Spring and new beginnings. This was never more true for me than this year.

Every year spring brings into our lives awakening, blossoming, and freshness. But this year spring brought important new shifts in my creative and personal life. Somehow it happened that all the projects I was working on since December 2022 went live this spring.

New Concept and Home for SWD

At the end of 2021, I went back to a full-time office job. It took a year to adjust to the new rhythm and lifestyle. After 15 years of juggling between schools, a part-time job, and my handmade shop, it was quite a big change. I was not even sure if I could continue with my Sofie White Designs project as free time became a big luxury.

Needless to say, I was not feeling complete without my creative life. In December 2022 yoga practice inspired me to take my creative project to the next level. Instead of the usual New Year visuals refresh, I looked deep inside and asked myself important questions.

“What is my real why? Why do I like so much to knit and crochet? Why do I want to share what I know? How can it help other people? What good my work can add to someone’s life? ”

As you can guess the “new” concept, branding, and all the “new” things implemented here are nothing more than coming back to my “roots”, to my original “why”.

Why I knit and crochet

I learned to knit and crochet when I was a teen. I failed to finish almost every project because lost patience and enthusiasm along the way. Or because of lacking that 1 skein of yarn to complete. In the end, I gave these crafts up completely being 200% sure they were not for me.

Then, years later, while expecting my first child, I found an old crochet blanket my husband’s grandmother made for him. I never met this woman, but all 3 of my children were warmed up with this beautiful family heirloom. This idea to create something by my own hands that will pass from one generation to another, that will win over time, made me very passionate about giving knitting and crochet another try. It took me weeks to make the blankets for my kids. They turned out beautifully but were very complicated to work on. And for a year or more I could not get back to knitting or crocheting.

Craving simplicity

Being a busy mom of 3 littles, having a part-time job and no babysitter, I did not have much social life or ways to relax at the time. Thus I started to play around with yarns. I enjoyed trying different yarns and crafting tools buying them online and offline.

The discovery of chunky Merino was a big aha moment for me. I realized that I failed to finish my crafts not because the knitting /crocheting was boring or too complicated, but because I was doing the wrong projects!

Not wanting to do anything complicated and stressful, I ended up creating my designs – simple, timeless, and easy. I was amazed at how combining color, yarn texture, and stitches with even a minimal effort is possible to create unique and stunning things. Working with natural, pleasant-on-touch fibers is very enjoyable. Do not underestimate this when you choose the yarns to work with!

This is how my design concept was born: using crochet and knitting not as a craft, but as tools to find calm and relax. It helped me to keep my sanity and find joy in the beauty and chaos of daily motherhood. I started appreciating more the beauty of nature and simplicity. Exploring the universe of natural fibers and dyes, brought me on a path of mindfulness and raised my interest in yoga.

Personal new beginnings

I’m not sure if this was working on the SWD website that influenced me. Or that was “inner listening” and pranayama breathing exercises. Probably both. This month I’ve made a big personal shift in my personal life too.

While choosing the photos for the new website, I looked at myself from aside and felt a sudden desire to get back to where my creative journey started. Remove the “filters” we put on our Instagram and “masks” we wear in our daily life. Accept and love the person I see in the mirror every day just as she is. Be me and learn to enjoy it.

And here it comes – only two weeks after the branding photoshoot I went ” back to roots” in my personal life too. Literary 🙂 I chopped my long blond hair and changed its color back to my natural one (or close).

For me, it was more about self-acceptance and self-love than just changing a hairstyle. About listening to your inner self and what your body needs instead of trying to fit in “standards” and look good for others.

If you think of it, there are billion-dollar industries built on our insecurities and desire to “improve” what mother nature gave us. As well as our fear to love ourselves simply as we are.

What did this spring bring into your life?

So, these are my spring new beginnings. I still need to do my “coming out” and let the world see the new me. Wish me luck – plan to do it on Instagram in this Saturday’s Stories,

And what about you?

What project you are working on at the moment? Did you try something new this spring? Do any fresh starts, or new beginnings happen in your life too?