Hello, hello, hello, I'm baaaaack!!! Maybe you didn't even know I'd been away, but I did indeed journey far away from the Attic (1526 miles to be precise) and now I'm home again trying to navigate myself gently back into normal life. Did I tell you I was going to Madeira? I think I might have mentioned it in passing - I was teaching a crochet retreat with Stitchtopia and it was absolutely, utterly and completely wonderful. Oh, I LOVED my week in Madeira, it's such a lush and beautiful island with a sub tropical climate and the sunny warmth did me a lot of good. The above scene was part of the expansive vista out of my floor to ceiling bedroom window, and I snapped that photo on my first morning....imagine lying in bed and waking up to that view, it was honestly the loveliest thing.
Me being me, I took a ridiculous number of photographs during my week flouncing around that beautiful island. I just had a look and did a quick count - 369 images, seriously, I need to get a grip. I'll try and get them into some sort of order and work out the best way to share my Madeira experience with you. I have so much I want you to see!
Three and a half days out of the week were workshop days, and I was teaching a crochet project to a group of fifteen lovely ladies. I created a bespoke yarn kit and designed something brand new, but I'm going to wait and show it to you a bit later in the year. The reason being, I have a second group of ladies coming to Madeira with me in September and I don't want to spoil the surprise for them. I feel it's OK to show you some of the touristy outdoor things we did, but I do want to keep the crochet element under wraps for now. Suffice to say, it all went really well and the feedback I received from the ladies was glowing so I feel like I did a pretty good job. I was reminded what a privilege it is to be able pass on knowledge and inspiration, it's truly my passion to inspire creativity and share my love of colour. How lucky I am.
I arrived back home last Thursday night after a long travel stint - a coach, a plane and three trains which was roughly twelve hours on the move. Oh, I was missed it seems! My Little People were so happy to have me back and I got the biggest hugs when I stumbled in through the door. The kitty was waiting for me too, and J of course, yes, I think he was VeRy pleased to have me back and be relieved of domestic duties. He does a terrific job when I'm away, combining his high tech professional world with additional cooking, shopping, laundry and the general parenting stuff required for a school age child. I'm very grateful I have to say.
I found I was quite tired for a few days after all that excitement and travelling, so I spent my weekend pottering around quietly, seeking out pockets of stillness and calm. Apparently it rained a lot during the week I was away and my sweet peas seemed to suddenly come alive. I'm only picking small handfuls, but they are so precious and fragrant.
I like to put them in a little jug or small glass bottle and then I can move them around the room with me so that I catch the scent wherever I happen to be sitting. A divine summer pleasure.
I enjoyed reconnecting with my little patch of home turf at the weekend, even though it's been pretty grey and wet for a lot of it. We strolled around town, visited the market, walked along the canal, through the park and I took time to appreciate the visuals of my daily life. Sunflowers in painted pots on top of a narrowboat roof - I do live in a really pretty place.
I snapped the above visual for my Instagram stories on Sunday morning as I was waiting for the barista to froth up my cappuccino. I absolutely love going out for coffee, did you know that about me already (??!! kidding, of course you knew, I tell you often enough). A Sunday morning coffee always feels just that extra bit special to me, it's a slower pace with more time to sit and sip and chat with the fam (J and Little B with me on this occasion). We shared some cinnamon swirl pastries and it felt indulgent and pleasurable and just down right lovely.
I'm taking time to make nourishing food for myself this week after an awful lot of indulgence while I was away. Hotel food, what can I say? It was abundant, tempting, full of variety and extremely hard to be moderate really. I ate and drank a lot more than I'm used to and now I'm trying to regain some sort of balance - I'm enjoying it actually, and enjoying cooking again too after the luxury of not having to do it for a week.
Yesterday was damp and humid and as J and I both have Mondays free from work, we drove to Bolton Abbey to walk along the river.
The riverbanks are a wild, tangled mass of tall summer grasses and wild flowers at the moment and it's such a joy to see. There were masses of these glorious purply-blue flowers (Meadow Cranesbill) which are so pretty - that violet colour is stunning.
On Sunday afternoon something very rare occurred. VERY rare indeed. Shall I tell you? Well, I was here in the house pottering about and suddenly realised that the house was unusually quiet and for the first time in a very long while I was all alone. The big two kiddos were away at a muddy music festival, and J had taken Little B to go and play pool, so it was just me and the kitty in a silent house.
Peace. Solitude. Space.
I was lost for a while, wandered up and down the stairs a few times, folded a pile of laundry, ate a banana, talked to the kitty and then suddenly out of nowhere I was hit with an overwhelming desire to create. I dug into the Cupboard of Doom, pulled out my stash of Ricorumi cottons, and pulled together a spontaneous bright summer colour palette. I had this idea I wanted to try out, something that I'd been thinking about for a while, and a quiet Sunday afternoon seemed like the perfect time....
....can you see what I'm up to? I've had this stack of plain canvas zipper pouches for a while, I bought them a few months ago with the idea to crochet little flowers and things to appliqué onto the front. But somewhere along the line I changed my mind and thought about trying to cover all of the canvas with crochet stripes. I had a play, and with some trial and error I eventually worked out a way to crochet into the zipper at the top, then build my stripes downwards.
Oh. My. Goodness. Such fun!! Such colourful, stripy, happy, creative hooky fun! It's been a long, long time since I felt this overwhelming urge to design and create just for the joy of it, and I can't tell you how good it feels to have my spark back.
This is as far as I got on Sunday, but today is Tuesday and I've since finished the first pouch and started making a second one so that I could photograph the process for a tutorial. I'm excited about this crazy little project, and I'm excited that I'm excited, if you see what I mean. For a lot of this year I've felt like my spark might never return which had me all kinds of worried.
Anyhow.....I've got a busy few days ahead because we're off on a little holiday on Friday and I want to try and write about Madeira before I go while it's still fresh in my mind. But I'll see if I can manage to create a photo tutorial for this crochet zipper pouch idea - if I can't make it happen this week, then definitely when I come home from my jolly.
Well I think that's about all my news for now, thanks as always for calling in for a catch up. Life's good, isn't it?
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Hi! I had follow your blog for many years, and It's always exiting to read about your adventures in crochet lives and about your family.However, I tried to find your autumn wreath in your archives, but could`t find any wreths. Please help! I wish you a creative autumn!
Posted by: Mette Hagesæter | October 06, 2023 at 02:55 PM
Excited for you finding your creative side once more.
Know that lack of creating well.
Stay well. Being busy doesn't seem to affect my creativity, but being unwell certainly does.
Love to see all your work.
I keep recommending your blog site to new crocheters and people who ask about putting colours together.
Posted by: Patricia A | September 24, 2023 at 01:37 AM
Realmente a vida é maravilhosa. Um presente que devemos desembrulhar com cuidado, alegria e gratidão.
Um beijo grande para vc Lucy e obrigada por me fazer tão, tão feliz com suas postagens.
Posted by: Marili Souza Pereira Bezerra | August 30, 2023 at 07:58 PM
Oh my!! I envy your youth. I look back and I know how precious being young is. I truly enjoy listening to you. I am glad you are putting down (so to speak)on paper your adventures and also sharing with us. Thank you for what you do. I hope you continue for a long time. You touch so many lives with your words and we who are cooped up in small apartments are allowed to glimpse a small part of what you say and do. Thank you for what you do. Hello, from Texas, USA. Linda
Posted by: Linda Spooner | August 28, 2023 at 11:50 PM
Peace and solitude is VERY helpful to a creative soul I think. I have heard such wonderful things about Madeira including how green and full of plants it is that it is very near the top of places I'd love to visit. Glad you had such a good time. 369 photos sounds fairly restrained to me :) CJ xx
Posted by: CJ | July 29, 2023 at 03:07 PM
An island get away with stitching, perfect! And love your colorful project.
Posted by: Gwen | July 22, 2023 at 02:17 PM
The pictures from Madeira are lovely, and I am excited that you will be sharing more about your trip and the gorgeousness that is Madeira. But you know what? My favorite photo is of the river, and the trees, and all the beautiful green of your very own Bolton Abbey. There really and truly is no place like home. And that spark? It's always there. It's just that, sometimes, it needs to lie low and take it all in. The well needs to be refreshed, so to speak. But it always comes roaring back, because when you got it, you got it. And you definitely have it!
Posted by: Elizabeth | July 22, 2023 at 12:47 PM
The stripy colours in that pouch are off the chart! Love them so much! I envy your wonderful trip to Madeira. What joy. And you get to return soon! How often do we come back feom holidays and yearn to return... and you get to do that so soon! Xox
Posted by: Louise | July 22, 2023 at 12:08 PM
L💖VE your blogs xxxxx Love your enthusiasm❣️
Posted by: Kristine S | July 22, 2023 at 11:34 AM
Sounds great, I would loved to have been there and enjoy your class. I will have a go at the lovely purse you are doing. I always enjoy reading you entries and your patterns etc are always so easy to find and much enjoyed. Thankyou for being you and so helpful. Pouring here in NZ today, not our usual weather at all. Cheers Carolyn.
Posted by: carolyn Jackson. | July 21, 2023 at 10:29 AM
ordered my pouches to come in the mail this weekend- Im ready for your tutorial when you are ready to post it.... excited!!!! and feeling very appreciative of all that you do
Posted by: laura k- from the crochet ladies of france | July 21, 2023 at 01:15 AM
Ah... que agradável, ler seus post. Obrigada
Posted by: Rosana | July 20, 2023 at 04:54 PM
My goodness! I love visiting you here! Your week away sharing your talent and wisdom looks amazing. What a beautiful place! That view! And I so love your intentional living, my friend. I am inspired to do the same here in Pennsylvania, although it seems a world away from the beauty of your world. Thank you for sharing!
Posted by: BillieJo | July 20, 2023 at 01:37 PM
Love reading your blogs. Thank you for not spoiling the surprise. I too am joining you at the September retreat. 🌞 🧶
Posted by: Ann Bartram | July 20, 2023 at 07:49 AM
Madeira sounds wonderful, and how lovely that you get to enjoy it again in September!
Hope you have a lovely family holiday. Our family are here in St Anne’s for the annual family gathering this weekend. We have a beach hut and a family sportsday planned on Monday. 13 of us, and rain forecast! I'll need a big lie down after that!!
Posted by: Seaside Karen | July 19, 2023 at 09:32 PM
Welcome back, Lucy! So nice to hear the Madeira trip went well and you have regained your creativity! Enjoy the family holiday and I look forward to reading more about Madeira, it's a place that's always fascinated me.
Posted by: Lee | July 19, 2023 at 05:41 PM
Have a lovely family holiday Looking forward to the crochet pouch tutorial.Which stitch are you using so I can practice and be ready for this project ? Thankyou
Posted by: Tricia | July 19, 2023 at 03:34 PM
This a lovely colourful post. Madeira is a stunning isle for sure <3
Posted by: Tineke | July 19, 2023 at 12:49 PM
So pleased to have you back Lucy. I love those zippy bags. Can't wait to make one. Have a lovely family time away x
Posted by: Gillian Edwards | July 19, 2023 at 12:29 PM
It is so good to have you back. 💕xx
Posted by: Jo | July 19, 2023 at 08:42 AM
Glad to have you back but so thrilled your creative career has taken off so well!
Keep creating and challenging my skills!
Thanks Lucy.
Posted by: Norma | July 19, 2023 at 12:27 AM
Your trip to Madeira sounds delightful! And you get to go again!! I look forward to your coming tutorial for the crochet bags. They sound like perfect holiday treat bags and shouldn't take long to do up.
Posted by: Libby Parker | July 18, 2023 at 11:38 PM
I’m all kinds of envious of people having a crochet holiday with you.. sounds wonderful! Looking forward to seeing the pictures of your Madeira trip. Love that you have your spark back, I can see why you would worry. We have just got back from a wonderful busy vibrant visit to Amsterdam, what a fabulous place that is! X
Posted by: Ruthie | July 18, 2023 at 11:09 PM
Wow, sounds like a great time away in Madeira & look forward to your photos roundup. Ah.....Bolton Abbey is great to clear the head & wind down after a trip, somewhere we always go first after flying over from Oz........maybe again one day (I wish). The little pouches look good so far & fling some of that mojo my way please....this year has definitely been on the slow side here too. Thanks for posting & hope this actually shows up as the last 2 comments haven't. Think I need some updating on the tech side of things. Take care & hugs from a damp/cold old down under.
Posted by: Susan | July 18, 2023 at 10:24 PM
Love the Madeira pics, I’m so looking forward to joining you there in Sept! What a fabulous place to sit and crochet while admiring that view.
Posted by: Jan Kelway | July 18, 2023 at 09:52 PM