Thursday, April 3, 2008

A Bit More Craftiness

Another blog I regularly read is SouleMama, written by a lovely woman from Portland Maine. The photos are stunning, her kids are cute, and she quilts, knits, sews, and does all sorts of other crafty things, plus then gets to write about it. I want her life in the worst way.

She has a new book out, and if you have kids or nieces/nephews or just need a few new but simple crafty ideas, I'd highly recommend it. It took a bit of finding, as Borders shelved it in the parenting section and that's not exactly an area I frequent. While it is certainly geared for families with kids, it also convinces those of us who nearly failed junior high art that we too can be creative, dammit, even if we CAN'T draw a still life.

The problem with this book is that, much like her blog, the author makes me ITCHY to start MAKING things. It is INFURIATING to know how you want to spend your time and then have reality dictate that you must spend it in other ways (like going to work, for example). Some would say "that's why they call it work", but how wonderful would it be if everybody just got to wake up and make stuff that they wanted to make? Some would say "that's retirement", but why save up all the stuff you want to do for when you are old and possibly unhealthy? It seems totally backwards to me...

One good thing? Last night, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee quoted studies that showed that knitting can stave off dementia and alzheimers, and alters the brain in a similar way that meditation does for monks. Hurrah! Now knitting can be considered a form of exercise. And now, I must get back to work as my lonely and unfinished sock taunts me from across the room...

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