Let 2016 Shine!

A new year. A time when it's natural to think what that will bring and to pause and reflect on the year that's gone.  While I don't set resolutions - like many people I find they don't last - I do think about what I want from the new year and how I can help make that happen by choosing a word to guide me. 

Last year the word I chose was Focus; it was something I needed to do but even when I chose it I admitted it wasn't in the "make my heart sing" category and now I know I should have found a word that was.  Although I did focus - I am back at work and I have achieved lots throughout 2015 - I didn't actively embrace my word. It was there, reminding me, nagging me even of what I needed to do, but I pretty much ignored it whenever I could. I didn't reflect on my word throughout the year, even though I'd set myself a regular task on my to do list, and I didn't even feel guilty when I sneakily ticked it off the list without thinking too much more about it. 

So there was a lesson for me in 2015. If it doesn't feel right, then it probably isn't right. 

That said 2015 was a good year, but having my word didn't feel the way it had the year before when I chose Active.  

So this year I knew I needed to make a better choice. In my head I had "balance."  It worked in lots of clever ways: work-life balance, blog-life balance, work-home balance and also for pilates, which I haven't done so much of during the latter part of the year (and should have) and is something I always need more balance for than I naturally have. And cycling too, that needs balance.  See it was clever, it just didn't make me smile.  

And so I knew to keep looking for my word.

I'm not sure how or where I got the inspiration for my word, but I did. And if you've snuck a look at the image in this post you'll not be surprised to learn that this year I've chosen Shine.  Even typing it now makes me smile. 

So yes, this year my plan is to shine.

And to try and shine in everything I do.

AN ABBEY WINDOW IN SOUTH WEST FRANCE CAPTURED IN 2009

I realise that's quite a bold statement, but let me tell you more.

This year I want to build on the sewing machine mastery I rediscovered last year and focus on the quality of the items I sew, the zips I put in and in fact all of the crafts I set my sights on. I want to shine, not just do, if that makes sense.

I want to smile and share that shine with people I meet, those I know and those I don't. Smiling is good and it's a great way to improve other people's days and your own too. 

I want to get things done, but I want to do them well.  Whether that's at home, at work or here on my blog, this year I want to shine. That's particularly pertinent here on my blog as this week sees me take over co-hosting PoCoLo, an established and well loved bloggers link up.  

And of course there's the weather side of shine. I know I'm happiest in the sun, so I'm hoping we have plenty of sunshine this year; if it's in short supply then I'd be happy for it to be shining when we cycle in the Loire Valley (the dates of which are still to be determined), that's not too much to ask now, is it?

So now I have my word, I have it visualised in that stunning Abbey window shot which I captured on a walking holiday in the South West of France in 2009 and what's more, this year I even have a soundtrack. Helpfully Take That have obliged there.  It really is a Beautiful World.

So there's my intentions for 2016, what are yours?

A walk in the park

On the Sunday before Christmas we wandered down into Greenwich for a very important errand, and that was to buy some cheese for festive period. Yes, very important. It was one of those clear and sunny days we've had recently and it was warm too, quite a treat. I loved the look of the lacy trees against the sky in Greenwich Park.

The sunlight too was catching this gnarly old trunk, doesn't it look great?

Our route through the park was different to usual, as rather than heading down into Greenwich we headed across the park and exited on Crooms Hill and cut through the side streets to the cheese shop - we were on a mission. These trees though were worth stopping (briefly) for. 

As we ducked around the side of the Observatory, onto what is probably my favourite path in the park away from the crowds I just had to stop to admire the brickwork, and the less than usual view towards Docklands.

The lacy trees were almost forgotten with this fragile looking fern, such a beautiful colour.

And then as we headed down the path, we noticed the hellebores with the sun shining straight onto the new growth. They looked truly stunning, and it's no wonder they're perhaps more advanced than usual.

Isn't nature wonderful?

My Christmas wreath

During the week my ten wire rings (yes I know there's only supposed to be five gold rings, but Amazon were selling them in tens!) arrived through the post, so I had no excuse not to make myself a wreath now did I? I'd trimmed some of the lower branches from my little tree, just so it could get used to being part of my Christmas wreaths, but needed more greenery to make a full wreath. 

On Sunday we made a visit to the Cheeseboard in Greenwich to stock up our Christmas cheese supply and I saw next door had tree offcuts for a £1 a branch. That's a much better price and so MOH carried two stems around town for the rest of the afternoon. Back home I popped out into the garden and cut some rosemary, holly, ivy and fatsia flowers to add to my stock of materials.

Covering the table with newspaper I set off in search of some wire. I know I have some, but I couldn't remember the safe place I'd put it in but thankfully I found some raffia so made do with that instead. I set about tying greenery into bunches before tying it onto the wire ring. It took a little longer with raffia than wire, but I think it works equally well.

ROSEMARY

FATSIA FLOWERS

I added bunches of the evergreen offcut we'd bought, some of my little tree and rosemary bunches. I opted not to use the holly, as well wouldn't you know it's prickly and I had enough of the other plants.

When the bunches of greenery filled the wreath's circle I tied bunches of three fatsia flowers and added those around the wreath instead of the orange slices, cinnamon sticks and baubles I used last year. It's a more rustic wreath this year, but given that it cost me approximately £2.15 and an afternoon to make, I'm happy with that.

And I love the fatsia flowers on it. I'll be using those again and when I hung it on our pale green front door this morning, it looked great.

Phew, my Christmas prep is starting to come together!  How's yours going?