Week four of my series on interior design is on Kate Smithson’s blog Green Couture today.
My article today is called Forever Memories.
It is all about the power of natural elements in your house, or your event venue to create a warm and inviting atmosphere.
“The more we are separated from nature, the unhappier we get. ”
Unknown
I’d love you to join me over there today.
Happy friday people in capture land.
Amanda
Sometimes we plan inspirational moments, other days they just fall into our laps with happenstance.
A coincidence.
A moment captured.
An opportunity grasped.
This morning I sat down at my computer preparing for my day and my son came into my room with his rain boots on and a big sand bucket ready for adventures.
My big man has the day off today and he wasn’t far behind my Max, they were on their way to the beach to collect little memories.
As my big man walked away, I smiled and thought ‘How gorgeous do they both look!’, I yelled from my desk, take lots of photos for me.
My husband replied ‘No, you come and take your own!’
So I did.
Hilarious.
I left my computer, I left my work and I wandered the beach barefooted in the rain with my best friends.
I remembered how much I loved to collect memories. I breathed in deeply the autumn breeze. I felt so completely home in that moment like I had lived it many times before. Like Heaven kissing the sand with its wet breath and life.
Happenstance, is available to us every day. A little coincidence here and there. It can only be captured though if we take time to notice the moments.
As we combed the beach looking for shells, sea urchins and weed, we in turn were teaching our little one to notice.
To notice that which is everyday in our world and make it something special.
What is awaiting your discovery today?
Lay down the I pad, look out the window and explore.
Find some happenstance.
Moments of beauty awaiting discovery.
Often I chat with people who are so frustrated with an area of their life.
They want change.
It is often these same people who blame the problem or situation on everyone else.
‘My leader won’t give me the opportunity.’
‘They just won’t listen to me.’
‘There is no one out there who wants to date me.’
‘My friends don’t spend time with me.’
‘I can’t trust anyone, they always hurt me.’
They, them, those…
It is easy to blame everyone else on your current unhappiness.
It is hard to look inward and confront that in our own lives that needs to change.
I find in my life, whenever I hear myself blaming others, I stop myself and ask ‘what is my part to play in this scenario.’
Confront the truth.
Ask others to help you find that truth.
And listen.
To celebrate an upcoming event that I am speaking at Create, I have been working on a new pattern which I have made available here for free.
I am selling these booties and beanies at this event. I have been slightly obsessed with crochet lately.
There are so many babies around me at the moment any that are left over will not go to waste.
I hope you enjoy and I’d love you to take a photo and post the booties on social media with the hashtag #inspire14 so I can see your amazing creations.
Crochet Addicted! For some more patterns click here: Slouched Adult winter beanie , Child’s ribbed beanie , Toddler Hoodie
To download as a PDF so you can print click here: rib cuff booties or here is the pattern in this post.
Size newborn 0-6 months.
What you will need:
Favourite Wool X 1 ( I used Moda Vera Beetle)
4.5mm Hook (use a larger hook for size 6-12months)
Darning needle
Pattern abbreviations:
ch: chain
sl st: slip stitch
sc: single crochet
hdc: half double crochet
dc: double crochet
sc2tog: single crochet 2 together
dc2tog: double crochet 2 together
dc3tog: double crochet 3 together
fpdc: front post double crochet
bpdc: back post double crochet
(To find more information on stitches go to some great tutorials on Youtube. Type the stitch into search and you will pick them up quickly.)
Sole:
ch 11
row 1: sc in 2nd ch, sc 5 times, hdc 3 times, 7hdc in last ch, finish the rest of the round working along the back of the chain, hdc 3 times, sc 5 times, 4sc in the last/first ch, sl st to the first sc.
row 2: ch1, sc in same sc, sc 7 times, hdc, 2hdc 3 times, 3hdc (in same stitch), 2 hdc 3 times, hdc, sc 8 times, 2sc 3times, sl st to first sc.
Sides:
row 3- ch1, working in back loops, sc around, sl st to first sc.
rows 4 & 5: ch1, sc around, sl st to first sc.
row 6: ch 1, sc in same sc, sc 9 times, sc2tog, dc2tog, dc, dc3tog, dc, dc2tog, sc2tog, sc around, sl st to first sc.
row 7: ch 1, sc in same sc, sc 7 times, sc2tog, dc2tog, dc3tog, dc2tog, sc2tog, sc around, sl st to first sc.
row 8: ch 1, sc in same sc, sc 5 times, sc2tog, dc, dc3tog, dc, sc2tog, sc around, sl st to first sc.
Cuff:?row 9: ch 2, dc whole way round, sl st to first stitch. (this is where you will thread the ribbon to keep shoe on tight)
row 10-12: ch 1, hdc whole way round, sl st to first stitch (if you want to make the booties longer then add more rows here)
row 13 &14: ch 2, fpdc, bpdc repeat around to make the ribbed cuff, sl st to first stitch. (make sure you start row 14 with the same stitch as 13 ie- fpdc)
row 15: ch 1, sc around, sl st to first stitch finishing off the bootie. fold the ribbed cuff over and repeat whole pattern for second shoe.
Ribbon finishing:
ch 70 to make the ribbon to tie the boot tight on little feet. Thread through row 9 and tie in a bow. repeat for the second shoe.
I hope you enjoy this patten, post on instagram, facebook, twitter with #inspire14
You can use this pattern in anyway. copy, paste, sell, whatever your heart desires.
Recently I was in the city with my little family and a piece of street art caught my attention.
I’m not sure if it was designed with this interpretation, but in a fleeting moment this is what it shouted at me.
Every one of us has a shadow of ourselves following us. We all walk a fine line between our brilliance and our darkest selves. Sometimes though a step towards our brilliance is placing our crowns on and reminding ourselves of what we were created to be.
A friend of mine posted this on an Instagram account we share called kinwomen;
This picture and profound words really hit a chord with our followers and was reposted many times.
Have you forgotten your heritage?
Have you forgotten that which you were destined for?
Have you allowed the darker version of yourself to take over and dismissed that which is good?
Sometimes we just need to remind ourselves that we were designed with purpose. We were designed with intention. We were designed with uniqueness. We were designed.
Full stop.
It is that design that we need to remind ourselves of and restore that crown back to its rightful place.
I’m not a princess warrior type, but the street artist moved me.
What does this piece of artwork say to you?
Explore it with me today?
Amanda
