A shift in focus…
Ever so slightly things have been changing around here.
I’ve kept it on the hush because it seemed unrelated to the craft but now I realise that it’s ALL about the craft. I’m different now. I’m being creatively sustained by the click stuff & by the plans I make on the run. Don’t get me wrong I’m still loving the making but it’s just seeming to be more about quiet moments of nothingness. I’m hatching fewer crafty plans than I have for a long time.
You may or may not have noticed that the blog was broken last week. Instead of being concerned, I actually felt relieved!
I seriously considered not coming back to this space but then I thought about why I started it in the first place & I felt a little sad that if my kids do chance upon the blog when I’m long gone that they won’t really know what was feeding my soul in May 2011.
So here it is…
the date – the constant, my very best friend & owner of my heart
my big girl – on the brink of so much more
the little guy – with a giant heart & so good to his mum
the curly girl – cheeky & full of fun
the family
the run
the click
& in moments of quiet … the craft.
“what has been seen cannot be unseen”
So, this space will be more about what’s inspiring me, what I’m looking at, what I’m thinking about & much less about the output.
I understand if you’re done with kootoyoo… (I felt like being done with it too). But if you’re still around when I blow in next…thank you.
Jenny @ ohjoh
772 days ago
Go where the breeze takes you.
Will happily gawk at your awesome pics if you blow by.
Thanks
Jenny
Kirsty
772 days ago
thanks jenny. x
Robyn
772 days ago
Oh Kirsty, I can so relate to this. Life does change and offer us new things and our families are so special and important and they never happen that way again.
I love that your focus is changing. Enjoy it and your new journey… and the click
Mine life has changed this year too.. and it’s surprised me. I’ve decided it’s ok to kick back a little on blogging too as this opportunity may never come again.
Go for it!! xx
Kirsty
772 days ago
It is OK Robyn…it’s the stuff life’s made of. x
Kerry
772 days ago
So much of what you do and create and say and observe is inspiring. I can’t imagine not wanting to continue to know how you’re working through it. That’d be just crazy!
Kirsty
772 days ago
Thanks Kerry.
Michelle (Poppy, Bean and Bloss)
772 days ago
Follow your inspiration – it always seems to take you to the most amazing places. No surprise that your focus is changing as your experiences do.
Kirsty
772 days ago
So true Michelle.
katiecrackernuts
772 days ago
Sometimes a shift is what’s needed. I’d be sorry to see you leave this blog but, hey, it’s your blog, you can do that if you want to. Hope to see you pottering back in this space soon.
Kirsty
772 days ago
I’ll be around…things’ll just be a bit different. x
claire
772 days ago
Ah yes, I do know what you mean. Keep it going in the way you want to keep it going. xx
Kirsty
772 days ago
My lovely, lovely friend. Thanks for everything! x
Jo
772 days ago
I so know what you mean, as I’m sure a lot of others do too in this crafty community – you do what feels right at the time.
I think one day this crafty phase of my life will change direction too. Life is not stagnant and I don’t think we want to be either. I enjoy just hearing about what you’re thinking about…
Anyway, this all sounds a bit serious
, but I think as the song goes… “do what you want to do, be what you want to be”
Kirsty
772 days ago
Yep…I’ve made stuff, packed it all away & then made stuff again. Thanks for your thoughts.
Naturally Carol
772 days ago
Seasons come and go..doors open and close! I think it is a wise person who recognises the beginning and the end of the seasons in their life. You have been an inspiration in my journey so if our paths cross again then I am sure you will continue to inspire me and help me see life a little differently to what I would have, had I not seen your blog!
Kirsty
772 days ago
Thanks Carol.
Anne
772 days ago
I’m glad you are going with what you feel is right for you. Blogging is about you and your story, not our expectations with what you started out with.
Whenever you decide to post and on whatever topic, I’ll be listening.
Have a wonderful day,
Anne xx
Kirsty
772 days ago
Thanks Anne.
Fiona
772 days ago
*Totally* understand where you are coming from. It’s always a delight to read your posts, whenever they arise – and in whatever form they take. xx
Kirsty
772 days ago
Lovely Fiona, you were one of the first blogs I loved. I hope I’ll be able to reclaim kootoyoo. I loved those early days. x
Leonie @ Cuppa and Cake
772 days ago
Escape to Tuscany…..Sabbatical?
I’ll be here! xx
Kirsty
772 days ago
Tuscany sounds perfect!
Fruitful Fusion
772 days ago
I’m SO not done with kootoyoo! But will be here whenever you blow in!
Kirsty
772 days ago
I’ll look forward to having you along.
flaming nora
772 days ago
Follow your heart. It always leads you to the right place.
Kirsty
772 days ago
Yep…I’m looking forward to getting back to the heart of it.
Kate
772 days ago
You have taught me so much more than craft, I hope you know that.
Looking forward to witnessing the next chapter, sure to be brilliant.
I’ll be here. You are stuck with me, my friend.
xx
Kirsty
772 days ago
Getting “stuck” with you has been one of my greatest pleasures. x
Kate
771 days ago
I should bloody hope so! Lots of love x
Sonia
772 days ago
I think the only people that set the standard so high is ourselves, right? And it’s hard to leave a blog. I’ve tried (I lasted a whole month away…). Though you don’t reveal your entire self here at Kootoyoo, I’m sure that we’ve seen glimpses and those that have seen those glimpses, love it and will loiter on.
Bring whatever takes your fancy to this space. I’ll be here.
Kirsty
771 days ago
Yup!
I’ve been trotting this out with great regularity lately….
“fear of failure is the death of creativity”
Vic
772 days ago
It’s your blog, for you to do with what you will. Blogging should be something you enjoy & look forward to, not dread!
I’ll be here, thanks for letting us stop by for so long.
Kirsty
771 days ago
Thanks Vic.
Nic @ Yardage Design
772 days ago
Evolution works. I have felt many of the same things lately, so I’m totally tagging along for the ride. Thanks for sharing what you’re thinking/feeling. Have fun with it!
Kirsty
771 days ago
I’m looking forward to a bit of same same but different Nic.x
catherine
772 days ago
I’ve always enjoyed seeing what you’ve clicked, and thinking about what you’re thinking (as in the stuff you write here, not some kind of ESP or anything), as well as what you’ve made. I also think your creative space solution is a good one, and hope it gives you a bit more freedom in your own space…
Kirsty
771 days ago
Thanks Catherine – I hope it works for everyone.
Tammi
772 days ago
Sounds to me like you are about to embark on a wonderful, new and exciting journey….one which I will gladly follow
x
Kirsty
771 days ago
Thanks Tammi
Andrea
772 days ago
Sounds good to me…you do what works for you. …..I’m not going anywhere.
Lara
771 days ago
Kirsty, you know that I will love whatever kootoyoo is and becomes. I’m looking forward to more peeks inside your head. I love your craft, but you know that I love the way your mind works even more!
Kirsty
771 days ago
Lara – you’re one of the absolute gems. Thank you!
leslie
771 days ago
will always be around. x
Kirsty
771 days ago
Oh Leslie – onegirl who made me want to be a onegirl too. x
sarah
771 days ago
Kirsty, I will continue to be inspired by your musings however sporadic and non crafty they are. A change is as good as a holiday, as they say.
Brilliant our creative spaces plan by the way. Enjoy the next chapter….I wonder does it feel like a millstone has been lifted?
{a most excellent and inspiring millstone nonetheless…?!} x
Kirsty
771 days ago
Thank you Sarah.
Tania
771 days ago
That has to be the most grown up post I’ve read. Clever girl, Kirst.
Kirsty
771 days ago
T – thank you for being a lovely crafty mate online & a lovely mate offline. Thoughful…always.
melissa
771 days ago
I much prefer to visit a blog that is genuine but infrequent, rather than frequently nongenuine… I’ll be back whenever you post.
Go with the flow – see where it goes.
Kirsty
771 days ago
Very well put Melissa. I’m going to be sure about the genuine.
Cath @ chunkychooky
771 days ago
I hear you about output! I ( was) feeling actual GUILT over the fact that I wasn’t making anything to share on my blog! So crazy. So now I am not so stressed by it, their may be a bit less craft on mine but people still visit so that is ok.
This whole craft stuff has turned into an almost full time business and I sometimes, actully often, wonder did I actually realise ( no) that making money from craft actually meant running a business. I never linked the two. Now I find myself running a business and having little time for crafting for pleasure- in fact- the time i do have i want to spend it making stuff with Busy. Which is the essence of craft I just realised as I type, passing on the skills to those around you. Ha!
Thanks Kirsty!
PS I am sticking around to. x
Kirsty
771 days ago
Absolutely the essence of craft!
I’ve been enjoying hooking with the big girl & watching her elegant fingers (which she didn’t get from me) move gracefully with the yarn & the hook. Turning nothing into something (she DID get that from me). x
andi
771 days ago
I’ll still be here!!
xx
Kirsty
771 days ago
Thanks Andi. x
angelina
771 days ago
hey kirsty, i agree. its why so many women quit the blogging, they try and do oh so much with it , instead of just being and when the notion strikes, do a post about it. good for you, listen to that intuition it will guide you ! xo
Kirsty
771 days ago
Yeah…it’s daft isn’t it? I’m looking forward to having a bit more fun with it.
CurlyPops
771 days ago
I could never leave – yours is one of the first blogs I ever read!
I think it’s really interesting to see how all the blogs have evolved over the years. It’s about more than just the craft and the making stuff, and that’s what I like.
Kirsty
771 days ago
Cam – you’re utterly fabulous. x
Christie
771 days ago
never done x
Kirsty
771 days ago
You’ve been with me the whole way mate…love you to bits. x
jodie
771 days ago
You are the most continually evolving and changing crafter I know and this, is a new change. You amaze me Kirst and i’m happy to follow…………..wherever !
Kirsty
771 days ago
Jod – thank you! xxxx
cherrie
771 days ago
I think there are many feeling a little run down on their blogs. My blog world seems to have slowed down too. I often feel the ned to step back but for me it’s about the keeping of memories of my work. For you it is whatever you wish …. or not. I understand as I am sure do most others. Cherrie
Kirsty
771 days ago
Agreed – it’s excellent to have a catalog & I don’t think that will stop.
Norbyah Nolasco
771 days ago
a fresh start and a new direction are just the thing to reinvigorate me, too. my blog(s) have morphed so much since i started ages ago. it’s funny sometimes to go back and read old posts and notice how things are different. you know i’ll still be here.
xo
norn
Kirsty
771 days ago
Norn – it’s been lovely having you along. x
Cindy
771 days ago
I love not only your take on craft but also your space here and have enjoyed my chance to do some HAC too. I am happy to see what the space becomes and one that you enjoy – or what’s the point! xx
Kirsty
771 days ago
Thanks Cind – I’m looking forward to getting back to basics with it. x
Jess
771 days ago
Beautiful post Kirsty.
Im not going anywhere for whenever you pop by again xo
Kirsty
771 days ago
Thanks Jess.
Sarah @ PingsAndNeedles
771 days ago
Oh Kirsty – what a lovely post.
Your blog was the first ever crafty blog I landed on. How lucky was I?! The fact that you are moving on in some respects is just a natural progression.
Your weekly ‘my creative space’ actually encouraged me to start my blog. (I was so green then I thought it meant show a picture of your physical creative space, LOL!)
I haven’t posted in ‘our creative spaces’ for a while now, I’ve been in a similar ‘different kind of output’ mode …
I love your photography, your vibe and your blog. Whenever you share something I’m always delighted to be there too …
Have fun! see you soon
Kirsty
771 days ago
Thank you Sarah – I’m thrilled to have been the very first blog for you.
Mine was http://swisskitschenette.wordpress.com/ when she was at typepad & from there I found lovely claire & a whole host of other wonderful people.
I shall be eternally grateful to those girls.
Emma
771 days ago
I’m not done. I want to see where you go next.
Kirsty
771 days ago
Buckle up
…I’ve no idea what I’m doing or where I’m going though.
Sarah @ PingsAndNeedles
771 days ago
oh … sorry, and THANK YOU
xxx
Holly
771 days ago
Have always loved your blog Kirsty, looking forward to the next chapter and what I will learn from you next.
Kirsty
771 days ago
Thanks Holly.
Tracy
771 days ago
To everything there is a season, including blogs. I’ve always enjoyed whatever you have to say, Kirsty, and I don’t think the shift in focus is going to change that.
Kirsty
771 days ago
Thanks Tracy.
Kate
771 days ago
I’ve think I’ve written to you before about how Kootoyoo and My Creative Space opened up the whole blog thing to me and gave me the confidence and permission to visit and comment on other people’s spaces. Your blog was like an invitation into this whole community for me.
Thank you!
I’m interested to see where you go from here and I’ll be popping in for visits, that’s for sure. x
Kirsty
770 days ago
…& my work here is done! Imagine the blog world without Foxs Lane. Thanks Kate. x
Julia
771 days ago
Kirsty,
I think you’ll find that you are loved for more than your craft. To be let into the world of your thoughts and what inspires you would be a privilege and you may find your following increase if anything. Enjoy the journey. x
Kirsty
770 days ago
Julia – hello! So lovely to see you here…thank you for your thoughtful comment. I’m looking forward to banging on more about the stuff that rattles around in my brain. x
Vera @ Small Things Simple Pleasures
771 days ago
My obsessions change almost daily. I’ll be on a cooking roll, then it’ll be all about crochet, which will swing to reading, throw in some infrequent attacks on the garden, a bit of decorating, abuse of the sewing machine, which is why my blog is as scatty as me but it’s what I like.
Hope you enjoy whatever it is you like doing. It’s the only (satisfying) way.
Kirsty
770 days ago
Hooray for a scatty blog! It’s real.
PaisleyJade
771 days ago
So many are going through this exact same thing at the moment – I love your space, whenever you have a chance to share and whatever you share about I will be popping in! xoxo
Kirsty
770 days ago
Thanks so much.
Kylie
771 days ago
I love that you’re being true to yourself and following through on what’s important to you Kirsty
So happy for you and I’ll definitely keep popping in to see whatever these are. Kx
Kirsty
770 days ago
Thanks Kylie. x
jennie
771 days ago
MCS has given me so many new friends in the last year – thank you so much Kirsty. I REALLY love popping by here to see what you are up to – thinking outside the square, trying something new. Its all so inspirational. Thank you!x
Kirsty
770 days ago
Thank you Jennie & I’m so glad that mcs has meant so much to you.
Posie Patchwork
770 days ago
I love how you constantly reassess things, we full time mummies who craft as our creative outlet & income, have so much to give, love & create. I’ve been doing a lot of cutting back in preparation for the next big thing too. So last term it was my on line Shop, this term it’s the P&C, i’m feeling free & happy, sticking to what makes me happy in my heart. My beautiful husband & children come first, everything else in my spare time, after the gym. I love your fresh approach to this life we lead, love Posie
Kirsty
770 days ago
Thank you Posie! I look forward to having you along for the ride.
Tracey Chorley
770 days ago
what’s life without a little changeable wind blowing in? Follow your nose, you should feel no obligation to this blog, that is surely never the point! I’ll always continue to pop by, whether it’s the pictures you take or the output you make you have inspired me! I’d never have learnt to crochet if it weren’t for your hyperbolic stuff last year making me desperate to do some myself, thanks Kirst!! xx
Kirsty
770 days ago
So pleased you’re on the hook Tracey…it’s the best.
Thisel & Bean
770 days ago
I’m pleased you are listening to yourself. I dont think any of us do it half as much as we should. i certainly dont! I will be happily be keeping up to date with what you are doing whatever that might be. Even though your focus is changing I have to say a big thank you to you for hosting the ‘My Creative Space’ page. It has opened up a whole community to me that I have loved being a part of. Glad you are keeping it going in some form. Good luck with your future ventures.
Kirsty
770 days ago
Thank you so much.
flowerpress
770 days ago
I think its a great idea to give creative space its own… space.
Such a fantastic resource and we are all so very, very grateful to have it, it has helped make the community what it is. Thank you for hosting it. And thanks for keeping it going.
But it will be nice to visit just you, and see what you are making, seeing, enjoying. I always love seeing things through your eyes, whether its a neighbourhood tree, a faded sign or a coffee bag!
Thanks Kirsty. I’ll be visiting too
Kirsty
770 days ago
Thanks Susie…no doubt there’ll still be plenty of hair brained craft.
Creative Mom
770 days ago
I will be checking back in and am looking forward to seeing what inspires you. Have fun!
Jodie
770 days ago
your space has been such a great inspiration to me and a million others, and as we are all people I am pretty sure we ALL get where you are coming from. Never fear, onward and upward!
GOOD FOR YOU!!! Best wishes for you and your family
Look forward to seeing your different mode
belinda/gretchenmist
770 days ago
very wize, i like it. there must be something in the air at the moment re change and re-evaluating.
thanks for hosting and keeping it going
Michelle
770 days ago
End of an era, beginning of new times. Wherever the wind blows, I’ll be around still. Not done! Mich x
Liesl
770 days ago
Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose
(A favourite quote – “the more it changes, the more it’s the same thing”)
No matter what this space becomes Kirsty, its sure to delight and to inspire. xx
julie k
770 days ago
Creativity is so much more than just “making.” Follow your heart and you can’t go wrong. I’ll keep checking in with you, that’s for sure. xox
Michelle (The Crafty Little Fox)
770 days ago
Will miss my Thursday ritual of visiting you early in the morning. I know how you feel about feeling the pressure to have something to post. I gave myself permission not to post today because I have just been too busy this week to make anything pretty
I am not going to feel bad about it because it is supposed to be fun. So take heart Kirsty. We all enjoy reading what you are up to and the funny things that you say and create. I for one will still be stopping by and visiting, commenting and perusing. xx
Jo Simmons
770 days ago
“All the arts we practice are apprencticeship. The big art is our life.” Can’t remember who said it, but the sentiment rings true. I have only recenly found your blog, and I’ve enjoyed the personal entries as much as the crafty stuff. You are a great writer, an engaging hostess and I wish you good speed with your ‘big art’! x
Alisa
770 days ago
Good for you Kirsty! A good friend once told me I should make my blog work for me and not feel a slave to it, I think its very good advice. Its the best way to keep the spring in your step.
Thank you so much for hosting CS on your blog for so long, you’re a star! I’ll keep popping by to say Hi for sure. xx Alisa
gret
769 days ago
No running away here. Looking forward to seeing what life brings your way, craft or not. I really hope the next chapter is great fun, and less pressure. because this blog is really about you enjoying it Kirsty. x
jessica
767 days ago
Hi Kirsty, I have always loved your space, you introduced me to this big world of all things ‘craft’ – happy that you’re happy! xx
Mary
766 days ago
all things can, and must, evolve.
Enjoy the process, as always.
Jeana Marie
735 days ago
Glad you are still here. Sorry I’ve been so quiet. A lot has changed for me this year too. Loved catching up on your posts and your photos are beautiful, really truly.
J