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Seeking Satisfaction: A Balanced Approach

19 Feb

At various points in my life I have had differing priorities.  In my twenties, I really wanted to be in a relationship.  In my thirties, after finally finding the relationship, I focused more on career development.  Now, in my forties, I find they are shifting once again, looking for a sense of satisfaction across many areas of life.  

I see people who really do put all of their eggs in one basket.  They become consumed by a relationship because they think it will bring them all the happiness they need.  They fully immerse themselves in their work, only to realize their children have grown distant and resentful, or their partner has disengaged or left.  I’ve personally witnessed people who do this, eventually to their detriment.

What I have come to realize is that satisfaction, a full and complete sense of wholeness, can’t ever originate from things, people, circumstances outside of myself.  There is a point when it becomes clear that anytime we give the power to “make us happy” to something or someone else, we give up the ownership and responsibility we have to generate our own happiness from within.  Now, that does not mean that a loving relationship or wonderful family or a strong circle of friends do not serve as complements to one’s life and experience because they absolutely do.  But if our whole sense of satisfaction and happiness is derived from these relationships, the minute something goes awry or becomes challenging or difficult, we are tossed asunder in an emotional sea.

Just as investors will tell you to diversify your portfolio, I would also suggest it’s important to do the same thing when it comes to seeking satisfaction and living your life’s purpose.  Building your entire life around work, or around a person consumes you and carries with it a multitude of other side effects.  But filling your life with a mix of people and activities that bring you joy, that lift your spirits, or that inspire you is healthy.  Variety really is the spice of life and it’s important to maintain a balance.  When we place our happiness at the whim of people, or of a singular activity, we lose sight of the bigger picture and miss out on all that life has to offer.

I find I also go through seasons where one activity is particularly engaging but another not as much.  As tastes and priorities change, so, too, will these pursuits change for you.  For me, starting graduate school and pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing was something I had wanted to do for some time, and the knowledge and experiences I have gained in just two semesters has brought so much into my life. Celebrating ten years with my partner in 2011 and continuing to live our lives together brings great joy and learning to me.  Leading people at work gives me another sense of satisfaction; serving others and helping them to develop and grow is another element of my job I enjoy.  And I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the simple pleasures that knitting has brought me and how it continues to serve as a great activity not only for getting centered and grounded, but also as a never-ending source of creative inspiration and output.

If you find that you have allowed one activity, one person, one relationship to consume you and your life, the good news is that, ultimately, you can make the choice to do things differently.  Think about how much more you could get out of life – and all that you can give to others – when you take a more balanced approach to discovering and enjoying all that life has to offer.

 

A Conversation with Marion Roach Smith

1 Feb

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Last summer, before I started my MFA Program at University of Central Florida, I was reading a lot of books about writing memoir.  It was then I stumbled across The Memoir Project: A Thoroughly Non-Standardized Text for Writing & Life by Marion Roach Smith.  The prose was engaging, the personal anecdotes captivating, and I was intrigued by the author’s point of view on things like writing exercises and prompts.  During the fall semester, I made contact with Marion via email and after a few exchanges we found the opportunity to speak last week.  

In 1983, Marion, age 26 at the time and working at The New York Times, wrote the first first-person account of Alzheimer’s disease.  Her mother was 51 and had been diagnosed with the disease, at that time something unfamiliar to most.  The New York Times Magazine let Marion write the story and she ended up on the Today show the next day to talk about her experiences.  ”It was a game changer,” she said, “I hadn’t thought I was writing memoir, but of course I was.”

As we discussed the evolution of memoir as a genre, Marion agreed that it should be considered a genre and within it, “you could write about your great-grandfather to yesterday’s lunch.  You could write personal essays or op-ed pieces for local newspapers.  You could write long-form memoir or about one particular thing in your life.”  Marion also acknowledges the importance of social media and, in particular, blogging.  ”Blogging has had a huge impact – it’s like this hammer we hit the big old memoir with and broke it into pieces.  It makes the genre more flexible.”

In addition to writing four books, Marion also teaches memoir writing workshops.  Years ago, she was on the board of a local arts center where she opined one too many times about the class offering entitled, “Getting in touch with the right side of your brain using your angel feather.”  Finally, they suggested Marion teach the class.  She does not use angel feathers or address the genre in metaphysical terms.  Instead she says, “I believe in the hard chair, lots of caffeine, and you sit there until you get the thing done.  I teach about writing with intent.  I don’t do exercises and prompts and try to get students going to the form they really love or other forms they haven’t yet considered. It started as kind of a dare, but fourteen years later, it’s been really successful and I’m teaching all over the place now.”

When Marion and I traded emails last fall, I was taking a “Teaching Creative Writing” class at school.  I was intrigued by her adamant rejection of writing exercises and prompts so I asked her more about that when we spoke.  ”Writing exercises are the quickest road to hell.  They give you the sense you’re good at this writing thing.  They give a false sense of security that you don’t need. You need to get to the work.”  I was curious, though, how does she then teach people memoir writing without giving them an opportunity to try new techniques.  ”We motivate them by the work of others.  We don’t write in class, we read in class.  We start with the personal essay – it’s the best way to learn how to write.  750 words or fewer and it’s about you.”  Much of her six-week course focuses on students reading their work to each other.  While some continually revise one piece for the entire six weeks, others write a new piece each week.  

The inspiration for The Memoir Project book came from her sister, Margaret Roach, former Editorial Director for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia.  Margaret stepped away from her corporate job in Manhattan to live peacefully in the country, but found when she sat down to write about her experience in doing so, it was difficult.  ”I’m struggling,” Margaret told Marion, “what do you tell your students?”  Marion sent provocations to her sister through email and Margaret told Marion she should put them into a book.  ”We self-published it as sisters with a different title and cover.  We sold every copy, then called our agent and said, ‘Look what we made!’  She loved the book, took it to auction, and sold it to my favorite publisher.  I love this little book.”

I asked Marion what her greatest advice would be for memoir writers.  ”It would be to take the chances of writing in non-traditional form.  Try making a list.  What did you take when you walked out of a horrible relationship.  Take some chances.  There are  recipes for bad relationships – I’d love to see what yours is.  Don’t just think of memoir as that one big book – take a crack at something smaller, cooler, harder, that will bring you to your knees.”  And, though no surprise, when asked what her counsel would be to those who teach memoir, she replied, “No more writing prompts!  I would like them to try it without them, I really would.  Exercises are just barriers – throw them away.”

Through our email exchange, we also learned that, in addition to having our passion for writing in common, we are also both knitters.  I couldn’t finish our conversation without asking her about her current knitting project.  ”I had this sweater I bought in Paris years ago and I wore it to death.  It’s a psychedelic orange in mohair and silk.  I have set out to copy it in a combination of mohair, linen, and nylon – it’s delicious!”  She was kind enough to ask me about my latest projects and recalled a recent blog post of mine in which I wrote about My Foray into Fair Isle.  ”That’s the beauty of knitting,” she said, “What a joy!”

To order copies of “The Memoir Project,” visit this page on Amazon.com.

To visit Marion’s wonderful website with great tips on writing, visit The Memoir Project.

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My Foray into Fair Isle

8 Jan

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Over my Winter break from graduate school, I took the time to get reacquainted with my knitting.  First, I overcame my anxiety over knitting socks and successfully knit two pair.  Then, as many knitters do, I began exploring patterns and looking for inspiration when I found the pattern and instructional videos for a Fair Isle hat.

At first glance, Fair Isle knitting looks incredibly complicated.  People gaze at these types of projects in amazement wondering how exactly they are created.  I, too, had similar trepidation at the thought of knitting something in a Fair Isle motif but as I began to learn more, I learned a few things that helped me complete the two projects pictured in this post.

In Fair Isle knitting, you never use more than two colors on any given row.

These patterns are deceiving because it appears as if the colors overlap or are intertwined in some form or fashion.  The reality is that the project is knit one row at a time, and you use a chart to know when to knit with Color A or Color B.  It may appear as if multiple colors are being used on the same row, but according to what I have read, only two colors should be used on any given row.

In Fair Isle knitting, most of the stitches are basic knits and purls.

In sweater construction, I am sure there are other types of stitches used, but in hats and scarfs as pictured above, I used nothing more than the knit stitch and the purl stitch.  No fancy footwork here!

In Fair Isle knitting, it is critical to watch tension and make sure you are not tightening the colors that are carried across the row.

When you switch from one color to another on a row, you carry the yarn across the previous stitches made from the other color you are using.  When doing this, it is important to keep the tension light and to not tighten the carried yarn.  This will create puckers in your fabric and your project will not lay flat.  This was a point illuminated in a video I watched and it was extremely helpful to note as I worked on these two projects.

In Fair Isle knitting, the inspiration is endless.

Although I’m not sure I will finish it before the Spring semester begins tomorrow, I have started a second Fair Isle hat using the same pattern as pictured.  I have, however, changed the colors, and I have found an alternate 13-row pattern to repeat around the crown of the hat.  That is what I love about this — you master a pattern and then you can morph it by altering the color selections, the designs on the item, and so much more.

Whatever your art may be, find new inspiration as the year begins by learning a new technique, something that not only builds your skills, but that takes your art in exciting new directions!

What 2011 Taught Me

1 Jan

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On this, the first day of the New Year, I thought I would take a few minutes to highlight some things that 2011 taught me.

Sock knitting, like most challenges, gets easier with diligent and perseverant effort.

I have written other posts about my love/hate relationship with sock knitting.  When I first took lessons and constructed my initial pair of socks under supervision, they seemed like fairly easy projects.  Later, however, when I attempted to recreate that experience while flying solo, the second pair ended in moderate disaster.  But as year’s end drew closer, I revisited socks, found some fantastic tutorial videos, and decided to master the technique using double-pointed needles and worsted weight yarn (instead of finer sock yarn) and found great success.  Two pairs completed.

What that experience also gave me was more confidence in now returning to regular sock knitting with smaller needles and yarn because I have been able to practice the basic techniques.  Ultimately, sock knitting is not difficult and unless you are using some fancy pattern, a good solid pair of socks involves knitting and purling and decreases.  My prior problem was stitch positioning using Magic Loop technique and picking up stitches.  DPNs took care of the Magic Loop issue, and the videos got me through picking up stitches.  I think I’m ready to work on more sock projects in the future.

Believing in myself isn’t always easy, but when I do it, I can make my goals come to life.

At 41, I feel good about the place I am at for this point in my life.  But for the last few years I have had a nagging dream to return to college to get my Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing degree.  First, I didn’t believe I could, after being out of college for a very long time, comfortably score well enough on the Graduate Record Exam.  Finally, I took two months to study, scheduled my test appointment, and I did it.  Then, I focused on my portfolio and gathered best practices from friends who are MFA graduates.  In March 2011, I received notification that I had, in fact, been accepted to the MFA program at University of Central Florida.

This milestone was months in the making and represented so much to me and helped me gain confidence I would need to dive in to my studies as the Fall semester began.  I won’t lie and say it was easy.  In fact, my first week I had that moment driving to school one evening where I thought to myself, “What the hell have I done?  What have I signed up for?”  But as I had an opportunity to meet my fellow students and began to actively engage in the learning process, I gained confidence once again and found that I really could do what I had set my mind to.  It was a “Make it work!” moment and that I did.

The sanctity of “marriage” has more to do with who is involved, not whether our legal system accounts for all relationships or not.

On a political note, I think there were even more examples of situations that illuminated that the “sanctity of marriage” as enforced by a law or court ruling has much more to do with the people in the relationship than it does with said law or ruling.  I understand there are benefits and privileges that come with governmentally sanctioned marriages; but ultimately, one of the most important things I learned this year as I celebrated my 10th anniversary with my partner is that we don’t need anyone to “sanction” our relationship as significant, meaningful, special, romantic, or valuable to society.  As one of the characters in “Too Wong Foo…” says, “Your approval is neither desired nor required!”  

Whether the government sanctions or acknowledges my longtime relationship with my partner or not, the reality is that I have this amazing bond with the man I love and who loves me in return.  No political party or government can ever impede on that or take that away from me — but being able to enjoy the over 1,000 benefits and privileges heterosexual couples garner by marrying would certainly be icing on the cake.  (And the best part is that when same-sex marriage eventually passes, nobody currently able to get married loses out on a darn thing!)

For those that claim that allowing same-sex marriage destroys the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman, I simply ask this question:  Would relationships be better in general if we focused on tending to those relationships instead of fighting for something that wouldn’t be lost anyway?  So many opponents fight to maintain the sanctity of marriage – but after any news broadcast it’s easy to wonder what sanctity is there?  Kim Kardashian’s 72-day debacle?  The eventual dissolution between Ashton and Demi?  Political resignations for leaving the country with a girlfriend or sexting naked photos of oneself (and not to one’s spouse)?  

If the propaganda focused more on how to make relationships better across the board (rather than furthering the illusion that one type of relationship is “better” than another) I wonder how much better life would be for everyone.

Happy New Year!

 

How do I do it?

27 Nov

With only two class meetings to attend and two final papers to submit, my first semester in graduate school draws to a close.  Part of me recalls the joy and exuberance I felt in March of this year when I received the email I was accepted.  Then, I recall how incredibly tough I was on myself the first week of the semester, my confidence nearly shattered.  But as I sit here now, reflecting on the semester in its entirety, I know that I am changed because of it all.  I’ve met some really nice people, all on their own respective artistic journeys.  I’ve learned so much, not only from professors, but also from fellow students.  In a short period of time, I’ve learned to look at things differently and my learning has enjoyed immediate application along the way.

People often say to me, “I don’t know how you have a full-time job and take two college classes and still have a life!”  I’ve thought about this question for some time and so I thought I’d put a few thoughts down about what has helped me enjoy this semester so much.

Clarity of Purpose

It sounds obvious, but one thing I have never wavered from is having clarity of purpose.  School is one of my top priorities and by making it so, that has made making decisions about what to do or not do easier.  Have I missed out on a few things?  Yes, of course.  There is only so much time in a day.  But because I’m pursuing my personal passion, my homework consists of reading and writing – two things I love to do.  

Having a very clear vision of what you want to accomplish anchors in your psyche the compass that guides your every action, and that purpose is used as a filter for all that you do.

Time Management

It’s an overused term, I agree.  But a little planning and setting aside specific time to do what needs to get done has been a critical success factor for me.  On certain evenings or on weekends, I know I need to complete certain assignments because if I don’t do them at that moment, they won’t get done on time.  And submitting any assignment late is not an option for me.  

It also involves learning to say no.  This hearkens back to having clarity of purpose – if you are clear about your end result, your ultimate goal, you make decisions about the use of time in a way that supports that goal.

It’s Not Easy

Perhaps I have made the process look easy to those with whom I work or to close friends.  They see me enjoying school, which I absolutely do, but they do not see the hard work that happens when I am alone, facing the blank computer screen to write a creative sketch, or the hours spent researching to find a few quotes on a very specific topic.  And, as I did just yesterday, in one day, writing a 3,200 word 10-page draft of a paper.

What I have learned in all of this is that many of the cliched life lessons we hear are true.  You get out of something what you put into it.  Manage time, don’t let time manage you.  Anything worth doing is worth doing well.  Whatever bumper sticker you subscribe to, what I know for sure is that it makes all the difference when you are doing something you love, when you follow your passion.  It never feels like work.  I don’t find myself saying, “Ugh, I have to go to class again.”  All that I am doing and learning is, in some way, contributing to the pursuit of my art.  And that is, to me, what it’s all about.

Inspiration is in the Details

13 Nov

As a writer, I am constantly in search of inspiration. I am an observer of the world around me and as I have spent more time writing I, too, have found so much in the small details of my life.

If there is any place that has the power to inspire in so many ways, it is New York City. I visit the city three or four times a year and every time I discover something new, acquire a new find, or see something that sparks my imagination.

When it comes to writing, this city offers immeasurable details and a colorful cast of characters on which to reflect. The history is rich and regardless of where I go, I see or hear or smell something that intrigues me.

I am writing this post, in fact, in New York, and already a few things have inspired me.

Walking in Greenwich Village yesterday, a small girl was overheard telling her mother, “Mom, I wish we were in The Hamptons.” Just this one quote made me think about who those people are, and I tried to imagine a life in which, as a child, I was faced with the quandary of strolling In the Village or spending time in The Hamptons.

At a brunch yesterday, a young woman spoke of the system with which she categorizes her friends. “I have my fun friends who were mostly waitresses until they turned 30 and who are always late and really fun to go out with,” she said. “Then I have my smart friends – they’re the ones I meet for dinner and good conversation. We usually meet at 7 and and I’m home by 10:30.” This is a whole other blog post, but introduced an interesting concept to me, something to write in my notebook and to explore at a later date.

What was reinforced in both instances is the importance of carrying a small notebook in my bag and a pen – tools of the writer’s trade – so I could quickly jot down these images, conversations, the details of my life. Writing them down locks them in, gives me something to refer to later, and creates a chronicle of my experience.

What I’ve also found is that when I observe these details I become more aware of the world around me, more focused on the present moment. These sensory details, these observations, are what is happening right here, right now, and gives me a greater appreciation of the moments of my life.

Wherever you may find yourself, whether in a big city or at a provincial gathering, taking time to observe the details of the world around you can be a grounding practice, a way to savor each moment. And if you are a writer, those moments, the details of your life, make up the story you are here to tell.

Traveling: Fuel for Creativity

25 Jul

The quaint village of Bar Harbor, Maine is visible out of my cruise ship stateroom. Rolling green hills, seasoned with what the Victorian wealthy called “cottages” but would qualify, from my standards, as mansions. There is an array of boats in various sizes bobbing gleefully in the bay, as the myriad visitors funnel in and out of the dock area into Main Street. I love the cruise experience, and when that is coupled with a few days in New York City or other notable port city, I definitely get inspired.

Taking time to travel, whether to a neighboring town or a place far away from home, is healthy and important for anyone. Traveling not only introduces you to new places but it also exposes you to new history, interesting people, and new influences such as art, natural resources, or local delicacies.

If you are an artist of some description, traveling can provide inspiration for content.

Visually, you are introduced to new landscapes, new foliage, vibrant hues and unusual species of animals. If you are, like me, more of a literary type, you experience things that serve as content for a future essay or someone you meet may inspire you to develop a character influenced by their idiosyncrasies.

Traveling also gives you an opportunity to disconnect from daily life.

I am certainly in a space of gratitude most days, appreciative of all that I have in my life. But periodically I find that it is very healthy to break way, jar the system out of its routine or, perhaps, apathy, and ignite the spirit of discovery once again. The moments you have, whether solo or accompanied by others, become memories you will enjoy and cherish for years to come. You will look back on this trip or that long weekend away and recall what you saw, what you learned, how you loved.

Whether you visit somewhere already familiar to you, or someplace completely new and different, traveling is something everyone should do, and do on a regular basis.

It is a healthy part of living life, putting your daily life in a greater context. As you see life from other people’s perspectives you realize that yours isn’t as grand or without imperfections as you may have once thought. Speaking with others, comparing lives from one nation to another, it is always humbling to realize that some may not see one’s country in the light we are raised to believe it is. That is healthy to have a realistic view of ourselves, and not to over-inflate reality with extraordinary accolades.

And so, as the sun-kissed waves lull me into a state of relaxation and peace, I relish these moments away from the everyday, when time feels suspended, and my creativity is, once again, reignited.

Soaking in the souls of books

18 Jul

As a writer, and as someone who will begin his Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program in just a few weeks, I always find inspiration when I share my space with books. Although I have adopted the use of my Kindle app, there really is nothing like being in a room filled with art and old books. While visiting New York City, I found two such places that any one should put on their visit list, and both for two very different reasons.

New York Public Library

I walked up the steps to the main New York Public Library in Manhattan, those same steps Carrie Bradshaw walked in the Vivienne Westwood wedding dress with a turquoise peacock in her hair. New York City, in all its wonder, provides its residents and visitors alike with endless inspiration, but for a writer, what better place to find inspiration than a library.

I walked through the reading rooms with the frescoed ceilings that felt a mile high, windows on both sides, metal and concrete landscapes appear also painted outside. The patina of old pages sparked my imagination, pondering the many words that have found their way into those shelves and archives, idealizing the aspiration that one day, my literary work, too, will find its honored place there.

This magnificent place serves not only as archive, but art museum also. One noted item was the death mask of e.e. cummings. The art. The books. The splendor of the space. I could imagine on cold winter days finding a comfortable chair and enjoy reading a good book, periodically looking up to see all that surrounds me. I could also imagine typing away on my laptop, writing an essay, a poem and feeling as if I had found Nirvana.

Housing Works Bookstore Cafe

Emerging from the powerful social movement ACT UP, Housing Works was founded in 1990, and exists to help homeless and low-income New Yorkers living with HIV and AIDS. It has a chain of retail outlets (bookstores, thrift shops and the like) and the bookstore, with a row of Georgian columns through its center, is filled with used books, DVDs, CDs and even LPs. (LPs were actually record albums that we would play on something called a turntable.) I particularly enjoyed reviewing the Show Tunes available on LP, now only $1.

There is one main level, with a 2nd half-floor that wraps around the front of the store. In the back, there is a cafe with tables and even a stage where the likes of Ryan Adams and Tracy Chapman have performed in the past. The scent of antique pages and a robust arabica roast fill the air.

There is something about making a purchase when you know the money you are spending is going to a good cause. I bought a t-shirt, but also an old copy of “Kafka was the Rage” by Anatole Broyard, a memoir that paints the picture of life in Greenwich Village in the 1940s. The feeling of the space is rustic, and as I stood at the register checking out, I thought of not only the many who have shopped in that space, but also those who have been helped by the services of Housing Works.

Finding Inspiration

During my visits to New York City, I invariably discover something new, some place that gets my imagination flowing, my thoughts ruminating on a potential topic to be explored in my writing. This trip is no exception. Spending time in beautiful places, both grand and charming, each representing different parts of our history, conjure life as it once was, as well as its present day harsh realities.

Spending time soaking in the souls of books, their pages transmitting energy and vibration, has indeed sparked my creative thinking and I am sure will provide me with numerous topics to cover here or elsewhere in the very near future.

Review: “A Knitter’s Guide to Color with Laura Bryant”

13 Jun

“You don’t get WOW by doing the expected!”
- Laura Bryant

After returning home from a long weekend in the country, I was thrilled to discover my copy of Interweave’s DVD “A Knitter’s Guide to Color with Laura Bryant” waiting on my doorstep!  I’ve seen Laura appear on various segments of Knitting Daily TV, and have also personally knit with PRISM Yarns, those fantastic yarns made of luxurious fibers in the most brilliant and unexpected colorways I’ve ever seen.  So, having the opportunity to have my own private “workshop” with Laura herself was an exciting prospect.

This DVD transformed the way I look at color.

Laura takes the viewer on a journey of discovery, demonstrating the basics of sorting colors by visual weight, warm and cool, to create what she calls “a river of color.”  She then shows a technique for using said river to find colors (many of them, unexpected combinations) that will work together.

One entire chapter shows Laura sorting a mixed menagerie of fibers in myriad colors, solids and variegated, metallics to merino.  Watching the transformation of this mixed pile into a river of color, a magnificent palette, is fascinating – and then, when she shows how to actually use that sorting process to find unexpected combinations is really something to witness.

Mathematic metaphors, patterns occurring in nature bring items to life.

Laura discusses the Fibonacci number sequence, a way of using numerical formulas to create attractive patterns in multiple colors that are pleasing to the eye.  I am typically math-averse; however, her easy-to-follow explanation of the mathematic principle and its application to knitting is so clear, I wanted to knit something up right away using the concept.

Her style is warm and casual, she speaks to you as if you were chatting over a grande nonfat caramel macchiato at the local Starbucks.  Every concept she shares is supported by tangible samples, whether shaded color cards, or fully or partially knit samples demonstrating differences in color choices and how those impact the overall look and impact of an item.

Use color to tell a story.

Another unique element of how Laura presents the concept of color is through the elements of “the color story” and “the pattern story.”  She shows knitted samples that demonstrate what a color story is versus a pattern story, but goes further by showing how to tell one over the other, and the role that color changes play in those two scenarios.

This DVD not only has fundamental concepts of using color, it features a number of great, and fairly easy looking projects, that facilitate the experimentation with color Ms. Bryant has equipped the viewer to pursue.  The DVD, when placed into a computer, also contains a downloadable pdf of a beautiful shawl pattern (which she showcases in the DVD as well).

I thought I knew how to pick colors.

I thought I had a good gauge on color, but in the first 5 minutes of watching this video I quickly realized I sort to my favorites, which are often safe, and not particularly a WOW.  When Laura Bryant shared her primary axiom, “You don’t get WOW by doing the expected!” I realized that I didn’t know that much about color mixing and matching after all.

I’ve learned, by watching this program, that I have a huge opportunity to get more adventurous with my color choices, and by understanding the concepts clearly and wonderfully demonstrated in this video, I am excited to make new and different color choices when making yarn purchases, designing my knitting projects, or fashioning my own handspun yarn in the future.

For more information:

About Laura Bryant and PRISM Yarn

View a preview of the DVD

Order your copy of “A Knitter’s Guide to Color with Laura Bryant”

I’m posting every week in 2011!

27 Jan

 

I’ve decided I want to blog more. Rather than just thinking about doing it, I’m starting right now.  I will be posting on this blog once a day / once a week for all of 2011.

I know it won’t be easy, but it might be fun, inspiring, awesome and wonderful.  I know my favorite topic – fiber arts – has so much to offer in the way of possible content, so as I continue my learning and research, so shall I share it here.

If you already read my blog, I hope you’ll encourage me with comments and likes, and good will along the way.  Also, be sure to tell your friends about BrianKnits.com!

Here’s to a love affair with yarn!

Brian

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