Spam
I don’t like it when it comes in a can, and I certainly don’t like it when it comes in the form of comments on my blog. It’s an annoyance, like a bug crawling across the floor; just when you’ve smushed it, out comes another one. I have to wonder what the purpose of it is. Do the links left behind really get any attention when they are left in places they just don’t belong?
Akismet has caught 1,021 spam for you since you first installed it.
You have no spam currently in the queue. Must be your lucky day.
Lucky day? Hardly. There’s currently no spam in my queue because I just deleted them all. And 1,021 spam? My real comments are only about a third or so of that, currently sitting at 311.
It would seem that spam bots and those who control them have just way too much time on their hands. I guess if I wanted to look on a more positive side: At least all of this spamming isn’t clogging up my arteries or filling up the landfills!
Filed under rants, ramblings | Comment (0)Making Progress
Today I completed CIP Lesson 1 of the CYCA’s correspondence course…FINALLY. I’ve had my materials for about a month now, and I immediately dove right in on the reading part of it. I also made some lesson swatches before yielding to figure out how I want to set up my pages for my lessons notebook. I was stumped, not to mention constantly interrupted. I’m not sure what it is about me being upstairs in my craft space that makes me a target for conversations, but it seems I can never be in my space alone for any amount of time needed to accomplish something. I’m the type of person that once something finally gets my attention, I get intently involved, and when that concentration is broken, I have to try to find it again. Still, it feels good to get that one lesson done. Now three more to go for part one, as well as my teaching, that I’ll be trying to figure out this next week.
I decided to make my mother-in-law a prayer shawl for Mother’s Day and have been working on it for a couple of weeks. I’m glad to announce that I’m nearly finished with it, so that’s moving right along. I then plan to start a project for my own Mom for that day, as well as a shawl for myself, and I still need to make some amigurumi items so I can test out Suncatcher Eyes. I also need to complete a pair of court side booties for the latest addition to the family, born on April 2nd.
I’ve also accomplished some things concerning the first ever meeting of a local soon-to-be-official chapter of the CGOA in my area held next weekend. Once I get this thing going, I plan to do an article of information for others who want to start a group in their area.
Not only am I trying to get all of my gifts completed (and the one item for myself), keep my course on track, and get a crochet group up and running, but my crafty friends and I have decided to get a booth at the Cider Days Festival held in September of this year, so I’m going to be crocheting and crafting like a mad woman for that as well. Busy, busy, busy, but at least I enjoy what I do. I just hope I can get enough items made between now and September to make enough money to pay for my portion of the booth. Lots of crafting to do! Wish me luck.
I just wish I was better at time management…
Filed under chapter, WIPs, crochet, ramblings | Comment (1)I have been accused!
I’ve been accused of having a psychological problem that may have stemmed from somewhere in my childhood. Am I trying to compensate for the lack of things around me when I was growing up? I think not, although my husband asked me that when he saw one of my yarn bins overflowing with skeins of yarn — so much so that the lid won’t fit on it any longer. If he can’t see it, he doesn’t realize how much is there, but when it’s exposed to the point that the lid is beside the bin instead of on it, he wonders if I have a stashing problem. The issue has never even come up before today. Who would have ever thought that I’d have a yarn addiction in my adult life? I can quit at anytime. Really. I can. Ahem.
It’s probably a good thing he couldn’t see the new yarn I received recently in the mail, even if he is aware that I ordered it and saw it when it first came in. Right now, I have no place to put it in storage, so it’s resting in my rolling yarn tote at the moment. I’m going to have to figure something else out soon, though, since I have my first crochet chapter meeting coming up, as well as potential teaching opportunities that go along with my correspondence crochet teacher course, which is what the tote was bought for in the first place. I really don’t think another plastic bin is going to fit in my little craft studio, but I may not have a choice.
Believe it or not, there was a time when I really thought stashing this stuff was a silly thing to do. Why buy yarn that you don’t have any immediate plans for? Yes, I’ve seen the error of my thought process on that one. It’s really silly not to keep it on hand, as one never knows when (s)he may have a yarn emergency.
Sigh. So much yarn, so little time.
Of course, my husband was just making light of the fact that I have so much yarn. He’s actually very supportive of my habit craft, both emotionally and monetarily. Thank goodness.
a Crafty kind of Weekend
Saturday, midafternoon, I met up with Carrie & Jenn at Michael’s to do some craft shopping. I missed the trip to Joann’s because I didn’t get up and around on time, which was okay since I make frequent trips there anyway. We had fun at Michael’s oohing & awwing over the yarn, which Carrie & I both bought some of to work on projects we had in mind. I got the yarn needed to make a baby blanket for the new baby boy who will join the family in March, and Carrie had a knitting project she was going to work on. Jenn showed the most restraint and didn’t buy anything, but she and I both collected Martha Stewart project sheets to share with our little crafty foursome. Jenn & I both have an admiration for the woman because we relate to all her creative venues so well. After shopping, we went to Chipotle to eat before heading our separate ways.
Lissa didn’t go with us because she was cleaning house to prepare for our next Craft Day, which was Sunday. It’s always fun to get together and talk craft talk, and this day, there were two others who joined us. One knitted, and one was just learning to crochet. I worked on my baby blanket, which is going fairly quickly, while Jenn looked through some buttons & scrapbooking paper I brought to share. Lissa helped the new crocheter make an adorable little crocheted mouse bookmark, and Carrie sat on the couch knitting with the new friend who joined us.
I looked over at Carrie at one point and she was arranging three different needles to form a circle. It looked awfully awkward and tedious to this a-single-hook-does-it-all crocheter. I asked her, “Are you trying to turn me against knitting?” and laughed. If I ever do learn to use the needles, this is the group of people who will teach me. They’re fun and crafty and quite often break the rules of any craft they play around with.
It was a fun weekend, and I actually got a lot done on my baby blanket. I should have it finished in a couple of days or so, depending on how often I work on it. Of course, there will be photos when I’m finished. Then I have to force myself to work on my Mom’s car coat. I keep putting it off because of that pesky gauge swatch. I made one, but I’m sure I probably should do it again since it’s been awhile. After these two crochet projects, I plan to get that sewing machine going so I can get my Dad’s flannel pants made, as well as play around with the crazy quilting that I so want to do. I’m revamping my craft room to utilize my small space better, so I have a lot to do. Yet, here I sit. Guess I should take that as my cue to go get some stuff done.
Happy Crafting!
Filed under crafts, shopping, ramblings | Comment (0)It Ain’t Always Pretty
Being one who crochets, I really hate to admit it…but…amongst all of the really beautiful, great patterns available today, there seems to be an almost equal number of really ugly, tacky ones.
What made me think this way today?
I was at my local “store-that-I-don’t-like-going-to”, and when I do have to make the trip, I always surf their magazine section just in case they actually have a crochet magazine on the shelves. It is a rare event that I find one, so today was indeed rare. Without naming any names (but I will say it wasn’t Crochet Today! or Interweave Crochet), I thumbed through this magazine I’d found, frowned with the turn of each and every page, then placed it back on the shelf. Ugh. The patterns made my stomach turn. Many were nothing more than what’s already been done a dozen times before, while a few others were just, well, ugly. It makes me wonder who actually makes some of these items and how in the world do they get published in the first place.
Maybe I shouldn’t talk negatively about my favorite craft. There’s some wonderful patterns out there–many more come out on a regular basis, keeping me pretty busy–and I probably should emphasize those more than the not-so-wonderful ones. I believe, however, that if being a crocheter myself, I find a whole magazine full of patterns I would never make, then those who haven’t picked up a hook may not ever if all they’re exposed to on the magazine racks are the patterns that give crochet a bad name. I don’t expect to like every single pattern in every single issue of a magazine, or even in a book for that matter, but to find page after page of unattractive ones in a single publication isn’t a pretty thing.
Am I being harsh? Perhaps. But there’s a major debate going on at any given time as to why crochet isn’t as popular as its sister craft–which, by the way, isn’t always pretty either. As hookers, it’s up to us to create the patterns that make others say “WOW” with a dropped jaw. I’m not saying all patterns should be show stoppers; I’d just like to see more of the really good ones displayed in public places so that more non-crocheters may become interested in all that a hook & yarn can do for them; thus, helping to turn the negative vibes around to a more positive view.
Some people may say something to the effect of how I should write my own patterns if I don’t like many of the ones out there. I would have to agree. And I do. I’m just not up to where I need to be experience-wise in order to write one of those show stopping patterns just yet. I have a couple of small projects I’ve written under my belt, but even I know they’re not magazine worthy as yet. Doesn’t mean eventually I won’t get there, though. And when I do, I’d really hate for another crocheter to label my work as “tacky”.
After all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
It’s just that some of what I behold really ain’t all that pretty.
Filed under patterns, magazines, crochet, ramblings | Comments (4)When Un-Inspiration Strikes
It seems to happen every summer. Well, I say every summer, but since I’ve only been crocheting for a year and a half, I can’t honestly say there’s a trend just yet. Still, it seems that during this time of the year, I become uninspired with my hook and yarn. I have things I want to crochet for myself, as well as things for charity and gifts, but I think Summer Fever has hit.
I went to Michael’s yesterday to get some of the yarn they had on sale, and I walked out of the store completely empty handed. Yep. Me. I actually walked out of a craft store without buying one single item. No yarn. No scrapbooking supplies. No beads. Nada.
I know I have a list of items to create, but all are kept mentally, which many times causes blockage for me when I’m shopping. I’ve decided that I need to go through some of my books & magazines, find those items I want to crochet and make the most, write them down along with the materials I need, then keep it in my wallet. That way, when I’m shopping, I’ll at least know what I need, and I won’t end up without a purchase just because inpiration didn’t strike.
As for what’s on my hook right now: I really, really, really need to get my Butterfly Shawl completed, especially since I’m testing the pattern. Having never filet crocheted before, it’s been a challenge, but also a great learning experience. That is my top priority as far as my crocheting is concerned. I also have a hobo bag that I started a long time ago which needs to be completed. I made a mistake in it and just haven’t taken the time to frog it to the point it needs to be in order to get a move on with it. Maybe once I get these two items finished–or at least the shawl–inspiration will return, and I’ll be ready to start a brand new project. I just need to figure out which one it will be.
Filed under shopping, ramblings | Comments (2)Too Much of a Good Thing?
Annie’s Attic is having their Spring Clearance Sale, and I’m debating ordering a couple of the books listed, which brings me to the question: Can a person ever have too many crochet books? I’m starting to think so. I’m surrounded by patterns–patterns in books, patterns printed from the net, patterns in magazines, patterns in brochures. I have books with vintage patterns, books with modern patterns, books with patterns I know I’ll never make in this lifetime. When is too many crochet books really too…many…crochet…books? I think I actually have more titles than my local library ever thought about having. Maybe one day, I’ll go through them all and donate the ones I know I’ll never use, but then, I’m pretty picky about my books.
I have a book shelf now that is full of my novels and books on writing. (Yes, I aspire to be a writer one of these days, but that darn hook and yarn get first choice everytime!) And I have another shelf right now that is overflowing with all of my crochet books & magazines, as well as one shelf dedicated to my many jars of buttons.
Buttons and books.
I’ve about decided one can never have too many of both.
Filed under buttons, patterns, books, ramblings | Comments (2)
