I is for inspiration

The last few weeks have been hell.
No, don't worry - there's nothing serious going on - nobody died, I've still got my home, my job and whatever. But there has been so much to do that I haven't had any time to be creative (and hence, I've had nothing to blog about) and that is too frustrating.
To a non-crafting person my feelings would be difficult to understand, I suppose, but we crafters are a different species, aren't we? The crafts that I do are very important to me - I relieve tension and gain lots of positive energy from them.
I have, however, found time to read about and listen to the reactions to Jane at Yarnstorm's new book "The Gentle Art of Domesticity" and I have come to realize that there are a lot of people out there that just don't get it. Spending time doing crafts is something I do because I want to and because it gives me something important – the fulfilment of creating beautiful things for myself and my loved ones is so meaningful to me that I really can’t see how it should be a threat towards feminism. I am a feminist and I have a demanding job, but I also need time to myself, and crafting gives me just that.
Enough said, I’ll get down from that soap-box and share some new acquisitions that have given me lots of inspiration lately. There is a pile of new books waiting for me to find time for them – Jane’s book is one of them, then there is a lovely Japanese craft book and some eye candy in the form of photos from India and Italy. I’m really looking forward to things slowing down next week so that I might get some time to make something - not because I have to, but because I want to.
If only it would stop raining so that I could take some decent photos!
Rain doesn't have to be all bad though: I have an inspirational folder on my computer, and browsing through it I found these lovely drawings from a Japanese book of copy-free patterns (with accompanying CD) I borrowed from the library. There might be some quilts in my future inspired by these…