{"id":1467,"date":"2010-10-16T17:08:43","date_gmt":"2010-10-16T16:08:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/miriamrogers.co.uk\/"},"modified":"2011-01-02T17:40:04","modified_gmt":"2011-01-02T17:40:04","slug":"simple-things-project-2010","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/miriamrogers.co.uk\/?page_id=1467","title":{"rendered":"Simple Things Project 2010"},"content":{"rendered":"

IACW\u2019s Year long project for 2010, called SIMPLE THINGS.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“We chose this title to help remind us that the most important things in life are, or should be, SIMPLE.
\nOur lives as women are frequently hectic and full, and we can all benefit from stepping back occasionally and appreciating those simple pleasures, which soothe us, or excite us, or just help to make our lives worthwhile.
\nEach month there will be a new word to interpret in any way you choose.”
\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

My aim for this project is to use the words as a prompt to how I feel now, today as I sit to create my page. Or record something special to remember from the month
\nFor me simplicity is being happy.
\nI feel happy when I feel the warm sun on my face and a gentle breeze blowing. The birds singing in the trees as I play in my craft room, listening to classic fm on my radio.
\n\"\"<\/a>
\nI have made my book with the birthday cards I received this year, I bound them together with my Bind It All, a birthday present, and tied some ribbon onto the wires, a couple of hand made paper beads and it\u2019s ready.
\nWhat could be simpler?<\/p>\n

.<\/span><\/div>\n

January \u2665 Simplicity<\/h2>\n

<\/strong>The simplicity of a need, a wish, a hope, a desire.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Be content with what you have, rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.” \u2028Lao Tzu<\/p>\n

.<\/span><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

January 4th<\/strong> the first snow fell on Weston super Mare. By lunchtime it had disappeared but more was forecast and sure enough on January 6th we were under a beautiful white blanket of snow. We were stuck, roads were closed, busses cancelled, work was cancelled, flights were cancelled, Ben & Lotta were stuck in Helsinki. Their flight was cancelled.
\nJanuary 7th<\/strong> the County was in chaos. I stayed in, terrified to drive. I spent the day on the phone whilst looking out on the wonderful landscape. Ben & Lotta were still in Helsinki desperate to get home.
\nJanuary 8th<\/strong> Gatwick was re-opened, Ben & Lotta managed to get on a flight, Paul drove to the airport to bring them home, tired and weary, it was wonderful to have them here. It was simply wonderful to have Ben home, safe and happy.<\/p>\n

.<\/span><\/div>\n

February \u2665 Time<\/h2>\n

Time for Family<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

For my birthday this year I wanted to visit Gerard & Val on the Isle of Wight.
\nOn the Friday night Martin, Marion, Alan, Paul & I travelled down together in Alan\u2019s car. We stayed in a B&B near to Gerard\u2019s (Buttercup House, another story!) Paul & Chris Joined us on the Saturday evening. We all had such fun together. There was plenty of laughing, eating and drinking of course. The stories got more exaggerated as the evenings went by and the alcohol flowed.
\nGerard & Val took us on a great sight seeing tour: We were blown to bits up at the needles, watched the high tide, got wet and\u00a0had coffee and cake in\u00a0Freshwater<\/a>. We\u00a0watched the glass blowing (and bought another bowl<\/a> !!)at Alum Bay glass<\/a> factory, and had a late lunch back at Gerards.<\/p>\n

It was a fabulous weekend: a special time with my family.<\/p>\n

Time is free, but it’s precious. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it you can never get it back<\/em><\/p>\n

Martin, Marion, Kirsten, Paul & I went to see the snowdrops at Hanham Court<\/a>, Bristol in February. This was the earliest the snowdrops have been in flower. It was the first dry weekend we had had in weeks. A lovely bright, sunny but cold day, the little flowers were just beautiful, harbingers of spring!<\/p>\n

.<\/span><\/div>\n

March \u2665 Honesty<\/h2>\n

Honesty is the rarest wealth anyone can possess<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Honestly? I am worried about my health! I have pains in my chest, left arm, neck and across my back. I think it is Angina, which is worrying. Whilst I know plenty of people live with Angina I am still worried.
\nI was at the doctors this week only to find that the results of blood tests and the ECG were inconclusive; more tests to follow at he hospital and more tablets to take.
\nI am tired, exhausted, I hurt all over I am feeling very stressed at work, I am impatient for this to be sorted out.
\nIt is very unlike me to feel like this, to be worrying about myself when other parts of the family are really struggling with health issues. Father\u2013in-law has just had a pacemaker fitted and Sara & Brian have a major worry with Alec. Paul is worrying about work, Ben is worrying about his dissertation but this is how I am feeling! the title said Honesty!
\nEnough, look to the card and have a G&T!<\/p>\n

I keep six honest serving men: They taught me all I knew: Their names are What and Why and When and How and Where and Who\u201d
\nRudyard Kipling<\/em><\/p>\n

.<\/span><\/div>\n

April \u2665 Create<\/h2>\n

It is my favourite thing to do!
\n\"\"<\/a>
\nI have decided, only lately, that making books is what I like to do best. Books can be any size, any number of pages, made new with paper, altered board books. Pages cut to fit a container, any number of pages. I like books to have pockets, to be interactive. I love the look and feel of fabric on a page.
\nI have just finished a project for Ben\u2019s 21st birthday<\/a>. It has taken weeks to complete and like Topsy, grew and grew! I made a book that included our gift of money. I wanted to incorporate pockets and pullouts, to use photos and journaling and for it to be interactive. It even had some fabric bunting! I loved working on it.<\/p>\n

.<\/span><\/div>\n

May \u2665 Catching up<\/h2>\n

May is the month I realized that I am ahead with the months and words!
\n\"\"<\/a>
\nThat says a lot about my year so far.
\nLooking back at my March page I wrote about honesty, and not feeling well.
\nI have felt like that for a good few months. I don\u2019t know what happened, I\u2019ll blame it on my hormones!<\/p>\n

Looking back, I can see that for the beginning part of this year I felt quite unwell.
\nI didn\u2019t sleep well
\nI didn\u2019t want to get up in the morning
\nI didn\u2019t want to go to work
\nI didn\u2019t want to do anything at all.
\nI hardly cooked or cleaned.
\nThe garden looked un cared for
\nI felt tired and unmotivated to do anything.<\/p>\n

But now, over the last month I have begun to feel better,
\nStill not sleeping but getting up feeling brighter.
\nEnjoying work again, still not cleaning but you can\u2019t craft and clean! All crafters know that!
\nI am doing an on-line photography course, keeping up with it, using the forum and love it!
\nI have even started a blog!
\nI have some time off soon and intend to really get to grips with it.<\/p>\n

So, my May page is \u2018Catching up.’<\/p>\n

.<\/span><\/div>\n

June \u2665 Graciousness.<\/h2>\n

This seems like an old fashioned word to me, not one I hear and not one I ever use.
\n\"\"<\/a> I looked the meaning up in my dictionary and found:<\/p>\n

Kind, gentle and generous<\/em>
\n(I would love to be thought of in those terms!)<\/p>\n

.<\/span><\/div>\n

I went with the word gentle because this quote came into my mind<\/p>\n

Nothing is as strong as gentleness
\nAnd nothing is as gentle as real strength<\/em><\/p>\n

My beautiful friend Pauline and this quote are inextricably linked in my mind, the beautiful yellow welsh poppy in my garden reminds me of her
\nSo, Graciousness, the Yellow Poppy and Pauline<\/p>\n

\u201cOne kind word can warm three winter months.\u201d
\nJapanese Proverb<\/em><\/p>\n

.<\/span><\/div>\n

July \u2665 Achievement<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I am thinking about the on-line photography course I signed up for at the beginning of July. It was called Not Going Green by Cheryl Johnston<\/a> and was going to teach me how to take the camera off auto.
\nIt took ages to decide whether I was capable of achieving this! Anyhow as I love taking pictures and in the past have been disappointed with the results I decided to give it a go.
\nI am so pleased that I did it. I kept up with the class although didn\u2019t post to the forum often and got some great results. Our new DSLR now lives permanently in my room and is always \u2018ready to go\u2019.<\/p>\n

.<\/span><\/div>\n

August \u2665 Inspiration.<\/h2>\n

Inspiration usually comes from the hundreds of blogs I visit! I have three favourites at the moment.
\n\"\"<\/a>
\n Rebecca Sower <\/a>makes beautiful things with fabric, visiting her blog always makes me want to sew. I also find her blog very peaceful and calm. How can that be? Its all http and www, I really don\u2019t know, it\u2019s just a feeling I get when I visit her blog.
\n Angie Davison<\/a> inspired me to make the lovely fabric pom pom in my room, and Roben Marie<\/a> inspired the fabric heart<\/p>\n

.<\/span><\/div>\n

September \u2665 Joy<\/h2>\n

Joy is such a beautifully simple word, just right for this project.
\n\"\"<\/a>
\nMany things bring me joy I feel a list is coming on.
\nAmong the things that bring me joy are:
\nMy family, Pepsi, The morning sun, Bird song, Classical music, Flowers, Friends, A new book, My Mac, New craft paper.<\/p>\n

.<\/span><\/div>\n

October \u2665 Memory<\/h2>\n

Whatever do I do for this page?<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Something I never want to forget? Far too many.
\nMy earliest memory? Easy and I have something for this.
\nA photo that has a special memory? Far too many
\nA nice memory? Too many
\nA recent memory?
\nA \u2018wish I could forget it\u2019 memory?
\nMaybe I\u2019ll go with this. Working on the principal that if you talk abut something, rather like a bad dream, it will go away.
\nNo, I\u2019ll change my mind.
\nThis just popped into my head:<\/p>\n

I plant named roses for special people in my life.
\nMy father knew I did this.
\nHe had cancer and knew his life wouldn\u2019t be prolonged so he asked me if he could choose the rose I planted for him!<\/p>\n

I went to the garden centre near to my home. I phoned him, (150 miles away) he was ready with his RHS book of roses and between us, on the phone, we looked at the roses until we found one that he liked the look of and was in stock at the garden centre.
\nThis is it. It is called Remember Me. He chose it and I brought it home and planted it in his memory, with his knowledge. \u201cThere you are\u201d, he said, \u201calways in your garden\u201d.
\nThe rose is in flower in my garden today 8th October 2010. The colour is faded at this time of year; in the summer it is a fabulous copper colour.<\/p>\n

.<\/span><\/div>\n

November \u2665 Gratitude<\/h2>\n

is a feeling of thankfulness and appreciation.
\n\"\"<\/a>
\nRight now I am thankful: <\/p>\n

That there are no problems with my heart
\nFor the love of my husband and son
\nFor my friends\u2026all of them
\nThat we are all in work
\nFor my brothers<\/p>\n

I like these two quotes: <\/p>\n

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, and confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.<\/p>\n

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us. Albert Schweitzer<\/em><\/p>\n

.<\/span><\/div>\n

December \u2665 Hope<\/h2>\n

Hope is a belief in a positive outcome related to events and circumstances in one’s life.
\nHope is the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best.
\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Hope goes with prayer in my mind<\/p>\n

At the end of a very difficult year filled with so much change and uncertainty I am hoping and praying for stability in 2011<\/p>\n

Some of the things I am praying for right now:
\nAlways top of my list is work for Paul
\nThe sale of the house
\nBen\u2019s three-month review with Apple will have a positive outcome for him.
\nI will have the motivation and will power to loose some weight, then I will have more energy for work and to walk Pepsi.<\/p>\n

I am also praying that Gerard and Martin will be well and that as a family we will be strong for Sara & Brian as they face a difficult and uncertain future with Alec.<\/p>\n

Reflection<\/h2>\n

I have enjoyed doing this project although towards the end of the year it was more difficult to keep going.
\nI am pleased that I wasn\u2019t too ambitious with it!
\nIt was organized by a group of people whose commitment waned as the months went by making it hard sometimes to keep my enthusiasm up!
\nNever the less I hope that in the future it will be nice to look back on 2010 to remember what I was up to.
\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

IACW\u2019s Year long project for 2010, called SIMPLE THINGS. “We chose this title to help remind us that the most important things in life are, or should be, SIMPLE. Our lives as women are frequently hectic and full, and we … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1467","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/miriamrogers.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1467","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/miriamrogers.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/miriamrogers.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/miriamrogers.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/miriamrogers.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1467"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/miriamrogers.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1467\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2440,"href":"https:\/\/miriamrogers.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1467\/revisions\/2440"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/miriamrogers.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1467"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}