life after squam :::

well hi!  it's been a while.  i hope you're all settling into summer. 

i had the great, great pleasure of attending squam art workshop this spring.  i think i walked around in a daze for nearly a week and a half afterward, trying to find balance, somehow, between the blissful repose of that week in the forest in the presence of so many like-minded creative, balance-seeking souls and the frenetic pace of everyday life in the city with kids that hardly seems to slow down or stop.  i think i've come back to earth now and have somehow managed to keep a piece of what-i-got-out-of-squam with me, which i tote gingerly around everywhere.  thank you squam.

i am making greater efforts to keep my own needs in the forefront, now.  and am reaching out more frequently to the clusters of creative minds that really ought to find each other and spend a day or two knitting or painting or hiking or cooking in each others' company much more often.  it is necessary.  really, it is.

i wish i had more photos to share.  i wish i had video of the conversation at the embroidery table that sent us all into peals of laughter so loud and hard i nearly split my pants doubled over, laughing, tears rolling down my cheeks, my stomach aching from all the laughter, all of us nearly falling on the floor.  a table full of women who knew each other only because we happened to be taking rebecca's class.  i wish i had photos of the time two of my cabin mates forgot their flashlight and had to make their way back in the pitch, pitch black with only the dim light of their iphone to guide the way, the look on their faces, all laughter and giddiness, when they finally made their way into the room we all gathered in to knit at night, fire blazing.  i wish i could eloquently relay the effect an entire day of knitting by the fire on a blustery day in a cozy room with a group of women has on you.  what a decadent thing that was!  i wish i had more photos of the women in my mask-making class, the tables strewn with scraps of fabric and ribbon, glue + sewing machines.  everyone feverishly working and staying far later than the end of the class period.  what a community that was.  i wish i had taken picture of the art fair!  it was incredible!  why didn't i take photos of that?  too busy making my way around the room, i guess. 

but anyway, there are many more places to read about all this.  i encourage you to do so and think about attending either the fall or spring session of squam at some time, hopefully immediately, if you can carve out the time.  i don't know why i haven't done this sort of thing before.  it was life changing.  here is the main link, which links to several other bloggers posting about their experiences:

squam art workshop

:::

Comments

[Rebecca]

nice post! hey is the knitting in the banner the piece you were working on at the airport? gorgeous

[Maya]

all those wishes. i think i took enough pictures for both of us, but i'm still figuring out that phone. i can't tell you how much it means to me that you went for it tif. that time together was so long coming. missing you & hoping we can do it again with our crews. how's your pinky-purple piece coming along?

[anne]

Thanks for sharing tifanie - no need for more photos, you captured things so beautifully with your words. Such a treat to spend that time with you. Already looking forward to next year!

[tifanie]

hi! and thanks! yes, thats the infinity scarf. its finished, but i still need to block it. ill take photos once thats accomplished. it came out really pretty and was fun to work on. im fairly sure i posted the pattern (name) on ravelry, but im new to that site so theres always a possibility that i botched it. let me know if you have any interest in working on one.

cant wait to hear about the d. smidt get together!

xo tif

[tifanie]

hi friend! boy do i miss our daily convos!! just call me with phone questions and ill be more than happy to talk you thru whatever i can! and please send pics when you can. i hardly picked up my camera the whole week! so odd!!

the pinky purple piece is finished! but still needs to be blocked. ill post a photo as soon as ive done that. ive now cast on a pair of socks with jens fabulous yarn. its so pretty!

hows your spinning coming? i hope youre still at it!

so much love to you xo
tif

[tifanie]

awww, thanks, anne. i really enjoyed our time together as well. it was quite magical. so many wonderful people and such a transformative environment. im looking forward to next year as well!

and i looked up the makerie, thanks to you. it looks like great fun as well, but unfortunately the flora bowley classes i want to take are already full (boo), so im going to pass this time around. youll have to tell me about it if you attend.

xo tifanie