10 November 2008

Beauty is often created at home



I spent quite a bit of time over the weekend staring out at the scene above. It's what I look out on when I sit in my workroom. "Workroom" is the inappropriate name I've given my sewing and writing room, but I have to admit, I don't feel like I'm working when I'm in there. Nevertheless, I did a few hour's work on my book, pottered around and talked to Hanno through the window while he painted posts on the front verandah.

It was a lazy weekend. There was rain, a few visitors, knitting and a bit of cooking. All in all a very pleasant time. I hope yours was too.



I found an old pure wool jumper that was washed in hot water a few months ago and cut a pair of mittens from it for next winter. There is still more than enough for a bag that I'll make up next weekend.



I finished off the fingerless gloves I started a little while ago from the pattern Heather posted on the Simple Green frugal Co-op. Heather's blog is Beauty that Moves, it's one of my favourites and I recommend it to you if you haven't yet wandered over her way.



I finished off the weekend with the knitted red cotton bag that I started a month ago. I'm making up the pattern as I go but I'm not sure yet if I like what I did yesterday. I'll look at it again with fresh eyes this morning and see if I'll be undoing a few rows or leaving it. I often undo knitting, although I do it less now than I used to. I learn my life lessons as much by mistakes as I do by my successes.

And my little simple living bag is there. I'm using it now as my pencil case for work. It contains pens and pencils, a calculator, eraser and post-its and it's easy to pop into my basket on work days and hang on a hook right beside my desk.

I really enjoy having unique things to use in my home and at work. It exercises my mind to make them and reminds me when I use them, that remaining productive and creative pays off in meaningful ways and that beauty is often created at home.


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22 comments

  1. Gorgeous bag and thanks for the photo's of the mittens and fingerless gloves. Even think **I** could manage those, with my slow and limited-skills knitting!

    Ree

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  2. The mittens and fingerless gloves are wonderful. Your workroom view is so restful. My workroom is really my "leisure" room. It is upstairs with a mountain view. I do get work done and I am at peace while I work. The best of both worlds!

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  3. Perhaps you could rename your room, maybe The thinking space, the craft room (where you work on all your crafts - they call writing a craft) or how about your retreat,or den.

    I like the idea of a den it sounds inviting and filled with all the things I would want in there.

    daisymum

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  4. The hint of a walk through the gums is idyllic. Obviously it is part of your yard but how far does it go or is it just to entice the eyes? Your cutoff mittens are real spiffy with the red running stitch and embroidery. In my yard I love the beauty of freshly mown grass (can't say lawn because it isn't haha) under the dapplings of the Moreton Bay. I also love my little corners on the back balcony with thrifted (read: picked yp during council cleanups) bits and pieces and my geraniums. I think nothing beats a few pots of colour to make me happy. Cherrie

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  5. Rhonda Jean you have my scissors.

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  6. hello ladies!

    Cherrie, our block is about one acre in size. That view is about the middle of the block, looking out to the one lane that leads to our home.

    LOL Jenny! ... or is it that you have mine?

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  7. The fingerless gloves are a wonderful idea. We've really been keeping the thermostat down for the last few years and so often when I'm reading at bedtime everything is warm (love those down comforters) except my hands.

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  8. What a absolutely gorgeous view. I think your work room should be called either the room with a view, or your inspirational room....
    I am an absolutely useless knitter and would so love to be able to improve my lack of knitting skill and those fingerless mittens look very manageable as ree said.. 'Even think **I** could manage those, with my slow and limited-skills knitting! ... so now inspired will go in search of wool and needles!!
    Jane xxx

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  9. Great mittens - that wool jumper would be great to make oven mitts too!

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  10. I love the mittens! Beautifu view from your window.

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  11. I hope all your family are well soon, thinking of you all.

    Just catching up on the posts, I love your live simply bag, and I'm interested to see how your knitted basket turns out.

    Thank you for posting about time management. I worked for many years in a very busy office role where I had to be super-organised. Since I don’t work anymore I’ve become so disorganised and unfocussed and I’m just not coping with the housework and not getting enough exercise (which worries me more than anything).

    The first thing I had to face was that I spend far to much time on the computer. I’m trying to come up with ways of dealing with this. I need to rejig my priorities somehow, I’ll be working on this over the coming weeks and I’ll be coming back to your post to rethink. And thanks for your wonderful post about Obama, I agree with every word you said.

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  12. oh rhonda! i love the floral addition to the gloves... and the little red band detail at the bottom, so sweet! i suppose you will pack them away now for the next several (warm) months. ;) have a great week.

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  13. Oh yes beauty is most needed to be created in our homes. If we surround our selves (no matter what we have) with it we will prosper in so many ways. I was the last of 8 kids and created beauty was often my comfort, Finding beauty in the so called mundane frees us to have wide open eyes. So many a folk are blind. Sad thing too. I get so much of my inspiration from creativity like your adorable warm mittens. Those fingerless ones are great for gardening I would think. The pests are at bay in the garden I think I'll need to repeat the efforts . My garden is looking a bit shabby. Perhaps some composting is in order. I am so glad your weekend pleased you.

    "Creative Studio" :)

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  14. Rhonda Jean, each day I look forward to reading your post. I enjoy hearing about your daily joys and struggles and I love the photos of your garden and yard. I live in Minnesota, USA (way up north). We are moving rapidly into winter as you are entering summer! It has snowed here the last 3 days but the lovely photo of your yard gave me another summer experience, however brief. Thank you for sharing your life. Your writing voice is humble, unaffected and honest. You have titled you page most appropriately.

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  15. Inspiring post - for some reason I just cannot raise any enthusiasm in my crafting genes at present. We are forecast diabolical weather this week (started yesterday, and HOW!) so perhaps I can nail myself to the kitchen table with my crafting supplies and start making those glove puppets and rag dolls I was planning for grand-nephews and nieces this Christmas.

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  16. I would call it my den if I had a room like that :o) I love your little drawstring bag,I am drawn to all things red & adore that red stitching you have done on several things i hvae seen here x x x
    GTM

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  17. I hope everybody's doing ok with their health, and I really love the "live simply" bag!

    Christine

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  18. What a lovely view from your creative space! It's obviously sending you good vibes because you have been so productive! The little bag is so darling with its needlepoint flowers, house, and words to live by.

    I've made fingerless gloves several times and have decided that I much prefer the kind that has a hinged mitten top to pull over my fingers when I wasn't operating keys or other tasks but I imagine that Washington state (where I used my gloves most) gets a bit cooler than your corner of Australia. :)

    I envy you your workspace. In an effort to get ready for the children (whenever we get them), we dismantled my sewing corner and made room for childrens' toys, chest of drawers, and trunks.

    While it is certainly for a good cause, it is a royal pain to have to lug everything out each day and set it up on the dining room table only to lug it all back before our evening meal. Since we have no idea when we will have children here, we cannot set up my sewing area and take it down in time.

    We have signed up to be an emergency placement foster home as well. Thus, displaced children who are found after business hours can come to our house until social workers can figure out the details of their case and find them a foster home. So, we really must be ready for children at all times.

    You and your lovely family remain firmly in my prayers.

    Thank you for your love and support. I cannot begin to tell you what it means to me.

    In friendship,
    Lacy

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  19. love it!! yes agree - beauty is closer at hand than we often realise! the stitching is just lovely!

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  20. Thank you for your wonderful blog. Enjoy your views!

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  21. lovely mitens..
    I dont knit, i can only knit scarves...
    i crochet mostly..doing some baby hats now...
    Its feels so good to crochet,its kinda knocks depression down some what..
    thats a beautiful pic from your work room, that would shake the blues away some also..
    i love your blog and glad i found it..

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