Happy Sunday everyone! If you are in Britain, we still have a day off tomorrow, hourray (and hopefully it is as sunny as today)! I have not been blogging for a while, I just had to get things done for Leo and it takes a lot of my attention and energy - rightly so. I had to write down what happened, in my own words, and it took me a week to get through the statement - and probably another week to get over it. Work has had its ups and downs (actually call it only downs), people don't like hearing about changes (although I would rather think I am going for improvements), I cannot stand a poor status quo - it is never a good combination. You know you are looking for change when you start changing your son's whole weekend routine (so much easier than dealing with my own issues). It is probably another phase of bereavement, we've been embracing the routine, but now it is suffocating us a bit. 

Not getting what I want was April, hopefully May will bring more than just experience. As a result there has been limited crafting around here. I have trying to think of changes. But shhh for now, I need to get my head in the right space for it, and get some time to myself, return to some soothing crochet or knitting, sewing - I probably need a couple of tops (like desperately). It will happen, all in good time. 

I thought I would drop by here, and tell you that all is fine if not a bit hectic. 

Happy Friday everyone! It is finally the weekend. We drove to France this afternoon, already been to the dentist (I know we go to a French dentist, but it is only because it does not hurt and I am not prepared to try others) - and found out that Baby MiH has some sort of issue with his jaws, totally fixable with a bit of time. We are actually pleased we found out that because it might be the cause of his dribbling, snoring (not cute baby snoring) and speaking with a lisp. All of these were not major (except for the snoring in my face during the night) but we were wondernig what to do. So what an evening! So glad we might have an easy solution - if Baby MiH plays ball of course. 

March has come and gone, and honestly I am not sure where it has gone. I am hoping to really slow down in April and enjoy the longer days, a bit more sunshine, and focus a bit more on the blog. The changes to Instagram meant that I have been spending less time on IG, I was quite disappointed to be honest. It is probably a good thing if that means more time to crafting and blogging. How do you feel about these changes? 

Also last month I started getting in touch with bloggers I would like to know more about. There should be more features this month, from Mademoiselle Poirot and Kate.I am also meeting Beckie from Embrace the Cake who maks the most delicious raw cakes. I cannot wait to have her in my kitchen and get 'baking'. 

There will be sewing, I can guarantee it, more knitting (I already have a finished beanie hat - so at least one finished item this month), maybe more natural dyeing, and cooking. 

I am feeling quite exciting about April, how do you feel about April?

*I took this picture over the weekend at Chenies Manor

Bye bye February, you were short and sweet - but especially short (and busy). Welcome March. I love winter sports - I know it is not everyone's cup of tea but I cannot live without it. In fact, since I am three, I only missed one year skiing. Of course I have done damages to my knees, of course some weeks were terrible (you could not see the person in front of you). But I love it. 

Also it is a real break - because it is unlike anything I do on a daily basis. And believe me I need a break - a break from my life mostly, but as this is not possible a break from my environment will do. I also love coming back home, knowing how everything is the same when I come back and that I can call on friends. 

Also I love to come back to my stash, plan new projects, finish others - share more projects on the blog. My sewing progress has been rubbish - seriously there is no way around it. So this month, I will make one item, I promise. I need to get my machine out and get it going. I hope to make a pair of mittens too - I am not sure which ones yet, but I feel it is missing. I have done a few hats now, so it is time to move to something little and quick and different. I may share some new DIY inspiration too. I am quite excited about this, and some new ethical yarns I discovered (and there might be a giveaway). So stay tune, and bring on March!

Hello February! Depressing January is finished. Actually it went very quickly for me. I am back at work - and it is good to have my routine back on track and feeling a bit independent. However it has also been hard to be back where I used to go, working with the people I used to know, not knowing who I am anymore. My work used to excite me, working with all sorts of people (albeit mostly men - thank you glass ceiling), managing to push through ideas. But now I am back in the same culture with the same people, working on the same issues - when I have been on a steep learning curve about everything (except work). I will not make a rash decision about this - it is easy to come back, reactivate my network (not so easy to tell them why I was gone for so long though) and do what is expected of you (without thinking too much about it). I know it is not a long term solution, but a stable medium-term solution.

And I am comforted after talking to friends and colleagues who seem to go through a sort of mid-life crisis in a major way, and are more lost than I am. To be fair, I have read a few magazines in the last week (a business travelling delight) and found that everyone is talking about the fact that women should be happy and why we are not. So no wonder my friends are feeling fragile. They have a full life, and have been going at it for the last 10 years, the career, the husband (still there or not anymore), the kids etc. and now they are in therapy (not all my friends but some). At least they have a way of dealing with this period. I will keep drinking my green juice, go back to healthy eating, crafting and reading about creating meaningful moments and surrounding myself with meaningful objects (and keep my matching underwear in check).

I carried on with my (future) clutter free home, and kept a sixth of my clothes - and oh it felt good - soooo gooood, and it feels amazing in the morning as well. It has also energised me for craft projects. I can see what I like to wear now, the finishing I prefer. It is a great experience. And I cannot wait to start with my kitchen - and get rid of it all. Now Mr MiH is really scared. He can see I am on a roll, and that this little machine is not slowing down.

Except when I am knitting of course. I may have over committed myself recently and be quite upset about it (hence not a little post to go on about last week). It feels like my craft time ( ie dedicated to projects for myself or my family) is non-existent. I find it highly frustrating but being it all down to my own decisions, there is not a lot I can do - just suck it up and get on with it. Mr MiH asked whether there was a lesson to be learnt here, I just looked in anger at his smug face, because he is right there is a lesson, but stating the obvious is not helping right now. I made a schedule to allocate time to my projects, so hopefully these can be shared here soon.

Depressing January is gone, welcome cold February! And travelling. We will be in the Netherlands this weekend - did I tell you that Mr MiH used to work there - and to France for our annual skiing trip (with in situ babysitting facilities, of the best kind, aka my parents!). Exciting times! Who is excited about February?

This photo was taken during the same one day of snow we had in January. I maximised on the opportunity, and took as many pictures as I could - in case I needed them for the blog because you never know when a picture of snow is needed.

Oh well, hello December! I was glad to see the back of October, November had its fair share of challenging time, especially Little Baby MiH's birthday, and I am hoping that December will see us getting into our new normal. Of course there is nothing normal about December. We are gearing up at home or at work for Christmas celebrations, but in our household there are also Baby MiH's birthday and mine. And this year I decided to celebrate both. Baby MiH will have his party, with all his friends, and I will actually do something for mine. Not sure what, but I will. 

There will be a lot to be organised at home, in addition to Baby MiH advent activity calendar (an activity a day, some are as simple as drinking hot chocolate on the sofa). But I have a few things finished to share, including Pokiha (finally), Baby MiH's mittens (unlikely to ever be featured as Baby MiH keeps wanting to keep them in his pocket). I also sewed a top, it is a muslin version, and would really want to make a final version for the celebrations. I also started a new jumper, so I am hoping to make some progress on this over the course of the month. 

I am hoping to have a couple of guest bloggers lined up. My friend Debs will be sharing her #followyourpassion story - I am so excited about it! - and Carla will be telling us more about the way she blogs. Hopefully there will be a few tips and inspiration for you as well as for me. 

Finally Christmas would not be Christmas without (handmade) presents. Do you find it much easier to make handmade presents for women than men? Plenty of ideas of women, nearly none for men, except socks and scarves... Any ideas are welcomed, I would like to make everyone something, but I do not want to waste energy on presents that will be kept in a dark corner of a cupboard. 

Good riddance October! I am glad to see the back of you. Not that November does not have its challenges - Little Baby MiH's birthday is going to be tough. And I am sure as we get more information about what happened, I may grow angrier. 

I have not planned the November posts. However I do have two finishes to show here (I already showed them on IG and facebook), but I need some time to take some proper pictures and also tweak them a bit. I am doing a test knit for Libby that should be finished by mid-November - so once I decided on my yarn I will get on with it. I have also plans for my natural dyed fabric. I am definitely filling my time with crafting projects, so maybe November will be quite full in the end. 

I have also found that being healthy is helping managing my emotions. It is not stopping me crying every day, but it gives me the energy to keep going when Baby MiH is around. I obviously started my healthy path a few months ago - but only now I have found how much it helps with the nights and keeping a clear head. In true French style, I have been offered pills by my family. I have decided to stick to my guns, and refuse all of this and find another path. I am hoping to share a bit more here. 

A year ago we made a trip to Thorpe Forest and playing green tourists. I took this picture there. I am hoping to find calm and serenity again one day. 

Hello October! Everything seems to start to slow down at the MiH house. Every project requires weeks of preparation before being ready to share (and I am not even talking about knitting). We are slowly hibernating, and that is fine. I like to take things slowly, especially as I know it will all be over next month when I go back to work. So one month of slowness is fine by me. 

I love October, not sure about November, and adore December. The colours are magnificient, you get some sunny days and beautiful natural light. I love planning for chunkier knits, hats, mittens and throws. All of these are on my to-do list, and I may have some spare projects if I got bored. 

I am hoping to finish my double moss cardigan - and just move on to something else! I have started to follow Rebecca's tutorial on natural dyeing  - I am on the final stage of getting the fabric ready - so there may be some progress to share this month on that front. The boys need beanie hats and scarves - I know one of them will love wearing both, the other is yet to be convinced that anything on his head is a good idea, I am hoping he will get used to the idea (like soon!). 

I have also asked some guest bloggers to help me out - Charlie of Offset Warehouse will tell us all about running her own ethical online fabric shop, and Cecile will share a tutorial on making an Autumn wreath (I cannot tell you how excited I am she said yes). 

I do have some finish projects for you too. And I will finally share with you what I did with this embroidery work. 

More knitting, more sewing, more inspiration... I hope you will join me and enjoy October as much as I will!

The picture was taken yesterday when Little Baby MiH and I were on a walk. 

* Don't forget to enter my current giveaway here*

It is September and I was in school for such a long time that it still feels like it is the start of my new year – and my kids are not even going to school yet! Forget about 1 January, 1 September is where the real deal is when it comes to start afresh. So it is no coincidence that I decided to resume blogging today. 

We have been busy at MiH - enjoying the holidays, spending with family in France, spending time as a family at Camp Bestival. Our usual routine is starting again this week - although in the back of my mind I know that in two months’ time I am about to change all that and go back to work. But let's not even go there.

I also needed some time away from the blog to decide what I was going to do in this space. I have been finding that many bloggers I have been following have been blogging less and less – favouring Instagram to share their projects – and I am just very slow at finishing projects, so I have never felt I had enough content to post on the blog. This is in partly due to the babies, but also because my craft process is just slow.

For a while I was asking myself whether it was even worth resuming the blog. And then at the end of July I decided that it was worth the effort, but that it had to be more in line with me. I wanted this blog to move forward and reflect the new ways I am exploring to get to the lifestyle I really aspire too. And it would be interesting to share some aspects with you - a lot of crafting, respectful and ethical craft brands but also ethical fashion and better food.

I will put new recipe books to the test. Did you know that on average people use only 3 recipes of their recipe books? When I read this I was quite scared, and then I just had to admit that it was the truth –the dust on my cooking books is a testament of this. So it was time to try more recipes from a book and give an honest review that hopefully will be helpful. And as a lot of my IG friends know, I started with Deliciously Ella.

I have also lined up some guest bloggers to help me out. This month Rebecca will be sharing with us how to dye with avocado skins – the vegan way, so cool. I will also be talking to Pauline from Pauline Alice about living from your passion – very inspiring stuff.

The content of the blog is not radically changing – so please do not unfollow me yet! Made in Home is back – and I hope you will enjoy the new content.