TRY AGAIN

With plans, days, books, relationships, projects -- try again. Why not see this thing through, even today? Why not save yourself the running and the worry and all of the energy for something else?

Yes, release brings relief. And maybe the timing isn't quite right to give it another go. Good thing is life will probably eventually find a way to revisit whatever it was in you that needed work. So pay attention; be open to a good stretch, to success, maybe even failing again. You will get there. 

WOOL WARMTH

For the last two days I have pretended we are living in the arctic with the historical amount of snow and -40 degree temps. Survival has come in the form of wearing nearly every knitted thing I can find for quick jaunts to the garage or to help dig out our street-parked car. Good news is I've spoiled myself with something new to commemorate the frigid event, too, having taken a break from knitting things to sell locally for other peeps. At first it felt a little selfish, but now it feels so good. 

How do you cope when winter's at it worst?

Good news: Rain and temperatures 40 degrees above freezing forecasted for the weekend. Halleluuuuu!

FOREVER FAVORITE

woke with this in my heart today. thank you, shel silverstein.

LUCIUS

there's no race

there's only a runner

just keep one foot

in front of the other

from THERE ARE TWO OF US ON THE RUN

(maybe my favorite.)

LAKE MICHIGAN

Cuppa joe on a recent trip to Door County, Wisconsin.

If you could be anywhere right now with a nice cup of coffee, where would you be?

CASTING A WIDE ONE

summer cotton and hemp net cowls in new colors this season. just dropped at silver in the city and soon to be found in my etsy shop, too.

TOO MUCH

goodness. thanks to a wet winter for healing last year's drought and to a proper spring, i am waylaid daily by the spring beauty in our yard. here is a small sample.

more yard obsession to come via instagr.am. what are you thankful for lately?

IN THE BAG

today i am thankful for those who love quickly and generously. for those who understand life's brevity and give of themselves to its joys, sorrows, and the happiness of others while they can.

i am certainly the beneficiary of many people close to me living this way. this is a remarkable thing. dear ones, thank you for what you do.

this bag was an unexpected gift to me and a reminder of how lucky i am to have the friends and family that i have. trust that in it i'll carry the usual: yarn, needles, books, pens, journals, a newly acquired travel watercolor set, perhaps a camera. its ample size will also accommodate my heart's overflow and remind me of that which i have to share with others in all of life's adventures.

thanks to two and fifty.

BEGIN IT NOW

"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back — concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth that ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans:

that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.

Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now."

~ Goethe

REMINDER

take time to tend the gardens of others.

let's do it. work and live and enjoy together.


(photo taken with vsco cam.)

PAUSE

hoping for some of that this weekend. confession: there's a part of me that thinks productivity is accompanied by a certain amount of franticness. this weekend's goal is to recalibrate, make a plan that corrects that, set out on a course that allows for a little more focus on quality over quantity.

cheers to that. a happy weekend to you.


(photo taken with vsco cam.)

THERE'S NO LEAVING NOW

new album coming out june 12. one of my favorite musicians. nice little article on rolling stone's site with a link to download the first track "1904".

looking forward to it.

"I wanted to build something

that didn't sound like a rock band,

but wasn't super minimalistic. I wanted a sound

that had that brittle [quality], that feeling

that it might just fall apart."

-Kristian Matsson

PARK

currently loving my locale. living a block away from a historic city park, and the largest one in indy at that, sure has it's perks. hundreds of trees, flowers, and birds, great events to enjoy year round, the extra space it provides for so many. i'm in love.

our under appreciated gem, indeed.

.: WHAT ARE YOU APPRECIATING THESE DAYS? :.

*photo taken with instagr.am.

WORKING ON

handkerchief notebooks. most days you'll catch me with a hanky on my wrist, and being the sucker i am for their cottony comfort, i couldn't help but cover a book with one. 

picturing a good many weekend afternoons in the yard with the pup and a blanket reading and writing. probably napping, too.

"I believe that reading and writing

are the most nourishing forms of meditation

anyone has so far found."

-Kurt Vonnegut

(photo taken by deanne of the inventorialist.)

FAVORITE

i think of of much fun we had taking photos for warm weather knits at the beginning of the season and imagine all of the goodness to be lived into these pieces by fall. stories to come . . .

(as always, many thanks to deanne and kris of the inventorialist for their photography and modeling expertise.)

LITTLE LASSI

bring on this warmer weather and all of the fruity goodness that accompanies it! yesterday's makes included one mango lassi, and boy did it go down easy. fans of creamy, spiced deliciousness are sure to enjoy.

what seasonal treasures are you enjoying right now?


(photo taken with instagr.am.)

NEW MAKES FOR SPRING

they'll be debuting this week at silver in the city, april 6th at the first friday pop-up by the inventorialist, and saturday, april 21st at the handmade promenade record store day 2012 pop-up! here's a first sneak.

excited about this lightweight, warm weather cotton/linen cowl i am. more to come.

PACK MENTALITY

as always, this american life delivers when needed. i'm very much enjoying the re-airing of this original podcast from 1997 on what happens when people with one common interest gather in large number.

"the fact is, when people are together with others of their own kind,
they act differently. . . . 

you're so focused into this one aspect of your life that you do
sort of become . . . you become that facet of your life."

endeavoring to be who i am and to be multifaceted,

abby


(my photo, from my flickr.)

OLD IS NEW

tonight i am rediscovering corners of the house that are too rarely frequented, like this one by the piano playing softly, lit by an old lantern that hasn't burned in years.

i want to make the most. live the most. not waste anything.

what of life's corners am i also missing? what are you slowing down to learn lately?


(photo taken with instagram.)

46 FOR XLVI

what a stage hosting the super bowl has turned out to be for indianapolis! one of our proudest projects completed for the event, noted here in the NYT, was the 46 for XLVI mural project by the arts council of indianapolis, and it has been a great example of how the arts are really growing our city. lucky us that these pieces will get to stay with us long after all of the fans and tourists have gone home.

perhaps you should visit us and all of this wonder soon, too?


(pictures from the arts council of indianapolis website.)