To All A Good Night

It's the end of the 52nd week of the year. This means two things; this week heralds the final #secretsofselfpreservation potion this year (and indeed, ever, unless I do some more #secretsofselfpreservation workshops) and getting a large chunk of my Sunday back each week to make a wide variety of art or to do whatever I fancy, really. I have a new project brewing which leads on from #secretsofselfpreservation but goes off on much more tangents.

I feel like I have been floating around on a cloud of Christmas spirit the past few days. It could be having more than one day off work for the first time since April (ten whole days, I'm ecstatic!), it could be that I've spent time with all my favourite people, or it could be that, looking back on 2015, I am certain that it was one of my best yet. It may be something of a cliché to think that, but I feel I have much to be happy about; my first "proper job", taking commissions, workshops and talks, moving into a bigger room and furnishing it with fine frippery and feeling cosy and content there, four years with my sweetheart, even managing my mental health well so it doesn't interfere with my life too much. It's not been a half bad year, really, but I am also very much looking forward to all 2016 has to bring.

In this (Christmas) spirit, the final #secretsofselfpreservation potion reads "Be grateful and be proud". I have been offered so many breaks this year, and been surrounded by the most wonderful people. I am also beginning to like myself a little more, and acknowledge my achievements, and yes, I am proud of one or two of them. Which is awfully self congratulatory, but for someone who has as poor self esteem as I do it's kind of a big deal.

Pip's handwritten message on the wrapping paper of one of my Christmas presents accompanies the embroidery in the potion bottle. My year has been better for having him in it, and long may that continue.

Next stop is to get my Dad, talented amateur photographer, to shoot all the potions, and create collaged illustrative labels for each one. And then I think I may just try to exhibit them somewhere...

 Remember you can get (still!) involved too, via the hashtag #secretsofselfpreservation, by writing about a simple way you plan to, or already do, take care of yourself. Alternatively, you can create your own embroidered (or written on paper) potion - just remember to include the hashtag #secretsofselfpreservation along with your snaps of it.

Wrapping It Up Potion

With this week's potion complete, the Apotheké/#secretsofselfpreservation project has only one more week before its conclusion. That is one of the reasons why I have named this week's creation "Wrapping It Up" potion. The other is that this week has been marked by frantic gift buying and the dispersal of my work Secret Santa. So the ingredient to accompany the embroidered text is a message from a Christmas card, and the label the card's front. This week's text reads "Giving gifts is good for the soul." I love giving presents, and the only reason Christmas shopping this week has been rather frantic was because I was yet to give the perfect gift for several people, and I still haven't, so fingers crossed for the next few days!

Remember you can get involved too, via the hashtag #secretsofselfpreservation, by writing about a simple way you plan to, or already do, take care of yourself. Alternatively, you can create your own embroidered (or written on paper) potion - just remember to include the hashtag #secretsofselfpreservation along with your snaps of it.

Anticipotion

Last week's potion is belated, an all too common occurrence lately as the project approaches its conclusion.

On Friday, Pip and I booked our first holiday abroad since 2013. In February we are travelling to Gothenburg, Malmo and Copenhagen, hopefully in the snow! With that and the New Year in mind, for last week's potion I stitched, simply, "Look forward" on to the ribbon.

To accompany the words is a small coil of grey thread, which I am using in another, new project.

The other day Pip found some of this thread in his room and couldn't resist sending me this photograph, hence this potion is a combination of our plans together and my vocation.

Remember you can get involved too, via the hashtag #secretsofselfpreservation, by writing about a simple way you plan to, or already do, take care of yourself. Alternatively, you can create your own embroidered (or written on paper) potion - just remember to include the hashtag #secretsofselfpreservation along with your snaps of it.

Pining Potion

I must admit, with the end of 2015 rapidly approaching, I am looking forward to having my Sundays back. Not because I have better things to do with them than create #secretsofselfpreservation potions, but because I'm itching to get started with a new project (or projects). More on that later, but in that spirit (sort of), this week's potion is named Pining Potion; that is, if you can pine for something which will occur in the future?

The diary element this week is a sprig of needles from our obliging Christmas tree which has not yet been brought in from the garden; I helped decorate Pip's yesterday whilst we listened to Carols from King's. 

Different types of strength have come up in conversation a few times this week; in the context of brains Vs brawn, stereotypical gender roles, youthful machismo Vs mature responsibility. So this week's #secretsofselfpreservation potion reads "Strength and softness are not mutually exclusive." Something I think very much applies to me, and all of us.

Remember you can get involved too, via the hashtag #secretsofselfpreservation, by writing about a simple way you plan to, or already do, take care of yourself. Alternatively, you can create your own embroidered (or written on paper) potion - just remember to include the hashtag #secretsofselfpreservation along with your snaps of it.

Grasshopper Potion

Last week's #secretsofselfpreservation potion is not one but two days late to be posted, despite being finished in time. I'm feeling less and less inclined to blog lately; I don't know if it's wanting to hunker down and hibernate at this time of year, work becoming busier, or winding down with #secretsofselfpreservation as the end of the year draws nigh. I'm eagerly anticipating my next big project, but as last week's potion advocates, I must have "Patience." I've always been one to want to run before I can walk, but I'm learning to accept my limitations and take my time, and, crucially, wait.

To accompany the text is what can only be described as fluff. I spent a good part of Saturday evening picking bobbles out of a new (old) angora jumper I had picked up for two quid, so that I could wear it the following day. In addition to that small example of patience, I had found a number of similar jumpers in Brick Lane for around thirty pounds a piece, but had decided to forgo them, so my patience really paid off!

Remember you can get involved too, via the hashtag #secretsofselfpreservation, by writing about a simple way you plan to, or already do, take care of yourself. Alternatively, you can create your own embroidered (or written on paper) potion - just remember to include the hashtag #secretsofselfpreservation along with your snaps of it.