A Fresh Start

This will be my last post on Blogger.  I will still be blogging, but using a Wordpress site instead.  If you still want to follow me then I can be found under scarletdesigns.net

I haven't written anything on here for 9 months.  It's been a time of change and challenges...some good....some not so good.  A lot has happened which I won't bore you with.  But it is now time for a new direction in my life and one that I am looking forward to.

So here is my final post - thank you all for following me here and for all your words of encouragement (I still will be visiting your blogs).  Here's to a new beginning.......

It started almost 5 years ago. It was Christmas 2008 and I had the misfortune of having to work in between Christmas and New Year. One other colleague was also in and everyone else was off, abroad or somewhere much nicer than work.

My colleague Lizzie had been at the company less than 2 months but the moment we first met we hit it off. So there we both were, in a quiet office settling down to having some lunch together over a shared desk. We chatted and told each other things about ourselves and before I knew it, I told her my dream which was to have my own art business which included a coffee shop, gallery and places to do workshops and buy materials. It was out. I'd never shared it with anyone else before. It had always been a dream of mine and something that I never thought would happen. I don't know why I had the urge to share it with Lizzie, other than I must've known it was what I had to do.

What I didn't account for was that Lizzie would end up being one of the most inspiring people in my life and her passion for my passion was like music to my ears. She didn't mock me or say 'yeah right you'll never be able to do that so keep on dreaming'. Instead she was excited for me and she shared her dreams with me too. Before I knew it the seed which had been planted but buried very deep suddenly started to grow.

I kept asking myself why can't I do it? A period of six months went by where in that time my father was diagnosed with terminal cancer and passed away. My whole world shook. My safety blanket had gone. My father who I loved so much was no longer around and it hit me hard. And it made me reassess what and who was important to me in my life. It made me ask myself if I really wanted to continue to study accountancy and I wasn't afraid to say out loud the answer. The answer was no.

It was also around that time that I met Jim. My soul mate, my creative partner and my rock. As a professional photographer he was extremely creative and it was the first time in my life I had been in a relationship with someone who got me. Who understood my creative side. Who didn't patronise me but instead encouraged me and actually showed an interest in my art. And Jim, who has since become my husband, has helped me realise that I am an artist and photographer, that I do want to live a creative life and that I CAN live a creative life.

And so now, here I am, just about to embark on the most exciting time in my life and I am not scared, just completely and utterly happy. I'm taking the first small step.....wish me luck!

Helen xx

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