Tuesday, March 16, 2021

Little Steps

I always try to start my day with little steps. I find it help. First item on the agenda. Getout of bed. Take the dogs out. Feed everyone, including myself. If these items on the list are checked off, it's a good day. I try to do something that brings me a bit of joy. Maybe I'll replenish the birdfeeders. I enjoy seeing my little feathered friends. Then if I'm able, I try to take to snap a few pictures. I might use the actual camera or my iPad. Whichever is on hand. I like to try and a draw a little. It helps my hands loosen up so I can do a bit more. I love to knit while I watch a show or two, or three. Perhaps more. At the moment I really enjoy Coroner. I watch it on CBC Gem. It can be quite addictive. To alleviate my guilt of just sitting, I tend to knit. My fuzzy companions usually are quite efficient at reminding me to eat and walk around a bit. Lately I've been trying to learn nee things, regardless of whether I'll be god at it or understand what on Earth I'm doing. I read an article in Food & Wine online, that said something along the lines, that if you want to be a more confident baker, here are 12 cakes you must try. Did we talk about this before? Anyway, I started in the month of February because it was, well, February. It was the Molten Chocolate Cake. I surprised myself! It turned out amazing! Hubs loved it so much, I baked a couple more a few weeks after.
It was a great introduction for me into this more advanced world of baking. There wasn't that many ingredients and the ones needed were easily found. I find that living in Southern Quebec, a lot of ingredients are very difficult to find. At least now in our new technological world, we can find substitions and order some of the more interesting ingredients online. I think that's what I'll have to do with the next cake. I'm struggling to find cocoa nibs. You know what else I literally just read? I mean it. I actually just read this. It's still open on another tab. To try not to label something we do as good or bad. I do this all the time with the art I create. I always assign that label of whether it's good. I need to stop this. Just enjoy the process. I do this with knitting. I really love just the act of knitting. That moment of zen where you are just concentrating on the stitches. That's why I have no problem ripping something back, sometimes to the very beginning, and starting again. While we're chatting about knitting, I'll show you some of what I did and still workimg on. I made Charlotte another sweater. This one was knit with two strands of yarn held together to create a more thick fabric that can handle our cold winters.
I also made the neck opening smaller so she can't jump out of it so easily. My Ten Stitch blanket will always I suspect, be a work in progress.
Rorschach absolutely adores it. I had a lot of that bright green yarn left I used to knit Charlotte's sweaters so, I made myself a pair of thick, stumbling around socks.
They are great for strolling around the house. They keep my toes toasty on the cold floors. My other socks, Falling Leaves, have not really progressed much.
That's okay. They be completed eventually. Grisou is a big supporter of slow and steady. I have really surpassed my expectations of trying to draw or paint something every day. It has not been every day, but way more often than in the past. My two little supervisors are always in hand to offer support.
Here are a few photos of my efforts:
A showcase if a but if this and that if you will. With the province still being on lockdown, I've tried to take advantage of a few of the online workshops. I'm not big on participation. My mic and camera are always off. I really do enjoy listening though. So far I watched quite a few painting tutorials. The photo I just showed you of the Robin was part if a The Magic Of Watercolour class, I found through Facebook. The woman leading the workshop has a lovely speaking voice. She promotes the while, enjoy the process attitude. I've also enjoyed learning about interactive workshops, cyber security, meditation, finance, and so many other topics. We are for the most part, home. Now is the time, if you're able to explore things virtually, you might nit otherwise have the chance. One day this week, there will be a tutorial on how to draw an eye! For now, that covers quite a bit of my little world. We shall continue one step at a time. Perhaps you can share if there are workshops or tutorials that you have been enjoying? Take care. We will chat again.