Back to the studio

At the moment I'm diddling about - a bit of tidying, a bit of decluttering, a bit of relaxing... and using studio time to catch up with blogging. Today I'm finishing up all the draft blog posts, for example - call it "art research" - much time was spent looking at the website and blog of land artist Chris Drury, for example.

Yesterday, when a basket of scraps turned up, just after I'd seen what wonderful things can be done with scraps (and a few rules) and also how they might be glued to paper to make double-sided "fabric" - well, I just had to make a quick little arrangement with what fell out of the basket, with no immediate purpose but to enjoy doing it -
I am bolstered in this process of "just making" by this thought, from Jane Dunnewold's post here: "Making should be defined broadly. Sometimes it’s an act where the brain participates, but the hands lead."

Also in the basket were some squares already sewn together - I couldn't bear to toss them out (but probably should have ... enough, already, of this useless project of making silk purses out of sows' ears! Jane D also said: "sometimes making means the brain leads and the hands follow" - I will keep that in mind...) -
Also in the basket were some crocheted flowers - rather than adding beads myself, I put the lot in a bag, labelled it, and put it in the "for the charity shop" box -
In the evening, while listening to The Archers and Front Row, I sewed together and arranged the little 4-patch squares. It's not even big enough for a Linus quilt, but has a jolly "down home" look to it - so "Topsy" might become something someday, if it keeps growing. (What would you use for a filler fabric here?)
Though really my project, the important project, is to TOSS the unfinished stuff, get focused on the new work. Without an imminent goal, this is difficult. Meanwhile, it's important to keep doing something with your hands and watching out for fruitful surprises, a chance for the brain to leap in and take over.