The Mystery & Magic of Change

Change - it happens every moment of every day and it's definitely not always welcome in my life. Theoretically I like change just fine, but sometimes it's easier to like it in my mind than in my actual life.

But then I realized how many of the things I love to do aren't done unless I put them through a deliberate process of transformation. Like the felted slippers I make every year.

They go from being a ball of yarn to being knitted into giant socks. (Do you notice how Winslow isn't impressed in the photo below?!)

Then they go into the washing machine, which adds water and heat and friction...

 ... and when they come out: perfect!! (For anyone interested, this is the pattern I use, click on the link: Felted Slipper Socks. The $5 I paid for the pattern has been a very worthwhile investment!)

Another example of welcome change is baking. Yesterday I made bread and had a moment of marvel.

Add liquid to the dry ingredients and you get this:

Then add heat and the result is the most delicious bread! Again: perfect. Not lasting, but perfect at that moment.

It's really not much different from life, is it? Everything has to go through change in order to become more, different and a new version of "perfect in the moment." No matter how much I try to hold on sometimes, nothing ever stays the same. And really, when I think about my life and where it is now, that is perfect in itself. What I need to remember is that different does not automatically mean worse. In fact it can mean better and better and better!

Here are some beautiful flowers for you, gorgeous souls! Perfection in the moment!

Wishing you a peaceful Sunday!!

❧ Silke

Felted Slippers and Banana Bread

Do you remember the giant socks from yesterday's post? Well here's the before

...and the after picture. I included the shell in both photos so you can get an idea of the size change when they are washed and felted and warm and fluffy.

The perfect fit and so nice and toasty! If you are interested, there's a link to the pattern in my last post.   I bought it on Etsy some years ago and it's still being offered.

Now, let's talk about Pinterest. I know many of you who are on Pinterest all the time and are pinning away happily. I am hardly ever on it and this is why: it gets me to start new projects every time. I hadn't been on Pinterest yesterday for more than five minutes before I found this recipe for Greek yogurt banana bread.

I realized I had all the ingredients on hand and started making it immediately. Big success!! I used coconut palm sugar instead of the white sugar because I thought the caramel flavor would go well with the rest of the ingredients and it does!

Also, I baked it in a normal-sized loaf pan instead of the mini pans from the recipe and baked it for about 65 minutes. I'm going to slice it all up and freeze it for a convenient and delicious snack when I need one.

And right now, there's a soup in the crockpot - also a Pinterest recipe I found yesterday. It's all good, but Pinterest certainly has the ability to start me on projects I hadn't planned for...

Wishing you a delicious day. With much warmth. And bright colors. And maybe a slice of banana bread...

P.S. I had originally linked to the wrong banana bread recipe, so if you get this post via e-mail, you'll need to go to my blog to find the correct link.

❧ Silke

A few things...

I've been quite scarce in blogland lately and here are the reasons why:

1. The end of the school term. Last class was yesterday. I thought I'd share my last two prints with you. My professor loved them and thought they were my strongest prints yet. She was amazed by how much emotion I could evoke with these two portraits and how she was tempted to fill in their stories.

The Dream
12 x 16" intaglio print

It's worth clicking on the images to see them larger. The detail in the lace (especially in the print below) is quite stunning. It amazes me that this kind of intricate detail can be etched into copper! Both of them (and the others) are being submitted to a couple of international juried shows (in addition to the upcoming show in Egypt - those print have already arrived there!). Keep your fingers crossed!!

The Realization
12 x 16" intaglio print

2. Taxes. A necessary evil. I'm almost done with them and that's wonderful!! It has spurred me on to be a whole lot more organized this year. I used to be incredibly organized with paperwork and such - before I became an artist! And then - somehow - everything become more creative, even my filing systems...

3. An upcoming road trip. We are leaving Friday morning for a week away, which means getting us ready to travel and the house ready for our trusty pet sitter!!

4. My new obsession with knitting and felting little hearts and then embellishing them with some embroidery, ribbons and beads. So much fun!!

I hope you are all doing wonderfully and send my love your way! And, when I have a few moments free, I'll be visiting your blogs to get caught up!!

Happy Wednesday!

More love...

This time not carved, but knitted, stuffed, and felted.

And then embellished with beads.

Also a first, and definitely not a last!

Finally!!

First of all, thank you so much for your comments on yesterday's post. Several of you asked if I'll be offering the bird as a print in my shop. I will. Frankly, I have been neglecting my shops and that will be what I focus on next (wow, focus was totally the right word for me for this year!!). I'll let you know when I've updated both shops with new things...

before the felting

And now, finally I can show you a pair of the felted slippers I've been making.  I made a pair for Daniel for Christmas, then a pair for my sister (the ones shown here) and finally a pair for myself. I wanted to wait to show them on my blog until my sister had gotten hers in the mail... I had never felted before and it worked out perfectly! Mine are the reverse colors of my sister's - the base color is green and the stripes are blue. Daniel's are all blue.

all felted and finished

I bought the pattern at Pawfelt's amazing Etsy shop and just love it! I made the ankle part longer for my sister and me than in the pattern - I just like it better that way. The best part was how fast they are to knit - like making socks for a giant (I have my hand in the photos so you can see how much the size changes during the felting process)! I've worn them nearly every day while it was so cold and they have kept my feet toasty warm! Best of all - easy peasy to make!!

Well, another day of above 70℉ (21℃) today and tomorrow, so we are practically living outside, which also means less computer time... But, I will see you all again tomorrow with some garden photos - everything is exploding in the warm sunny weather!

Enjoy your Saturday!!!