I DID!

My last post "What if I did?" struck a chord with a few of other ladies, in a similar position - it seems there is a hidden army of People Pleasers out there, all secretly harbouring desires to take some time, and do something just for themselves. Something they've been pondering, or hankering after, for a while now.

Well, "I did". And it was incredibly rewarding.

You may have noticed the bright shiny new look to Ditsy Bird Designs today - this is the result of working very hard over the past few weeks, updating my branding to bring the style and quality of my online presence, in line with that of the products I make.

I'd been trying to work out why I found it so easy to design and make my products, come up with ideas, and never run out of inspiration and love for what I do. But, at the same time, why I was SO averse to listing these products on my website; or updating my blog with recent endeavours...why I hid in Instagram and ignored my Etsy shop. Why I never pointed friends to my sites when enquiring about designs, but would email photos to them. Why I NEVER carried business cards with me.

Why? Simply - and vitally - because, my online style in no way reflected my design style...or the quality of it.

I realised that I didn't want to list items on my site, because it looked clunky and clumsy. Amateur. Because I felt it devalued the work and effort that had gone into creating the products on there.

I also knew that I did not have the funds to pay someone to design me a logo, or a website, and I wouldn't know what to ask for if I did.

Then I stumbled upon the answer.

After seeing lots of buzz and excitement about it on Instagram, and that people I respect had been singing it's praises, I bought myself a copy of Fiona Humberstone's book How to Style Your Brand.

Best twenty quid I've spent in a long while!

click on the pic to go to Fiona's Pinterest feed

Certainly the best value for money - it is a truly beautiful book (coffee-table-worthy styling and photographs), and is bursting with knowledge, advice, encouragement and information...to enable anyone with the desire to restyle or redesign their brand, to do just that.

So I did.

I worked my way through the book, front to back, reading and rereading each section in turn, and working through the action points that Fiona lays out for you.

With each chapter, it was made very clear what was required of me, so I just knuckled down and got on with them...one at a time.

Now I have to admit that I really did struggle with some areas - the idea of seasonal personalities, for instance - and I confess that the concept of colour psychology blew my mind to begin with!

My little piece of advice? Lay your preconceptions about who YOU are to one side, and concentrate on who YOUR BUSINESS is. Whilst it may be an extension of yourself, it is a separate entity...and has it's own personality traits just as you do. Or, at least mine does. It is not a complete reflection of me as a person.

Once I'd managed to leave any prejudgement behind, and continued on with an unbiased view of my business (and myself to some degree), I found following the process more intuitive and much easier. 

Things started to click. There were a couple of light bulb moments. A 'who knew?" or two.

Some bits I had to leave, and come back to with fresh eyes, after a bout of inking to clear my head and my body of tension.

There was a moment there, that I thought I wasn't going to 'get' the season and colour philosophies, but I dug deep, was really honest with myself, and it did fall into place eventually...satisfyingly so!

So...it turns out that Ditsy Bird Designs is a Spring business! I didn't see that coming AT ALL. Though when I was talking it through with my mum, explaining the Spring attributes and colours, she very much in the "well, obviously" camp. It never fails to surprise me, the disparity between how WE see ourselves, and how OTHERS do. Never fails.

click on the picture to go to Fiona's Pinterest feed

It shocked me, just how blinkered I'd become to my own business. To it's look and feel. It's purpose. 

How my longing for a certain look to my blog and website, had blinded me to what my business is actually about, how it is perceived by others, and ultimately, what I want it to give to others.

• take off those blinkers
• set aside any specific design lusts you already harbour
• open yourself up to the knowledge contained in the book - this is what Fiona does for a living, she is the expert, and you are reading her book - so listen to what she has to say
• ask a close friend how they see your business/your products - what these mean to them, how they look, how they make them feel.
  (I kept going back to comments from friends on my Instagram photos - a cracking source of feedback if you put your business owner head on, instead of friend head (Worzel Gummidge anyone?). It's too easy to brush compliments aside with a "ohh give over" and a blush. But if someone has taken the time to tell you something, then chances are, they mean it. And if a few folk are saying the same thing...it's time to listen up!)

I made a brand board. I know! :)

Bright, light and fun - not the chic, black and white, stark Scandinavian look that makes me veritably purr when I see it.

In fact, no black at all. My fall back ink choice every time.

And this was the biggest light bulb moment of all!

As soon as I changed my logo from black and white, to colour...everything fell into place. Oh happy, happy day!

And then I paused, looked over at my messy desk (I type at my neat desk - no ink allowed), and looked at the work I had on there, and realised that I use colour a lot. And bright colour too! Our house may be painted in muted shades, and our furniture may be subtly coloured, but my work is brimming with it.

I'd been so short-sighted. I'd been thinking about me, Sarah, not me Ditsy Bird. Face palm. No wonder I had hated my online look for so long...it and the message I was trying to convey, were completely at odds.

So there you have it - a brand new look to Ditsy Bird Designs!

Well nearly. After spending hours (days?) trying to come up with a new logo, I went back to my original design that I love, and which feels right. I simply redrew it and utilised Photoshop and Illustrator, to get a sleeker, more polished look to it. And to add the all important colour.

The new look feels like a much more natural fit - a branding reflection of the business, it's products, designs, and it's intentions.

I'd love to know what you think? (Please be gentle)

Right, I'm off to get on with designing business cards, and product packaging...

Cheers,

Sarah

x

What if I did...

I have a notebook, a journal of sorts, that I offload into when I’ve got issues nattering in my brain that I need to silence.

I usually spew out how I’m feeling in bullet point format. One liners like this. Or sometimes just words expressing how I’m feeling. Grrr. (That was an example). Headache headache headache. (Another example).

When ‘things’ feel like that they may overwhelm me, or if I can adequately voice whatever it is that has my brain so clouded, I find that this system really works. For me. 

The other day I was feeling a little twitchy – you know when you can’t settle into a task, your leg keeps bobbing, you’re up and down out of your seat – so I reached for my book and started the brain vomit. [Nice!]

Things often end up on the page that I wasn’t really expecting…sometimes it’s the subject matter, and sometimes it’s the way I articulate the issue in startling clarity.

“How do I view my success as important?”

This was the last line of Tuesday’s scrawlings, and it hit the nail right royally on the head!

Ditsy Bird Designs – this is the business that I have been dabbling with, without ever getting firmly stuck in to, for years now.

I want to do it

I have the creative skills and ideas to do it

I have spent money on it (materials, courses, tools, hardware, software)

I have spent inordinate amounts of time working on it (designing, honing my skills, trialling, practicing, researching, going on courses [photography, blogging, designing, painting, mixed media, drawing, branding etc], setting up the behind the scenes bit [accounts, supplier info, website, blog etc]

I know I can do it…

…but I never really do.

This is the crux of the matter. I always, ALWAYS, give other things precedence. And by other things, I mean other people…I am so determined to be there for the people who matter the most to me, that I don’t fully commit to DBD, because I know it will take more time, more effort, and – biggest of all – commitment.

I will have to say no to people, to let them down, to put something that is solely for me, before them.

Now before you go thinking I’m one of life’s martyrs, putting everyone’s every need before my own, I’m not. Truly.

This isn’t me being a doormat – I am a people pleaser; I like to help and do things for my loved ones; I get a kick out of it; it makes me feel good; a huge part of me needs to be needed. It is my choice, not the will of others.

And if, for one second, I felt that one of these folk were taking the proverbial, they’d know about it quick sharp! 

I’m nobody’s fool – except, perhaps, my own.

Ahem, and there we have it…I am the ONLY person stopping me from doing this, and achieving my potential.

I have been slogging away at researching branding and logos etc for a while now…I really don’t like my website or my blog, because they simply don’t reflect me or Ditsy, and certainly not my design style. 

How To Style Your Brand by Fiona Humberstone

The only way to rectify this is to work at it, and to dig deep to find what would reflect me and my creative style. I know that if I loved the look of my blog and website, I would be SO much more willing to update them and pop in once in a while. I’d be proud to!

Much in the same way as I’m happy to check in on favourite blogs and Instagram feeds, because even if their current post isn’t relevant to me, their web space and the overall feel of it make me feel…calm / uplifted / invigorated / inspired / motivated / joy. But mostly that I’m in a place of beauty and great design - this REALLY flicks my switch, floats my boat, and totally twirls my skirt. 

It’s all about the visual. Nah…getaway, really?!?! Ha. ‘Course it is! 

Oops, digressed a little there, where were we? Ahh yes…

..So the other day I had a meeting with a lady in the village, about the prep for the village show in September. Our team of 5 (last year) has reduced to just the two of us, so I happily took on the role of sorting the paperwork…leaflets, show booklet, posters, forms, entrant info and so on and so on.

I came home that afternoon, shoved my branding book and notebook to one side, and immediately got stuck into designing this year’s show booklet. For hours. And I mean hours.

Why, oh WHY??? am I so happy and motivated to work on something for someone  else, yet I find it SO hard to work on MY stuff?

It’s like my brain goes, “hey, for the show to work, you are NEEDED to get working on the paperwork, and you MUST design the booklet this instant, because you have a clearly definable PURPOSE”. And “oh you can leave all that branding stuff, after all, it’s ONLY FOR YOU”. 

ARGHHHHHH.

So I’m asking you, genuinely, how do I start to see that Ditsy Bird Designs is a real and valid reason to be working hard (whilst not earning anything for it at the moment…obviously no one will pay me to do my own branding), putting in the time and effort, and focus? That’s a biggie right there.

How do I stop seeing “just for me” as less important, lacking purpose?

How do I change my attitude, my way of thinking?

I’ve tried thinking in terms of the potential extra cash I’d earn; the feeling of empowerment I’d have; the sense of purpose and the happiness that would bring; the rush I get when people buy my products; the joy of working on something I love and the flexibility of doing it at home…but thus far, they haven’t provided the catalyst I need.

that's me, waiting - but not just for my son

I know it’s not because I’m lazy (I had thought this for a long while) simply due of the amount of time I’ve spent this week alone, messing about with entry tickets, and ‘save the date’ posters on my macbook – time that would have been amazingly useful spent on researching colour themes and fonts for my own website.

When I think about the show paperwork, I know the end date; can see the actual room on the day; the users of the information I’ve created; the end result of all the hard work; the purpose.

When I think about spending hours working on who my dream client might be; sharing value; building a community; reflecting my style in a blog banner, it all goes very fuzzy and blurry…all soft focus (with bokeh..true fact), hard to visualise, and intangible.

Yesterday, I suddenly thought of it all from a different angle which turned it all on its head…

…instead of my usual “what if I did?”, I thought “what if I didn’t?”!

To be continued…(with luck, a following wind, and renewed focus and purpose).

Notes:

In my search for online assistance with all this (or for a virtual rocket up the bum, if you like), I did happen upon two very interesting articles:

This one by Genevieve Smith on Elle, and

This one by Steve Farquharson on 2HelpfulGuys.

[The comments on the Elle post contained some real gems]

Sarah

x

Chocolate Hangover Tuesday

Morning!

Mondays are always tired days in our house - Paul is up at 5ish in order to get the train to London, to head to work for the week.

I often doze off again for an hour, but the sleep during the night is usually broken, as we toss and turn, anticipating the early alarm call.

Why is then, that it usually Monday night when I get the urge to stay up silly late?

Last night, I was supping decaf, scoffing Dairy Milk, and catching up on DCI Banks at 10:30pm.

Once the TV programme had finished, I mysteriously decided to work through the Planning workbook for How to Style Your Brand...why oh why had inspiration eluded me all evening, yet just as I should be heading upstairs to catch up on some much needed sleep, there I was on the sofa furiously scribbling away my thoughts????

Self- sabotage I call it, and I have absolutely no idea why I do it.

Today I am nursing a hefty chocolate hangover...so much dairy (not just Cadburys) has been consumed over the weekend, that it has rendered my sinuses blocked and unhappy, and left me with a stonking headache and feeling mildly nauseous. Silly Sarah. [Though the meal that Paul cooked up on Saturday evening (the Culprit) was most definitely worth it].

I've even been back to bed for a power nap this morning - I never do that!

Even more shocking is that I actually nodded off straight away. 

On the up side, I can actually concentrate now, and stand a much better chance of making it through until actual bedtime, before running for my bed!

So, self-sabotage...is it just me? Do you do it? Has anyone sussed out why we do it? Is it due to a strange sporadic masochistic desire...to trip ourselves up before we've even got going?

Who knows?!

What I DO know, is that there will be none of it tonight - tonight I will be tucked up nice and early, ready to welcome Slumber's warm and cloud like embrace.

Sarah
x

Why?

Some days I walk into my little workroom, plonk down my cuppa, pull up a chair, switch on the laptop and then stop. And think "why?".

Why...

   am I sitting here alone?

   do I spend my time making things & photographing & listing & promoting?
   am I not reading my book, or a magazine or watching the telly?
   am I using up all of this time in the vain hope that my products will sell?
   am I not out walking in the countryside?
   am I not cracking on with household jobs & chores?
   am I not meeting up with a friend for coffee?
   am I sat here wondering why?

Away from my room I make great plans - I schedule time for emails/making orders/designing/researching/editing photos/listing/promoting. I draw up timetables and print them out. I scribble down flashes of inspiration on scrap paper. I get all jazzed up with enthusiasm and write copious notes and plans and ideas in my notebook.

And then I walk in here and this happens. All impetus abandons me...all my "yes, this is what I should be doing" goes *poof*...and all of my plans just seem kind of silly.

SO the question is...why am I unable to maintain the motivation and the excitement, and how do I rectify it?

To be continued...

x

just that sort of time

well hello there lovely people and how the devil are you?

I'm finding that...
  there are just not enough hours in a day...
  not enough days in the week...
  not enough pennies in the pot...
  and more than enough pounds on my bum!..
at the moment.

I get the impression from chats with pals, that it's just 'that' time of year and everyone's feeling it in some way or another. The rain and soaked-to-the-skin-super-absorbent-drizzle isn't helping much either. But!!! the leaves are looking mighty fine and I do like to snuggle on the sofa or sit in a pub in front of an open fire - so it's not all bad.
Plus Halloween is approaching - I love it! - as is Christmas...oh yes. Giddy giddy giddy! I love the build up...the plotting and the planning and the anticipation. The day is usually and anit-climax, but how can it not be with all that it is built up to be? As for Halloween - fun times here in our village where most people join in and you see crowds of children and parents, all dressed up, patrolling the streets and houses for treats, shrieks and giggles.

I'm having my very first open evening this Friday - not a huge event or anything...I'm just opening the doors to my home and inviting a few folk I know to come and see my Ditsy Bird creations 'in the flesh', sup a glass of wine and catch up with friends. After the initial 'what am I doing?!?!?!?!?' I'm now very much looking forward to it. It's been too long since I've had people round and this is a darned good excuse to do so.

I'm also dropping off stock at a new vintage shop*, Birdcage Vintage, opening up in Skipton, on Friday morning - so it's all systems go at home at the mo. Today, however, I'm in the office and actually taking a lunch break (bliss) and taking the time to write this little post, as well as having a bit of doodle ...some number brooch designs for the birthday numbers that I always seem to miss (7, 8, 9 & 10 if you're interested). 7, 9 and 10 are sorted so I'll work on 8 another day.

I hope all is well with you and yours! Try not to let the damp dampen your spirits - we'll soon be having those glorious bright, crisp Autumn days that are so good for the spirits.

Tata for now
x

*I've asterixed this because 'Vintage Shop' simply doesn't do it justice...it is so much more. A champion of recycling, handmade, learning new crafty skills as well as doing all of it for a very worthy cause indeed...Rachelle at Ted and Agnes did a great post on it over here if you want a little more info. It is a lovely blog to so why not stay around there a while and have a good read?

Sunday night

George, my 8 year old son, decided that he would really rather like to make some money for himself by selling off his old books...in our front garden. so, George's Marvellous Book Sale was born...
The sale went really well and, not only has he managed to pay off the cost of his new scooter helmet, he also has enough to buy some new fab and groovy grip tape! Lost? Me too! All we really need to know is that he is one happy boy and I've successfully rid the house of 2 more piles of 'stuff'. You know, 'stuff', the infection that spreads through any ordinary household filling up cupboards, drawers and shelves. I am waging war on our 'stuff' and it's starting to work - I can spot actual gaps on shelves and can even see the floor of the spare room now. Result.


What with putting all the photos of the books of Facebook for friends to view and reserve, pricing them all up, painting banners, stringing up bunting & balloons and setting up the tables with the books...oh and 3 hours in the park whilst G tackled the ramps (I wouldn't look - didn't dare)...it's been a busy and full weekend.


But tonight, this lovely Sunday night, G is bed...the OH is fast alseep on the sofa due to an afternoon with pals watching footie...so I'm having a 'me' night. Heaven. I've plucked my eyebrows, filed my toenails, filed and painted my finger nails, eaten a Cornetto, caught up on Sky+'d programmes, changed the bedding (clean sheets rock my world) and now I'm messing about on my laptop. Like I said...Heaven.


Happy Sunday night folks
x

Reflecting

I sat in the garden this evening, reading blogs and reflecting on the lovely day we'd had.

Nothing ground breaking (and maybe that was the charm of it all), just the ticking off of chores and the relaxing with good friends, listening to children's giggles and supping loose leaf Darjeeling tea brewed for precisely 3 minutes, black, with one sugar*.

It's the simple things that can often make the biggest impact on your day.

x

[*as recommended to me by the lovely @mysecrettearoom on Twitter and brewed perfectly, for my first ever taste by Rachelle - the lovely, kind hearted Rachelle - of the Secret Teacup @secretteacup

Lazy Sunday

Good Sunday morning friends! Today is another 'get on' day but in a fairly relaxed manner... •I need to tackle making a strap for a handbag •Sort the mountain of clean clothes...iron/put away •And pack! as we're off for some sunshine on Wedsnesday Plus try and get as many things prep'd to sew between here & Weds! I love that my head is full of new ideas but it's teeth-grindingly frustrating at just how long it takes to get them onto fabric & made up. I'm sure it will all be worth it in the end. Right, I am off to slurp my tea & then crack on with the 'To Do' ticking X

plotting & perfecting

I’ve had a big ole change of direction recently – moving slowly, but firmly away from the painting the card making side of things. It wasn’t a premeditated change but rather, something that occurred naturally…organically.
For me, these are the best form of changes – they require no forcing, no inner battles and no trying the refresh my style based on what I think I should be doing. Forcing a change only results in (for me, at least) a design style that just doesn’t sit right. That doesn’t sing.

You may already have read my previous post, where I introduced you to my Doodle design – Well, I’ve become doodle obsessed! Mainly because I have hundreds of the devils…in sketchbooks, on scraps of paper and a whole army of them in my head, scratching to get out!

Without consciously choosing to, I have almost completely (bar a couple of commissions) moved over to the textile side of my designing and making.
Truthfully, that’s where I’d love to be…in the land of felt, fabric, thread and beads &, of course, my beautiful Bernina. I’d like to empty my house and life of canvases and cards, and concentrate solely on my Doodle Designs –
  • expanding the range of designs
  • growing the range of products in each design
  • honing my machine sewing skills (I am very (Very) new to zips and seams, planning & pattern making)
  • venturing into fabric printing with embroidered detailing
In essence, developing a whole family of designs that appear in various textile forms but, that all have the same spirit…and a style that is instantly recognisable as my own.

The big stumbling block is to achieve all that with designs that appeal to potential customers and, at a price they deem fair.
Big stumbling block!

You see, just because I happen to think my beaded teapot brooches are the bee’s knees, doesn’t necessarily mean that others will feel the same. Although I may be enamoured with Scruffy Dog, it doesn’t automatically follow that I’ve tapped into the ‘Bingo!’ spot of the children’s market. Same goes for the warm, fuzzy, nostalgic glow I get when I see my ‘99’ cornet brooch – who’s to say other folk have happy memories of the seaside, or of the ice-cream van, driving around suburban streets on warm Summer evenings, music tinkling from afar (there I go with the nostalgia again).

But then I suppose I could ponder and fret about this for so long that it would, in time, become wholly debilitating.
In the end, it has to be a leap of faith…faith in my gut design instinct and a belief in the things that make my heart sing. I will make things that I like, in the hope that others like them too! After all, where is the fun in making something you don’t truly love or believe in? Surely that lack of love will show in the finished product…in the soul of the design? If all else fails, I shall use the absolute joy I glean from creating my work as my selling tool! (Cunning plan, though not entirely fail-safe. Mmm.)

So here I am, developing designs & products, tackling zips & seams & patterns, creating prototypes, tweaking, redoing and planning. Planning big.
I want to see my name in print one day, with the words “A textile based designer from North Yorkshire” next to it.

:: oh how I wish there were more days in the week, so that I could just get things made, and in my web shops, and on my website and then…da da da…the terrifying job of finding a stockist or two [cold hand of fear grips stomach, face blanches and teeth clench in an unbecoming manner]. So watch this space, though not literally as this may take some time. As in weeks, rather than ‘same time tomorrow’ time haha! ::

Sarah
x

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen places I'd like to go or visit:

1/ The Norfolks Broads
this is where I spent many, many happy October half terms as a child - on a boat with my ma, pa & bruv and sporting a fabulous, knitted pom pom hat
I did love Potter Heigham and it's funny little bridge
and sailing along the broads looking at the incredible houses with gardens stretching down to the boathouses on the banks

2/ The Maldives
ha - who wouldn't really?
I would love to go whilst they're all still there and would love to take George so he can swim and swim and swim and paddle and dig in the sand....ahhhhh

3/ The Yorkshire Sculpture Park
to see the Jauma Plensa exhibition before it ends in September
(I've been working on the OH and the boy, bigging it up with photos that the lovely Paula took on her recent visit)

4/ New England
in the Fall
mmm clapboard houses, beaches and autumnal leaves

5/ London Town
it's been far too long - so long that I barely remember the visit at all
I'd like to do the galleries and museums, take G to see the dinosaurs, visit the markets and generally mosey about

6/Kinsale (again)
oh how I love it there!
when I first met the OH, he was working over there and I'd (& G sometimes) go over on the plane (just a long enough journey to share a Suchard's hot choc on board), walk along the cliffs, drinks Murphy's & eat Bacon Fries in The Spaniard and listen to the tiddlyitie music or sit in the window of The Bulman with the Sunday papers. Bliss.
on my first visit, I felt like I'd come home

7/ Harewood House
considering how close I live to it, it's pretty embarrassing to admit that I haven't been since I was a child
for any of you with little ones, they're holding a children's festival this coming bank holiday weekend...Mr Tumble anyone?

8/ Northumberland
for a holiday - to walk and play on it's beaches and explore it's castles

9/ Madrid
the OH and I used to be quite keen on our city breaks
then we bought a house and G started school, making paying for them and being free to do them more difficult
we did manage to get to Paris as my 40th birthday treat, which happened to be the weekend of His birthday - it was wonderful
Madrid is one of those pins in the map in my head - somewhere I'd love to go

10/ a Baltic cruise
my friend was lucky enough to do one last year and after looking at her photos I developed a deep yearning to visit the places myself

11/ Chester
I last went there on a friend's hen weekend and I do so love the place
perfect for a mosey, a delicious meal and a stroll along the river

12/ Cornwall
more specifically St. Ives
I've been once and I loved it - such a pretty and creative place - full of inspiration
but it's SUCH a long way to drive

13/ Portugal
I've heard a few people recently, talking of holidays here and it sounds like a jolly lovely place to stay and enjoy the sunshine and their hospitality

where would love to go, right now if you had the power of teleportation
me? Kinsale right now would be pretty glorious

Sx

Thursday Thirteen

I thought I'd give this a go this week.
Nothing very clever, just a list of thirteen anythings that you fancy...

Thirteen Things on my Mind
1. zips
2. branding
3. Kitty
4. dinner
5. my driving licence
6. Mum
7. the state of my work room
8. day trips :)
9. collaborations
10. car tax :(
11. meta titles
12. sewing
13. no work for 12 days after today!!!!


What's on your mind this thrilling Thursday?

Sx

a long hard think

Undervalued = underwhelmed


...that's the conclusion that my long hard think has brought me to!


Basically, I've been undervaluing some of my work (mostly my smaller canvases and my handmade cards) and selling them for less than I should...once I take into account my labour in the creation of these items, they seemed disctinctly underpriced.


As a result, the receipt of the 'whoop! you've sold something' email from Etsy/Folksy left me feeling a little underwhelmed & distinctly less than gleeful - this in not how it should be, oh no!


And it all boiled down to the fact that...the time I would put into creating the item or replacing the item for resale, made me feel like I was working for pennies. And there's no joy to be had in that. Nope, nope, nope. And I do like to be a happy creator :)


It's a fine line though, don't you find? -

Making it worth your while                   making it an appealing 

   as the designer/creator          V       purchase for the buyer

Anyhoo, 'tis done and hopefully I won't cheese off any existing clients* and won't put off any potential clients. In fact (!), hopefully my new prices will reflect my new found self-respect which perhaps will garner appreciation for my work, from others. You never know
*(I did do some canvasing (hehe) before making my decision)


Sarah
x

Countdown

No Ditsy Birding today...it's the last day of our school hols :(

George has been given the choice of what to do today and it is this:
•Watch TV in Mummy's bed whilst eating some sweets
•Lunch
•Go to Molly & Jacks for pressie giving, lovely walk to pick Moo up
from school then back & play for it bit
•McD's treat tea before going off to Daddy's for the weekend before
he goes away for a fortnight

The first week back shouldn't be too bad though as Paul has just
called to say he's finally booked us a holiday...to Thasos in Greece
for a week. So that's one week back then Thasos for a week to top up
his tan and then back to school. Ah what a life he has :)
X

Sunday slob

I'm happily sat in my pj's, watching cheesy TV and catching up on my
hand sewing...very relaxing!
Here's my latest bunting offering...I dare not even try and work out
when I actually started it, it would be WAY too long!
Happy Bank Holiday Sunday folks!
x