Being creative

I'm really enjoying working a little bit of creativity into my day again. I've always got a crafting project on the go, but craft seems to fulfil different needs at different times in my life. Sometimes, it's more of a relaxation thing, which I do to de-stress and take my mind off things, rather than as an end in itself. Other times, it gives a feeling or achievement, of actually being able to make something tangible with my own two hands. I find the most satisfying times to be the times when it gives me an opportunity to be really creative - whether it's by picking colour choices for a project that are all my own, or by coming up with a new crochet design. At the moment I'm enjoying making this stripey cushion from scraps. I wouldn't really say it's a pattern I've come up with as it's so simple, but I didn't follow anyone else's pattern when I started it - just my own tension square to calculate the number of stitches and my own judgement that I needed two row stripes to create the kind of look I wanted.

In May, crafting was more of a de-stress activity than anything else, but I'm happy to say that since the start of June it has become more of about creating something new again, which is nice as I haven't really had that for a while. I find it less challenging, and in a way, less stressful to follow someone else's pattern rather than come up with my own, but when you can design your own patterns, it's really special. I have also been working on some more of my own designs, writing out patterns and making swatches, but more of that another time.

I've also been enjoying the way my orange roses have blossomed and bloomed over the weekend, opening out to show a pale yellow in the centre.

Happy Monday everyone!

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