We’re getting close to turning a new leaf again and I haven’t been talking much lately because I had a feeling everybody was making busy for the holidays and gearing their minds towards elves, reindeer, cookies and eggnogg. I hope you had some time to actually relax as well, not just dashing from one meal to the next with crowds of noisy relatives and cranky kids. 😉
No rush at the cottage, I’ve been weaving my towels, just finished the last one of the batch yesterday, so I better get cracking with the band also. I had a full blown cold last week, the first one I can remember for years and years; I guess it had to happen at some point. Ginger and elderberry tonic for the win! We had to do some xmas shopping with the rest, because everything is closed for 3 days, but luckily it wasn’t too crowded and I got to pick up my sewing machine from service too. I feel horrible and exhausted if I eat too much, especially the endless combinations of fat, white carbs and sugar, it’s murder on my system. Love the taste, but it’s just not worth it, so we’ve been scaling down more and more each year.
I’d like to begin this week with a warm welcome to all the new subscribers that seem to be adding my blog these past few weeks, whether you’re actually here to read or just hope to make somebody read yours. I’m afraid you’ve chosen to join me for the slow season, as my back has been out of commission again and my head then needs to adjust to sitting tasks only, with not much to show or tell just yet. I hope some of you will stick around for later antics!
This also coincided with planned weaving, carding and spinning work, which means I spend an inordinate amount of time just sitting here thinking about them, making endless weave drafts and colour samples. I need to find a plugin/app/whatnot that makes swatches from photos because just using the sampler in PS does not give me the vibrant shades I see with my eye/mind and it takes too long. Any suggestions? I prefer one that is installed, rather than having to upload single photos to a website each time, as I tend to work in batches. Oh, and it needs to be for Windows – I found a really cool one, Mac and i-things only. Continue reading “Untimely”→
Daylight savings over, it now gets dark at 5 but for a while longer it’s easier to get up in the morning at least. When I was serious about horseriding this was a time of anguish for me, as I couldn’t make it out before dark unless I geared up around 2 pm. Out here it’s dark when the sun goes down, not even a single street lamp, so we feel the seasons more than in the city – although I remember November in CPH being decidedly glum, so perhaps not. Continue reading “Wintertime”→
I don’t really do resolutions at specific times or other calendar assisted activities if I can help it, but 2012 was a bitch right up to and with the last day, and I don’t want a repeat. Won’t bore you with the details, but one of the things I’ve spent some time pondering is chores, schedules, plans and to-do lists. So now is as good a time as ever to create new routines.
I love making lists, it seems to declutter my head (a bit) and oh, the joy of crossing something out! But. I also learned that those lists in fact add considerably to my stress levels. Must do! Look how busy I am! I make short term day lists and long term big chores lists. Tape them to the kitchen cupboard.
Then I tried something new, I put them away. And realised that A, I can learn to not repeat them in my head all day in case I forget and B, I actually get just as many things done anyway. Perhaps even more, actually, because less time is spent fretting over the amount of items. I’m learning that not all things are equally important nor urgent, who’d have thought!?
So my hope for 2013 apart from a smoother ride, is to keep reprogramming my whole mindset about these things and just really go with the flow. Leave room for lots of breaks and marvel if I don’t need them! Rather than feeling guilty for sneaking them in. I still have goals, but every step I make towards each one is fine, no deadlines.
So how do you all juggle the stuff that “needs” to get done, stuff you want to do and all the rest? Do you deliberately limit yourself to a manageable number of hobbies/activities so you don’t spread yourself thin, do you schedule heavily, delegate chores (I knew there was at least one reason I should have had kids!), happily swim in a sea of options, picking as you go along?
(some of) The List
Scan my old negatives (3 heavy binders full)
Play with sampling/mixed media
Start painting again
Try garden printing
Organize my image files
Finish my garden chores (separate list!)
Clean ALL the things!
Exercise regularly
Meditate daily
Drink more water
Create a work schedule and stick to it
Design sweaters
Don’t worry
Ride more
Clutterfree desk
Be happy
Spin the karakul and other odd wools for weaving (and to clear storage space)
Make a loom and start weaving
Get books on weaving from the library (probably in that order)
Don’t worry
Spin ALL the wool, then buy more. Dye it.
Write every day, not just the silly blog
Clean up the courtyard between buildings
Carry all the firewood inside before winter done
Restore order to the barn
Wash horse blankets done
“Quilt” collages from cutout water colours
Process box of fiber from “Goliath” the camel
Tonnes of dull sewing and repairs…
Finish knitting projects
Learn about felting. Get books from library. Etc.
Work on the other artsy project ideas (separate list)
See people
Go new places
Order new firewood and stack it
Declutter garage (Oh my)
Empty wash room, tear down wall, build a new one
File backups
Find a/some nice yarnbase/s to order in bulk for dyeing
…
It’s a scary, exciting world! Arthur’s first trip outside the house.
We’re getting close to turning a new leaf again and I haven’t been talking much lately because I had a feeling everybody was making busy for the holidays and gearing their minds towards elves, reindeer, cookies and eggnogg. I hope you had some time to actually relax as well, not just dashing from one meal to the next with crowds of noisy relatives and cranky kids. 😉
