Favourite things week 42

Right I’m getting organised!

My mailing list subscription is up and running and I’m using the week of the year number in my blog post title!  There is literally no stopping me.

I’m also giving birth either this week or next Tuesday, so that actually might stop me a little bit, but hey you do what you can.

I’m going to start back with my favourite things/gratitude/happy lists at the beginning of each week, and keep it up each week.  This is my public declaration so please feel free to pipe up and hold me accountable if I start to slack (which I won’t, now I’ve said all that.  Will I?)

So onwards and upwards!

Not sure what’s come over me today, it must be the hormones.

Here’s my list (week 42, as I mentioned before)

(I love knowing what week of the year it is, it makes me feel like a different person.) (Can you put brackets back to back like this?) (Who cares, it’s week 42!)

Favourite things list:

♥ Essential oils ♥  Japanese fabric collage (I’ll take photos when I can) ♥ The above collage which I turned into a winter wedding card ♥ Jamie’s LOVELY new school teacher ♥ French graphic novel (ok comic to you Joe) birthday present from Sophie ♥ crunching ice (the only craving I’ve had this pregnancy; I’m quite pleased it didn’t turn out to be something really depraved like sardines with chocolate mousse or something) ♥ Castelldefells beach and this chiringuito ♥ Ghosts of Spain book (FINALLY read it after 7 years of wanting to) ♥  balmy October beach weather – although having said that I’m looking forward to autumn which hasn’t arrived yet, it’s too hot and I want to put the duvet back on the bed!!  Hey you know it’s always about the little things!  ♥ Feeling equipped and organised with lots of baby handmedowns, street finds (hello perfect condition good make carseat!) and second hand bargains ♥ solo cinema trips (will try to squeeze another one in this week) ♥ solo Arabic baths visits ♥ yoga dvds,♥ lunches out ♥ getting to 101 items in my Etsy shop, woohoo!!!

Yes I feel like I’ve made the most of my 4 weeks of free time.  Now how much more will I get…?

Hope this finds you well and happy and skipping about in crunchy autumn leaves.

Big love and pumpkin lattes to you (I must try one of these coffees that everyone seems to be obsessed with at the moment),

Jenny xx

PS  Not joined the mailing list yet?  Click here to jump on the rosy train!

 

How we spend our days is how we spend our lives

I LOVE this quote by Annie Dillard that I saw on Create and Thrive blog.  See this post for advice about how to live your ideal day every day. As soon as I write this I’m going to sit down and work out what my ideal day would look like, in a realistic manner!!

And how are you this fine Thursday morn?  Here the sun is shining, I´ve bought myself a gorgeous white hyacinth (so cheap and so amazing-smelling!), and spring is in the air….

Here are some of my happy things from the last week or so:

♥ Designing and printing the above card, nice and flowery and rainbow-y!! Rainbow roses, who knew??!!  ♥ Decorating my diary/planner with washi tape and stickers, I love making the everyday a bit special and now it brings me pleasure to write my mundane to-do lists in such a pretty place.  I’ll take some photos soon. ♥  Weekend trip to Santa Pau with Jamie’s grandparents. Gorgeous scenery and so nice to get out into the countryside. ♥  Messages from long-lost friends.  ♥ Parcels from other long-lost friends containing collage materials! Thanks Jo! ♥  Two scrapbook shops on the street next to ours. Could be a bit dangerous….♥  Rediscovering old art and creative books and getting ideas. ♥   Lovely landlord first asking after Jamie when I phone him about flat problems. ♥  Cheap and cheerful washi tape. ♥ Chats and coffee with good friends.

Hope you’re having a rosy-esque week my flowers!

Lots of love, Jenny xx

PS. Still trying to work out how to put one of those fancy signatures at the bottom of each blog post.  Grrrr….it’s taking a while…

Follow your own path. Go on, do.

Happy New Year to you my flower fairies!

Do you have any New Year´s resolutions?

I have a few, and am at the moment thinking of what my word for the year should be.  I´ll share it with you when I´ve decided on it… one of the current favourites is ‘imperfection’.  I wouldn´t call myself a perfectionist, but I do sometimes get a bit obsessed with trying to make sure everything is perfect before I can begin something, or relax, or feel like I´m doing my best and that that is good enough.  So hmmm yep, I pretty much sound like a perfectionist!

I´ve been starting work on Leonie Dawson´s 2014 yearbook, which is great for making you focus on plans and goals for the year ahead.  One of the tasks is to write down 100 things you want to do in the year.  I´ll post this list too, to share and hold myself accountable publicly to at least achieve some of them. We´ll see what happens!

I´m also working on embracing following my own path, and not feeling inadequate for not having a high-flying job and lots of achievements under my belt, considering I’M GOING TO BE 40 THIS YEAR!!!!!

NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!  HOW?????????????????

Did you hear me?

I´M GOING TO BE 40 THIS YEAR!!!!!!!!

Ah, the relentless march of time!

Breathe, breathe Jenny!  It´s okay, it´s okay I tell you!

So anyway yeah I made a piece of art to deal with those issues.  Hasn´t it worked well????!!! There it is above, shortly to be available in my Etsy shop.

Anyway,  we´re only just into the year, so starting off as I mean to go on, here are some things I´m grateful for at the moment:

♥ Bagpuss ♥ The word Mäuschen (meaning Sweety, Cutie, Pumpkin etc in German, thank you Zoë) ♥ my tidy studio ♥ pink alpaca knitted fingerless gloves.  So pretty yet practical!  ♥ Sunny days ♥ Sherlock.  Hands up who doesn´t have a crush on him, come on now, I see ya! ♥ Searching for Sugarman. ♥ Rodriguez.  I´m a bit late to the game, but really, wowsers! ♥  Luke Wright poet. So talented and inspiring. ♥ My Mr Wonderful diary from Joe. ♥ Jess for her generosity and basically making Jamie have great Christmas presents by giving away her stuff before she left Barcelona. ♥ New lipstick ♥ Cosy woolly socks  ♥ Elf shoes.  Hooray for pixies! ♥ Our orchid coming back to life!  Yay, spring is on its way!

Happy Thursday my darling chickpeas!

Love, Jenny xx

Hello, might I tell you that you’re beautiful?

Feeling the love today my buttons!  I’m a firm believer in that which you pay attention to and focus on expands, so here’s to spreading the love and telling yourself you’re beautiful and loved!  You can say it or think it and not believe it (which always happens to me, why is it so bloody hard???  Like meditating!) but that doesn’t matter because you’re planting the seeds anyway, and the more you do something the more of a habit it becomes.  And even if you think its silly or you feel silly or self-conscious (even to yourself!) well so what, it’s a better way to spend your time than thinking negative thoughts about yourself and putting yourself down innit like?

It’s also true that every single thing you do today ( be it thoughts, actions, plans, reminiscing, deeds, whatever) you’re setting up your future with.  You are shaping and creating your future with whatever you do today, now, every second.

We have the power to be what we want to be!!!

Make sure the stuff you do today is in alignment with what you would like to be like tomorrow.  Easier said then done but we can try…

Today Im grateful:

♥ for Creativa, a lot of beautiful art, supplies and inspiration all under one roof.  ♥ for card games and red wine with Joe (especially as I won, ha ha!) for 4 day working weeks ♥ for Blogcast FM.  I’ve definitely said that before but really it’s soooo good!  Creative people’s stories about who they are and tips to become the person you want to be.  The stories are from creative entrepreneurs but it’s very spiritual and philosophical too, and Srinivas Rao‘s style of interviewing is intuitive and lovely!  ♥ for fun girls’ nights out with good friends ♥ for business advice from Lisa ♥ for knowing my limits (FINALLY! with alcohol!) and sticking to them ♥ for this lovely parenting website handinhandparenting ♥ for poinsettias and Christmas being round the corner. ♥  for catch ups with Connie. ♥ for surprises. ♥ for people making an effort. ♥ for Jamie and his smile and hugs for everyone, I LOVE THAT BOY and feel so privileged that he’s my son!

Wishing you a big bunch of flowers or a gorgeous smelling hyacinth in a pot, a friendly puppy giving you a hello bark, and a big radiant sun coming out of your heart!

Love Jenny xx