Nature As Inspiration

While on a walk through a local outdoor mall my husband pointed out this tree.  He was looking at where the tree had been trimmed.  To him it was an "eye" looking at him.  I had to agree....those cuts on the tree created eyes that made it seem as if the tree came to life and could look at us as we passed by.  Maybe it was a trick of the evening darkness and street lights or it really was and eye?

My husband was taking photos and I could not resist snapping a few shots of my own with my phone camera.  Later, as he was processing his photos, we enjoyed a lively discussion about what we each saw and how we interpreted it differently.

So here are my photos.

 

I put them together in a collage and copied each one and flipped it so I had pairs of eyes.  Who knows when and where it may pop up again in one of my fiber designs.

Before I left the tree, I pointed my camera up and took a picture of the leaves overhead.  I have always had a fascination with trees and often try to personify them.  This was another opportunity to take a moment, observe, fantasize, dream and wonder about the little miracles that surround us.

Knowing Yourself

Living in a big city, some days I wake up feeling crowded.  While there are a lot of benefits to living here, their are times I long for the quiet and space of the country.  Today was one of those days.   I needed to organize my studio which has become crowded with unfinished projects.  After several attempts to rearrange furniture, pick up and declutter, I realized all I was accomplishing was feeling frustrated and more crowded.

 I finally decided to get in my car and go for a short drive.  The beauty of the Phoenix Valley is that in any direction you can drive a few minutes from the various downtowns and be out in what feels like the middle of nowhere.  I love that our state has so many open spaces and beautiful vistas.  So off I went....knowing that 5 minutes up the road I would encounter the following fields and mountains.  I pulled off the road for a bit and just took it all in.  Then it occurred to me that others might enjoy the view as well.

As with most problems, when you allow a little space or a short distraction between what isn't working and what you are trying to accomplish, it looks different when you return.  I see this all the time when I am teaching someone a new knitting skill and they can't seem to get it.  If they just allow themselves a few moments to get up, walk around the store and then return to the classroom, it somehow relaxes them enough that they can master the task they are wanting to learn.

For me, I returned to the studio and the rearranging and clean up looked so much easier than it had before I left.  I have to remember that a visual of open space relaxes me and then my brain can sort out the problem before me.  (Where is the holodeck when you need one?)

New Ideas-New Direction

Lately I have been spending a lot of my knitting design time learning about Social Media.  I have managed to figure out Instagram and some of the blogging features.  I even found a way to link Ravelry patterns to the blog.  For a lot of you, the idea of all the media is nothing new.  For me, even though I use my computer and phone a lot, the media and connecting everything is quite new.  I get the concepts and big picture, it's those pesky details that hang me up.

There are many reasons besides "its good business" to blog.  Probably the reason I hear most often, is it that it becomes kind of a journal of your day to day life.  With the photo apps and photo dependent social media, we can document a lot of the same things with photos and videos.  I like a nice mix of words and photos, with occasional videos.  That's my preference when I am doing the posting.  However, I have to admit though, I really enjoy the browsing aspects of the photos on Instagram.  There is so much talent and beauty in our world and Instagram is a great way for people to share.

Things To Reflect On

What is success?   Is it finally finishing a project I have moved again and again from home to home to work on someday?  Is it spending a day with someone who's company I enjoy?  Is it making xxx amount of dollars at work or having someone willing to pay me for my art or craft?  Is it clearing out the clutter, both physically and emotionally?  

With social media, we are told to be successful one needs to use it to grow or sustain their business.  I am constantly amazed at how even the "right" social media that one should use to promote themselves keeps changing.   About the time I sort of figure one out along comes two new ones.  Supposedly there are as many ways to use social media to make money as there are social media platforms.  At what point do we begin to tune out and stop processing all the photos, advertisements, advice, videos, emails and apps in cyberspace?

These are the things I have been pondering lately.  I think I will go find a quiet place to knit or maybe go for a walk in the park and see if I can see a path through the information overload.  In my imagination I picture outer space and every where you look are pieces of information flowing constantly.  They are randomly shaped photos, pages with text, scrolls strung out for miles, and nonstop letters flying by at lightening speed.   

Hmmm capture that into a knitting pattern!

Today As I Sat Dreaming of Future Designs

The weather in Phoenix has been crazy this spring.  Usually by May we are quite warm.  This May has found us extra days of very pleasant cooler temperatures to enjoy.   A gift for sure, so I have been spending my mornings sitting outside absorbing the pleasure of light breezes and all the noises of nature.  A clever hummingbird built the nest on some wind chimes hanging under the cover of our patio.  Today I was treated to her baby which you see in the photo.   We watched in awe as the mother humming bird came and fed her little one.   

The beauty of it reminded me how fortunate I am to have the moments to sit quietly and just be.  Those quiet moments energize my creativity.   Did you allow your self a few quiet moments today?

                   

Mystery Knitalong Starts May 4th....Don't Miss This One

To participate, simply buy the pattern for $3.00 

and let the fun begin.

Sassy Hat by Elusive Designs....It Makes a Statement!

Price is $3.00

Free Pattern From Elusive Designs

To download this free pattern click here.

Recently I have been working on several new patterns as well as cleaning up and removing some of my earlier designs.  It always amazes me how much we change over the years in what we consider as good one year and not so great the next.

I recently added my mystery knit alongs to Ravelry.   This is an amazing knitting website as well as one for any of the fiber arts.  By selling the mystery pattern on Ravelry, I have had many from other countries join in on the fun.  

Well I really need to get back to work on the "bag" mystery design or it won't be ready in time.

Design challenge for the day:  Look around you, where ever you are at the moment you are reading this and find one object to focus on for a few minutes.  Now either mentally, verbally or on paper, try to describe it as if you had never seen it before and you are sending a report to someone else who has never seen the object either.   If possible take it a step further and try to imagine what humans actually use the object for.   Have fun.

A visit to Prescott

Today I escaped the heat, (yes Phoenix is getting warm enough for me to be hot), and went north to Prescott. The mountains are just beginning their spring weather and some plants are starting to enjoy the spring and reward us with the beginnings of their blooms.

On this nice windy day, we, Fred and I took a bit of a time to explore The Arizona Fiber Mill. I have seen fiber mills before, but never in Arizona. What was especially exciting for me was the spinning machine. I was fortunate enough to be able to fondle a run of beautiful dark brown alpaca yarn. Too bad it was a customers alpaca that had just been completed or I would have had to have added it to my stash.

If you are in need of having fiber processed for hand spinning, felting or yarn made from your own fiber, contact Rita, or look the mill up on the web. We are so fortunate to finally have a fiber mill in Arizona that understands our passion for fiber. Let's be sure and show our support by sending our business to her so we can continue the growth of fiber related businesses in Arizona.

The address is below:

Arizona Fiber Mill LLC
7485 E 1st Street
Suite A, Prescott, AZ 86314

http://www.arizonafibermill.com/

Keeping up

I always mean to post more often. It is not that I am weak on ideas and thoughts. I am constantly busy designing and making new pieces.

You can blame part of it on Pinterest as I only have to post a photo. The other part is I fail to use the computer as much as others seem to. I love technology yet I seem to get stuck in a rut. I use it a lot then hardly at all. Remember it, and the cycle starts again.

I think the biggest problem is time. I want more, yet no one will sell me theirs. So I only have what I have, and it seems to vanish before I accomplish all I dream of doing.

No matter, I have written a post for you and now will add some photos of current projects.

New Approach To Freeform

I have been using glass pieces made by Jody of Greenbean Studio to create freeform necklaces. Here is two of them I recently finished.

what is it?

Can you see anything in this picture?

Phoenix extremes

Last week we had a bit of weather, hail and very cold rain, then the sun and 80 degrees just in time for the shearing.

Meet Velvet who has provided me with a beautiful portion of her fleece. (She is the one with the brown fleece)

While carding her clean washed wool my three grandchildren decided the best way to offer the small nubs and second cuts to the birds for nest building, was by decorating a desert plant that is getting ready to bloom. Won't the flowers be surprised to see the wool waiting to greet them!

Dye Study

This is yarn we dyed in our Master Spinning "dye study day".

I am planning a free form project.

thoughts

I love design work.  Picking apart stitch patterns.

The last few weeks to sign up

We are on the home stretch for registration for Fibers thru Time.
If you have been thinking about taking the Free Form workshop, please sign up soon.   I am looking forward to the opportunity to share this fiber pursuit that I am so in love with.

Catching up

It seems like time just keeps going faster. Here it is December and I haven't posted in so long.

Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!

Disneyland

Fibers Through Time

Just a quick check in to share the link to the Fibers Through Time 2012 Event. 
                        /Fibers Through Time 2012 -check it out!