making things

I saw these over at Anthropologie. Fell in love with the idea of these. Especially the little scallops across the end. I have a pair of wrist warmers that Vallen sent me a long time ago. I have worn them and worn them. They are great. I wear gloves occasionally, but I like the open end of my warmers.

But you know how it is. I wanted to figure out some way to accomplish both. Wrist warmer - scallops. Thumb opening. but in crochet. I do not know how to knit.

Well on the way to Molly's crosscountry meets, I decided to figure something out. I had thrifted Lion Brand Wool Ease yarn in the travel bag, along with a number 4 hook.

I crocheted and took notes on a receipt that I had crammed into the cup holder in the car. How's that for true confession.

the notes read just like this 47 - 22 - 10- 14

means not one thing to anyone else. But here is the result

Each hand is a one piece construction from start to finish. I have changed the 10 to a 15.

For those who want to try these, here is the explanation - chain 47. then 22 rows of plain old double crochet. (determined by wrapping the block repeatedly around my own arm.) After 22 rows, I did the scallops across the end of one side of the rows. 5 dc in every other row end with a slip stitch in the alternating row end. Fold in half and slip stitch the side closed 15 slip stitches together - 14 slip stitches on just one side (makes the thumb hole) then finish closing the sleeve. At the end of the sleeve, I chained three and then did a straight dounble crochet around the end.

Here is the view of one one - sorry about the pictures - both of these pair left with college girl and I did not take pictures. She made cell shots for me.


Go back and look at that first picture - the Anthro glove. I put the scallops on the wrong end. But I still love these. As did Molly's coach and one of the other mom's - I simply handed these to College Girl and told her to give them to the two who requested them.

These are so very easy - and fairly quick. Like the beanie hats - I can make these up pretty readily. There will be more.

For those who need better written instructions - BellaMcBride sells some in her etsy shop.

The link goes to her blog - but you can link out from there.

I hope you all have a great weekend. Im gone for a few days. Softball Princess and her team are playing in the State Softball tournament.

See you next week.

I double dog dare you......

So MaggieGrace (aka Mother Teresa) is struggling. What do you do when struggling, you send a text to your friend - Very Mary. VM - is a very good friend - and she instantly reminded me to DO SOMETHING DARING.

See we are doing this word thang every month. October's word was chosen by Very Mary and she chose DARING.

I don't do DARING well. I want to. I wish I could. But MaggieGrace is a pleaser. She really wants to fit in. She wants her kids and their friends to like her. She wants her husband to be happy. Work - let's please don't wear anything that might cause scrutiny or God forbid someone to think her overly sexy- or even comment in that direction. Oh - and mortification if by some chance the attire could be considered people of Walmart dot com appropriate. That just ain't MaggieGrace.

But I am a good sport and can laugh at myself. I also am taking this word challenge seriously.

So I have dared myself.

To be honest about how I feel - with myself and those around me. No swallowing hurts - no swallowing frustrations - no swallowing irritations. This has been traumatic for some - but hey - I don't feel like a doormat. Although - the handprints on the wall over the mens room toilets at work - those have been labeled my pet peeve and much joking and fake handprints have resulted from my inquiry about why men prop on the wall.

I dared to stop waiting. If I can handle it myself, I make one request of another party, then I will just do it myself. I quickly fixed the kitchen door lock myself after waiting for months and griping about it. A little WD40 made me and the softball princess so so so so so happy.

I am working thru the 31 days series with all the ladies over at Nester's place. This has been an awesome challenge - particularly the 31 days of grace posts.

Finally - on Saturday the Princess had a Region banquet. I was really feeling blue, so I DARED do something out of character for me. I put on a black skirt - a red sweater - very softball mom attire.

Then I added really fun - RED AND BLACK FISHNET STOCKINGS. The Man at My Address freaked. I wore them anyway. They made me feel bold. They made me feel like I was doing something rebellious. Dammit - it made me feel good.


I did not wear two different shoes - I was doing the which one thing here.

And today - I ordered some more fun hose and leggings from www.sockdreams.com

I DARED be bolder. I like this feeling.

Go over here to see what VERY MARY dared do.

Oh and it is my turn to pick. November's word will be GATHER.

I have a beautiful life.

bouncing ....

Sorry - didn't mean to go mia again.

I seem to be struggling with some heavy emotions right now.

The horribly blurry picture of the poca dog was taken Saturday on the way home from the vet. She rides wonderfully, but is in steady motion the entire time. She also does not mind the trip to the vet. They are so good and she just goes right in. Good thing, because she is staying with them this weekend.

Softball Princess team made the Elite 8 Level of the State Tournament. So softball is a priority right now. Every game is emotional, because this is her Senior year and we are closing in on the end of the season.

Can we also go ahead and say - OMG what am I going to do with her daddy this time next year. He is almost a nut case right now too. They have traveled so much together for softball and travel tournaments. It is great that we (he) was able to do this, but it makes it so hard to realize that she is about to move up and on into the next phase of her life.

Last week we got the first college acceptance letter for her. I am so not ready for this.

College Girl was home this weekend and we had a surprise "date night" with her. Seems the boyfriend had to work, so we graciously stepped into being her date. It was wonderful to have her undivided attention. But, then she drops the news about grad schools she is emailing and talking to advisors about. Places like CalTech and Nebraska and MIT. You know - places a long long way from home.

All of this following very closely on the heels of my "surprise" tour earlier this year.

I feel lost - adrift - like others are okay planning for the future, but being fearful of making too many plans myself.

So I bounce - much like the dog in the car - from window to window - door to door. Reacting to the latest request for my time or attention.

I text MaryAnn about some of this on Saturday - and she reminded me that our word for this month is DARE. I'll be closing the month tomorrow with how I DARED to do some things this month and how I've been affected.

Til Tomorrow my friends - the crazy nutcase leaves you with this ---

I really do have a beautiful life. Love. More. Most. Mutual.

A stunning fall day.....

Up really early Saturday morning. A crisp 34 degrees registers on my car thermometer. It's 6:30 AM and the man and I are on the road. Heading to Spartanburg, SC to watch College Girl in her cross country meet.

She was running at the Miliken Research Park. Ok peeps - this place is beautiful. Nestled in an industrial park - it is also unexpected.

I've been pushing myself too hard - as confessed before - I suffer from the disease called OVER COMMITTMENT SYNDROME. As a result, I am running on empty.



Look over behind the trees in the picture above. That is the parking area. We walked from there all over this park to watch the race. College Girl took a full minute off her previous personal best time.

It was still cool when we arrived, but as the sun came up, the day was stunning. I was enjoying just being out in the sun, with nothing really to do. Cross country meets are not craft friendly - you walk and move about the entire time. However, I was concerned about a struggle I've been having internally.

I was committed to do the Artist Market this November. I am making things. I am forcing myself to the studio after long tiring days at work. I am sick of doctors office waiting rooms. I am struggling with the adrenal fatigue issue of the nephrectomy. I am still reeling mentally and emotionally from the entire "surprise you have kidney cancer" road trip. Fear and uncertainty disturb my sleep - a lot. Again I say -- running on empty. Plus I really really want to focus on some projects at my house. Just an exhausting internal battle.

A closer view of those gorgeous trees - more on that later.

Well - after the race - coach informs College Girl that her time qualified her to race at the regionals. She is a first year runner - her very first 5K ever was in April - and to qualify as the faster girl on the team this first year is huge. I was talking to some parents when she rushed over to tell me the news.

Dad, Softball Princess, Me, and maybe the Barefoot Boy will be taking off to Memphis, TN for regionals.


Isn't this fallen branch beautiful? I love the color of these seed pods. I want some of these trees.

God works wonderful blessings. God takes care of us even when we screw that task up for ourselves. Regionals are the same weekend as the Artist Market. In the split second that she told us the great news, I decided to drop out of the Market.

I fretted over the phone call to the organizer - and my wonderful friend Lannae. But I called her and explained the good news/ bad news thing to her. She is first a mother to her boys so she understood the reason I was dropping out.

But what about the stuff I have made / am making? Well - I am going to sell it still, just in different places etc. I'll post some here. I'll do a local farmers market table. I'll carry some in the car with me.

The amazing thing about this whole scenario, is how peaceful the decision is.

Yes the trip is a long one - Memphis is about 8 hours from here. But we will spend the morning at her meet, then the rest of Saturday just doing things. Drive back on Sunday. What is also amazing is that I made that decision, then had my most productive Sunday afternoon in the studio. Crazy.

Thank you Lannae for understanding the mama side of me. I think God worked this out for my best interest right now.

And about the trees - Chinese Flame Trees. Apparently very hardy here. I picked up that broken branch and planted a few of the seeds from these pods. If they grow I'll have these beauties out behind my big barn. To use my Local Best Friend's phrase, we'll see.

Have a great day.

A Long, Long Time Ago

There was a girl who met a man. Yup, you read that right. I was 14 the night I met The Man at my Address, he was 23. Don't go there.

The night I met him, I thought he was the rudest, most snobby, stuck on himself male I had ever met. Cute yes - but all those other things too. That was Friday night. Saturday night found me and my friends back at their campsite and I discovered that he was really just very shy - quiet - reserved. There was food and fire and conversation and an invitation to sit with him.

He can describe my outfit from that Friday night in great detail.

Fast forward to meeting my parents - man was that a fight when my Dad discovered his age.

That was June 1980. In September, I lost my Dad to an accident. I called The Man's house and left a message. He showed up at my house and has been around ever since. Every dating rule my mother issued was obeyed.

She says now that he cannot say one thing about how I turned out because he helped raise me.

On October 12, 1985, I married The Man At My Address. During Football season. Clemson and Georgia played each other that afternoon. I remember this, because the groomsmen went to the game and almost didn't make it back in time for the wedding. The man was deathly ill with vertigo.

But late that night, we found ourselves a young married couple. Dirt poor. Me fresh out of college. Him slightly better off financially, but starting from scratch in a single wide mobile home on a rented spot of property.

There have been many times I wished we could go back to those days.



Happy 25th Anniversary to the Man at my Address.

He is still very quiet. Many people think he is rude. The total opposite of me. But here we are.

There will be no big party for the silver year. State Softball Playoffs. There will be no big trip for the silver year. Surprise you have kidney cancer took all the vacation time.

Today is but one of the many days that make up a marriage. One at a time. Beautiful moments. Tearful moments. Scary moments. Moments where you lean really hard on one another. Moments where the distance between you feels like continents. Days where the choices are easy. Days where the choices are hard. Nights where you feel safe and sure. Nights where you pray hard all night.

Those all add up to 25 years of time together. 25 years of love.
We are the same couple and yet we are a different couple now than when these pictures were taken.

I am really glad he was my companion on this ride.

Happy Anniversary Mr Atkinson! May there be many more.

Much love from your little girl.

i still make things

What the crap is with blogger today?

Take a look - I do still make things. These are a couple of altered composition books.




This is a cameo detail - the cameo came in a grab bag of goodies that I ordered online. Several have been made into some jewelry, but this one - I decided he belongs on my "DEAD ROCK STAR" journal. The cover for this is from an album sleeve (remember those people) that i spritzed with glimmer mist. there is also a tiny snippet of an album cover.


These are fun RED glitter snowflakes. I love them. They are perfect for the red merry Christmas paper.

i'm struggling to get my head above water right now. too much going on. Yes - I suffer from over committment syndrome.

Have a great day.

I'm still here... Just hammered

But I want to let you in on my latest greatest idea.

Many of you are familiar with Silver Bella, I'm sure. How about Dave Ramsey? Well I am planning my own event.

I held a high level human resources meeting. I am actively recruiting seminar leaders. These leaders will be the biggest and best in their field. Marketing will be next. There are still several technical challenges to overcome. I'm thinking I will need a much larger venue for this program, because I know you will all want to participate.

See, I am planning on holding a training session for money.


I have recruited all of the dust bunny leaders at my house to teach their excellent multiplication (propagation) (fertilization) (sexual activity resulting in major family expansions) skills to the money that manages to come into my house.

Damn I hope that the money takes good notes.

What do you think? Do you want to attend?

Details to follow.......

Have a wonderful day.....

my apologies for references to legitimate groups in what is purely a fun intended message.

VeryGood

I'm starting with a scripture today, but only because I got the massage loud and clear when I heard this one.

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning - the sixth day. Genesis 1:31 NIV

I'm working my way through the 31 Days series, not realizing when I started that there would be deep personal evaluations of myself. How do my habits contribute to the chaos in my house? That is a hard ass question. But deep within I know the answer. It is painful and it is personal, but I wrote it in my notes. And naming that demon has already taken some of its power away.

One of the 31 day series is on better photos. The pictures here are just me getting to know my camera better.

Auto Setting - no flash. Too dark. Look at how chipped my daily plates are. They also do not match. However, some of these plates were purchased and put in my hope chest one at a time through a grocery store promo more than 25 years ago. They have seen daily use for 25 years of married life.

Add a flash to auto mode. This is a better picture. And I wonder just how many meals those plates have seen.

Then I tried the upclose and personal auto setting on my handy dandy pocket camera. Blurry and grainy.

Then I changed to manual mode - Still need to work on this - but you know what - I'm learning.

Now back to that scripture - How many of us are worried about getting things perfect? How much stress comes from trying to keep that appearance of perfection? How many of us worry that when someone comes to visit - they will see the imperfections in our home? How many of us keep people at arms length because they might see the imperfections in us?

Go back up there and read the words again -- God made it and he saw that it was "very good". No need for perfection - if very good is good enough for God's own creation surely I will be ok not being perfect.

Add to this - agree - disagree -

Comments - questions -

I have a beautiful life and I am gaining on having a somewhat organized home. Wish me luck.

31 Days -- a challenge participation - day1

Several weeks ago I read the days post over at The Nesting Place. She was planning a 31 day challenge that excited me enough to keep that post as unread on google.

Well today is the day. That Link up there is to the Day 1 post for 31 DAYS TO A LESS MESSY NEST.

In addition there will be 7 of her friends leading us as well. You can link out from Nester's post to all of the friends.

I'm simply posting my day 1 impressions from the leadoff welcomes here today. I rarely post on the weekend so I'll stick in those impressions and "assignments" during the next week. I got my note pad ready.

31 DAYS TO A LESS MESSY NEST.

I thought this would be lists of organizing tips and tricks (and it may be that) but the very first fully formed assignment for me to ponder today after reading the welcome ..... HOW DO MY HABITS ADD TO THE CHAOS IN MY HOME? Holy Crap - this is gonna be hard.

31 DAYS OF GRACE (www.chattingatthesky.com)

This may be easier - the thought that comes to mind and sticks with me is .... Prepare to receive the abundance of that which is already done.

31 DAYS TO MORE FOR LESS (www.beautyandbedlam.com)

The thought from her welcome ... embrace the process of living life to its fullest by daily carving out just 10 minutes to make some intentional choices. I kinda already do this - see the notes a little later about the bottle pictured above.

31 DAYS TO AN INSPIRED TABLE (www.myfirstkitchen.com)

She jumped right in - there is an assignment

Make a choice then make a list - determine your family food culture reality and the one you want to cultivate. Oh boy - for a family that hasn't seen the surface of our dining table in months, this will be a challenge. Worse than that, the last time we ate at the table - the Man at my Address didn't sit with us, he ate alone in the living room.

31 DAYS TO A BETTER PHOTO (www.my3boybarians.com)

A photo can take you back instantly - her assignment today was take a photo. So I did. that blue bottle is my water bottle on my desk at work. Not that special you may think - but it really really is. My College Girl brought it home for me from Spain. See I had major surgery in April this year - then two weeks into my recovery the lady flew off to spain for a Maymester session of school. A huge trip for her - she loved it - it was an awesome experience for her. She brought cool gifts for us all, and for me she also brought a bottle that she saved after she finished her water. She brought me Spanish trash just cause she knew I would love it. I do love it and I drink my allotment of water from a gorgeous glass bottle that represents her growing and preparing to leave the nest, but still knowing the people who love her best will still be there for her. It is a seriously good thing. (plus - it's really pretty on my desk.)

31 DAYS TO STRESS FREE ENTERTAINING (www.reluctantentertainer.com/blog)

another assignment - a question to answer -How can I have people into my home and focus on them, instead of how I will be perceived as the perfect hostess? This one may require the help of a counselor - because first I gotta figure out my role in the chaos.

31 DAYS TO AUTUMN BLISS (www.theinspiredroom.net)

I love autumn - it is my favorite season - this one should be easy - just a thought to ponder. Autumn is a time for me to create a sense of peace and contentment right now with my home and my life.

31 DAYS OF LIVING SIMPLY (www.remodelingthislife.com)

Again just a thought to ponder after reading her welcome. Make priorities - Living simply is about focusing on what is must important to you and living it out.

There you go. My first day notes in 8 different but grouped challenges. Some of this may be harder than I thought, but I'm in. How about you guys? You don't have to do it - or even do all of it - but I sure would like to have some friends along on this trip.

Have a wonderful weekend.