76 Days To Christmas – You Can’t See the Spot You’re Standing On
Sometimes you have to step away to see the bigger picture. A beautiful ferry trip across San Francisco Bay, a special day for Dave, and a little time to reflect on what really matters.
Why Every Creative Person Needs to Look Up
Hi there, Thanks for popping in. Got a cuppa ready? Well, let me tell you about last week… There are times when life reminds you to look up. Not just in the metaphorical sense, but literally. To lift your eyes from the to-do list, the emails, the deadlines and the never-ending jobs that seem to fill every waking hour. Because when your nose is permanently pressed to the grindstone, it’s remarkable how much of the world slips by unnoticed. Now,…
Why Making Something Every Day Can Change Your Life
Hi there. Thanks for popping in. Every morning, without fail, Dave reads a page from his little book of Tao Daily Reflections. It’s become part of our routine. Tea, toast, the cats wandering about looking hopeful, and then a quiet thought to start the day. This morning one sentence leapt off the page. “The irony of life is that it’s a one-way journey.” I’ve been thinking about it ever since. It really is, isn’t it? There are no U-turns. No…
Looking After Ourselves – The Return of the Gray-Scalers
Hi there, Thanks for popping in. During lockdown, Grace and I started a little Facebook group called The Gray-Scalers. It wasn’t about achieving the perfect figure. It wasn’t about fad diets or impossible targets. It was simply a group of friends gently encouraging one another to make healthier choices, sharing the occasional victory, admitting the occasional wobble, and remembering that it’s always easier when you’re not doing it alone. Like so many things that began during lockdown, life gradually moved…
Fancy a day out?
Hi there. Thanks for popping in. I do hope you are coping with the heat! We’ve had a few storms and showers, which are very welcome. But you know what they say about the weather in England. If you don’t like it – wait a minute! I wanted to tell you about our rather splendid day out yesterday. It was a Dave plan. During the week he had asked me “Fancy a day out on Saturday?” “Sure. What do you…
The Power of Saying Hello
Hi there, Thanks for popping in. It’s been such a very busy and energetic week! Super successful TV shows, great teamwork at Clarity – and the highlight that was Thursday, which, looking back, was clearly meant to be. Let me explain… Dave is a very thoughtful husband. He knows me well, and knows also, that after a busy Hobbymaker TV day, I am pretty wiped out the following day. So he often tries to distract me and plans a little…
The Day I Stopped Following the Script
How one unexpected creative detour reminded me why Clarity is the bridge to art. Hi there. Thanks for popping in. On Friday afternoon, during our live Clarity Social TV show, I found myself heading off in a completely unexpected direction. We were launching this month’s Product of the Month: A set of Butterfly stamps, hand drawn by myself, and a new pack of very summery Cloud cards to add to our Elements range. I was demonstrating a pair of cards…
How a Journey Through New Mexico Inspired Our New Storyteller Stamp Collection
Hi there, Thanks for popping in. Sunday morning feels like a good time for stories…. There are certain places in the world that leave a mark on your soul. For me, New Mexico and Arizona have always been amongst those places. Dave and I were fortunate enough to spend some time there again this April during a wonderful 3,000-mile road trip through the American Southwest and California. It was one of those journeys that stays with you long after you’ve…
Why We Created Our Daily Affirmation Cards — And Why They Matter More Than Ever
There’s something rather lovely about a few simple words landing at exactly the right moment. That’s really where the idea for our new Affirmation Cards began. Not because life is always easy. Quite the opposite, in fact. Most of us are juggling far too much far too often — work, family, worries, responsibilities, deadlines, laundry baskets, ageing parents, aching backs, forgotten passwords… the list goes on! And somewhere in the middle of all that noise, it’s very easy to lose…
Santosha
Hi there Happy Sunday. I went for a Japanese meal with my good friend Carron the other evening. She talked about “Santosha”. A Sanskrit term, meaning “complete contentment”, “satisfaction”. “acceptance”. Carron does yoga, and in Yoga philosophy, it represents an internal state of peace that is independent of external circumstances or material possessions. I guess it’s what I’ve always referred to as “an inside job”. Apparently, when we speak of acceptance in connection with Santosha, we don’t mean settling for…