Creative Escape
Ah, the sweet sunny spring days are here! Bluebird sky, sunshine and a easy going spring mood. The snow has started to melt quite fast and the birds are singing. I’m sitting outside in the sun with Lotus sleeping in my lap. Vibes that make me creative. Jussi had a birthday on Monday so the week has been a lot of fun! Usually Jussi is the one who wakes up first so on his birthday I wanted to make an exception and prepare him a special breakfast. For dinner we ordered takeaway and had several desserts with coffee so the day was all about good food. Just the way we like it!
"What I want to share with you today is my way to escape the stress and troubles. Art."
Art is my mindfulness
Although the spring makes me feel vibrant it is no surprise that this year has been tough for us like for everyone. It feels like we are in the exact same situation than last year with the same unsteadiness and uncertainty. I'm actually quite tired of talking about the pandemic and how it has changed our everyday life but what I want to share with you today is my way to escape the stress and the troubles. Art.
During the year I have used art and creativity to clear my head from everything and to fill it with positivity and balance. Of course I have always done it but I feel like this year the meaning of it has been on a whole new level. I have worked on my old projects and learned new skills in order to develop my ways to be creative.
Hand made with love
Like I have told you before, knitting has been one of the new skills I've learned recently. When I crabbed the knitting needles for the first time to start Jussi's sweater in November I doubted myself, a lot. I really didn't think I could manage to make a sweater. But once I got into the flow and learned the basics and how to read the instructions I realised that it is something I can do. And most importantly go even further than just the ready made patterns and rules. It has been a liberating feeling to be able to just go for it without any pressure. No one is going to say what I can or can't do. I would say it's a great therapy for me.
And the best thing is that this whole knitting hobby fits perfectly to my idea of sustainable consumption. The yarns that I use are high quality materials that last many years and are produced respecting the nature. And since I make the clothing myself with no deadlines and with a lear-by-doing mentality it's definitely slow fashion with a capital S. For example, for me knitting a sweater is a lot of work so I would not make more than what I actually need.
The music speaks for itself
Music has always been a huge part of my life. This year it has been all about collecting memories and thoughts and putting them together on a paper
and combine them with beautiful chords.
Playing and singing give me multiple ways to express myself. It can be that I have an urgent need to say something and write it down or sometimes it's just easier to relate to other artists' work and simply put all my heart and soul into playing and interpreting. If I'm tired I just listen to music. I have discovered new artists that inspire me and old favourites that bring back the good memories and remind me of great moments.
Focus on the good
I feel myself free when I can create. The more detailed the work is the more concentrated and focused I get and then forget everything else. When things are not going the way I planned them to go the only thing I can do is to find the good in those situations. Or if not in the same situations maybe try to get myself into other ones. I personally have never been a person who stresses about things going wrong or not happening. I've always trusted the process and counted on the future but this year has proven me that even I can get stressed. That's why I think it's even more important for me to find my mojo back with focusing on art.
Last summer I did a lot of macrame work. I walked around our forest to collect tiny branches fallen from the trees and designed miniature macrame to hang on the walls. Before last year I had only done one bigger wall hanging for our wedding decorations but this summer I started doing these minis as a platform to learn new knots and ways to combine different patterns and colors together. By the end of the summer I had made more than six mini macrame wall hangings with fallen branches, left over yarn and rocks.
What's next?
I hope things will change soon and we can all start to live a normal life, at least more normal than now. I have used to live quite free life so this situation feels so wrong. But I hope we all have some things that help us to get through this and focus on the good. Next week I’ll get a little bit deeper into our life with a sled dog pack but now I will continue sunbathing with Lotus. Bye!
Life is the best, enjoy!
xx, Inka and Lotus
