november 29

i have been working at the kitchen table this weekend...

gathered vintage lace, buttons, pieces of the past come together to remind me of where i come from

i feel blessed that i get how important it is to look back in order to understand where i stand in this moment

and you? where has this weekend taken you? what do you know in this moment?

and so it begins (again and again and again)

Last winter, like many other bloggers who dabble in artsy+crafty things, I was quite inspired by Jane's and Alicia's ripple blankets. Those two seemed to have inspired a movement over at "the no-end-in-sight ripple along."

After reading about everyone joining in on the fun, I wanted to crochet. Like. right. now. So, when my mom and I met for a few days in Arizona, I brought along my crochet hook so she could teach/remind me how to crochet. I learned about 20 years ago from Nanny…not my grandmother but the mother of my second cousin's wife who was a bit like a grandmother to me at times…and I crocheted a few potholders that year. I loved it, but I didn't pick it up again until February of last year. As my mom and I worked on a couple of scarves, I settled into the rhythm that is knitting and crocheting. Several scarves later, the rhythm of crochet resonates deeply in me.

And, I felt ready to make an afghan. And, of course, not just any afghan…THE afghan.

So I tried one pattern and crocheted my heart out throughout the second half of the Super Bowl. By the end of a very long row three, it was apparent that I did not understand the pattern even though I kept trying.

I tried another pattern I found online…but just couldn't get into the rhythm at all. It involved a chain stitch after a few stitches several times and I kept forgetting it and wouldn't realize it until the middle of the next long row.

Then the book Vintage Crochet arrived in all its gorgeousness.

To begin the chevron pattern, I needed to chain 216 +3.

I, of course, chained 219 +3 because I kept repeating 219, 219 in my head while counting.

I didn't realize the problem until things got wonky in row three.

So, I began again…

Success! I love the rhythm of this pattern. (And, this book seems fantastic. So many brilliant patterns that have an updated vintagey feel.)

Late last night, as I was midway through row six, I paused and looked down and started cracking up. It looks like my color choices were inspired by that very moment in time. (With a bit more light this morning, I have taken a photo so you can see what I mean…)

However, the color palette was actually inspired by the sweater worn by Miss Hermione Granger in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. I saw that movie three times in the theatre (and once at home since it was a gift for Christmas). I just love that movie (and I want to one day be able to crochet some sweaters like the one Luna wears). It is my favorite so far. I think it is partly because it came out as the book series ended and I felt so sad…but the movie made it seem like the really good part had just begun. Anyway, every time I would see Hermione's sweater for the first time in the movie, I would think about how I wanted to make an afghan with those colors…

And so it begins.

It is scary that I am matching my outfits with my crochet projects? It hasn't been done on purpose…but…it happened last week too…

If you are in the midst of a ripple blanket or plan to start one soon, please let me know. We can double crochet rippled stripes together…

an artful blogging party

Artsy Mama is hosting a virtual party in honor of the current issue of Artful Blogging and to celebrate artful bloggers. She invited people to share an artsy blog post and maybe a tutorial as a way to participate in the party. There are already some incredible links to posts over on her site.

When I first started blogging, I did not realize how the medium itself and the inspiration I found from others would invite me to dive deeper into a more creative path. Within a few months of beginning my blog, I went from someone who knew which show she watched each hour on the hour during primetime television to someone who spent a lot of free time sewing, sketching, writing, taking pictures, and filling up idea journals.

Being an artful blogger gives me the chance to share what I learn on my journey; my blog is a place to record my observations, my joys, my sorrows, my growth, my not-so-great moments, my truth …It has become a place where I can just sit down comfortably in my favorite pajamas, take a breath, and be me.

So….Welcome to my little corner of the world!

Oh! I am so glad that you are also wearing your pajamas. Meet Millie, just beware, she will try to get in all your photos. Also meet Betty; she is currently wearing a work-in-progress apron. Please, make yourself at home and have a cup of tea. There are pumpkin muffins and chocolate chip cookies. Just help yourself. Please, pretend you don't see...the mess. (Whispering: You see, I am getting ready for my first time at crafty wonderland this weekend and my studio has found a way to move parts of itself to the kitchen table, back porch, and…well, everywhere really. Oh please, just move that over, yes, you can sit right there.)

The music line-up is, of course, The Weepies followed by some Paul Simon, then a little Indigo Girls and some other favorites. When you hear the first few bars of Tina Turner's "Proud Mary" get ready because we are all going to stand up and dance, dance, dance. Yes, that means you over there too.

*****

Kari invited all the party-goers to share a tutorial. I am going to share a little meditative "get those creative juices flowing" exercise that you can take home and use whenever you need it:

A Walk with the Senses

Block out a certain amount of time just for yourself, from 10 to 45 minutes (or longer if you like). You are going to spend this time outside. You could simply take a walk near your home, spend time in a neighborhood park, walk downtown, along the water, in the woods…anywhere.

You aren't going to take anything extra with you. No sketchbook or journal or camera or cell phone. Just you.

As you walk, simply notice the following:

What do you hear?
What do you smell?
What do you taste?
What do you (want to) touch?
What do you see?

Feel free to touch things and notice that as well.

If you find your mind wandering away from these things to grocery lists and what you "should" be doing and other things that pull on you, pause in your walk. Close your eyes and take a breath. And then another one. Allow yourself to just notice your inhalations and exhalations. After a few moments, begin to notice your senses again and open your eyes when you are ready.
After you have finished your walk, head back to your creative space. When you get there, spend time creating, writing, journaling about your experience. You might want to create an art journal page or a color palette of what you noticed. You could write about each sense and what the experience was like for you. You might want to write a poem. It is all up to you. Simply allow your senses walk to be a springboard into creating.

I recommend that you head back to your creative space at home so that you won't be distracted by new senses experiences while you are creating. Meaning, if you went on a walk near a lake and then decided to sit down and journal about it near the water, it becomes a different exercise. While you are writing, your senses will notice new things and so on. That is a valuable exercise as well, but this one is centered more on observation and then removing yourself from what you observed. If home might be too distracting, you could head to a café to journal/sketch about your experience. Shape this exercise to be whatever you need.

Finally, as you reflect on your observations, sit and think about what I call the sixth sense: know. (If you have visited me before, you might have seen my "senses" posts. I always include this sixth sense.) Reflect on what "you know" from this experience. You might want to journal about this.

*****

Thank you for stopping by! I can't wait to visit your corner of the world as well today…
To visit other folks participating in Kari's party, check out the ever-growing list of links at the end of her post.

rhythm of possibilty {self-portrait challenge}

Sewing in my little room. It is actually pretty clean right now, but from this angle, you cannot tell that at all.

I tend to find sewing meditative. The rhythm of the cutting, ironing, pinning, sewing, snipping, turning, ironing, pinning and on and on. I have time to think as I do these things. Lately, my brain has tended to wander to the idea of possibilities. I am feeling my heart open with this idea…possibility. There is so much that is before me. I just need to give myself a little space to realize this. I need to allow myself to release the fear, anxiety, self-doubt, and self-judgment. It is that darn self-judgment that gets me every time. The comparisons with others and negative voices that echo in my head.

Trying to just find that rhythm of hope and belief.
In myself.

Trying to stay in a rhythm of possibility.

(visit self-portrait challenge for more responses to this month's challenge of environment.)

a reminder...

a little piece i made recently for a friend...inspired by a conversation with kelly.

artfest prep is going strong here in the little room. still have to finish my pieces for the gallery and organize my supplies...and...and pack. eek! kelly is here checking her email and we are laughing and solving the problems of the world (already).

some close ups of "show up"