Blog Posts

revisiting some old approaches

8/5/2021

This past weekend, I went to my grandniece’s baptism. How lovely it was to be able to be a part of family gatherings once again! Of course, whenever family gets together, there is lots of chatter. My grandniece does not like to be placed on her stomach as she really suffered from colic when she was a wee one. After my niece tried a number of more modern “remedies” to relieve the colic, she turned to her mom’s recommendation of gripe water, which has been around for more than 150 years. Lo and behold – this tried and true remedy worked and parents and baby were able to get a more peaceful night’s sleep.

This morning, I read a Facebook post from Maggie’s Inn about what a bountiful harvest of apples her heritage apple tree was giving her this year. She credits not only the plentiful rain we’ve had this summer but also the nutrition, most specifically potassium, that the ashes from her woodstove provided.

There is absolutely no denying that we have benefited from modern advances such as vaccines for polio, smallpox, measles and most recently Covid. Improvements in insulation techniques make our homes so much warmer in the winter months. But there are some real benefits to be found in some of the “old” ways, too! Things like companion planting (of course I’m talking about gardening with plants, not placing your best buddy in your garden), composting and canning are all trending topics that harken back to things your grandmother and great-grandmother used to do!

It’s so very important to pass on these old skills. I wish that I had paid more attention when my mom and grandmother were preserving their veggies and making jams and jellies. My one attempt at canning tomatoes ended up with a kitchen that looked like the scene of a massacre when the lids all blew off the tomato sauce! But I have hope – just a moment ago, a young girl came into the studio with her mom. They are both knitters visiting from New Brunswick and are going to be trying their first pair of socks! They were nervous about turning a heel so I suggested they check out my YouTube channel – I have already uploaded a video on how to knit a short-row heel and will be creating a video on knitting a flap heel in the very near future.

I was lucky, though, to have spent time with my grandmother while she taught me to knit and tat. I still use her tatting shuttle to this day! There is absolutely nothing like the coziness of a wool blanket or sweater or socks. And to be able to pass on the knowledge of how to make these for yourself just makes my heart sing!

(photo by Andrew Montgomery)

I always say that knitting isn’t hard to do – you just need to learn the little tricks. Some folks are great book-learners. Others rely on YouTube. Still others find that a personal lesson is just the key they need to unlock the secrets of learning a new knitting technique. If you belong to the latter group, we are happy to offer workshops for a variety of levels of knitters – from the absolute novice to the more experienced knitter.

It’s never too late to take up a new hobby or to revisit one that you may have set aside for a while. I recently picked up my guitar again after having taken a “sabbatical” for a while. I discovered that I have no calluses left on my chording hand, and my fingers couldn’t remember a lot of the picking patterns. After a hour or so, however, the muscle memory kicked in (and my fingers were pretty sore).

Happy knitting!

knitting as therapy

7/15/2021

Yesterday, I was involved in the filming of a documentary on fibre arts. We chatted for almost three hours about many things including why using natural fibres is so beneficial to both ourselves and our planet as well as the many health advantages of participating in an activity like knitting or crochet.

I certainly am not alone in finding knitting to be soothing and meditative. In my most recent newsletter, I introduced folks to Cassie Landolfi who operates a wellness centre in Ontario. She is a “kindred spirit” when it comes to how knitting can offer improvements to your health – so much so that she even offers a “Keep Calm and Knit On” knitting group at the centre!

In the November, 2019 issue of Interweave Press, Rachel Simmons wrote: “Without really being aware of what I was doing, I had introduced meditation into my daily routine. While knitting, there was no regret about what happened or what we might miss out on or worry about what was going to happen next; there was only a blissful focus on the now. I found that I was sleeping better, feeling better, and recognizing my own limitations and coming to terms with them. …. I was able to release the stress built up during the day and see the beauty grow in both my knitting and my life…. When we need to remind ourselves to cherish the living moment, let us create space to do so and lose ourselves in some meditative knitting.”

Just imagine – if we were better able to handle stress (and we’ve certainly all had our fair share of stress over the last many months), if we slept more soundly, if we cherished the gifts that life gives us, we just might discover that we shift our priorities from what we “must” do to what we truly want to do. I certainly am not suggesting that we abandon all of life’s responsibilities. But we can even find pleasure in the most mundane of chores if we look at it from the end result as opposed to the task itself. Stress often causes us to worry and focus on the negative. A shift from bleak to beauty can occur if we introduce meditation, be it through knitting or the more traditional path, into our lives.

Happy knitting!

Everybody needs a little "Ewe time"

6/12/2021

Dr. Phil once said “You have to take care of yourself before you can take care of others”. Most of us find this concept difficult to grasp, but it has been proven time and time again to be completely true.

Now, you cannot always take off on a vacation in order to recharge - nor do you have to! You just have to remember to find a little time to focus on you.

Maybe you know someone who could use this reminder. Send them a little gift to help them stop, pause, and recharge.

Here’s to having a little “Ewe” time!

EWE LOVE FOOT SOAK
Indulge yourself in a glorious spa treatment in the privacy of your home. Pamper weary feet and get them "sandal ready" by adding 1/4 to 1/2 cup to a basin of warm water. Relax and soak for 20 to 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, rub gently with a fluffy towel to exfoliate if desired.

EWE LOVE AROMATIC INHALER
It’s the perfect way to take your aromatherapy with you when you travel, head to work or school, or even go shopping. Just as its name suggests, it’s a personal inhaler that allows you to have "little diffuser in your pocket".

MASSAGE OIL
Not only is this massage oil great for a back and neck rub, but it will easily absorb into your skin without leaving a greasy feeling. If your skin is dry, especially after all that hand washing, we recommend rolling a bit on your hands. You will smell incredible and your hands will feel so so soft!

MINI BATH BOMBS
Feeling stressed? Are you suffering from allergies or a cold? Pop two Ewe Love Mini Bath Bombs into a tub of comfortably warm water and pamper yourself with a detox bath - ideally twice a week for 15-30 minutes.

In a rush? Let the aromatherapy of our Ewe Love Mini Bath Bombs work for you in the shower. Place one bath bomb on the shower or tub floor and inhale the aromas as you shower.

CREATE YOUR OWN "RELAXATION BOX"

Comfort | Calming | Anxiety | Stress | Thank You | Just Because

Check out our full range of products in our Ewe Love Personal Care Line and combine your favourites together and create a one-of-a-kind gift. Order one for yourself (because you’re worth it) or send one to a friend who needs a dose of relaxation.

journey wisely

5/22/2021

It’s the Victoria Day/May long weekend which , for me, always signals the start of the summer season even though summer does not officially arrive for another month. I simply cannot believe how quickly the days are flying by this year! And each year passes more quickly than the previous year. It makes one realise that our time here is finite – and if you don’t like where you are in life or the direction your life is taking, it is up to you to make the changes to create the life that you desire. It may not always be an easy choice but it is a necessary one.

I read a post the other day that really resonated with so many things that are happening in my life right now. I would like to share its simple wisdom with you.

“A good friend of mine unexpectedly lost her husband. A couple of months later, we were running together, chatting about nothing. She asked what my dinner plans were. I told her that my hubby wanted chili but I didn’t feel like stopping at the store. We ran a few more minutes when she quietly said ‘Make the chili.’

It took me a few minutes to realise that we were no longer talking about dinner. It was about going out of your way to do something for someone you love because, at any moment, they could unexpectedly be taken away from you.

So today I am sharing with you that wisdom handed to me by my dear friend, that I’ve thought of many times since that day. Next time someone you love wants you to go for a walk or watch a football game or play a board game or just put down your phone and give them your undivided attention, just do it. Make the chili.

Love deeply and selflessly.”

No one knows how long our time here on earth will last – nor how long our loved ones will be with us. Be present. Be kind. Don’t be afraid to show your love.

MAKING TIME FOR WHAT WE NEED RIGHT NOW

4/17/2021

Have you ever felt so tired that, when the alarm rings in the morning, the thought of facing the day and all of its tasks seems just overwhelming? I know I have.

For me, a part of it stems from a good habit I have developed. I am a list-maker. Each day, my calendar details everything I hope to accomplish that day. There is a section for work – meetings, workshops, writing blogs and newsletters, working on custom orders, updating financials. There is a section for household chores – if I break them down into a daily schedule, I don’t lose a day to housework. I even make notes like “prep bread” in the evening so that, when I wake up in the morning, it’s ready to pop into the oven. If I don’t make these notes, we could face the morning with nothing for breakfast!

I start my plans with a yearly schedule, then break it down into monthly deadlines. As a new month approaches, I break that month’s tasks into weekly chunks. Every Friday, I look at the next week’s calendar and add and/or adjust the daily task schedule as needed.

This sort of detailed schedule may not work for everyone but it really works for me. Especially as I run my own business . As a solopreneur, there is nobody there to remind me that a certain task needs to get done this week or it will be too late. I will admit, though, that there are some days that the list looks ridiculously huge. Some of those tasks, however, will only take a short time to complete. If I knock those off, it is so satisfying to check them off the list and suddenly, the list is not so vast.

But - did you notice what is missing from these lists? A block of time set aside for rest, relaxation, recuperation. Oftentimes, that feeling of exhaustion is not a matter of being physically tired after a day of hard work, it’s being mentally and spiritually tired.

More and more of us have been working from home during the pandemic. It can be challenging to leave work behind when the phone rings or dings with an incoming text. I’m notoriously bad for “just doing a quick check of my e-mails or social media messages” before I turn in for the night.

Spring is in the air, despite today’s snow. I am so looking forward to spending time in my new veggie garden, reconnecting with the earth. Or sitting on the porch, sheltered from breezes that are still a little too cool, and knitting while listening to the frogs singing their evening songs. Enjoying that quiet time that isn’t necessarily silent but definitely nurtures one’s spirit.

Life rolls on faster and faster. I hope that you find some time to enjoy the beauty that nature brings in the spring. I hope that you schedule some time for activities that instil peace, that foster awe and enjoyment within your day to day lives, that awaken your soul.

it's been a year....

3/12/2021

and what a year it's been!

We have just reached the one year mark since Covid was deemed to be a pandemic by the World Health Organisation. We’ve ridden the rollercoaster of code reds and shutdowns. Weddings have been postponed as have end of life memorials. Travel has been suspended, borders closed. We’ve missed gathering with friends and family; we’ve missed hugs.

Even as we are seeing the light at the end of this tunnel with the roll-out of vaccines, we still have a way to go. It’s like when you were a kidlet and it was the last week of school before summer holidays. Or it’s like March in PEI. These past few days have been quite warm – the snow is melting and you are sure that spring has finally arrived. But the temperatures are dropping by about 20 degrees and we’ll be back in the frigid winter zone in the next day or so. Winter is letting us know that he’s not quite ready to let us out of his icy tentacles yet.

So, how do we get through these last few months and keep our sanity and well being? Let’s celebrate this one year anniversary. “Are you a madwoman?” you ask!!! Well, perhaps shutdowns and physical distancing have made me a little daft at times, but hear me out. On an anniversary or other special date, you celebrate by giving gifts. For that special someone who has been by your side this past year, who has seen you through your ups and downs, give the gift of appreciation and thanks. Let them know how much they mean to you.

And don’t forget to give yourself a gift, too! Make time for yourself and perhaps luxuriate in a bubble bath or clear your mind with some meditation. My “me time” involves fur babies. First thing in the morning, generally as soon as the alarm goes off, one of the beasties will jump into bed, curl up in my arms and purr. I’ve learned to set the alarm a little earlier than needed so I can enjoy this cuddle time. Late evenings after supper is the same. Time spent in the living room with a fur baby or two on my lap. It can make knitting a bit of a challenge, but it is well worth it. I just feel the day’s stresses slip away. What makes it even more special is that each one of the fur babies is a former feral. Some were more fearful than others; some were orphaned and had to be bottle fed; some were not healthy and needed special care. To see how they’ve blossomed and how they share so much love now is amazing.

So – yes – it sure has been a year! Take time to care for yourself so that you can continue to be kind and care about others. Stay well and happy knitting!

Just Breathe

2/15/2021

I’m not sure what is making today seem so lovely. Perhaps it’s the bright sunshine reflecting off the fresh white snow. Maybe it’s because it’s the day after Valentine’s Day, when everyone expresses their love for one another. Or maybe it’s because it’s Islander Day (known as Family Day in other parts of Canada) – a holiday that is not commercialised but instead has as its focus simple joys with family and friends.

But days like today do serve as a reminder that time just slips away on us. We must do our best to live in the moment and savour each day.

I have always been a results-driven person. Even when I’m knitting – especially something new – I have a tendency to just move it right along, so curious to see the end result that I don’t always just take a breath and enjoy the simple beauty of yarn over needles.

In my former existence, I used to be a road warrior. I became very familiar with the hum of airports and the nerve-wracking challenge of finding your hotel in a strange city in the dark (before the days of Google Maps). But there were a couple of special moments where I took the time to truly enjoy my surroundings and they made all the miles worthwhile! I remember taking a stroll and enjoying flowers blooming in Victoria in February. I recall the absolute majesty of Banff – gazing out of my hotel window and drinking in the stunning mountain views.

What I wish for you this Islander/Family Day is that you take the time to slow down and enjoy the day. And promise yourself to find at least one moment each and every day to just breathe.

We Are Living in Unprecedented Times

1/15/2021

We all joyously rang out 2020 and welcomed 2021 with open arms. But it’s important to recognise that things haven’t automatically changed when the calendar flipped a page to January.

We have been living with the impacts of Covid-19 for almost a year now….social isolation, mental stress, financial worries. And in the early days of this new year, the world witnessed the attack on the Capitol in Washington which resulted in the deaths of five people, including a police officer and the 2nd impeachment of the outgoing President. These are events that will live on in history.

I lived through the days of Nixon’s impeachment but it really didn’t cause much of an impact in my life. I was a teen, going to school and working 6 nights a week. I saw little television and had barely any time to read newspapers. There was no internet or social media to bombard my brainwaves. Not so today. It is far too easy to get lost in that rabbit hole of fantastical stories and opinions every where you turn. We are bombarded with horrific numbers of new Covid-19 cases and deaths. We witness the images of hate-fueled individuals beating a police officer with the American flag. And the hate that has been unleashed won’t magically disappear when a new President is inaugurated on January 20th.

All of this is causing many people a great deal of stress. And this stress, over an extended period of time, affects our health, both mental and physical. Some will experience depression or anxiety. Stress may cause high blood pressure, heart disease or stroke. Others may internalise this stress, resulting in gastrointestinal issues such as ulcers. Cuts and wounds even heal more slowly! Ongoing stress can affect one’s memory, as can the social isolation we have all been enduring.

So that’s the bad news. The good news is that there are easy, low or no cost things we can do to alleviate this stress in our lives.

Self-care is not an indulgence – it is a necessity! Self-care can include participating in hobbies like knitting, baking or playing a musical instrument. Meditation or meditative activities like those mentioned actually reduce your cortisol levels according to a study at the University of Lausanne.

Get out of your pjs. Take a shower. Dab on a little makeup if that makes you feel good! Get dressed in your warm woollies and head into nature for a little vitamin D. Take a hike, go snowshoeing or enjoy a stroll along the beach. Even shovelling that snow can reduce stress and anxiety! Enjoying outdoor activities will also help you to get a better night’s sleep.

If you adopt some form of time management system, you can not only schedule business and household tasks, you can ensure that you also schedule some time for self-care. Maybe you won’t accomplish everything on your “to do” list every day. Rather than focus on what you didn’t get done, take pride in what you did accomplish! And self-care is as much of a first-level priority as are business and household priorities.

Little things can brighten one’s day. When I’m feeling overwhelmed or anxious, I dab a little Ewe Love Massage Oil on my wrists and temples. The lavender essential oil found in our Morningstar, Foggy Day and Moonbeam blends reduces anxiety. It also works wonders for dry skin patches!

I also read a suggestion that we consider leaving our Christmas lights on through the dark winter days. Absolutely, take down the Santa and reindeer decorations. But twinkling white lights and candles create such a cozy feeling. Why relegate these joys to only a few weeks around the Christmas season?

Obviously, I enjoy knitting – especially projects that do not have urgent deadlines! I love the fact that, for around $50.00, you can knit a Briggs and Little wool sweater. Hours and hours of enjoyment knitting your creation plus years (if not decades if you peek inside my closet) of pleasure wearing your sweater! Or, indulge in a spot of luxury. Pick up a skein of alpaca/merino wool for around $30.00 – less than the cost of an evening out. Compare a couple of hours of fun versus the sheer thrill of working with yarn as soft as a cloud. Not to say that I don’t enjoy a good evening out. But when you make the comparison, you can see that it’s pretty darned easy to justify adding something sumptuous to your stash.

I also love sharing the joy of knitting. Our “Ewe Love to Knit” nights are the perfect blend of camaraderie, laughter, chatter and knitting. In fact, I was given the best compliment!!! Toby is a regular knit-nighter as well as a shepherd who raises Icelandic sheep and she also has a full-time job. One day, she was chatting with a colleague who asked how her day was going. She said that she might need an extra glass of wine that evening. Then she remembered that it was knit night – which she said was even better for relaxing after a stressful day than that glass of wine would have been!

Whatever form(s) of self-care you choose, just be sure to take care of yourselves, my friends!

Light up the holidays

12/7/2020

One of the things that I love the most about this time of year are all of the beautiful Christmas lights. The sun sets so early. The nights are long. The weather is chilly. These twinkling lights bring such warmth and cheer.

Just like those Christmas lights, we need to bring light to the world. We are living in challenging times. Our mood is a reflection of what we surround ourselves with, our vision of the world. If we let ourselves become overwhelmed with negative emotions, if our only focus is on what we are missing out on because of the pandemic, we will have chosen to snuff out our light. It’s not always easy to maintain a positive attitude but our own mindset has an effect on those around us. If we project negativity, it will be reflected back to us. Alternatively, if we project a positive outlook, those around us will be happier too.

It’s not just the outdoor lights that bring holiday cheer. We light the menorah at Hanukkah, or the candles on the advent wreath leading up to Christmas. Our Christmas trees are sparkling with lights. Let’s each become a candle, a small beacon of light. One candle brings only a very limited amount of light. But that one candle can light another candle and soon light is creeping into those dark corners.

Today, I had to make the decision to postpone our Tuesday evening “Ewe Love to Knit” nights until early January due to government restrictions on gatherings. I received a sweet note in response from one friend checking in to make sure we were all OK and to let us know that, if we needed anything at any time, we should just touch base. This truly warmed my heart and is the perfect example of what I mean when I speak about being a beacon of light, of hope, of kindness.

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Omisoka, Winter Solstice or Hogmanay, I wish each and every one of you the joy and peace of this holiday season.

The times they are a'changing

11/14/2020

but these changes are a long time coming

The birth of my beautiful great-niece last week has opened up a range of emotions in me. Hope for the future; a fierce feeling of wanting to protect her from the evils in this world; dreaming of being able to share with her activities that some may consider old-fashioned – such as baking Christmas cookies, knitting or other creative arts that open up the doors to the joy of “making”.

I recall time spent with my Grandmother. When she would come to visit, she would open her suitcase and ask me what I would like to learn this visit! She was patient and loving in her own way. She was not the typical white-haired granny that one pictures, full of hugs and kisses. She was tall (5’11”), lean and not overly demonstrative. But she did demonstrate her love through her actions. You knew that she would be there for you no matter what. Her husband, my grandfather, passed in 1941. She spent the next 48 years living as a strong, independent woman. She was the most incredible role model. (the little girl at the top right of the photo is my grandmother)

I recall the early days of my career in Toronto. Going for an interview for an internal promotion and having the interviewer place his hand on my thigh while he told me that I had a good chance of winning this promotion. My sense of betrayal was deep. Fast forward over 40 years to January, 2017 and a worldwide Women’s March whose goal was to “send a bold message…to the world that women’s rights are human rights”. In October, 2017, I wrote a blog post that reflected my disgust at the notion that the “workplace culture” was different in the ‘60s and ‘70s and that sexual harassment and intimidation was pretty much accepted behaviour for people in positions of authority.

From the civil rights movement that started in the ‘50s under the leadership of Dr. Martin Luther King to women’s rights movements dating back to the 1880’s here in Canada, it seems that we have moved forward in some ways yet we have not moved forward far enough. That racial and gender rights should still be an issue decades and decades later is astounding and absolutely wrong.

Regardless of your political leanings, you must admit that the election of Kamala Harris to the office of Vice-President (elect) represents an amazing milestone. First and foremost, she is the first woman to hold this position. And she is a woman of mixed race, the daughter of immigrants from Jamaica and India. But she is not a “token” – she also brings a wealth of education and experience. She is, to me, proof positive that we are moving in the right direction for both racial and gender equality.

There are both some wonderful memories and some memories that fuel anger in my past. I want to be a part of a movement that facilitates positive changes in this world. I want my great-niece to live in a world where there is no gender inequality, no need to fear violence even if it is hidden in flowery words of love. I want her to have faith that she can achieve anything that she sets her mind to with hard work, dedication, education and passion.

Follow your dreams, sweet Charlotte. I’ve got your back.

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