As you may know, thanks to the Great British Sewing Bee 2014, I thought I'd try sewing and who would have thunk it but I LOVED it.
From never having sewn a button before, I jumped straight into the deep end and made a couple of tops and some PJ pants.
Life got in the way and with the re-launch of Great British Sewing Bee 2015, my sewing mojo flooded back. So I got the pattern of the first top I tried and decided to try again having learnt a few tips and tricks along the way.
And you know what, I think it came out OK. I can't seem to get the neckline flat and it knocks my confidence that it is not PERFECT but it's all a sewing journey.
Of course I want everything to be perfect first time round but when I saw The Paisley Bow Blouse of the Sew Simple Lottie Blouse pattern made and modelled by GBSB contestant, Amanda, my love for the blouse was enough to overcome my sewing nerves. This will be my next project!
I am a HUGE fan of Ann Le {Anneorshine} and am often browsing her YouTube videos for craft and gift inspirations.
So when I stumbled upon her 'Hot Chocolate Spoons', I thought I'd give it a go.
It really is as easy as she says and I am really pleased with the end result!
But they needed to pass one more test... the a-okay seal of approval by my hot-chocolate-loving brother. He gave it a two big thumbs up with a surprising twist! He didn't use them for hot chocolate but to make the 'best mocha he has ever had!'
Thanks to heritage and travel, I am both Australian and British. You can throw in some Finnish to the mix but I'm also a 'Southern Gal' at heart. I love the Deep South of the US and you can't get more Southern than using a Mason Jar.
So my first craft project was to paint a Mason Jar to drink fruity summer delights from .... but then I wanted more!
Next project? A Mason Jar soap dispenser. It can't be that hard, right?
After looking on eBay and Etsy for converter kits, I decided to forgo the expensive but cheap looking converter kit and make my own. Enter YouTube and The Sorry Girls.
What a brilliant tutorial. I couldn't wait to get started. I checked off my supplies (Mason Jar - check; Cheapo Soap Dispenser - check; nails, hammer, pen and Gorilla Glue - check, check, check and check).
In no time at all (not withstanding the 24 hour curing time for the glue), my first Mason Jar soap dispenser came alive. I luuuuuuurved it!
But why stop at one when I had other colours and gold metallic paint to try....
So incredibly chuffed and so easy to make. Try it yourself.
So I have been quietly lurking, pondering how to reinvent my blog when I received an email from Kristine Carlson on the power of intention. It seemed a perfect place to start: What Now?
Reinventing life one question at a time beginning with:
What Are Your Intentions?
By Kristine Carlson
If a guy hears that question, “What are your intentions?” immediately we think of a father and daughter scenario where the guy has his hands in his pockets, anxiously shifting his weight side to side while he waits for his date. I remember a time in high school when a baseball player who was already in college came to our door to pick me up for a date. My dad took one look at him and decided he was too old for me. He asked him the question, “What are your intentions with my daughter, young man?” (By the way, this was a first and only date and the meaning of my dad’s question was clearly a warning.) The guy uneasily replied, “I guess my intention, sir, is to have your daughter home by 11 o’clock, as you say.” My dad said, “Good, son, I’ll be waiting.”
Intention is a powerful thing and “there are many a road that have been paved with good intentions.” And, many a road that remains unchartered territory without them.
There are times in life where I’ve felt like a nomad wandering aimlessly through the desert of possibility. Having too many options can be as incapacitating as having too few, however, defining my intentions point me in the right direction and gets me started.
Intention is the first and fundamental step in the beginning to unravel the questions we have when we are standing on the precipice of the unknown asking, “What now?”
It’s easy to get lost in day-to-day life and routine and to live unaware of our habits and unaware of our intentions. When we don’t have our bearings then it leaves the door open for anxiety and fear. We act on our intentions daily, stated or not, by habit and without realizing it. Something quite magical happens when we consciously state our intentions on a regular basis. “Intention” by definition is having an aim or objective or quality of purposefulness. It is the juice behind our disciplined actions and how we practice life.
