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Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Frustration

I don't have any pictures today, because of a simple lack of will to take them.... I'm so frustrated with the MPD right now I'm tempted to just throw the whole thing in the trash & find something else. Saturday I started the 5th round, & had to cut it off & start it over 3 times. On the 3rd time, I accidentally cut a chain in the 4th round. So, naturally I had to cut off one of the motifs in that round; in doing that I cut two picots off the chain of the NEXT motif. SO that made 2 I had to remove from a round that took me three times as long as it should've taken to begin with. BBBBBBBBBLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPP!!!!! Guess what? The way they're joined together made it almost IMPOSSIBLE to just remove one motif & add another without twisting chains everywhere. So right now it's on the blocking board after I finished up that round again (with a total of 5 new motifs) & blocked the whole thing to make the chains (hopefully) stand straight & right.
I also just named my etsy store after my etsy screen name. Which is the same as everywhere else now. Why? Because my brain couldn't handle anymore thinking about what I should call it. I have 2 items listed there - a pair of earrings & a pendant - & a few other things I need to get listed, but just haven't. Maybe today or tomorrow. I'm not sure. I'm not really in the mood for tatting related activities on this particular day.
I'm just frustrated with anything that has to do with thread right now & am seriously considering taking a week or so off from the whole darn thing. Sometimes that happens; I just need a break from even looking at thread. Then when that time is up, I'll go back to tatting & obsessing over tatting like crazy. Or it may be a month before I even want to touch it again. Once I went an entire summer & didn't even open my tatting bag.... But that was a one time thing.
I have a sore back right now, which makes it hard to sit & tat. My horse fell with me Saturday (totally an accident they aren't mean by nature) & I kind of twisted funny on the way down. Not bad enough to keep me from functioning or riding or anything, just enough to be uncomfortable. Have done much worse.
Not to mention Husband having to work yesterday from 6 AM until well after MIDNIGHT.... Boo.
So all in all I'm in just a sour kind of mood. I hope everyone else has a much better day/week/whatever :) And I'll end my gripe session now!
Enjoy your day!

Friday, May 27, 2011

My Etsy Store

Okay. I normally would wait until tomorrow to post again. But. I NEED a name for my ETSY store!!! HHHHEEEELLLLPPPP

Friday again

I don't have anything interesting to share today. Just thought I'd let everyone know I haven't fallen off the planet =-)
Oh & while it may just be hoping at this point I have three more people that want to buy the necklace sets. I'm not sure why but I can't get the first person who requested one to answer her phone or return my calls. I've only called three times in just over a week. I'm trying not to be pushy or annoying, but it irks me that *she* came to *me*, requested that I make her a whole set - not just a set but a specific color that I didn't already have made - and wanted it done by a certain day, & now I can't get ahold of her. And no, she hasn't already paid. So I have a set made & I'm not sure what to do with it.
I did get my paypal account in order. I'm waiting for it to "verify" so I can set up my Etsy store. Yes, that's right, I'm going to do it. I need ya'll's help coming up with a name for it, too!
 I have several small things I'd like to list. Nothing earth shattering - just an edging & some butterflies. Maybe a doily (I'm waiting for permission on that one as it isn't my design) or two. Probably that little purple thing I showed you a photo of last time I posted. Sister saw it & said I should put a pearl at the top where the jump ring is & make it a set of earrings.... That's why I always show things to her - she's a real genius & I can always count on her to say "that's terrible re do it" if it honestly needs it. She's an awesome shopping buddy too :) Only thing is that's going to require making a whole new one. But that's okay, I can list the one I have "as is" & let it go kind of cheap, just to get the ball rolling, right? :) Wish me luck!
Enjoy your day!

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

More Cabone Rings...

Well one more anyway. One of the small ones I use to make earrings. But really I think I like this one as a pendant.... I don't know yet. It's done in Altin Basak, which is odd because I didn't think it'd be stiff enough to hold the rings up on its own. But it is, which is great because I have some colors I love in Altin Basak. It didn't exactly turn out like I wanted because I wanted to attach a pearl to the bottom of the ring with a clover leaf. But I didn't want it done in the one round because I thought it'd be too much with all the other rings going around..... Except now I can't figure out how to get the pearl on there without there being wwwaaayyyy too much on the bottom. Hmmm... Back to the drawing board on that one. But I think I like this one all on its own for now. It's a great pinkinsh lavenderish purple that doesn't show up on (at least my screen) the computer, but I like it. Think I'll try something else this color. I did add the jump ring as I went (in a join) instead of adding it to a picot later. How do you think it looks?
And yes, I'm still using Clover shuttles.... Much as I hate to admit it!
Enjoy your day

Monday, May 23, 2011

Sore hands, finished project

So I haven't posted since... last... Thursday?? Sorry, but I didn't have anything to show so I thought I'd hold off until I finished the sold necklace & earring set. That & my cousin was here from California (he lives there, isn't from there) so we of course spent part of the weekend together.
Have been walking & have GAINED 4lbs back! Boo! :( But I'm going to keep it up.... Can't hurt me can it?!
Got to ride every day since Friday so far. Shortened my rains ALOT & guess what?? Oh so much better pattern. I have more control with less movement, which helps us both out. He gets what I'm asking & I ask without slinging my arms around so much, if that makes sense.... Now. If I can just get my nerves together & get him moving *faster* - that's what barrel racing is all about, right? :)
Oh - here's my picture for the day.
It's just like the black & silver one I did for sister, except it's all brown. You can't really tell from the picture, but when the light catches the glass beads it's really quite nice. I kind of hate to say that about my own design, but I mean the beads show more color than just plain old brown. I couldn't get a good picture of it showing the colors without putting it on & since it's for someone else I didn't want to put on the earrings.
Something else I've been working through whether to post about or not... But I need to think about it & writing it out will help me not be so sad. Yesterday (22May,2011) marked five months since I lost my friend Blake. It's hard to think about, but I just can't help it. I should have gone to visit his grave, but I just couldn't make myself go; which is odd because I usually go every other week or so. Probably because I spent the day with my private thoughts of him, & didn't want anything to interrupt that. Whenever I go, I get angry. It's been five months & his family (mother & 2 brothers) still haven't even purchased a head stone for him. It isn't a financial issue, as I know he had a very large life insurance policy, for just such an occasion. Instead his mother bought herself & his younger brother a new car, they moved, sold all of his belongings (even the 32 year old horse he'd had since he was 10), & opened a new hair salon (mother & older brother are hair stylists). Basically his whole memory is dead to them & it breaks my heart because the reason he was doing the job he had when he died is so he could pay the rent for the 3 of them & keep himself afloat as well. I know I shouldn't be angry, but I can't help it when I see how they abused him in life & forgot him in death. His older brother is actually still using Blake's cell phone because he has run up & refused to pay bills with every carrier around here.
I know he's in a better place, & I know God does everything for a reason. It's just hard for me to let things go when I see such huge injustices for such a good person. Why don't I pay for the stone? You may be asking right now... I wish I could..... I would in a heartbeat if I could afford it. I *am* trying to save back a little every week, & I've asked some of his other friends to do the same. Hopefully we'll be able to get one soon.
Anyway. I have dishes to do & I desperately need to think about something else or my whole day will be blown away. My thoughts & prayers are with those in Joplin, Missourri...

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Not much to tell today... not much at all...

I'm pretty much only posting today out of habit. That & I have to tell *somebody* that I've found my perfect exercise routine. Is it possible? Randa, that hates runnin, aerobics, treadmills, elypticals, and going to the gym?? Why yes, yes it is.
Daddy has around 20 acres - that's where all my horses live at the moment. On that 20 acres, he built an arena for Sister & I to practice running barrels, back when we lived at home & barrel raced every weekend. We still use it for riding, but now I use it as a walking track too. Now that may not sound like much of a routine, but I've been going (off & on, very off & on) to the track in town to walk. It has hills & bridges & all that kind of thing. But it also has the dreaded exercise nuts; the ones that don't really look like they need to be there, & kind of smirk when you walk by in your baggy sweatpants & t shirt because you have a spare tire?? Okay, maybe it's just me that feels their beady little critical eyes! Maybe they're really nice people.... But they make me uncomfortable. Maybe it's because I haven't always been 60lbs overweight & I'm very self conscious about it. I wasn't exactly a fountain of self confidence before I had my daughter & expanded 4 pants sizes... But I hate going out in public in that kind of situation.
Anyway. If I walk ten laps as fast as I can while pushing a stroller with a 26lb Untatter inside, it's all the workout I can take right now. It's just over a mile in torn up dirt that's kind of sandy. So it's a little like walking on the beach, only not so deep. But you can't tell that to my stroller..... phew! I just got back & my legs are like jello.
It's perfect for me because I can be outside, I feel comfortable because I"m at home & there's not a single soul around. That's another perk of being a stay at home mom - there's nobody home around during the day :) & I get to watch all the horses running from the stroller like it's a fire breathing siren screaming dinosaur... It's kind of funny. But by the end of the walk they're used to it so they just mill around waiting for food. I love my horses... Maybe tomorrow I'll take the camera & show you a picture. Guess my "nothing to tell" post turned into something didn't it?? ;)
Enjoy your day!

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Excited! And Feeling Guilty....

First thing - I'm excited because Untatter went to the bathroom in the BIG GIRL POTTY!!! That's right, we just crossed our first potty training milestone!! Woohoo!! Okay... Enough about that... =-D
Now - what am I feeling guilty about?? All this stuff I got in the mail from Fox.... And I only sent her 5 bobbins of thread or so... Look what she sent me!!
 The tin is absolutely adoreable, but I don't know that she'd appreciate her address being posted on my blog so you only get the inside, as her card is on the outside :) Then there's 10 spools of Cebelia, & those cute little beads... So I feel guilty... Hope she'll forgive me! :)
The other thing is the fact that I've been sorely neglecting & under estimating the value of both Clover & SewMate shuttles. Now I'm not going back on how much I love my Boye metal shuttles - I'll always have a soft spot for them. But since I only have 3 made in USA & 1 old one that's huge, I recently decided to put my sew mates in my purse bag. That way if I lost them, it wouldn't just break my heart. Well, I've had some time to work on the edging that's in there a couple of times, & for some reason this particular time I've used them, I just love them. So much that when I got home yesterday, I wound up the clovers I had in my stash. In the past this would have made me miserable. But yesterday, it was like something just clicked. I love them both! Now I do like the sew mates better, because the size is more comfortable for me. But I actually took all the Boyes & bobbins out of my project bag & put my 2 clovers in the bag. I only have 2 clovers & 2 sew mates for now, but still. I don't think ya'll realize what a huge shift this is for me! I do plan on buying a few more sew mates, but probably will stick with just the 2 clovers... For now...
 This is the progress on MPD. I'm not sure why but my computer is showing up that the thread is a little pink. But it's not. It's white Cebelia. Hmm... At any rate, it's coming out alot better this time around. I tried it one time several years ago - actually it was my first real project & didn't get past these medallions. I'd only been tatting around a month & apparently it didn't dawn on me that because I tat left handed, things go counter clockwise. Which means I have to consider that when making joins to the other medallions & go the other way around from normal. But I've got it this time I think. It's amazing what time & education will do isn't it?
This is what I came up with for my friend's press I was supposed to fill. Well I didn't come up with it - I remade if from one I already have. She says she likes it in pink & brown. What do you think? I just realized the date on my camera is off by about 3 years & a few days & I don't know how to fix it.... Have to call my sister on that one......
And now I'm about to take Untatter for our walk. Haven't gotten to the last few days because of rain. Now if my stroller will just dry out.... wish I hadn't left it on the porch......
Enjoy your day

Monday, May 16, 2011

Just another Monday

No pictures today. Haven't done any tatting since I finished the barefoot sandals. Kind of need a break I think. Still only 2 motifs done on the 4th round of MPD.... I promise I'll go back to it this week. But I have some happy news too - I think.
I posted pictures of the necklace set I made for Sister here, at Intatters, & on my facebook page. I usually do that when I make something new that's worth posting. But yesterday a friend of mind asked me to make her one to buy! Yep, that's right. I'm selling something I made AND designed! Yep. My own design, hand made by me & someone wants to buy it. Well, in a different color, but they want it! I haven't worked out a price yet, & I still have to go to find some beads in brown instead of black. So I'm pretty excited about that.
Other than that, I don't really have any news. Haven't been anywhere or done anything around here because it's been nasty rainy weather.
But back to tatting. I want to take a poll of my large group (4) of followers ;) I know some of you are on Intatters & will probably see the conversation, but I'm curious about how you feel about copyright. Not as a whole, but let me give you an example.
Let's say I write a pattern. Then I post it online for free. But at the bottom I say I have copyright on it & that I don't want you reproducing the pattern. (Normal stuff) And then I say you can't sell the pieces you produce from it. At all.
Now. I'm not giving my opinion on the matter because it's still working on formation. Common courtesy vs. my right to work & all of that.....  I'm mostly just curious.  It doesn't really bother me one way or the other, because I have never sold anything online. Really at all. Mostly I make things & give them to people who ask for them. Gives me a reason to tat, which I enjoy.But I keep thinking about this issue, & whether a person really has a leg to stand on. I know there are a few people who blog & post patterns on their blogs, & some of them have Etsy or Ebay stores as well & according to said people have had violators of this wish removed from their respective sites. Seems they couldn't if they didn't have a legal leg to stand on, right? But at the same time if they don't actually have a legal copyright on the pattern... Ah it just turns into muddy water here for me. What do ya'll think??
Enjoy your day :)

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Pictures Pictures Pictures

Okay... So today I have pictures.
This first one is of the necklace & earring set I made for Sister's birthday. It was Thursday so I was a day late.... But she said she liked it anyway. It's black Lizbeth & clearance bin beads. I *told* Husband I'd use all those beads & findings! :)

This is 1 of the pair of TotusMel's Queen's Feet barefoot sandals I'm working on for Brit. She asked for yellow & yellow she got. They're way too big for my feet, so I had to lay them out on the counter. Maybe she'll let me take a picture of them on her feet for you so you can see how great they are in person!

This is my shopping haul. I got the pliers & thread cutter on a 30% discount at Hobby Lobby. Love that place! The bag came from Old Navy. I know the colors are a little loud, but it's plasticy stuff on the outside so my needles won't go through. I carry a giant purse anyway, so it should be okay. Hopefully. If not I'll have a give away or something. It was a whole $5.

Now. On to something that makes me sad. Apparently Flora is discontinuing my favorite color of all time. The blue variagated. I learned to tat with this color, & have never found anything even close to it since. But, I guess that means I get to go thread shopping! *sigh*
Enjoy your day!

Friday, May 13, 2011

Blogger is having "problems" so...

I've decided that since I can't go through my usual routine of reading other blogs before  I post, I'm not even going to attempt to show you any pictures today. I'd rather not fix them up & get them ready, only to have blogger freak out on me. So. Maybe tomorrow, maybe Monday. But I'll tell you I designed & made something all on my own. An earring & necklace set for my sister. Well it started out for randomness, & ended up being something I want to give my sister because it made me think of her. Black with silver beads on a cabone ring... I hope she likes it. I'll take pictures before I let her have it & maybe with it on her if I can get her to be still ;)
Hopefully I'll remember ot take another picture of MPD & the barefoot sandals, too.
Stormy day here, so nothing much to report on the horsey front.
Oh... I walked a little over a mile this morning carrying my 30lb Untatter. Phew! Cardio for me! But it was fun so I'm gonna try again tomorrow morning. If I can walk at all :)
Enjoy your day!

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Taught myself a new trick!!

 Well as promised I have a couple of pictures for you today. One is of the center piece of the barefoot sandals. I kind of like the mustard yellow, now that it's working into shape. I'm not to fond of the thread though. I can't remember what kind it is, or I'd make a mental note not to buy anymore of that kind. I only had around half a ball & the label was gone out of it so I'm not sure what it is. I know it's number 20, & I know it's not Flora, Lizbeth, Cebelia, or Altin Basak. I have those to compare it to, & it's much stiffer than that. So. All that's left is the "hhhmmmm".....  But I have it & I've started it so I"ll use it for this project & stash it in the "ew" pile...



You can see in the picture where the ends are sewn in & where it's trying to twist where the rings close.... But overall I like the shape. Maybe if it was done in a different thread it'd be better.



This is the new trick I taught myself! There's a cabone ring under there :) Now I know there are tutorials & videos & Jane Eborall has an instruction sheet on her instruction site (there's a link to her blog, & from there there's a link to the other stuff), but I haven't printed anything & when I had time to try it my computer was "on break". Sometimes it does that. Very inconvenient. It's lizbeth #20 thread, I don't know the color. It was a sample that came with some other things I ordered from Handy Hands. I use it for practice because it's kind of an odd color combination, don't you think? I just continued on around again with chains, 5-5+5-5, so on & so on.... I put a jump ring on & I'm not sure what I'll do with it. But something...
And there you have it... All the pictures I have for now. Maybe tomorrow I'll have some pictures of MPD. I finished the third round, & I'm started on the first medallion of the 4th. I have to wait for it to dry first though.... I had to block it, as the rings - only round kind of cupped on me.
That's it for today :)
Enjoy your day


Tuesday, May 10, 2011

After Mother's Day

Mother's day is over...finally. I've never been a huge fan of card company holidays. Especially the ones that remind me of the deficiancies in my life. I am a mother, but for various reasons, I don't have one. Well I do have one - & a person that used to be my step mother & who raised me actually - I just don't for very different reasons associate with those people. It's the best thing for both my & Untatter.
On to happier subjects. My mother's day was wonderful - spend it with my amazing daughter & husband. Brother & Daddy were both given much deserved off days. They both work for power companies here in North Alabama so after the storms here you can imagine how they've been working! I got to ride with Sister, & I got a new tatting project to start.
I didn't get to tat any, but I did make a plan with Brit (Brother's girlfriend) to start a pair of barefoot sandals. Of course I looked to TotusMel's Queen's Feet Barefoot Sandals. I've never done a pair & had to print it out for Brit to see, & she wants a slight modification - she doesn't want the long chains to wrap around her leg. She wants them to fasten behind her heel.... Hmmm... Good thing I have plenty of time to work on this with her! Started them last night & should have one of  them done tonight sometime. They're suprisingly easy to make once I read the pattern. Not that I'd have been able to design it, just that it's easy to make up when you read it. TotusMel is awesome.
I also have my MPD in the works. Still on the third round.... I just have to get to it. And the cabone rings are in my bag with some sample thread that there isn't enough of to make anything of size with it. I just have to get to that too. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have some pictures of at least the sandal & MPD to show you tomorrow.  Maybe a cabone ring too. I promise to try to start posting more pictures.
Enjoy your day

Saturday, May 7, 2011

It's Saturday Night People!!

And guess where I am?? On my couch watching a western DVD & checking up on the things online I haven't been paging attention to.... SSSSoooo exciting! *not* :)
Weighed yesterday - I've lost TWELVE (that would be 12, yes 12) pounds!!!! I'm so super excited! That just leaves 48lbs & a bazillion clothes to go!! Feel free to be shocked that I need to lose 48lbs still. I gained 60 when I was pregnant with my daughter & it's hard to get motivated when you hit that "no more losing" stage. To be at at healthy weight, I need to weigh around 110 - 130 lbs.... You can do the math there. I'll be happy if I can get back down to 137. That's where I was when I got married. I'm 4ft10inches tall so you can imagine how I look weighing almost 200. *sigh* Like the Pillsbury Doughboy with hair!!! hehe Might as well learn to enjoy the fluff before it's gone, right?? =)
No tatting still... Boo. I swear I'm going to tat either tonight or in the morning. I hate it when I go this long. I've decided (I think) that I'm going to leave the hankie I'm doing with the one row of edging I already have on there. It's very simple - just chains - & the more I look at it the more I like it. Plus to be honest I'm kind of bored with it. Unless I come up with something I like better before I need to use it, it'll be just chains with one flower sewn to one side. A tatted one of course. Probably in the same thread.
Still working on MPD (mom's pink doily).... I'm halfway through the 3rd round & can't seem to get time to finish it. I kind of dread the next round, as it's around a million of the same motif. Okay maybe not a million, but it's one motif over & over again around the whole thing. I have a hard time with doing that, kind of like my problem with a bazillion clover leaves in the last mat I did.
I also bought some cabone rings at WalMart the other night. Am dying to try them, but I have 2 projects in my at home bag & an edging in my purse. I need to leave off on the UFO's... I know I do! So it's next. Or something... What was I going to do when I finished this?? I'll have to go back & look at what I typed up....
Fox is sending me some new colors of Cebelia & I'm super excited to get it here... If only had some kind of transport machine so I didn't have to wait for the mail to get here from Canada! I was supposed to send her some too, & I had three of the plastic bobbins wound full of the Flora she wanted, but somehow I managed to get all the way to the post office & get them in without realizing I'd only loaded ONE bobbin into the envelope! :-< So it's another trip to town for me on Monday. Mail won't run Sunday anyway...
Once again I'm touched by the kindness of Tatters. It seems like every time I mention something, someone runs to the rescue to offer it up if they have it. Sometimes if they don't they go to the store & get it for me. Wouldn't the world be wonderful if everyone behaved the way the tight - knit but so far spread out community of tatters does??
Enjoy your day

Friday, May 6, 2011

Ooohhh Friday... Dear Friday...

No tatting pics today. I wish I had them, but I didn't get to tat at all yesterday. Not even after Untatter went to bed - because she didn't go to bed until after 10 pm., which is past my bed time as well. Husband worked a 16 hour shift yesterday & didn't come home until well after midnight & as bed time is "their" time, she was a very unhappy Toddler. As I've seen before, Mommy is good enough for morning time, but not bed time.... Ahh, the joys of breaking routine.
Also, my satellite TV is out & won't be fixed until the 14th of May. Next Saturday. Woopee!! No TV for me... Is that good or bad?? :) However, it does mean no Sesame Street for Untatter :(
No updates on the horses, as I haven't seen much of them except at feeding time. Boo.
No weight loss success stories, because I haven't weighed this week - I've been bad on my diet so I'm kind of afraid to! But, I did get informed that my jeans looked "like a family of pigs moved out of the seat" of them. Which I suppose is a compliment; I chose to take it as one.
Oh! I did get a new pair of boots for Mother's Day! I know it isn't here yet, but Husband wanted me to pick them out so I go the ones I wanted. If you wear boots on a daily basis, you know that's a big deal. I love them so far, but they're a different brand than what I've worn for the last 10 or so years, so I'm a little anxious about it. Cross your fingers for me that they stay awsome!
Enjoy your day!

Thursday, May 5, 2011

New Email Address. Again.

For the second time, I've had to get a new email address. I hate changing over, but when I tried to sign in it says my email address is invalid, then my password, & none of my "secret questions" answers are right. No matter how I answer.
Tried talking to yahoo about the issue, but they have no answers for me. Yay. So. My new email address will be on my profile from now on, & I'll have to go through & re-apply for all my newsletters & change all my accounts. Joys.
On a happy note, it isn't raining today & is getting warmer - yesterday was 60 degrees F, but today it's almost 70! wohoo! Back to normal. No more tatting to show right now, I haven't had time. But maybe tomorrow?
Enjoy your day!

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

I have pictures today!

As promised, I have pictures today.... It's rainy & gross outside so I don't feel like doing much that doesn't involve spending time with Untatter on the couch :)
First things first, this is the corner of the first round of the hankie edging. It's Flora #20, but I can't remember the name of the color. It's variagated blues & whites, & it's my favorite thread EVER!

This is a folded picture. Can you see where I sewed in my ends?? ;) That's the plan. One down one round to go!

This is the redone part of the 2nd round of Mom's Pink Doily. There's a link to it on one of my other posts. And yep, that's still the metal Boye shuttle! It's done in Cebelia #20 white that CarolIvy from Intatters sent me because I'd never used any. She's a sweetheart & has her own blog store. You should run over to Intatters & find her photo albums - she's done some lovely jewelry & other things.

And this, just because it makes me smile to see him, is a picture of my sweet Chico while he was eating his breakfast the other day. It's not a good picture, & he's not doing anything special, I just love him & I thought if he makes me smile, he might make you smile, too. So there you go! :) He's still a little scraggley with winter hair here & there. He's like a dog when it comes to shedding off the winter coat - it takes him twice as long as the others. Next time I remember to take a camera to the barn I'll take a better one. He's really a nice looking horse when he doesn't have his face stuffed into a feedpan & I'm not taking crappy pictures. Believe it or not!


Enjoy your day!

Monday, May 2, 2011

2nd May, a Monday

Nothing much to report today... Still no tatting to show - sorry for that. I'll try to take a few pictures today while Untatters is sleeping, so I can show you tomorrow. All I have is the re-started second row of the doily I'm working, the half-done first round of the hankie I'm working on, & the blocked result of the Amusement Doily I finished last.
I promise I'm going to try celtic knots again - I just got burnt out for a while. I'll probably wait until I have my two current projects finished. By then I'll have a flower to make for that little press L gave me to fill, so that'll be 2 small projects. I've also been staring at the pearl tatting section of one of my books, & am thinking I might try an edging or something... Maybe a bracelet, or something with beads. I'm not sure....my brain tends to be work kind of slow when I have something in the works - I guess it's a subconcious way of relaxing while I'm busy!
I've lost 6 lbs!! I forgot to post that Saturday. I'm excited about it.... Leaves alot to go, but it's a start. Think positive, right? 6 down, 54 to go.
I need to go now, as I've got almost a week of housework left to do. I started in the bedroom this morning, changing sheets & all. But the bathroom, oh the bathroom. I've had a few friends without power this week coming to borrow my warm shower & electricity. I don't mind I swear. It's just the mess I'm left with that I mind. I'm glad to be able to help at all, but I wish I had a maid! My bathroom is trashed. Hair, razors, washcloths, towels, toothpaste everywhere.... I found a q-tip in my drain when I pulled out the plug! I've always wondered why people are so willing to leave a mess when they're somewhere other than home.... But at this point I have it done, & I'm glad I have a bathtub to scrub today.
Enjoy your day =)

Sunday, May 1, 2011

What a Week it's been!

After I posted last, I've been both amazed & broken hearted at the things going on around me. Seems like everywhere there is both heartbreaking devastation & amazing acts of kindness. I love where I live - I've been other places in this world & have never run across a group of people so willing to put aside differences & help one another in times of need. And oh, what a time of need it is today!
So far in Alabama there are over 200 deaths & I don't know anyone who doesn't at least *know* someone who hasn't lost a loved one, be if friend, relative, or close family. It breaks my heart. The same goes for lost homes. I can't imagine climbing over the rubble of my house, looking of what's left of my daughter's baby pictures, going to the local church for donations so she has a diaper to wear today....
But at the same time, the outpouring of love & faith in this community & those around me makes me truly glad to be a part of this area. To know that no matter what, we can come together & make good things happen in such a terrible time gives me hope for the whole world. I know this set of storms didn't do near the damage of things like the recent earthquake & tsunami in Japan, but to me it's just as serious. Regardless of where or how many people were hurt, there was a massive loss of life & home. Maybe it's because it's so close to me that it hurts so much, but I feel like no one has the right to say we need less or more because of numbers or location. To me it's simple. There are people who need help - reach out & lend a hand somewhere. ANYWHERE. Just remember you're human too & you may need the help someday!
And be Thankful & send up a prayer. If you're reading this right now, you're lucky enough to be alive & have at least internet access, if you don't have anything else.
Enjoy your day