Inspiration

Rain is splashing in puddles on the concrete, there is a chill in the air. A new season is beginning. A leaf or two begins the subtle change from green to orange, yellow and red. It's a glorious season one I love for reflection, meditation and making improvements. Preparing to hunker down for the winter to come. Or for us in the South the promise of Winter. It is a quiet Friday and I am prone to daydreaming...the dripping rain beckons me back to the window! Browsing thru some shots of things... I derive inspiration for future projects...
This humble cottage would make a lovely vacation home in the mountains. It's definitely a fixer. It is in fact in the Smokey Mountains. Can you just hear the rain tapping on the tin roof? A couple rockers on the porch. Pure Ecstasy.

The clouds rolling over the Great Smokey Mountains...all around one is engulfed in this smokey haze...it has an ethereal feel to it.

The lines of this bench and the way it felt against my back...I could nap here. Oh yeah...Me and Moe, our feline son.

On a walk in the country at the family ponderosa...I have no idea what these are...reminded me of some alien pods........

What's not to love about this wiggly, little guy. Can you look at him and not smile for all his being so very "twee" (as my friend Dorothy would have called it) This was on the dash of my friend Kelly's car. He was rescued from a thrift shop in Florida.

Nature's beauty discarded from the sea for us to look upon and enjoy. I could sit there for hours and sift my hands through the fragments. Some shells were selected to be added to jewelry projects...nature graciously provided holes for them to be re-used as jewelry or in other art.

Kinda what today looks like, shades of gray...behave... we are not talking about my hair! This day has a reflective, meditative, silent deliciousness about it...hope you enjoy your weekend!

Work in Progress

Organic Cotton Washcloth knitted in a basket weave pattern. I had to concentrate and count! Washcloths are particularly good things to make when attempting new patterns as they are small and you will not pull your hair out when you must unravel the knitting due to gaping holes or such. The organic cotton yarn feels like a dream and these make particularly good face cloths as the cloths gently exfoliate your skin! I am pleased with this particular one as it turned out to be relatively square and does not resemble its deformed partners.

I did my insomnia thing this morning around 4 a.m. which is too early to get up but too late to get any more restful sleep. Rather than turn the television on and watch something totally inappropriate I decided I would finish the "confetti" scarf. When using this incredibly fun yarn and using a simple stitch, the whole activity becomes more like a meditation. The clicking of the needles, the movement of the yarn from one side to the other. I read something about knitting prayer shawls that suggested you say a prayer before you knit something for the "recipient". I do not sell many scarves mainly because a little portion of my heart goes into each one. A friend commissioned me to make scarves as Christmas gifts one year and determining the cost was very difficult. The work is labor intensive, the cost of materials is high when not purchased from a wholesaler and last of all, how does one price the little part of your spirit that goes into each item one crafts? So Dishy, I promised you a scarf, what do you think of the "confetti" scarf?" It is fun and youthful. Or would you prefer something thicker and more organic? This scarf needs a home, so leave a comment and I will allow my grandchildren to choose a name out of a hat! Tonight I will begin with the first of 50 chemotherapy caps...Needles for Noodles, as Hayden calls it, she is so clever with words! Originally I thought I would knit 50 of the same kind of cap but in different colors and textures. However, I found the cutest hat pattern, courtesy of Soulemama. I think she would be delighted to know her pattern will grace the head of someone that will deeply appreciate wearing such a cute cap. I also have a circular loom which makes a nice thick hat and may use it as well. I am excited and delighted with the Needles for Noodles project. Feel free to join us in this fun effort! Some people knit, some crochet and I have seen a vast array of sewn turbans, scarves and other head gear. Whatever your talent, let's share our "wealth" and pay it forward.