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ElleSD's avatar

Hi. I found your stack yesterday and so happy to have found it. 😁

I am Unapologetically childlike about all things creative. ðŸĪŠ

I have no formal training in anything, but do a little of everything and find the more I allow myself to play, the happier and more joyful I am. I've held myself back for most of my life because I didn't think "I was an artist" and to "do creative things" was for children. After listening to Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert in 2019 I was inspire to finally give my self permission to PLAY. I am no longer holding myself back and life has been so much richer since. Yay! 😁

I crochet ðŸ§ķ and have been following and learning from Lucy at Attic24 for a long time. Lucy was the first crochet teacher that I was able to learn from. She is so detailed and never misses a step. I just 💜 her. I have made several of her blankets. (This used to be my only creative outlet)

I find all my favorite creatives live across the pond. Maybe I need to move to Yorkshire Dale's. ðŸĪ”

In 2020 I started playing around with watercolor ðŸŽĻ and I am still learning and creating. I love the process of playing and learning and stumblng on something that just works.

Also in 2020 I stared making crochet sweaters, tops, and bags.

In 2022 I brought a sewing machine and started to learn how to make little bags and line my crochet bags. I even turned jeans into a skirt. I have so many other projects I'd like to take on.

I also love to cook and bake, but perfer baking because eating dessert 🧁ðŸĨŪ is the best.

I also love being in nature. Painting flora ðŸŒŋ and fauna is my favorite.

I am eager to explore this community. I have the July 5th event on my calendar. It will be 6:30am here on the East Coast of the United States, but I am sure it will be worth it. 😉

I am very much inspired by your substack and your words to embrace more Joy through creativity. I have been longing to delve deeper into that aspect of life. And being in like-minded company will help with that, I am sure.

Thank you for creating this space. I am looking forward to being inspired by this community you are building.

✌ïļðŸ’œ

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Emily Charlotte Powell's avatar

Oh Lori! I’m so happy you are here, what a joy it is to read every wonderful, beautiful word of your comment 💛💛💛 Thank you so much for sharing - I love it so much! I read Big Magic only last year, and it set my creativity free - I feel like I’ve been writing about that freedom ever since.

And I have only found Lucy at Attic24 this last month! I am so excited by all the world of possibilities of creativity, where there is an endless supply of wonderful people and inspiration.

Oh, and eating cakes is most definitely the perfect reason to bake!!

I hope that you will join in with our community in the While I Was Drawing Chat too, where we share pictures of things that we create - I would LOVE to see your watercolours and crochet and baking and ALL OF IT!!

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Jo Sundberg's avatar

Is there anything you don't do Emily! Wow. And a podcast!! Can't wait.

Such abundance here. Love how you share your creative passion with others and allow that joy to multiply.

"Sometimes we find ourselves hosting a Because Creativity Live session, meeting wonderful new people, just trying things out and having fun and creating with no purpose other than joyâ€Ķ."

It's just taking that step isn't it. I know you must inspire many Emily in living how you do. It's courageous and passionate and honest and I love it!!

xx

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Emily Charlotte Powell's avatar

Thank you so much Jo. I don’t cookâ€Ķ.. Unless I absolutely mustâ€Ķ only roast dinners in the winter as I practice for Christmas!!

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Jo Sundberg's avatar

😃 xx

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Lezel Simons's avatar

For joy alone💛 I will remind myself of this often now. Thank you. Looking forward to the next one and seeing your finished crotchet project.

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Emily Charlotte Powell's avatar

Thank you Lezel - it was so lovely to meet you at the session and I am having so much fun crocheting! I've done some more granny squares and started on the crocheted jellyfish pattern that I found. So looking forward to seeing you at the next session 💛💛💛

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Louise Tilbrook âœĻ's avatar

This just sounds joyful and really made me smile reading it - thank you.

And I love the colour palette you've chosen for your blanket. It's really beautiful.

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Emily Charlotte Powell's avatar

Thank you so much Louise! I’m so pleased with the colours - I went to the craft shop and they seemed to almost jump off the shelf into my basket ðŸĪĐ When I got home, I realised that they’re the colours I use the most in my other art - I found the green backing card that I’d bought a few years ago and couldn’t believe it matched so well. I think we must be drawn to certain colour palettes. I feel a little electric with all the ideas and creative endeavours ðŸĪ

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Didier Hope's avatar

Thank you for sharing your creative journey and inviting us to join in the experience. Your passion and dedication to fostering a community of joyful expression is truly inspiring.

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Emily Charlotte Powell's avatar

Thank you so much Didier - I feel like I’ve fallen down the rabbit hole and there’s so much wonder here!

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Cheryl Rutledge-Brennecke's avatar

Oh fun. I just posted about creativity in the garden being an art and come here and read you are looking for different kinds of creativity. :) and joy.

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Emily Charlotte Powell's avatar

Gardening is definitely a form of art, completely agree!! I read your lovely article about Hostas, they are such gorgeous plants ðŸŠī💛

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Sara Santa Clara's avatar

This was so much fun, Emily! Even though my crochet square turned out rather round 😂.

It was great to meet you, Lezel and Kiran - a surprising "side-effect" of joining Substack: meeting and connecting with like-minded people ðŸĪŽ

Looking forward to the next one - will try to join for sure, especially if you are going to be playing with clay!

By the way, after our zoom, I continued working on my little flower and my husband helped me figure out - mathematically! - how to keep crocheting in oder to turn the round into a square. So, now it still looks odd, it definitely looks nothing like your super cute squares, but it is a square - yay! 😆

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Emily Charlotte Powell's avatar

I’m so glad you had fun Sara and I’m looking forward to seeing you next time.

The community and conversation here is what keeps me coming back each time. I’m so glad to have connected with you 💛💛

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Kiran Zeeshan's avatar

It was a pure joy and I can't wait to be on the next one. The crochet squares are intricate and beautiful, loving the colours. Thank you so much for the mention, I experienced the lovely community vibes that everyone talks about on substack. Thanks again, Emily! 😊

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Emily Charlotte Powell's avatar

It was so lovely to meet you Kiran. Thank you for joining the session and I’m so looking forward to seeing you next time 💛💛

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Kiran Zeeshan's avatar

Likewise 😊

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Susie Mawhinney's avatar

I’m so sad I couldn’t join you Emily, it sounds like you all spent the most delightful time together with your different creativitiesâ€Ķ A festival of creativity - that sounds amazing I can’t wait to hear more about that and hopefully date and time will be more accessible for me! I’ve everything crossed! ðŸĪžðŸ―

I Hope your week is a sunshiny spiky one - a hug from my very dreary grey hill - where oh where did summer go this year? 🙄â™Ĩïļxxxx

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Emily Charlotte Powell's avatar

It would have been lovely to see you Susie, I’m considering an evening session soon, just need to find a time when the house is quiet!! The festival planning is well underway, I have so many ideas, can’t wait to start sharing them ðŸĪĐ

Sending love from the grey woods ðŸĐķ

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Linn Thorstensson's avatar

This all sounds so delightful 😍 I’ll see if I can join the next one. I just realized that it’s been about 9 years since I rekindled my own creativity and somehow I feel like I’m only getting started!

I definitely believe we need as much play as adults as we do as kids, for a happy healthy existence â™Ĩïļ

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Emily Charlotte Powell's avatar

That would be wonderful Linn! I know what you mean about feeling like you’re only just getting started - there are so many creative things I long to do! I think creative play is so lacking in adult life, I want to do as much of it as I can. 💛

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Almut | The Weary Pilgrim's avatar

What a lovely letter, Emily! I love to read about your process! And your surrender to joy ðŸĪĐ

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Emily Charlotte Powell's avatar

Thank you so much Almut. You are always so kind 💛💛💛

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Wake Lloire's avatar

That sounds just magical! I’m excited about your podcast, and the virtual festival!

I so hope I can make it to one of the creative virtual sessions in the future! It sounds like you gathered such a lovely group of creatives!

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Emily Charlotte Powell's avatar

Thank you Wake! I need to try not to get too carried away - I am wondering when I will have time to fit in all these things, but we find time for the things we love though, and I’m so excited by the prospect of all the things I’ve been dreaming up.

It would be wonderful to see you at a Creative session. I hope that you are able to join sometime 💛💛💛

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Vanessa Simpson's avatar

A festival of creativity sounds wonderful! I very much look forward to reading more on this as your ideas developâ€Ķ

I was sorry not to be free to join your session with a crochet needle, but 5th July is in my diary and I’m looking forward to it. Xx

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Emily Charlotte Powell's avatar

Thank you Vanessa! I’m very excited about all the ideas that are flitting around in my head - the next step will be to start making some of them into reality. Looking forward to seeing you on 5th July! 💛ðŸĶ‹

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