DARDARS   by Amanah                   HandKnit  Scarfs & Blankies

"March roars in like a lion" as the song says (the musical 'Carousel' ). Indeed it does, we have been blown and blustered somewhat here in Vancouver this month, though pretty well taken care of here I would say!
We seem to take on a different stance in March, slightly bent forward in our stride, bracing yet determined. The children also, though they seem to tumble forward with such glee and ever-present curiosity, as if they hold the secret to our unfolding year..I think they do!
Children feel the end of winter and the coming of Spring, their inner connection still in tact
with the pulses of nature and the whisperings of the promised buds. They are the keepers of the natural flow, the messengers of the lightness of approaching colour-filled days, the heralds of the Colour Tool-Kit from our Sun. Are we paying attention to the little ones???
We can all call upon the Colour Tool-kit from nature and our blessed Sun for our inspiration, as the gray backdrop of our days is bathed in ever illuminating COLOURS.
Let the wisdom of the children decide their Colour Palette for the day......they sense every need and request from their little bodies and just watch the joy when they are acknowledged for their wisdom. Sure the result might be a Colour combination we adults would never have chosen but, hey, give it a try. Awesome, truly!
So as we all step out, young and old-er,let's remember to SMILE and find JOY in our steps and 'lighten up' with COLOUR.

From where I sit in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia, we are still viewing our days through rain and mountain cloud. A challenge indeed to see the COLOUR that lays beneath the daily gray!
Well, here's a better challenge........take some moments in your day, wherever you are, breathe and think of a COLOUR. I am pretty certain that before long you will be surprising yourself by finding the most amazing spots for that COLOUR that never occurred to you before.  I know, we get awfully busy in a day, and absorbed by the matter at hand right under our noses, and somewhat deflated at yet another gray day, and, and, and....that's a lot of ands!
It is incredibly rejuvenating to realize that just a moment or two of 'spotting' a COLOUR is more than just child-like play, it switches up your energy (here's another 'and') and brings surprise to an otherwise task-filled day.
So, have you seen that RED Honda amongst the bland traffic stream? Did you notice the AMBER traffic sign suggesting you slow down? Did you catch that ORANGE taxi cab?....the ORANGE news box on the corner, the PURPLE and RED FedEx sign on that van, the PINK backpack on that kid's back, the rich GREEN tourist tram???  well that is just from my window! So imagine in only a short moment how much COLOUR can enter your world.
Perhaps you may not have thought of including LEMONS in your daily diet, after all it isn't summer yet, but guess what....did you know that the small but pungentLEMON contains:
potassium - energizes the heart
carbon - motor stimulant, removes constipation
hydrogen - activates the nervous system
calcium - strengthens the lungs
phospherous - knits bones
sodium - builds tissues
magnesium - alkalizes the blood
iron - builds heomoglobin
chlorine - cleanses the blood
silicon - helps the thyroid and deep breathing
ONE FRUIT - ONE COLOUR
What a treat from nature, and how fortunate we are that we can enjoy LEMONS. Go have fun!.......

This is a refreshing thought. We are ever changing. Whilst the thought of change seems daunting
and exhausting to some it really is a blessing!
WHY?...well, perception is a wonderful quality that we have free reign to manipulate however we wish. How we perceive our world, is how we think of our world. How we think shapes our world...see where I am going with this?  We have CHOICE of thought.
With the free opportunity of creating our thoughts, we have the opportunity to create our world... one step at a time, from home base within ourselves...each of us!
New Beginnings in every moment, in every thought...powerful.
I choose to create my story in this moment bathed in the Awareness of Colour, celebrating this natural phenomenon and how it impacts my thoughts and my world.
As we start our New Year of 2012 shower the little ones, our children of all ages, with the loving hues of pink, coral, light green and aqua blue to lift them gently from their Winter lull.
In this moment I welcome:
Rose Red/Pink:   compassion and love for self and self potential
Copper:  inspiration, stability, creativity and conduit to my source of energy
Turquoise: uplifting, gentle
I INVITE you to explore these colours to uncoil from the hibernation of winter.
Please share your experiences on this Blog

This Winter Solstice  my thoughts turn with gratitude to the men, women and children that have gone before us to sow the seeds, gather the harvest, work the fibre, create the dyes, build the mills, test the product and market the yarns. Bless them for their spirit, their vision, their hard work, their heartaches.  With such ease we browse the shelves of our local stores and choose carefree our yarns for this and that. Quickly we forget, or for most of us have never known, the stories that have paved the path to our ease. I am forever grateful for their stories and for all those that are forging new paths to provide us with not just clothing to survive, fashion to enjoy, but the enduring comfort of the rich textures and colours that adorn our lives in so many ways. Riches indeed.  Bless them and you all for your efforts, creativity, talents and spirit.
This Winter Solstice  and through our 'winter' season (at least those of us above the equator) I offer some Colour suggestions for comfort and inspiration:
RED for the root of our Humanness, our core, our anchor to our beautiful World
RED for life support, warmth, strength, comfort  and nurturing
RED for the life sustaining support in our blood cells
RED for the passion to live life to the fullest in every moment
RED to embrace our hearts' desire with unconditional love
BLUE the complement
BLUE for peace, peace of mind, peaceful thoughts and intentions, deserved tranquility to be in the presence of OURSELVES in this moment aside from the story we are creating for ourselves.
BLUE for the Oxygen of life that flows through all our cells, through our blood cells as the source of our physicality
BLUE to find and speak our truth, to seek the one true path of our existence, to communicate that truth to ourselves and others
THANK YOU to all those that have purchased my DARDAR Knits.
MY INVITATION: please join me on this Blog Page with your Thoughts on Colour in your life, your Colour experiences and that of your children. The little ones are so honest and have much to say about our World of Colour.
Gratitude in this moment always.
Amanah

_I made my first Scarf & Blankie for my grandson CADEN DAR. He says they feel like 'Manah Hugs. His inspiration has encouraged me to share those Colourful Hugs as DARDARS in honour of my grandson.

This is a wonderful space to share with you some inspiring ideas about the use of colour in our daily lives. Fun concepts, helpful hints and encouraging ideas are such a good way to brighten up our days and our thoughts.
My website is new and improved. With nurturing, and a healthy helping of creative tending, this space will flourish.
I would love to hear your questions on Colour and the many ways that we can enrich our lives with this simple awareness.
Stay posted for my upcoming topics and tips from the "Psychology of Colour".
ENJOY MY COLOUR-SPECIFIC HANDKNIT SCARFS & KID BLANKIES

COLOUR basics
RED (complementary: Blue) powerful energizer, stimulates determination & action,         warming.
health:    energizes muscles and sluggish conditions
                 chakra:   root...feet, legs, lower back, kidneys, bladder,
                 fashion:   warmth, attention, courage, self-confidence, fun
                 food:       beets, red grapes, tomatoes, eggplant, radish, black cherries, red cabbage
                 nutrient:  vitamin B, hydrogen
                 note:       Mid C
     
                 BLUE (complementary: Red) calming, soothing, peaceful, alleviates fear
                 health:    nerve soother, antiseptic & relaxing
                 chakra:   throat...thyroid, pituitary & pineal glands, upper lungs, voice, speaking truth
                 fashion:   cool, on purpose, organized, comfortable,approachable
                 food:       plums, blueberries, blue grapes
                 nutrient:  vitamin A, oxygen
                 note:        G