Making Space for Creativity: Days 1, 2, 3

The part that excited some people about cleaning can often be the part that scares others: 

THE START

Let's see if we all can't ease in to this in a way that is enjoyable for all!

Day 1 was yesterday... simply deciding you wanted to do be a part of this (not sure what we are doing? read this post). It may have been an instant decision, or it may have been mulled over for the day, or you may be joining in on April 20th---a future time as I write, but the perfect moment for you! When isn't important- the decision is! 

Day 2 is today... This isn't super complicated but definitely needs a bit of thought from us.

Grab a notebook, pencil/pen, and a timer.  Find a place where you can sit and not see your craft room, desk, creative corner---whatever you call the space where you keep your knitting related things. Do this bit somewhere else you can be comfy! (Yes! treating yourself to a moment on the front porch works! Absolutely you can stay in bed for this! In your home or at the local café makes no difference, just don't be anywhere near the area we are going to revamp!

1. Set your timer for 4 minutes
2. At the top a page write "GOOD STUFF" and list everything you enjoy about the area you consider your knitting nook or crafty corner or studio. Nothing on this page is a negative! Have your stash super organized: write it down! Did you make a mood board last year that was so lovely but now you feel it is outdated? Write down how much you loved making a mood board and all the fun it was to see when you first put it up---don't critique it now. Is your place cluttered and messy to the point you can't think of one positive? Then don't dig so deep. Share the good about what you first loved about the spot: natural light, quiet corner, near the fireplace, a gentle breeze sometimes comes through the window. Start there and write until the timer trills.
3. Set timer for 5 minutes

4. Flip the page and write "BETTER STUFF" and list all the things you think would make your spot better---and by "better" I mean STELLAR--- But only use 2 word blurbs that are super specific! 

   • For instance you may think "I want it clean with everything organized so I know exactly where things are when I wan them!" but you can't write that!

     •  Instead try "organize stash"

     • "easy access"

     • "trackable inventory"

     • Just get writing because the 5 minutes goes by fast   

5. Close your notebook and be done for the day!

Day 3: Tomorrow & each Sunday this month we don't "do" anything. It is a day to catch up. Right now it may not seem like much, but we are easing in to things and will be adding more and more as we go. Enjoy the simplicity of starting something new!

I will see you here Monday when we will roll up our sleeves to dive in a bit more!

JuMbLeDclutteredMESS!

It is Spring and the instagram feeds are lovely! Just a magnificent display of tidy flowers and fresh knits and zen spaces and #nonfrizzyhair... 

And then there is ME...

digging in to spring...

or perhaps digging out of winter? 

Or (let's be honest Melissa)

 digging out of a jumbledclutteredmess I created over the winter!

• Knitting stuffed "some-where-over-here"---> Didn't I shove that project back in this corner yesterday to dig through that other pile of projects?
• Crafty space out of balance---> I must not breathe too hard or an avalanche of piled swatches will bury me! 
• HAZMAT zone---> Where are all my US5 needles!? I have 20!! *crunch!*snap* Yup, my backside just found a pair...

I know, I know! I do encourage everyone to be neat and tidy knitters. I want the best for you ---and for me. I totally chatted up this topic with a former guest on Episode 16 and if I talked about it, I should be a pro practicing it, right? 

w r o n g 

Even my best routines and habits need revamping from time to time.

April is getting ready to start, Spring energy is blooming everywhere and I am preparing to move about 1500 miles away. I should probably organize and refine my tidying habits.

Here's my idea:

We clean up together. And we do it slowly, intentionally, merrily and with accountability! That way we don't have any unnecessary craziness that is self inflicted! (anyone get enough crazy externally?)

So slow, steady, smiling & sharing is how I have it planned.

S L O W 

April has 30 days. Why not take advantage of each of them? 

S T E A D Y

Each day we do a little bit, and there will be days where it really is just a little bit!

We will be less likely to feel overwhelmed and more likely to be eager to continue (Always leave them wanting more I hear!)

S M I L I N G 

We are cleaning and organizing here, not slaying dragons right? (Remind me of that in to week 3...) We should be able to keep a smile on our face and some merry-making messages to each other in the mix! And I have some ideas to keep you cheerful as well go! 

S H A R I N G 

Can we be authentic you and me for the month of April? Yup, that does mean we have to share "before" images. Misery loves company, but shame-filled mess makers NEED company! 

Besides, if you tell others you are going to do something, you are more likely to follow through on your commitments. Make the commitment FOR YOURSELF, share that commitment WITH OTHERS and do something that may inspire EVERYONE!

interested?

Whew! For a sec I was worried.  It will be me and you, and maybe a few others? 

Right now, comment below, tell me you are here and tell me all the great ways you keep organized and ONLY ONE THING you make a #JuMbLeDclutteredMESS

And then be sure to pop back in here tomorrow (April Fools Day-- kinda fits!) 

I am super stoked! Believe you me, this will be fun. And at the end, you and me, we will have some stories to share!

xo, 

melissa

ps. if you are going to be a part of this why not share the opportunity with others! you and i both know we are not the only ones with yarn explosions in every room, projects hiding the last dinosaur and a secret fear of never being found if our mountain of knitting patterns topples over! yes...there are more of us out there!

Periscope Mystery Knit A Long

UPDATE: as of 5 March 2016 this mystery al is complete. The pattern will be available in our shop after 6 March with proceeds going to support our team member Hannah 

Aloha You Guys!

Some of you were real sports about my first periscope segment** sharing a mystery knit a long---and I am super thankful for that!

Here's the scoop:

I love Hannah. She is the awesome creative gal who graces the cover of our second issue DWELL. She's had better days, and we want to bring more of them to her...in soft knitted hats! (I promise to share more of her story this weekend, but for now here is the quick version: She is young (25) and is having brain surgery (to remove a portion of her brain) and it is happening soon (March 10-17). She doesn't knit...but she has an army of knitters here that can knit whatever bit of magic she needs.

So I am sharing with you an opportunity to knit a special hat, or two...or three... and do it with me as I share little bits and ideas and encouragement along the way on Periscope.

All the details can be emailed to you...

and it sounds and looks much more professional once it lands in your inbox--I pinky promise!

This opportunity is seriously not just a chance for us to give a gift to Hannah, who is already excited about sharing lots of hats with others she meets at the hospital...it is also a way for me to selfishly force myself in to a happier spot. It sucks when life can't be lovely and easy for everyone. This PeriscopeMysteryKnitA Long (PMKAL) is my selfish way of trying to do something positive with some incredible people (YOU!) in the hopes of making LOTS of us feel better.

Feel better

knitting a hat for Hannah

Or for yourself

Or for people in your local area

or whatever!

Want to be a part of this and get the pattern clues delivered to your inbox each time they are added? {You will need to head over to our shop for a copy now that the KAL is complete!}

And yup! there will definitely be more info headed your way via email to cover specifics if you want to get your hat to Hannah!

And before I go, can I just tell you how much you being a part of my world means? It means so, so much. I am very thankful to you!

With love and aloha,

Melissa

and if you want to share this with others....DO IT! The hat pattern is so fun! I can't wait to show you!

**and if you are looking for me on Periscope I am MSkiKnits 

Episode 11: Fine Things

{{Aloha Everyone! 

I had no idea that our Episode 11 podcast wasn't showing up on our Podcast page! Until we work out how add it to the others in the collection I am posting the info here. Enjoy!}}

Today we spend time learning from our guest what goes in to publishing and self-publishing a book. She should know as she now has 8 books under her belt! More on her in a moment! 

I would like to thank our sponsor for this episode:
Space Monster Club from Space Cadet Yarn: There is nothing in the whole world like a skein of lovely, smooshy, thick yarn to make you want to pick it up, squish it… dive right into it!
As a member of the SpaceMonsters Mega Club, you receive:
•A fantastic parcel delivered to their door every other month, containing a beautiful skein of SpaceCadet® yarn in worsted or bulky weight
•The SpaceCadet’s Log exploring the inspiration for each colourway.
•A fantastic SpaceMonsters gift tucked into every third parcel!
Membership is open only until 20 Dec 2015 and space is limited. Head here to save yourself a place http://spacecadetyarn.com/the-spacemonster-mega-yarn-club/

Now today we spend time learning what goes in to publishing. Be it a single stand alone pattern, or an entire book our "Violently Domestic" author can share lots of stories about her experience with both---and from the perspectives of being published and self publishing.

I know listening to Hunter Hammersen share some deeper stories about her newest book Fine Things for Plain Occasions is going to be a treat, but in the spirit of aloha and going the extra mile, she shares with you a free pattern! 

And if you have the beautiful new book Fine Things for Plain Occasions have it on hand as we chat! It will make the fun of this week more interactive!

As always if you like what you hear share us with your friends! Growing our story only makes it better! And if you really love what you hear be sure to leave us an iTunes review for an opportunity to win free yarn every month! 

Ready to listen? Click here

Episode 11 Free Pattern!

Meet A StoryTeller Today!

My name is Liesl. I live in the lovely Garden State. My days are spent knitting, dyeing yarn with plants, sewing, gardening, keeping chickens, finding beauty in the everyday and crafting a handmade life. I’m currently on a mission to bring our small farm, Buckaloo View, back to life. My family started farming here over a hundred years ago, but it hasn’t been a working farm since before I was born. The idea of being a farmer is both scary and exciting, but it’s deep in my bones. My dream is to eventually get goats and sheep. It’s been a joy to share this adventure, from the joys to the challenges and everything in between, via Instagram, my blog and occasionally, podcasts.

Meet A StoryTeller Today: Nathan Smith

If you saw the update to the September calendar, you read about Nathan Smith. His story can be seen more vividly than read.

Gather while you may...

Robert Herrick said it beautifully

“Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old Time is still a-flying;
And this same flower that smiles today,
Tomorrow will be dying.
”

Perhaps for you it conjures to mind the beautiful Waterhouse painting, fair maidens picking blooms.For me it brings to mind the way Melody and I met. That, Friends, is a story you will hear in more detail at a later time, but today I want to show you. I invited her some time ago to be part of an activity, one that I remember her laughing a bit and asking several times for clarification as to what I meant.

"Melody, I want you to take readers on a walk. Head out away from your doorstep for 20 minutes, then simply walk them back."

It seemed too simple. But after many moments chatting through the idea we agreed it was exactly that simple.

We all love beautiful things. Sometimes we see others enjoying those moments and we want to learn, rather we want to be helped to understand how we can enjoy those moments too.
So Dear Ones, enjoy the moment.

Simplicity of Introduction

Introductions, I have noticed, happen in many ways.
A friend shares a friend and connects one to another. It lifts the awkward feeling that sometimes accompanies being vulnerable. We step forward and introduce ourselves to someone we have seen before as they look familiar and we want to create (hopefully) a more meaningful relationship. And then there is the way I find myself making introductions...

I watch and enjoy someone, curiosity or appreciation drawing me to what they are doing and then something changes. I realize I would love to know them. I realize that what they are about and it resonates deeply with me. And then I simply write them a note:

I want to be friends.

This is the note from me to you saying that. It is also a note from Melody and everyone else who has a story that creates 6 Bits.

A note simply, unashamedly, honestly saying: I want to be friends.

And let's do that in a variety of different ways. I encourage you, actually I am thrilled to invite you, to visit our calendar and see what we have planned to connect with you these next several weeks. We even have a handy way to add reminders to your calendar as to not miss things!
We will share our selves and our stories with you. We look forward to you doing the same in any way you feel comfortable.

We want to be friends.

With aloha,
Melissa