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Baking challah for Rosh Hashanah. I was working on

Baking challah for Rosh Hashanah. I was working on auto-pilot, getting ready to braid three loaves when I remembered that i meant to make the traditional round loaves. So this is a photo of a misstep, but I also love it.

The dough was so pillowy. I ended up making two braided challahs, and the last one was a round spiral. And it was all delicious.

On the bobbin (single) and plyed (3 strands – chai

On the bobbin (single) and plyed (3 strands - chain plyed)

I am blending orange, yellow and burnt sienna (merino) and a bit of rust colored silk.

In truth, I take lots of breaks, but some are more

In truth, I take lots of breaks, but some are more effective than others. Maybe some are more *avoidance* and others manage to be a real reset.

#mindmaps #digitaljournal #wonderingaloud #gettingshitdone #ornot #creativeprocess #creativepractice #writersblock #creativeblock
#snailsguidetomapping #wanderingsnailpost

We got to see 3/4 of a Bread and Puppet show yeste

We got to see 3/4 of a Bread and Puppet show yesterday, though it was unfortunately cut short by a thunderstorm. It took a long time to make it home with the heavy rain, downed trees, and a power line down half a mile from our house. We had to stop during the heaviest rain because I just couldn’t see the road.

I always feel inspired when I see them perform - the mix of love and effort and humor with a “good enough” mentality. Today I am thinking: Don’t let this project be the enemy of all future projects.

I have been spinning yarn every day this week – be

Happy to be out of my house and in a beautiful pla

Happy to be out of my house and in a beautiful place.

If I turn up vignette and tilt shift, can we prete

If I turn up vignette and tilt shift, can we pretend my floor is clean? I clearly had better things to do this evening, specifically spinning this gorgeous @intothewhirled dyed roving. I just wanted the meditative work of spinning yarn to unwind (😁😂) from my day. And now I am smitten and half asleep.

Covid blew through the house and now we are all up

Covid blew through the house and now we are all upright and doing normal things (at home). And now I am having the debate with myself about *how much* I will do. I had plans! Things I was going to accomplish in August, and they aren’t going to be finished by whenever September starts (don’t make me look at a calendar). Trying to release my grip on the to-do list, but I am not very chill about it.

So… Covid. We are on day 3, but the kids and I

So… Covid.

We are on day 3, but the kids and I are still testing negative (though we are running out of tests fast).

I cooked a bunch of food yesterday (including this cinnamon swirl bread, from dough I had already mixed up last week) in case I go down too.

Hopefully we will emerge from this quickly and well-fed and blinking dry eyes from all the extra screen time.

Our homemade paper is so lovely. I don’t want to

Our homemade paper is so lovely. I don’t want to do anything with it yet - just keep it in a stack to admire. This paper is made from sawdust, hay, mugwort, a brown paper bag, and some old notebook pages. I shared a reel of the making process a few days ago - we were using @nick.neddo.eartharts book The Organic Artist - hence some unusual paper materials. Not sure what we’ll use it for, but I think there are some plans to draw maps (more Eriador than mind map) on it.

#homeschoolart #unschoolinglife #cultureofcuriosity #makearteveryday #theorganicartist #handmadepaper #paperlovers

How I am feeling right now. It’s the stressful b

How I am feeling right now. It’s the stressful balance of Soak Up Summer! and September is Nigh! Plus we are entering a time when there are a lot more later afternoon/evening activities (and one that goes to 9pm). Is future-me going to be pissed that present-me committed to more than ever before? Or is our family shifting to a new phase in our lives, and will these extra things feed our spirits and keep us reaching and challenging ourselves? Shoot, wasn’t I supposed to be relaxing and soaking up summer? So, when does the paperwork happen??

Still inspired by @nick.neddo.eartharts book, the

Still inspired by @nick.neddo.eartharts book, the Organic Artist, we tried making paper with just hay, mugwort, and sawdust. I couldn’t get the fibers broken down enough, so I added some chopped up papers to balance it out. It worked and the paper is so beautiful. Excited to play with it!

#wildpaper #theorganicartist #papermaking #unschoolinglife #homeschoolart #paperlovers #makesomethingeveryday #artjournaling

I picked up @nick.neddo.eartharts book, The Organi

I picked up @nick.neddo.eartharts book, The Organic Artist, from the library again. Cue all the baskets and buckets put to use for gathering and soaking and mixing. Looking around at different plants, I ended up finding some tall asparagus stalks that had been broken, and they are both pithy and partly hollow! Nearly-instant charcoal holder! More fun is being had. Astonishing messes have been made. Whose idea was this?? 😂😂

@gatherwhatspills thanks for reminding us about this great book! It’s been the perfect week for it.

August vibes. Wanting to enjoy the end of summer w

August vibes. Wanting to enjoy the end of summer while also feeling the pressure to have something to show for it, and also be ready for September. Does time ever feel so finite at any other time of the year?

So happy to have my kid home again. Less delighted

So happy to have my kid home again. Less delighted with how the sneakers smell after a summer of rain.

Guess what I should be doing right now?

Guess what I should be doing right now?

How’s my day going, you ask… #mindmap #mindm

How’s my day going, you ask…

#mindmap #mindmapping #wordart #journal2023 #snailsguidetomapping #snailsguide #thinkingonpaper #creativepractice #procrastinator #travellog

I do love my mind maps – I learn so much about my

I do love my mind maps - I learn so much about my blocks and goals when I am pinning down all these thoughts that otherwise run rampant around my head. If you want to get in on the fun, I put together a guide to mind mapping and a printable template for all new subscribers to my newslettery-bloggy-thing. Map your brain and understand your mind a little better. There may be some other things in the works behind the scenes 🧭 🗺️ ✨ I guess you’ll just have to stay tuned to find out!

Experiments in new technology. Let’s just say I

Experiments in new technology. Let’s just say I have gained a lot of new information this week (if you watch until the end that will make sense). Sigh. And yay for successes!

#olddognewtricks #mindmapping #mindmappingjournal #writerslog #warmupexercise #creativepractice #journalnotes

An actual moment from this week of my life. I took

An actual moment from this week of my life. I took my son to Old Sturbridge Village and we saw a gaggle of girls chatting while they walked around the village. Summer camp in 1830 looks like a lot of fun (they went on to interrogate the blacksmith because girls of the 1830s were also solving crimes).

I chatted with all the fiber demonstrators, which my son fully expected - dyeing and spinning and fleeces and tools. And now I am imagining spending my retirement as an fiber historian in costume. I hope you’ll come visit me in my cottage and chat about knitting. 😁😉

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