Hello friends!
It’s been just over a month since I shared that I was taking a break from writing to concentrate on caring for Mum.
Well, things haven’t quite gone as expected!
Thankfully, Mum has rallied physically, which is wonderful. But sadly, she’s been left with significant confusion and cognitive decline, and caring for her has become much more intensive. It’s really quite distressing to see her so muddled much of the time.
So, for the foreseeable future, my weekly Illustrated Musings posts will remain on pause.
Now, you might not realise this, but those little posts that probably take you about five minutes to read often take me the best part of a day to create! Between the thinking, writing, illustrating and the occasional wrestling match with technology and terminology, they’re quite an undertaking.
And right now, I simply haven’t got the headspace or emotional energy for all that.
But I do miss connecting with you lovely people, and I thought I’d share something that’s been bringing me a little joy in the midst of it all.
Introducing Made Together!
Back in the summer, my friend Liz and I started spending an afternoon each week crafting together. Nothing terribly ambitious. Just two friends enjoying a bit of creative time, putting the world to rights and doing something good for our wellbeing.
Well, as these things sometimes do, it’s grown a little!
We’ve now started a tiny craft venture called Made Together: Little Things of Joy, and we’re busy making all sorts of charming, quirky creations with the hope of having a few stalls at Christmas craft fairs.
We thought it would be lovely if all our making could have a purpose beyond filling our houses with yet more things we’ve made! And who knows, we might even earn a little pocket money along the way.
The really lovely thing is that crafting is something I can do while sitting alongside Mum. I can paint, decorate and potter away while she has the comfort of knowing I’m there. It doesn’t require the same mental or emotional energy as writing, and I can put it down at a moment’s notice when she needs me.
It’s become a rather lovely little lifeline, actually.
Could you give us a helping hand?
Now, here’s where I’m going to be a little cheeky and ask a favour!
We’re just starting out with Made Together, and we’d really appreciate a bit of help spreading the word.
If you have a moment, would you pop over to our Made Together Facebook page, give us a follow, and perhaps like, comment on or share some of our posts?
It might seem like a tiny thing, but it really does help us reach more people. And hopefully a few of those people might fancy coming along to one of our Christmas stalls and giving some of our creations a new home!
Come and visit Made Together on Facebook
Liz and I would be ever so grateful.
So, what about Illustrated Musings?
Well, I’m not disappearing entirely!
I still love writing, reflecting, illustrating and connecting with you all. And I suspect I’ll occasionally have something I want to share. Perhaps a little thought, a photograph, an illustration or just a quick hello.
I’m thinking I might experiment with Substack Notes, which seems a rather less demanding way of keeping in touch.
But I’m making absolutely no promises about how often!
One thing I’ve realised is that I need to give myself permission to do things without turning them into another commitment. Easier said than done, sometimes!
And there’s a certain irony in all this.
I’ve spent rather a lot of time writing about self-care, kindness, courage, living according to our values and making space for the things that matter.
Now it seems I’m being given plenty of opportunity to actually practise what I’ve been preaching!
Not quite the practical exercise I would have chosen, mind you.
But here we are.
So, for now, I’m concentrating on caring for Mum, finding little pockets of creativity and joy where I can, and trying to be kind to myself along the way.
Thank you for sticking around, for your kindness and encouragement, and for being part of this little community.
And I hope that, whatever life is throwing your way at the moment, you’re finding ways to take good care of yourself too.
With love,
Andrea x