The other day, I found a little journal I started to write back in 2008, to record the shenanigans of life with a young family. It was quite an entertaining read,

documenting the funny things our two young daughters did and said. We were in stitches reading it, recounting the time Lily, aged five, randomly packed a bag, got her coat on and announced she was leaving home to be in ‘one of those singing bands like Kylie’. There was also an entry about the ordeal of potty training with Mollie-Mae, aged two, which resulted in an awkward ‘situation’ on a walk to the post office, plus her invention of the word ‘Babypoose’ which was promptly followed by her blowing a raspberry in your face. (To this day, we are still unsure whether that was an insult or a term of endearment.) Shame I managed to write the journal for just four days, as a year’s worth would have been a most amusing read I’m sure.

All has not been lost though. This has inspired me to make more use of my blog, not only to document projects, share arty tips and useful articles, but also delve into the back story of Rachel Shilston – Inspiring Creativity, documenting childhood memories, family life and generally the things that make me tick, so that you, the reader, can get to know me, the eclectic artist, a little bit better. I’m not claiming to be a literary great, I’m certainly no Austin, Bronte or Rowling but I can vaguely string a sentence together, so if Adrian Mole, Bridget Jones and that Wimpy Kid can write a diary, then I reckon I can make a stab at it too. I’m hoping to update my blog at least every week with news, tips or just some of life’s funny tales and you may even get extra bonus editions at Christmas and birthdays and I’ll try not to release any ‘plot spoilers’. 

So there you have it. A new look, all singing, all dancing blog, with a pledge to write more than just four entries in a year. Welcome to ‘An Eclectic Life’ – a blog about the trials, tribulations and triumphs of a quirky bird trying desperately to juggle family commitments, with a diverse and varied working life.