My little sewing project

At last my little sewing project is finished....and here it is in all it's glory. Nothing exciting I know but after a lot of trial and error I eventually managed to sew a little cover for my banking pin pad.

It wasn't difficult at all, but I cut the felt wrong, made it all up as I went along and decided that I would not put on the embellishment I had made as it just looked silly. I don't like anything too fussy and I really just wanted something simple to protect the pin pad from all the dust and bits when it is kicking around my handbag.

And although it's not perfect I found the sewing very therapeutic and immensely enjoyable.

To think today I was looking at sewing patterns for a dress....talk about run before you can walk. Anyway, I love my little pouch and feel very proud of it.

Hope you all have a happy Wednesday. Tonight Jim and I are off to Notting Hill to watch a special pre-release of Elbow's latest DVD. Should be a good evening!

The weekend

The weather was lovely and very mild and sunny for this time of year.

Flowers were in bloom.

The pond was covered in pondweed.

The children watered the stone frog as they thought it was hot!

Lien ate her roast dinner with her curlers in, getting ready to go out.

Ollie drew whilst Daisy went to bed poorly.

And after more work on the cottage, the sun went down as Jim and I made our way to the cinema to see The Muppets.

All in all a lovely weekend!

Happy Monday x

Happy Friday......

Happy Friday from Old London Town.

Almost (almost!) the weekend!

Have a fab day xx

Tangled

Last night I reached for my felt, fabric and sewing box and settled down to create something. It's been a long while since I made something from scratch in this way - the last bit of sewing I did was sewing the names onto the Christmas stockings. It was so therapeutic to put the radio on and sew. It had been a bit of a day at work and my soul needed creative time.

It all went well until I reached for my white thread and saw the mess it was in. I have no-one to blame except myself and it took me a while to de-tangle it all. In the end I did have to cut it but hopefully didn't waste too much thread.

Then it was time to carry on sewing. It was all a bit trial and error really and it isn't quite finished yet but when it is I will post a picture, even if it is a bit hideous!

Hope your Wednesday evening was lovely and that you have a great Thursday. So close to the weekend too....hurry up Friday night - my best night of the week!

Helen xx

Is longing for summer

In need of some sunshine, sea and a break.

Happy Wednesday x

The journey continues

I am still trudging* along with my healthy eating and so far so good. It's not always easy especially as yesterday I just wanted to eat all the bad things. But I was good for most of the time and I must remember to take it day by day.

I cooked a really nice healthy chicken pie recipe yesterday which was from the Weight Watchers website. I was amazed that a healthy pie existed but it did. Jim loved it and we both felt we had some comfort food without all the fat and calories. I will cook it again and next time share the recipe with some photo's.

The good news is that I am trying new recipes and wanting to experiment more. I have found a lovely low fat recipe for vegetable curry which I can't get enough of and I really want to cook more of the recipes I have found and I promise to share the successful ones with you.

If you have any tasty, low fat recipes then please feel free to share the love!

Happy Tuesday xx

*walk with purpose :o)

Hello Monday!

Happy Monday to you all. I hope you have a lovely weekend. I had a fab time at the children's party in Brighton, seeing old friends and helping out. Such great fun!

Then yesterday more doing things to the cottage and having fun with the kids. Talking of which, here's Daisy's drawing of me as a child. Bless her.

Have a fab day x

Slient Sunday

Yay for Saturday

It's Saturday! Yay! Time to attend my best friend daughter's 6th birthday party, help Jim take the photo's and look after little Ollie. Cake, face painting, balloon modeling....not sure I'll have time to take the photo's ;o)

Happy Saturday to you all!

Ps.....wonder if Bear can squeeze his way out of the Penguins to come along?

Tuesdays with Morrie

Have you ever read a book that has little pearls of wisdom in it that you just love. Well I am currently reading such a book. It's called Tuesdays with Morrie and it is based on a true story of a college student reconnecting with his college Professor when he finds out he is dying. I have heard I will need the tissues as I can only imagine how sad it may get but at the moment it is lovely.

I am only about a quarter of the way in but I wanted to share some of the words I have loved:

So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they're busy doing things they think are important. This is because they are chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.

The most important thing in life is to give out love, and to let it come in.

I love what Morrie says so much and it is so true.

Just think, if everyone gave out love and devoted themselves to the community around them what a wonderful world this would be.

Wishing you all a Happy and Love filled Friday xx

Cupcakes for Clara and a lovely video

Please check out the lovely website and blog called Cupcakes for Clara and especially this post. It's lovely to see Laura in the video showing some of the products you can buy in her shop.

I've only recently found her work, but I am so pleased I have.

Happy Thursday - I can almost feel the weekend!

Helen xx

New paints

You can't beat new paints. And these were just lovely (a Christmas pressie from Jim). And you can't beat being creative either :o)

I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day!

Happy Wednesday xx

Happy Valentine's Day

Have a truly wonderful day. Jim and I made each other our cards....and very last minute too!

Helen xx

ps....excuse my iPhone reflection in the image!

A little bit cold and a snowy garden

This weekend I felt like taking lots of pictures. So on Saturday I took my camera out with me and when I went to use it the battery was flat. I had stupidly forgotten to change it after taking the pictures of the tulips on the previous post. Talk about annoyed. Don't you hate it when that happens.

Sunday Jim and I did some more to the house and I had a yearning/urge/crazy idea to do some gardening. So there I was in the snow cutting down overgrown rambling roses and other such things. It was very therapeutic albeit cold. Not sure if the thermometer in the garden was right or not but it looked so pretty there that I had to take a picture using my phone.

I hope you all had a lovely weekend and that the week ahead is full of love and fun!

Take care

Helen xx

A bit of colour

On this cold and dull Sunday. Come on spring, I need you....

Happy Sunday x

Easing my way into the weekend

Right now I am sitting here drinking tea and writing lots of notes in my notebook. Ideas for new projects, ideas for Jim's businesses and anything else that comes to mind. I have lots of exciting times ahead and I need to start making a few plans.

Good morning and I hope it's a lovely weekend for you all.

Helen xx

And so the journey begins....

In two weeks I have lost 5 lbs.....4 lbs in the first week and a solitary 1 lb this week. I had hoped for two pounds this week but hey as long as I am losing then that is all that matters. I am pleased and already my clothes feel a little less tight.

This weekend I need to do some painting....I say need to as my soul is crying out for some creative time. I have opened my sketchbook again and started doodling as even if I can just do this it helps. In the meantime I will continue to cook healthy meals, stay positive and feel extremely grateful for everything and everyone I have in my life.

Hope you all have a lovely weekend!

Helen xx

Alicia Padrón

I love watching other artists paint. No matter the subject or if I am familiar with the techniques, I still find it so wonderful to watch a fellow artist put paint to paper/canvas/wood/or whichever medium they choose. It is also incredibly inspiring and I am grateful to those that have the time and the technology to share their process.

I have recently stumbled across Alicia Padrón and I loved her little teddy bear illustration above. You can find her website here and her blog here.

Enjoy!

Helen xx

Much love

Thank you so much yesterday for all your encouraging comments regarding my weight loss. Your support is so valuable and thank you for sharing your stories too. Blogland is full of amazing and inspiring people.

So far I am staying on track and yesterday I turned down a Pain au Chocolat (which I adore) and a Krispy Kreme donut/doughnut. They were doing the rounds at work and there was enough for everyone to have one of each, but I declined. And whilst everyone else felt a bit stuffed at the end of the day, I felt fine and didn't even feel like I had missed out.

I know some weeks it won't be easy but the long term goal will be well worth it.

Thanks again all you wonderful people and have a brilliant, healthy and happy day!

Helen xx

ps....I didn't fall off the wagon with this cake, it was taken a while ago and if I remember rightly, it tasted lovely too! (my colleagues mum made it!)

Time for a change....

A younger, slimmer me!

I’m going through a bit of a change personally right now. I am dead happy with who I am and my life as a whole, although I do wish to change some aspects to it but that will be another post for another time. But generally, all is great. However, it’s my health that I need to address and how I feel about myself. I am overweight. And this does not make me happy, give me any sort of confidence in public situations and therefore I don’t feel good about myself. I don’t shy away from going out but when I do I am just really self conscious that I am not looking my best. I have been slimmer and healthier in the past and have to get back there again.

I have Rheumatoid Arthritis which can be painful at times and I know that being overweight isn’t helping the situation. I have some clothes in my wardrobe which I love but cannot fit into which is frustrating. And it ends up a vicious circle, I am not happy with my weight so I comfort eat, and the more I comfort eat the more weight I put on. Some of you may know where I am coming from.

So last week I did something about it. I signed up to Weight Watchers online and have started my healthy eating plan. I have my wedding this year and want to feel good about myself in my wedding dress. To be able to look back at the photo’s and not hate the roundness of my face, or the chubby arms and let’s not talk about the derriere!

I also want to make myself some dresses this year so I have another incentive – to make myself a dress like this one once I have slimmed down. Maybe take myself off to an evening dressmaking class and learn the right way of doing it.

I’m not sure if it’s because I’ve reached 40, but I am yearning for a new look. A change in hairstyle, whether it’s the colour or cut, change my wardrobe by buying some classic pieces and ones that I feel great in. And above all to feel healthy and fit. It can be done and I am lucky to have the support of my lovely Jim as he is also on a health and fitness quest (and is doing really well too!).

I know I am not the only person in the world to feel like this and I wanted to share this with you as this blog is not just about my art, but about me too.

Wish me luck!

Here's Pip and it's also my 200th Post!!!

Everything has gone array lately. I guess life it like that at times. My creative time has been zilch and I need to do something about it and quick. Now that the dreaded 31st January tax deadline is over I can breathe a bit – both at the day job and at home.

I have been de-cluttering and it feels good. I’ve still got lots to do as I really want to lead a simplified life. It’s true that the minute you give something to charity or throw it away, you find you need it, but seriously, if you’ve not used something in a year (even two) then do you really need it? And I’m talking clothes, shoes, bags, books, and just stuff. I keep asking myself why I am keeping things?

Anyway, before Christmas I shared some sketches I had done of a cat, which were based on my departed Pippa. Well here is the finished sketch...the one I liked the most. I wonder what journeys behold her in the future

Have a fab day, wherever you are and whatever you do.

Helen xx