Beltingly busy

To be honest I am not entirely sure how it can be a month since my lost post (without wishing to sound like a Catholic at confession), or maybe I can. Life has been a tad hectic and please take that description as the massive understatement that it is.

For the last two years I have been a weight watchers leader and have been fortunate enough to run very busy meetings around the Beds and Bucks area. However for the last 6 months I have been unhappy and so just over a month ago i resigned. It turned out to be a hugely emotional decision but after working my 4 weeks notice, having my garage cleared of SEVENTY NINE boxes of stock I can safely say it was the correct decision.

BUT, I need to earn cash so am giving my bag sewing a kick up the backside and am going to try and make a living from it!

This is scary. Not only have i got to find some faith in my limited skills but I need to get my bags out there. Thankfully BAYoga in Berkhamsted are storing a few of my yoga mat bags and a couple of people have purchased some directly from me. Also orders for purses and evening bags have been coming through.

My  next big thing is a stall at a roller derby bout which will involve me selling bags, bandanas, purses and hair accessories and i have some fantastic fabric all waiting to be cut. 

Not only that but the marvellous psycho Vintage are opening a unit at Fleetville Emporium in St Albans from April and have agreed to let me occupy a small space. Whoop di whoop.

All of this with no bathroom as it is being ripped out and replaced.

So this is why there have been no blog posts but hopefully I will have more time to whitter on about stuff from now on.

I have made an extremely pretty evening bag for a friend but as she has not seen it yet i cannot put photos here but they will follow tomorrow. It is really beautiful.

I hope you are all okay?

new header, new design, new me

Thanks to the lovely Laura my blog is looking all smart and professional. (unlike it's author unfortunately). I am only hoping my sewing and writing can live up to its grand image.

What do you think to the revamp?

Moving on

It is impossible to get to the age of 40, a momentous age that I will hit in May without hitting bad and emotional times on the way. How we deal with them and move on is a different thing. Do we keep them compartmentalised in our brains, shut away in a filing cabinet at the pit of our brain with a massive neon sign saying DO NOT ENTER IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCES or do we deal with them head on?

I have in the past been tempted to shut the door to the filing cabinet, turn the light off and forget it is there. It never stays locked though does it? Things manage to seep out when you least expect them to. A photo that you didnt expect to find, a song on the radio or simply too much time on your own thinking.

So what is the best way to deal with life and the crap it can throw? Is this the reason why people approaching 40 suddenly become manic about exercise as it clears the mind? Most men I know are constantly entering into longer and longer races, triathlons, mountaint climbs. Exercise makes you happy and clears the mind, having a target focusses the mind and keeps you at it. It is definitely one of the reasons i practice so much yoga. In fact yoga and regular practice got me off the magic pills prescribed by the doctor. Ashtanga yoga especially is extremely powerful. Some people eat and obviously in my years as a Weight Watchers leader I see this time and time again.

Is the best way to sit down and talk it through with someone? Do the Americans have the best idea of going to see therapists and hearing an objective view. We are all seeking something, some inner happiness, some sense of fufillment. Sometimes it is just good to let the tears flow, let the thoughts flood back in, accept them and then put them back and move on.

ANy thoughts?

While I am here have a photo of a new yoga bag I have made complete with iphone pocket and water bottle pocket

So whats with the Pears Joanna

When i made the decision to restart a blog, i then had to think of a suitable name. My top choices had already gone and i was really really REALLY running out of inspiration. So, as i was currently picking pears off our lovely conference pear tree in the garden, the name evolved. Not an earth shattering name i know, but one that i am actually incredibly happy with. I agree that the blog is looking a bit green at the moment and a bit drab. However my art monkey friend is hopefully designing me a funky banner to jazz it up a bit. Well i should call her my broken art monkey friend due to a knackered back. She is hopefully going to be my published partner in crime as we are FINALLY working on a book together. I say finally, this has been discussed over the years or should i say decadesbut over a few recent yoga trips and drunken nights out we have a plan!

So why the restart of the blog. Well firstly, it keeps me writing, something i enjoy but so often neglect to do. Who knows maybe i will finally get round to editting the book i wrote 2 years ago! Secondly, I am sewing again and have a workshop planned at the local gallery. A completely scary proposition but one i couldnt refuse. They are also holding a ladies evening before Christmas which somehow i seem to be involved in.

My first project to get me back in the swing of it, is a bag for a ball that i am going to in October. I will be wearing a gorgeous green velvet dress that was my mother in laws when she was 18! So 50 years old. Properly vintage and everything!! Any ideas about what kind of bag i should make??

This is the bag i made last time i went to a ball, i called her Morag, she was a thing of beauty.

I am thinking something along the same vein, but obviously not red. But what colour? Should it be velvet if my dress is velvet? Maybe a hand sewn beaded number or even something knitted. Anyway it is good to be back.

I'm Back

I have not updated a blog for a good couple of years, but have decided now is the time to do so. Will have lots of fun customising the design over the next couple of days. But post 1 of Pear Delirium done