Posted by Originally posted 1 December 2017
Dear Lovelies
Have you ever found something you didn’t know you had lost? It happens to my kids all the time! Especially with objects that they had forgotten they owned but are then discovered under a bed, behind a sofa, in someone else’s drawer, in the ‘miscellaneous’ box and so on. An argument usually ensues because another member of the family discovers this item and decides it is actually theirs with cries of “finders, keepers!” I find myself having to referee such a stand-off quite often!
Well, this has happened to me recently, but not with a physical item that I found covered in dust behind the sideboard, but with something intangible. And when I realised I had found what I didn’t know was missing, there were no arguments about whose it was, just rejoicing from me! Finders, keepers! It had been there the whole time, just lying dormant waiting for me to wake it up again. Recently lovelies, I rediscovered my ‘making mojo’! I hadn’t known it was gone or asleep, I had just stopped making things all the time.
My journey here at Lucylu dreams had always been about exploring and discovering, writing and reflecting. When it came to making things, I crafted and wrote about crafting with my beautiful friend, Jenny over at Two Crafty Brownies. Well, in early September, Jenny and I made the difficult decision to wind down our joint ventures and move on to pastures new individually. We found that we had arrived at slightly different places creatively and wanted the space and time to journey along our own creative paths. Those paths are side by side mind you! I could never be far from my Jenny! Our creative hard work won’t go to waste either, as we are keeping our blog live as a resource for us and we hope, for others.
When we made that decision, without realising it, I stopped thinking about crafting and making things and put all my energy into all the exploring, taking photos and writing. But as the days got shorter and colder, I picked up a knitting project I had discarded after the Summer holidays, to keep me warm and for something to do in little breaks from my writing and in the evenings. Little by little, I beavered away until it was finished! My first completed make in a good few months!
It is always a good thing to finish something isn’t it? Completing my scarf/cowl/wrap thingy really spurred me on just in time for the approaching festive season. There is nothing like Christmas to get the creative juices flowing and now my desire to make is a beautiful fire, burning brightly and energetically, which my eyes and heart are transfixed by and which I have every intention of refuelling and gently stoking so it doesn’t fizzle out. This makes me very excited for the future of my creative journey!
I’ve been baking…
And making, for the school Winter Fair…
With all of this creative energy I decided I wanted to do something over on instagram with a festive twist. Today I have launched the hashtag #myhandmade_advent which anyone can use to share festive creativity, whether that is writing, drawing, baking, knitting, potting, decoupaging, crocheting, wreath making, styling…the list goes on! Anything creative goes! It is also an opportunity for us to share and champion our favourite small, handmade businesses and indie shops, who let’s face it have a difficult job on their hands competing with the big companies who offer deals which they are unable to match. I hope to be one of these small businesses next year! Exciting! There are no prompts (although I may do this next year) so anyone who joins in has the freedom to post and share whatever they like any day of the week!
I will do a ‘#myhandmade_advent’ post here on the blog before Christmas so you can see what has been happening over on instagram, even if it is just me who uses the hashtag!
For Lucylu dreams, the waking up of my making mojo means that I will be sharing more posts that are about making and baking, but I will of course still be blogging about finding beauty here in the city and beyond. It all ties in somehow and I feel so much clearer about this journey now. Exploring, writing, creating…and dreaming, that’s me!
Well my lovelies, Happy December! I hope this month is good for you and you don’t feel overwhelmed in the lead up to the Christmas break. Take Care of yourselves, you are precious!
With love and warmth,
Lucy
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Lucylu dreams... 