PS and Mother Nature

This month of Project Spectrum colors have been fun to look for as the world is full of yellow and orange flowers.  Flowers are always beautiful no matter the color and such a welcome sight.  However, it is a rare winter when the flowers of spring aren't covered with snow at least once or twice. Luckily I took pictures of the flowers in our neighborhood over the warm weekend.  The miniture white daffodils were so pretty!

Mother nature has a way of teasing us and forcing us to play guessing games. It is difficult to figure out what will happen day to day.  Sunday, as you can see from yeterday's post, was a full of sun and blue skies. But, Monday the snow came early and we had near blizzard conditions on a day that felt more like February.  Tuesday we woke to a winter wonderland.  The poor lilac buds were under a blanket of white.  Good thing spring blossoms are hardy little folk.

Project Spectrum has been instrumental in stimulating the learning of something new.  For some time now I have wanted to make my own greeting cards and just didn't quite know how to go about it.  By making a few trips to a scrap book store and reading a couple of magazines, I  have been able to collect a small supply of necessary items. Each card I make encourages new ideas and another trip to pick up more supplies.  Each month the shop gives a 20% discount off one item so, next month I'll buy a paper cutter. This month I bought a set of chalks. Paper crafting is much more fun, and more creative, than I thought it would be. If  I make enough cards, it will be less expensive than purchaing cards, right?

Many of us feel the 'funk' or have a real sense of ennui about our knitting and, perhaps life in general, as mother nature changes her mind.  Having the likes of four seasons in one day can lead to an unfocused feeling.  We want to play in the garden but, its too early and muddy to plant. The sky is blue one minute and raining, or snowing the next. The warm clothes we don in the morning can't come off fast enough as the afternoon heats up.  Nothing feels right, nothing is enticing...but,  maybe that's the point. It's time to relax and let spring come, as it will, and then we'll know just what to do.  Let's suspend anticipation and desire and just 'be'...just sit back and enjoy mother nature's antics.

Maybe all that we can do
Is to cast on something new
Take time to refocus,
Knit and take care of you. 

The Euroflax robe from MDK is now on my needles....ahhh, that feels good.

Comments

[Jane]

My sentiments exactly! I cast on for a scarf last night, even though I'm making good progress on another couple of projects. No real deadlines, just happy knitting. I think we have to "warm up" to all the rambunctious energy that's out there in Spring, don't you?

[Kathy]

Card making is a great idea -- I always love receiving a hand-made card. It's funny -- I always tell my kids to make a card to put on a birthday present. We should as well -- thanks for this post!

[Laurie]

Maybe the weather explains the ennui in blogland.

I am always impressed with the range of your creativity and talent.

[Carole]

I can't wait to see the cards you make! And the robe, too!

[Alison]

My kids usually help me make cards for the relatives. (I always forgot to buy cards so we started making them at the last minute and found we enjoyed it.) Have you seen the embossing tools? Brass stencils that you lay your paper over and use a ball tool to make raised designs. They are very cool, and so are rubber stamps.

[Lucia]

Climate schizophrenia can be fun! she said, looking on the bright side. I just really want it to be *warm* out, but you are right: best to chill (as it were), and let Nature do what Nature does. No point spending energy on what I can't control. Funny how often I forget that.

[Cara]

So funny! That stripey scrapbook paper in one of the pictures? I use that all the time for work. Have fun making cards!

[Erin]

How is the Euroflax to knit with? I saw some in my LYS and was intrigued with the feel of it. I haven't used anything like that before, though, so was wondering if it's difficult to keep in gauge or if it knits up easily.

[hillary]

As always, a lovely and inspiring entry. I feel the ennui too but I think I'm snapping out of it. I acquired scrapbooking stuff a while ago and thought that I really wanted to get into it. Then I started knitting... maybe I can use the stuff to make cards instead.

[susan]

You know, there is STILL snow on my lawn this morning from that storm. Damn.

[Laura]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh. It's so therapeutic to my mind when I read your blog Margene. I feel like I've been to a virtual spa. heh

Thanks for refocusing our thoughts in a positive direction rather than "all over the place" like the weather has been. :)

[Vicki]

One of my sisters has not bought a card in years -- probably 20 years or so. She's done everything from woodcuts to stencils to stamping and embossing (and many combinations and everything in between)! What is really fun is to gather all of her Christmas cards, for instance, and see how her creativity, technique and design sense has grown and changed. Truly amazing. These days, she chooses a theme for all of her birthday cards, let's say, so they're all rather similar, but very personal, too. It's one of those black hole things to me -- like spinning -- I don't get too close because I might fall in and never return!! ; )

[Kim]

Card-making is great fun, and it's true--once you build up your basic supplies I really do think it's cheaper (and also so thoughtful) to make them yourself.

The only problem is you'll start making so many of them for fun that you'll have too many to ever give away!

[Marcia]

Making your own cards can be cheaper...but only if you don't get sucked in to rubberstamping! However, if you do, I know where you can get lots of slightly used ones really cheap, hee, hee! I'm dying to see how you like the Euroflax...the robe has been calling my name, too. (Just finished a mesh bag in the worsted weight and kind of liked working on the linen.)

[julia fc]

I love getting handmade cards, and what a fun addition to the fiber repetoire. I do so admire the crafty girl blogs too, Molly Chicken, and the quilt girls, they're always full of good inspiration.
Love the P socks too. The variegation is so much fun, and the pattern really stands up to it, I think.

[Jennifer]

Yes - hasn't Project Spectrum been a great instigator of even more creativity? Lolly is the best. I love your flora photos - very inspirational!

[Judy]

There are so many ways to be creative, hardto choose. Why choose? I'm also trying my hand at this.

[marie in florida]

knitting funk ...yes.
letting it linger...no!
i've reached the top of my AMBER hat and i'm about to go thank susan for teaching me, this is the first time i've made a welt correctly.
time to just let spring be and just let me be and good reminding me, thanks. i have a small book, aimed at kids really ; how to make your own greeting cards. i'm ready to give it a try too. got plenty of yarn catalogs to use as materials, ay?

[Martha]

One of my friends made the cutest holiday cards last year with rubber stamps and all those scrap booking accessories. It really inspired me and I would like to make my own cards next year. Something a little more special than mass-produced cards, you know?

I'm thinking of knitting that robe out of wool, as a jacket. I'm not sure I can stand that much stockinette, though.

[Bookish Wendy]

I just inherited my grandmother's card making supplies. I can not wait to dig in and start creating! Have fun with it all!!

ps - Joann fabrics often has 50% off coupons if you join their mailing list. They carry a lot of these supplies.

[Kim]

I know just what you mean about the knitting funk. Sometimes it helps to dabble in other endeavors (like paper crafting---fun!) to trigger inspiration.

Your photos are so beautiful. I do so love Spring...

Big hugs, sweetie. Now when are we gettin' together? This is the summer, woman! xoxox

[Stephanie]

Ah spring. I am going through the same things with the weather, although the flowers haven't been brave enough to show themselves yet. I can't wait to see more of the robe!

[knittinbrit]

I'm so glad you started the MDK Robe. I'm looking forward to seeing its progress.

You will find making your own cards very rewarding and is also a great way to use yarn scraps or even swatches.

Have Fun!

[Peg]

Spring here is also changeable! I loved the photo of the snow on your lilacs, but I wonder how the lilacs will fare from their 'wintery' coat!

[valoree]

Yahoo for the reincarnation of the hand-written letter. Nice as emails are for staying in touch, nothing replaces the feeling of writing a real letter, or for getting one in the mail, with a hand-addressed envelope. My DIL writes letters and has inspired me to do the same. It's a wonderful way to start the morning. So Margene, you don't have to save those cards for special occasions. Send them any time and make someone's day. (Seems you do that alot, anyway!)

[Joanne]

Beautiful pictures!

Hope to meet you at Estes :-)

[Kristy]

Oh, you will have so much fun making your own cards! I also think they are much more appreciated than store-bought cards. However, don't fool yourself into thinking it will be less costly. Like knitting, paper crafting is addictive. Soon you will have a stash that rivals the yarn -- really!!!

[Beth S.]

There you go again, putting the Zen back in Zeneedle. ;-) Thanks for the reminder!

Your lilacs are much farther along than mine. Hope they survive their 'dusting'.

[lisa Co. Springs]

Wouldn't the nightie and robe be a lovely wedding shower gift? I'd love to make it for myself, but think it needs to be on a willowy, leggy grrl....which I so obviously am not.

[Katherine]

I love spring's unpredictability. It DOES get in the way of producitivity, in the way you describe. But it's fun to watch.

I went down to Millcreek Gardens (where I use to work for a few years) on Saturday. Bought a Celebrity tomato, which I promptly planted in a big pot (since I have no yard). By the time I remembered to bring it in on Monday morning, it was covered with snow.

I think it'll be okay. But spring is like that.

[Imbrium]

Ye gods, that's a pretty purple.

[Norma]

Holy cow, my lilacs are just BARELY budding. The leaves, not even close to flowers yet!

And I'm just laughing and laughing and laughing at the idea that you will save money making your own cards. Do I have to tell you the story about the $229 tomato? Heeheeheehee

(In other words, card-making to Margene equals gardening to Norma.....Save money???? Ha!)

[Birdsong]

I hope that the weather will steadily improve from here on out! I like the idea of hand-made cards, and collected similar goodies for scrapbooks for my family, but need to devote more time to the process. Norma's probably right, and you may not save anything, but will certainly have cards of your own choosing. Thanks for the flowers; lilacs are still stifled here. Seeing glints of spring the past few days has given me renewed optimism, and a spring post will be forthcoming, and maybe even some summer knitting.

[Gwen]

BIG CHUCKLE. I don't know that making your own cards actually ends of saving you money...it is so easy to get sucked into all the neat stuff....I fell into that with scrapbooking. I have drawers and drawers of scrapbooking supplies. Ask me how many photos have made it out of their boxes. And it can be a bit overwhelming. You had better truly enjoy the process, Miss Margene!!! It's way worse than stashing yarn. Way worse. But I have all the card stuff set aside also...ready to go...ready to go...if I could only decide where to start. The theme idea sounds like a good way to focus. Can't wait to see them! Oh, did I mention all the rubber stamping stuff I've collected with the best intentions, too??? Oh, and the embellishments....and the fasteners...and wonderful markers and gel pens.........you get the drift....