Back again Blogging in 2021

 I have been posting a photo a day on Facebook since January 2021. I notice that I am writing more each time so I thought it was about time for me to do some of this in a blog. I notice people I haven't seen for a while asking how I am. The standard answer is 'I'm fine'. I find I have been answering 'Physically OK but emotionally not' . Today, is Sunday, a day which isn't particularly good for me and I am down in the depths. 
So I have tried to help myself....went into the garden and did some radical pruning. Then Pepper and I went for a long walk. I also texted my best friend and asked her to phone me for a chat as I can go for several days without speaking to anyone. This she has done and I just have my head above the water so to speak.

2nd October....September has been pretty busy. The Corn Exchange was very poor as we had a horrendous wet and windy week...not time for people to consider buying crafts. However I did make a bit and sold some Christmas cards !
I went to Llandysul on a very beautiful autumnal day....a Monday actually. We wandered round for a couple of hours and I was surprised how many old building there were. I need to go back again as it is quite spread out and I want to see what the houses are like along the river.
Mark's montage is going well and I am just waiting for a couple more images from him to continue. He has taken them but they haven't been uploaded yet. I hope he sends them soon as I would like to finish it in time for his birthday later this month.
I had a week when I wasn't feeling very well so I made the Christmas kiddi bags and some cards using the left-over patterned paper. It was fun even if I don't sell them all .
I made a couple of mixed media boxes for the Corn Exchange but they didn't sell. I also took the latest kali boxes decorated with quilling. I made them in bright colours, which I love but none of them have sold yet. They are now in the shop for Christmas ....hopefully !
The garden is great at a distance. It's not perfect and weed free but I love it and it is pretty easy to maintain.I keep looking for ways to cut down on the maintenance and yet have a pretty garden.
We continue to have problems with our Internet in the village and a meeting with Openreach hasn't produced any results so far. Anyway it was so good to meet up with people from the east and west sides of the village that we are going to try to have a coffee and chitchat morning once a month...watch this space !

24th August - The heatwave continued well into August. However it is now ended and it is much cooler and showery. In fact it seem autumnal at times and the evenings are drawing in already.
The craft sales have continued to be slow for me, well down on last year. People seem to be buying only small things.
The Corn Exchange, however was as good as the last July sale we had there 2 years ago. We have another week booked mid September so I am getting things ready for that. I have also looked into, dare I say it, designs for Christmas cards. I am not going to put any up for sale yet but have to gather ideas.
I had occasion to have a Washing Machine engineer who proved to be very chatty. He was interested in the montages and asked if I would consider doing one of Llandysul. I am not sure if there are enough interesting buildings but I will go along to see when we have a Sunday with good weather.
I have not done any work with the montage of Melbourn for Mark. That is also work for the darker evenings.
I usually take a short break away in September. However I didn't go away last year as the conservatory was only just finished. I don't think I will be going away this September either. I am happy here and don't need to go for a break. We may take some days out and about when the weather is good.
Looking at my bank account I seem to have sold some work in Aberaeron. The lady in the Gallery never gets in touch so it is difficult to know what. I plan to phone her next week to see if I need to take any more prints up to her and to get a detailed report of my sales for my yearly accounts.

5th July.....I haven't posted since before my holiday. Keep seeing the reminder but we have been having a heatwave almost since I returned from holiday and I am hibernating ! We aren't used to the prolonged dry and hot weather and West Wales is suffering. The usual green and pleasant land is dry and brown. My week away was lovely and I was happy that I had returned to the same place as last year. On my return, as planned, the bathroom was converted to a shower room. Not quite a wet room but as near as I could make it. I am very pleased with it and there is more room to move around.
The crafts in the shop are selling very slowly as everyone is visiting the beach instead of the town. It is also World Cup time and Wimbledon fortnight which will keep the sports fans happy. I am struggling to do any crafting other than replacing things I have sold. We have a week in the Corn Exchange at the end of July and I think I have made enough for that week too. Nothing new is coming to mind. Apart from a couple of visits to Carmarthen...one to buy stuff for the shower room and one to the dentist.....we haven't strayed far from home. Pepper is reluctant to go far in the heat and is as lack-a-daisical as I am. He had a bout of colitis during the bathroom renovation but has recovered from that now. I have missed a couple of weeks of Dance class for various reasons but went today and loved it. I get such a boost from the positive and loving energy that is generated there. I am reading Gabrielle Roth's book on her work and it resonates so much with me. I do wish I had been able to access the Five Rhythms earlier in my life....however maybe it has come at just the right time ! so I will end with that thought....

16th May...and I go away on Saturday. It has been an eventful month.
The montages of Aberaeron are selling. I have sold 2 mounted and one framed  picture. Cwtch is starting to sell, slowly but surely. I have just remembered to take photos of the latest cards I have made and I have taken shots of the new tags now.
I go away on Saturday to North Wales, to stay for a week, in the same cottage as last year. It is the first time I have been back to the same place but there is much more to explore and it was so comfortable.
I am also in the throes of preparing for my bathroom re-make. I have at last found a builder who will do it. He is planning to come a week after I get back . I need to order the fixtures and fittings so I am busy doing that. I don't find it easy as I could end up with an expensive mistake. I keep asking people for advice and that is helping.
The Dance class is going well. I had a few weeks where I was very achey after it but have realised that I need to listen to my body more and slow down when I need to. My brain still thinks I am 35 but my body has other ideas !

13th April...it is Friday 13th....do I believe in the myth ?.....don't usually notice the date so probably not. I just know it is nearly a month since I last posted. Everyone says 'where did March go?' Easter was early and I had no one staying. Met up with a couple of friends and had my lovely new dance class to go to. I took the montages to Aberaeron but have not had any feedback so far.
I had a weekend with no phone or Broadband and I found it quite miserable without the Internet. Not impossible for a short time but kept wanting to buy things or pay bills which I couldn't. I realise that the Internet has become one of the primary needs in our lives like electricity.
Not really been very creative but now things are beginning to sell in Cwtch so I am starting to feel more productive as I replace things I sell. I like to bring out new things as often as I can so the replacements are usually one-offs particularly with the mixed media boxes.
I am making a lot more of my own backgrounds rather than buying in expensive patterned card and have made some tags with meaningful sentiments. I think they would make inexpensive presents and yet be nicer than a card. We will see what happens. Just realised I haven't taken photos of them which is remiss of me as I like to have a record of what I have made. Oh well, if they haven't sold by next week I can photograph them in the shop.

March 21st....the day of Cwtch's 5th birthday party. Actually it was on the 1st March but the festivities had to be cancelled because of the snow. We have several members who come from 'up country' and they wouldn't have been able to make it.
I was inspired to make a poster/card for 'The birthday ' It took me several days to make but I felt really creative and it just flowed

Just got back from the celebrations. I am not very good at formal 'dos' but this was a buffet and I knew most people so I thought I would go. We had a lovely meal and I was able to circulate and chat with people I don't see very often.
I have been very busy working on the Aberaeron montages, which I have now finished.I am getting the usual strange feeling now that project is at an end. However, I am planning where I will go next....which villages or towns will be suitable for me to work on.
I need to take the montages to Aberaeron soon, possibly Saturday, so that they are in the Gallery before Easter. I ran out of frames but they have been delivered today so I can get on with framing them.
Below are the two montages I have designed for Aberaeron. I have now mounted and framed them and as I said hope to take them to Aberaeron in a couple of days.