I love to knit!. It has been a constant in my life since the age of 10. As some of you may know, I have been reinventing myself over the past two years and my love of knitting has been instrumental in that reinvention. I have been fortunate to use my love of all things knitting to create an online boutique.
I have been asked, by several well meaning people, why are you focusing on that, don't you think that it's time you get a "real job". "Don't you need to be getting into some sort of training program where you can learn some new technology skills, why are you wasting your time with all that knitting stuff?"
I have been looking for a job and I'm sure you can understand that I was a bit insulted and perplexed at the sheer "nerve" of this line of questioning, but each time I took about 50 deep breaths and responded as follows:
"Because I love to knit and wanted to develop new skill sets and explore my entrepreneurial curiosity, in setting up my E-boutiques, I have self-taught myself, about blogging, social networking, posts, taking pictures to post on the web and a new vocabulary relating to technology." I also added, "With our economy in the process of reinvention, I need to make sure that I have a way to be as independent, as possible and my boutiques are helping to make that possible."
One of the questioners mulled over my answer and came up with the following...."Well that may be all well and good, but you still need a real job! You went to school, why are you wasting your degree with all this crafty stuff? You need to be out there learning about real technology, setting an example for our youth about the importance of learning about math and science. You know your degree is in Home Economics, and that is already a strike against you, in this day and time, considering your age?"
Once again, several deep breaths ensued and this was my response:
"Home Economics majors took Organic Chemistry to learn about the basis of carbon chains, so we could differentiate between natural fibers and synthetic fibers, how they are best used in fiber arts. Why do you think all those polyester leisure suits were so hot or why you never dropped a cigarette on them.... Polyester forms a molten ball, it doesn't catch fire, it just melts, and you would get a severe burn. We also used our organic chemistry knowledge to determine the chemical reactions of various recipe ingredients and how they react with each other. There's a reason you use baking soda, eggs and baking powder in a cake. As for math, what happens when you put in the wrong amount of an ingredient in a recipe? So, my degree gave me a great foundation in math and science. But I digress....
How does my knitting fit into my working future, and how does all of this "knitting stuff" contribute to my "duty" to set a good example for our youth, in the areas of science, technology or mathematics? To answer that question, I offer some "Food for Thought"....
1.) Did you know that to properly decrease the top of a hat, you need to be able to calculate the "foot number" of your total number of stitches? Did you know that when you knit, you secretly use your algebra and geometry skills, as they relate to spacial measurements ? When you knit, you use your math skills, and you don't realize you are doing math, you are just "manufacturing" a great product and doing something you enjoy.
2. Did you know that the fiber content of a particular yarn will determine the outcome of your product. You are using your scientific knowledge as to the properties of wool, acrylic, alpaca or silk and how those fibers will react when exposed to heat or what type of chemical reaction will take place when you dye those fibers.
3. Did you know that knitters, such as myself, have access to computer software that will help us design and market new knitting patterns, but we use that software as a tool to build upon our current knowledge of spacial design and placing, aka geometry.
With that being said, I am contributing to the technological, scientific and mathematical future of our youth, because I use all of these disciplines in an art form that I enjoy and share with some of our youth and guess what, I'm practicing those principles, even though to some, it may seem that I'm not.
Which leads me to think, perhaps if we packaged technology, science and mathematics into activities we, and our youth, enjoy doing, these principles would cease to be "great mysteries" and would become "the norm as opposed to the exception"...
Blu Onyx Expressions
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Saturday, June 4, 2011
What a difference 6 months can make!
Although it's been awhile since I've posted on this Blog, I have been working on the Blu Onyx Expressions E-boutiques:www.BluOnyxExpressions.etsy.com and www.BluOnyxExpressions.artfire.com,
and I'm happy to report that they are really starting to take off.
I started making fun knitting and crocheting accessories, featuring them in the Knit/Crcochet Expressions shop in the Boutiques. Here's a sample::
I have been encouraged by my clients and friends to expand my line to include jewelry. Here's a picture of the earrings that I just listed, tonight:
Aren't they funky and fun? If you like these, please check out the other "Jewelry Expressions" in the Boutiques
Even with the current state of our economy, I've been blessed to have the opportunity to fulfill some custom orders and I'm learning so much about marketing, advertising, and "priorty mail" :)
So, if you ever are in doubt as to wheather you are doing the right thing, when you start a new venture, just give it some time...... You'd be surprised at "What a difference 6 months can make!"
and I'm happy to report that they are really starting to take off.
I started making fun knitting and crocheting accessories, featuring them in the Knit/Crcochet Expressions shop in the Boutiques. Here's a sample::
I have been encouraged by my clients and friends to expand my line to include jewelry. Here's a picture of the earrings that I just listed, tonight:
Aren't they funky and fun? If you like these, please check out the other "Jewelry Expressions" in the Boutiques
Even with the current state of our economy, I've been blessed to have the opportunity to fulfill some custom orders and I'm learning so much about marketing, advertising, and "priorty mail" :)
So, if you ever are in doubt as to wheather you are doing the right thing, when you start a new venture, just give it some time...... You'd be surprised at "What a difference 6 months can make!"
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Welcoming 2011!!!!!!!
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Look Out World- A Creative Launch is in the Works!
Happy Holidays! It's been a while since I posted, but when you are in a life transition, you ebb and flow as those transitional layers unfold.
My current ebb involves learning to listen to that internal voice that keeps pestering me to take my creative ideas to another level. So I'm under creative construction!
All of my inner creative voices (ideas) have been screaming for me to find them an outlet, where they can become tangible, to develop a blue print for them to get out of my head and into the world .
So, I'm inviting you to follow along, as I take BluOnyx Expressions on an exciting adventure. I hope you will join me.
My current ebb involves learning to listen to that internal voice that keeps pestering me to take my creative ideas to another level. So I'm under creative construction!
All of my inner creative voices (ideas) have been screaming for me to find them an outlet, where they can become tangible, to develop a blue print for them to get out of my head and into the world .
So, I'm inviting you to follow along, as I take BluOnyx Expressions on an exciting adventure. I hope you will join me.
Friday, August 13, 2010
While Minding My Own Self Business - Chivalry Caught My Eye
I was "Minding My Own Self Business", aka grocery shopping. You know the drill, you go up and down the aisles, getting your normal supplies, living in your own head, intently focused on just getting it done! Well, while "minding my own self business", this shopping trip turned into one of those shopping excursions, where you "meet up", more than once or twice, in the same aisle, at the same time, with the same shopper(s).
Yes, we've all had those "aisle parties" with fellow shoppers. I like to call them "aisle buddies", when they are pleasant or "aisle blockers" when they are always right in front of whatever it is that you need or they just don't get the "concept" of putting their cart over to the side, so other shoppers can pass, instead of leaving it smack dab in the middle of the aisle at just the right angle where they block the whole aisle making you wish that your cart was equipped with a high powered laser beam automatically programed to zap their cart to "infinity and beyond"!....... But I digress.......
My aisle buddies for this trip, were a lovely elderly couple doing their shopping. I encountered them on several aisles and each time I came in contact with them, I was "struck" by the depth of the chivalry and kindness that the gentleman was displaying, toward his wife. Let me count the ways..... (1) He pushed their cart, all while asking her, in the kindest voice, what was the next item on their list, (2) He held her hand only letting it go to retrieve something off a shelf. (3) He wouldn't even let her get a 5-pound bag of sugar off the shelf, saying "No love, that is too heavy for you, let me get it. (4) When I encountered them in the meat section, they were holding each other by their waists, as they examined the pork chops, and I heard him say.... "Love, you know your pork chops are the best, would you make me some, tonight? " She said "Of course I will, love", as she squeezed him tighter.
I found myself thinking that watching them was such a pleasure... a pleasure that we don't see that often, in this new 21st century. And just when I thought it couldn't get any better, as they checked out, of course we ended up in the same check-out lane, he put all of the groceries on the cashier belt, he paid for their groceries, he said to the box person...."this is my wife, isn't she the prettiest thing you've ever seen" and then, he extended his arm to his "love" and they walked out of the store, together.
The cashier and I stood there looking at them, for a moment and we both, in our own way said, Wow, you don't really see men being that nice and chivalrous, anymore.... Yes, I know, we jinxed! Again, I digress.
What have we, as a people, come to when we are in awe of seeing a gentleman be a gentleman? The cashier and I talked about how such lovely behaviour seems to be going by the way side, and how we so often observe younger men not even being nice to the ladies they accompany.
As I drove home, I was still thinking about our conversation, when I saw a younger couple, probably in their late twenties to early thirties, crossing the street. You might ask, why is that so unusual? Well, what caught my eye was that the young lady was walking, oddly. As I focused on them, I saw that she was crossing the street barefoot. In my mind, I started to ask myself, why is she walking on that nasty ground in her bare feet and where are her shoes? Then I it happened, again.... "Chivalry" caught my eye! The young man had her purse on his shoulder, was carrying her shoes in one hand and was holding her hand, with his other hand, guiding her across the crosswalk. I then thought, "Oh, how thoughtful, you don't see young men being that kind, everyday".
As the light turned green for me to cross the intersection, "Chivalry" again caught my eye, only this time "Chivalry" winked at me....when the young couple stepped onto the curb, the young man dropped her hand, gently moving her to the inside of the sidewalk, so that he would be on the side of the sidewalk closest to the traffic, shifted her purse to his other shoulder, put her shoes in other hand, put his free hand around her waist, pulled her into him and smiled at her as they proceeded down the street. Now of course, his actions took less than 30 seconds, but he was a man, being a gentleman making sure that his lady was protected from harm, and he was of a younger age group. The age group that seems to have forgotten how to be chivalrous.
Funny how as I was "minding my own self business", Chivalry caught my eye, winked at me, and said,
"Don't count me out, I'm very much alive and well. In fact, lookout world, here I come!"
Yes, we've all had those "aisle parties" with fellow shoppers. I like to call them "aisle buddies", when they are pleasant or "aisle blockers" when they are always right in front of whatever it is that you need or they just don't get the "concept" of putting their cart over to the side, so other shoppers can pass, instead of leaving it smack dab in the middle of the aisle at just the right angle where they block the whole aisle making you wish that your cart was equipped with a high powered laser beam automatically programed to zap their cart to "infinity and beyond"!....... But I digress.......
My aisle buddies for this trip, were a lovely elderly couple doing their shopping. I encountered them on several aisles and each time I came in contact with them, I was "struck" by the depth of the chivalry and kindness that the gentleman was displaying, toward his wife. Let me count the ways..... (1) He pushed their cart, all while asking her, in the kindest voice, what was the next item on their list, (2) He held her hand only letting it go to retrieve something off a shelf. (3) He wouldn't even let her get a 5-pound bag of sugar off the shelf, saying "No love, that is too heavy for you, let me get it. (4) When I encountered them in the meat section, they were holding each other by their waists, as they examined the pork chops, and I heard him say.... "Love, you know your pork chops are the best, would you make me some, tonight? " She said "Of course I will, love", as she squeezed him tighter.
I found myself thinking that watching them was such a pleasure... a pleasure that we don't see that often, in this new 21st century. And just when I thought it couldn't get any better, as they checked out, of course we ended up in the same check-out lane, he put all of the groceries on the cashier belt, he paid for their groceries, he said to the box person...."this is my wife, isn't she the prettiest thing you've ever seen" and then, he extended his arm to his "love" and they walked out of the store, together.
The cashier and I stood there looking at them, for a moment and we both, in our own way said, Wow, you don't really see men being that nice and chivalrous, anymore.... Yes, I know, we jinxed! Again, I digress.
What have we, as a people, come to when we are in awe of seeing a gentleman be a gentleman? The cashier and I talked about how such lovely behaviour seems to be going by the way side, and how we so often observe younger men not even being nice to the ladies they accompany.
As I drove home, I was still thinking about our conversation, when I saw a younger couple, probably in their late twenties to early thirties, crossing the street. You might ask, why is that so unusual? Well, what caught my eye was that the young lady was walking, oddly. As I focused on them, I saw that she was crossing the street barefoot. In my mind, I started to ask myself, why is she walking on that nasty ground in her bare feet and where are her shoes? Then I it happened, again.... "Chivalry" caught my eye! The young man had her purse on his shoulder, was carrying her shoes in one hand and was holding her hand, with his other hand, guiding her across the crosswalk. I then thought, "Oh, how thoughtful, you don't see young men being that kind, everyday".
As the light turned green for me to cross the intersection, "Chivalry" again caught my eye, only this time "Chivalry" winked at me....when the young couple stepped onto the curb, the young man dropped her hand, gently moving her to the inside of the sidewalk, so that he would be on the side of the sidewalk closest to the traffic, shifted her purse to his other shoulder, put her shoes in other hand, put his free hand around her waist, pulled her into him and smiled at her as they proceeded down the street. Now of course, his actions took less than 30 seconds, but he was a man, being a gentleman making sure that his lady was protected from harm, and he was of a younger age group. The age group that seems to have forgotten how to be chivalrous.
Funny how as I was "minding my own self business", Chivalry caught my eye, winked at me, and said,
"Don't count me out, I'm very much alive and well. In fact, lookout world, here I come!"
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Living Life Always Looking Up.....
Today started the same as most days.. I took Raven outside, I came back and prepared her food dish while she sat on the kitchen floor and "looked up" at me, cocking her head from side to side, stretching her little neck to "look up" even more as she waited for me to finish my task. You see, she is a small Shih Tzu who is very low to the ground so she spends most of her time, everyday, looking up at me for various reasons, for her food, for a treat, for some affection ....you see, she's trained me very well :>)
Also, the other day, I saw a great picture of dogs looking up, toward the photographer. They looked as though they were all asking for something, in that "ah" inducing way, that only dogs can.
These two things got me thinking about what it is like to "live a life always looking up"? How many times, in our lives, have we "looked up" to someone or something? Are we all, in some ways, like my little dog "looking up" out of love and necessity?
We "looked up" to our parents, when we were young, because (a) they were taller than us, and (b) because they were how we had our needs for hugs, kisses, food, clothing, shelter, transportation, and bedtime stories met, at the time.
As we grew older, we" looked up to our teachers", whose lessons stayed in our subconscious and were magically recalled when needed.
We've "looked up to people", who we admired, because they taught, us, by word and deed, invaluable lessons infused with wisdom. We've taken those wise lessons and nourished our lives.
We've "looked up to mentors", who walked a path before us, and reached back to help us navigate that same path.
We've "looked up, from our knees" to our "higher power" for love, strength, wisdom, guidance, forgiveness and nourishment of spirit.
Now the question is... who, in our lives, is looking up to us, as my little dog does, and what do we owe them for the privilege of being able to have them "looking up" at us?
The answer is.... we need to "pass down to them" all of the faith, love, kindness, strength, knowledge, wisdom and mentoring support that we received, as we "lived our lives looking up".....
After all, that is how we will be judged when we finally get to "look up" at our "higher power" at the end of "living our life".
Just a few of my musings......... I would love to hear what you think.......
Also, the other day, I saw a great picture of dogs looking up, toward the photographer. They looked as though they were all asking for something, in that "ah" inducing way, that only dogs can.
These two things got me thinking about what it is like to "live a life always looking up"? How many times, in our lives, have we "looked up" to someone or something? Are we all, in some ways, like my little dog "looking up" out of love and necessity?
We "looked up" to our parents, when we were young, because (a) they were taller than us, and (b) because they were how we had our needs for hugs, kisses, food, clothing, shelter, transportation, and bedtime stories met, at the time.
As we grew older, we" looked up to our teachers", whose lessons stayed in our subconscious and were magically recalled when needed.
We've "looked up to people", who we admired, because they taught, us, by word and deed, invaluable lessons infused with wisdom. We've taken those wise lessons and nourished our lives.
We've "looked up to mentors", who walked a path before us, and reached back to help us navigate that same path.
We've "looked up, from our knees" to our "higher power" for love, strength, wisdom, guidance, forgiveness and nourishment of spirit.
Now the question is... who, in our lives, is looking up to us, as my little dog does, and what do we owe them for the privilege of being able to have them "looking up" at us?
The answer is.... we need to "pass down to them" all of the faith, love, kindness, strength, knowledge, wisdom and mentoring support that we received, as we "lived our lives looking up".....
After all, that is how we will be judged when we finally get to "look up" at our "higher power" at the end of "living our life".
Just a few of my musings......... I would love to hear what you think.......
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Entering the Blog-o-Sphere
Well, it's time.... time to join the ongoing world of those who "blog". Had a ball setting it up & I look forward to writing my musings.
While contemplating my musings, a funny thought crossed my mind..... What do I have to write about and seriously, who really cares? It seems that everyone has a blog and has ideas and information to post. This lead to another question.....Why do we share our thoughts and ideas in the cyber space?
What happened to sharing our thoughts and ideas "in person"? For years, we met a friend and talked to each other... For years, we call our friends and families and told them about our thoughts and ideas.
Here is how I answered, myself....."Self, we are progressing and expanding our communication styles." To me, blogs are the 21st century equivalent of the "party line" or a "receiving a nice written note". We can share our thoughts and ideas with a great community of those who care about us and share similar thoughts and passions.
Well, this is my musing of the day..... Look forward to sharing more with the great people in my life.
Look out world, here I come!
While contemplating my musings, a funny thought crossed my mind..... What do I have to write about and seriously, who really cares? It seems that everyone has a blog and has ideas and information to post. This lead to another question.....Why do we share our thoughts and ideas in the cyber space?
What happened to sharing our thoughts and ideas "in person"? For years, we met a friend and talked to each other... For years, we call our friends and families and told them about our thoughts and ideas.
Here is how I answered, myself....."Self, we are progressing and expanding our communication styles." To me, blogs are the 21st century equivalent of the "party line" or a "receiving a nice written note". We can share our thoughts and ideas with a great community of those who care about us and share similar thoughts and passions.
Well, this is my musing of the day..... Look forward to sharing more with the great people in my life.
Look out world, here I come!
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