Recognising happiness

L - R: firsts from the garden - beans, chilli and purple carrots; recycling an old watering can; 

a new discovery; windows stacked like so many books on a book shelf;

those few moments when the whole house is clean; thrifted treasure

Life is good. So very good. I feel that I have left illness and struggles behind me, and my gratitude list gets longer and longer. It's a wonderful place to be. Of course I am mindful that 'this too shall pass.' But it is lovely to stop in the moment and feel that all is right with our little world. Perfectly imperfect, but perfectly lovely. (Complete with teething one year old and runny nosed four year old.)

I want to thank you all for taking the time to read and comment on this blog of mine. I'm so pleased to share this journey with you. I seem to have an idea of what this blog is, then it pleasantly surprises me again and I find that it is something else - as inconstant and evolving as I am. Mama blogger? Craft blogger? Business blog? All and more. Whether parenting, crafting, creating jewellery, knitting, gardening - I bring my creative self to all these tasks. I guess Creative Blog sums it up best then? 

Creativity is something that we recognise and connect with in each other. This community has, and continues to, encourage and inspire me. I'm looking forward to meeting members of the blogging community at Thea & Sami's Morning Tea next week in Brisbane. (I believe there are still places available.) I'm also looking forward to my first guest post being published on one of my favourite blogs soon, accompanied by a giveaway.

An update on my eyes for those who have followed along as I went from surprise diagnosis of two severe retinal detachments, to surgeries and on to recovery. I drove today for the first time in three months! (With my optometrists approval.) With glasses the vision in my right eye is very, very good. Unfortunately the damage done to my left eye was not completely repairable and my right eye is going to have to do most of the work, while my left eye offers a little peripheral assistance. It's been a little difficult to mentally adjust to this change, though my right eye does a fantastic job of compensating for my left. I feel incredibly lucky that I was able to have the treatment I received and save the vision in my right eye. Modern medicine is a marvel.

Thank you again for your support of my little shop and my Mother's Day shop update. There was a time when I couldn't picture myself ever returning to the jewellery bench to work. Now I love the creative freedom of working from home and being a stay at home Mother. My blog provided me with a place to share my work and receive feed back, which lead to the opening of my shop. In a couple of months my shop will be turning three! I'm pleased to say that half of the pieces in the Mother's Day update have sold and I am currently in the process of designing and working on a collection of brooches for my next update.

All these things I could not accomplish on my own. So thank you.

Life is good. 

Your thoughts?

This blog is in part about documenting my everyday, but it's also about the conversation between myself and you, the reader. I value each comment left on my posts and still get excited when I check my emails and see new comments waiting to be read. I am always heartened to hear that I have inspired someone to try something new, start a new project, or pick up a book I have loved. I won't deny I am flattered when you like my projects, or compliment my photographs. And it's always reassuring to know that I'm not just talking to myself and to feel a part of a broader creative community than what I have access to locally. I have 'met' so many lovely people through blogging and making those connections is part of the real value of blogging for me. It's reassuring to know that there are others out there like me, with similar tastes and experiences.

Continuing this conversation, I wondered, is there any advice you would give on improving my blog? Anything you would see changed? Images too big or too small? Text hard to read? Too many children/ gardening/ knitting posts? What would you like to see or read more of? Is there anything you want to ask me? Anything you have wondered and wanted to know? I warmly welcome your questions, constructive criticism and advice! Many thanks in advance lovely readers.

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1. In the mail, double happiness
2. Mini Mums in the garden
3. I was the lucky winner of Carol's sweet giveaway. Thanks Carol!
4. Spring colour

For the love of books and bloggers

(ImagesByClaire)

Further to yesterday's discussion about reading, I was reminded of Morrissey's 'Handsome devil' song lyrics, "There's more to life than books, you know. But not much more."

I was so pleased to have had my suspicions confirmed by your comments. We are indeed a crafty and well read community, drawn together for similar reasons. My life would certainly be less rich without the joy and knowledge found in books, or the support and inspiration of the blogging sphere. Something worth sharing indeed.

Thank you fellow readers and crafters!