Simple Reflections....

Hello my lovelies...

How are we all?

Did we have a beautiful yuletide celebration?

I hope you found some moments to treasure in there somewhere what ever

you were doing and who ever you may have shared it with....

I'd like to say that as I am writing this I am looking at a blanket of cold crisp snow because that is what we expect for this time of year...

Unfortunately I can only see the winter sunshine, so I've cheated with my opening picture to greet you all from my blogging window!

It seems so very strange that another year is behind me as I write.

2016 really hasn't been a fab year but despite the negative sides of life there are always positives to take forward with us.

My year spent working on the TV has bought such happiness for me which out ways the usual stress

of prepping for a show with a moments notice...

(that's just the nature of the beast!)

I have met so many of you and chatted with so many lovely peeps who have made me feel so very humble to be in a very lucky position of saying hello to you right in the middle 

of your craft rooms or lounges....

meeting two lovely middle-aged ladies who had driven all the way from Wales to Ally Pally just to say hello bought tears to my eyes....

So many people came and said hello from different areas of the country and it really makes all those hours of sewing by candlelight (not literally you understand as I have Daylight lamp remember!)

I know I say this many times but I really am no celebrity in any way..

just a textile artist living in the wild Cambs Fens, who has a passion for crafting 

and is lucky to get paid for doing something I love.

I believe we all have a gift to share with the world before we venture onto a different path 

and mine is sharing my passion for teaching crafts through my love of cloth and thread...

I try to walk a simple and gentle path of life collecting memories

of special moments along the way.

Mother Nature inspires me every day in some way or another and 

over this past year I have ventured into that unkown territory of Instagram

to capture those golden moments...

If you fancy saying hello you can find me 

HERE

I'm quite proud of this old fen bird working out how to do something technical

(on a new phone I might add!) without asking my son to show me!

So...what else has happened in 2016?

This time last year I decided to take a different direction with my work

and took a gamble of dipping my toe in the water of just being me. 

I spent the year doing several exhibitions, workshops and talks around the UK

which has made me immensely happy!

Having said that, I do have to say it was quite a challenge for several reasons and 

yet a breeze for others....

I was stepping into a world of..... 

- masters who have degrees coming out of their ears....

- professional tutors who have taught the world over...

AND....

- experts who consider their work to be the perfect way and mine to be the very unperfect way!

(that's my Fen expression of normal!)

So why did I wobble I ask myself a year later?

I can chat the hind leg off a donkey with anyone...

I am very proud to say I can teach the unteachable...

I can design and sew until the cows come home...

So why the worry?

I just don't have a piece of paper to tell me I can do so.

My degree is in Early Years and a lifetime of awkward experiences thrown at 

me from a very young age.

A year on from those initial thoughts tells me that in the grand scheme of things

I am very happy with my lot in life and my 'piece of paper' telling others I know what I am doing is simply non negotionable!

Going on TV for Create & Craft three years ago 

was one of the scariest moments in my life and yet the very best in many other ways...

 I looked at it that it couldn't be any worse than childbirth and I had survived that more than once before.... so what was there to worry about?

My lovely Nan had taught me from a teenager 'to simply be myself' and I have to say that at such a young age I really didn't understand what that meant!

Of course I do now...

I can't be any different...

My Fen roots won't allow me to even try.

So looking forward what will be on the agenda this year ahead I hear many of you ask?

Well, like you are probably doing at this time of year, 

I am busy writing plans.

I am SO excited!

I want to shout from the rooftops that one of my lifetime dreams has finally come true....

but sadly I've learnt to my cost of being open and 

honest that not everyone in this 'professional' world is the same.

There are sharks waiting to bite at all costs as there is in any walks of life.

So for that reason I will share with you when I can and things are safe to tell the world.

Am I bothered that not everyone has my honesty?

No....

I'm a firm believer in karma... what goes around comes around 

and one day that 'professional' person that I refer to will tumble eventually.

Sadly it's a lesson we all learn at school...that there are original designers and those that copy.

My conscience is as clear as tinkerbells wings..

I know that I can lie in my bed at night and say that ALL my designs are my own work, my own

thought process and I remain true to myself with true integrity.

Enough said on that one.

~~~~~~~~~~

In the meantime let me tell you that I shall be attending several events this year again, doing loads of workshops which I will be sharing details of soon for you all to book onto if you wish

and appearing back on your Create & Craft TV screens again as soon as the new schedules are arranged.

I simply love the connection with people. 

I always have.

I am a people's person....

So...I will also be working more online offering you lovelies some snippets of inspiration

and more blog posts.

I just adore writing and have decided to sit and ramble much more ...so watch out folks!

Do I have any readers still with me?

I know I can ramble my way for a while so if you are still here...

thank you for staying a while!

Let's raise a toast to a beautiful 2017...

for more smiles...

more happiness and peace amongst our fellow beings

and share a little love for Mother Nature and all she provides us.

I wish you all a wonderful celebration with your loved ones.

I certainly will treasure having Mr T with me to see the New Year in.

I thought I had sadly lost him a few weeks a ago so to enjoy a snuggle on the sofa together

watching the festivities by the fire will seem like I've won the Lottery this New Year.

Blessings to you all...

much love

Tilly x