Thursday 3 January 2013

New Year, new plans

Its been way too long since my last post. Life has been a bit of a whirlwind of juggling work and home - in September my son started a new school, meaning we both face a 30-40 minute drive to school every weekday, and I then struggle with the flow of traffic for at least another 40 minutes to get back to my desk or into the studio.  Getting used to our new routine, and my more restricted working day, has rather taken its toll both physically and mentally. It has been a big change from our previous slow amble through the park with the dogs every morning. Still, the other option (sending him to the local school that has just plummeted into special measures) would be way harder to deal with.

But as I type, with a twinge of guilt, I wonder how many other blog entries begin with a similar tale of failing to fit in all that we want to achieve in our days and weeks. I like being busy, I thrive on being busy, I find that the endless plate spinning that comes from being a working mum can often be energising. That is until I collapse on the sofa at the end of the day and realise just how tired I am. I'm sure I'm not alone.

But I find the start of January strangely energising too, a time to start new things, not particularly 'resolutions', and in my case most certainly not diets. This is the time of year I most need to feed my body for comfort not starve it of all pleasures. But a few small changes just might make big differences. I know its a rubbish month in many ways, depleted post Christmas bank balances post still long dark nights and dreary weather, but spring is inevitably coming up next on the seasonal travellator and things will get more cheerful day by day.

So, that said, there are a three things I want to achieve in 2013; learn to do front crawl properly in a bid to feel more effortless in the water, to learn a bit of Italian for our trip to Puglia in the summer, and finally to rekindle my interest in pottery. Many moons ago I did ceramics as a GCSE (in truth it was the only thing I got an 'A' in, even though I then went on to specialise in the sciences and ended up with a zoology degree, but thats a tale for another day) and I have long since harboured a desire to be more creative again.  I know cooking is creative but when I cook all day, and sometimes half the evening too, it can feel a bit more like a production line, albeit a mostly enjoyable one. Getting my hands immersed in clay rather than dough will be something just for me.

Not that work won't benefit. The gorgeous shot in my blog title above (by the very lovely Rob Wicks of Eat Pictures) is perhaps the one that got me thinking maybe, just maybe, I can craft some of my own props for food photography. It was a recipe for Fenland celery, chorizo and cannellini bean stew I devised for the LOVE CELERY campaign and shot in a beautiful bowl I brought from a potter who works just down the road.

Who knows, maybe in a few months (or years?!) I can show off some of my own work. But in the meantime, here's a little bit of what's been inspiring me; Pinterest ceramics board.

Happy New Year,  I hope 2013 is a good one for you all!

No comments:

Post a Comment