Long time no blog

Oh dear, my friends. I am rather rubbish at this blogging thing, aren't I? That's a rhetorical question, by the way. No need to answer and make me feel worse. In my defence, if there can be such a thing, I managed to blog more in 2013 than 2012. By one post. That's something, I suppose.

The last months of 2013 were a whirlwind of activity, and there was a definite sense of trying to reach the end of the year 'intact' - physically, mentally and emotionally. It wasn't easy, and I'm forever grateful to the people who held me together while times were tough.

The decision to go on holiday wasn't that difficult, really. Spend new year somewhere warm and sunny, with the chance to see amazing wildlife and scenery? See - not difficult at all. And so we flew off just after Christmas and spent two and a half weeks in South Africa. My first time on the other side of the equator, and I loved every minute of it.

2013 was the year of the sketchbook for me. I drew more and documented more days than I have ever done in my life. In some ways I can't believe it took me till I was 30 to discover how to do this, but like everything it needed the right time and the right circumstances. Something clicked last year, and my collection of books and journals is proof of that. Our holiday was the perfect way to end a creative year, travelling with my sketchbook and using it to help me record some magical moments.

I know better than to make resolutions for 2014. Making lists of things I want to achieve and rushing headlong into a million activities is a sure-fire way to give myself a meltdown by Spring. Instead, I have learned to take things easy and be kind to myself, and be open to opportunities as they come up. I want to keep sketching, and scrapbooking, and generally being creative. By the end of the year I'd like some more sketchbooks on my shelf, each one filled with stories of the adventures and everyday moments that make our lives special. I'll blog when I feel like it, and I hope you pop in every now and then too. Thank you.

Well, hello there 2013

It's a good job that 'blogging more often' is not a new year's resolution for me. Don't take it personally :) 

The first couple of weeks of 2013 have been busy in lots of ways, and although there is crafting going on, there hasn't been much light to take good photos. Instagram with its funky effects is much more forgiving of low-light situations (you can find me @wightkate).

I have learned that if I start the year with a list of aims and challenges, by March things usually start to fall apart. I am working towards being the person I want to be. And that doesn't change with the turn of a calendar page.

To be creative, to spend my energy on the things that really matter, to cherish those close to me, to find peace and calm and laughter in my life. To spend wisely, love deeply and eat well. 

May your 2013 be everything you want it to be.

Get it done

I sometimes wonder if other people see me how I see myself. I like to think I come across as super-confident but in reality I doubt myself and everything I do all.the.time. I like to think I hide it, but you can probably tell. One thing I know for sure is that I am rubbish at hiding things.

This year I will stop worrying, stop over-thinking, stop comparing and just DO IT. This mostly applies to creative projects but should really cover everything in my life.

2012 is the year of getting it done.

(This scrapbook page makes sense if you knew how many times I had rearranged the papers and moved the embellishments around. Enough!)

One step at a time

2011 wasn't a bad year, was it. Lots of happy times, good memories, achievements at work and in my personal life, lots of milestones on the road to good health.

I didn't really make resolutions for 2011. Instead of making vague aims like 'be more creative' I had specific goals I wanted to reach, and things I wanted to do. I'm very proud of myself that I managed to complete almost everything I wanted to, and a few other things besides.

And 2012? I find that I am more interested in setting goals than ever before. I used to swear that setting goals was merely a step on the inevitable road to disappointment. After all, if I set a goal and then don't achieve it, I'll be disappointed, right? And nobody wants that. Boo-freaking-hoo.

OMG was I wrong.

It started when I did a course at work that focused a lot on personal goal-setting and making five-year plans.    Brilliant - I had my life planned out. Then cancer came along and screwed all that up. Suddenly my daily goals were mostly about getting up and getting dressed, and I was too scared to think about anything more long-term than my next hospital appointment. And I realised that plans are good, but flexibility is essential. So now, I have long-term goals, and short-term goals, and things I want to do tomorrow...and they all sort of link together in a giant mental map that is my life. But I hope that it might be like one of those magic maps in Harry Potter, and every so often something new will appear.

I am still working on what these goals mean for 2012. There will definitely be some more studying, and more creativity. I hope that there will be more travel and more adventure. I'm pretty certain there are going to be lots of changes. And it's down to me to make that happen.