Creativity at Play

Guess what?!? March has quickly approached and I can hardly believe it. All at once I'm nervous and excited, eager and anxious to get started. It's form of creativity is learning how to use pastels . I chose pastels as a medium for a few good reasons. Firstly, I have selected a mentor who works in that medium to help me learn a few techniques and tricks along the way. Secondly, they are easier to maneuver than paints or water colours and hopefully less mess to clean up. Still. Yikes! Although this was my chosen medium as with any of these experiments and experiences it's still new. So to prepare for the iminient month of March I've been amping up and doing some experimenting on my own. With supplies at hand I've been trying different abstract shapes and idea, shading, blending and smudging, rubbing, grunting and learning.  This is a messy craft! Which has helped me know how to plan out March when it arrives- as I write this it's a day away-. "The Spark...

An Update on my month of knitting in February  Hello All, here we are a little halfway through February (already!) and my month of knitting is a great success so far. With that said, I thought it would be a great opportunity to update folks on how things have been going and the scarf's progress.  As the month has gone by much faster than I could have anticipated I've continued to work diligently and patiently on what I've lovingly called my " mulligan scarf ". Which looking at the project this way has really helped, I've loosed my grip (figuratively) on trying to frantically knit, been willing to explore some more new techniques and allowed discouragement to stay at bay. Heck! I've even embraced looking at my errors (which have been few since that time) as authenticity marks in my other endeavours- which are baking and now coming up in March doing pastel artwork (which I've started to briefly playing around with). I don't expect to finish thi...

My Thoughts on Resources:  Here's an interesting tidbit, and perhaps this is just me thinking about it, but there seems to be a lot more options out there to find inspiration. You can look online if you're tech-savvy or at least familiar surfing the internet. Or go to the library to test out possible cookbooks/how to books on knitting before buying more books or if you don't have anymore room on your bookshelves for more inspiration. There also has come great inspiration through magazines , many that are filled as well with interesting articles, information, interviews and tips from the experts and most recently you can borrow back issues from the library these days so there's no need to worry about filing those either. Though,  if you are like me and find yourself with absolutely no room to store more magazines or books and can't quite find the time to borrow from the library Pinterest is full of inspiration too.  I won't blame you for preferring it as...

So I discovered that for a first attempt, perhaps my scarf isn't as bad as I thought. It may have a few mistakes here and there, with a valuable lesson that knitting is best when we are well rested or have the energy to focus our best but isn't that what this whole experience is about, learning. It's not about the scarf coming out perfectly, yes it would be nice but since there's much to learn this time around it's become more about practicing the technique of knitting and simply seeing this one through. Which is why I've called the first knitting project- a hefty two ball scarf- my "mulligan scarf". When I take on other projects I'll have it down pat and be more careful. For now I am learning: learning how to fix my "boo boos" as I refer to any mistakes made, when it's best to knit- during the early parts of my day- and when it's not such an opportune time- later at night. Which is equally important to curbing any possible mistak...

So in honour of my month of baking wrapping up (although not ending), and as way to test my progress as a blossoming baker I decided to take on a completely NEW type of recipe, one that is not muffins, cakes, or cookies. A donut recipe a first for me both in baking and doing. As I did this one all on my own for the first time. So exciting, little intimidating and greatly adventurous undertaking- nothing like proving to yourself the skills learned have paid off. Earlier during that day- which was two weeks ago- there was an initial plan to do with supervision but on a whim and a burst of energetic confidence I found myself ready to dive right into this endeavour while the inspiration lasted. So out the necessary equipment and ingredients came in flusters of activity and preparations. It wasn't the ideal way to prepare for baking but when taking the first leaps into solo baking experiences there's also a great deal of nervousness that comes with the territory. And a lot more to...

So it occurred to me just now that I've mentioned the "how" and "what" of the creative challenge but hadn't really explained the "why", which I'm realizing is the most important part of the whole thing. If there's no particularly compelling reason for me to do it for myself than is it still really worth. Also you may be wondering what spurred this sudden burst of "I'm going to take on something different throughout the year." Well my friends, I figured out it's actually pretty simple. I am doing this to help me stay positive, creative and inspired at times when I am frustrated and am feeling stuck, or bored or uninspired. This is a way for me to create my own source of JOY in life when it may be tricky to point to in other areas. It's also a way for me to stay inspired when the weeks are long, and I don't really feel like writing that much. I'll have several other outlets I can turn to, to keep the juices flo...

Early insights, pleasure and obsessions in knitting Well... guess what, we are now officially in the month of February which means it's time for my next added challenge. In full admittance I was skeptical of this months plan- mainly it being knitting- and the success rate but leading up to the month and new creative experience I summoned up all my courage, openness and patience potentially needed to make it a positive one. The project (since you only need one to keep busy and learn) is a simple scarf and bought supplies yesterday (there's no backing out once you have what's needed) all set to take up my first lesson (with my Aunt). The knitting itself at first seemed intimidating and finicky, the type of thing that I thought might need all my patience but actually turned out quite well as it turns out I'm quite the natural at knitting despite popular concerns (including my own). As I first those first few stitches on the row, then the next few came I surprised even ...