Author: Betsy

Daily Goodness in Your Inbox.

| Betsy

Ok, so sometimes it’s actually “weekly goodness in your inbox.”

But I have discovered over the years some very insightful email newsletters that come delivered straight to my inbox. While not everyone resonates, they often help start my day positively and thoughtfully. Like the following quote from Ocean of Dharma, who sends out a quote weekly from the teachings of Chogyam Trungpa, who is pictured above:

EGOLESSNESS IS LETTING GO

“Egolessness” does not mean that nothing exists, as some have thought, a kind of nihilism. Instead, it means that you can let go of your habitual patterns and then when you let do, you genuinely let go. You do not re-create or rebuild another shell immediately afterward. Once you let go, you do not just start all over again. Egolessness is having the trust to not rebuild again at all and experiencing the psychological healthiness and freshness that goes with not rebuilding. The truth of egolessness can only be experienced fully through meditation practice.

There don’t you feel better now?

Some other lists that make my inbox a kinder, gentler and more mindful place:

*Daily Om: A bit of Eastern wisdom 5 times a week
*White Hot Truth: A daily kick in the pants to get up and get going
*Daily Kabbalistic Wisdom: Sounds a bit scary, yet really awesome
*Communicatrix newsletter: Where I got the Kabbala link, full of good
*Elephant Journal’s weekly newsletter: Yoga, Sustainability, Spirituality, Politics

Totally Crushed Out.

| Betsy

So, I totally have a new craftivism crush. Following your heart. Biking. Documenting the lives of crafters. Donating money to charity. All done by one man. It makes you wonder, what is your heart telling you to do, now, doesn’t it?

Clicking on the map above will take you directly to the interactive map of Nick Hand’s bike trip around England. The clockwise trek he’s taking is mapped out in one of his photos, posted above. Ok. So he’s biking. A lot. I’m sure this means he has really nice calves by now… But how is this related to craft? Well, on this trip he’s taking the time to stop and talk with crafters.

His soundslides, short documentary films, provide more inspiration and ideas than you ever thought possible, and you haven’t even gotten off the couch.

What do I love most about this project? He had an idea, ran (biked?) with it, recognized its dual value (to him and to us) and set off to find where people’s hearts really lie, outside of the telly or radio or newspapers. But that’s not all he’s doing… the money he raises on his ride will be donated to the Parkinson’s Disease Society.

And he’s sharing the stories and wisdom of the people he meets along the way with us. So when you have a minute, take some time out, watch, listen, and learn.

Many thanks to the lovely and wonderful Sally Fort for passing along the link! She also passed on this article about whether or not the UK needs another contemporary art museum. Wow. Am gobsmacked.

Upclose, Unsure, and Unimpressed.

| Betsy

This summer is all about the puppies. Since you have already met my new main man Ari here, I’d like to introduce my new friend Suki. She is almost as wide as she is long. Suki is the first baby bulldog I have ever met in person despite many of my family being University of Georgia graduates.

After a week with Suki, I can honestly say that she has 3 favorite modes:

1. Up close
2. Unsure
3. Unimpressed

You can see more of Suki here.

And for the linguistically curious, here are some recent links to articles about craftivism in foreign languages I don’t know. For those who would prefer English, you can translate the articles fairly well over here.

*Virknålens revolution
*Sådärja, den stickade revolutionen är här!

Wendell Castle’s 10 Adopted Rules of Thumb.

| Betsy

Wendell Castle is true inspiration when it comes to craft and furniture. But it also turns out that he has some wonderful rules to live by as well. I discovered these rules from a post awhile ago on Heather Cameron’s lovely blog True Stitches. After re-reading them this morning and finding them inspiring once more, I thought I would share them with you. The photos below are of his Black Widow and Crescent Rocker, respectively. Have a lovely weekend!

1. If you are in love with an idea, you are no judge of its beauty or value.
2. It is difficult to see the whole picture when you are inside the frame.
3. After learning the tricks of the trade, don’t think you know the trade.
4. We see and apprehend what we already know.
5. The dog that stays on the porch will find no bones.
6. Never state a problem to yourself in the terms it was brought to you.
7. If it’s offbeat or surprising then it’s probably useful.
8. If you do not expect the unexpected, you will not find it.
9. Don’t get too serious.
10. If you hit the bullseye everytime, then the target is probably too near.

Want to learn more about Wendell Castle? His webpage is over here.

Other things I’ve been loving lately:
*The History of Science Society!
*Batala: DC’s All Women Percussion Band
*Cotton of the Carolinas (from dirt to shirt)
*Lee Meredith’s (Leethal.net) new blog, Do Stuff!
*The Papered Parlour (new indie craft venue in London)
*Ode to Wooster Collective (by Hulaseventy on Poppytalk)
*UrbanVegan.com’s 101 Simple Meals in 10 Minutes or Less
*Drooling over images from Diane Gilleland’s new book on kanzashi tsumami, the Japanese art of folding, Kanzashi in Full Bloom

Also, have you checked out my new project about living the creative path with Kim Werker yet? Do come say hello over on The Creative Life!

Let Me Ease Your Day.

| Betsy

The lovely fiber artists Rockpool Candy and My Tarpit have launched a lovely new textile intervention project called Let Me Ease Your Day.

The kickoff for the project was earlier this month, but that doesn’t mean that they’re going to stop there. They’ll be spreading goodness through the UK and Ireland for a bit, and then bringing their magic to the United States in the fall! Below is a bit of text taken from a Rockpool Candy blog post regarding the project’s Belfast kickoff, and above are a few photos taken from their website. Want more? Then have a look over here.

In times of financial worry, charities suffer. The public pull in their purse strings and stop giving. When the living is easy, our money is often given to charity to ease our consciences, to allow us to carry on our day to day lives without having to interact with needy causes and to feel like we’re doing something.

But I want society to be different.

As crafters we have skills that we can put to use and make a difference that is not dependent on the free change we have in our pockets.

6th July sees my LET ME EASE YOUR DAY project launch in Belfast. A movement that takes what can often been seen as a middle-class pass time, yarn bombing, and purposes it for the good by providing knitted, crocheted and sewn textiles to the people in our society who might just need a random act of kindness to ease their day.

It could be you.
You may be having a bad day.
You could be sleeping rough.
Your job may be in jeopardy.
You could be worried about your mortgage.
You could have lost your cat/your friend/your child.

All these things leave us feeling vunerable.

What if, during your day, you found a small item left for you by a stranger specifically to nurture you. It won’t solve all your problems, but it may just put a glimmer of warmth in your chest.

Now, you may argue that LET ME EASE YOUR DAY is still a middle class reaction to human loneliness, but surely, as makers, it’s a way that we can make a difference with textiles.

Big big love.