Friday 9 March 2012

put the kettle on and catch up...cup of tea?

Its one in the morning here and the house is all silent except for the gentle hum of the freezer... my puppy sleeps at my feet ensuring they are cosy and warm. Its been a busy week here at the Dotty Red Household and I am pleased we are now on to the weekend. As I sit at my kitchen table with my big mug of Lady Grey sporting my rather posh new Cath Kidston apron, which was a treat to myself having wanted one for over four years and is making me HAPPY! My thoughts run through the week past and start to plan the week ahead...
At the moment my life is full of plans for the future and its direction. A lot of a planning and research is going on at the moment and seeing if things finally come off and next week some meetings take place to take this research onto the next level. Its exciting and full of anxiety all at the same time. Next to this is completing my studies and my time spent working as a teaching assistant. I adore my hours in school and I am working with a teacher who is allowing me to concentrate on the creative side with the children and I come home very happy and covered in paint. How can I explain the thrill I get as I watch these very little people learn to draw and paint, mix colours and see their excitement when they turn red and white into pink, the work is truly inspiring...
So I have a decision to make in the coming months, do I sew for a living and come away from being a hobby and actually make it my family way of life that puts food on the table or do I follow the teaching assistant path. The decision I think will be made for me as due to all the education cuts its the Teachers Assistants jobs that have been cut. My college have talked to me about continuing my studies to a foundation degree, whilst I would love to commit to this on so many levels MONEY and CHILDCARE stop me. I have to put that food on the table NOW not in four years, the advantage of the course... a stable and secure career in teaching, if there are any jobs at the end of it!!!
Its a dilemma for sure and far to serious for this small hour in the morning. The reflection of the past week is a good one, it was a week of success and getting things done...
Working on a new range of tea pot cosies, watching them grow from the idea of a friend of mine who wanted one to making a lovely pile of them, selecting all the fabrics and matching them up, cutting out little bits and putting it all together...
The joy this brings never stops making me smile, tweaking out any little problems, finding the right wadding and how big or small to make the loop... then suddenly it all falls in place and satisfaction is bliss...
Whilst I have sewn I have allowed my thoughts to wonder back to my holiday...
I am still carrying the feeling of contentment this week brought to my family. A few new little routines have been put in place and we rediscovered our time together, the boys and me, so much more enjoyable without all the modern stuff, the computer games and the Nintendo. Drawing and reading an hour before bedtime, long walks with the dog, family bath times full of silliness and of course cookie making....
COOKIE MAKING. I always used to bake cookies for my kids, but life changes and things stop, to rediscover this simple pleasure enriched now as the kids do most of the baking, and it is me that sits tapping my fingers waiting for the cookie to come out the oven and be the first to eat one.
Memories of the beautiful cottage, sweet and pretty have made me take time to clear and tidy up my own home. It was a break that made me slow down and take stock and see things for what they are instead of thundering through life, its left not just me but the boys too with a new rhythm and new appreciation of what we know is important to us and that is our precious time together.
So the thoughts to the week ahead... well its birthday week here, both boys a day apart (plus four years and two minutes) so plans are being made, presents being bought and made secretly in the evenings...
Birthdays are such special times, I think for the children it is filled with great excitement but for the Moms its a time when you stop and look at the stage your child is at. One birthday marks a change...as my little boy, my first born, turns into a teenager. As we sit together in the evenings when the littlest one is asleep, I know now that this is not a time to fear, it enriches us, he doesn't need me as much as he did, he is capable and balanced. (Most of the time)! Our time is now spent talking, as he questions everything, he laughs too at his silly Mom who gets her knickers in a twist and he helps me see the funny side of our life. He is a support, a helper and my friend. Sometimes when the going gets tough it is him that gives out the hugs and that fills my heart to bursting...

Have a fabulous weekend.

Pictures: (1-7) tea pot cosies and a small selection of my china cups, yes I am a collector!!! (7-13) pictures from our holiday away in our cosy cottage with a sprinkling of snow on top...oh yes and the flying dog!!!

NB: All cosies gone to new homes. Thank you :)

13 comments:

Debby said...

Decisions, decisions. It sounds like you love to be with the kids and also love your sewing. It would be hard to decide. But like you said the decision may be made for you with the cut backs. I know when I got my early childhood degree late in life it has opened alot of doors for me. Here it isn't enough to support a family. You sound so at peace with it all. Glad things are going well. You are such a good mom. Happy Birthday to your boys.....a teenager....what fun. Good luck deciding. I wish I knew more about things where you live but I don't so can't advise. (((((HUGS))))

Claire said...

Hey Suzie......love your tea cosies, nice to see them stacking up and know you've been productive. Great fabrics too.

Lots of big decisions to be made, I'm sure you'll weigh it up and make the right decision for you and your family.

I hope you all enjoy this birthday week, full of fun, cake and pressies. Boys are the best and my one and only is 21 next month....where did the time go.?
They can give the best hugs and as they grow older
they do become someone who's opinion and advice can help you navigate through some of lifes storms.

Claire :}

driftwood said...

what a busy time, enjoy the birthday season, we gained a teenager recently too x
loving all your teacosies and sewn goodies - gorgeous x

periwinkle said...

Such a hard decision to make but I'm sure whichever you choose it will be the right one for you and your family. I finished my TA course last July and there have been no jobs at all. I was lucky enough to find a Christmas job in a shop where I got kept on and I love it, really love it and the boss is amazing and gives me hours where I can fit in work around school time. My boys are 3 days apart but not until July.... hope you all have a super birthday week. take care x

Twiggy said...

What a lovely post. What an exciting crossroads to be at too. We switched off the Wii last night and spent an hour cuddling the guinea pigs and reading Harry Potter before bed last night and it was so relaxing, so I hear what you are saying about more simple routines.
Hope your boys have lovely birthdays.
Thanks for your lovely comments about my sampler.
Twiggyx

Pene said...

Am loving your teacosies, you put me to shame. I so want to be able to free stitch with my sewing machine but it's not capable and can I warrant getting another one? G offered to buy me an all singing all dancing one IF I thought it would increase what I sold and there is the dilema as much as I love sewing I don't have the faith in myself about selling what I make!?
Anyway enough about me, I hope you have a lovely birthday week and carry on making those gorgeous tea cosies.
Big Hugs to you all
Pene x

Tracy said...

Coming here and visiting I always appreciate the heart-felt honesty in which you share things, Suzie. Some very tough decisions to make, for sure. Wit the cut backs happening though, perhaps that gives you the nudge in the direction of making your creative dreams reality in the form of it becoming not just fun but livelihood too--scary, but also very exciting! I wish your very well and happy whatever transition you make. Keep us posted. And LOVE, love, love all the new tea cozies--these are marvelous. Oh, and my Cath Kidston apron from our last trip to London is one of my pride & joys. ;o) ((HUG)) P.S. Thank you for your lovely comment...I hope the balm of forgiveness heals. :o)

Tammy@T's Daily Treasures said...

The best thing about being a teaching assistant is that you don't have to take your work home with you and would still have free time to do your handcrafts. Everything you create is always so beautiful. Love the tea cosies. Happy birthday to your boys. Mine are 16 and 13 -- both born in October, 3 years apart. Our weekend is coming to an end -- back to school tomorrow. Wishing you a wonderful day. Tammy

made-and-found said...

Hi,Susie,
Thank you for your sweet comments.I love your blog too and enjoy reading your posts and looking at all your lovely 'makes' especially the gorgeous quilt.As a mother of two 'boys' (23 & 26 this year)and a teacher for nearly thirty years, I know how hard it is to balance earning a living and fulfilling your creativity and have had to do both .It is also incredibly hard to earn a living making things but you should always try through etsy or folksy and craft fairs etc whilst still working.I do hope you keep your TA status; schools need enthusiastic, creative and inspirational people (that would be you by the way)hard though it is you can do both and big oaks from little acorns grow.
Love Anne x

♥ Mary Janes TEAROOM said...

Hello Suzie.
Thank you so muchfor cisiting my blog and tour kind comments..
I have enjoyed reading your lovely , heart warming post and your work is beautiful...
Some decisions are so hard to make aren't they?...I often find though that in due course these things do become clearer...something will occur that leads me to a decision...and I seem to end up where I am meant to be!
Happy birthday to your lovely boys!
Susan x

Thimbleanna said...

Boy, what a dilemma! I'm sure you'll make the best decision for your little family. I LOVE the flying dog photo -- soooo cute. Happy Birthday to your boys -- and good luck making your decision!

Fleur Cotton said...

Hope you decide the path that makes you the happiest....it's a difficult one! I always find that life sometimes isn't clear...but with time the right way always becomes visible, sometimes in the strangest ways.

Happy Sewing.
Fleur xx

lazylol said...

Sounds like you have lots of decisions to make. All the choices sound good so it is going to be a difficult one for you.

Love the tea cozies and the picture with the dog.

Hope the boys enjoy their birthdays :)