The Treasure of a Month Well Spent

This has been quite a busy month and quite fulfilling. I learned a lot, lived a lot and enjoyed it all. I can’t wait to get cracking with February.

Daily: Get back on track after the holiday with eating well and working out daily. 

January Update: No excuses for my backtracking except the weather. I just love to walk and with temperatures below zero it’s a little hard to get outside.

February Goal: When the temperature is above 20, no excuse not to walk. Plus, writing it down will take precedent.

Weekly: Learn something new in crafting each week – a stitch, a technique, even a term.

January Update: This has been great. I learned how to cable stitch, 2 applique lessons, learned how to make a Quillow and reintroduced myself to the crochet chain stitch. 

February Goal: I have so many new things to learn this month, including how to knot an infinity scarf and all the lessons for making a Jelly Roll quilt (that will be several lessons.)

Monthly: Read 3 books a month – one fiction, one nonfiction, and a classic. So far I picked out for January The Book Thief, Why Christianity Must Change or Die and The Frontiersmen.

January Update: Loved The Book Thief, still reading Why Christianity Must Change or Die (there is a lot to think about there) and just couldn’t muddle through The Frontiersmen.

February Goal: Keeping the fiction choice light with the final book of the Caster Chronicles, Beautiful Redemption, staying on the spiritual side with Dyer’s Wishes Fulfilled and taking a classic look at The Awakening.

Seasonally: Winter/Spring (Jan-Apr): Taking online courses in graphic design and social media to build my resume and reputation.

January Update: InDesign and Photoshop classes are going great. I’ve even designed a brochure for one of my volunteer clients putting my knowledge to real-world use. Ditto with the social media.

February Goal: Continue with these studies and I plan on finishing my basic InDesign lessons this month. 

Yearly: Bible Study.

January Update: I completed half of The Gospel According to Mark and have developed several new insights so far into this story of Jesus.

February Goal: Continue with Mark and move on to Matthew to get yet a different perspective of this much-told story. 

The Treasure of Making Something for Yourself

I talk a lot about doing things for others and being of service to others, but I do have a couple selfish bones in my body.

Let me rephrase that: Though I love to do for others, I know that I also must do for me. Better.

That is why I’ve been focusing on learning so many new things this month to help me professionally, but I have also made sure to balance this with keeping my fingers busy. And what you may ask is on my needles? A lovely chocolate brown wrap.

This Pull-Through Wrap has been my nighttime movie-watching companion for about 3 weeks now. I am only about a third of the way through but that is because I haven’t been watching as much TV and my shows are piling up. I wanted to have this done by the end of the month so I can get about 3 months worth of wear out of it this season, but we shall see.

Chocolate - so yummy

I couldn’t believe how hard it was to find a chocolate brown cardigan or wrap in the store and I have been craving it for a while now. I love the original grey of the pattern (which I may do for next year), but the chocolate will go so well with the other shades I have in my closet.

The treasure of making something for yourself though rests in the luxury of being good to yourself in a healthy kind of way. I was so busy this holiday season making things for everyone else (and I still am with half a hat done for one young lady at church and another in the concepting stage for my friend Elisa).

Wish me luck that I can complete this gift to myself before my birthday since I have a long list of other things I want to make for myself and for my Etsy site.

What have you made for yourself lately?

The Treasure of New Resolutions

I know a lot of people don’t like to talk about New Year’s Resolutions since after about 2 weeks the resolutions go by the waist-side and disappointment takes their place.

I love new beginnings, so resolutions are all right by me. I used to be the one who put everything in full gear for a couple weeks and then returned to old habits because I either:

A)   wanted to do too many things at once

B)   wanted to have changes happen too quickly OR

C)   wanted to change for the wrong reasons

I made the biggest change of this habit 2 years ago when I once and for all set the goal to lose weight and lost 40 pounds thanks to Weight Watchers and my own nerve to set realistic goals.

This year, I spent a couple weeks thinking about resolutions and goals, what I wanted to change and why, what would I need to accomplish these goals, what support should I recruit.

I broke my resolutions up into daily changes, weekly changes, monthly changes, seasonal changes and a yearly change.

Daily: Get back on track after the holiday with eating well and working out daily. Ten-Day Update: No problem – holiday weight is gone and I feel so much better.

Weekly: Learn something new in crafting each week – a stitch, a technique, even a term.

Ten-Day Update: The first week I learned how to do a cable stitch in knitting and this week I had my first applique lesson.

Monthly: Read 3 books a month – one fiction, one nonfiction, and a classic. So far I picked out for January The Book Thief, Why Christianity Must Change or Die and The Frontiersmen.

Ten-Day Update: I started all of them and see this being a done deal by the 31^st.

Seasonally: Now that I actually live in a climate that has seasons this is a real treat –

Winter/Spring (Jan-Apr): Taking online courses in graphic design and social media to build my resume and reputation.

Spring/Summer (May- Aug): Gardening and canning

Fall/Winter (Sept – Dec): Getting ready for the holiday; making things, preparing the house, setting everything into gear for Christmas.

Ten-Day Update: I’ve done my first 4 Photoshop Lessons, plus 2 lessons all about color and a lesson on the differences in traditional marketing versus social media marketing.

Yearly: Bible Study. I’m not reading the Bible per se like a book since that is not how it was put together. I am reading books and learning about why they were written, when and under what circumstances, what were the influences, what should I be learning from the piece, and how does it relate to 2014 and my life? January’s lesson – The Gospel According to Mark – the oldest Gospel.

Ten-Day Update: Have the background on when and under what circumstances Mark was written, plus a few of the other influences of the time. Next, reading the text and analyzing the story.

What have you put on your list this year and how is it going?

Crafting for a Cause – Rainbow Scarves

Every two years, our denomination, The United Church of Christ, come together for the General Synod. It’s a week of workshops, worship and fellowship. This summer, General Synod is focusing on putting an end to bullying.

In order to draw attention to the power of tolerance and to put an end to the violent silence, they are asking each person at Synod to commit to doing at least one thing to help end bullying violence. When a person commits, they get a rainbow scarf to wear to remind them of their commitment, as well as to inspire conversations.

The organizers have asked members of the UCC and others who also want to be a part of the solution, to make the scarves that are to be given out. They have a goal of 3,000 scarves. Since this is something very near and dear to Paul and I, we have asked the ladies of the church to knit, weave and crochet 20 scarves to send to Synod.

I am so excited about this opportunity and have made 2 scarves already with yarn that I already had around. So far, we have 5 scarves turned in with many more promised by May.

If you would like to be a part of the solution to bullying, you can find out more about the project here. If you would like to make a scarf for the event, you can let me know and send it to our church to be part of our package.

Remember: There is absolutely no justification for bullying!

A Crowning Achievement

The winter weather has given me an excuse to start a fire with my knitting needles – I sure get them blazing as I’ve been knitting some hats.

Hats are a great way to try different stitches, do something a little mindless when watching TV on a cold winter’s night and to add color to even the dreariest gray day. With all the somber days here, interspersed with the occasional sunny, yet freezing one, I have been inspired to have some fun with color.

In Florida, I took color for granted since even in wintertime there were still flowers in bloom. Here, wearing gray and black seems so gloomy that I just had to refresh my dark wardrobe with a pop of color.

I needed a little something to go with my lilac hoodie when I walk the dogs, so I fashioned this sassy purple number. I used a mistake stitch pattern (k2, p2 pattern with the next row being p1, k2, p2, ending with a k1 – all when knitting in the round) this creates a more interesting rib design. I did the brim in a regular rib with a feathery bulky yarn and the body in an alpaca in a similar hue of purple. It’s slouchy and adds a little drama to a dreary day.

I have been on a green kick lately, and needed a little green number for the transition to spring (or maybe to call spring forth since it seems a little shy). This is am ombre green yarn for the entire hat and a feather yarn for a band on the body. I started with a tight fitting stockinette stitch and increased so I can wear this pulled down or as a beret style when the weather is a bit warmer.

I loved the green ombre so much that I paired it with a sea blue yarn I had (this pairing was used a couple years back for a favorite headband). Same as with the hat above, I started out tight, increased and then brought it all back in. This is my Florida hat since it reminds me of the sea.

Tangerine is my favorite color and has been for about a year, though I never was brave enough to wear it, but here I go with a daisy stitch cap. A simple cotton yarn with another feathered brim to add just a dab of luxury. Depending on the day and my mood, I either fold the brim up and go playful or pull it down to add a touch of mystery. Who is that woman with the sunshine touching her head? Me!

For bad hair days, and to keep my locks from crawling into my eyes, I created this open weave hat. I had made this before for friends, always giving away my favorite, but this time, it’s a keeper. Worn back on the head to keep stray hair out of your face or just to hide those curls that refused to curl that day, this hat is a trendy number that is functional as well.

Lastly, I put my scraps to good use and created this great cap. This hat always makes me feel happy since there is so much color and it just shouts, “Even us leftovers are magnificent!”

My chapeau collection is far from complete, but with spring around the corner, they promise me, I will have to move back into headbands to weave into my waves.

Happy Head Dressing!

My Letter Home - March 28

Getting Ready for Opening Day!

It has been a wild week and that’s why there haven’t been any blog posts plus the delay of my Letter Home. I was sick for a couple days thanks to some bad food that knocked me off my feet and made me wish for death for about 24 hours. But all is well now as I rejoice in losing a few pounds and jumpstart my way back to healthy.

This week was all about new adventures both locally and out of town. Friday night, the church hosted a Lock In for the youth inviting kids from the church and their friends to spend the night in the church, play games, watch movies, eat tons of junk food and drive the adults chaperoning the event crazy. I was lucky to have the puppies as my out with Paul choosing to sleep on the hard floor of the church basement with about 30 kids and some parents. I went for the first couple hours to play some “get-to-know-you” games, watch the first part of The 10 Commandments and see how man Cheetohs a 12-year-old boy could shove into his mouth at one time.

One of the games involved either/or questions such as, “Do you prefer to live in the desert or Artic?” Paul and I at the same time answered, “Aren’t we living in the Artic already?” That got a laugh from those folks who consider 40 degrees to be spring.

With the man who turned me on to baseball - Go Reds!

For the next two days I was in bed, while it snowed and the world went gray. But I was ready to go on Tuesday when we ventured south to Cincinnati to see Paul and Heidi who were visiting folks in Lexington. We went to this great restaurant on the river, Moerlein Lager House that had the most fantastic Short Rib Grilled Cheese Sandwich and Coleslaw that was amazing. Since I was still getting over the crud, I kept to ginger ale instead of their artisan beers, but I definitely want to go back. We spent the rest of the day at the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame Museum which helped put me in a baseball state of mind. I will miss my Rays, but I figure since the Reds are the oldest professional baseball team, it’s historical. Plus, they don’t play each other – unless they both get to the World Series and then yes, I am all the way – Rays!

The secret to vibrant applique is to use fabric that has some motion to it.

On Wednesday, I went to my very first Quilter’s Guild meeting. I have never been to a guild meeting and one of the ladies in our church invited me to go with her and her daughter. It was a pretty cool time. 

I love this design!

I learned about a festival in Logan Ohio that is dedicated to washboards, got some tips and tools regarding applique, had so many people offer to help me make my first quilt, delighted in a delicious lunch from Mumfords, a down-home favorite, and took home an armful of books about quilting. The whole event was inspiring and these ladies are true artisans when it comes to turning fabric into art.

Isn't this just so amazing - and it's all done by hand. 

With today being Maundy Thursday, the week and Lent are coming to a close. We have a busy weekend and then I am hoping to just spend time creating next week, I have so many sewing, knitting and cooking ideas rolling around in my head that I must get them out.

I miss you all and take care,

Patricia

What I Miss Most About My Old Home: Wearing sandals on Easter Sunday with a cute dress and not having to layer it with a wool coat and stockings.

What I Like Most About My New Home: The creativity and simple pleasures I have learned from the locals and that I ignored for so long. 

The Craft

After

Before

I have always wanted a craftroom where I could feel inspired to create and keep all my crafting tools organized. With this house, we’re able to have a studio for Paul to paint and a craftroom for me to sew, knit and do other crafty things, together. The light is great in these rooms especially for painting and having an area devoted to sewing is my heaven’s dream. However, I first had to create the space.

As you can see there were a lot of boxes to yet unpack, and a gentle chaos to where things should go. I put this room off until I had the downstairs squared away, but now I must enter into this struggle. No worries.

Before

After

In just one day, I transformed the room from disarray to charming and, more importantly, a place to let creation happen. I have a long list of what I want to make and this is the perfect place to let it all happen.

There ‘s still some work to be done as I figure out what is missing and how to organize some of the smaller details, but I am ready to get cranking in there.

First project: Making dresses and shorts for little ones in Africa a part of our service project for spring.

Come on all you crafters out there, What’s your crafty inspiration?