Getting through the winter . . . . . .

At last today we have a promise of spring - warmer temperatures and some sunshine to help us believe we will truly see the season change!  We are still feeding the birds to keep them going through this long cold time.  Mostly our little winter friends visit the feeders here, chickadees, nuthatches, finches, juncos and cardinals.  It is so nice to watch the activity from the kitchen window.

 I am still playing with more paperweaving.  This appeals to me and I am not inclined to resist.  I guess that means there will always be little snippets of nicely colored papers littering my workspace.  I retrieve "pretty" paper from many sources so that I always have a supply that can be cut.  Sometimes this simple activity is just all that I can handle after a day at work in the office cube.  But it is also just that bit of therapeutic weaving that soothes the body and mind.

The days are getting longer so we actually make it home in time to see the sunsets.They are very quiet and serene in color these days and oh, so beautiful!   Enjoy.

Mini Collection #7: paper weaving

I have always loved to make paper weavings.  You all must remember making construction paper weavings in elementary school, too.  I was hooked on weaving from that time forward!

I often can't resist cutting scraps of paper into strips and weaving them into tiny mats right on the spot as I clean up from one project or another.  This is a very zen-like activity for me and is inspirational, too.  These small experiments have led to larger scales projects, some of which I will share here in the future.

This group of white paper weavings contains one of my favorites, the bottom example, which has strips of paper that have basically been "spun' into paper yarn by rolling them in my hands.  I have also spun paper on my spinning wheel but I can't say that I really enjoyed that technique.  Perhaps I just haven't found the right paper for the wheel.

There are the two pieces in this group that are technically not weavings but they serve the same purpose.  The little notebook and the spun paper collage will lead to other projects in the same vein, I am sure.

I love the idea of not throwing all my paper scraps in the trash - instead, finding a use for every bit - reduce, recycle, reuse!  I will be showing other paper weavings here because so many beautifully colored papers show up in the mail, in magazine advertising cards,  and in shopping fliers . . . .who can resist those color exercises.


. . . . and, just like in elementary school, it is just plain fun!