Summer knitting

The knitting needles have been busy this summer.

Cotton summer toddler dress.

Organic cotton baby shrug

Tile floor = cold feet

I have been a knitting machine the last month or so and I am clearing through my stash like nobody’s business. In the last month I have knitted five hats and a pair of slippers. I blame Ravelry. I also have a couple of  secret projects that are coming along nicely too.  But the project that I am most excited about is the pair of slippers that I just finished.  This is because we have tile flooring and it’s cold. Really cold. Like two pairs of thick socks cold and this is coming from a girl who grew up in Minnesota. I know from cold. These slippers are amazingly warm and comfy. I love putting them on. Take that tile flooring!

Warm feet!!!!

Inspired!

My crafty mojo has returned! I have been a knitting machine listening to Florence + Machine. It’s hard not to be inspired to be creative while listening to her.

These booties are made for walking

Here is my latest creative project. Bittybooties by Heather Bailey at www.heatherbaileydesign.com. This was my first pair and I have plans for a pink pair as well. They make lovely gifts!

Bittybooties in blue

She went what way?

After many stops and starts I finally found my place career wise at 30; I finally found advertising.  It was fun and fast and always changing. I was surrounded by amazing people: designers, writers and just about everyone else involved in the process offered inspiration. The office manager for one agency I worked for is the most amazing artists. I own two of her pieces. A certain production manger has a painting that I would love to have if only she’d sell it. Too many beautiful photos to list them all and some of the best talks I have ever had over cheap beer.  They inspired me and I had found my nitch.

But now I am here in Italy and feeling a little uninspired. I know what you thinking. People go to Italy to be inspired. Yes that is true. There is quite a lot around me that is inspiring. I spend a lot of my time saying wow and looking with wonder. But what I am lacking is direction. 

It’s true that I have a ton of free time now. Yet all this free time has not inspired me to finish the blanket that I have been working on for over a year now but has given me a lot of time to think and so far I have come up with this;  I like to touch and feel things. I love the way books smell, the feel of fabrics and  the texture of ceramic, metals and natural things. I like my music lush and with emotion.  I am obsessed by all the design, photograhy and art blogs.  I love well put together magazines like Dwell. I enjoy the texture of the pages just as much as the photos and the articles.  I guess I am what you call a tactile person. I need to feel it. In all aspects of my life.  

Okay, that’s great but what the hell do you do with that? I mean really? What is my new career objective? I like to touch stuff? Professional Browser? 

I’d like to see myself having a fabulous ETSY store but the reality is that I am a slow knitter, as mentioned above, and my skills are not that great in any of my many craft endeavours. Believe me I have done most every craft out there from stamping to jewelry making; good enough for family gifts and personal use but nothing anyone would buy that is for sure. There are so many things that interest me that I am finding it hard to put a  fine point on it.  I do know that they fall in the creative realm. I’d list them all for you but you’d probably think I was having a midlife crisis or at least a case of  AADD. 

So now what?  I can keep filing my days with my casalinga duties,walking the dog and blog surfing until I find my direction but truth be told I am starting to climb the walls. Maybe I need to order a copy of  What Color Is Your Parachute.  If only there was a book called N This Is What You Should Do Now. That would be really helpful.