Showing posts with label happiness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label happiness. Show all posts

Saturday, May 16, 2015

Knowing What Makes You Happy

The more obscure and kooky, the better, as long as I myself have arranged, designed, knit, glued, or drawn or painted it,.....or written it....ultimately it is the act of being creative that gives me immense joy.

I look around and think through some of the things that I've made over the past year and whether it's some earthy homespun wall hanging or a kooky cheapskate blog post, or a way to up-cycle an old chair or iron flower trough....I love them all, because I myself "thunk" them up. Sometimes it's just about gathering
up some lovely enormous pine cones, still coated in sticky white pine tar, and arranging them in a bowl for a table top. All the while, staying thoughtful, peaceful and philosophical and sharing the tidbits of wisdom I discover in my journey.

Sometimes it's about getting back to basics and using what I have on hand or using something utilitarian such as "jute" twine and re-purposing it into something I can use .......like learning  how to knit rugged earthy looking place mats.

(By the way if you want to learn how to make them....it's really super easy: You can buy plain brown colored jute in most dollar stores or you can sometimes find it dyed into red or green.
You simply use a basic garter stitch and load up the desired width of place mat you are trying to create and thereby choose the right amount of stitches to load onto your knitting needles. I tend to use metal circular needles because I like how they work fast, and how the jute slips easily off the metal needles. Then you just keep going with your garter stitch until the place mat is the size you want it to be. 
Then cast off the stitches, and you can duplicate the process to produce a whole table setting's worth of earthy jute place mats.


Note that jute is a very rough material to knit with and it does feel rough on the hands and also does shed while you are working with it.  These kind of place mats are best used in a rugged setting such as for camping or cottaging....because the jute continues to shed and wouldn't match a fine china type of decor.)

Well that is just a snap shot of some of the stuff that makes my day.....the heart of which is simply the "opportunity to be creative with anything I fancy" 

May this day bring you another glimpse into what brings you true joy.

Peaceful productivity,
Carla

Monday, December 8, 2014

Gotta Sing

Are you a singer? Well then you jus' gotta sing. I don't care if it's to your dogs, cats, or your distant relatives gathered around a piano during the christmas holidays. But if God gave you a gift of music that simply stirs your heart, you really have no reason to let it go.

Not all of us are going to get hit records, or get multimillion dollar recording contracts. But that doesn't mean we should fulfill the artistic and musical callings and gifts that God has given to us.

I have often thought that mankind is too obsessed with extreme sensationalism rather than simply celebrating the gifts that God gives.

As the bible says '
"Give and it shall be given unto you."
Therefore, maybe what God has given you to give to the world is your simple song. Don't be stingy with your beautiful voice, your cool guitar picking, or your other musical adventures. The world needs more beautiful music.
Blessed to be blessing.

Press on.