Dwelling
Wednesday, 15 July 2026
Goodness, what a week... I closely resemble a mobile coffee table at the moment. No idea, how or why, but my back decided to give up on Monday. I am trying to be patient, because it will get better, I will get back up the steep stairs to my shed loft workshop, and sewing will reconvene before I know it :)
In the meantime... I am shuffling around the house / or doing small stretches of crochet on the latest jumper which is based on the popular traditional hexagon jumper where everything is worked from the underarm. I haven't made one in this design for years. Im using all the loveliest tweedy woodland colours I could find. Its going to be a beauty! This is alongside the blueberries Tilda. I like having a few on the go at a time.
On the footwear front - Soling a big batch of boots is in progress so its going to be about 2 maybe 3 weeks till I can pop those in the shop. Incredibly excited to see those lasted, polished and be-ribboned.
If anyone is waiting / or wanting to know when shop updates happen as well as diary entries, please do pop back and look for updates on the homepage (this is the most sure-fire way to see latest stock as Im notoriously useless at sticking to newsletters, mainly because Im reluctant to bombard your inboxes).
Why the newsletter and not instagram? Simply because I am struggling to find even an ounce of joy in using social media anymore. In fact I find it increasingly alarming at how it is shaping and influencing society. I know we get fed all this endless twaddle about how vital social media engagement is for visibility and small businesses in general, but goodness me, at what price?! And more pertinently, does it really matter or even help? I question if it gives as much as it takes.
I have a busy life, I make things and do literally everything for Fairysteps, I help run another business which, again keeps me busy, I have a husband with an endless appetite (being a farmers boy basically means he is a stomach on legs 😂), I cook everything from scratch which I love doing, I have 3 children, grown up now but still very much part of my days, and I was recently lucky enough to become a grandmother, hopefully the first of many many more. Like many of us, life is busy.
Plus, on Top of All This there's all the jabberings about 'algorithms'... do my social media posts even reach anyone? I probably have as much luck of a new purse being seen by a customer / follower, as going down the woods and burying it on the off chance that someone may dig it up.
Wasn't that a deliciously rebellious little speech. I bet I'm not alone though! I reckon if many of you asked the same question of yourselves you would reach the same conclusion - social media takes away time and energy you probably never really had. Despite nearly Every Single account on instagram telling you that you do in fact have time, you're just not organised, or your house is cluttered, or painted the wrong colour, and your tops not tucked into your skirt correctly... and on and on. But we all look regardless. Such is life.
I don't blame the internet, its a wonderful tool and I am so grateful for it, life changing for small rural businesses like mine. I wonder, what do you feel about social media? Do leave a comment if you fancy having a rant. I shall no doubt return to it after a few days, as I always do, but will try to keep the diary posts going.
In other news - drought here, usual nonsense, spring drying up, trees dying, grass like walking on cornflakes and soil has turned to cocoa powder. No rain forecast alas, fingers crossed we will get a good drop soon. Sadly my plum crop has given up and decided to either drop the fruit or ripen as teeny plums which are all stone. Thank goodness I removed so many branches from all the trees a few months back. I reckon I took over 500 plums off of one Victoria in particular, if I hadnt I think I would have lost her for certain.
Well, thats all my dears, on we go, Ren x
Sunday, 14 September 2025
First of all this little creature came into my life in January. By lunchtime, I decided Mr F needed a little dog. By teatime we had a little puppy. We had nothing prepared and left the owners house with a cup of puppy kibble and a very small critter the size of a guinea pig nestled in my woolly hat in the bottom of my bag.
In retrospect it was the worst time of year to have a puppy. The constant outside toilet training breaks were freezing, wet and miserable. The little one was so tiny and constantly cold that we had to fashion a life jacket from an ankle sock. Taking her out to pee was preceeded with the question, "Have you socked her?".
Nightime trips across the yard always felt terrifying to me because I worried that an owl, thinking it had just been given a wonka golden ticket, would swoop down, pluck her from the ground and disappear with it's 'bonus' snack into the midnight sky. But... we got through it all, and she grew, and grew, and became the sweetest natured little blessing. Agatha x
Saturday, 6 August 2022
Well my dears.
What weather. Home has had little to no rain for months and everything is tinder dry and much is dead or dying. Its rather grim to be honest. Our spring is all but gone too so water has been first priority for Mr F.
I never thought I would long so much to hear the sound of proper raindrops.
Heaven knows what the cows are picking at because the grass is now crunchy underfoot, its like walking on cornflakes.
In the workshop its cool and shady with the blinds closed which is a blessing. I am super busy booting for England! The plan is to clear all shoe orders first and then concentrate on the taller boots one pair at a time. Many are intricate and need individual attention. It's going to be fun sharing those with you.
For today though, its a quiet day for me.
Take care, Ren x
Friday, 18 December 2020
I think my highlight was recreating our wedding from 30 years ago. Same chap, same dress, same church, same gate. This time our three beautiful children were with us.
The May was in full blossom, the sun shone all day long and I felt so full of love that I am quite sure my feet only just touched the ground. Magical memories in the midst of mayhem x
Ren x
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Social Media
Search