Alone in the playground

Trying to resurrect a blog is a bit like being away from school as an eight year old for a very long time and then suddenly reappearing, only to find that everyone has forgotten you and made new friends. Or if you move away from an area and promise to others as well as yourself that yes, you will keep in touch and yes, obviously you will remain close friends even though 200 miles separate you. Two years later you stumble across their name in your address book whilst writing Christmas cards and it actually takes you 5 minutes to remember who they are and when you phone, surnames are required. All of the lovely bloggers and crafters who I became close to cyberly before will now not remember who I am and really why should they? 

So, a lot of effort needs to be put in by myself too reacquaint myself with the fantastic crafters out there and hopefully some yoga made people as well. I'm not a shy type so I am happy to put myself out there, I will return to my old chat up line that saw me in good stead through my early twenties.

"Hello, my name is Joanna". Simple but effective.

I am just in from yoga, I practice Ashtanga Yoga and although I have practiced yoga on a regular basis for 4 years (although dabbled since I was 23) I started a regular Ashtanga practice a year ago and quite frankly I have never looked back. Ashtanga is a set sequence of postures that link one from the other. IT takes me 90 minutes to get through the practice and believe me you sweat, sweat, sweat. So twice, sometimes three times a week I take myself over to BAYoga to do my stuff on the mat. It is a Mysore style practice and leads you to places within your mind and body that are incredibly powerful. It works as a moving meditation and calms my chaotic brain for that 90 minutes and leaves me buzzing afterwards. Physically it teaches you that things are possible if you practice and perservere; a hard lesson as an adult but one that we accept as a child. If you have ever watched a toddler learn to walk, they constantly fall over but they never give up. I have yet to see a toddler sit down and go "sod that for a laugh, I'm just going to stick with crawling." Time and time again they get and have another go 

When you start the Ashtanga practice some of the postures just seem impossible and at first they are out of your reach but each practice brings you closer and closer to having the necessary strength and flexibility.

One of the items required for a yoga practice is a mat, and what better thing to carry a mat around in than a yoga bag. Can you see where I am going with this? Yoga bags made by me. Marvellous.

Last week I took myself off to an area in Luton called Bury Park and stocked up on gorgeous sari fabrics. I will also be getting some stronger home decor fabrics for a different range. My idea is to stock them in my folksy shop but also to stock them at the studio. The designs I have floating through my head are varied and this is the first one I have trialled. The fabric is just amazing. My personal home made yoga bag is really functional and has been going for a couple of years and has stood up to being lugged around everywhere but is slightly too small and the mat has to be rolled up incredibly tightly. So, the future designs will be slightly roomier.

modelled by the marvellous Rachel

Pockets

I have made two sales today as well which is also incredibly exciting so I foresee busy sewing times ahead. I  Have you got any exciting plans?