Looking Backwards, and Forwards

Happy New Year to you all.

I've been reflecting on a colourful year...

I'm remembering wintery visits to the coast, followed by Easter baking and Spring flowers...

 

Discovering Northumberland for the first time in May...

 

Gathering colourful wool for exciting new crochet projects...

 

Our first foray into camping...

 

  
Completing the Rainbow Bolster...

...and enjoying the fresh home grown salads from the garden...

Summer brought blushing, succulent apricots and delicious home made cream teas and lemon shortbread...

 

...not forgetting our midsummers eve picnic...

 

Painting work continued, when and where it could...

  

...and the garden bloomed...

 

  

A September trip back to Northumberland...still wild and beautiful as Autumn approached...

 

Autumn flowers appeared on the window sill, brightening the shortening days...

 

...then it was time to carve pumpkins and search for the largest conkers in the forest...

 

Home baked cookies were a staple as the weather turned cooler...

 

And in the blink of an eye, Christmas was upon us and we had fun making decorations...

 

 

The snow came...and stayed...but it was so very beautiful...

 

 

...and a home made mince pie and a steaming mug of tea was most welcome following our winter walk...

 

 
I hope you have enjoyed my little wander through 2010.  I like to reflect upon the journey I've had through the four seasons as the old year ends.  It seems it's something that I do quite naturally, and I contemplate how I can make my life happier, simpler...how I can evolve as a painter and grow as a person and as a Mum.

This new year promises to see some changes as I try to free up more time for family and painting.  Don't worry though, I'll still be blogging (in fact I can't imagine not doing that now, it's such an enjoyable thing to do).  I have some ideas to help this little blog grow into an even more colourful, inspiring place for you all to visit as the year unfurls, so I do hope you will join me on my journey into 2011.


I look forward to seeing you here, thank you for dropping by.


Brightest New Year blessings to each of you ~
Julia x

A New Year

Happy New Year dear friends


I hope you have all enjoyed a lovely Christmas time, and I wanted to take this time to thank you all for the last year in Blogland, for your friendship and support. Ive really enjoyed getting to know you all, and I look forward to following your journeys in 2010!


The picture above is a cherished view near to our home looking over the Loxley Valley, it looked beautiful on Christmas day following the huge snowfall we had awoken to on Christmas Eve. My sister and her family had travelled north the day before that, so we braved the icy roads to join them at my Mums cottage and had the best fun building snowmen with the children, having snowball fights and sledging races down the hill next to the house. It was one of the nicest Christmases Ive had in a while. I think the snow made it feel all the more so as well as the fact that we were all together (which doesn't happen every year).


So, as quick as Christmas arrived and departed, so a New Year came creeping in. Did any of you see the lunar eclipse last night? It was also a very special moon in that it was a Blue Moon. That means that there were two full moons within the calendar month which is not that common (hence the phrase, 'once in a blue moon'), but for a Blue Moon on a New Years Eve it was even more amazing as its only once in every 20 years that it happens.

For those of you who are interested in moon energy and cycles, its a very prolific time to set intentions and goals for the coming year.


Which got me thinking about what I would like to achieve this year.


I would seriously like to start growing my little art business. 2009 saw me supporting my other half in his business venture, climbing the peaks and navigating the troughs. Everyone we spoke to agreed it had been a hell of a year for anyone in business, especially a small business as this one is at the moment. To have survived it and come out the other side feels nothing short of a miracle and I admit to feeling worn yet more learned from the experience. Life sends us these lessons to test us, to see if we are ready and willing to grow, and I think we have grown. We have lived on the breadline and we have also experienced moments of wonderful abundance. We have travelled through very testing times. Despite the difficult bits, we are beginning 2010 with a renewed sense of possibility and optimism and I have made the promise to myself to devote more time to my own business too.


I am in the midst of planning some regular work time with my Small Person being in the house at the same time. I know from a bit of reading that its quite possible to do this. It just needs some forward thinking, such as lots of exciting activities to keep her occupied and regular mini breaks where we will spend time playing together, or having a snack or a sing-song...
Im also discovering how to help her understand that Mummy will be having Work Time, because at first she won't realise whats going on. We are going to ease ourselves into it gently, just a couple of hours here and there, nothing too much. It will, I hope, create a happy balance for all of us and help my little art business grow into something a bit bigger that will eventually help towards supporting our little family.


Im reading a couple of really good business books that are created for creative people too - none of this technical mind boggling nonsense for me, hardcore business manuals just dont resonate and after a bit of inspiration from a friend, Ive been overjoyed to discover some excellent reading material that will hopefully serve to expand upon what I already know.


So that is what Im aiming for this year. :D


What are your goals and ambitions for this new year?
What do you hope to achieve in this new month?


I send you sparkling scoops of goodwill and comfort for the journey, and look forward to catching up with all of you again soon.

Much love
Julia x