coffee and crochet and a loopy lou!

I think February is looking like being a coffee and crochet month! Since I started last months 30 day craftathon, finished items are just flying off my hook. My shop is starting to fill up again. I am wading through what needs to be finished and just looking out for some brighter days to photograph things. There is one thing that has been waiting so patiently for me to show you.

It actually all began in here, all the way back in May last year, on a day out in Bristol. I had travelled up on the train with my son and he had gone to meet friends for the day. I was wondering around the quite new to me city, looking for a pit stop and somewhere to sit and cast on my new project. This sign in the city center called me in,  I liked the sound of the 'lush coffee' the 'banging salads' and the comfy sofas!

The vintage decoration inside ticked all the right boxes, it was vibey, full of students, vintage clothes were for sale. I was served by a guy wearing baggy jeans, a jumper from the eighties and the kind of curly hair do which left me thinking he might have been my boyfriend from 1986!.... I love the way vintage now includes the 1980's as well.

 

I sunk down into one of the eighties black leather sofas and tried to look inconspicuous amongst the students. With the Blackcurrent Frangipani cake and the 'lush coffee' for company I cast on for my Loopy Lou. I figured crochet was kind of vintage looking anyway.....!  This was the first time I had ever followed a longer pattern. Initially I cast on with the wrong colour, and then had to begin again. I tried to rush through without reading it properly, lessons were learned! I used a too small cochet hook as well, and then had crochet really loosely from that point on. Also if the pattern is a repeat you need to make sure you have read it correctly otherwise you will have to keep repeating the mistake you have made! So yes slow down, take your time and you can make this,

I choose the dark green because I had quite a large amount of green merino wool to use up, and then I added in the softer colours. I decided to make the poncho longer so I kept on going, and going.

It's just right with jeans and boots, which is just as well because that's all I wear! I decided to finish with a simple edge rather than the 'loops', which makes it rather less loopy.

It was a hugely satisfying longer project, which spanned over about 6 months. The merino wool is soft and warm, and I think hung in such a way that it doesn't need blocking.

I also added a little label in the back so I know which is the reverse. So thank you Sandra@Cherryheart for your pattern!

And this was a little dog I saw that day, as I peeped in the doorway of At-Bristol.

beacause I had to leave mine at home!

♥

a 30 day craftathon

This is so happening too!

And thank you the encouraging nods and requests for more info on my last post. Stretching and movement is my other passion. It doesn't mean I do it all the time, but it's part of who I am, just like creating and making is. I need to have a little think about how I can best bring that here, I'm not a qualified teacher, but I will come up with something.

In the meantime I am re-connecting with my unfinished projects. There are so many! Each day I move a little further forwards with something. I have two more finished cushions for my shop now, and that feels good. I will show you soon.

I wanted to show you these.

I know twins......I found another. It had just been cleaned and put out on display, and then I appeared. I just couldn't leave it behind. Look it's exactly the same, what are the chances!

It's a double sign from the universe. For gods sake, just get on with it!.....

I always wondered if I would have twins at 45, (almost 46 now, so that's not going to happen!)

Also, not  trying to make that happen.

I'll take these though.

I think it's time to double those aspirations. Onwards and upwards!

♥

creating new habits over 30 days

beginning a new diary and some new ideas

I must tell you about some new ideas I have been thinking about. I really took a lot from doing the 30 day prompt during December, and blogging every day. Stepping into the process was a real revelation for me. I knew I had to show up, in some way, every day.

It was the beginning of forming a new habit.  I would switch off as many distractions as possible, sit down in front of my screen and show up. I would even announce to myself, okay I'm here! This is me showing up. To whatever is there. Something will happen. Even when you are feeling unsettled or it feels difficult. I started to follow a thread, that weaved it's way in and out of my life and my day. It became easier, it became something that I do. It became part of my day. And the beginning of a new way was formed.

I want to see if I can apply this to other areas of my life. What can do for 30 days that will create a change in my life? Two big areas for me are wanting to go forwards with my craft business and needing to make stretching/yoga part of my day.

I'm think it may be best to begin with one thing, so that the process of that one thing really has the possibility to come alive and be heard everyday. It will slowly find it's way into your awareness and start to speak to you. Take up a space, or find a way to!

I have chosen two, I am a little concerned. They both feel important. I think keeping one as the main focus could be wiser. I'll let you know if it does feel like too much. I don't want it to be an overload of 'shoulds'. So I've put the word 'gentle' above both ideas. It's a gentle beginning. A 30 day stretch and a 30 day craftathon. It may mean five minutes of stretching fitted here and there or an hour of stretching out on the mat. It may mean crocheting a few rows or creating a new listing on etsy, or just sitting at my craft table and giving myself the space to think about what I want to do.

It's a gentle picking up of the thread and starting to follow it. See where it leads. I think the point is if I can show up to it, it can begin to happen. You may have to show up feeling tired or not in the mood. But show up anyway. I think you will be surprised.

There's so many things I could think of doing this with. Even simple things, like 30 days of noticing the people around you more. 30 days of connecting more, in some small way, everyday. 30 days of walking a mile. 30 days of journaling or drawing. So many things. Would you like to join me? Does anything spring to mind? Make a little card and put it up. Mark off the days in your diary. Give yourself stars!

So 30 days. Start today, start now. In some small way. Remember go gently.

♥  

You can read more about the Earthpathways diary here.