Ridgeway Cottage anyhow

November has been hard for me this year. Despite immersing myself in the ethos of Wovember, I've struggled. Life is always a learning process and my own quirks are can really bring me down sometimes. We all suffer from perfectionism but even trying to think about the last day that I haven't cried at points throughout the day brings me to tears so I know things are not right. Wooden heart from the Black Forest I like the switch in acceptance that is creeping into society. I'm not a massive fan of supermarkets but it makes me smile to see the shelves filled with mindful colour therapy. If it weren't for art, colour and creativity, November would be a very dark time. It doesn't legitimately have the delightful glitz and sparkle of December (although I know Christmas is in the shops). My exploration into yarn, fibre and podcasts that provide a wealth of information inevitably led me to Wooful. It's a wonderful insight into a whole new world that has opened...

Even as a kid, November was never my favourite month. There's the rain, the darkness and after bonfire night, it held very little excitement. The older I got, the more I disliked my flowers going into hibernation and all my beloved outdoor activities become impractical at this mostly grey and dreary time of year. Then two events happened in November that changed my life. After difficult pregnancies, Charlie arrived safely in November 2006 and devastatingly I lost baby Jack in November 2009. This makes November a huge roller coaster of emotions. Until this year, I have dreaded it but year after year I have developed ways to cope. Of course being able to focus on Charlie's birthday has always been a positive but the pain and sadness remain. Immediately after Jack's death, I turned to craft for comfort. The process of thinking through projects and the useful purposefulness of creating lovely things helped fill the void and feelings of hopelessness. The original ...