You Sure You're Not afraid of Controversy?

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There are times when, similar to any kind of physical exercise, that we feel like bending or "cracking" our brains a bit. One of the best ways I do this to my own grey matter, is by reading authors who are opinionated and have the habit of publishing their thoughts into books that I can get my "idea hungry" hands on.

Do I only pick authors I am prone to agree with? Nope.....What would be the fun of that???

Reading all kinds of authors helps us to "educate" our own world view to include those who come from a very different life experience than our own. It helps empower my own ability to
  form and defend or else courageously discard a few of my own strongly held beliefs.

Looking for some controversial authors to "crack open" your own mind to new ideas and perspectives.??

Perhaps this list may inspire or repel you.....but it most certainly will help you dare to think outside your own box of comfort once in a while.....Tis a cool habit.

 Wangari Maathai

Vandana Shiva

Jeremy Rifkin

Heidi Baker

Derek Foster

Alan Corey

Annienygma

In Peaceful Productivity,
Carla

Hats Cheaper to Make than to Buy....

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Have you noticed that the prices for yarns and wool has really gone up to the sky? That's why it's cool to find some cheap new yarn....and guess where? At the dollar store of course.
It's called "Cable Knitting Yarn" and it is 100% polyester. And yes, I will admit, i have found occasional "flaws" in the balls of yarn, which the manufacturer deals with by simply tying the yarn onto a new yarn piece within the ball. Buy hey, there is still good value here. The cost of the hats in both photos is simply
$2 canadian dollars each plus tax.  One ball of yarn makes one hat. I wing an even simpler pattern than I have used recently, because it still seems that the trend is toward minimal fuss, instead of extra frills. So if the kids start asking for pom poms and doo dads, then perhaps that will be done the next time round. For today....they'll have to settle for plain Jane style.
Well, have a great day friends......creating and prospering peacefully.

No Pattern Required.....Just Wing it!

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I am not a tidy knitter.....I pretty much wing it..... and have a ball creating something useful out of nothing but good quality metal circular needles and low cost dollar store yarn. Voila, my latest creation, a library book bag or pool side bag.

The weather here in Ontario is quickly settling into fall.....even though the leaves are still mostly green and lush. The wind is chilly and I find myself drawn to thinking about woolly winter sweaters.......but making a hat is simply much faster and I can recall from memory a very basic bare bones knitted hat pattern from 10 years ago, that I scoffed off the back of a paper yarn label.

I found a metal snap in the sewing supplies that I inherited from my Mama,  and found that if I sewed it onto the "thingy" that I knitted, I could snap it easily to hang onto my stove handle....keeping it hanging to dry and in a convenient location......off of the kitchen counter. Whoever said you need a "real" expensive pattern to knit stuff was simply not believing in themselves and their own creativity eh! 

Are you Fostering Innovation?

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Now I don't hold any judgement here about where your priorities lie. I just want to be able to spell out things that need to be put into words.



Some of us are becoming MORE dependent upon others as their years progress. More dependent on the electrical grid which is governed and maintained by "big brother".,...and perhaps More dependent on the health care provided by "big brother".



And then there are those who are determined to learn more on their own terms. They teach themselves how to heal themselves with herbs and local foods. They learn how to power their homes locally with funny looking solar/wind projects. They learn how to grow some veggies in compost in their back yards. They save up sealed jars of yeast, so that they'll be able to bake their own bread if the super market food chain system breaks down..



How dependent or independent we become is a very personal choice and I will not judge as to which way of life is better or "superior". Each lifestyle has it's merits.



I am only saying that it has and continues to give me great joy whenever I continue to make and create stuff with my own two hands. It is incredibly empowering and fulfilling. But I also do admit that most of what

propels my life and the life of my family has not been created by my own will, but rather by the will of hundreds of corporations and several layers of government.



I am not endorsing extremism. I am also not a homesteader. But I must admit that I do get great inspiration from those who do homestead! I find their resourcefulness to be very motivating. Linking up with some homesteaders that you admire is a great way to glean free d.i.y. formulas and recipes.....even if you just want to try it on a low key basis....like once a year...when you feel like it.



So I want to challenge you today. Maybe you are intimidated by the thought of doing anything

"large" in an independent fashion. But I want to encourage you today....maybe you could just try doing one small tiny thing on an independent basis.



Maybe you hate knitting but you love baking? Have you tried creating your own "sour dough" from scratch?  It's readily available to learn from youtube.....( as depicted in the great vid above) It might just empower your own sense of control over your future food supply.



Peaceful productivity,

Carla