Hello 2017

2016 in months

How can it possibly be 2017 already?! The last year has flown by in a flurry of blood glucose readings, injections, house renovations and sewing for others.

The last few years have been so chaotic and full of unexpected medical things that I feel like I might jinx things if I write any plans for the year down. The house is now finished though so hopefully I will get some more time to sew for pleasure again and maybe even blog a bit more than hardly ever. I have a hoodie planned if I can get my printer to behave and actually do it's job

2017 is already looking good holiday wise (and we went to Krakow in December which was amazing). We have booked to go to London the the Harry Potter experience in February and then to Iceland for a week in July. I love holiday planning so am in my element, I got bargain train tickets to London, £35 premier inn room in London, cheap £60 easyjet return flights to Iceland and an airbnb apartment in the centre of Reykjavik. I just hope that the rest of Iceland doesn't break the bank...

I have also spent a bit of time over the holidays addressing the whole work life balance issues that have snuck up on me. I have had 105 separate sewing jobs over the last 12 months and that does not look like it will slow down any time soon which is great but a bit stressful.  I am not entirely sure how to deal with it but making sure I stick to only 2.5 days per week working is a start ( I have another job that is one day a week).

Anyway, I have rambled long enough, Happy New Year everyone!

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Goodbye 2015

What a year. I have never been on such an emotional rollercoaster as 2015 and hope never to be on another like it.

Throughout the stress of Mum's cancer diagnosis, chemo, surgery, apparent cure, terminal diagnosis, more chemo (that almost killed her) and then her death at the end of November there have been some good bits and some sewing.

In January I discovered Yoga with Adriene, amazing is the only word necessary. Have a look at her on you tube, loads of free yoga videos. 

In March my sister announced she was expecting Baby number 2!

In June I started advertising my business doing alterations,  mending, custom clothing and sewing lessons. It has gone really well and I have matched my part time salary from my other job with income from this one which is amazing considering the circumstances. Hopefully this will continue although I do hope folk will start remembering when I am coming round to measure/pin/collect things, I have now been greeted twice by folk in just their dressing gowns :)

In July we went on an amazing holiday to Prague. We will be going back.

In August I met up with some other lovely sewing bloggers in Glasgow which was a nice escape from reality for a day.

My sisters baby was born the day before Mum's birthday in October and is an absolutely gorgeous little boy! Mum got some quality cuddles with him before she died which was lovely.

During the year I also squeezed in some sewing, lots of repeated use of patterns and all essential items that have been well worn. All except the parrot dress that I forgot to take on holiday with me. It was then going to be my Mum's funeral dress but she asked if we would all wear Christmas jumpers as well as bright colours to the funeral so it never got worn then either. Next summer!

Onwards and upwards now. 2016 is going to be my year of more complicated sewing. I have a jacket pattern to make a blazer for my husband, a jeans pattern for me and want to finish my winter coat that I started in early 2014 so that should keep me busy, along with the hundreds of meters of curtains and trousers I will hopefully be hemming :)

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Surviving a cub camp!

I spent Friday night and all day Saturday helping at Big E's first cub camp. I am a Beaver leader so Cubs were new to me and, oh boy, do you get some cheek from the older ones!

The camp was in converted fisherman's cottages at Canty Bay near North Berwick, it was a stunning location with amazing views of Bass rock.

When the tide went out the rock pools were amazing!

Hopefully I will be back in the summer with my Beaver colony!

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A catch up

If anyone can tell me where the last three weeks have gone I would appreciate it!

The start of the new school term has gone well, little e never settled well in p1 so I was dreading the same in p2 but I didn't need to worry, she seems to love it although still says she feels a bit sad having to leave me :(

All the after school clubs started last week and after vowing I would not turn in to one of those parents that is running their kids to thing every night I seem to have turned into one, kind of...

Last week was also the run up to the local show, I am on the committee and was in charge of the home baking stall as well as trying to get things together to enter. I managed a few entries and got a few prizes,

and made £60 on the home baking stall!

This week is also going to be crazy, today has been spent trying to find the floor in the kids rooms, tomorrow I am running off my Church magazine , Wednesday is my first day looking after my nephew (my sister has gone back to work so I will have wee G every Wednesday) and Friday I am at Cub camp for a night! Life is very full at the moment so the luxury of sitting and blogging is rare although hopefully I might find some balance soon!

I also plan to try and change the blog a bit. I am very conscious that this space isn't very 'me' , some changes are afoot!

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