Purling Oaks

Journal Assembly - Day 1

I've been looking for a day-book/journal for the past month and a half.  I want to use it to record events that happened or what I did on a particular, not to keep to-dos or appointments.  Yes, I'm looking for a memory enhancer.  Of course, I could drop out of the human rat race, find a hammock on a thinly populated island in a warm climate, and be relatively sure my memory would be better for lack of stressors.  BUT, I think that approach may be a bit extreme.  For now.  Also, I want to see how I use my time and maybe make a few changes.  It is the most valuable thing I have and I know I'm not efficient.  I don't want to be nuts about being active all the time but I would like to be able to show I did more than look at Pinterest all day. 

My search found a wide range of planners.  One key focus was to have the same amount of writing space for each day of the week.  I don't know about you, but my Saturdays and Sundays are just as full as the other five days of my week.  Apparently, a lot of planner designers must have pretty dull weekends.  I also wanted the actual calendar day to be reflected without me having to record it.  Yes, lazy-are-me.  Finally, I wanted my daily journal to be relatively attractive.  

Today, being almost one-twenty-fourth of the year past, required a decision.  With the help of Bill at office supply store, I purchased a few items for a quasi-doitmyself planner.  I am using a Day-Timer 1-Page-Per-Day Planner insert.  It allows an a full day of space for each day and has some pretty colors.  However, I didn't want all the bulk of the binders available.  I am going to make a cover for my journal myself.  I'll let you know what I come up with.

 

Some Saturday random

October all ready?!?  Where did the time go?  :D

Some Saturday randomness for you all since I clicked over to this compose page in an almost random manner.....

• I was the recipient of a flu shot Thursday, my first ever.  Thursday "day" was fine but that night and last evening were not so fun due to major muscle freeze on my left side, despite a massage on Friday.  I'm trying to keep it mobile today and I took some Advil so I'm crossing my fingers for better sleep tonight.
• I am happy to be home but I am missing being at Rhinebeck this weekend.  Last year was fun and I intend to make it to the festival next year, if at all possible.  I am really missing the people part.
• However, I'm missing Rhinebeck for a good reason.  My mom's family is celebrating Christmas early with our annual Lutefisk gathering Sunday.  No, I don't eat lutefisk but it is a family tradition to at least smell the stuff and I'm all for traditions.
• A monarch butterfly was waiting for me when I arrived at the DC apartment last Monday.
  
• A chrysalis had been hanging from the doorway of my basement apartment when I left ten days before but I just didn't register that a monarch would emerge from it.  (Thinking about other things, I imagine.)  So, excellent timing, Butterfly, to greet me before heading out on your journey.  
• Have I ever mentioned that I love this variety of butterfly?  That as a child, I made construction paper butterfly wings (in orange and black), had my mother pin the wings to the back of my shirt, and ran down the road imagining the beauty of wings sprouting from my body? I'm still smiling thinking about Monday's happy occurrence.
• The trees are far more bare today at home in Wisconsin than they were a week ago.  
• I had a nice week of (almost) stay-cation before returning to see my doorstep visitor.  
• I started a sourdough starter.  That sounds odd but I think you know what I mean.  Now we just have to keep using it and feeding it in hopes of it developing a nice tangy flavor....probably in six months or so I've read.
• I made a skirt and top without using a paper pattern that I felt confident enough about to wear to work.  (IPhone photo in the apartment hallway.)  Nothing fancy but I'm pleased with myself.  :D
  
• I walked home one night this week and was able to take this photo from the National Mall:  
  

Saturday sharing

Technically, that is Friday Sky but let's pretend, okay?  Today's gray sky is not that pretty, not bad, but not that interesting for blogging about.   The florentine irises are all in bloom and just gorgeous.  This is the time of year when I'm glad they are so prolific.  Later in August.....not so glad.  :D  However, it does let me share the lovelies so let me know in the comments if you would like some of these irises later this summer.  Don't worry, it takes several years for them to get to the dividing stage.   Nora, if you still want some, I'll mail them this year, rather than trying to deliver.  :D  I know Stacey is on the list for this year, now that she is settling in on her lovely lake.

Peg in South Carolina posted about creativity this week and linked to an article by Elizabeth Gilbert.  There was also a link in Peg's comments to this YouTube video of Elizabeth Gilbert talking about a new way to think about creativity.   (The video is long but worth it.)   I think I'll come back to read and view each of them again as there is a lot of "stuff" there to think about.   I think she's found a way to maintain "mojo" more consistently and to avoid our inner critic limiting or killing our ideas and output.  Ms. Gilbert's topic focuses on writing since that is her profession but the concepts, I think, can apply to any creative endeavor including knitting, painting, crocheting, or weaving, which is Peg's choice.  I didn't want to forget about these links, so I'm sharing them.  What do you think about Elizabeth Gilbert's article and presentation?

Happy Saturday!

A geek craving creativity.....

My Google Reader shows 390 blog posts to read.  Just think of all the energy that went into writing those posts this week.  Amazing.  I may not read every one but they are amazing just the same. 

I had a wonderful time with Charlynn at the Quilt Festival.   I did my part to support our economy.  The results of this support may or may not be disclosed in a future post.   In addition to having time to be with Charlynn and enjoy our friendship in person, the exposure to all the creativity at the Festival made an impact on me.  I may not be an especially innovative or creative individual, in (small) part, due to the time I devote to my current employment.  However, I do enjoy the process of making something and the satisfaction of knowing how to "do" something. 

I'm planning on cutting back on my rather random internet surfing and increasing the time spent with my "crafty" stuff.  I doubt if any changes will be noticed here at the blog.  I will be cutting back on time spent in front of the laptop, though I am not sure what the actual result will be and if anyone will notice, even me.  Hopefully, there will be more handmade stuff on the walls of my home and adorning my body.

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I'm almost all packed with the exception of backup knitting projects and reading materials.  I'm looking forward to seeing Carrie K. and being able to explore a small part of San Francisco with her.  I'm also excited about the opportunity to attend the RSA Conference.  Can you say 'geek?'

Take that! (as shouted to Old Man Winter)

One knitting-related post coming up!  I have surprised myself by being very crafty/creative this week (a little) and weekend (a lot).  However, two projects underway are stealth projects so that leaves some blog material very much in an unpublishable draft form for a while.   No worries though.  I actually have real knitting content.  Not BIG knitting content, but I know you're not here for that.  I started the Simple Yet Effective Shawl (Rav link) on the train down to Chicago on Tuesday and worked on it again on Thursday, you guessed it, on the way from Chicago.  And yes, I did spend some of that time in conversation with my DH. 

The yarn is even brighter in person.  It will be interesting to see how the colors stripe between the two different balls.  It is a perfect use for sock yarn that probably shouldn't be used for socks.

Friday took me into Madison for an oil change (for the Jeep), a massage, and general errand-running.  Fortunately, I had time to stop at Lakeside Fibers.  You know, just to look around.  Well, look what came home with me.    
There are a couple more balls of the yarn, Rowan Kidsilk Haze, that didn't make it into the photo.  I was paging through the book in the LYS and I was immediately struck with the need to knit Veronique.  I didn't put up much of a fight. 

I know, black fuzzy yarn may prove to be a challenge but a fellow knitter in that LYS commented that all I would have to do is use light colored needles.  Ta-da!  Enabled. 

Besides getting a fix at Lakeside, I came home to find this in the mailbox!    It is of very nice quality and I love the patterns.  I also ordered the electronic version of the patterns.  I fell in love with the doll, but I'm sure I'll make several items from the book.  Nice job, Ysolda!

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Finally, to thumb my nose at last night's snowfall^X (!!!!), here is a view of some of the crocus (crocii?) in the yard last Thursday and they're just fine this afternoon. 

^X I'm so glad it was sunny today because the two inches of snow that fell were having a serious impact on my mental well-being.  It *is* almost April, you know. 

Pondering stash, redecorating, and a reminder

I just read an excellent perspective on stash acquisition and creativity at Tien's blog.  I do enjoy my stash but it is good to keep in mind that I don't *need* it.  I think know I built my stash primarily though the joy of acquisition and I'm sure that will continue.  I do enjoy shopping, especially for fiber-related beautiful stuff.   I have noticed I have been just a little more selective during the past year.  Oops, that was because I didn't have place to put it for most of last year.  Well, it was good training.

The blog redecorating occupied a few hours today and I'm glad to have a personalized banner again.  The old one disappeared a while ago and I never made time to create another one.  I also knit 14 more rows on Icarus this afternoon.  (See that, Stacey?)  I'm still deep in Chart 1 and enjoying that I'm "getting" the pattern.  (I'm just whispering that last phrase --- I need to put in another lifeline.....soon.)

I found another reminder in my photo library that Spring will come.

I'm approaching my 400th post.  I think a contest/giveaway may be a good idea.  Stay tuned.

After the cake came the good stuff

On Saturday, besides eating some birthday cake, my DSIL, Anne, was able to show me a few projects she has been working on lately....outside of her regular work and being a mom to an active two-year-old boy. Before she showed me her first project, she warned me it was crochet and not knitting. She also said something along the lines of it being an incredibly *gly project, but I always discount stuff like that. She has drafted her own paper pattern for this sweater and is doing freeform crochet and other methods to create segments the right shape to fit the paper pattern. The sweater still needs upper front panels and shoulder panels. I think it is really cool--especially the freeform section for the upper back portion. I can't wait to see it finished.

Anne is also working on a set of hand puppets. You see her here with the Prince. The Snow Queen would have been pictured but my camera battery chose that moment to die. Note that the Prince has real fur on his boots! Yes, this photo is a good photo of the Prince but not so good of Anne. See yesterday's post to see the real Anne. Anne's sweater and puppet you see here are are just a small display of her creativity. I always enjoy visiting and talking with Anne but it seems our time to talk about our crafts is always so short. She's really supportive about everything I do -- especially this blog. So the least I could do is talk about Anne here and show her latest projects. *g* See, Anne, now you are on the blog twice in one week!