Many wonderful things have happened this week, amongst them a surge of visitors to this blog from Facebook.
Of course this gives me no end of joy, since I haven’t had a FB account for nearly six months. I can only imagine someone’s created a fan page for me and my blog, and judging by the geographical origin of the visits I am pretty sure I know who my benefactor and President of my fan club is.
(Yes Love, I can see you. In fact, I can see a bit more than you can. Remember this next time).
So make yourself at home and leave a comment – I’d like to do my best to make your visit an entertaining one!
I am late for this party (for a change!) but since you’ve had my reflections for Sew Grateful Week I don’t see why you shouldn’t get a giveaway too! The rest of the Sew Grateful giveaways can be found here.
If you don’t have time to chek them all at least get your trackpad over to The Perfect Nose, where TJ has (deep breath) a 1940s sewing book to give away, and it is such. A thing. Of beauty.
So what have we here? 1. Style 3294, a lovely simple dirndl-style skirt in sizes 12 (W 67cm, H 92cm)and 14 (W 71cm, H 97cm). The instructions list size 16 too but the pattern has been cut to size 14. The instructions are very detailed so this would be a good one for beginners.
2. Simplicity Retro 9045, Misses dress and vest in sizes RR – 14, 16, 18, 20
I got this as part of a bundle and, whilst the entertainment value for it is sky high, I honestly never will have a chance to do anything with it and I do read a lot about people making things like this, so I’d like to go to a good home.
There’s a lot going on here so here’s a shot of the back of the envelope:
3. Finally, this:
Yes dear readers, it’s a copy of that Burda Classics magazine they published in November. I was lucky enough to be in Italy at the time so I bought two, much to the amusement of both my friend and the newsagent.
It’s a collection of “timeless” patterns (some of them reprints) in sizes from Burda 32 to 50, although the majority of them are Burda 34 to 44. Melissa at Fehr Trade did a great post on this magazine, you can find it here. I have read a few disappointed blog posts about this issue but I have actually found it wonderful and I can’t wait for a time when my skill level can go near these! Please note: this is the Italian version of the magazine, so the instructions are in Italian. All of them. Not that it makes much difference with Burda.
I like to think there’s something for everyone here: the skirt pattern is very easy, the Simplicity gown is very different and the Burda Classics is more difficult but does have some timeless designs in it.
To enter the giveaway leave a comment letting me know which item you would like but more importantly tell me why! Would you like a simple skirt to be able to say “I made that”? Are you having a period wedding? Do you live a life where you can see yourself wearing some awesome timeless pieces every day? Do tell!
The giveaway will be open until Midnight GMT on Thursday 7th February 2013. Because I can, and because there’s no way I can get to the post office before the weekend!
I don’t normally do Thanksgiving, but it is coming up to the first anniversary of when 2011 turned around completely, so I was probably going to write a soppy post anyway.
This time last year I was coming to the end of a fixed-term contract that wasn’t going to be renewed. It was all I could find when I returned up North after my failed attempt at moving down South.
Earlier in 2011 I had left the best job I have ever had and rented out my beloved big house for my new, happy, forever-life by the sea, which lasted all of six weeks.
This time last year I had unsuccesfully applied for absolutely every job going, my housemate had announced she was leaving, I had just been dumped (some things never change) and I was seriously pondering declaring myself homeless.
Then one morning an email flashed on my phone. My old job, the one I loved so much, was vacant again.
I made polite enquiries, ate buckets of humble pie, drank cocktails on a Friday.
Went home knowing I stood an actual chance. The following day I was dragged on stage at the Comedy Store, in front of a paying audience, and afterwards went all Entourage on everybody. That was the start of something good.
The following week I interviewed, apologised, looked at my phone with my heart in my mouth for a day and a half. Then my phone rang, and in the space of a few days I was back in my office, one desk down from where I was sat eight months and three weeks earlier.
I am grateful for the chance I was given after the way I had left, but I am also well aware that my employer isn’t a charity and I am the right person for the job.
Things got going after that; there is so much I am grateful for today and most of it started this time last year.
I am grateful for my life, the job I have and what it allows me to do in my spare time and the people I work with and the beautiful house I live in.
I am grateful for my health and how it survived my attempt at running a marathon and the training that came with it.
I am grateful for music, especially live, because it reaches where nothing else can reach.
I am grateful for my family being healthy.
I am grateful for my friends, who have supported me in this journey and are all a positive influence on my life.
But more importantly, I am grateful because I am not too grateful.
After all that got broken and mended in the past three years I realised that making too much of it was demeaning for me. It focused too much on the past and not enough on the future.
I am not a special case. Stuff happens and I make the best possible decision in the circumstances and deal with the consequences. Life goes on, with a smile.
I am grateful because I have learnt to take risks and make mistakes, and I have worked out a lot of stuff this year and never lost sight of my worth. I am becoming more and more true to myself and whilst it’s not always easy it is definitely the right path for me.
I can look ahead and know I can do this. And for that I give thanks.
And I am also grateful for Twitter.
You might think this sounds ridiculous, but I love the daily interactions with people who know interesting things, or make me laugh, think or both.
Twitter is also a great place to practise my restraint and my efforts at being a nice person. Think before you type, and always be nice to folks. And for that I am grateful.
