(Just Another) Melange Monday

Yes, folks - it's time for another edition of melange - it is Monday, after all.

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I can't say I'm a huge fan of classical music, but I do love Mozart. Genius notwithstanding, he was also a prolific letter writer. I read many of his published letters (in translation - he wrote in three languages) for an undergraduate humanities course. That was also my first introduction to his older sister, Maria Anna, an accomplished musician in her own right. Over the weekend I watched the movie Mozart's Sister (or, in the original French, "Nannerl, la soeur de Mozart") which re-imagines, to a great extent, Maria Anna's story. While the re-imagining comes from a very feminist perspective (which was an intriguing counterpoint, given how Maria Anna completely obeyed her father, who held conventional views of the day concerning the role of women), it's also highly entertaining, not to mention lush and a real feast for the ears as well as eyes. From a fiber arts perspective, I'd highly recommend watching this - Maria Anna wears some wonderful shawls and neckware, one of which looked hand crocheted. Lots to inspire a fiber artist here (not to mention the music lover).

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As you can see from the photograph above (taken over this past weekend), the leaves are just starting to turn color. Like a hand and glove, I instantly think all things pumpkin when I see leaves turning, so I thought I'd share a little visual stroll down pumpkin/squash memory lane.

As you can see, I eat pumpkin. I decorate with pumpkin. I even seek it out in foreign countries (the middle shot is from France).

What can I say? Behold the power of autumn orange. :)

Is It About the Journey, She Asked Rhetorically?

"The world is full of people who will go their whole lives and not actually live one day. She did not intend on being one of them."

I have a refrigerator magnet with the above quote. Below the quote is a woman on a red Vespa-like bike, scarf blowing behind her, clearly enjoying piloting her very own path.

In my imagination, she hasn't figured out the destination, but the fact that she's making her own driving decisions is what really matters. 

If someone would have told me I would be designing for publication way back in 2009 when I joined Ravelry, I'd not have believed it. Between 2009 and today, I've presented a paper in Pittsburgh, found some painting mojo, walked the Champs Elysee, harvested grapes in Provence, photographed amazing tulip fields, volunteered at the first Vogue Knitting Live in New York City, moderated a shawl group and made more shawls for myself and others than I can keep track of, started my own wee business, and published my first designs collection. Some things haven't always felt perfect (there were those grape vines on a sweltering late summer afternoon with no water to be had - I consider it my grapey Waterloo), but it's always been exactly where I was supposed to be.

Throughout, I have never thought about where the journey was taking me, but far more about about the free-ish spirit on the red Vespa. In real bee fashion, I may have flitted from one place here to another project there, but I've remained true to my core, and I've received valuable and cumulative information along the way.

This bee has no desire to prognosticate concerning where I'll be in 2014 (although it will probably include participating in the 5th Annual KniCroBlo week). I do expect that I'll still be inspired by the scarf blowing in the breeze behind the woman charting her own course on that red Vespa.

And if anyone would like to donate a Vespa to let me ride in style along the way, I'm game. Preferably a red one, please.

The Everyday Is One Big Still Life

If you're like me and love color, then you tend to pay attention to it everywhere - except in your everyday life. My home is filled with color, most of it intentional, like the artwork and textiles. However, a lot of it changes daily, depending on the time of day and the current project with which I'm involved. I find inspiration in all of it:

While you may recognize this cowl I made a few months back,
there's something about it on the dressform, on the table with the cream fabric beneath it,
with the blue peeking out from behind that gives it a whole 'nother dimension.

I found the play of the blue coffee cup with the wonderful,
deep purple on the clear glass table rather inspiring.

And then there's George Bailey. While his colors might not change,
his mood does. Constantly. Here, he's in a catnip-frisky mood. You don't want
to know how many tries it took before I got a somewhat clear shot of his face.
If mood were a color, he'd be neon orange right about now.

Now definitely link up with all the other color and yarn lovers over at Wisdom Begins in Wonder. You just never know from where the next inspiration will come!

A Little Creative Inspiration

In a Japanese garden, summer 2006.