Time & space are the real gems

I had a wonderful day yesterday out and about In Lewes with a dear friend. Our purpose was to visit a Textile exhibition called Pizazz at the Hop Gallery, see http://www.hopgallery.com. We lingered over the inspiring work of this small group of textile artists –clever hands and inventive minds were evident.

Then we meandered amongst the book shops, art shops etc. And, of course, as we are quilters, we spent a considerable time in the wonderful haberdashery shop –an Aladdin's cave of fabric, buttons, threads, ribbons, all sorts of notions.

Our pace was slow, with stops for morning coffee, lunch and afternoon tea (yes, scones with jam and cream), we went to some places alone and others together –there was a flow to the day that felt like a blessing.

Perhaps you are asking what has this to do with anything. Well, of course, it has to do with that time and space, and the inspiration and motivation, I certainly need for my own hands and mind to create –be that a plan for a new quilt or my next poem, I think of it as incubation … and as someone who too often hurries too much, a day like yesterday is a reminder of how important a part of my writing and other creative interests that is. And also a reminder of how often I forget to go slow, to look around, to stop.

Of course, every day can’t be like yesterday, so now onwards with my fledgling poem which might include something about the bird imprint on my window and I’m making progress with a bird pattern to decorate some book wraps made earlier this summer.

The first one I made looked much more like a fish –so that was good practice especially for poking out the beak, and a reminder that I’m allowed to make mistakes.

the second is Ok but footless and applique bird feet is beyond me so I need to revise my very

novice embroidery skills.

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As for the poem, its taking shape in my head, its growing, quite what its growing into I rather like not knowing yet. I do know that the way Lewes as a town nests at the edge of the South Downs, and  the way our journey there and back was threaded with missing road signs, all that is now mixing with the feather on my door step, the imprint on my window.

Comments welcome, and please let me know what inspires you, how do you find time for time and space for space?