Let us eat cake (and sip tea and settle in for a read)

Today I complete a very long and somewhat tiring project which I will share at a later date.  Needless to say this has taken me away from my art, my photography and my creative time.

So to celebrate I had tea and a bun in Starbucks and bought two magazines to fire up the inspiration.

Happy Friday to you all.

Helen xx

Late night doodles

So last night I grabbed a pencil and started to draw a picture I had my eye on painting for a while.  I took the picture of the teapot, jug and cup when Jim and I were in a tea room in the lovely St Ives and last night I decided to get it down on paper ready for some paint.

Then I saw my sketchbook, opened it and found half a doodle I started some time ago.  It was just three houses and that was it.  And before I knew it I had drawn lots of lines, opened up my paintbox and started applying paint.  It was late when I took these pictures so the light isn't good, but I want to post them more as a reminder to me that when I am being creative I really am at my happiest.

And right now I am itching to carry on......

Happy Thursday to you all.

Helen xx

Wednesday witterings

I have:

• bills to pay
• paperwork to sort out
• ironing to do
• a home to clean
• a home to tidy
• marketing to learn
• business plans to write
• research to do
• a day job to catch up on

I am also playing a waiting game on something which will change my life.

I haven't felt this stressed in a long time and the worst thing of all is that I haven't been that creative other than a bit of photography here and there.

So I decided to forget all the above, pick up my pencil, find some inspiration and let it flow. Push back any guilt, take tablets for my cold and just relish this moment.

Life isn't horrible.  Life is just busy and demanding and at the moment, a bit frustrating.  But yesterday as I cleared out some old cards I found this one by Sam Toft and stuck it up above my desk.  It's done the trick and inspired me to soothe my soul with what I love.

I adore Sam Toft's work I really do...so thank you Sam for reminding me I am a creative person!

Happy Summer Sunday

It's glorious weather here at the moment and I am thoroughly enjoying the warmer weather...it feels like we are having the summer that was taken from us in July.

This week has been full of events and things are now slowly falling into place.  I am almost too scared to talk about them just in case it all goes wrong, but rest assured that as soon as everything is more concrete then I will share.  The last three years efforts (yes three years) are all coming to fruition so you can see why I am holding my breath.  But it will be life changing.

Right, I am off to make Cherry Bakewell Cupcakes.  I hope you are all having a wonderful Sunday wherever you are and have a fabulous week ahead.

Love and happiness.

Helen xx

A quote for a Sunday afternoon

JTC Photography

So very true.

Happy Sunday

Helen xx

If in doubt......bake!

My creative time of late has been filled by baking.  Daisy and I have created cakes and iced them to our hearts content.  I love baking and I love baking with Daisy.  Teaching her things my Nan and Mum passed on to me, seeing how excited she gets when she bakes and watching her gain confidence each time we make a cake, is just out of this world.  Children are so pure it's beautiful.

Anyway, here's some of our latest efforts.

After watching the Great British Bake Off one evening, I decided to bake some fairy cakes after the programme.  The next day Daisy asked me why I made these without her....talk about being guilt ridden.  However, that was quickly forgotten as she tucked in!

I made this Raspberry and Coconut cake on a whim and it was a bit of trial end error as I made it up as I went along.  However it did taste delicious (Rona, promise to email you the recipe!)

And then Daisy and I made these last night before she went to bed.  Nice chocolate fairy cakes.

We also made a low fat Date and Apple cake the other day, but I wasn't able to snap any pictures of that one.  However I will be making it again soon and will share the recipe too.  And whilst I am on the subject of photos.....I have a really good camera but snapped these using my phone so apologies as they are not great (but when you've got cakes to eat you want to tuck in straight away!)

And finally, I leave you with a video of Daisy being Betty Crocker....just absolutely adorable.


Daisy being Betty Crocker from Helen Mills on Vimeo.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Helen xx

A brief intermission

I am learning at the moment that I need plenty of patience and lots of determination.

It seems like I have been on this particular journey longer than I ever wanted and certainly longer than I thought possible.  So whilst every thing else in my life has kind of been put on hold, I have managed to achieve one incredible thing.  After far too many years to count, I have donned my swiming cossie and ventured back into swimming. 

I love swimming (always have) but the fear of showing myself in a cossie to the locals in the swimming pool was just too daunting.  However, there is one good thing about getting older.....you care less about what people think and more about yourself, in an unselfish way.  So I did it....I dipped my toe so to speak, and haven't looked back.

So whilst I try not to get stressed, frustrated and frazzled over things I cannot control, I make time now to spend it improving my health and fitness. 

Hope everyone is healthy and well and I really hope to be able to be creative again soon.

Love and happiness

Helen xx