Finally feeling crafty!

This year has seen the closure of an enormously stressful period of my life which involved copious studying, illness, and stress for about 6 years of my life! Inevitably, my crafting suffered: so many half-started projects or things bought but never made. It feels like my head has been surrounded by a big fog that is only just now starting to clear.

The other major thing that has happened this year is that I got engaged! Now, on a very tight budget, I am starting to put my crafty feelers out again to help create some of the decorations for our special day. I’ve started with jam jars for our table flowers as an easy task which I can pick up and stop as I’m collecting, to slowly accrue and decorate them in good time.

The jam jar collection is up and running!

Our wedding colours include duck egg, so wrapping a bit of coloured ribbon will provide pops of colour, with my plans for quite neutral and simple flower stems to drop in them. To keep the rustic feel, I’ve added some twine and tried to add different textures with the ribbons I’m using too.

I’ll readily admit, cleaning some of the jars has not been fun! It seems like some of the labels have been stuck on with some kind of Kryptonian superglue, designed never to peel off once more! But, I’ve enjoyed dipping my toes back into crafting, with some quiet sifting to find different shaped jars and experimenting with layering the ribbons in different ways.

Here’s hoping my crafting mojo is finally back!

What I’m reading: In celebration of 200 years since Charlotte Bronte’s birth year (1816), I’ve started a biography of the writer. I first read Jane Eyre when I was 14 and have been a fan ever since, reading her other works Shirley, Villette and her short stories in my early 20’s. Earlier this year I read a wonderful biography of Effie Gray and it’s got me in the mood to read more of this genre.

What I’m watching: Always a fan of a good boxset,  I’ve gone back to the beginning of one of my favourite sitcoms Friends! I remember madly trying to dry myself after swimming lessons on a Friday night so we could hurry home to catch the latest episode. Luckily, We no longer have the weekly torment with those end of season cliffhangers ‘Will Emily marry him now he’s just said Rachel?!’ and I can binge watch a disc a night, phew!

Where I’m going: I’ve enjoyed a largely quite July after a manic May and June and hoping August will continue in the same vein. Luckily, there’s coffee and breakfast dates with friends, paths to find and a dog to walk.My eye is currently on visiting Llyn Elsi, near Betws y Coed, a mountain lake about a 40/45 minute walk up and out from the village which I’m told is a stunner.