Attempting Mindfullness and a Request...

So things are hotting up and I'm starting to get quite busy with workshops and making for the Christmas Floating Market. 

This is the perfect opportunity for me to practice my 'Not Getting Stressed' pledge to myself. It's very easy during busy times, especially if there's lots of planning involved, to mentally 'rush ahead' and start ticking off days. To combat this every time I notice I'm starting to worry about 'Not Having Enough Time' or thinking about 'How Many Days Left Until' I stop and take note of my surroundings. With a deep breath I try to notice the beauty in the changing seasons or calm myself with spinning or other craft. 

This is my attempt at Mindfullness. Worrying and stressing doesn't give you more time (in fact it does the opposite) and it doesn't help in any way at all so I've decided to just not do it any more and instead Trust...there will be enough time and it will all be ok.

So, with that in mind today I am noticing the warmth of the burner and the sound of rain on the roof while I immerse myself in carding and spinning the softest alpaca, with extra sparkles for good cheer.  (Oh...and paying a teenager an extortionate rate to do the washing up gained me a couple of extra wool making hours)

I was meant to be posting some sneaky peaks of things that are made and ready for the market but the weather is just too gloomy for photography.  Instead I'd like to mention another project I'm working on which is a training course for professionals on the importance of crafting in people's lives, how it aid's wellbeing and contributes to recovery.  I'd really like to include people's own experiences of this so if any one would like to share their story with me I'd be ever so grateful.  You can email me on woollycraftwonders@gmail.com and all information will be confidential. 

So for now....don't worry, be happy....Happy Crafting x

Moon rise...a moment to be immersed in :-)

Time for a catch up.

So....back story ....

It's been fun looking back through the posts and remembering the projects good and bad (the Tussah silk dress has only ever been worn once and spends most of it's life buried in a drawer and the mitred square blanket got eaten by moths!!). 

 I have been trying to recall why I stopped blogging because it was way before I started working more or less full time....I suspect that I just got fed up with reporting on failed job interviews and got ground down by it all.  I ended up taking a job at my local primary school as a TA which for the most part I enjoyed.

But by far the two most scariest things I've done in the last few years have been moving back to the canal in 2014 ...

Finding NB Mercy

and leaving a job that was no longer fulfilling...

The former was a fairly long drawn out process of looking for the right boat and sleepless nights worrying about the madness of it all....the later was a decision made over just one sleepless night and executed fairly swiftly!  

The processing of both decisions though were ably assisted by lots of crafting. I find replacing worrying thoughts of 'how will 3 people exist in a space 72x7ft', 'what if a tree falls on us' and 'how will we survive without my regular wage' with 'should I edge in white or black' and 'where can I find the right type of autumnal wool' far more favourable!!  Because as the end of the day the only thing you can do during times of uncertainty is to sit it out and wait for it all to settle down...and if your're having a sit down you might as well do some knitting!!

And so I suppose today's pearl of wisdom is that the process of getting older is really just a case of wracking up more and more experiences I know I can survive and get through ☺

I have a busy day today. The youngest returns from a week of sophistication in London so I will need to rebuild her nest to cushion the blow and I'm off to have my hair cut at the The Floating Salon who we are very conveniently moored near. 

What I MUSTN'T do is get distracted by this...

I have few projects on the go at the moment but updates on those will have to wait...I really need to crack on with the washing up (seeing as we no longer have the luxury of a dishwasher). At least I have a nice view :-)

TTFN x

Dual purpose spinning.....

There has been a dual purpose to my yarn making these days.

As I go about the mundane business of filling in forms, writing letters, tidying up, preparing food etc etc just spying a bag of beautiful and luxurious fibres inspires me to keep going....delayed gratification....10 mins spinning is my reward for my dedication to job hunting and housewifely duties.

The trouble is as soon as I sit down at the wheel and start drawing out the fibres the ideas start coming!

Things I must mention in my application forms and letters, craft ideas for the PTA's Africa Day, lesson ideas and workshop plans.  So as soon as I start I have to stop....find a pen...make a note....add a word or two to the latest letter or personal statement.

Nevermind though, I managed to create this....

I want to call this Aquamarine as that's the youngest favourite film and it's the same colour as the mermaids hair.

Next to go through the carder will be some newly washed and wonderfully soft white alpaca, Pistachio Merino from Wingham Wool and more silk....yummy!  I can barely wait.  I do sometimes wonder just how I coped with life before I could spin :0)

I must find some knitters soon as I am soon going to have more yarn than I'll know what to do with! 

TTFN x x x

Let the Blogging Commence

After much umming and ahing I've decided to enter into the world of the Blogger.

Part of the reason for this because I am so impressed with the blogs I read through Ravelry and Knitty, and I also felt a bit voyeristic for reading all those blogs and not contributing with my own.

The other reason is that I am on a massive creative drive and wanted to keep some kind of record of my progress.

So then, a bit about where I'm at. I am currently filling my non knitting/spinning time with running around after 3 girls, volunteering lots at the local primary school doing craft based activities and I'm doing a 15 week Art Therapy Course. This is all to fill in a bit of time before I have another career change and re-train as a Primary School Teacher in september.

This is what I'm currently amusing myself with at the moment. I apologise for the quality of the photo's, my resident photographer is at school!!

A bit of spinning. This is some wool tops with coloured thread purchased from Forest Fibres. I bought this as i knew I was going to be busy so I needed some ready to go. I've plyed it with some gold and silver thread for a bit of sparkle. I've given this to my mum so she can knit something lovely for my new neice.

We had some wonderful sunshine on Sat and I was meant to be doing some gardening, but I got a little distracted by some recently dyed wool and a bag of recycled Sari Silk, so I spent the day carding this up instead!

So there goes my first, and hopefully, not my last attempt to blog. I just hope that blogging doesn't take up so much time that I don't have enough time to do the things I want to blog about!!!