31/31 core story and back to knitting

December 31 – Core Story What central story is at the core of you, and how do you share it with the world? (Bonus: Consider your reflections from this month. Look through them to discover a thread you may not have noticed until today.)

This stays safely in my diary, and now let’s resume old good knitting habits as there are some news!

I have finished my tenth shawl of the 10 shawls in 2010 group on ravelry! I like it very much and I’m very proud of it: until I blocked it I was very undecided about this shawl, I somehow felt it was not going to be a good one, and instead I have changed my mind and now I do like it!

The pattern is Springtime bandit by Kate Gagnon Osborne, knitted with Fyberspates and a small border in a slightly darker green using Grignasco merino wool and with 5mm needles.

The pattern is well written and easy, I wasn’t sure to finish it given the thousands serious things that happened in this last part of the year, but une row every evening before going to seep, and here it is!

I have just also finished this nice tiny little baby cardigan for some friend’s.

Pattern is Baby Sophisticate by Linden Down. I highly recommend it, it is easy, well written and gorgeous!

Wooden buttons were used to complete the cardigan: not knowing yet the sex of the newborn, I decided to go on something unisex and classic, but with some happy color!

I have already started dreaming for the New year’s projects, and there is already a good numbers of WIPs on the needles, so stay tuned!

30/31 gift

December 30 – Gift Prompt: Gift. This month, gifts and gift-giving can seem inescapable. What’s the most memorable gift, tangible or emotional, you received this year? (Author: Holly Root)

The most important gifts I received are all emotional: much support, love and friendship (from unexpected and expected sources), a regained sense of proportions (maybe I’m just at a start on this!), more confidence.

29/31 moment

December 29 – Defining Moment Describe a defining moment or series of events that has affected your life this year. (Author: Kathryn Fitzmaurice)

There have been several revealing momens this year, that I do not really want to talk about here in detail.

So I will limit me with titels:

An ill and sincere relative, a big betray and delusion, a found again friend, two nice and important trips, feeling part of a community, good old friends visiting all year.

All this gave me undoubtely more strength and determination to change things in my life and to live it as I want.

28/31 achieve

Today's theme, about what you really want to achieve and ten steps to go towards there is written down for myself somewhere here. Maybe next year I will blog about it and about the results!

27/31ordinary joy

December 27 – Ordinary Joy Our most profound joy is often experienced during ordinary moments. What was one of your most joyful ordinary moments this year? (Author: Brené Brown)

One of the most joyfull moments for me is when I go to bed, after a long and busy day, I make a summary of what happened within myself and then I’m ready to be prepared for a restoring sleep and full of anticipation of what the new day will bring. At that exact moment I’m overwhelmingly happy and just cannot stop laughing and smiling. This happens to me quite often, and I try aways to have time to live this moment as I know it is very important for my self well being.

26/31 soul food

December 26 – Soul Food What did you eat this year that you will never forget? What went into your mouth & touched your soul? (Author: Elise Marie Collins)

The first thing that comes to my mind is something I ate yesterday, a roast made by D with tender meat, ham and parmesan cheese and with a wonderful sauce: all flavours melted in one strong and beautiful unique taste! And it was even better because it has been eaten with a joyful company of all the ones I love during a relaxed and happy meal spent toghether. What is better to nurture one person soul and life than having nice people around a table to spend time with?

PS The phoo is of a Pizza, one of my favourite dishes ever, I never tire of it!

25/31 Photo

December 25 – Photo – a present to yourself Sift through all the photos of you from the past year. Choose one that best captures you; either who you are, or who you strive to be. Find the shot of you that is worth a thousand words. Share the image, who shot it, where, and what it best reveals about you.(Author: Tracey Clark)

Ah, this is fun, I have decided for this shot.

It just shows my playful side, as I took it o document my reaction to a too sweet drink I really disliked, but all was done in a really funny and playful moment toghether with my beloved one! It fixes a moment of happiness and lightness, a way of living happily with little things, and have some layered memories in it: a noce trip to France, a gift to a special person, my childhood neighborhood......

And, by the way, happy christmas!

24/31 everything is OK

December 24 Prompt – Everything’s OK What was the best moment that could serve as proof that everything is going to be alright? And how will you incorporate that discovery into the year ahead? (Author: Kate Inglis)

There have been several “everything’s OK” moments this year: while going through tempests and storms (serious ilness of relatives, shocking happenings and threatens at work) there was always a moment, after some tears, usually in the evening, when with the support from beloved ones, I realised that afer all there was light, and that everything was OK. This regardless of the fact that sometimes things that look bad are not so in reality (as they depend of the ideas others have about you and your world), whereas other times situations ARE really bad, but once you realise and acknowledge the facts, there is always a way to live beyond them, no mater how bad they are. And so, after all, life has gone on more than well, as I’m a lucky gal! (And the really great and joyous moments were SO abundant this year, with family and friends!).

23/31 names

December 23 – New Name Let’s meet again, for the first time. If you could introduce yourself to strangers by another name for just one day, what would it be and why? (Author: Becca Wilcott)

Another name? I'm keeping mine, it is already quite a job to bring it around properly and being myself!

Have an happy festive period everybody!

22/31 travel

December 22 – Travel How did you travel in 2010? How and/or where would you like to travel next year? (Author: Tara Hunt)

I adore to travel, and I always do it. Wether real, with many plane hours, or inside myself at home, whether alone or in good company, travelling is a big part of my life, as it allows me to be more aware and more humble about myself, and also it is great to learn so many things. Next year there are several travels planned, all is written there, in my 45 things to do list for next year, and I’m sure some unexpected ones will arrive as well.

21/31 future self

December 21 – Future Self. Imagine yourself five years from now. What advice would you give your current self for the year ahead? (Bonus: Write a note to yourself 10 years ago. What would you tell your younger self?) (Author: Jenny Blake)

Dear gis, follow your instincts, take time to breath and LISTEN, and try new things. Do not recriminate about what has happened, but LIVE every moment! I trust you!

20/31 beyond avoidance

December 20 – Beyond Avoidance What should you have done this year but didn’t because you were too scared, worried, unsure, busy or otherwise deterred from doing? (Bonus: Will you do it?) (Author: Jake Nickell)

I’m a fairily good procrastinator (which is a way of avoiding things). truth o be said, once I make up my mind that something must be done, the i’m rather efficient at clearing things, especially when they are unpleasant duties. There are several things I have avoided doing this year, some of them were for the good, and I’ll keep avoiding them.

Others I should have not, and I’m more than decided not to do the same errors again.

The biggest thing I’d like to change is my current workplace not my job, which I do adore). That’s what I’m going to spend all my energies on next year.

19/31: healing

Healing What healed you this year? Was it sudden, or a drip-by-drip evolution? How would you like to be healed in 2011? (Author: Leoni Allan)

Much healing went on this year, and it was a very slow process, but effects happened as a sudden realisation that things had changed! I suspect this is a long path, so nothing is finished, but the imprtance is to keep walking, one step after the other.

18/31: try

Try What do you want to try next year? Is there something you wanted to try in 2010? What happened when you did / didn’t go for it? (Author: Kaileen Elise)

What I wan to try in 2011 is to learn drawing and doing yoga! Well, i didn’t really want to try these things last year, at least seriously. The yoga impulse is fairy recent, so there is no much histroy aout it. The drawing thing is a long time dream I’m going to realise!

17/31 lessons learned

"December 17 – Lesson Learned What was the best thing you learned about yourself this past year? And how will you apply that lesson going forward? (Author: Tara Weaver)"

I have learned that sometimes I’m a bit too idealistic, but also that I want to be like that! I have learned that I have been on a pause moment that was too long, and that from now on I will not remain silent on many things, as this is the wrong choice right now. I have realised that I want to act more than preaching.

16/31 frienship

Oh, well, once again!

"December 16 – Friendship How has a friend changed you or your perspective on the world this year? Was this change gradual, or a sudden burst? (Author: Martha Mihalick)"

This year, as I have already said, we had several friends visiting, and also some old friends rediscovered. All these people have brought me something special, sometimes it was a fulguration, others it was a slow realisation. I also met some log friends in reality, it’s a strange feeling, you meet a preson you know better than many others, but you have never seen in reality... And, hey, it is not a problem nor a disappointment, it’s all real and true, and it’s just the last passage on a road you have already taken. And again, different lives and choices make you think about yourself and what youwant to be!

15/31 two days in one: Appreciate and 5 minutes

Today I want to post two hemes from reverb10.

"December 14 – Appreciate What’s the one thing you have come to appreciate most in the past year? How do you express gratitude for it? (Author: Victoria Klein)"

Last year was full of great things and disappointing ones. As far as the latter, we can simply overcome them and throw them away without regret.

The one thing I have really appreciaed of last year was a good number of visits here of friends from far and near. I love to hang around with my friends, to have some time to spend with them in relax, to explore the little things you would not see if there wasnt time, to have the relaxed feeling and attitude given by feeling yourself at home and free to be yourself and knowing that the others you are with are feeling the same. Honesty and feeling in your element, open to get the others as they are, learning from them without judging, but discussing, disagreeing, agreeing, getting involved, sharing, staying toghether in silence. Meeting them as if we had left the day before, and saying goodbye knowing that whenevr we meet it will be the day after!

My graitude is in few words: THANK YOU!

"December 15 – 5 Minutes Imagine you will completely lose your memory of 2010 in five minutes. Set an alarm for five minutes and capture the things you most want to remember about 2010. (Author: Patti Digh)"

Friends visiting, family reuniting, facing problems in god company, saying to people the little but essential things that are not granted, Australia, working in a team, Turkey, mountains, breathing the wind, listening leaves moving, photographing, smiling, cutting hair, knitting, thinking, holding hands in silence, looking in the eyes, Paris, nieces, the moon and stars, a chilly morning, landing home, leaving home, chickens, a photography course, blog friends, writing, letting go, silence, your eyes, holding hands, caressing, walking, swimming, the blue sky, the sea, new shoes, giving away, listening to the radio, ingoring idiots, saing no, saying yes, snow falling, walking with you, a good cup of hot chocolate.

14/31 a pause from reverb10, great friends are stars!

Today I found TWO packages in my mailbox. Whoever has such great friens disseminated aroud the world sending lovely packages full of real treats, though and sent to me with care and friendship?

One package arrived from the States, from dear K., with a super nice note and 4 kool-aid packages. This happens when good friends listen to ramblings (actually never ending ones) about knitting, wool and dyeing, and they also remember about the dyeing part!

THANK YOU K, and I hope to see you soon!

The other package arrived from Great Britain, from from super nice P, with whom I share a passion for hats, especially those designed by Woolywormhead, but not only. She sent me a great note, with a super cute card, and also a gigantic and wonderful wooden button! That will go in some hat all for myself, and everytime I will wear it, I will think with a smile to a good friend!

THANK YOU P, and I hope we shall meet soon!

Other nice stories and happening arrived via e-mail, and today was totally full of good friends news from far and near. Thank you to all, I'm smiling constantly, and will probably still smiling while dreaming tonight!

13/31 - action

Let action be today's theme, and I may add this reverb10 thing started out as a curiosity and has morphed into a nice exercice! I'm loving it, and it is making me writing everyday, which is in itself positive. And with all this thinking, I have also undertook action, starting to actually DO many things (may talk about all this later on during next year...

For one thing, I'm enjoying immensely the hipstamatic photo application on my i-pod touch!

"December 13 - Action When it comes to aspirations, it’s not about ideas. It’s about making ideas happen. What’s your next step? (Author: Scott Belsky)"

Indeed action IS the important moment, and ONCE you have made your decisions (and this may take time), then you have to actually make things happen. Last year was mainly devoted to taking decisions, realising things and starting to live with them, a sort of interior development. Actions were small but important as well, but next year should be more all about action. Now that the ideas are sorted out, action will start, but nothing grand, just small steps towards the arrival. This year I indeed decided to be more open to people and to do things rather than ony planning them. Interestingly, sometimes my action have been interpreted the wrong way, actually to the exact opposit of what I had meant! Sometimes this is due to real misunderstabìndings and lack of communications, other times this is due to real bad intentions of people you have around you, and that case no doubts, more action is needed to neutralise such people, to get them OUT of your life!

After all these grand statements, it is better to return to the action I cultivated this year and intend to do more and more next year: that is to dedicate more of my time to the people I love, but also to unknown ones, just being more present when things happen and living them fully!

12/31: body

"This year, when did you feel the most integrated with your body? Did you

have a moment where there wasn’t mind and body, but simply a cohesive YOU, alive and present? (Author:Patrick Reynolds)

I usually feel very well and intgrated with my body. We get messages from the outside on how it should be, but I think that we have just to be aware of how it is and it functions. Now and then I get messages of "not feeling well", but if you listen, you know how to get back to normality.

There is one thing that I'd love to accomplish and that is to get back to some more fitness: I simply need to make more exercice and also lose some kilos. The two things go toghether, and since I have started to walk to work at least three times a week I'm feeling better. The hard part of it all, is that you can work towards feling better in the body anly if also the mind is well!

11/31 - 11 things

Today it is going to be somehow fun!

"What are 11 things your life doesn’t need in 2011? How will you go about

eliminating them? How will getting rid of these 11 things change your life?" (Author: Sam Davidson)

01. Clutter at home

02. No exercising

03. Procrastination

04. Saying no to things for myself

05. Listening to nonsense requests at work

06. Unhealthy food

07. Driving

08. Dust bunnies

09. Skeletons in the closet

10. Sadness

11. Lack of holidays

In the end this was harder than I had thought!

10/31 wisdom

Today the topic is:

"Wisdom Wisdom. What was the wisest decision you made this year, and how did it play out?

(Author: Susannah Conway)"

It is interesting to reflect about your decisions a year after. It is something I do very often, and I like to put into perspective what happened in the past to learn for the future. Many times the decisions we make are taken without having the full picture, so outcomes are often unexpected. This happens with things that have to do with others, but also a bit to decisions regrding ourselves, no matter how honest you are with yourself.

Anyhow, one of th most important decisions for me this year was to finally recognise that my reality is not as I'd like it to be, and therefore I have to let go some of the dreams without being sad for this. Once I finally accepted this fact, I have been able to see things clearly and to face the many little unpleasant things with much more energy and positiveness instead of being struck and hold by the events, I have learned to surf better on them and to say no when it is needed. The road is still long though....

09/31 party

Today's topic is Party.

"December 9 – Party Prompt: Party. What social gathering rocked your socks off in 2010? Describe the people, music, food, drink, clothes, shenanigans. (Author: Shauna Reid)"

I'm not a party person, I like to spend time with few friends talking and having fun with simple things (good food, good music, good conversation, calm and frank discussion).

I do also like to participate, now and then, to events with lots of people, like parades or events, especially those organised by cities to celebrate some specia event. that's becuse I like to explore and try new things, and more to live new things with all senses!

The final party I love is to spend time with my family: most of the time these are occasions of joy and happiness, with everything from bad to good making up life!

08/31 difference

Today it's holiday, and I'm at home (working...). It's a pleasure to enjoy the house, to have time to devote to little, neglected things that will make a difference in how we live here, to stay with beloved ones, to hear friends, near and far away.

Interestingly today's reflection is "Beautifully Different. Think about what makes you different and what you do that lights people up. Reflect on all the things that make you different – you’ll find they’re what make you beautiful. (Author: Karen Walrond).

Different is an interesting word. We all feel different and alike at the same time, and it is totally true that beauty resides in difference, notwithstanding the continous messages we get from society and TV preaching that we all must be equal (and not only exteriorly).

There are many ways in which I feel different (but not SO different, after all) that I don't want to discuss here, I am a firm believer that everybody has to understand, accept and then cultivate their differences, not to feel superior, but to feel alike and alive! I suspect this is a bit unclear, please bear with me!

True to be said, this attitude has caused me sometimes problems in life, as sometimes people do not understand this, but most times it has brought me SO MANY good things, experiences and friends!

07/31 community

Today reverb10 has some reflections on

"Community. Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? What community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011?" (Author: Cali Harris)

In 2010 I have sarted to take a full feeling on many communities online, especially the knitting community (Ravelry). The great thing was to meet in reality friends from the internet, here in Italy and where I stay while travelling, and some new friends, in the real sense of the term, have been found. Internet, whan wisely used, is a great thing, and I hope that the good people remain the majority and will continue to make this fantastic place continue like this!

In 2011 I will continue to explore the endless possibilities from the internet, but I want them to be also concrete experiences, to get in touch with the real people!

06/31 make

Oh, well, here I feel quite easy, after all it's a knitting blog!

"Make. What was the last thing you made? What materials did you use? Is there something you want to make, but you need to clear some time for it?"

The thing that I did enjoy making this year was yarn, I learned to spin and I love it!

05/31 let go

If you are interested about the girl effect, have a look at Marianne Elliot posts about it!

On another note, a calm day, in which I started new projects and tried to compete some old ones.

So today's topic is "Let Go. What (or whom) did you let go of this year? Why?"

This year I did let go many things, more "spiritual" than material, even though I did try to start also a material release.

The thing that had the larger impact on me was the realisation that some of the perspectives I had about my work (and project and dreams) existed only in my mind, but do not correspond to reality. It was hard to accept this, but now that I have a "clearer" view I hope I'll be bale to take better decisions about my life!

Even though it is still foggy and rainy and cold, I'm trying to head forward towards the sunshine!

04/31 - wonder

Today was a wonderful day spent with loved ones. Smiles on those faces are invaluable, and make me feel alive!

Today's topic is about wonder, here is the suggestion "How did you cultivate a sense of wonder in your life this year?".

I am a big fan of living all small things of life, my 365 project, which is finished today, helped me a lot, toghether with my dearest nices: listening to kids makes life magic!

03/31 travelling at this moment

Ok, not really travelling, but I have been working here in the morning, in Milano in the afternoon, and went to my parents in the evening... So a bit of driving was involved, and a lot of chatting, recovering, laughing, loving, sharing too!

As for the knitting, I did advance on my 10th shawl (given that I could not go around with Christmas presents related to people I was visiting ;-)!).

The theme fo today relate to a moment and is "Pick one moment during which you felt most alive this year. Describe it in vivid detail (texture, smells, voices, noises, colors)."

Oh, hum, it's not easy to do this on the spot, so I need to think about it, write with calm and then add here. But at least I can add Photos from this year that are linked to special moments...

Coming to the moment, it is related, as many moments in which I really feel deeply alive and concious, to being alone in the nature, even though it was unusual in that I was in a center of a town. I had a free hour in between appointments, it was autumn and sunny, and so decided to walk from one appointment to the other with calm, across a park. The golden light was filtrating through yellow and orange leaves, the sound of cars was distant and faded away, and I could hear the birds flying and watch a couple of small kids playing joyfully loughing and squeeling. An old man sat on a bench reading his newspaper quietfully. I could see my image reflected in a pool, sourrounded by bright orange fallen leaves with a bit of frost on them. I felt complete and satisfied, kneeling besides the pool and grabbing a cold, smooshy leaf, with its dark smell, to watch the bright light filter through it, I was so calm and happy.

02/31 some new knitting

It is called Limpetiole, by woolywormhead, and like all her patterns it is really lovely!
I just have to make many more with different yarns, I feel I'll never be tired of it!



Photos are not great, I took them in the dark, but wanted to post the project on Ravelry on the 1st of december, as this was part of a super fun KAL held in november.

On another note, today I was not feeling super well, I'm VERY tired and exhausted from the last weeks at work, but my spirits are getting better by the minute!

Now on to today's topic:

What do you do each day that doesn’t contribute to your writing — and can you eliminate it?

Being a writer of some sort, and having big troubles to accomplish my writing, I'm particularly touched by this question! I get "distracted" by unusueful admin things, cought up by "urgencies" that pop up at every moment, have tons of people coming in and out at every momnet and distracting me. What to do? Maybe concentrate all admin things in one day a week, hide some where to work undisturbed, and learn to say no to unessential things. But what I really think I lack is focus (how good is that that this question is asked by the author of a book entitled "Focus"?).

01/31 december posts

So, the resolution for the month is to make a post every day.
The year is ending, things are changing, some for good and some for bad, and I need to reset a bit my priorities and my life.
The snowy weather is helping with these shifting moods, but I will not give up my natural optimism!

I want to start the month signalling you a number of initiatives that are taking place right now, to alleviate the lifes of girls in many countries: a bit of education and help can make a great difference, so get informed and then act! What are you waiting for?

Start from here:

The girl effect

United Nations Girls' Education Initiative

Plan

Knowledge is power!



Added later on:

Here an interesting experience, #reverb10, "reflect on this year & manifest what's next"

Today the topic is:
"Encapsulate the year 2010 in one word. Explain why you’re choosing that word. Now, imagine it’s one year from today, what would you like the word to be that captures 2011 for you?"

Hmm, this is a tough one! This year was rather complex, full of surprises and required a lot of patience to be survived through! The word I would like to be happy to write here next year is peace, thinking mostly to the inner peace!