Redeem Creations: A Little Colour for the Soul

Brrrrrr, it's a bit chilly tonight, but we are resisting putting the heating on just yet and I am dreaming that the defunct old 60's fire in our front room is actually a roaring log fire like Lucy's over at Attic 24! Still - I have some colour to match hers tonight at least!

The top set is my favourite! These are the mix of fabrics I have ready for the "Retro Funky" range of bags.

There's still a little colour in the garden too - especially as I treated myself to some of my favourites to warm up the border.

This is the colourful display that has replaced the doll's house that was on this cabinet, which has now gone to a new home and to someone who will hopefully have a little more time to brighten it's walls than I did! I love these old Ladybird books - especially for their cheery colours.

The massive reorganisation of the studio is almost at an end, just the cottons and ribbons to go, but they are in way too scary a state to go near at the moment. Every now and then when my box of threads gets just too messed up, I have to take a pair of scissors in there and detach a "scribble" of coloured cords. I usually think it looks quite beautiful to my eye - like a picture of our home - colourful chaos. (Order held together with threads of chaos i think I once called it!) It did occur to me the other day that it was probably quite wasteful though, so the next job on the list is to make myself one of these!

We had a little wander down to the Pre-school Nature Garden opening today - which was lovely. A perfect Autumnal day for a garden opening, the leaves just starting to turn, and a slight crispness in the air, but warm sunshine if you found a spot with a cup of tea in hand. The littlies loved it too. How blessed they are.

We also had a wander round the town as there was a Food festival on in the market square today. A few loaves of bread were purchased and I came away a happy girl, with a bag full of goodies from this shop stall. I walk past her window every day on the way to playschool and have often wondered about the sign in the window, offering repairs and alterations. So lovely to meet Kerry today and see all her beautiful creations. The orange braid was today's find!

I've been so enjoying the little ones these last few days. The arrival of a new niece in the family has been urging me to soak up the boys and their newness to the world as much as I can, while they are still new. And even the eldest, who is a mighty 10 is relatively new, and knows so little still. That's beautiful and I am thankful that they have been trusted to me and J. I have this week enjoyed a walk ALL the way home from school hand in hand with said boy. A rare and precious thing and one which I soaked up with all my being. I have also enjoyed "love cuddles" with Noah - who announces regularly now in the middle of random activities, "Mum, I love ya". Even Reu is wide eyed in wonder at the world and so eager to show me everything he is discovering. I am trying to live in his wonder whenever I remember, as if it were the first time I too had seen a bird or butterfly. I love his squeals of excitement! Ben has been poorly this week, so I've had the opportunity to do some proper Mummery - cosying him up on the sofa with a cup of tea and books. And the one I haven't mentioned yet, well, reading is the thing at the moment - what a precious gift I have remembered, it is to be able to read. A friend introduced me to this wonderful website too.

As for me, I continue to gather up all my remaining energies to create. In the light of all I've just said, I am constantly aware of the "one chance" nature of children and so, things at Redeem inch forward often a lot slower than I would love, but I have learnt to say to myself, that's OK, plenty of time....and I daydream instead of all the lovely things I'll one day have the time to make.....

For now, I wanted to share a little treasure I have been "doing up" - just for me. It's not often I use valuable time to make something for myself these days, but it felt good to finally paint up this old sewing box that I had found months ago in a charity shop and had been taking up at least a third of the floor space in my studio ever since! The intention was to have it beside the sofa in the living room, so that in the evenings, when I withdraw from the studio to be nearer the children, I can stash away all my bits and pieces, for and evening of cosy making. What do you think? It's a glimpse of the colourful room I have planned. One day the living room will look like this....or this.....and I'll finally use these to cover the sofas!