The Crafty Lass – Reflections of a BusyBusyBusy Crafty Year!
Well, it’s Christmas weekend… Not quite sure how we suddenly got to this point of the year… it has absolutely flown by – but boy has it been busy!
Within the last 12 months – we have seen such a change to our lives – little man has gone from the tiny, cuddly little newborn… (sigh) to now over 1 year old, and at the point of walking (so close!) We moved house in late Spring – no mean feat with said such little person! We spent the Summer settling in, Autumn setting up the new studio in the Old Grain Store – and then launched such studio in Winter for the Christmas workshops here in Lower Boddington, Northamptonshire! The Crafty Lass Old Grain Store… #CLOGS
And… it went surprisingly well! We had bookings for a start (!) – and quite a few bookings too – including some ‘sell outs’ which, when ‘starting out’ – you just don’t know how it’s going to go, do you? The first person who walked through the door for the very first new workshop:
“Oooooh, it’s a crafter’s dream!”
High praise indeed… and exciting to know other people share the vision! Although I have been running workshops for over 2 years now – suddenly having a dedicated studio to teach from, it has felt like a new launch, a new business again – it’s reinvigorated me certainly – so so so many ideas for the future! Lots of avenues to explore, new crafts to be tried and things to be made. I am just ever so grateful – and thank you to everyone who attended one of the workshops this Christmas – it has made me have great hope for The Crafty Lass!
Someone who I have met a handful of times, and has become a lovely friend – they came along to one of our The Crafty Lass workshops and her quote was:
“What you’ve achieved is astonishing! Especially to do all that alongside being sleep deprived, many people would’ve given up a long time ago, but your passion and drive has really resulted in something that you should be so so proud of.”
That really made me stop – and really think, and actually it is those words that inspired writing this blog post. That we should stop and look at not what we HAVEN’T achieved but what we HAVE.
I am definitely not usually one to ever fully congratulate myself – I never stop and say ‘well done missus, you actually have done quite a lot you know,’ – I am usually too busy on to the next item on the to do list. When you are in the midst of it, adrenaline filled, busybusybusy – you don’t do you? You just get on with it. However, perhaps it is time to stop and reflect. As we come to the end of the calendar year, it is a chance to not just look to the future, with all our hopes, plans and dreams – but it is also a chance to reflect back on what has been achieved.
I’m a list writer: always writing and updating what needs to get done. Crossing things off – but always adding to it with a whole load of the new things that we need to crack on with. Usually very long, meandering lists with everything from the little things – “buy milk”, to slightly larger and more complex “arrange Kirstie Allsopp Fair workshop structure” (exciting for 2018!)… but I know in myself which needs to be done in which order. And it does ALL need to be done – it’s just deciding on which day to pick which battles. Especially when factoring in little man’s needs and much much sleep deprivation!
Whether I have managed to get things accomplished or not – I usually find myself quite often focusing more on what hasn’t yet been done – rather than all the things with a big tick next to them. Granted, the lists system helps me focus and rethink what is next to be completed, but perhaps I (we all) should take more time to say “well done, look at what you did today/this week/month/year…”
The Husband surprised me with the most beautiful card last night. We were swapping the traditional Christmas cards, and just when I thought we were done, out comes this additional card to his ‘Crafty Lass’. It has a little goat on the front, that has climbed a mountain, and it says ‘You Made It’. I cried. (Of course!) He has told me how proud is of how far The Crafty Lass has come, in a short space of time – and that he will be there for me – through the highs and no doubt lows that running your own business comes with. (He’s a keeper!) And, to him – my parents, family, friends – if I can make them and if I allow myself to stop and think – myself – proud – then I am happy!
We all have things going on, some small, some exciting adventures, some really emotional and challenging situations – but we have all achieved this year and we should all say well done. And if you can’t see it that way, and can’t say that to yourself – I am telling you! WELL DONE, for all and whatever the achievements! Happy Christmas, Happy Crafty New Year and I look forward to all that 2018 has to bring! I hope to see you soon.
Enjoy!
Make. Create. Inspire.
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