pause to take note of the sky

In mental health class in grad school, our professor asked us to name one habit we do each day just for ourselves.  Or something like that*.  

(What was the exact question, Sarah or Celeste?)

*what is in our Wellness Toolbox; thanks, Celeste.

For me, it was eating yogurt, raw oats, and frozen banana for breakfast.  Another classmate who lives in a particularly mindful way said at some point during each day, she tries to pause to take note of the sky.

I have thought of her at rare moments during the last three years 

when I have tried simply to pause and look up.  She herself captures beautiful scenes with her lens  (https://www.flickr.com/photos/oncemore/albums).

Her response inspired the wedding gifts below.  I usually buy from the registry because I think it respects someone's wishes and it is convenient.  However, sometimes I have the urge to give a more personal gift.

So here we go, abstract art.

what the sky looked like on the day of your wedding

Same concept, different wedding.  The sky was clear this day, so I decided to take shots from a few different angles and partition them out during framing for increased visual interest.  

Framing the sky: but which side is up?

Okay, and I was pleased with my wrapping job, too.  As a kid, I remember sometimes being embarrassed to bring a gift wrapped in newspaper comics to a birthday party.  In retrospect, I am grateful for my mom's environmentalism.  And due to my frugality/environmentalism/hunter-gatherer yearnings, I am reluctant to buy gift wrap supplies today.  

Kroger bags served the purpose.  I noticed the detached handles had some natural depth/shape to them, so it was easy to pair them up and then cut out a small dot of cardboard to stick in the center.  Ta-da: a bow.  Although before I did, I thought they looked like an infinity loop symbol for the wedding presents.  Getting pretty deep with this wrapping job, eh.  Besides schnitzel with noodles, this could be a new favorite thing.  

On the subject of sky, someone else can take up this project; I like the concept.  Over a specific time period, knit one row reflecting the color of the sky that day.  I think this would be a special gift for someone to represent a period of their live (engagement, pregnancy, cancer treatment).  

   (source: knittingpsycho.tumblr.com)