Feast of Memories

I set myself a challenge at the beginning of 2021 – sort of a ‘New Year’s Resolution’. To keep this blog up to date, to make sure everything I was making didn’t JUST go on to social media… but, as time would tell it is proving very easy to slip back into old ways. Is it lazy? No – I bed to differ, it is just finding that balance between Making Vs Admin. I mean, who wants to do admin when you can make flowers? Sew something? Or get inspired by something new? Well actually – I do love the adminy business side of things, getting organised – writing lists and getting stuff done! BUT – when you have the choice to crack on, get inspired into crafting – or, start up WordPress and analysis of Google Analytics… I mean, is there actually a real choice needed there?

Adding photos and what I have been making and up to on to social media is quick. Writing a blog… well, it isn’t so quick! But, obviously IMPORTANT! Important as this website is MY website, it reflects what we are doing. BUT, it isn’t just the balance of crafty work vs adminy work – it is the balance of LIFE. Cooking, cleaning, the boys, nursery drop offs, Oh! It is X’s birthday, and Oh, now we can do things outdoors abit more, and the vets trips and – yeah, just life. Trying to fit it ALL in. And EAT and SLEEP?!

I am (I promise!) genuinely slooooowly realising that I can’t do it ALL. I need to remind myself more of this as – I do often think I really can DO IT AAAAALL, and whilst I believe it is an admirable way of living – to just give everything my absolute whole crafty being… Sometimes, I need to stop – put on a face mask and just read a magazine! (My business Mentor and Life Coach would be proud I am doing this! Yes Donna, I am filling my well!) Or – actually DRAW – even that in a random way is ‘work’ but that is actually, my true ‘zen’ time. My time out.

Anyway, one thing I did find the time to do was basically turn The Husband’s birthday earlier in April into a ‘fiesta’ – literally a mini Mexican party in our house for just us 4! There are quite a few crafty makes over on The Crafty Lass social channels – I pretty much dedicated a few weeks of time to it! But, I got my Cricut Maker and Joy* clever machines out to personalised and jazz up bowls, serving trays, even some funky cocktail glasses. I used the Cricut Infusible Ink to make coasters, Iron-on vinyl for napkins! I spoke to the very kind people at Craft Cotton Co who generously sent me some ‘Mexican’ inspired tapestry fabrics – and I made a pompom trim fun table runner, with coordinating table mats (the how to’s for those will be on the Craft Cotton Co blog soon!) I bought some balloons… LOTS (50?), plus – helium ones – llamas, avocados, there was even a TACO balloon for goodness sakes. We had bunting, paper decoration wheels, I brought Freddie’s ‘den’ teepee downstairs for festival vibes. We had ‘chilli’ lights, sombreros, moustaches, cactus, Mexican music, cocktails, food – there was even a Mexican quiz!!

This wasn’t supposed to be a ‘thing’. We decided on Mexican Food (SUCH a fan of Wahaca, the Thomasina Myers restaurants – and basically tried to recreate the vibes!) It all got abit ‘out of hand’! Just one crafty thing leading to another… At one point, I did think – why on earth am I doing all of this – Dan doesn’t even LIKE birthdays!! But, I certainly enjoyed ‘event planning’ and putting it all together. I had fun making and creating, and actually – despite him not being into celebrating his own birthday – he LOVED it! His face when he walked in was an absolute picture! A moment to treasure. It really felt like a ‘night out’ – even though we were just dancing around our kitchen… I think the cocktails helped 😉

Most of the things I ‘bought’ like bowls, lights, decorations etc were fairly inexpensive – either from places like Home Bargains, B&M stores and the supermarkets – but most stuff was MADE. Craft allowed me to personalise everything and make it into something special… The balloons and all the other ‘bunting’ etc was from Amazon** – and part of me also thought – it almost doesn’t matter what I spend, it will STILL be cheaper than going out to somewhere, and we get to keep all the things. The helium balloons are still up in our house, so the fun continues!

And, most importantly – we ALL enjoyed it. Freddie and Rupert were there to help put bunting up, and blow the balloons and be a PART of it. Freddie really did enjoy it, and he actually still talks about it most days. I am pretty sure Rupert had absolutely no idea what was happening with the madness around him!!

When I said that 2021 was the year of the table, I truly meant it – all that love and celebrations and memories made around it. The table truly is the heart of the home.

So, whilst I have not been blogging as much as I ‘should’ to keep up with my crafty making – I have been making memories, pursuing my dreams and generally trying to just keep on going…

Next up, Rupert’s birthday in June. YES!

*Cricut Maker #GIFTED but no obligation to post.

**As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.