year ahead

I journal on and off. Sometimes the off lasts for a few years, sometimes the on has a theme that morphs into something else. In my life diary, notebook, inspirational quotes, goals, ideas and channelling all have been mixed together between same covers on a steady pace for a couple of years. During 2011 I filled 5 notebooks that will be worth going back to, since many a gem is lurking there among the chaos.

On New Year's eve I dedicated the whole evening for quiet reflection. I had a special candlelit meal all by myself that I started by giving thanks to everything that came to mind about the year that was ending. A few days earlier I had written a list about completions that I wanted to work through: projects, attitudes, situations and relationships that I have no desire to take along throughout 2012. I also wrote new agreements I want to make with myself and feelings I need to acknowledge.

Some of these techniques I've learned from Gay and Katie Hendricks and Marci Shimoff, just a couple of the inspirational teachers whose writings I keep following.

I took time to read through what I wrote in my journal a year earlier. I spent time in meditation and wrote about the year ahead. It's very empowering to create a New Year's ritual that I can actually use as a guide as months go on. If I feel a bit lost I can check back to see how that relates to what I intended, whether I'm off track or if I've already grown further that I could foresee.

Five days into 2012 I saw the above illustration of Durga in a Facebook post by Awakening Women Institute. She stopped me in my tracks and the caption seemed to refer to my key goal for this year:

Playing a role that’s not made for you will sooner or later distance you from your life-force, your creativity, your connection to the sacred. In the Goddess mythology, we find fresh models of spiritual embodiment that embrace the full range of feminine expressions.

I reckon the image of Durga is all I will need to remind me about staying aligned with my authentic self in 2012! I'm the only one who can give myself permission to climb on the lion's back and follow my dreams. Nothing is gained by playing small... Our gifts were given to us for using and sharing with others. To learn to fully embody the power and shine the light within... Fierce, compassionate, nurturing and creative.


On this journey,
from my world to yours

I wish you a New Year lived with exitement and joy, challenges met with ease, prosperity in all it's guises, gratitude and love... 

How do you start a New Year? How do you finish one? Do you have a ritual? Do you set goals and if so how do you keep track of them?

 

gingerbread greeting

From our world to yours...

Have a happy Christmas!

a little wardrobe guide

In the end of October I organised a clothes swap party (what fun it was, note to self: must do again) and wrote a little guide for sorting out your wardrobe. The lovely illustration on the flier is by Lisa Perrin, borrowed from her blog.

Spring clean

A donate, swap & sell party

Too small? Doesn’t fit? Wrong colour?

Simply not your style anymore?

Clean out your wardrobes and donate, swap or sell your stash in good company.

Children’s clothes all sizes as well as adults.

Make sure everything is clean and in good repair.

Kids clothes with minor stains could still be useful for messy play.

Bring a friend, a nibble and a glass of bubbly.

Go home with a fresh new look!

Spring clean

- a little wardrobe guide.

Usually around the time the temperature signals a change in season, I do a big wardrobe clean out, where I go through my entire stash of wearables. This takes at least half a day, and results in newfound ways to put outfits together, a shopping list of missing pieces, an out-of season pile that gets stored out of sight and items to throw away, donate and sell.

It’s easy to end up with another pile: a collection of odd ones that are too nice to get rid of, but just never get worn. Beware! These are the evil items that make your wardrobe into the source of nothing to wear. Only a firm action plan will keep this junk from taking over.

Start by emptying your whole wardrobe, drawers, boxes and other hideaways you have. Your bed is the likely resting place, but leave space for laying out complete outfits.

Start by sorting out the state of your capsule wardrobe. What? Never heard of such a thing? This is a set of clothes carefully planned to be worn for a maximum number of outfits with a minimal number of pieces, ultimately say up to 24 well cut, good quality garments in harmonious colours.

Putting together a large group of coordinated basic garments takes a bit of planning. If that feels too bewildering it’s very easy to get under way with this shortcut: make sure you have at least one complete set of 6-7 basic essentials ALL IN ONE COLOUR. Having a core wardrobe in a single colour may sound dull, but it magically makes many of the forgotten odds and ends wearable.  Creating a black/grey base for my winter wardrobe and off-white/light beige for summer has streamlined my mornings considerably.

Most people would function best with a neutral base colour, but there’s nothing stopping you choosing red, purple or whatever takes your fancy, if you actually prefer being clad more brightly. Think which base colour rhymes with shades that complement the colour of your eyes, skin and hair and what you are drawn to wear already. See how close you are to having

v      a pair of well cut trousers

v      a perfect skirt for your body

v      tank top(s)

v      t-shirts with short and long sleeves for layering

v      fitted shirt

v      cardigan or a fitted jacket or both

all in one colour. This could mean having a few different shades of the same colour as long as all the tops go with all the bottoms. Pay attention to the fit and quality, as these garments are trans-seasonal and timeless and so get a lot of wear. I would also include

v      a dress

as part of the core wardrobe and few people could live without

v      a pair of great fitting jeans.

Any gaps on this list should go straight on your shopping list.

Now we’re into the real cull: what to keep, what needs to go?

Ripped, stained, washed out, too tight, too short – goodbye! If something gives you the sinking feeling, it’s time to let go, no matter how much you spent on it. Getting dressed should make you feel GOOD.

Ask yourself: Have I worn it in the past year, two years? Does it go with anything else? What are the missing pieces that can make the misfits wearable? Do I want to be seen in public in this? Is it age appropriate? Can it be altered or mended? Do I really need it?

Let go of who you used to be. Your style has changed over the years and so has your body.  Some genuine self love is needed here. You deserve to get dressed in clothes that suit your size and shape. Taking photos of yourself wearing a variety of outfits speaks volumes. Camera tells the truth better than a mirror. Through its unsentimental eye you can learn what really works for you.

As you do your sorting, try to put together complete outfits. Make note of garments that go with a variety of others. Snap a photo if you discover new combinations, as you’re likely to forget these when old habits take over.

When you have gone through your whole stash, including underwear and footwear, you should deal to the outcasts without delay. And then, with fresh understanding of haves and have nots, it’s time to go SHOPPING! And that’s another story.

wreck this cloth - # 1-3

Here is the blank beginning for the "wreck this cloth" challenge, as you might have seen in my previous post. I used a leftover piece of an old sheet that I found in my stash. It's beautifully worn in, with a soft touch after countless of washes. I cut out a perfect 30x30cm square, and nearly went for four cut edges, in my strive towards perfect balance... But then I decided to go against my own nature, as I am on a habit busting mission, and left a selvage on one side. That might become interesting later on.

#1 I got started right away and emptied my left over chamomile tea, with the tea bag, on the piece followed by some coffee grounds from the plunger, as I was doing the dishes. Left it overnight.

#2 Today (29.11.11) I placed some regular teabags on the piece as well and just left it for a couple of hours. When I had to move it I just happened to see a flowerpot with some soil and water sitting in it. In it went, with the previous condiments still wrapped inside...

It was lovely to notice how all of this was just the most natural thing to do. I'm not such a seasoned eco-dyer as sometimes months pass by between the dye sessions, but I've certainly done enough to have it in my blood forever... Oh it feels soo good! 

01.12.2011

#3 After I'd left the piece to dry in the sun for a day I used it to wipe up some blackcurrant cordial and then decided to extract some red cabbage magic from leftover coleslaw. The carrot left some nice orange marks too.

When I got the washing in I noticed a couple of unwanteds among the flower border. These weeds (Solanum nigrum and a common euphorbia type) turned out to be perfectly wanted for some hapa-zome action. I folded the plants between the cloth and pounded gently. The reward was some very bright green marks.

It's looking rather lovely at the moment! I'm sure that will change...


I'll keep updating here on the same post for a while, so watch this space!


09.06.2012

Haha, a promise broken or delayed?? Well, it's update time, backdated! I won't do it here, but in new posts.

Have a look here for what happened next.

R - to create is to destroy

Our R collective gathered today at Jo's. Well actually one R was missing from action since Meg is in Japan. The rest of us got together and each of us brought along generous helpings of irritation and frazzled nerves. We reckoned this was a combined result of two weeks of annoying windy weather and Saturday's election result... However, a couple of hours later we finished our meeting buzzing with excitement! Let me explain.

First a personal update. After our last meeting I got to work on my part of the exhibition project. I decided to dedicate at least 15 minutes of quality time per day towards this. I started researching archetypes and have a handwritten post somewhere on my desk waiting to be typed... When Term 4 started 6 weeks ago, my time just got sucked up by all the extra employment I had committed to. And I'm still on that track, slowly losing my mind with not enough time for myself and my very important projects... Not even 15 minutes a day?? Ouch.

During my busyness I have been delighted by two dear little books on creativity that I spotted through Brain Pickings. One of them is WRECK THIS JOURNAL by Keri Smith. 

I got this book with the intention to apply the same principle on cloth. I have relaxed my approach since I started making art and not just clothes, but still bump into the feeling of needing to be in control, being way too precious, planned and careful with how I use my materials and tools. India Flint has been a brilliant teacher of seeing bold opportunities everywhere, but I still resist putting it into action.

I have a huge respect for books and keep them well, so I love the opposite approach this workbook has: 

We thought Ronnie had lost her mind when she was doing weird moves with the book...

"Tie a string to the journal, go for a walk, drag it." must have been our favourite recipe, as we could see ourselves applying it to our projects...

After a good giggle we decided to set a challenge for the next month and a bit. Each person would start with a piece of white or cream material, 30x30 cm square, and manipulate it with wild abandon. We agreed to exclude deliberate cutting and stitching as we would nornally do these with a piece of cloth. And we agreed to keep a journal on the progress...

So here goes! My perfectly white piece of cloth on a white wall.

Let the fun begin.



  

i went up the hill

I went up the hill

and felt much better.

It always works.

 I may carry the weight of the World

but somehow it falls off on the way up.

Restrictions...

Limitations...

Fear... 

Pressure...

I smell the grass

feel the breeze

see the horizon

the hum turns to silence.

I gently slip from doing to being

and feel such gratitude

for all that is.