The art of Hygge was made for stitching!

Hygge - pronounced ( Hoo - gah)

January and February can be very bleak and very cold, not as cold as a Scandinavian country but never the less after the twinkling lights of Christmas come down it can be a colourless and bleak time.  So the Danish along with other Scandinavian countries have learnt the art of HYGGE and I am all for it and with them.   

To me they have the right idea.  Hygge is translated as snug and coziness .  They light their fires and

candles, have throws and quilts around.  Sharing warm food with friends and family and creating a warming and cosy atmosphere within their homes to get them through Mid Winter months (they have snow and it is very cold but we have cold and ice too)

I have lots of candles around with throws and quilts and we light our open fires and choose to sit cuddled up with either a good book, watching the odd film or in my case hand sewing.

We toast our toes in front of the fires and I make hearty and warming meals ( we call these meal in a bowl!)  We will eat our meal by the fire sometimes or we do sit at the table with candles and talk

about our day.  Then we snuggle down to a dvd together or indeed both reading or my husband reading and me hand embroidering or knitting ..... (I am trying out something with wool .. I am not a great knitter but I am giving something a go)

On these very dark days I light the candles  through out the house, the stairs in our home have always got fairy lights wrapped around them as do our fire surrounds .. they are a permanent feature and a way of lighting up the house with a warming glow!

I think instead of getting miserable about the Winter it is better to embrace it and make it cosy and inviting and a time to relax and re charge.  I adore our open fires, one is a log burner and the other is a Victorian black enamel  and when they are lit it brings such light and warmth into the rooms and will cheer most people instantly.  I curl in a chair and stitch, sometimes with a little back ground music or just the crackling of the fire .... I make a cinnamon tea and embrace this cosy season!

For us in our home it is a life style choice to embrace every season and make the most of what it has to offer.  It does not mean we do not move!  There is nothing better than going for a walk in the frosty weather and coming home and lighting the fire and having a warm drink and cosy down with candles and relaxing ..

Tonight I am going to make a Cassoulet for supper and there are so many different recipes to choose from.  There is a reason that in that word soul is mentioned because it truly is soul food and a one pot supper that is warming especially if you have a little bread with it to dip in.  The recipe I am using tonight is the Hairy Bikers and is from their love food and diet book so you see you do not have to think it is really fattening either .... it is a chicken and ham one with sausage, tomatoes, butter and cannellini beans with chilli flakes too & lovely vegetables ... warming, hearty and not lots of calories per portion!

Well yesterday I had a little sort out of the stitchery room and got some stitching ready to get going on.  I seem to fall in love all over again with beautiful fabrics, patchwork pieces, buttons, lace and threads when I go through them.

I got my new design journal ready too so that I can do some design work tomorrow.  I had some wonderful calligraphy bits for Christmas and I sorted those out because I would like to use a little bit of this in my stitching work this year ...... Words are important to me and I love to incorporate them into my work, be it part of poem or saying or indeed just a word - such as Dreams.  A word can conjure up lots of thoughts in my head and for me they are a very important part of my life and design work.

I sorted my 2017 work and personal diary out yesterday too and then managed a few stitches as well.  Today though it is all about the needle and thread and getting on with finishing a few bits and starting new projects for magazines and commissions as well.  One of my New Years resolutions was do complete some personal projects as I just have not had the time lately,  so I have decided that maybe I start earlier in the day and finish earlier so that I can have a couple of hours daily with my own design and stitch work for us...

This is the year we really want to move as well so will be looking out eagerly by the end of Feb for any new properties being floated on the market .. then I can start to take some workshops as well.

Well I  have the candles all lit and about to light the fire .. my basket of stitching is ready and the kettle is now on.  So it is time to settle down to some serious work ( which I love) and get on with some things to be able to share with you all.

I will be back here on Thursday so please come and join me for my stitchery ramble.  Have a great day and keep warm, as always Happy Stitching! and enjoy some Hygge of your own. XX