Focus

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Moving house last year really made me think a lot about Minimalism. Its something I think lots of is are considering – particularly at this time of year. It’s easy to see and think about the physical clutter. Of having too much ‘stuff’, and I think lots of us are trying to adopt a more considered approach to this; Of objects ‘sparking joy’, of the footprint we leave behind us, of buying once and buying well.
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A packet of crisps

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As I’m sure know, food pictures are one of my absolute favourites to make, and I’m lucky enough to have been working on a flurry of food-based commissions this past few weeks. A packet of crisps has been on my to-make list for a while. In fact the only reason I haven’t already made any, is that I love them all and didn’t know which to choose first, so I was delighted to be asked to make some hula hoops! Personalised doesn’t always have to be about adding names to things, and I love the gorgeous story!that this thoughtful gift tells.
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Believe in yourself

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Believe in yourself … it’s simple really; you’re brilliant!

This was not the post I’d planned for this #threewordthursday phrase, but time has not been my friend this week. As I sat at my machine wondering how on earth I was going to get everything done, I realised that the scene that was facing straight back at me would do the job nicely. Believing in yourself sounds simple, but sometimes it’s really quite difficult; planning, positivity and persistence all help, but so does reflecting on all of the things you’ve already accomplished – which is why it’s so important to have a tin of brilliant in the cupboard (or in your wall ?)

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Just keep swimming

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Have you ever had to swim against the tide, or even worse, found yourself caught in a slip stream? There’s something quite terrifying – especially for a rubbish swimmer like me – about swimming as hard as you can and not getting anywhere (to be fair I can manage that with no tide at all!) I love the sentiment of the expression ‘just keep swimming’, but as you know I don’t like the word just (in hindsight, it was perhaps an odd #threewordthursday phrase to have picked for that very reason!!) ‘Just’ makes things sound easy and effortless. Sometimes to keep going, to keep swimming, is the hardest thing of all – especially when you are putting in a lot of hard work with seemingly not very much output.

Which is why, when I sat down to make this weeks picture, I decided that I wasn’t going to make a fish to ‘just’keep swimming (sorry Dory), or a duck or even a swan. My swimmer had to be a glorious synchronised swimmer, seemingly working effortlessly all the while doing so with huge strength, control and poise. Remember that next time you feel like you’re staying still, because I’ll bet you’re not xx

#ThreeWordThursday is a weekly hashtag challenge. Each week a different three word phrase can be presented or discussed in any way that inspires you. Be sure to use the hashtag so that I can find you and please feel free to share it with anyone who might like to join in! The prompt for next week is; create your future.
#justkeepswimming #youcandoit #keepongoing #calledtobecreative #designalifeyoulove #freehandmachineembroidery #freemotionembroidery #everystitchcounts #threewordthursday
#ihavethisthingwithsewing ##communityovercompetition… Read More

Oh I do like to be beside the sea

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Oh I do like to be beside the sea
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Except I’m not at the seaside, I’m at home trying to do everything and not getting very far with anything!

If you’re currently trying to juggle your way through the holidays too, I hope you’re surviving. It’s easy to talk to other people, to look on social media and compare all the amazing, involved, expensive things that other people are doing to make their kids summer holidays amazing and feel a bit lacking. And then that 18 f***ing summers post does the rounds and kicks you while you’re down. So I just want to say that if you’re struggling to sort out childcare and just get to the end of the day, there are other people doing that too. It might not make for such glorious photos, but we’re out there too. We’re all just doing our best, and if you care enough to worry about it, the chances are you’re probably doing okay. We’ve got this!

#wednesdaywisdom #wednesdaywords #strugglewiththejuggle #spinningplates #youvegotthis #dontcompare #youvegotthis #freehandmachineembroidery #creativitywithmeaning #stitchingsmiles #westonsupermare #westonpier #grandpier… Read More

Just keep on going

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When Oscar was in preschool, he brought this picture of me home. Because he was only interested in playing with Lego, he didn’t ever do any drawings or paintings. Not so much as a cereal box sculpture came our way. So delighted was I to have finally been presented with a piece of artwork, I could almost entirely overlook the the fact that he had drawn me with a bottom that seemed to be its own state floating independent of my body ? I had to find a way of saving it forever… big bottom and all and so a product was born. I hadn’t been sewing for all that long when I made this – time hop reminded me this week that it was six years ago in fact – I didn’t plan to make it as a product to sell, it was just a way to catch a moment. A stitch in time.

I’ve had quite a few messages lately asking for business advice; how to get started, what I would recommend doing, how I did it. It feels quite strange to be presented with questions like this, as I don’t really I have any answers myself, let alone in a position to answer of their people’s question, or hand out advice. But six years after this big-bummed masterpiece made its way home to me, all I can tell you, is if you find something you love to do, find a way to keep on doing it. Just keep on going

#ThreeWordThursday is a weekly hashtag challenge. Each week a different three word phrase can be presented or discussed in any way that inspires you. Be sure to use the hashtag so that I can find you and please feel free to share it with anyone who might like to join in! The prompt for next week is; just keep swimming
#keepongoing
#throwbackthursday #tbt #childrensartwork #childrensdrawing #calledtobecreative #designalifeyoulove #freehandmachineembroidery #freemotionembroidery #everystitchcounts #threewordthursday
#ihavethisthingwithsewing #britishstitchers #communityovercompetition… Read More

Bestest Nanny

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I was recently asked if it would be possible to make a rosette with a custom message in a different colour. The answer was … of course! My rosettes are completely handmade, so they can say whatever you like and look however you like… so they’re the perfect way to celebrate just about anything!! I’ve popped a link in my bio for the listing. –
Happy Sunday! –
#rosette #youdeserveamedal #freehandmachineembroidery #stitchingsmiles #careinstructions… Read More

Children’s pictures

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I just love making children’s pictures, as there’s always a tale behind them. This drawing is of a happy little person who appeared an my kitchen table one day .. apparently left by ‘The Person of Shadows’ (shudders; don’t kids say the creepiest things?!) who went on a sharpie rampage in my kitchen ? I knew – hoped – that one day I might see the funny side, so made a little fabric reminder for my wall.

Hi ? to everyone who has joined me from @mutha.hood after seeing Little Red’s amazing portrait of her Daddy! There’s a link in my bio if you’d like to capture your own fabric story xx
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#freehandmachineembroidery #childrenspicture #stitchingsmiles… Read More

Now or never

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It’s amazing how adept we are at delay tactics when it comes to putting off something that intimidates or overwhelms us. Even if it’s something we also really want. How often do you find yourself thinking “I’ll start tomorrow” ?
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In fact we can become so adept, that we might not even realise we’re doing it at all. But the result is getting nowhere fast. Focussing on tomorrow can mean you go around in circles. If you wait for the absolute perfect moment, then you may find that the moment never comes
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So forget tomorrow, the time to act is now. It’s now or never.
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#ThreeWordThursday is a weekly hashtag challenge. Each week a different three word phrase can be presented or discussed in any way that inspires you. Be sure to use the hashtag so that I can find you and please feel free to share it with anyone who might like to join in! The prompt for next week is; change is good
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#nowornever #dontwait #doitnow #do#lasvegassign #creativehappylife #creativitywithmeaning #calledtobecreative #designalifeyoulove #freehandmachineembroidery #freemotionembroidery #everystitchcounts
#ihavethisthingwithsewing #britishstitchers #communityovercompetition #threewordthursday #startabusinessmonth… Read More

Happiness is not a number

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Not long ago my daughter came home with a food diary that someone had given her to keep note of what she ate. After I took her to the recycling bin and showed her exactly what I think about her keeping a food diary, we had a long chat about what it means to be healthy, to be happy, to be loved and kind and important. My daughter is seven. I really don’t think being on diets and keeping food diaries is the kind of thing that should be in the consciousness of children. Yet our obsession with body image is pervasive. It’s easy to blame the media, but we all have a part to play
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Mental health awareness week’s 2019 theme is ‘Body Image – how we think and feel about our bodies’ In a uk-wide stress survey in 2018, the @mentalhealthfoundation found that three in ten people interviewed had felt had so stressed by their body image and appearance at some point in the past year that they felt overwhelmed or unable to cope. .
47% of all 18-24 year olds they spoke to felt this way about their body image, as did almost one in five people aged 55 and over. .
Your worth is not determined by the size of your clothes. You are so much more than a number on a label. .
#bebodykind #mentalhealthawarenessweek #mentalhealth #bodyimage #freehandmachineembroidery #threadcounts #careinstructions @i_weigh… Read More

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