resonance

res·o·nance: the comparatively large-amplituted vibration that results whenever the frequency of some driving force closely matches a natural oscillation frequency of the system on which it acts

1. Untitled, 2. Untitled, 3. 02.02.08 birds {2}, 4. boots by sink

Thanks everyone. Some links and images with which I felt particular resonance lately:

• Rethinking wardrobe through Abby's discussion of uniforms.
• Yet another amazing artist collaboration. I love that this one was started with an awareness of difference, not similarity.
• Taking stock of the time in ceramics
• My current fashion inspiration: natural, nerdy chic
• Jen's daughter is clearly every bit as cool as her mother.
• It's my birthday this weekend. I wonder if it's too late to add this to my wishlist?

but let a splinter swerve -

I love getting mail. So you can imagine how ecstatic I was when a package came last week from my dear friend Heidi, containing (among other things) a new inspiration journal. With blank, unlined pages. In eggplant purple.

Thank you, my dear. It's perfect. I inaugurated it by copying this poem into it.

Speaking of poems, I've also added a booklist to the sidebar on my blogger account. Although it doesn't come up much here, my training is in literature. I think the main reason it doesn't come up much is because my artistic expression doesn't match my training: I'm no writer.

Still, my study and enjoyment of story heavily influences my work. I love reading the textures and nuances of the page and interpretting them in fabric. With a pen I will never match the wit of Austen, the poignancy of Dickinson, or the raw honesty of Eliot. But with a needle in hand and their words in my heart, at least I can attempt it.

I've just finished This Heavy Silence, a new novel that speaks of remorse and forgiveness without ever falling into sentimentalism. Next up: Creators by Paul Johnson. What are you reading lately, and how does it influence your work?

One of the things that is becoming more important to me is that of recording my own inspiration. As much as I love all of you, I do have somewhat of a mockingbird complex - I tend to mimic and imitate those artists that I find beautiful, losing track of my own "voice" in the process.

Now of course, there is "nothing new under the sun" - art is not made in a vacuum, and we all work from inspiration and influences. I don't claim to be immune from that. What I need to work on is being conscientious about finding and recording inspirations from my daily life, instead of living vicariously through others' work.

Simple as it is, this is somewhat scary for me. Most of the people I know would classify me as someone with a defined sense of personal style and asthetic. So to admit that it's not always the case, to revisit and critically analyze that definition, is something very daunting indeed.

january

Now, normally I'd have to take issue with Eliot and argue for January as the cruelest month. This batch of links has tempted me to reconsider, however . . .

1. frozen lake, 2. Joyeux anniversaire, 3. beginning., 4. Photo Swap

• an international photo swap
• pumpkin butter and granola recipes - perfect for a snowed-in day, and not too tough on the new year's resolutions, either
• as 3191 starts a new year, the Noticing Project makes its debut
• before you throw that calendar out . . .
• beautiful knitting patterns to curl up with
• new-to-me photo blogger so perfectly captures the city (favorites here and here)
• Jenny's beautiful reflection on generational craft

Christmas time is here . . .

Note: I had this post typed up last Thursday night, and then I fell off the face of the earth. Actually, it was hardly that dramatic, but almost as stressful - company, unexpected weather, and lots of work (subbing and a last-minute dress commission). Sorry for the absence!

Christmas time is here . . . Happiness and cheer . . . Isn't that such a great song? For me, it perfectly captures the soft, subtle excitement that creeps over me as the Advent season approaches. And links like these only add to the excitement!

• Simple and elegant gift wrapping ideas from A Little Hut (3 separate links). Keep an eye on this one, she's promised more!
• Lime and red: a fresh twist on the traditional color scheme
• I've always disliked earmuffs, but one look at these was enough to stop me in my tracks AND change my mind. The store offered a much wider range of cheery tweeds. Way over priced, but these shouldn't be impossible to make, right?
• Easy and adorable stacking trees. It doesn't get much easier than that, does it? Check out Calvin's version!
• Last year I was fascinated by 3D snowflakes, this year it's paper ornaments that are just as cool and even easier
• And finally, isn't this photo from Jenny enough to get you into a creative Christmas mood? If not, check out her one-hour challenge!

Note2: At this point in the post, I began to innumerate my Christmas project ideas, along with a slight musing on how busy life gets and how little I actually accomplish. I consider the events of this last week proof of that musing, and shall henceforth not tell of my projects until they are DONE.

Merry Christmas crafting, all!

once upon a friday

Do you ever get worried about something, and then find you can't remember what it's about?

*Sigh.* One of the many indicators that I am over-committed. Ah well, at least there are thing like new shoes to make us happy. ;)

Some fashion links for your Friday:

• Ambika marks the renaissance of the ruff
• the coolest cabled bangle ever, made with this tutorial. You'd think with all the cables I've been knitting that I'd be sick of them, but I can't wait to try this!
• this Pierrot-inspired dress is anything but clownish (the black bow at the neck is my favorite touch)
• The Sartorialist gives a nod to DIY fashion (and incidentally, these are the coolest pants)

Thanks again to everyone for your poll participation! I'll be releasing a link to my shop this weekend, aiming for a shop opening next weekend. Stay tuned!

scheming

Thanks everyone for your comments, emails, and phone calls of encouragement! My first day of substitute teaching went well, with very little to report. Each of the two teachers I subbed for had scheduled tests or quizzes for the day. So it was essentially like babysitting, just bigger kids and less to do. Highlights of the day: the student who said she liked my scarf and the young man in the faculty lounge that initiated conversation during lunch.

So what do you do sitting at the front of a classroom for an hour with nothing to do but tell teenagers to be quiet? If you're me, your make lists. And at this time of year, most of my lists involve - Christmas gifts! Here are some links to get you ready for the season:

• Sew, Mama, Sew is hosting Handmade Holidays: 100+ sewing tutorials compiled and presented over the 30 days of November. I've already found ideas for people on my list . . . better start crafting!
• Creature Comforts' Holiday Gift Guide. Her blog is already proof of her excellent taste - now she lets us in on her sources!
• As long as you're making/buying all these handmade items, why not take the Handmade Pledge? (Unfortunately, I'm not taking the pledge myself - there are too many bibliophiles in my family to make that feasible!)

And while we're on the subject of handmade, I'm thinking (hoping?dreaming?deluding?) of opening my own handmade shop by the holidays! I'm going to see how much I get done this week and update you by the end of it! (I may also be asking some opinion polls, so start getting opinionated!)

P.S. I'd like to apologize to my mother, whose favorite holiday is Thanksgiving and who (with me, actually) hates to see the Christmas hype starting earlier and earlier each year. Sorry, Mom.

tricks 'n' treats

Thanks everyone for sweet comments on my latest dress. I'm working on another one, so unless I get derailed you can expect more soon!

I always find it interesting and oftentimes revealing to look at my Flickr favorites and recognize the common strains of inspiration. Right now, I'm being inspired by: soft, filtered light, the natural world of leaves, flowers, butterflies and moths, muted autumnal colors (duh), and simple cotton dresses (double duh). Other inspirations:

• The layered looks of flour clothing's fall/winter collection. Honestly, I want to dress this way. I especially love her incorporation of vintage fabrics, several of which look like they could have come from my grandmother's attic!
• Spreading a little serendipity. Although I honestly hope none of them read "Your romantic life will soon take a turn for the better." I've received that one WAY too often lately (and been disappointed). (via)
• I love many things about Martha's work, but I especially love the way she records her processes and inspirations. Looking at these images challenges me to be more bold, to get my ideas down in pen and ink (or needle and thread!).
• Mmm. Autumn seems the perfect season for soups, and this butternut squash recipe has definitely made it to the "must-try" list.

How about you? What are your current strains of inspiration (visual or otherwise)?

links to brighten life

It's been a while since I've posted a good youtube video, so I thought y'all would enjoy this. This one's pretty hard not to smile at:

• chronicling everyday textures at port2port
• homemade bath tutorials: yes, please.
• I've heard a lot about this book elsewhere, but nothing beats a review with pictures
• have I ever confessed that I'm a food blog voyuer?
• visually stunning: the photobook of Belle Simplicity
• how high can you count?
• currently sporting a cartoon as my screensaver, in efforts to prevent procrastination (via)

home again, home again, jiggety-jig

Phew! What a whirlwind weekend! It was very fun, however, with the exception of breaking my heels on the dance floor of the wedding reception. Seeing people and places I haven't seen in 10-15 years definitely made up for it.

And when I got home, I was greeted with the news that I had won a giveaway from the lovely Elegant Musings! I'm simply ecstatic. I'm a huge fan of Casey's work, and I've been inspired by her enthusiasm as her business takes wing. And speaking of inspiration . . .

• AdoreVintage.com's fashion editorial reads like an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel (only pleasanter)
• silverware that makes for a fascinating dinner conversation
• I'm not a huge stuffies fan, but knitted tree bark? is pretty much awesome
• enjoying the Irish landscape, free from disruption
• lovely, sun-kissed photography

my life is a work in progress

I expect to be AWOL this weekend. Besides having friends expected in town, I have some family unexpectedly in town. I'm advancing on the productivity side of things, however, and hope to have more to share soon! (really)

In the meantime, on with the links!

• beautifully preserving the sketches of childhood
• subverting expectations: join the paint-by-numbers revolt
• now I want to reread some Madeline L'Engle
• at last, a use for these beautiful antiques for those of us who don't smoke: a cigarette case needle holder
• the old-fashioned touch of the graceful lady Anna
• artwork that puts me in mind of Doris Lessing's "An Old Woman and her Cat"
• This last one isn't actually a link, but Princess Grace is once again gracing the cover of Life! Check your newsstands for a commemorative photo issue published for the 25th anniversary of her death.

. . . when autumn leaves start to fall

Okay, so they're nowhere near falling yet, but I love that song. Just popping in for some links . . . enjoy!

• The hilariously funny yet provokingly familiar photography of Sarah Hobbs. Recently on exhibit at the Art Institute in Chicago, more here and here.
• I want this cardigan sewn of fluid jersey knit, sculptural felt, and a knitted version of super chunky wool.
• Office supplies that distract from inspire productivity. I'm discovering that office supplies are a wonderful substitute for the school-supply-buying impulse.
• Sweet potatoes taste like fall, especially when seasoned with chili powder and thyme.
• Everyone's posting it, but the fall looks of Lyell are gorgeous. She seems to me to be hovering on the border between Professor Kirke's and Narnia.
• Gorgeous, gorgeous hats. In a random conversation the other day on what we'll be like when we're old, my friends and I determined that I'll be the eccentric hat lady that wears loads of cheap costume jewellry (wait, I do that now . . .). It's hats like these make me excited about getting old!

anticipating fall knits

Why, why, oh WHY did I flip through a copy of Vogue Knitting while waiting in line yesterday? Why didn't I content myself with the 10 free patterns they had released online? But no, I had to look, and I had to see the seriously gorgeous cabled capelet from Michael Kors, which calls for ONLY 10 skeins of cashmere yarn. *sigh*

But seriously, this is a fabulous issue. All those gorgeous cabled knits? Definitely puts me in the mood for fall.

Hmm. Makes me wish I had started on a cabled wrap when first I spotted it. Ah well, perhaps I can content my itching fingers with more cabled bags. Or a crocheted cloche. Hmmm . . .