Walk with me.....

Its day 3 in the vomiting child household...and caught between sleep deprivation and cabin fever I've already succumbed to a pre-crimbo chocolate indulgence (mint matchmakers..how could I ever resist you?!)

Don't be put off by my desire to share all though, as the baulk inducing topic is done..I'm moving onto feelings of glad-ness. 

For glad I am, that I listened to my inner urges last week, of walking amongst trees and being out in nature while the sky radiated an almighty blue, and the air was crisp and clear.
These early dark days really sneak up on you, and I am realising it's all too easy for me to spend day upon day of working at home without stepping out other than doing the school drop off and pick up.
That is not a great way to function. (and only has one outcome...the demise of a LOT more minty matchmakers )

In need of a little nature fix right now I thought I would indulge myself and re-live last weeks winter sunshine, and get you to come along too......

Walking past the sand stone houses..admiring the birds and their viewing place.

Sand stone walls (dry stane dykes) ,old relics  and golden leaves

Heading through the woods to MY tree!

Oh magnificent Scots Pine...did you know you were MY tree ;)

If I turn my head to the left from here, I can see the ancient standing stone....there are so many of these to be found around this area, some with intricate carvings, others like this....pre-historic monoliths which were created for a reason no one really knows. It's hard not to feel reverence when you come upon one....often they can be seen in the middle of a farmers field which has been carefully ploughed and planted around. These ancient stones remain, and will continue to stand for more seasons and lifetimes than I can ever imagine.

A wee rest against the stone. I can see the "lowlands" in front through the oak leaves.... 

 And the "highlands behind me. These are the hills that call me....and formed the backdrop of my youth in the days when fear didn't prey on parents minds and kids were free to roam.
Ah soul food for sure!

This is the view I fill up on before heading back home.....a horizon that feels limitless to me.The hills just keep on going and going....and a little bit of my heart too....till the next time I follow my inner urges.
xx

Finding the groove!

It's only on days when you wake up clear and relaxed and happily anticipating the unfolding of the day that you get a glimmer of just how upside down life has been!
Thinking of all the mini events that have happened since the summer holidays ended  it becomes obvious why I've been feeling far from my usual "relaxed" self!
Events go from having labyrnthitis (again?crappo!) to amazing shop sales (over 30 items in 3 days wowzer!)...with various interludes in between such as croup, house decorating, work schedules, birthdays,school changing to full days etc etc...

It's safe to say, the main thing has been about a re-jig of life and pace ...my family as a whole undergoing changes, ones that are making room for us all to grow,but that are creating some real growing pains! There's bound to be more tweaks required and adjustments made before things start to feel that easy comfortable way. However taking the foot off the accelerator definitely helps ...and Stu and I got the chance to do this over the weekend with a luxurious trip away...... a whole day and night WITHOUT the kids.Oh my!

It was under the guise of a birthday trip, a treat arranged where Stu and I could disappear off on a little adventure, just the two of us. Alone. Together. *Sigh!

Nature and remoteness was a-calling, which living in Scotland is quick to provide....the thing I cherish most about this home of mine.

We adventured and talked, walked and  laughed, drove and dreamed of whats next. 

The parenting second nature of always looking behind to make sure all stragglers are close behind, or not touching something that shouldn't, was remarkably quick to go! 

We had soon set a pace of our own, a familiar one but slightly forgotten....heading further into the hills and highlands.

The view from our hotel window in Ballachulish. Bliss!

Night time journey home from our fresh seafood dinner.

Even though we had such a short trip it was so lovely to re-connect and remember "us". It is all too easy to let kids and life take precedence. It also gave room for us take stock of the incredible abundance that blesses our lives and the amazing things that have unfolded for us and our little family. I for one, definitely returned with a groove to my step!

So happy I can't even open my eyes haha! 

A windy drive home...with the cobwebs well and truly blown out.

And talking of "groove", I just have to share what made me beam from ear to ear during my suffering of labrynthitis ..this edited video......http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBXv37PFcAQ

ps.I want an afro and am currently perfecting my dance moves  xx

Treasuring you - reflections and dreams

I've missed posting a couple of "treasuring you's", but the turn of a bright new year brings with it the perfect opportunity for reflecting and dreaming!
                                              

 Have you taken a moment or two to take in all that 2012 has brought? What you have learned and achieved? What has been dreamed into reality?.....and equally as important where you want the road ahead to take you in 2013?  :)
Susannah Conway has a perfect workbook, should you like a little prompting..click here!
(And remember my free feathery 'flights of fancy' printable is available here!)

For me, it's hard to put into words just how life changing 2012 has been, and how blessed and abundant my life feels as a result. Truly amazing..it blows my socks off just thinking about it!

My word for 2012 was "LIBERATION", and while I didn't pay too much attention to this once the intention was set...this year HAS been a real journey towards freedom. Sounds a tad cliched, I know...but I can explain it no other way!
The biggie and most obvious part being that I left my post as a midwife... and rather than simply changing "jobs" to that of being a self employed artist, I set the intention of  changing the way I lived my life. I wanted the WHOLE of it to be more authentic, creative and true... without getting bogged down by the should's, the "right ways", the limiting fears....
 Let me tell you , there were PLENTY of all the aforementioned gremlins to begin with! But with time , lots of quiet space delving inwards, and letting things naturally unfold, the gremlins quietened down and in replacement a trust began to grow.....a glimmer towards knowing that everything really IS good!  :) ......Liberation indeed!

Along side this, my girls have continued their blossoming, and I have had the true trump card of flexibility to nurture them AND me! Skye starts Primary school this summer and the feeling that they are only little for such a short precious time is paramount...I'm soaking in every moment.

My sweetest Stu also began his own business, following his heart and love of working with wood. Initially the gremlins surfaced loud and in full force on this one too...eek!both of us self employed in this current state of "economic crisis"!? ...but once more with quiet contemplation the space was created to trust and the limitations were released. Again it became clearer EVERYTHING is GOOOOOOD! :)  And it is! And for that I am deep. down. whole. heartedly. grateful.



The word that keeps presenting itself to me for 2013 is 'EXPANSION'.
Not in the sense of "worldwide business booming" expansion (though that wouldn't be entirely un-agreeable!Ha!) More in the sense of expanding further in all the areas I described before. A deepening of trust,  love, creativity, happiness. More time spent looking outwards, not just inwards....more adventures, more connections. Expanding, growing.

                               

Yippee! Feeling on top of the world :)

So if you've made it this far I'd love to hear your word of the year.....and how 2012 treated you? HUGE hugs xx

A wee trip! ...and a nice surprise!

Bonjour! Its been a bit longer than normal for a post..so much going on!
I've been away on a gorgeous holiday together with the whole family... a big house on the west coast of Scotland, which mum and dad hired for the week as a lure to get all the siblings and their young uns together...it worked well! :)
Such a lovely time was had by all...we started off in flipflops and tropical sunshine and ended in snow and wellies. Yup 4 seasons in one day!

castle ruins 

rugged coastlines and meanders

nature love 

bright blooms suddenly appearing from nowhere!

Oh! And a thrifted find that had to be carried around all day! 

I needed a table for the trade fair I'm now getting ready for, and spotted this in a little charity shop on one of our days out! So funny standing at the harbour throwing stones with a little side table to rest my bag on...felt like royalty! :)

And then I came home to the welcome of an email telling me one of my handmade books has been featured on Imaginative Bloom! How coooool! Sooo delighted to have my winged girl amongst such other beautiful sewn work. I'm a big fan of this website and the art that is shared here. So I am VERY chuffed!

And last but not least..if you're still with me.....

the next time I post I'll no longer be a Trade Fair virgin.....eeeek!

Its a crazy amount of last minute organising (atleast I have a table now!)..but I feel so GOOOOD about it all. This is the next step, a MAHOOSIVE one....but my BIG girl's pants are on and I'm ready for whatever is to come!

Wish me luck :) xx

happy days

 I can always tell when the right decision has been made by the amount of looking back I do...and there hasn't been a single bit of it...zip zilch diddly-oh...
Happy days :)

available in etsy shop here

I must confess though...despite my excitement of all the things I could do without the constraints of

working for someone else..there has not been a single nail varnished or skirt made..oops!

However, there have been picnics galore...which despite the best of intentions they have yet to make it outside the car!

But with views like that, I'll take a gear stick getting in the way of my cup of tea anyday!

Lots of little meanderings in mossy woods...

 And skimming stones too...

Happy days indeed! :)xx

Come with me for a trip to the hills!

I had hoped to have a spring piece (inspired by Creative Tuesday) to show you but yesterday the choice was either picnic or paint and when I share these photos with you....you'll see why I went for a picnic! :)

I'm very lucky to live in a small town nicknamed the"Gateway to the glens" which means that which ever way you walk in 5 minutes you will come across rolling hills and farmland...

Leaving the houses, the hills beckoning...

we're heading for the heart of the glens, where the snow still lies..

further up we go...barren hills awaiting Spring and the bursting of colour....

keep following the winding track, careful of the sheep!....

getting closer to the heart where the hills are ancient and loom overhead...

where the air is so pure that lichen hangs off the trees

and the land is so harsh that crops won't grow, only sheep to roam...

As far as the car can go...time for a picnic stop then head off on foot

heading further and further into the heart of the hills, following the river upstream...

until we reach the source of the river at the highest point....and the only tracks belong to sheep...

This is where I grew up and the place that pulls me back whenever I leave....these hills are where my heart belongs....my roots.....and how I love them so :)x