A Fire in My Heart Embroidery Pattern: The Story Behind.

Hello lovelies, I have created a new embroidery pattern! It is called a ‘Fire in My Heart’ and you can find it in my Etsy Shop.

My creative output is very much driven by my passion for seasonal living and my desire to express what is in my heart. Everything has a meaning and that makes my designs personal, but I very much hope that the message behind them is relatable. This pattern is no different. 

The initial idea was sparked by my love for the smell of wood smoke. As well as being a signifier of Winter, there is also something very primal about it. It takes me back, fills me with a sense of yearning, brings me home and warms my heart all at the same time. It is a smell from the British countryside that I sometimes smell in the city. It is also a smell from my other country, Kenya; from the rural areas where food is often still cooked by fire. And so in a way, the image of a log fire, whether burning in a cottage fireplace or cooking food in a hut (have a read of this post for more of my other country), brings what I see as the two parts of my heritage together. For me, finding images that do this is necessary and joyful. 

And so, the idea grew into an image in my mind, that I now see as a reflection of what I feel lies in my heart: A little fire gently burning for all those things I hold so dear. It burns for and because of the love from and for my family and my friends, for the gorgeous human beings they were and are. It burns brightly with joy when my children put their arms around me, when they laugh and make me laugh. It burns when I feel and observe beautiful connections and kindness between human beings. It burns when I stand up for or I see other people standing up for ‘Good’. 

My fire flickers and sparks when I connect with nature, for the seasonal ebbs and flows of our natural world, for fresh country or sea air and views that bring peace. It burns for the past and for the memory of old souls. It fills me with a warm, gentle glow of fulfillment and happiness when I am creating; with that first motion as needle and thread meet fabric and a beautiful thing grows from my hands. It reaches for the sky when the Winter sun is shining. 

It continues to burn because of love and kindness; because of self love and gentleness, and because of the sparks of self belief I allow myself more often than ever before. And because of love, my fire still burns, although sometimes diminished, despite any overwhelm, anxiety, confusion, pain, fear or sorrow that I feel or experience for myself, for others, for my community or for the world. 

I have sometimes chosen a word for the year, but towards the end of last year, this is the image that kept popping into my conscious mind. My intention is to keep it there in 2020 as a reminder to feed my fire with the things I love. I see it as my thermostat. It heats up to tell me I am on the right track, that my instincts are spot on. It cools down to signal that something isn’t quite right and that I may need to work through a feeling or a problem. This really does take me back 2 years, to the beginning of 2018, when my year’s intention was to ‘Follow My Heart’. I now have a real sense that since writing that post, I see more clearly. I better understand myself, my values, my passions, my process…..and that feels like progress to me.

I’m looking forward to the path ahead, to continuing my journey of creativity and self discovery and I’m so pleased and grateful that you are here with me. Thank you. I’d love to hear more about you and your journey. What are your hopes and dreams for this year lovelies?

I’m wishing you joy, warmth and light for the year ahead, always,

Lucy 

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