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

Silent Sunday

Tuesday

it's been a funny old day here in the nest...it started off with a head massage* followed by a long natter with Mum -who had an appointment straight after me - and another stonking headache (result of the massage).

*due to years of abuse of my neck and shoulders...bad posture people, bad posture...I'm in a painful, stiff and creaky way at the moment. A month long headache (and muchly interupted sleep) led me to book a neck & shoulder massage with my friend Sue, which I then spoke about to another friend, Anna, who happens to a truly excellent osteopath. Cue appointment with Anna, an assessment and some 'deep tissue' manipulation and I have much improved movement...I can probably turn out of a junction in my motor now, without moving bodily to see in both directions. Today's massage was to keep on top of the situation and not let my muscles stiffen up too much...I will get this sorted!

Basically, I'm (you too perhaps?) terrible at looking after myself in that way. I'll happily fork out for good, healthy food, with happy chickens and organic produce here and there...I'll make sure my walk to school and back is a good old stomp to get my heart going...I'll have regular hair appointments etc but when it comes to something as simple as bad posture...tut tut tut. I sit at a keyboard and screen two days a week when in Management Accountant mode, and at a desk hunched over a drawing/some sewing etc when in Ditsy Bird mode, a slob on the sofa at the end of the night, or lounge against pillows when reading in bed = I rarely sit up straight = sooooo not good for me. I mean, Anna had to massage my front neck muscles - I didn't even know that was possible! I thought I'd got sore glands but no, sore (oh so sore) neck muscles. I know. Or rather, I didn't know.

For years I've been joking about how I could do with a full body MOT but had never actually thought about how I could go about that. You see, I've always seen massages as a bit of a luxury...more of a treat than a treatment. I now know better of course and will be having regular, preventative, ones going forward.

Hmm this wasn't intended to be a 'look after yourselves people, sit up straight, stretch and give those muscles a rub once in a while' post. But hey diddly ho ;)

Anyhoo...headache under control and finances addressed, I realised that the funds I'd hoped I'd be able to buy myself a beautiful, shiny, brand new DSLR no longer existed. Hmph.

But last night, whilst twitting on Twitter, I remembered some amazing photos a pal had posted using a special lense for his iPhone, no less! A quick chat later, and a bit of web browsing this aft on Photojojo's store, and I have ordered these and this in the hope, that they + the camera on my iPhone 4s will suffice for some fairly decent product shots...

I was sorely tempted by this but will have to see how the lenses go and perhaps invest at a later date. There are so many very cool things on the site, but I had to resist my 'by them all!!!!' urge - I will report back on how I fair with my lenses and tripod attacher doobery wotsit. Hurry post people...hurry!

That's it then really, we're right up to date and now I have to go get my delicious wee chap from Dodge Ball club.

here's a piccie of a card I made for a friends birthday...the Indian Leaf is a magnet :)

TTFN
x

streamlining

good Monday morning folks! what have you got planned today?
I'm trying to get a little more streamlined in my business, as well as everyday, life.
So today is all about getting address labels, thank you notes, return address labels and gift cards etc. ready to go...all in folders on my packaging shelf

leafy heart address label

As mundane a task as it is, I am taking my time about it...and putting my own slant on it - this way, posting out orders (hopefully) won't seem like the chore it currently is (where did I put the tissue paper?), aaand they will reflect me and my design style.


I've drawn some basic designs/shapes and have then scanned, resized and printed these onto various papers...plain white for thank you's, self adhesive for packaging labels and textured card for gift tags.

busy bee doodled address label/gift tag

I'm hoping to get a but more stream-lined in everyday life too - getting birthday cards & gifts bought well in advance...I've had one of those card holder dooberries for yonks. I think this year I may finally use it & stick the cards in the relevant month and away we go. I just have to remember to look in the card holder dooberry ;)


There are so many other streamlinery things I could do I suppose. I did make a start last year by creating:
• a gift wrap drawer
• a present drawer
• a card drawer (it was never very organised though...plenty for 'cousin' when in desperate need for 'Auntie')
• a letter writing, cheque writing don't-forget-school-dinner-money type drawer
I can honestly say that they did genuinely help!


I'm still in the midst of the coat/studio/man's room sort...so when that's done and we have organised book & filing shelves, there will be no stopping me! Honest guvnor.

twiggy circle tag/label

Anyone else trying to get a bit more streamlined for this shiny new year?
x


PS sorry for the yukky grey photos - it is so very damp and dingy up North today & I haven't managed to get my daylight lamps all plugged in since the change around

it's a brand new year

well hello there and how is 2012 treating you thus far?


it's alright isn't it? a bit on the damp side but hey, we'll be glad of it when the sun shines on our green and pleasant land again, no? why, yes we will.


sooo what's been occurring in the Ditsy Bird nest...it's been a busy old Christmas, and one full of ~
family & friends; epic hide n seek fests (ace, just ace!); delicious meals; 3 curries in a week (never again tho); a trip to the iMax; lots of lovely gifts made, given & received; pyjama days; twinkly lights; fun and love. Lots of love.


but now I seem have developed itchy, move-furniture-around-and-rearrange-my-nest fingers! ha
tis ace!


I've nearly finished rearranging my studio/workroom/thespareroom & it now has a work table and a laptop/photographing table. two tables. oh yeah..chickity check me out and my fancy ways ;)
this then lead on to my rearranging the study downstairs prompted by a couple of comments by crimbo visitors, saying that it was Paul's room
so I thought...why not?


it has a bureau avec desktop, a huge bookcase so that's a good start
sadly the g't wonky coat rack will have to go, as will the sweaty pongy shoes (the boys', not mine...I'm a laaaady)


so that has knocked on to my shifting (just now in fact) the bookcase on the bottom stairs, up to the very top landing...in order to make room for some space saving, sort your ruddy coats out (my name is Paul and I am a coat addict - is a there a Coats Anonymous??? hmmm) coat hooks down there - thus ridding the Man's room of outdoor attire
I stole the extra table from the study*, clearing room for a comfy armchair for said Man to sit in and be manly and aloooown and read his book (who am I kidding) iPad


sooooo, all we need now are the afore-mentioned coat hooks and a shoe cupboardy rack thing
oh, and an armchair
but there were whisperings by his pa of their getting shot of their super snug and snazzy chair
hmmm


there's much hmmm-ing afoot tonight


as my lovely friend Karen put it...I think you may have dropped in on one of my meandering thoughts - I like that, it makes me happy to meander some more :) 
x


*this may not go down too well
but...it did have my work laptop & mega screen (which I'm looking at now in my own dandy little room) so that's a good thing that that's gone isn't it?!?! oh yes I think so
hmmm


ooh this post is entirely devoid of pictures...

dada! a little example of handmade tags for pressies

lately

So what have I been up to lately?

 making Christmassy delights

 using psychedelic vintage fabric for hair clips

 painting up orders for two very cute boys

 celebrating 9 years of being Mummy

 enjoying the occasional glass of chilled white

 loving my boy

 buying delicious looking threads

 painting wooden puds

 dreaming up new ideas

 reading new books

 having fun at Otley Designer Fair

 playing with pattern pieces

having fun with shrink plastic

 feeling festive in London Town

 working on party season designs

messing about with new iPhone apps

and supping hot toddies whilst blogging

what have you been up to lately?

x

London day trip

Mum & I had to go to London on Friday for her regular consultation with her Oncologist so we decided to make the most of it this time, and have a wander around our capital city.

The day got off to a flying start thanks to the kindness of friends who gave us First Class rail tickets for our journey - you know who you are and thank you will never seem enough for giving Mum a reason to look forward to the trip - woohoo, get us! There's me ma sat in comfort reading trashy mags in the sunshine.

And there's me, opposite, with my usual look at the hair not my face! shot - ooh and one of my beady hair clips.
Free drinks, food and great service made for a most enjoyable journey down, I have to say!

And the surprises didn't end there - queuing for a day ticket at Kings Cross underground station, a (very handsome) chap handed over the day ticket he'd bought as he was 'done for the day'. Huzzah! That almost never happens to Mum or I! Cue big smiles :)
We trogged off to St Barts, met with the ever-cheery Dr Steele, got the best news available...stable, no growth...and headed off into town to celebrate by exploring.

First stop - Mum treated us both to the Degas exhibition at the Royal Academy, being that our travel costs had been minimal thus far...what a treat it was too.

photo from RA website

The focus of the exhibition is Degas' 'preoccupation with movement' and it has to be said, that he had it down to a fine and wondrous art. Dancers in poses that last mere seconds, girls 'disappearing off stage', not to mention the spectral nuns...I've always loved his work but had never fully appreciated what he was trying to achieve until now. It was an education. It was as if someone had pressed pause and, any minute now, the dance would continue - but no, it was merely his skill at showing precious moments in dance and life.

If you are considering going to see the exhibition, I urge you to do so...the sculptures alone are worth it.

 stunning window display with a lit up house

Feeling thoroughly enlightened we headed off into the evening for (lots of) walking and window shopping, grabbing a quick snack, moseying around Oxford and Regents Streets, Anthropology *swoon*, Liberty (boy they know how to price!) & Burlington Arcade - this was like stepping back in time...so beautiful.

living wall inside Anthropology

After a last minute book purchase which left us in a hurry to catch the 8.05pm train to Leeds, we traveled back tired and achy (with blisters) but happy!

We were given some top tips on ticket purchasing so are hoping that when we go back in Jan, it will again be in style and this time we will have a plan of where and what to see.

x