10/10 Happy

What do we really need in order to be happy?  I have been thinking about it a lot lately and have been pondering my dreams and aspirations.

Over the last couple of years quite a few people have asked me how happy I am.  When I've told them the truth - 10/10 - they have all been genuinely surprised.  No one seems to believe that ordinary people with ordinary problems can be 10/10 happy.  When I've asked those people, in response, how happy they are, I've been shocked at their answers too.  The lowest answers were 5 and 6 out of 10.  The average has been around 8 out of 10.  Every one of the people I've chatted to has, in my eyes, a really lovely life and a lot to be thankful for.  How, then, can they only be 6/10 happy?

I am convinced that we are slowly being brainwashed into thinking that we need 'more' of everything in order to be happy.  More money, more sleep, more spare time, more friends, more holidays…. And so it goes on.  I think that the media is largely responsible for people's concept of happiness.  It also occurs to me that people just interpret the question 'how happy are you?' in different ways.

To  me, happiness is a spiritual thing.  It has very little to do with anything that I own and is not materially affected by my problems or the anxiety that I occasionally suffer with.  When I'm asked how happy I am my answer is always consistent because I don't consider how happy I am that particular day, I answer with my gut feeling of how happy I am, in general, with my life.  And that's 10/10.

So, I thought I'd share just a few of the things that make me feel happy.  Ten things that make me feel 10/10 happy.

1.  Breathing in fresh air.  Noticing how warm or cool it feels on my skin, whether it smells of dairy farms or car exhausts, and allowing my lungs to fill.

2.  Sunlight.  Whether it's blinding sunshine on a hot summer day or a small patch of sunlight on the kitchen floor, it never fails to lift my heart.

3.  The way my dog's mouth relaxes when she sleeps to reveal a row of tiny white front teeth.  She looks like she's smiling in her dreams.

4.  The taste of my first coffee of the day. Always brought to my bedside by my husband (wearing pants and socks - sexy!) every single day.

5.  Peace and quiet.  I make sure that I have a few minutes alone every day just to be quiet and calm. Sometimes I use that time to knit or sew.  Other times I just sit.  It is vitally important to my wellbeing.

6.  Flowers.  Wild flowers, spectacular blooms, supermarket bouquets or weeds… I love them all and always have a jug of something in the kitchen.  It is an extra special treat for me to have a posy of flowers by the bed.

7.  Laughing.  I have a proper big laugh every single day.  I find Andrew hilarious, my stepson is funny and I seem to have chosen my friends on their ability to make me laugh.  I often laugh at myself even if I'm crying or sulking.  I have a close family and we have always laughed together; mum and dad still do.

8.  Nature and wildlife.  I love animals but am especially fascinated by wildlife and pondlife.  I love watching the birds from our conservatory.  I love to see rabbits, hedgehogs, foxes and game on my walks around the fields with Andrew and Lizzie.  I am a huge fan of Chris Packham and Bill Oddie; they would be on my fantasy dinner guest list.

9.  Stretching.  I love a good stretch and used to practice yoga for an hour every day.  I've let it slip in the past few years and I'm just getting back into it now, using free videos online from Do Yoga With Me (thanks for the recommendation from A Beach Cottage).

10.   Hugging.  I am a really tactile person and often feel compelled to hug even strangers.  I realise that a lot of people don't like their personal space to be invaded so I manage to keep control of it but, man, I hug the life out of Andrew and my family - especially my gorgeous little niece.

I know that my list might sound trite but these are genuinely the things that give me most joy in life.  I acknowledge that I am a very accomplished shopper and collector of random things, which obviously gives me pleasure too, but this is a compilation of the stuff that makes my soul properly happy.

Now, with all that said, I've got to press on because Cabbages and Roses are releasing a couple of new dresses tonight and I cannot miss it!  Ha! #iloveshallowstufftoo

Have a great weekend. 

Love

Nicki 

x

PS The photos throughout this post are from our visit to Coton Manor in Northamptonshire last weekend.  If you live anywhere nearby I would definitely recommend a visit.  It incorporates so many of my favourite, happy, things and is stunning at this time of year.

New Year Bunny: Miss Maggie Rabbit by Alicia Paulson

After Christmas I always start to dread the new year.  I am not filled with enthusiasm for a new year, I generally feel a bit wistful that another one is over.  I feel flat at the thought of three whole months spent broke and on a diet in miserable weather with nothing to look forward to but [stinky] daffodils and Easter eggs.  Spring always seems to be a long time coming here in England.  

Feeling tired and stressed in the build up to Christmas, I chose not to be maudlin at the start of 2014 and vowed to myself that I'd do everything I could to make the last of the Winter more enjoyable.  I decided I would eat exactly what I fancy (no diets here yet, thank you) and keep the house as warm, light and welcoming as I possibly can.   

Pies and stews have been cooked and eaten, woodburners have been lit and my favourite candles have been filling the house with the cosy scent of nutmeg and spices.  I have been feeling very unwell - absolutely worn out - and have needed time to recharge my batteries. 

I have kept my weekends generally clear and undemanding to allow me to spend as much time as possible curled up in an armchair with nothing to do but knit and stitch.  

I bought the kit for Miss Maggie Rabbit a while before Christmas and deliberately saved her for my new year project.  I was a little anxious about starting as I wasn't sure I'd be able to do a very good job, but I was surprised by how simple the pattern is.

The felt that Alicia chose for the rabbit is a joy to work with and I enjoyed every minute of stitching it.  The instructions were easy to follow and the little dress was fun to make too.  I especially liked stitching the little pair of felt boots.

I made the rabbit for myself.  I planned to sit her on the shelves in my craft room where I could admire her daily.  Everything about her pleases me; her ears, particularly, which are made of my favourite Liberty print.    Unfortunately, my niece saw a photo and immediately declared she would like Miss Maggie herself.  I smiled non-commitally and deliberated for a couple of weeks about whether a five year old would *really* appreciate her as much as I do.  

But you know the end of this story.  Miss Maggie has been renamed Mimi and is now sitting, minus cape and boots, on the pink pillow of my little niece who, it turns out, loves 'Mimi' even more than I do.  I am going to have to make another for myself and have been pondering what fabric I'll use next time for Miss Maggie Jr's dress. 

Nicki 

x

Miss Maggie Rabbit is an Alicia Paulson creation and the kit can be bought online at Alicia's shop.  I popped over to the blog for this link and noticed a little rabbit on the table in a hot pink duffle coat.  Oh my, I'm hoping that the pattern is released; it's adorable.  

A festive round-up

Hi hi! Happy new year!

I feel great today.  Really happy, relaxed and calm.  I do not have a hangover, for I was in bed reading at 8:30pm last night (yeah, dudes, rock n roll).  As a result, I was up bright and early this morning, pottering and faffing in my craft room.  I am now writing this whilst drinking chocolate Baileys and watching The Sound of Music.  I could not be any happier!

Matching my yarn to my dress, natch.

I was incredibly busy in the run up to Christmas and, as we were hosting Christmas lunch (for 8 adults) for the first time ever, I was getting stressed.  I usually love December.  It feels like such a slow month and I adore the building anticipation as you get closer to Christmas Day.  This year, December flew by.   Time seemed to ramp up a gear from our weekend at Cowslip and I didn't leave the fast lane.  Until Monday evening: 30th December.  I wrapped up in a red tartan wool throw then we lit the fire and watched the Downton Abbey Christmas special.  It was lovely.  I was in that snuggly state of being half asleep but awake enough to register what was happening with the Crawleys.   It was the first time that Andrew and I had properly snuggled up in front of the telly on our own over since way before Christmas; we needed the time to recharge.

I made quite a few gifts for friends and family this year, including lots of lavender hearts, tissue cases and peppermint bark.  The tissue case tutorial was found on the two brown birds blog and is, frankly, genius.

I also made a festive lap blanket for my mother in law. (snorting at the expression 'festive lap blanket' - sounds so pompous.)

I used a layer cake from Moda (a Winters Lane) and cut the pieces into 5" squares - still lots left.

Packaged up with a lavender heart, ready to wrap.

Because I was nervous about making the quilt, I left it right until the last minute and produced it almost entirely fuelled by adrenalin.  I chose a piece of red gingham for the backing fabric and, after an impromptu binding lesson in the patchwork shop by the friendly owner there, I was on my own!  I was dreading the binding but it was actually my favourite part in the end.  I was sad when it was finished and am already planning another!  I *may* need to change our dining room table so that I have something big enough on which to lay out some much larger quilts! ;)

I think Ma F liked it; she sent me this photo from her house on Boxing Day.  Phew!

What made the whole process more nerve-wracking is that my MIL is an expert machinist - she has been making shoes in Northamptonshire her whole working life; even teaching at the local college.  She can spot a wonky seam from fifty paces.  With that said, she does at least appreciate the work and effort that goes into making something and I think she liked the finished quilt.  At least, I hope she did.

♥♥♥♥♥

Yesterday, New Year's Eve, was my birthday.  I love birthdays.  (Especially mine - ha!)

Andrew surprised me with a candle-lit birthday cake and champagne before breakfast, then we headed into London to see a West End show, as is our tradition.  This time we went to see The Lion King.  Both Andrew and I had seen it before (with our exes, not together) but we wanted one that Izzie (my 4 year old niece) could come along to, and this seemed to be the only suitable one - Matilda and Charlie were too old for her, according to the parental guidance.  My sis and her husband brought her to join Drew, mum, dad and me.  I loved it.  Loved every minute.  I adore my family and love spending time with them; time together feels even more precious as you get older and I definitely do not take it for granted.  We always have a great time going out with my mum and dad but it was nice that my sis and her  family joined us this year.

We ate steaks and mussels at Cafe Rouge, spending a good two hours chatting, laughing and being kissed by Izzie.  We sneaked in a bit of shopping beforehand at Liberty too (of course).  We were all back at our respective homes by 7:30pm and I can't tell you how much I prefer a NYE involving a bit of shopping, lunch and a matinee performance rather than dolling myself up to go out drinking in the evening.  I've never liked going out in the evenings on NYE; I think because mum and dad used to go out every NYE and leave me to be babysat by my nan.  Nan and I used to eat crisps and sweets (a real treat!) and pull the two armchairs right up to the TV to watch Morecambe & Wise together.  I still like to cosy up at home on New Year's Eve now, 27 years later.

I was given some lovely presents for my birthday including some gorgeous additions to my wardrobe from Cabbages & Roses from Andrew and some beautiful perfume with matching body lotion:

Smells beautiful and has the added benefit of calming and restoring the mind.

I was given my favourite chocolates, too.  Love Rose & Violet creams and the best I have tasted are from Charbonnel & Walker.

The Greengate quilt in the background was a birthday gift from my Grandma.  

Mum and dad gave me a beautiful sparkly Swarovski cuff bracelet, a Swarovski pen and a Lynette Anderson cushion kit - The Orange Tree.  I will crack on with that soon.

The threads above were not for my birthday - mum gave them to me for Christmas, but I'm so delighted by them that I wanted to show you!  I know my blog friends will appreciate them :)

So, a lengthy post and a bit of a Christmas/birthday round-up.  Hope I didn't bore.  Andrew's just fetching me a coffee and a mince pie so I'm going to sit and watch the rest of the Sound of Music and enjoy the last dregs of the first day of the year.

Wishing you all a very, very, happy new year.  Looking forward to spending it with you in cyberspace.

Nicki 

x