Exciting times

So, I opened my shops at the end of 2014 and have actually made some sales on and offline so that's really exciting. I'm now officially a self employed writer, artist and crafter - yes I know - all or nothing with me - I've told you that before!  I couldn't just settle with being a writer (I have spent the last 4yrs on and off completing a comprehensive writing course with the writers bureau which has been hard work, wonderful, educational and lots more besides. The feedback from my tutor was brilliant and I am so glad I struggled on, despite varying things happening in my life over that time, including my youngest (now 2yrs9mths) coming along. But it is now completed and I hope to get going with my various writing projects I have in my mind now I don't have to be completing assignments.) - The artist side of me has been desperate to get out for a long time. I was a very keen artist at school but didn't do so well in my final exam which totally zapped my confidence. I still doodled here and there, and was the main artist for the many wall displays we had in my workplace (nurseries and pre-schools) but it never really occurred to me to take it any further. Well, that is about to change. I hope to put some of my work in my Etys and Folksy shops. I have already started painting gift plates, but I hope to put some more unique artwork up there too...watch this space!

Right now, the "crafter" part of my self employment has been a couple of crochet items, the plates and plaques, however, I am currently in the process of making some gemstone/crystal and silver plated costume jewellery which you can view over on my other blog Catherine Creates but I am such an all round crafter no doubt I will find other things I want to do too. Catherine Creates has lots of my past work/gifts/swap presents so you may see some of those things popping up on my shop at some point... again... watch this space!

In my last post I spoke about having more family time. Well, last weekend, as a family, we went by train to a town about half an hour's train ride away. F, who is nearly 3, was SO excited by this that I suddenly felt guilty that he doesn't get to do it more often... and then I thought that actually, it's probably better that he DOESN'T do it more often so that when we do he will bounce for joy like he did last weekend and talk non stop about all the things he could see out of the window!  We got to the town and had a lovely walk along the river.

We were only there for a couple of hours in the end but we all had such a lovely time. Despite it being a city centre, it was very peaceful and such a lovely sunny (if cold) day. Edited to add... those photos make the river look very brown and murky but in reality it really wasn't like that at all! Might need to photo shop it!! Ha ha! x