the Wise Robin

handwritten

 

 

 

 

 A wise woman once told me that handwriting was in my bones, so I had better sharpen my pencil and get writing. She was right. For as long as I can remember I have loved the feel of fresh paper and the mark of ink or pencil across the page. When I sit in front of a screen words fall in a jolting manner or elude me completely. When I have pen and paper the words stream with ease and honesty. This needto hand write things is reflected in the number of notebooks, journals and lists I have dotted around our home, full of ideas, thoughts, tears, love, smiles...me. On last count there were nineteen notebooks and the lists, well, what can I say, I'm a list person people, always have been, always will be, I'm not even going to bother counting those.

When I started university 12 years ago computers were just becoming the tool of use for essays. And while I have evolved with technology I have also retained the need to write in the 'old fashioned way'. When struggling with the words for a uni paper I would resort to writing the two and half thousand words by hand, then type it up. Even now when the words falter I smooth out a clean sheet and write.
 

 

 

As my little one begins to find her own style with words, I am reminded how much a part of us, how unique everyone's handwriting is. How abstract shapes turn into letters, which turn into words, sentences, paragraphs and pages. As with most things in my life I am still feeling my way and finding my feet with writing and words. I find my spoken words often lack the meaning or depth I want to attach to them. The words come easier with a pen in my hand rather than on my feet and out of my mouth. Often I find myself not saying anything at all or bumbling. So time and time again I pick up a pen and return to my notebooks and journals.

 
 

This year I am finding Winter, with it's long nights, dark mornings and grey days, slowing me down...a lot. There is an inwardness with words, images and movement. Not wanting to venture to far, move to much, make many things. Even the writing has slowed. For me it is a time of stillness, quieting the mind and gathering energy for the unfurling that is Spring.

make

 

 

So here is something for you all to make.

A simple window star to brighten even the most grey of winter days.

These stars are so beautiful when the sunlight shines through them showing the underlying patterns and different shades of colour.

We chose to make a rainbow but they look equally as beautiful in a single colour or seasonal colours.

You will need

glue

scissors or a paper cutter

ruler and pencil

tape or blu-tac (for attaching your star to a window)

waxed paper (also called kite paper), or tissue paper, or any paper of your choice that has a transparent quality. We use the 16cm x 16cm waxed paper from Morning Star Crafts which comes as a pack of 100 sheets in a variety of colours.

 

 
 

To make an eight point star cut eight sheets of paper into rectangles measuring 30cm x 26cm.

To make a sixteen point star use sixteen sheets of paper.

To make a smaller or larger star increase or decrease the dimensions of the rectangle whilst maintaining the ratio.

Hmm. Ratios.

Well there's something for you to think about.

We simply halved the dimensions to 15cm x 13cm and the resulting pattern was lovely. Different size rectangles give different patterns so be creative and experiment!

Fold the rectangle in half lengthways and open

 

Fold each corner in to meet the midline

 

Your paper should now look something like this

 

Fold two sides in again to meet the midline

 

You should now have a kite shape

 

Repeat for the remaining rectangles

 

Place a small dab of glue on the wide tip and one side tip of the kite as shown

 

Now stick down the next kite, being careful to line up the wide end side with the centre line of the first kite

 

Repeat the glueing and sticking for seven of the kites

 

To glue the eighth kite lift the first kite and slide half of the eighth kite underneath as shown

 

An eight pointed window star

 

 

Attach your star to a window  

Maybe your windows will be cleaner mine!

We weekended in Winter sunshine and Winter rain.

 

 

There were warm Winter mittens

 

 

A long overdue flower to adorn a Winter hat

(Simple Hat from Erika Knight's Simple Knitting ,with rolled edge replaced by a rib. Flower from I Love Knitting)

A new haircut

 

A little finger printing

 

 Birthday wishes

and some long overdue planting

 

sunshine or rain

 wherever you may be

whatever season you are in

wishing you a slow, simple, rhythmic weekend

 

beautiful day

 

 

today was a beautiful day

slow start, slow rhythm, just the way we like it

a card hidden under a pillow and slept on with love all through the night

early morning delivery, answering doors in long johns

a loving message with a song

window stars and walnut shell boats

surprise visitor bearing just what I needed

gorgeous food, gorgeous company, gorgeous gifts

hunting for crafting goodies with my girl

precious winter stones

more gorgeous company and gorgeous food

a good read

simple cake, candles blown out

snuggle and a story, sleep

a space of quiet

the beginning of another year's journey around the sun

Love to all who made this day special

 

 

 

 

winter colours

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
Pondering some of my favourite colours

deep, grey skies, an impending storm, sunshine on glaucous gumleaves

 riverstones mottled black, grey and brown vivid under the water, turning to muted shades of the same on the shore

golden, autumn, afternoon sunshine

crisp, clean, fresh snow

my childhood bedroom walls- a gentle, warm, soothing peach

the multitude of flecks in the coat of a tortoiseshell cat

 lichen green, sage green, gumleaf green, ocean green, flannel flower green, the pale green of hop bitter leaves that gradually turns to a deep red along the ruffled edges

buttermilk yellow and cornflower blue

earthy shades of weathered wood

the cold, silver of brushed steel

1930s lipstick red

 golden crusts on freshly, baked bread

the many shades of autumn leaves

the slightest hint of a pink blush on plum blossom petals

mustard yellow

 crushed raspberries and the breast of a rose robin

fleece from a coloured flock

.......

 

sunshine

 

 
 
  

 
 
 
 
 
 
And today we had sunshine!

Hour after glorious hour of afternoon sunshine.

The bee (singular) buzzed, those under six warmed their feet, the sky shone, shadows lengthened, chooks were cuddled and trees were climbed.

Oh beautiful sunshine how we love you. Visit again soon.

 

 

in progress...

 

 
 

one ball of finger knitted rainbow wool for the Christmas tree (my girl plans ahead)

and

one ball of Checkeaton merino baby wool (chosen by Miss Z) making its way into a winter garland... just because

  

one blue faced honey-eater waiting, very patiently,  for it's place in a long ago planned, window seat, bird watching cushion for Zahra

one Mother Earth and one snow child, also waiting patiently...for their bodies. I keep tucking them away so they can't look at me

 
 
 
...and one King Winter. Our recent travels up north and the company of a very talented and creative Miss L left me with the inspiration for this little fella.

While things sometimes happen in a flurry from start to finish round here, more often than not they lay around waiting for a few more stitches here, or a body there. While some of them wait longer than others they are never forgotten. I don't consider myself a particular genius when it comes to the technics of design. I'm a visual girl through and through. An image of a finished project slowly evolves in my mind, piece by piece and then I just dive in, giving little consideration to the how of the design. It is usually once I've finished something that my brain clunks over on this front and I realise how the 'how ' could have been made easier. And while it seems that sometimes my road of creativity is long and bumpy, there is never a dull moment. The bumps keep me on the edge of my seat, forever my teacher and guide, sometimes leaving my stomach up in the air, sometimes causing me to slow down and breathe. And just like those images in my mind, my creative road is evolving and changing little by little. What a marvellous thing. 

What's your creative road like? I'd love a peek.

brown paper packages, playlists and other things...

 
 

 
 
 

We spent the better part of the week cosied up inside watching rain fall and settling back into our winter rhythm. We ventured outdoors briefly for some river time but I quickly learnt that knitting in gloves is not an option and knitting without them , well... no need to go there. Normally we would be getting out more, even for a quick walk up in the bush for Kaya, but this week we had other business to take care of. Today was William's birthday so some 'making' was in order.

Before Miss Z and I travelled up north I casually spread some beanie pics around the house and casually asked him if he liked any of them. Oblivious to the lovely patterns that I had spread around the house William stumbled upon a pattern book that I had out for some other project, which ordinarily he wouldn't have even noticed and which just happened to have a man on the front with a black, grey and white striped beanie. Now, I have nothing against these colours, in fact I consider them classic and stylish, however, black and white stripes also happen to be the Collingwood team colours and lets get something straight right now ... AFL is not my thing, I'm more of a soccer kinda gal. Besides, a girl  has got to like what she knits, right?

I must say that leaving the wool store that day with the appropriate amount of black, grey and white 12 ply, Patons JET alpaca/ wool blend hidden under my arm, I felt like a knitting fraud...isn't buying wool for a project you don't particular like and are certain you're not going to enjoy knitting a knitting crime of one sort or another?

 
 
 

 
 
 

Upon getting home Miss Zahra painted up a 'secret business going on, do not enter' kind of sign and headed to the craft books to get some inspiration for her own project. She came across a sweet image in Meet Me at Mike's and decided that embroidery was going to be her thing for a present. She drew a picture which I then traced onto some linen and with a little help from Mama to get her started she was on her way. Meanwhile, after casting on, brewing some chai and spinning some tunes this Mama was having a teensy bit of trouble with the rib. We'd already listened to Curious George, Little Hopes, Shaka Zulu, Stevie Wonder ( and before you say anything "Isn't She Lovely" is Miss Z's favourite right now, and Superstitious has a good beat to knit to), Angus and Julia Stone, and most of Chinatown, when "It's not Happening" came on and... I ripped and started for the third time. It was a simple K2, P2 rib and it was eluding me. When I quieted my mind of all the not wanting to knit this attitude the rib started to flow and we made some progress.

 
 
 

Then I started noticing the feel of the wool and how easy the 12ply was to work and you know what happened next...I found myself enjoying the process and loving how this beanie was coming together. A few rows here and a few rows there, helping my little one in between with her stitching and before you know it, voila, a beanie and an adorable Miss Z original ( Zahra stitched the cloud, ground and flower. I helped with the rest).

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Knitting and embroidery aside, we headed to the store for some small gifts, then it was onto wrapping paper, birthday tags, cards and bunting. I have always wanted to make bunting and with an excuse like a birthday and cold weather outdoors... well, the rest as they say is history.

 
 

I was brought up on pancakes and cake for birthday breakfasts but a big cook up was what this birthday boy was looking for. The whole day turned out to be about food and eating, which for those of you who know Will, is just the way he likes it ( Italian genes and all, what can I say). We headed off to Rutherglen for some Parkers Pies, a divine orange almond baby cake and a citrus tart for Miss Z.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

After which we returned home to a kitchen full of dishes, a light dinner of leek and potato soup with sourdough, and a flourless chocolate cake with raspberry coulis for dessert. Yum. 

I look at the beanie in a new light now, not only has it taught me about letting go...again, which is a really useful tool to have in your belt as a Mama, but it has taught me about compromise. After all, it did have grey stripes in it, which means technically it doesn't qualify as a Collingwood beanie. Well, that's what I'm telling myself anyway.

Happy Week Beginning!

PS: I've had a few requests for tutorials on some of our projects. Let me know what your interested in and I'll post one.

 

lessons

 

 

Supplies were gathered,

buttons made,

 
 

names stitched,

 

and sewn in place,

 

pins were pinned, 

 

quilting quilted,

 

measurements mis-measured

start again... measuring (with um, a measuring device this time), cutting, stitching...

 

..was that me trimming a seam allowance or an already existing hole in some op-shopped vintage fabric, surely it was the fabric. Try to hide said hole. Mmmm. Said hole becomes more conspicuous. Start again.

 

DIY bias binding.

 
 
 

Five finished pencil rolls and...

 
 
 

a recycled, double pencil roll sized, pot holder kinda looking, table runner.

I just couldn't throw the fabric in my scrap bin, I love it so and I only have a skerrick of it left.

The universe was certainly throwing a lesson my way that day about patience, delayed gratification, my tendency to lean toward perfectionism, extending one's vocabulary beyond a few choice words in moments of crisis, procrastinating when deadlines are looming (another tendency of mine),the process, mindfulness  when and when not to improvise, or more to the point, skimping on the right tools, or even more to the point of the point, dare I say it, laziness,or maybe it's just as simple as learning from mistakes.

 

journeying

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Some last minute crafting and we were on our way....to sunshine and seaside.

 

(Byron Bay)

 
 
 
 
 

(Lismore winter solstice lantern festival)

Ten days  of friends, warmth, inspiration, exploring, delicious food, like minded souls, sand and seashells, answered questions, knitting, journeying and take home treasures.

 

We returned home exhausted (you know that good kind of exhausted, satisfied exhausted), to storm clouds, rain, near freezing temperatures, familiarity, fresh winter colds and our own beds.

As soon as we walked in the door Miss Z was off finger knitting and asking if she could "please knit with needles now",bless her heart, which was closely followed by some bonding with the chooks and the dog and her room and her dolls and her books...gives a mama plenty of space to put the kettle on and unpack.

This journey was vital on so many levels and has left me with fresh eyes, insight, replenished creative energy, gratitude and resolve to follow where my heart leads....

 
 
 
 
 
 

...oh,and um... a few finished projects.

 
 
 
 

Thankyou notes have been written and posted, woollies have been reapplied and winter stews grace our table once more as we settle into a fresh rhythm at home.