Wednesday, February 1, 2023

Challenge on (again)...


It's time for a new challenge for myself.

First off, my knitting socks is on hold for the moment.  I was (and still am) excited about sock knitting, but in the end I have decided I need to start them over and make smaller socks - socks that will (hopefully) fit me.  The thing is, I need a little time before I rip out (again) what I have done and start a new pair.  Partly that's because putting a little distance between my knitting and (I think 3rd) frogging will help me not feel so discouraged about starting over again.  And partly because my left hand needs a break.  It's been hurting for a week now, and I've decided when I pick the knitting needles up again, I need to pace myself better.  And maybe try to relax my tension...

So...  my next challenge? I'm considering it a collab between my Everyday Aesthetics challenge and a Photo of Daily Life challenge.  Actually, my Everyday Aesthetics challenge was supposed to be a Daily Photo challenge, but I don't think I even posted half of the days of August.  I'm also broadening my subject matter to include even the (seemingly) mundane things of life.  It will be interesting to see if they look so mundane in a photo.

So I'm trying this again.  Simply put, I am challenging myself to post a photo (or maybe a few photos, like today) of one subject in my world each day of February.  If you've been around here for any length of time you may have caught on that I try to treat these challenges as fun learning experiences.  In other words, life sometimes happens and if I miss a day (or a week) here and there I don't spend much time feeling bad about it. 

Following are the things I hope to gain from the experience::

To take greater notice of the details of my surroundings 

To recognize that every day contains things worthy of noticing, and worthy of remembering that I noticed.  Photos capture the memory.

To recognize that even ordinary things are notable, and worth remembering if they are important enough to have become part of the fabric of everyday life.

To sometimes capture in photos patterns, designs, colors... really anything interesting in my world that often goes unnoticed. 

To grow in gratefulness.  I didn't start out the Everyday Aesthetics challenge last August expecting this to be a result, but very quickly I realized that I developed a thankful heart over the lovely, sweet, sometimes just interesting everyday things in my world.  Especially with things in nature, it made me think how our Creator probably delights in all the marvelous things He has made and, and I think it surely pleases Him when we delight in them, too.

I'll let you know if before the month is over I come up with some other good outcomes of doing this.  Activities like this have a way of surprising me, I've learned.

So...  you've already seen today's picture above.  

Was it obvious what it was?

It's something that has had a place in the scenery of my life for so long I stopped noticing it.  


Today I pulled it off the shelf and started using it again...


It appears to need a bit of a sort, though.  I see scissors, watercolor pencils, water brushes, pens, pencils, a highlighter and even a tiny crochet hook in there.  A big sort isn't necessary, but I think I should relocate the crochet hook at least, so I'll know where to find it when I need it next.  

12 comments:

  1. Seeing is a challenge in itself! Good for you.

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    1. Yes, indeed, Liz. Bloggers like you help me to see things in new ways.

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  2. Oh goodie. Love watching and reading your self imposed challenges. No to mention your photographs are always so wonderful to look at. As for your socks, not too many of us got them right the first time. Or even 2nd or 3rd. Be kind to yourself and someday it will happen .

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    1. Thank you for the kind comments about my photos, Marsha. I hope knitting socks will come to me like knitting dishcloths or crocheting doilies did. I chuckle now thinking about hard those seemed the first time I made them. When I put them down and came back to them later everything suddenly clicked. They quickly became my mindless, relaxing projects. I hope that happens when I start a new pair of socks. If it takes a few pairs to get really confident, though, maybe I should buy some cheaper sock yarn to practice on. What I'm using isn't super expensive, but I wonder if I should look for something less so. Hmmmm...

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  3. While I don't have the mosaic glass container, it looks a lot like my situation right down to the crochet hook. If you move it, will you remember where you put it? I would not and would continue looking for it in my pen and pencil container. 🤦🏻‍♀️ So my crochet hook is staying put.

    Oh the frogging can be so discouraging. The next attempt will work now that you are aware of the difficulties. Giving it a rest sounds like an excellent idea.

    Enjoy the photography and the intriguing subjects you find.

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    1. Vee, I imagine most crocheters tend to pop their hooks into pencil holders for the sake of not losing them when too distracted (sounds better than lazy) too go put them away. I have a dedicated mug in my "craft room" that holds crochet hooks (hmmm... photo fodder!), and some extra hooks are stored in a zippered case (also in the craft room). But honestly, if I went looking for one there and didn't find what I was looking for, I'd look in the several pencil holders around the house.

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  4. Happy February Becki, knitting socks can be a challenge for the hands mine ache when I'm making them too, you are right to give knitting them a break and let your hands rest. I love your challenge idea, I do similar, I have a daybook on my phone and everyday I take a photo and put it in there with few positive words, I think we have to find the positive in the mundane I really think it helps especially when you are going through challenging times. xx

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    1. What a great idea, Linda. Is your daybook an app? I thought about posting to Instagram (and may do that when I take pictures with my phone), but because I'm hoping to use my DSLR camera more for this challenge I may be limited in how I can store those photos. But I do love the idea of a phone daybook. I'm going to look into this!

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    1. I thought of you when I took the picture, Debra. And your beautiful drawings and how much I enjoyed pictures of your art tools.

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  6. Photo challenges can be so much fun, and yes, they challenge you to see new things . . . or old things differently! Enjoy!

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  7. Great post Becki - and a great challenge you have set for yourself. I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with it.
    Knitting socks takes some getting used to but like you say suddenly it will become second nature. I remember the first pair of socks I attempted to knit which were supposed to be a Christmas Gift for DH. I started them the first of October and was assured by the local yarn shop owner that they would be done in plenty of time. Well, he got one sock for Christmas and the other sometime in March. And then they didn't fit. That was the demise of my sock knitting until a couple of years ago when I made up my mind that I was going to learn because all the people raving about them must have known something I didn't. Turned out that was the case but it also helped a great deal that I stumbled across a pattern that was easy. Now I make those exclusively and have figured out how to re-size the pattern to fit the feet in our family. One day I might try another pattern but for now I like these.

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