Am Not Coping

Yes, I imagine we could get up to all sorts or arty mischief @Zoe7 😏

Maybe break the soup task down into stages. Peel and and prepare the veggies as Step 1 ....,

Can you bung it all into a casserole dish and cook the soup in be oven @Zoe7 ? A stock-pot is one of the best purchases I have made, b cause you set the time and it turns off when it’s done ..... so Step 1 is all there really is to making the soup ..... that and put water and some stock cubes into the thing ....

haha @Faith-and-Hope only one step is the best way to cook lol

I think I will make it tomorrow - getting a little tired myself now but I haven't slept all day today and that is a good thing. Pain meds always make me tired but my headache has been dulled significantly and is manageable now.

I can imagine the types of arty mishief we would get up to - we would have papier-mache and mosaic walls, sculptures in every corner and arty things underway everywhere - we of course would have music playing and Toby sitting at my feet and Cat on a special bed we would make for her - what a wonderful time we would have

You should totally go into a cottage industry in papier-mâché @Zoe ...., and I might too .....

It is having the confidence to get something like that up and going that I have trouble with @Faith-and-Hope - I know I have a real talent for making papier-mache things - especially life size structures of animals - but it is knowing what to do with that that I know little about.

Start by making small things @Zoe7 ..... small critters, odds-and-ends jewellery boxes, and sewing boxes with a pin cushion lid (perhaps a lady-bug design with a black and red spotted fabric cushion to set in the top, for instance) then print out your own business cards and a catalogue (clear-plastic sleeve folder would do) and visit gift shops in your area with them, or sell online and post the items to people, including a postage charge. Once you started you would work out more things you could do ..... like papier-mâché bead necklaces, bracelets, earrings, etc .....

Lije anything else, you start somewhere, and work out the way forward in baby steps. There would be small business advice online somewhere to get started with because it would just come under “hobby” at first.

Here’s one for the kids at school .....

Papier-mâché pizza ..... make-your-own toppings 😊

I will take all that on board Hon and do some more research myself too - it may take some time until I have the confidence in myself to do any of that - I think concentrating on returning to work and being financially more secure again is my priority. I still have the idea for the kid's parties also in the back of my mind - but again it is the set-up costs that stop me right now looking into that further. I need to have regular income coming in to be able to start that too - it sucks that so many things come down to money but being able to pay my mortgage and bills needs to be my priority atm @Faith-and-Hope

I understand @Zoe7 .... but maybe start creating a body of work in the meantime, one small object here and there .... and just enjoy doing that in the moment.

I get what you are saying Hon - I need to get my garage roof done so I can sort out a space. Getting my garage sorted would also free up room inside the house but I could start sketching designs and getting image for what I want to do. I really want to do that rocking horse I have mentioned previously - I think that will be my first project when I have the room @Faith-and-Hope Also going back to work will free up a lot of space as I can take all the things I have stored here back to work. I am sure that freeing up that physical space would also free up some mental space for me

Sounds like it @Zoe7 ....

I don't like 'clutter' @Faith-and-Hope which to most people that know me would think is quite the opposite but I feel more emotionally free when things are in their place, tidy and clean. I just have a lot of 'stuff' and it is all mainly school stuff!