How and where to begin?

It's funny, this beginning a blog thing...  I've been avoiding this first post forever because I didn't know how to start.  The last few years, I have read a number of really beautiful, entertaining and creative blogs; and reading and getting to know those authors/people (in the virtual sense) has been fun and inspiring.  I've thought for awhile about starting my own.

My initial idea was to create a journal of sorts about the assortment of ongoing projects I always seem to be working on, but I wasn't sure if it was necessary to share that with the wilds of the Internet... and so I waited.

Then this summer, I had the good fortune to attend Squam Art Workshops in New Hampshire.  I had read about people's Squam experiences for  the last couple years, and was really intrigued.  So in January when registration opened, I did it. I sent off my application and got in. Squam was scheduled for June, and it felt like years away.  But before I knew it, it was time to fly to New Hampshire.

I was full of nervous excitement, and not just a little bit of uncertainty. I had never taken a solo vacation or been to a creative retreat, both of which felt really self indulgent. So off I went – alone – to this unfamiliar place, to attend creative workshops with people, who I was sure, would squash me in a creativity show down (although, that is not at all what Squam is about).  I had no luck finding any online presence for my room mate and had only brief encounters with some of my cabin mates via Ravelry.  In my head, I was a little afraid that my Midwestern self would be a square peg in the round hole of artsy-New-England-creative-retreat-culture. 

As it turned out, I wasn't, or maybe they were all square pegs too. Either way, it was amazing.  It was a fantastically beautiful place. We all had the opportunity to take classes with phenomenally talented teachers, to break from the regular pace and responsibilities of our normal routines and to make wonderful new friends.  I'll repeat that last one, I made some wonderful new friends. My room mate and cabin mates were perfect. The kind of people who seem familiar at first meeting, who you are almost instantly comfortable with.  And the common interests that brought us there accelerated the normal binding-together-of-people process into overdrive. Those friends and that experience kind of filled a gap that I didn't even realize that I had.  

The whole experience was grand; in the creative, campy,
laughter- and wine-filled-evenings sense.

And so back at home, when talking to my better-half about how to write my first blog post, he said "write about Squam, that's the most natural starting point."  And he's right. Going to Squam helped me realize that the process of making things is only part of the fun; that sharing those experiences makes it all that much better.  (I think he also hopes that this creative outlet/blog will relieve him of having to listen to all the gory details of my projects... but that's another issue.)  

I'm inspired by my new friends, and I hope this online space helps me keep the lines of communication open with those new friends and anyone else who's interested. 

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So in the spirit of beginning as I intend to continue, below are photos of two of the projects I have ongoing.  

The first is an embroidery sampler I purchased from the talented and ever-smiling Rebecca Ringquist.  I didn't take her class, unfortunately.  Namely because I'm not much of an embroider-er-er-er, but I was drawn to her beautiful and eclectic booth at the art fair, and once home, could not stop working on it.  I love it, and my mind is swimming with ideas about trying to turn my own sketches in to something to embroider.

Paisley DIY Sampler

The second work in progress is a necklace I've just finished.  I had some time at the torch prior to our 100° heat wave (thankfully) and was successful in creating a good number of hollow glass beads.  I've paired them with a handmade "ribbon" and have put it up for sale here.  I've got a clutch of yellow beads done too, just begging for a similar treatment, but haven't found the right accompanying fabric... stay tuned.

double strand of handmade hollow glass beads 

Have a safe and happy Fourth of July holiday!