Hello! As I write this, I’m sitting in Sunderland on an unseasonably grey day. But when you get this delivered to your inbox, somewhere between the Uber Eats offer and the email about you leaving something in your shopping cart, I’ll be in the stifling heat back home in Malta.
If memory serves, around this time of the year, it’s a bit like opening the oven too quickly only to be met by a sudden gust of scorched air.
🌟 Slow spotlight: Bookbinding!
On Thursday, after a mentally exhausting week, I went to my third or fourth Ladies, Wine and Design in Sunderland. It’s a cute little event that happens every month or so, where creative women get together to chat, debate, and create over a glass of wine and some snacks.
This month, it was a spot of bookbinding with Fibre Books, and it was both relaxing and mind-bending at times. To be read: I broke my brain trying to figure out measurements for things. Hard to believe I used to do Maths at A-level. And Physics Intermediate.
But anyway, here’s a little video showing bits of the process and the finished notebook! She’s not too shabby for a first attempt, eh?
💡 On working with your hands
Before I went to the bookbinding event, I was a stressy mess. During the workshop, I felt myself relax as my focus shifted from what was worrying me to what was in front of me. I’ve been thinking about that a bit.
There's a joy that comes from engaging in a creative activity with your hands. Creativity is transformative, and seemingly simple pursuits can weave some magic into the tapestry of life, with a few mental health benefits to boot.
More than that, the act of creating with your hands is grounding. It’s easy to feel disconnected in a fast-paced, digital-centric world, where we’re so immersed in screens, we’ve become disconnected from the tactile pleasures of life.
But when you pick up a pencil or paintbrush, mold clay, knit a scarf, bind a book, or immerse yourself in any form of hands-on creativity, something extraordinary happens.
Time slows down, the chatter in your mind quietens down, and you're transported into a state of pure presence. It's a beautiful dance between your thoughts and the tangible outcome of your creative expression.
And there’s a sense of satisfaction there, too. Seeing your idea, your project, materialise through your fingers nurtures a deep sense of accomplishment and boosts self-esteem. As you complete a knitted scarf, a handmade card, or a painted canvas, you get a sense of pride along with it. It’s easy serotonin if you ask me.
In a world that can feel chaotic, crafting is a gentle reminder that you have the power to create moments of calm and joy.