Ambitions

Yes, I decided to use this blog again! I figure it's a good way to keep track of my crafting.

I've been setting up a list of things I would like to make, now that Craftaganza has ended for the time being (we did brilliantly! Weird thinking about people paying for my stuff, but I'm not complaining...) We're not even at Christmas and already I'm planning ahead. I've not made much in the way of presents this year, with the exception of some (requested) bed socks for my auntie.

So, my future projects, in no particular order:

William Morris 'Bird' tapestry- I'm also toying with some William Morris inspired cross-stitch too.
Trousseau shawl
Alice in Wonderland mittens

Throw in some bog standard socks, a few from a couple of books I have and whatever else pops up and I'm sure you'll agree I have quite a bit on my plate!

I have a new website!

So, as promised, I set up my own website! It's all my writing stuff, with links to the tea blog  and the Ladies in Monochrome. I'm not sure whether I'm going to keep this site up, as my blog roll is getting quite long these days! However, I don't think I'd like to lose this site. I might just keep it going for craft bits.

Who knows?

I meet Caitlin Moran and make some decisions

So, it's been an interesting week here- work was incredibly stressful, so there's a well earned break ahead (in which I don't have to get up at 5.45 am, yessssssssss!) But it's been interesting nonetheless. On Friday, I met this lady:

When I say 'met', I actually mean "saw her across the road from Starbucks eating soup and waiting for her family, so I ran and accosted her." It is, of course, the terribly funny Caitlin Moran (and she's nice- she didn't even get me arrested and was very charming. Buy her book!) She was lovely and chatted with me about feminism, the book and how I should have bet my friends money that I would actually go and see her. I love her writing and it's great to see that she's as funny and warm in person as in print.

But this also got me thinking- why couldn't I try and get more writing work? At the moment, I'm working part time, so I do have time to do more writing work- I keep doing bits and pieces, but if it's to really take off, I need to do more of it (preferably paid...) Writing is my first love and the thing I enjoy doing most. So I've been looking into setting up my own website, showing off the work I've been doing, on and off, for the last ten years. It may not work, but I have to try, right?

Speaking of writing, I've had another piece published by the Bookseller (I have my teacher hat on for it and I must get a new, up-to-date picture done. Maybe once I've had my hair done on Friday. I'm hoping for a Louise Brookes bob, but I'll probably end up with Bride of Frankenstein) Anyway, it's a piece about using graphic novels in schools, an idea that I'm firmly in favour of.

So, yeah. The thinking hat is firmly on.

An update about life in general

Oh, how does time fly so quickly? In August, when I last posted, I was happily embroidering with neary a care in the world. Then life just gets busy and I neglect my blogs. Again.

So, the new school term started and, joy of joys, my timetable changed every week. Brilliant. So I've had the usual back to school exhaustion, coupled with some very stressful confusion. Not great. But I am trying to keep my head above water and get on with it. My classes aren't bad and I'm teaching some interesting stuff. It'll soon be half term and Benn has the week off. (AND I bought some undyed sock yarn that will become approximations of colourways in expensive brands. Hooray!)

I've also been working feverishly away at creating stock for Brighton Craftaganza on December 10th. I'm knitting some scarves and doing a lot of stitching, so that hopefully I will have something worth selling on the day! We shall see. I'll post pictures nearer the time.

Writing has been pretty neglected because of all this- the creative stuff has just gone out the window, so I'm hoping that that can be revived once all the madness has died down. I still write down snippets that come to me- but they usually arrive in my brain when I'm out walking or half asleep and too lazy to reach for pen and paper.

I have managed to write some bits for a couple of blogs- this piece on crafting and feminism for Bad Reputation and one on the Bookseller that will hopefully be live in a few days' time. I'm thinking of setting up a website as a place to put all my writing in one place, which might be a good way of getting new writing work. Any ideas/recommendations welcome!

The big project I've embarked on (which you will know about if you follow my Twitter feed!) is Ladies in Monochrome. I started picking up pictures in junk shops and decided to stick them on the internet. So everyday, a new picture goes up. It's costing me a fortune, but it's a very enjoyable way to do so!

What kind of stitchery is this?*

So, I have been doing a LOT of stitching recently and I'd like to show you the embroidery I've been doing. It's now no secret that I'll be selling stuff with the other Brighton Craft Guerilla ladies at the Brighton Craftaganza fair in December. I'll be selling various bits and bobs and I'm really looking forward to selling some needlework I've been doing. These butterflies were embroidered onto tea towels as a wedding present. The bride has a blue butterfly tattooed on her wrist, so I chose to replicate this:

 I found the images on Graphics Fairy and adapted them to suit my purposes.

I'm hoping to sell some more natural history inspired tea towels at Craftaganza. What do you think??

*Apologies to the late, great Ms Winehouse for abusing her lyrics to create a rubbish pun.

Happiness and inspiration

It's summer, so I'm working on a few bits and pieces. I'm still recovering from a hard few weeks, work wise and I have a few important decisions to make in the next few weeks, but I'm hoping that I have time to really catch up on those areas that are neglected when I'm working.

(By the way, my pic here is of my bookcase- those sweet peas are growing outside; remember when they were but shoots?)

I have some exciting stuff to prepare for and I really, really want to get into my writing. I also have loads of ideas for my crafty projects and there also seems to be a slew of babies to knit for, so I may be some time with the knitting needles!

Writing

So, I am determined to write more. I suffer crippling self doubt when it comes to my own writing, both fictional and non-fictional. I haven't had much of the latter come my way recently (I have submitted an idea a while back to no avail, will do more when I have more ideas...!), so I figure I have to do more of the former. I figure that if I keep going, I'll get better and feel better about the work I'm producing.

This is not a fishing entry, I'm just trying to work out the writing process. When I write, I find it excruciating. I read the words in my head and just think that they're crap. I always have done, whether it's stuff that's been published (which is rarely horrendously subbed, if at all save some punctuation) or whether it's stuff only I will see. I don't show Benn because I think he'll think it's rubbish.

Anyway, the upside is, I'm going to try and write a bit each day. I'll be looking at writing sites and reading widely, particularly fiction. Practice makes perfect, right?