MICROMOVEMENTS

EXCUSE ME FOR STARTING WITH A 30-SECOND WHINE:
Let me just say my entire life feels like in "micro" movement at the moment, and not in a good way.  Five weeks of unremitting snow and freezing temperatures, unable to move the car, treacherous walking...you get the picture and it ain't pretty.  But today it's above freezing, it's sunny, and a melt is underway.  AND I dared to move the car out of its parking space (which someone else immediately took; this is exactly why I haven't moved it up to now).  Unfortunately I took it straight to the mechanic who informed me I need $900 worth of repairs.  Sigh.  Time to get a grip!

Ok, that's enough whining.  Phew, glad that's over.

NOW BACK TO OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAMMING...

Let's get to the positive aspect of the concept of micromovements.  I just dropped in on Sark's website, Planet Sark  (well worth the time) and she has a totally fabulous, downloadable pdf on micromovements here.  What they are...Why they can be helpful...Why you should try her technique.  And you know what?  I've tried it and if totally works.  She presents the info in her usual funny, creative, and colorful way.  If you're stuck on a project, check this out!  You'll do yourself a favor.

So today I could have just stewed about how "stalled" life has been for the past few weeks--and believe me, I have done my share of stewing--but instead I hauled out my new rug's foundation and finished copying the pattern onto its reverse side.  Here is the pattern:

Why did I want the pattern on both sides?  Because I want to try to punch the rug with wool strips, and punching is done from the back to the front.  If I change my mind, I'll go with traditional hooking, which is done from front to back.  (If your head is spinning over that last sentence, just ignore it.) 

Now I'm just waiting for a punch needle from the Oxford Company to arrive, and I can begin to work on the rug and see what happens.  Soooooooooooo...today is all about micromovements for me, just like Sark advises.

Here are the wools I may use on the rug:

Please to note the crazy socks in the photo on the left, a gift from my wonderful friend Joelle.  Joelle:  I wear these all the time and love them!

All these wool colors look washed out in the photos; they're livelier than this.  One of the colors is Jeanne Benjamin's "Old Underwear," a name I absolutely love.  Here's what she says about this color on her website:  "Old Underwear...This dirty white took off immediately as a best seller.  It was inspired by the colour of the beautiful handmade lingerie I found in my mother's attic.  It's a little too 'white' for primitives in my opinion.  The fine shaders like it for a background, and other hookers report they like it for clothes on laundry lines, animals, white flowers, and clouds."

Just pulling out the pattern and finishing that, plus reviewing my possible wool selection, was enough for me to feel I had done something creative today.

"Notice the small things. The rewards are inversely proportional."  --Liz Vassey, actor