Today’s blog post is a little different. I’m reviewing a couple of books and an art holdall. However, this post stemmed from a life review that I thought I’d share with you because there could be people reading who are in a similar situation. In 2019 I was diagnosed with a genetic condition which explained the pain I was in. Through 2020, during the pandemic and lockdowns, I was attending hospital appointments to get my condition under control. Which thankfully it now is. However, I will have to manage my condition from now on. That in itself isn’t too difficult, but dealing with the side effects of pain and tiredness is another matter.
After being referred to a pain management course, I took a long hard look at myself and my life and realised there was significant room for improvement. The course highlighted how we feel pain is connected to sleep, diet, overall health, stress, anxiety and many more factors. I have to learn to accept my limitations and adapt while doing everything I can to lead the best life. As such, I am trying to be mindful of what I eat and to take plenty of rests. And this leads me on to my book and art holdall reviews. I’ve linked all supplies with compensated affiliate links used where possible at no cost to you.
PINCH OF NOM – QUICK AND EASY
I saw this book being mentioned on an Instagram account I follow and having heard the name Pinch Of Nom many times before, I sought the book out to take a look. I liked what I saw and ordered it straight away. When it arrived I browsed through it with a pack of page markers to hand. Then my daughter who is supporting me in my health journey also went through the book in the same manner. As you can see we filled the book with markers! Almost every other page there was a recipe I wanted to try and that is unusual for us.
I’ve been trying the recipes which are easy, tasty and well laid out. For example, with this Chicken Shashlik recipe, the time it takes to prepare, the cooking time and number of servings are shown at the top, ingredients down the side and instructions through the middle of the page. All pretty much straight forward and normal. However, I like the attention to detail:
- top left – icons representing F (suitable for freezing), GF (gluten-free), V (vegetarian) and VE (vegan)
- top left – calories per serving and also the number of carbohydrates
- lower left – accompaniments – suggested foods to go with the recipe and their calories too
- along the bottom – colour coded suggestions for swapping, batch cooking, and tips
In addition, at the back of the book is a list of all of the recipes with basic nutritional details for each. Added together, this is a well thought out recipe book, filled with simple but tasty recipes all with a view to healthier eating.
365 DAYS OF ART IN NATURE
So that’s one of the books I am using to help me be more mindful of what I’m eating. Another aspect I am embracing is the skill of relaxation. A tricky one for me, but one way I find it easier to relax is if I have something to do that isn’t too taxing – enough to keep me busy without needing to engage my brain too much LOL. With this in mind, my daughter bought me the 365 Days Of Art In Nature book. I already have the original 365 Days Of Art book which I enjoyed. The book is filled with 365 simple projects designed by Lorna Scobie. There is a range of books in this series, but seeing as plants, leaves and flowers are my favourite things to draw and colour I thought this book would suit me.
There is space within the book to complete the studies. You may choose to use a higher quality paper depending on what medium you are using. However, I plan to draw and colour within the book and just go with it. Also a nice feature is that dotted through the pages are tip and reflections such as on this page to think about which media you liked using. I plan to have this book on the little table beside my chair where I can put my feet up and relax.
DELFONICS ART HOLDALL
As I mentioned, the 365 Days Of Art In Nature book will sit on the little table beside my chair and yet all my craft supplies are in a room the other side of the house. So I am taking my art holdall to join the book to create a little art nook I can dip into while resting. The art holdall I like to use is this Delfonics one which is made of canvas and has a million pockets in which to store your supplies. This particular holdall is a medium but I also have the small too. The medium though has lots of room for a lot of supplies including a sketchbook if you so wish. In the video above, I take you for a peek into what is in my Delphonics utility pouch. Let me know in the comments below if you want a closer look and more detail of what I have in the pockets. This is also the holdall I took with me on holiday at the beginning of 2020 when holidays were allowed! Hopefully, this pouch will be joining me on trips to come when we can plan those again in the diary.
So there you go, my plan for the next wee while – conscious, healthy eating using the Pinch Of Nom book along the way and resting up with the simple projects within the 365 Days Of Art In Nature book with my supplies beside me in the Delfonics art holdall.
SUPPLIES
You can find links to the supplies I’ve used below; click on the picture or shop icon to get taken directly to the product. Where available I use compensated affiliate links which means if you make a purchase I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you! Items marked with an asterisk (*) provided by a store or the manufacturer. You can read my affiliate and product disclosure here. I genuinely appreciate your support.
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Summary of the project which gives all the views of the card in one photo :D I’d love if you pinned and called by on Pinterest :D
Hi, I can understand the dilemma you are in. I have had fibromyalgia for the past 25 years and it is getting worse as I get older. I am on several medications, exercise when I can and I took up card making after I retired from the Postal Service. It can be very challenging for me because I can seem to keep on task (one of the problems with fibromyalgia). I have all of these elaborate dreams of journaling, blogging, and card making. I have the craft room I have always wanted but I can’t seem to get going. When I have a good day, I’m a Super Woman. But they are not many. I have always admired your cards and would love to paint like you. I would love to have your tenacity. Good luck to you.
Thank you for sharing your experience with pain Lisa. Dealing with pain is not just a physical thing, but very much mental too and I can understand that enthusiasm to achieve what you want to do can ebb and flow depending not only on pain levels but mood and motivation too. One of the key things of the pain course I was on, was to accept your condition and basically to give yourself a break. To adjust your expectations and not be so hard on yourself. I hope you find a way through and enjoy your retirement.
I’ve followed your creative inspiration for a long time and wish you well on your journey to better health. In 2019 I was diagnosed with RA and that provided a lot of answers to my unexplained pain. I had just about given up on paper crafting but am instead getting my RA under control and getting back to making beautiful things. You’ve got this! My very best to you!!
What an inspiring story Lisa. I am so glad that you are managing your RA and that has given you back the ability to explore your creativity. For me, being diagnosed was not nice but also a relief to know what was causing my symptoms. Now I have a spotlight on what is going on, I can concentrate on finding the best path. I hope you continue to manage your RA.
Dear Debbie, thank you for your post and sharing. We, your fans, feel as if we truly know you and are genuinely fond of you. You come across as super talented, incredibly artistic, organised and thoughtful. I’m very sad to learn you have health issues which are spoiling your life. Happy though to hear your daughter is being supportive.
Your book looks fascinating and I hope you find it really helpful. In these pandemic days thinking about, searching for ingredients and then cooking can be a pest – no matter how much we like to eat!
Take care of yourself Debbie. Have a feeling you push yourself to the limit and might hate to feel you’re letting people down. YOU must come first or you’ll be of no use to others! It’s not being selfish – it’s being mindful.
I’m a praying sort of person and you will feature in my chats with God.
Thank you so much for the joy you have given us. We look forward to more treats from you as and when you have time and energy. Sending happy thoughts xx
Thank you, Gillian, for your support and kind words. You are so right in that we are often the last one we look after and yet as you say, our families depend on us and need us to be the strength that supports them. I am lucky that although my family still need me, they are all fully grown and it is interesting to see them try the roll reversal at times and be the one dishing out the advice and admonishment when I do too much LOL!
Hello Debby! I loved your post -very heartfelt, and informative as usual. Your blog brings me so much joy. You make such beautiful things and I love to learn more about your process, and about you. You seem like such a lovely person. And obviously very smart and talented. I too struggle with a host of health challenges. And I’m sure you’re getting all kinds of advice but I wanted to share with you that I have worked on changing my diet and it has really made all the difference. Currently a group of friends and I are doing the Wahl’s Protocol. You can look it up if you are interested. But it is changing our lives. Dr. Wahl’s story is about her own MS but I think her approach applies to many challenges. Whatever path you choose I’m sure there is much room for improvement. Food is powerful medicine. I have found much joy in making these healthier changes in my life although it is a lot of work sometimes, the benefits are endless. Thank you so much for all you do Debby! Much love to you and yours.
Leslie, I am sorry to hear you too have had a few health bumps in the road but how inspiring that you have made great progress. I will certainly look up the Wahl’s Protocol. We have such amazing modern medicine but often forget that what we fuel our bodies with both in terms of what we eat and also what we do to relax and sleep etc, are all hugely powerful. I am just starting a book “The Wild Remedy – How Nature Mends Us” which talks about how getting out in nature, for the author, has been more powerful than any medication. I have a lot to think about and improvements to be made but I look forward to the progress I hope to achieve.
I’m going to check out the Wild Remedy. I live in a beautiful place in Northern California and forget to get out-such a good reminder. So lovely to hear back from you! Be well.
Judging by how well you seem to do anything you put your mind to, I’m certain you’ll master this too. I hope creating will still be a part of your everyday life – and even sharing it with us. But you must definitely put yourself and your well being first. I wish you all the best, Debby.
Thank you for the support and confidence in me, Maria and art will always be part of my life I hope, it is such an important part of who I am.
I wasn’t expecting the news you shared in this post, and I’m very sympathetic to the situation you find yourself in. I’m not surprised though that you are tackling your health issues head on, and am sure you will attain the best life you can! I wish you the very best future! I’m now 75 and although I have aches and pain, I don’t seem to have any major issues, but at the age of 50, my new year’s diary held a message that spoke to me – inside the front cover, it had a place to write my goals for the year. That stumped me! I had never verbalised any goals for myself before – but it made me think hard, and I came up with the two things I wanted most for myself. As a very happily married woman, mother of three grown children, I had never really put myself first, as I was content. But those goals that came to mind, had seemed selfish wishes before – they were to gain a degree (I hadn’t been able to attend university as my single mother could not afford for me to be not working when I finished school) and to visit England again – we came to Australia as migrants in 1956 and it was now 1996 and I yearned to see it once more. I’m happy to say I achieved both of those goals – and have never regretted putting my wishes to the front. My husband was a wonderful help – taking care of me as I worked full time whilst also studying, but he said I put him first when he studied for his career in our early marriage, and he was happy to do the same. Mind you, when I did so well and was asked to do a Masters he looked crestfallen – it was then I realised that it was time to share our lives more equally. No regrets this time!
Ann, what a wonderfully inspiring story of your life! I am too at that junction, happily married, three children more or less fully grown and as you say, I can now focus a little more on looking after me and concentrating on my needs rather than those of others. It is hard, it is built into me to put others first but even if the scales swing slightly more one way then I think that will benefit me. I am delighted to hear you got your degree and your trip back to England. It seems hard at the moment to think about travelling as we are currently still in lockdown. However, travelling with the family will certainly be a big goal of mine when we can again.
Thank you for being so open with your life. I am sorry you are struggling, but I know you will persevere. Your art has been a great inspiration for my attempts to be creative and now you are inspiring me to deal better with my own life issues.
When I turned 40, I developed allergies. When I turned 50, my back gave out and I developed arthritis in my knees. Now, in my early 60’s I have arthritis in my hands and Achilles tendonitis which makes my hobbies of card making and hiking more difficult. Makes me wonder what my 70’s will bring!
I know in the grand scheme of things, I am very lucky. But when my body starts to fight against me, it makes me feel….blah. Your blog posts of beautiful watercolor has always lifted my spirits and I wish you well in your health struggles. You will never know how much I appreciate you!
Hi June, I am so sorry that each decade has brought more issues to challenge you! I hope that your 70s will not add any more to the list! Blah, is a good description isn’t it at times? It can just seem so overwhelming. I hope you put in place mechanisms to help you cope. One thing that helps me is to get outside if I can every day. It is hard because what I would like to achieve in the garden or on a walk is not what I can now do. However, when I set that aside and just revel in being outside then the benefits to me are substantial. Hugs and I hope you can find some creative time too as art is wonderful therapy.
Thank you so much Debby that you shared your story with us.
As many others in the craft community I also have health problems, unfortunately more than one and not the easiest and painless. But I always try to craft, sometimes a few minutes and other times I can play for a few hours.
I enjoy your beautiful work and posts so much, I hope you will coop with your healtproblems and that an other way of living helps enormous. Step by step you will get there.
Stay safe, have a great weekend and a big hug.
Hi Henriette. Your story is inspiring in that you aren’t letting things stop you! On the pain course I took last year, they had a guest speaker and he was able to go from being bedridden to being able to renovate his house (in tiny segments of a few minutes at a time). Step-by-step sounds just perfect, taking each moment at a time and going from there. Hugs and I hope you are safe and well.
Dear Debbie
Thank you for sharing your journey. I feel that by sharing we can support each other.
2020 certainly was a year of reckoning for many.
I, too was finally diagnosed with both CREST syndrome and rheumatroid arthritis.
I have been struggling with my health for a number of years but unable to get a firm diagnosis.
Loads of specialist appointments, tests and many false starts finally lead to the above diagnosis in November last year.
Pain management and enough tablets to rattle help manage it. But the tiredness still takes me by surprise. Hoping that you’re getting enough support and glad your also managing self support.
I found having a reason and now understanding for my health made all the difference to me.
Yes, I’ve modified my life and am probably kinder to myself then ever before. I’m also lucky that my husband is so very supportive and proactive. Having three adult humans is helpful. One of my daughter got me Everyday Watercoloring for Christmas after I mentioned that you’d recommended it.
I find I create in small burst now but I still create every day.
Cheers
Lisa
Lisa, I’m sorry that you have your own health journey to navigate but fully understand that knowing what was wrong and working to understand that can be helpful. It was for me. Suddenly it didn’t seem like I was going crazy, there was a reason for what was happening. I’m glad you have a good support network, it is so important. Ultimately though, it is down to us, isn’t it. Living life in bite-size pieces. It’s a glorious day today but I went and gardened for just 20 minutes. If I keep my time short there is a better chance I will feel OK to garden 20 minutes tomorrow too. I’m glad you are finding the time and energy to create. That is also a very important part of my life too. Again in bite-size pieces! However, all those small moments in time do eventually add up. I was on a pain management course and listened to a guy tell his story about going from being bedridden to having a life he enjoyed again. He’d even managed to renovate his whole house in 20-minute blocks of time!