If you have lost your creative oomph or even never found it or it needs repairing – like these ladies repairing camouflage (pic by Evelyn Dunbar) I’m running an Artist’s Way course in January in Edinburgh. I’ve taken a long break from teaching but it seems to me that in present circumstances being creative is one response to it. More info here.
Carola Gordon
I’m dashing to London tomorrow. A quick visit to see friends before Christmas. A bit bonkers but as was so low it feels a better thing to do. However had my last Yiddish class of the year – really lovely to be back. I’ve missed so much due to ill health. Tomorrow my annual freelancers xmas lunch for those who don’t have office lunches to go to. Then straight up to the station with my rucksack.
Right I should be wrapping things not online.
Anne Redpath
We should be hibernating or taking tea on a chaise longue. Instead I’m stuck overwhelmed by all the things I should be doing. A pile of to do’s has piled up and I’ve got to leave the house in an hour and a half. Wrap tablet. Write Christmas cards. The entire house looks APPAULING. Sigh. Whatever ones’ resolutions thus it was ever so.
Anne Redpath
Tomorrow is the election… not a lot of enthusiasm here. Perhaps being so political all my adult life I’ve run out of oomph. Trying hard to be positive. Actually getting things done in my life. To do lists to be crossed off. Be busy no time to think what a mess we are in collectively or individually. Christmas tablet ingredients bought but after making a truly awesome pea and ham soup using smoked ham hough I have run out of energy.
I’ve been having several days – just crashing about with terrible anxiety and sadness and despair. I think the accumulated losses over this year and the past year continue to wreak havoc. I have had incredible kind friends listening to me in my despair. This is such a hard time of year anyway. I’ve been trying to keep busy and by luck I’d booked thisworkshop on handquilting a few weeks ago. Despite my cough I decided to go and I’m so glad I did. A lovely bunch of people on my table and apart from general despair about threading needles! We all complained about the tiny eye of these needles. But the concentrated effort on learning about quilters knots and pulling the needle though cloth seemed to soothe my frazzled mind.
Evelyn Dunbar
Very tired today after the trip to Perth. I started back on some hat knitting but my brain is frazzelled and I have two rows of colourwork to remove. I stupidly thought I’d try a Kaffe Fassett pattern on straight needles but after row two I realised I really do need circulars! Back to Endeavour my current brainless TV.
Anne Redpath
Just heard today that an old boss of mine but around my own age has suddenly died. Most disquieting. I feel a bit … I can’t summon up the emotions, so many terrible things have happened the past two years. And when there are not terrible things happening there are large potentially bad things happening on the horizon. I spend my time in a state of past, present and future alarm. I’m home as I woke up coughing, cancelled two social engagements as I have to be on a train to Perth tomorrow and want to conserve my energy. I am however making my very first Christmas Cake using this Nigel Slater recipe. I have divided them into 3 very small cakes so the oven timings are a bit of guess work.
Spotted bus stop Duke St – pattern Persian Poppies by Kaffe Fassett. The Yarnbombing is becoming more upmarket here.
fatblackcatjournal 