Saturday 19 November 2011

Therapy

Firstly can I say a very big thank you for your comments on my chevron blanket, much appreciated and enjoyed and believe it or not I feel a little shy {almost narcissistic} about showing my makes on the net but it's lovely to know that there are lovelies like you out there who appreciate makes of the yarn variety. 


Blogging, I find is good for confidence building too. For those of you who know me you may think I'm quite a confident person but we all have vulnerabilities, seeking human approval about various things. Unfortunately I suffer from melancholia, blues and depression really. Mostly, it's under control but sometimes it slips through the cracks and I crumble again. I've been having a few low confidence days recently... especially this morning. So, I allow myself to feel what I was feeling, listen to Shawn Colvin and Jane Siberry , drink copious cups of tea and immerse myself in something creative to keep my black dog at bay. There is nothing more therapeutic for me other than keeping my hands busy or stopping to read a good book or some poetry and of course going out for a walk. 


So I got out some of Alice's water colour paints and painted. I can't draw anything beyond doodling and stick figures but I love Scandinavian patterns/design so I was kind of inspired by some wrapping paper I bought a while back and drew some flowers and other shapes using pretty colour's to bring me back to life again.








Not particularly brilliant, I think I'll just stick to simple shapes next time, but it's really really helped lift my mood which is all that counts.


Anything yarn related is always a mood lifter for me, so I got busy making my idea for Alice's teacher's Christmas present last night. A couple of mug hugs which I plan to embroider her teacher's names on a piece of felt and fill the mugs with some festive chocolates.






These are so easy to make and I think they make a lovely personalised handmade gift for teacher's and don't cost a fortune!


I also made myself go out into the beautiful sunshine today for in my wellness I know what an incredibly blessed and rich life I have. I never want to take my privileged life for granted. Mother nature showed me all the small things this morning and the silence was something I was grateful for.  








I love Sylvia Plath's poem:

Mushrooms


Overnight, very 
Whitely, discreetly, 
Very quietly 

Our toes, our noses 
Take hold on the loam, 
Acquire the air. 

Nobody sees us, 
Stops us, betrays us; 
The small grains make room. 

Soft fists insist on 
Heaving the needles, 
The leafy bedding, 

Even the paving. 
Our hammers, our rams, 
Earless and eyeless, 

Perfectly voiceless, 
Widen the crannies, 
Shoulder through holes. We 

Diet on water, 
On crumbs of shadow, 
Bland-mannered, asking 

Little or nothing. 
So many of us! 
So many of us! 

We are shelves, we are 
Tables, we are meek, 
We are edible, 

Nudgers and shovers 
In spite of ourselves. 
Our kind multiplies: 

We shall by morning 
Inherit the earth. 
Our foot's in the door.




Thanks for stopping by, I feel so much better now. Blog therapy who would have thought ? 
What do you do when you feel blue?
xox

24 comments:

  1. I've been feeling blue a lot lately. While driving in the car, it's the worst. Maybe this is because I'm in the middle of nowhere between A and B. I just don't want to leave my home and face the world.

    Trinking tea helps, keeping my hands busy helps and walking in the sunshine (but that is wishful thinking these days because of the thick fog).

    Let's hope for better times.

    All the best

    Regula

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  2. What a beautiful post ... joy found, just when you need it, in the little things. Simple pleasures really are the best tonic when we're feeling blue, aren't they.

    I've been feeling a bit down lately about my continued poor health, so we took the whippets to the beach earlier, something which always cheers me up. (Although today they found some mud near the rocks so now all need a bath, which is somewhat less than cheering!)

    And yes, blogging cheers me up too ... taking the time to get the words and pictures just how I want them is really satisfying, as is connecting with like minded creative types :D

    Hope the rest of your weekend is a happy one x

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  3. Feeling blue is like living in sludge for me and can just hit right out of the blue for no particular reason. It's very hard to get out of feeling like this but I retreat into myself and need alone time to just sit and read, knit what ever until my mood lifts and I feel happier. Of course reading blog posts is very cheering and thank you for sharing yours. Never heard of Shawn Colvin before so will listen to more of the music.

    Leah x

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  4. The blues can hit any of us so I'm sure most of us know how you feel, Penelope. I hope your confidence grows the more that people see the lovely things you make and leave comments - you're very creative, and you also seem so caring. I love the watercolours, and I am very jealous of Alice's teacher!
    I do think being outside is really good for you, although it can be tempting just to stay in with your yarn. Also laughing is the very best thing. I've been watching the two Miranda series on DVD and they make all my family laugh out loud - I love it when we find something that makes us all laugh!
    Jane x

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  5. Blogging helps me too. I blog my feelings on my family blog and feel better for getting it out there., writing it away. Knitting and crochet helps, cleaning frenzies, being outside, sorting out all our paperwork and finances, all things that keep me busy and feeling organized. I find that when disorganization starts sneaking in it exacerbates the arrival of the blues.
    Hope this episode of blueness soon passes and you continue to see the little joys.
    xx

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  6. I feel very blessed to have a few things I turn to when I feel down.....doing something creative works for me too, I paint or craft and I also play the piano.....my husbands says I play like Margarita Pragitan....if you haven't heard her you should YouTube her an think of me! All these things allow you to lose yourself a little don't they (even if like in my case you're not much cop!)

    I do like your picture, it's very designy you should try doing some screen printing I reckon you'd enjoy it.

    Your blog is lovely, honest, wholesome and inspiring!

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  7. Ps love your mug hugs.....lucky teachers!

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  8. Oh Penelope feeling depressed is just a normal part of human life...but we are made to feel that it is wrong and that we should hide it... we all find our different ways round it, it's when you are stuck in the middle of it that it becomes a problem,... so you do what ever you feel you need to to come out the other side...and Faith...you made me laugh out loud imagining you as Margarita Pragitan... she used to make me giggle so much! Google it Penny...it will do you the world of good! :)x

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  9. Love Plath. And your watercolours are rather nice, remind me of the patterns on vintage pyrex. Any teacher would be thrilled to get a lovely hand-made gift, so much nicer than yet another box of chocolates.

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  10. Am so glad you 'feel the feelings' so to speak and not bury it, I feel that if we constantly 'bury' the feelings we can become quite sick. I have a lot of moments when my confidence is very low and it feels very uncomfortable, I have been to a few parties lately and of course I go on my own because I don't have a partner, I find it very hard, but have made myself go lately and it has been ok, which in turn makes me feel a little better. Your paintings are great, I especially love the pear and bird.
    xx Sandi

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  11. Oh Penelope, I'm so sorry you've been feeling blue, but you seem to have found a good way to work through it. I love your little paintings, you have such a good eye for colour. I think the mug hug for teacher is such a lovely gift. did you hear the discussion on woman's Hour the other week about teacher's being given designer hand bags and champagne? I think they were in quite an expensive catchment area, but even so, what pressure for the less well off parents. Something simple and well thought out is so much more in the spirit of a gift.
    I hope your spirits continue to lift,
    lots of love Penny xxx (and Higgins of course!)

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  12. Actually Penelope, your little watercolours are lovely. Very pleasing to look at. You sell yourself short.

    It is hard to show the things you've made on the internet - you're inviting comment and criticism and as we all have differing taste it can be a dodgy thing to do - but be encouraged because all your makes are wonderful and your creativity is very obvious.

    I hope you're feeling a bit chirpier today - depression is such a miserable thing- I know it well.

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  13. These foggy, drizzly days are enough to make anyone feel blue, so don't beat yourself up about it. I suffer depression, much managed the last couple of years as I suddenly thought to myself, one day, I WILL NOT be depressed AGAIN! I simply REFUSE to be! For some reason it seems to be working, how long for, who knows, but I can sympathise with you. I too look to the small things and find great comfort in them. I love reading your blog and your paintings and mug hugs are lovely. Hope you're feeling 'lifted' soon. Sending you healing light and love. xxx

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  14. Hi Penelope,These dark days it's so hard to feel positive . Last week I really felt like hibernating and my short term memory is sooooo bad at the moment. It's Like my brain is in a fog like the weather outside. I'm glad you are finding comfort through creating ....I love your mug idea. The buttons are so pretty and filling with chocs is also a great idea :0)
    It's always lovely to get your sweet comments .
    Jacquie x

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  15. Thank you for your kind comments on my blog, a quick look at yours tells me that I will be back here often, it's beautiful. I love your mug idea, maybe I will do something like that for my daughter's teachers. Thank you for the inspiration. X

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  16. I actually think (genuinely!) that your painted piece is very good, and shows good design awareness! What do I do when I feel blue - create something, keep hands and mind busy, much the same as you, only I do it with clay!

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  17. Hello Penelope! i love your painting, it is very cool. When I'm feeling blue I usually go to bed with chocolate and my knitting and come out feeling a lot better. Sorry to hear life has got on top of you at the moment, I hope you come through it all and feel in ahappier place soon XXXXXXX

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  18. Hi again...don't worry about not meeting up yesterday - we will get together when the time is right :)

    And maybe the confusion over the fair date is because next weekend there is another Christmas fair at the Cooden Beach Hotel and they have advertised it quite a bit.

    I did know about the Wealdon Fair - we also went last year and it was wonderful, I totally agree - and are going this year too for sure - and I will look into having a stall there next year for the Spring show - I imagine it will be pricey but probably well worth it.

    Have a lovely week.

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  19. Such a beautiful post.

    I think days like these can get the best of us at some point. It really is heart felt and it comes through in your words that you can work through these days and see the best of what surrounds us, even if it's hard to lift the grey sometimes.

    take care,

    Nina x

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  20. I'm sorry I haven't commented on this post sooner. I think we all have low days - I had some after my littlest started at nursery. I don't think I did anything particularly to lift the blues apart from trying to keep busy. Which is what it looks like you're doing! Painting (I think it's rather good), crafting and walking outdoors. Hope the blues lift soon xx

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  21. I too use my blog as a therapy. Sort of validation and keeping a watch on myself that I'm doing ok.
    x

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  22. The perfect Therapy! Wishing you a happy Thanksgiving.

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