Autumn has set in.

Since Stash Dash ended for my sake, and then Tour de Fleece, I've been on a bit of shut-down. I felt creatively empty and needed some time away from the computer. It was also time for my summer vacation, and I took off for three weeks.

Now it's back to normal, and I've felt an itch to sketch a bit again. I found a list of 100 sketching prompts on Pinterest, and I think I'll work my slow way through this list when I feel like drawing a bit.

On a different note, I went to Loop in London this vacation. I'll show my loot from there later ;>

3 Favorites - Week 2

Socks from the Toe up by Wendy D. Johnson
I adore this book. I bought it a good long while ago, and was daunted by the instructions and charts, being brand new to knitting socks from the toe up. I just picked it up again and really, it's not hard at all. The patterns are really, really good! They're well thought-through, and I've yet to get stuck anywhere (apart from my own uselessness, I should know that reading through the pattern before beginning is a good idea by now.) I'm currently knitting two pairs of socks from this book, and I just can't get over how much fun it is. Highly recommended!
This book can be bought several places, they're listed on Wendy's page.

I need a prompt.
Sometimes I need to step out of my comfort-zone and try to draw or write something I normally wouldn't think of. This page is great for that. You can choose nouns, adverbs, adjectives, location ... Endless possibilities at the click of a button!

Have you seen Pusheen the cat?
I'm sure you've come across it somewhere on the internet, here you've got all of the drawings! I always go here when I need a pick-me-up. I also love that Pusheen has stickers on Facebook's messenger. I use it instead of words, just ask my friends.
Pusheen is also on Instagram.

Illustration

I've drawn for as long as I can remember. As you might have guessed by now I feel fairly creative and I can't contain it to just one craft. 

I often sketch out the garments I wish to knit. This is a raglan sweater I'm currently working on, with YO in the raglan.

 I began drawing "seriously" when I was 12. I had big plans on making a living for myself as an artist. And there was no doubt in my mind that I could do it if I just practiced, dressed right and hung out with the right people. Oh, to be that young again. (Not really.)

Mange and anime had just arrived in Norway, and being so different from anything that was on the market already, it drew aspiring artists like myself to it like wasps to beer. I've put that behind me now, but I'm glad I got to try it out. It taught me to draw in a way I doubt I would have tried if I went to a classic "Learn to draw realistic"-course. I've had my own style since then, ever changing, but at least I'm trying.

The manga-wave is also to blame for bringing me online, where I met a community as interested in drawing as myself. It's also where I met my husband!

I decided to take Arts in High School, and that was by far the most clever decision of my life. Not only did my style and preconceptions about art get challenged, but I learned a variety of new things, and met some kick-ass people at the same time.

After High School I started working, instead of studying. I was faced with reality and adulthood and inspiration took a back seat. Way back, it was like it became a bumper sticker on the back of the bus that is my life. I did pick up knitting at this time, because I desperately needed wool socks in my new city. But the art was gone for a long time. Until now.

I've left all thoughts of living off my art behind, starving artist just isn't my style. But I do hope I get to illustrate a book one day. That is my secret little dream.

3 Favorites - Week 1

I'd like to share three favorite things with you every weekend, this is first three things I'd like to share:

Top Of The Month Club by Three Waters Farm

I just joined this. I've bought two of their braids before and I just love this fiber so much, and the colors! I was looking to buy a braid again from their Etsy store, but I just could not decide on one. I wanted all the colors! Then I discovered there's a club, where for a really reasonable price, you'll receive one braid a month (or more if you want). After a look on our budget we decided I deserved this; I'm so excited! My first braid will arrive in May.

The braid on the picture is named Scottish Landscape, it was my first braid from TWF. It spun up like a cloud, and I'm saving the finished yarn for a special sweater.

The Blue Rabbit House

I can't stop looking at her illustrations! The soft tender lines, then the surprising amount of details, not quite realistic but so far from abstract. She has a style that speaks to me, and I truly enjoy it when she posts new pictures. I also love how she incorporates these into her craft and the final item that she sells in her Etsy store. On the subject of her store, do go in and look at what she creates there. I bought a crochet hook holder from her in 2012 to hold all my double point needles. That holder is in constant use, on constant travel and under a lot of wear, and it still looks brand new. Her stuff is quality! 

Sarah Selecky's Daily Writing Prompts

I used to write short stories all the time before. Then life happened and the inspiration disappeared. Lately I've felt the need to put my thoughts on paper again (or rather into a google document, so I can access it at all times). I do feel a bit rusty though, so when I found Sarah Selecky's Daily Writing Prompts through Pinterest, I signed up immediately. It's free, and every day she will send an email with a prompt. I choose to write only for 10 minutes. If I feel done before those 10 minutes are up, I force myself to continue. If I'm not, I finish it right then and there anyways. It's working well for me so far.

About setting up

Setting up this blog again has been confusing. The blogosphere is huge, and I've struggled to figure out what I actually wanted to do with mine. I use Instagram regularly, and I follow a lot of great people. But sometimes they post images I want to look closer at, and I just so wish they had a webpage as well where I could look closer at what they share. That's what I want this page to be; an extension of the profile I keep at IG.

For the past 5-8 years my online avatar has been an owl with red glasses. That started in my youth because, apparently I look a bit like an owl according to friends, and I wear big, red glasses. Hence;

I had an idea to change my avatar when I first started refurbishing this blog. So I drew up several sketches for a new owl.

But for now I'm just keeping my avatar and I'll get back to this idea. 

Mainly because I can't decide on any of the above. They're all sweet, but non of them feel like "me"! 

Introduction

Hi! I'm Podam and I'd like to welcome you to my blog. Here I will be sharing some of my interests with you.

I live in Norway, sharing my home with my husband and an immeasurable amount of yarn, wool and fiber. If you've yet to guess; I enjoy knitting and spinning and spend most of my time on that. But once in a while I pick up some old interest that I've only recently returned to; illustrating and writing. I was heavily into this a few years ago, but life happens and inspiration left me. I re-found inspiration in the fiber-world, but lately life has come on track again and my old sketchbooks have started humming my name again.

I hope you will enjoy following me, but if my life isn't interesting to you that's also fine. I'm glad you looked in on me.

I can also be found on Instagram and Ravelry!