Reality of Life

I haven't posted for a while, but there are times when everyday life takes priority. We had a great trip to the east coast to help my son and his wife move into their new home. I'd forgotten how tiring moving can be, but it's also a lot of fun and I didn't want to miss a minute. Unpacking boxes and re-discovering things that have been languishing in cupboards, drawers and corners of closets is as exciting as unwrapping Christmas presents. I really need to start with my own home. We moved here 7 years ago and there are still boxes I have yet to unpack........ Now I'm inspired to do so as soon as possible. Who knows what treasures I may find. After 36 years of marriage, 2 children and about 8 moves, whatever I discover might be as good as a Willy Wonka chocolate bar.

It's good to step back for a while. It's very easy to get involved in creativity to a point where it becomes overwhelming. There's always so much designers want to do, but never enough hours in the day. Each idea grows into more ideas - it's part of the creative process and the more we try to do, the more creative we become.

Life in the Craft Lane has changed dramatically over the past 5 years. Social networking has taken over to the point where our lives have little room for anything else, but Facebook, blogs and Twitter. Articles and projects which used to be created for books and magazines now appear on our blogs and websites, free to everyone who visits. There's still something comforting, however, about picking up a book or magazine and leafing through the pages while sitting with your feet up to the coffee table a glass of wine, or cup of tea in hand, so I hope they'll still be around for a few more years. Funnily enough, I'm sitting with my feet up, while I write this on my laptop; even computers have evolved where I'm not tied to a desk any more. I still don't have an iPhone though... so I don't Tweet..... can't imagine that anyone would really be interested in what I do on a daily, or hourly basis.

I will tell you what I have planned for tomorrow. I have boxes of projects which I will start to photograph and feature here on a regular basis. The projects may not use the latest and greatest patterned papers, or embellishments, but I've always loved to show ideas, concepts and techniques. Design has never been about the project - only the how to, so, Y'all come back now! You may find some treasures of your own.

Yours truly,

Julie :)