My garden taking a break during winter - hydrangeas

Hello 👋 I’m still here Happy New Year everyone…albeit a tad late!

I hope you all had a lovely time over the festive season. My break has lasted much longer than I intended, but has done me the world of good.

I have been “wintering”, a phrase I came across from reading Katherine Mays beautiful book called you guessed it Wintering! It’s not a new term, but one often attributed to nature as it gets ready for Spring.

Nature really does it best slowing everything down, hibernating and rejuvenating for what’s ahead… I wonder why we don’t do this as humans? Why we continue to push when life gets a bit hectic or events out with our control threaten to overwhelm? Sometimes there’s no choice of course, but often there is and when there’s an opportunity to slow down we should take it.

I had been feeling a little burned out myself so I decided to step away for a bit and focus on just me and my family. Taking a breather was just what I needed to do so just after Christmas I did exactly that - best decision in a long time.

Wintering isn’t a sign that we’ve somehow failed to hold it all together, but instead a normal part of the life cycle, and a gateway to the next phase. Katherine May

Looking after ourselves is often way down on our list of priorities, but if you can spend some time in nature, read a good book, watch a feel good movie or whatever it is that works for you - you’ll instantly feel better. Creativity is my go to for when I want to relax, but sadly has been absent of late. A lovely friend suggested I make time for it, block it out in my diary…so I did!

This is time solely for me and it’s been a revelation. Not just for the sheer enjoyment, but for what its going to bring to my creative process…more on that later.

Wintering is an open invitation to take better care of ourselves, and that means different things to different people. For me, it’s a lot of sleep, comfort food, long walks, and plenty of hot baths. When we really stop to notice our winters, they’re not monotonous wastes of sadness. They’re full of small pleasures, and we need to give ourselves permission to embrace these. Even in our darkest moments, we’re actually very skilled in guiding ourselves back towards the light. Katherine May

Beautiful textures as plants die back for winter

I undertook a creative course combining art and free motion embroidery (the latter I had never tried before). Each project is my time to switch off and just play and it’s been wonderful.

I have loved learning something new and plan to incorporate some elements into new fabric designs and products moving forward.

I am excited to see how this new technique develops my designs and will endeavour to document each phase as I go along…so look out for this and also for some new products & designs coming soon.

So what are you going to do to spark your creativity this coming year?

Wishing you all the very best for 2023 and beyond

Laura x

P.s. A New Year Gift for you! Please use TENOFF to receive a £10* discount at the checkout on anything including our beautiful sewing kits.

*Offer ends midnight on Friday 27th January 2023

Wintering...