great reads #1

My January slump seems to have stretched into February; I’m not sure whether it’s the neverending stream of germs, the bitterly cold weather and endless grey skies, or the fact that it’s STILL WINTER, but I’m just not feeling it at the moment. I’ve taken precisely zero photos this week, but I have been pottering about on the internet quite a bit, so I thought it’d be good to start a regular feature with all my favourite articles, crafty finds and whatnot from the week.

First up, I loved the first installment of Parenthood Unplugged over at Mel Wiggins, a new series which explores how other families in various locations live and deal with parenting. I’m a self-confessed nosy parker, and I love hearing about how other people are doing things, so this was right up my street; the series begins with Sheena and Dave who live and work in a remote area of East Africa – about as far removed from their native Ireland as you can get!

I don’t read many style blogs, but one I look at religiously is Lady Moriarty, and I loved her latest post – I’m absolutely in love with the amazing hat!

I used to buy The Green Parent magazine religiously, but it seems to be fairly impossible to find in our little town now, so I tend to make do with the website and blog. This week, I thought the article on intention for change was really interesting; 2nd February was Candlemas (also known as the Celtic celebration of Imbolc), and is the celebration of the midpoint between winter and spring. It’s basically the time to start looking to the future and planning for new beginnings; this resonated with me particularly this year – to say I’m looking forward to leaving the darkness behind is an understatement! The article suggests lots of ways to continue the celebrations, including lighting fires and candles, looking for signs of rebirth in nature and sharing food – quite handy considering I’m still burning my favourite winter candles…..

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I’ve been a fan of Carey Mulligan since I first saw her in An Education, and I found this article she wrote for The Huffington Post about her trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo with the charity War Child. Heartbreaking and eye-opening in equal measures, it reminded me yet again how lucky we are to be living in a country with access to brilliant, free healthcare, life-saving drugs and basic human rights.

I’ve mentioned a few times recently about how I’ve been struggling my way through January, so this post from Hannah at Seeds and Stitches about the value of loving yourself was perfectly timed. This is one of my absolute favourite blogs, not only for the beautiful writing and photography, but also the realism that runs through every post; I suggest sitting down with a tea and biscuits – it’s more like listening to an old friend than reading a blog.

I really like the Modern Craft Workshop blog, and this interview with super-talented weaver Catarina Riccabona was a really good read. I’m mildly obsessed with weaving at the moment, but still haven’t actually got round to having a go!