Grab yourself a cuppa and make yourself comfortable. So sorry it's been a long while since my last visit. How have you been, do leave a comment below to let me know?
I lost my way a bit regards regular blogging, editing and faffing about with photos.
Thank you to everyone who left lovely comments on my blog last time, it really is very kind of you. I love to read your comments and I've tried to keep up with visiting your blogs too. Today, I just wanted to drop by and say hello and chat about what I've been thinking about since last time. Sorry there's not any QT photos this time, I'll try and include some next time.
New Year Thoughts
For now I'm aiming to try and blog once a week and see how that goes. In the future I may do some more 'Weekend Stitches' (crochet), maybe a 'plan for the week' & even some cooking. For now, I'm aiming small with weekly commitments, that sounds manageable for now.
I'd 'still' like to be more present eg less social media and more actual making or reading time. Which I know sounds crazy as I take up my keyboard again but...
Also I'd like to finish more projects that I've started and knit more socks. I'd love to knit a pair a month which at the moment is too big a challenge but if I knit 2 pairs, that's double last years effort! I'll finish the my blanket and then set a goal for sock knitting, I think that'll be best.
Crochet
At the moment I'm busy crocheting attic 24 Woodland Ripple blanket. It's a gift so unfortunately I won't get to keep it after all my hard work. I'm not particularly keen on the colour orange, so I can live with that. I am glad it'll be permanently here as a record in photos. I decided not to do the new CAL (crochet-a-long) which is attic 24 beautiful Sweet Pea blanket. As usual Lucy has designed a crochet blanket for the new year, this time with a beautiful colour scheme using sweet pea colours. I'd originally planned to do her coastal blanket and have the colours ready, but... I need to finish the woodland one first. It does produce happy memories of your own walk in the woods. For me that would be in The New Forest, Queen Elizabeth Country Park both in Hampshire. Sherwood Forest Nottingham and The Lake District.
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| Christmas books |
Reading
I've just finished Let Me Go by Helga Schneider, wow what a book. The story is not the usual account about Jews, instead it focuses on a daughter visit to her Mother a former SS officer. At only 150 pages, it's an intense quick read, both emotionally disturbing and haunting to boot.
At the moment I'm reading Christmas at Thrush Green, I've read it before and it's an enjoyable read though not officially a Miss Read book, as her editor Jenny Dereham wrote it with guidance. If you like tame & cozy village life tales maybe you'd enjoy this. Sometimes it's just nice to read a gentle comfortable book.
Cooking
Last year I was using my slow cooker more than I had previously. I came up with a few recipes that could be bagged up ready to store either in the fridge for a few days, or freeze & cook later straight in the pot. Somebody mentioned cooking mince (5% fat) straight in the slow cooker without the need to brown the mince first. What a game changer that is, if prepared in advance it can all be placed in a bag with the other ingredients until needed to. I'll try and get some together to show you soon.
Over Christmas, mince pies, peanut butter pies (swap mincemeat for peanut butter - teen 1 favourite) and sausage rolls. No Christmas cake or pudding this time. I've also cooked a few soups, flapjack and shortbread.
Cleaning
I've been following Team Tomm - The Organised Mum Method - mainly through instagram but also her facebook page. Both have links to her blogs which provide the print outs, recipes and interesting information. I quit the facebook support group as it was more social media - that for me was unnecessary. I'd given up with Flylady but felt I needed to have some cleaning routine going on, as the major clean ups before guests are too chaotic. How I long for a Mrs. Bird ref Paddington Bear of the Brown family. She cooks, cleans and launders, she sounds wonderful. Anyway that's not likely to happen, so armed with a routine it's getting easier each week.
Eco thoughts
Sandwiched between cleaning and decluttering is another blog that I just want to share with you. Wendy Graham at Moral Fibre is on both instagram and a website blog, she is an author of a book with homemade cleaning recipes, called Fresh Clean Home. The information is all on her blog. I've not tried making any cleaning recipes yet, she uses essential oils to help with fragrance and cleaning.
Nb - please be careful with any essential oils that you use around the home, as these can be dangerous to pets. Cats in particular can't cope with many essential oils and scent in general.
Decluttering
Who isn't? Very much the 'in thing' at the moment. I'm following Small Sustainable Steps which is gaining in popularity on instagram. Amanda provides you with plenty of ideas and sets regular challenges to help you declutter your home if this interests you.
Thankfulness
A friend of mine said my blog helped her to 'smell the roses' which I thought was a lovely thing to say. Google explained this - 'To become calm and reflect upon the finer or more enjoyable aspects of life, especially when one has become overworked or overly stressed'.
So with this in mind I want my blog to continue with appreciating the good things in my life, not particularly in consumerism but in family life, the home and simple beauty.
Lastly
As many are now back at work and in education, I wanted to wish you all the best. May you learn more, work hard and enjoy life!
Thank you for dropping by, please leave a comment and I'll try and answer any questions.
Cathy x
It is just so lovely to see you here. I love your thoughts for the new year, I am trying to buy less, reduce social media but not necessarily blogging, and of course de-clutter. I wish you the very best in all of your endeavors.
ReplyDeleteThank you Meredith, it seems we are on trend at the moment so that's got to be good, lol. Take care and hope you get chance to put your feet up. Cx
DeleteI loved all the colours in your ripple blanket, it reminded me of the moor in Autumn. Lovely to catch up with you, best wishes for the New Year.
ReplyDeleteThank you Mamasmercantile, that's one good thing about blogging, you get to see what people have been up to and not just catching up through a letter. Cx
DeleteNo cuppa for me, just a quick sneaky peak during work :-) Good to see you here Cathy. I don't really count blogging as social media, it is now a place for me to record what is important to me, and to celebrate friendships with individuals I may never have a cup of coffee in the same room with but still love to spend time with. All the best for this year Cathy x
ReplyDeleteHi christina, very well put and true. I've tried to follow your advice and not keep faffing and editing. Thank you, and I do enjoy visiting your blog and others too. Have a good week, Cx
DeleteThanks Suzy for leaving a comment, yes I think your dogs would love the blankets too much. They are lucky to have their very own woods though x
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed reading your post. Gorgeous blanket! How fun it would be if we could be more like our cats, sleep almost all day except when it suits us to do something else. The Organised Mum method sounds similar to the Flylady we have over here. Since I've bought into the hype and am currently on the Marie Kondo method, I can't help thinking they should all have a debate with each other about their methods.Think it would be interesting. Hope you have a great week!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jean, I suppose they all have a slightly different slant on methods. I find the organised mum works for me because it's in small chunks of 15 or 30 mins and there's no need for spring cleaning. I used to follow Fly lady but seemed to be permanently on the first 31 days. I also found her a tad religious and strict for my liking, I wasn't offended by that but just felt it was unnecessary. I understood the point she was making but... anyway as long as we all do some cleaning, tidying and decluttering of some sort our homes will benefit. Take care, Cx
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year. Lovely to see a blog post from you, I know what you mean about time on social media running away with you, I've just recently set up an Instagram account and I can see how it could become addictive, I shall definitely be monitoring my time spent on there. Your blanket is fabulous, what a shame you don't get to keep it yourself but I'm sure the recipient will love it and it always makes me happy to know that someone is enjoying something I've made.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jo, I saw your post about the instagram account - You're very good working through your goals - Though I'm on there I'm not adding any content and it's private. I just opened it so I can follow the above people, 'a little bit yummy' & Bella Coco. It's funny, someone followed me and I'd not even posted anything, very strange. Cx
DeleteHi,thanks for your lovely comment.Happy 2019 to you.Very interesting read ,Loving the blanket too.I was going to do the Sweet Pea Blanket,but to be honest,I have so many crochet projects lined up,no time for it.Hoping to blog a bit more myself but I don't get many comments anyway,probably not interesting enough or photos are boring lol.Hope QT is keeping well,he looks so young I do forget how old he is.Hugs.x
ReplyDeleteThanks Lee, yes please do blog some more, I love reading your blog. QT was 18 yrs old yesterday (we think), we gave him the average of our birthday dates. He was born January 2001, unfortunately that's all we know. Take care Cathy x
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year! It's good to see a blog post from you. You live a busy life and have hobbies that take up your time so when you have the opportunity to relax it's not always easy to keep up with blogging as well. My life is the opposite as, in retirement, life is made up of domestic routines and often I've nothing very interesting to share. I enjoy reading and crocheting so keyboard writing takes a back seat. Nevertheless, it's good to keep connected with other bloggers and it's good to hear from you.
ReplyDeleteThank you, I'm slowly catching up with blogging again. Take care Cx
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