Gosh I'm having a ball with these Year End Reviews, I've been really, really enjoying the look back through all my photos. It's been a a terrific way to bring in the New Year and has left me feeling all warm and fuzzy and overloaded with gratitude.
I think that out of all my various photos and ramblings, this last collection is my favourite. Home. It's the essence of who I am I guess. Cos without the home, the other stuff just wouldn't happen. And as much as Attic24 has become known for the crochet, really that's just a part of my home life. A BIG part mind you, no denying that, but it's all the other little itty-bits of my home that I am most passionate about capturing, expressing and preserving. The cups of tea. The little feet. the snuggly socks. The furniture. The baking. The sunlight. The mess. The laundry. It's all so good and ordinary and precious and worthy of remembrance.
I hope you enjoy this celebration of all things Home..................
I was reading back through some archive posts a few weeks ago, and one particular bit of writing has stuck with me. It was from December 2008, so three years ago, and I was writing a little about what inspires me to blog. I hope it's OK to quote myself here? Well I'm going to do it anyways....this is what I wrote back then..
"I guess there are many reasons why people decide to blog, and once started, why they continue to blog. I know that there are a great many little itty-bitty reasons that compel me to take photographs day after day and sit here and write day after day. I won't waffle on at you today (lucky escape for you) about my reasons for keeping this little bit of colourful cyberspace up and running, but one thing I can say is that I like my blog. I like it a lot. I like thinking about it, I like the creativity it involves and I like reading it. Yes, I often do read back through my own archives, not in a oh-look-how-wonderful-my-own-blog-is kind of a way, but in a daydreamy retrospective kind of a way. Often I will find myself thinking about something or another and my mind will settle on a particular remembered image, or an outing, or a recipe, or a crochet project and I will attempt to search out the blog entry, to find the words and images that accompany the memory.
And for someone with a memory that is as shot to bits as mine, this blogging lark is MARvelOUs! So many things I had forgotten about! So many images, memories, thoughts :: things that would otherwise be quite lost if it wasn't for my documenting them. I find it really wonderful to know that I have created this pocket of memories, and to be able to dip and dive into them whenever the mood takes me"
Three years on and that still stands true. My blog is an invaluable memory-keeping tool, not only for me but for the Little People as well. They are showing an increasing interest in what I do (and why I do it), and my greatest wish is that one day in the future they will be interested enough to take a good look and experience their childhood years through my pictures and words.
Of course, there is the added dimension of sharing all this with the World At Large (ie YOU!), and that is something that I never gave much thought to when I started out. Right from the beginning I wrote my blog for Me, for my own personal pleasure and satisfaction. The fact that you seem to genuinely enjoy your visits to the Attic is a source of tremendous joy to me, you give me so much! You validate what I do somehow, give me confidence and reassurance, make me feel that I am making a success of my funny little life, even if that success is measured by unconventional means. And for all that I am extremely, VeRy ExtrEmely, humbly grateful.
♥X♥♥X♥♥X♥♥X♥♥X♥♥X♥♥X♥♥X♥♥X♥(((THANK YOU)))♥X♥♥X♥♥X♥♥X♥♥X♥♥X♥♥X♥♥X♥♥X♥
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Ps 2010 home review here, and 2009 home review here, if you wish to revisit ♥
Where can i get the ripple pattern full size ?
Posted by: tina nichols | January 31, 2012 at 04:45 PM
Beautiful and inspiring!
I also made a flower. :)
Thank you!
Posted by: Györgyi | January 19, 2012 at 08:34 AM
I do love so much your blog Lucy!!! Because it's a infinte source of happiness and joy, because everytime that I want to get inspired I know I can come here and find something wonderful to crochet, because everytime I feel sad I know I can come here and I'm sure your late post will cheer me up!
So THANK YOU SO MUCH for your blog!!!!
Posted by: Valentina | January 09, 2012 at 07:35 PM
Hi Lucy! I am new to your blog and it looks to be like a new bright spot to my days. To be perfectly honest I am just starting to crochet and haven't actually made anything yet but looking at your beautiful work is getting me all excited to do so. I just have to find something easy enough.
I'm a happily married 29 year old stay at home mom as well to a 1 1/2 year old little munchkin named Eli.
I love being a mommy but I've decided I need a hobby to help keep myself balanced and I'd like to eventually be able to make something for him to cuddle with:-)
I look forward to learning some things from your blog. Thank you for sharing!
Happy 2010!
Adrianne
P.S. The pics of outside your window made me extremely jealous. A goal of mine is to someday make it to your neck of the woods. I've always wanted to travel around the UK. It's a long way from Missouri, USA.
Posted by: Adrianne | January 08, 2012 at 10:55 PM
So many great photos... Thanks for the peek into your daily life, and thanks for keeping such an excellent blog! Hugs from Stockholm, Sweden :)
Posted by: Karin | January 08, 2012 at 08:40 AM
Truly Wonderful Lucy, thank you so much for sharing your colourful inspirational world x
Felicity
Posted by: Felicity Race | January 07, 2012 at 08:23 PM
great, i still postpone my end of year review :)
Posted by: Evi | January 07, 2012 at 04:22 PM
I do indeed enjoy visiting your blog. It makes me happy just to look at your photos and fill my eyes with colour. Such a happy, cheerful space you have created. Thank you! Happy 2012!
Posted by: Sarah | January 07, 2012 at 12:13 PM
I too am grateful you started your blog and continue to write your blog! I love the colour of your world and how you bring that colour into your home and everyday life. May 2012 be full of joy for you and your family :)
Posted by: Justine Anstiss | January 07, 2012 at 10:30 AM
I have been so inspired by your lovely projects and images...i have just started crocheting the ripple blanket a month ago during a difficult time and it has been such a great time for me to sit, think, pray and create. Learning how creating and healing can go hand in hand.
i also started a blog to communicated updates and document of my husbands illness...i never imagined that blogging and healing go together either!!
thank you from Prague.
Posted by: Jane Hasik | January 07, 2012 at 08:31 AM
Beautiful pictures...lovely colors,
your blog are very inspiring...
Unn :)
Posted by: Unn | January 07, 2012 at 05:49 AM
My dear Lucy....thank you for your lovely sunshine-y blog. Although I freely admit to "lurking", you bring a smile to my face when I peek at the bright-ness of your world...thank you :-)
Posted by: Ruth | January 07, 2012 at 03:15 AM
Please, please, please post a tea cozie pattern!
S
xo
Posted by: beach bungalow | January 07, 2012 at 03:07 AM
Thank you so much. I smile every time I visit Attic 24 and there's a new homey, cosy post waiting for me. You're a home away from home. I love your humble triumphantness in the simple things like fresh flowers and sofa sessions with mugs of hot stuff. It makes me think I should buy more tulips. Completely after my own heart. You bring colour to my small grey corner of London, so thank you. And keep it up, they will treasure it some day.
Posted by: Bethan | January 06, 2012 at 11:17 PM
I'm so glad I found your blog; the wonderful pictures and your fantastically cheerful outlook on life have brightened many a dreary office day. This year review just sums up everything that's great about Attic 24.
I'm not sure what the etiquette is about sharing blogs - I'm just starting my own and I'd like to put your site on my blogroll. I hope you don't mind, but if you do just let me know.
Posted by: Caroline | January 06, 2012 at 10:57 PM
Beautiful pics Lucy! What a gorgeous, colourful world you inhabit. Wishing you a happy 2012 :)
Posted by: Ali | January 06, 2012 at 10:48 PM
Happy New Year Lucy! I have loved reading your blog for the last two years now and you've certainly inspired me to add some color in my life and even gave me a hankering for brightly colored boiled sweets! All the best for 2012 xx
Posted by: Starryeyed | January 06, 2012 at 10:29 PM
Happy 2nd Birthday to little man. He was born on my 50th birthday, so that's how I remembered!
Posted by: Jayne | January 06, 2012 at 09:44 PM
What beautiful memories you are creating for yourself and your children Lucy :-) As you already know I LOVE LOVE LOVE your blog and these end of year posts remind me why! happy New Year to you all and here's to another year chock full of Attic life xx
Posted by: Nikki Relffe-Arnold | January 06, 2012 at 07:12 PM
Awesome post, Miss Lucy! I think one of the things that continues to draw me back to your blog time and again (aside from all the lovely, colorful hooky!) is your focus on all the 'little' things that bring you joy. Love the peeks at YOUR littles and all that you bring to their lives ~ the color, creativity and inspiration. You are fun, festive...whimsical! And you joyfully share that with all of us! So very kind ~ thank you, Miss Lucy!
Posted by: Paula | January 06, 2012 at 05:49 PM
Thank you Lucy for you blog!! Your blog has almost single handed taught me to crochet and I love it! I have always been a crafter/quilter/painter but never wanted to learn to crochet when my late Mom wanted to teach me and needless to say I now regret that teenage decision. Your photos portray such a colourful and joyful home they bring a smile to my face always. I live in an exceedingly hot area of South Africa called the Karoo and your photos of verdant green English countryside and gardens are a balm for the soul when it is 40 degrees C outside and everything is looking fried!!! Thank you for sharing all this with "us"! Bev X
Posted by: Bev | January 06, 2012 at 04:56 PM
Hi Lucy,
I love to visit here too. Would you have enough room in your house if we all came in person?
I really like the way you preserve your children's anonymity by giving them special blogging names. I don't even miss not knowing their real names. I picture you using these names as "pet names". I call my youngest (almost 7) "Honey Bee".
Have you seen the movie "The Shine of Rainbows". It's beautiful, a real tear -jerker but beautiful. Anyway, the "Mum's " taste for color reminds me of you.
You would love it.
May you and your sweet family know the blessings of The Creator of all color - - the One who put the rainbow in the sky -- The Lord God, Jesus Christ.
Posted by: Heather | January 06, 2012 at 04:28 PM
Happy New Year to you and all at Attic 24 Lucy!
So looking forward to seeing all your makes of 2012. You are such an inspiration Lucy :o)
Thankyou kindly for making me smile and sigh with appreciation every time you write a post :o)
Have a lovely weekend, and take care,
Kindest regards,
Donna xx
Posted by: Donna | January 06, 2012 at 03:36 PM
Hi Lucy
I've been following your blog for a few weeks now and and not commented before but I wanted to say that, like a lot of people your blog really brightens my day. I've made three or four of your tutorials already and am hoping to start my own blog soon to record the goings on in our household. So thank you and keep it up! Xxxxxx
Posted by: Michelle | January 06, 2012 at 02:04 PM
What lovely colours you have in your home! I would love to live there! I would like to get round to sorting through my photo files but I fear it would take me decades!
Posted by: Actually Mummy... | January 06, 2012 at 01:57 PM