WHAT I’VE LOVED, LEARNT AND LOST IN LOCK-DOWN IN LONDON

During lock-down I’ve learnt so much about myself and what I want,
need and like around me.
 
I’m sure many of you will find some of these observations familiar…
 
I finally had the time to allow me to be selfish, to notice that I was tired, very tired. I’d clearly needed to go slower for a long time (a habit from being a people-pleaser).
 
To do more of the things I loved instead of constantly serving others whether in the home or my business. To just simply loving life’s little pleasures again, like reading for hours with a pot of tea (or a wine) in the garden almost every day. Or finally getting around to the many sewing repairs and customising piles, and organising my Nan’s beautiful vintage haberdashery sewing box, just for the pleasure of remembering where I sourced or bought the many ribbons, trims and things!

I stopped pushing, and began pulling instead, thus becoming a magnet for what I wanted to manifest. I joined a daily meditation zoom group and we did 18 weeks almost solidly, and it’s still going. I also saw what I could no longer do anymore….
 
But even though my work orders got frozen and client work couldn’t proceed, amazingly new things showed up……
Like the opportunity to be a judge and mentor on a Fashion Design degree course at The London College of Fashion (UAL), kindly invited by Lindsey Riley. I also set up my passion project @sustainablestyleshow on Instagram & YouTube to share my passion and play with second hand finds.
 
And had great new conversations and projects materialise with several companies, from the likes of Bermuda Airport, The Hilton, several property groups wanting concierge collections and VERY PROUDLY supplying bespoke face masks to the University of Kent and Manchester Metropolitan University.

I was also inspired by Karen Kennaby to re-do The Artists Way book by Julia Cameron over 12 weeks, doing one chapter each week in a group, to rediscover your true, inner artist. It was a challenging, emotional and demanding journey, but I loved it in the end! Especially to finally complete the book after my first attempt to do it 16 years earlier! I would highly recommend doing in a group with Karen (details here) so powerful and fun.

Unexpectedly I realised my book The Textile Touch could become a course (which is also 12 chapters long) and I could take others on a journey to support them in realising their product creation, dreams!

I’m extremely excited and also nervous to now be launching this but I know it’s going to serve an incredible purpose for many! For this reason, I’m so grateful for the courses and groups I joined during lockdown who have nourished me.
 
Teaching others to do what I have done professionally for almost 30 years through my book as a course will have everything business and brands need to learn step by step on how to define, design, develop and deliver a collection. To also take it to market inside of a tailored sustainable supply chain that saves waste in a conscious creative way. I hope this will assist people looking to create a new or additional income and a purpose to the many I know who are looking for that next step.
 
My first group is forming, and we begin on the 29th Oct this year.
There’s space for 6 more and will be perfectly socially distanced as its all via Zoom!

Register here www.thetextiletouch.co.uk