What does making mean to me?

A Playful Day is exploring The Maker's Year with this very simple approach - "My creativity might not look like your creativity and that's ok". Exploring seasonality and giving yourself permission to take time for all creative outlets. 

Part of developing this thought is a blog challenge, asking others to explore what making means to them.

I am passionate about having my time and space for creativity, so to think more deeply about what making actually means is an interesting step in this process.


So what does making mean to me?

Making is my outlet. My channeling of positive energy. A safe place to express myself and find ways to fuel my soul.

To me, it is using my hands and mind to create something new, or to change or improve something that already exists.

It can be as simple as weeding a path, and planting out a garden bed. Or as complex as cooking pickles and jams, preparing a handmade card or creating a new colour way of yarn.

The joy comes from the creation and achievement, the outcome and the beauty. The feeling of pride and that moment of stepping back and admiring the work.

Joy also comes from the process itself. A mindfulness. The way that the making of things switches thoughts in the brain from the external to the internal and provides the space to just be and do. To get caught up in the physical task as a form of expression and meditation.



My only frustrations come from the distractions that often get in the way. If only I could allocate more time, I would be able to achieve so much more. But, with full time work and commuting to the city along with the wide range of making that I want to plunge myself into, the energy levels and dedicated time are not always as high as I would like.

In the past year I have broadened my focus. I have gone from a knitter, paper-crafter, gardener, cook and experimental dyer and added selling my yarns on etsy, being more active on Social Media and establishing this blog.

I hope there is plenty more to come. I want to:

• continue to grow the yarn dyeing side of things as I am truly passionate about it. There is creativity not only in the dyeing itself but in the other components like Facebook posts, Instagram photo's and product packaging.
• get into the garden more. I have neglected my vegetable patch lately. I want to get my hands in the dirt, smell the soil and pick fresh veggies.
• create some knitting designs (even if they are just for my own use). I have plenty of ideas, but I have just never given myself the space to work on them.
• grow my blog and work on a full website - incorporating all aspects of my crafting life.

I am sure there are plenty of other avenues for my creativity and I hope that I can continue to learn and grow. The exciting thing with making is the infinite possibilities for self expression.