Sunday, 18 May 2008

punk pensioner

urban knitting - knitta please

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Elsie Dinsmore - you can read more about me in my profile. Hopefully this blog will be a place for me to explore my interests and pick up a few more chums along the way. I probably won't be a reliably regular blogger...I'm quite erratic by nature. But isn't it better to be off having a fabulously wild adventure than here looking at a keyboard...?

Getting to this ripe old age has been liberating. Not that I was ever... 'repressed', but in the UK, well age isn't exactly celebrated by most people. But I do. I celebrate every day. I squeeze every little drop of juice there is to be had. I'm a bit of a punk pensioner - I will go out with a BANG.

So here I am in blogland, a fully paid up member of the silver surfer society and here are some of the little discoveries I have made...

urban knitting - knitta please

I'm really excited about this urban knitting thing (pictured above) which I found through Knitta Please. Isn't it a positive thing to give a little love to where you live, to make mischief that's not negative and attractive to view... which is surely quite unusual in this day and age. It would be a good thing to see more youngsters (and of course us oldsters) making the environment beautiful.

joetta - little yellowbird

It is also wonderful to start learning more about the craft and art community, which seem to overlap so much these days. I like this blog (see pictures above and below) Little YellowBird. This very real and emotional young girl, Joetta, has taken us along with her on a journey into her studies and her life, her feelings and her insecurities. Now when I was young this kind of connection with other people just didn't exist. I do admire this interesting artist and her open nature.

joetta - little yellowbird

By reading Joetta's blog I read some comments, which encouraged me to find other blogs. Now isn't that amazing! What a thrill. There is so much out there. I can't wait to explore more... a blog I found because of Joetta, is lovely textiles by a woman called Elvis!

elvis robertson - lovely textiles
(Of course - what's not to love about a woman having a name like that!) She is taking me on a journey through the current landscape of knitting, opening my eyes and mind to the huge variety of artists and the oh-so many ways of looking and approaching the same craft/art form.
elvis robertson - lovely textiles
Her approach is varied which will no doubt keep it interesting and her personal writing really strikes a chord of humour and insight. Her family, even her detailed drawn diaries of debauchery and naughtiness (my favourite!). But it is not all about her - she is generous to the artists of whom she speaks, clearly very passionate about the subject.

elvis robertson - lovely textiles

I am actually so excited I feel a bit giddy. I want to speak to all of these people. I want them as my friends. It looks like the internet could do that for me.

My life has been wild... thrilling, horrid at times, hurtful, painful, joyous... oh so very many things. I have searched long and hard to have the right people around me, to cherry pick my favourites. I've never discriminated - just wanted to have interesting characters around me. Age, gender, sexuality, class, colour, culture, status, religion... none of those things have ever mattered. But I do respect kindness, humour, creativity and of course actual real honest emotions. What a journey I feel I am about to embark upon here in this new (to me) virtual world. Yet more adventures to be had.

urban knitting - knitta please

But now the sun is shining at last so I think I will sign off and go and squeeze some of that life that I can see outside my window. Maybe I'll knit a bus stop cosy or such-like!

elvis robertson - lovely textiles

Please do email me or leave comments. I do so look forward to hearing from you all. Hoping you have a very lovely day indeed.

Cheerio.

3 comments:

jafabrit said...

I don't know how i found you, but heck here I am, and I LIKE your attitude. A gal after me own heart.
Enjoyed looking at your blog and will check back.
signing off jafabrit aka Corrine aka a cheeky Geordie lass in Yellow Springs Ohio

lovely textiles said...

Welcome to Blogland, Elsie. Thanks for your kind mention. You've made a great start, I'll look forward to future reads. xxx elvis

Plastic Fantastic said...

Dear Elsie, I am absolutly charmed by your blog. It's so interesting and you have a beautiful style of writing. I am very new to blogging (less than a week) but I was really inspired after reading your blog I thoroughly enjoyed it! I am really keen to start adorning trees in my area with knitting! I will send you photos when I am sucessful!
Kindest regards and I hope you have a fantastic weekend
Claire