!
x

Times Like These

These past few days has been a time for friendship, family and creativity. I met up with one of my college friends and we both realised that every time we meet up we get inspired to create and have the most amazing brainstorming sessions. She's a brilliant "ideas" person and multi-media designer. Our styles are different end of the poles ha! But we seem to compliment each other perfectly. And so we've now decided to meet regularly once a fortnight at a local hotel that has a beautiful lounge with inspiring art on the walls. It's quiet and has a good relaxed but business like atmosphere that just makes it perfect for us. Laptops, pads, pens and pencils in hand, we're going to brainstorm and also look at each other's work as well as encourage and push each other forward.

I'm working on more products for my online store including lots more digital craft packs. Papers and embellishments that can be printed out for scrapbooking and card making. Digital products that are perfect for traditional application. Each day as I work I do wonder if I'm mad. We're in a recession. The world's in a recession. Why on earth would anyone part with their well earned cash to buy my products? And then as I think about it I realise why they do part with their cash. The same reason I do. The same reason I buy craft products. Creativity. Joy. Relaxation. Escapism. Making pretty things. Making things to give away. Making things to preserve memories. It's joy in a moment of world madness.

Steve and I have talked about this often in the past couple of months. Our sales remain the same as they've always been. There's not been any downturn and we've been wondering why. We're grateful and feel incredibly blessed and praying that they remain bouyant!! We think it maybe the fact that most people still have a need to create and even more so in times of stress and upset. Such as the world is right now. It touches us all. You only have to watch the news each day. It's depressing. I know, as I sit at my computer working up a storm, creating, working it helps. My soul feels renewed and refreshed when I create. Just the same if I'm in my craft room painting, sewing or whatever else. It's at the heart of who I am and as such is a positive thing to do. It is escapism but not in a "bury your head in the sand" kinda way. It's a refresh your soul to cope with another day escapism.

And I'm sure I'm not the only one that feels like that. No matter what you do to create. My husband is a 3d digital content designer. His customers use his products to create animations and art. Some are professionals, other are hobbyists. Either way, that's what they love to do. It's no different. It's being inspired and creative. And sometimes even in times like these, we part with our well earned cash to buy that "can't do without at this point in time" product. Something that sparks our imagination or inspires us forward to something ne

I get moments every day when a niggling feeling of fear, doubt and worry try in invade my being. (And sometimes they succeed!!) I know it's because of the unsure world we live in. It's because my family are suffering with serious illness. These are the moments that I work extra hard to guard my heart and delve deeper into my work. My creativity. To be able to express myself through my work is a joy. Truly I'm blessed in that. And I know in times like these it's saved me more than once or twice.

Today we're going out for the day. Just to drive through the Kent countryside. We're also going to visit our little granddaughter and have a nice pub lunch somewhere. Time out. Time out to get refreshed together. It's a different kind of need for refreshing and has the same result. We come back home excited and fired up about work and each other!!

Where's It Gone?

Another week has disappeared. I don't know where it's gone. I do know that I've not stopped for more than 5 mins. I've worked very hard on my digital scrapbooking store, creating new products and generally doing behind the scenes admin. Oh and I've spent some precious time with my granddaughter, my kids, my sister and parents. What else? Oh yes, my man. Time with my Steve. Much needed time. Even though it's stolen moments, it's time well spent. So all in all a crazy week. And another one coming up.

Photo art (digital scrapbook page) created using a new kit that I've just finished putting together!

I'm happy. In spite of so much emotional wreckage that I'm still dealing with, I'm happy. Moving forward. Heading towards the goals. Guarding my heart. Being me. Loving each day. I'm excited. I've even started outline concept for a book as well as lots of new ideas for my online store. Nothing concrete. All creative. All good. Oh yeah, and I'm losing weight. At last. Working hard on eating healthily and getting more exercise and it's paying off.

Snow Day

Got some snow. Yay! Lots of political hooha about how pathetic we are as a country that everything grinds to a halt because we (the UK) get a few inches of snow. It's somewhat true. London was a practical standstill today. However, I just wanted to enjoy the "snow day"! It was good for the soul. It was good exercise. It was good fun and precious moments with my family. Need to go back to work tomorrow. No excuses for me. Working from home actually does mean you can't have an official snow day! ha!