WOYWW? Something special in the make...

Ask me about my inky life and I'll tell all. More personal than that and I keep stum. But after years of sharing with you through WOYWW, it feels right to break the rules... Many of you know I come from a professional dance background, am married to my Belgian music hubby and have spent a lot of life abroad. A dance life has been totally fabulous but also extremely demanding. Yet despite a wonderful career, I was less good at taking care of myself. You know things aren't right, but struggle to wave a white flag when everyone thinks you're so "artistic" and have "got it all together." Over three years ago, with me running on empty, we decided to drop the lot and move this way.

The release from the hectic demands of dance were wonderful, but being 'stripped' of my creativity left me very insecure. Creativity is indeed part of me, but what you do isn't who you are. It's hard to accept that with or without an artistic dance life, I am worth the same... . Around this time I decided to 'go a bit further with inky stuff'... the rest as they say is history. It has been my sanctuary and life saver in so many ways. I never thought I'd discover something that would win my heart and soul like dance did. But the humble ink pad did. We're in it for keeps. Life also showed me my fairy god-mother was not about to wave her magic wand, but it was time to tackle my baggage... and so began a long journey of learning to love, forgive and taking care of me. I'm a work in progress... Aren't we all?

In September aged 40 and armed with a previously unknown working body, hubby and I wondered if we might just catch the last bus to Parenthood. Our very first ride was well timed and two weeks later we were blown away to discover our little one is on the way! We are so incredibly grateful to the Big Man upstairs for such grace, throughout all our lives. We still can't get our heads around it all.  I'm wobbling in places I didn't know existed and Bridget Jones knickers are top of my shopping list...
Plans for the craft room are on a par with the baby room. My husband is my hero and knows how special my art is. His faith, acceptance, friendship and love are my absolute everything. Wonderful creative doors are opening up and it's a path I long to walk. I'm still passionate, driven and perfectionistic, just learning to coax it down the right road. Tweaking buttons until 2am is indeed bonkers, but it beats getting up at 6am to run 10 miles in the rain. Someone asked me what I really wanted in life. "Just a happy home, a family and a creative lifestyle". I'm realising that may not be too much to ask... Sarah.