Friday, December 30, 2016

Home Again

I'm back. We went with family to stay in a cabin up in Stanislaus National Forest in a town called Long Barn. Needless to say, internet access was incredible spotty and insufficient to post anything longer than a Facebook status update. We had a good time, mostly. I'm not overly fond of the cold nor the snow, but I think that the kids really enjoyed it. The cabin was nice, but the sleeping arrangements for the 10 of us were crowded, so I am not well rested.

Also there were three of these deer heads to give us nightmares. This smaller one moved back and forth on a beam, oh and did I mention the earthquakes? Yes, there was several sizable ones in the middle of the night for us to enjoy. Really though, we had a good time, but I've little else to share. The only things I made were sad snowmen while the children sledded. Now I'm warm again and after today I should be rested enough to finish cleaning the house up from the holiday guests...maybe.

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Not Much

I'm thinking I really should have saved some of those doily pictures for today because I have nothing to share at all. I mean we just hung out at home visiting with family all day. I don't think I touched a single needle. Wait no, I did repair a hat, but that's not really all that entertaining, is it? I also spent way too much time trying to fix the youngest daughter's gift, a 3Doodler pen, which ceased working after just a few hours of play. We bought the one for kids, and it must've gotten clogged, but there is no way to open it up and clean it out since it's snapped together. It's so frustrating, especially since we ordered it online so I can't just pop out to the shops to exchange it. That's enough of that though, we're off with other family for a bit of a mountain excursion today. I'm not a huge fan of the cold, so I'm kind of bracing myself for it, though the kids are excited. Here's a cat in a box to round out this disappointing post.

Monday, December 26, 2016

The Morning After

Happy morning-after all. I am right and truly exhausted. Even the cats let me sleep in a bit this morning. We actually have two extra cats in the house plus my two brothers and my sister-in-law is staying here part-time. The house is certainly full. Saturday was fairly quiet, as far as going out and about, but we had lots of laughs and time with family though. Yesterday was anything but quiet. I did quite a bit of cooking myself including attempting a friend's recipe for mac and cheese. The attempt was quite successful, but that along with other dishes made for a very busy day followed by extreme cleanup. The dinner was fun and we got some lovely gifts, actually there were a few wonderfully amazing ones from friends that I'm still a bit in shock over. Best of all though was that there were some nice reactions to my doily gifts. Not all of them of course, but I think the vast majority receiving them were pleased. So I'll end this post with pictures of them framed in color, finally.






Friday, December 23, 2016

Happy Holidays

Since I spent much of the day out of town, I really don't have much to recount to you from yesterday. I finished one bracelet in the car, but it's the same ones that I showed you yesterday. The evening was a lot of hanging out with my brother, who is the first of our house guests to arrive. The other two and their cats arrive late this afternoon assuming they survive the drive with all of their pets.

http://totusmel.blogspot.com/2015/11/threes-snowflake-pattern.html
I'd like to just take a quick minute to wish all of you who celebrate it a Merry Christmas since that's this weekend. If that's not your winter holiday of choice, I'll just throw out a blanket Happy Holidays for you and if none this holiday nonsense is your thing I hope you have a lovely, stress-free weekend. You can find the pattern for this woven snowflake I designed last year here.

Thursday, December 22, 2016

Almost There

Let's see, yesterday was errands, cleaning and a family dental appointment. No, really that was pretty much it. I did have a little sitting time in the evening so I worked on some gift bracelets. These ones are in school-colors. I thought that a few of the nieces and/or nephews would like them. It's always really hard to make gifts for them, especially as they've become teenagers. Of course I suppose I was just as bad with my noncommittal, 'I don't care,' when asked what I wanted for Christmas. They generally suffer the gift card as a result and I feel bad that I spent so much more time on their parent's gifts.

Today is a trip out of town followed by the arrival of the first house guest. From here on out the week should get away from me pretty quickly. Hopefully I at least remember write tomorrow.

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Tired

Whew, another long day full of cleaning and other super fun tasks. I did sit down and do some tatting in the morning. I fear I was too distracted by my silly new Mario game to concentrate on my tatting much though. I figured I was on vacation, right? Despite my distraction, I did manage to finish the necklace as well as one more gift bracelet.

The evening was a lovely visit with friends and their two adorable and super energetic children. Honestly we didn't even stay out that late, but I was exhausted after all the wonderful crazy. That was of course just the beginning of the crazy of the week. We should get the first house guest tomorrow followed by two more on Friday. I'm sure there is more cleaning I have to get up to and there's the family dental appointment this afternoon. I do still have one necklace I should remake, but I may just add it to the 'after the holidays' queue and worry about it then. My hands are plenty busy as it is.

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Silly Cat

What a long day I had. It started with assembling a new nightstand for our guest room. I mostly mention that as an explanation for the photograph. The cat assumed that I made this object for him and climbed inside just as soon as there was an inside for him to climb into.

After that project the kids were off with their grandparents for the day, so I had errands to run. Then with an empty house, I had their gifts to wrap. That was followed by cleaning bathrooms, my favorite. I wrapped the free time by watching some Black Mirror and making more gift bracelets.

Late in the evening I got an order in the shop for a couple of necklaces, so I packed those right up and popped them in the mailbox so they'd be out first thing this morning. At least one of them definitely needs to be remade straight away so I'll start with that today. Of course there is still more cleaning and preparing for hosting house guests, so I'm guessing my day will be busy one way or another.

Monday, December 19, 2016

Weekend Recap

It was a busy weekend full of cleaning, wrapping, binge watching The OA on Netflix and sitting about waiting for packages. On Friday I worked on remaking this necklace. It's actually one of my favorite designs because it reminds me of a crow. Of course this is just it in progress so it's not very crow-like at this point. I still haven't put the chains on it yet, so it's not back up in the shop. I might get around to that today, but then again I might not.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/485374688/knotted-lace-bracelet-armenian-lace-oya
I used any sitting time I was granted over the weekend to work on more beaded double bracelets. I'm up to eight total now. You've seen the green and tan ones, but I also made up one in black with gold beads and a dark gray with purple beads. I added them to the listing yesterday, so they are all available in my shop and ready to ship. I'm getting faster at making them, but they still take a good amount of time, particularly the beaded crochet cord.

I think that I'm done with the bracelets for the time being, though I am making a couple as last minute gifts. I'm got more wrapping to do today and more house cleaning. I'm pretty sure it's going to be a busing week, just not knot-busy.

Friday, December 16, 2016

Distracted

Okay, I have a bit of a confession. The day started out with good intentions. I started this new bracelet in a nice light tan thread with brass beads. I was working on it while schooling with the intent to finish it and one more and then get the last three photographed and added to the listing. This was all derailed quite efficiently by the release and my subsequent download of the Super Mario Run game.

I don't know how much time I lost to it, but I had iTunes credit so I bought the whole thing. It's nostalgia factor is high and it's both easy and hard to play. I did eventually put the phone down and finish this bracelet, but I didn't have the time to get onto another one. I had other tasks to get done with the holiday inching ever closer.

Right before I retired for the evening, I got another order in my shop. It's a single necklace, so I have a task to start with today. Hopefully I'll stay away from my phone long enough to accomplish what I meant to do yesterday as well, though there are more holiday tasks and cleaning that need my time today as well. I fear the kids vacation, which starts after schooling today,will be anything but time off for me.

Thursday, December 15, 2016

Nice and Busy

I started out yesterday with some Orchard Green thread and seed beads during schooling. I did finish this bracelet, but I haven't gotten it listed in the shop yet. I wanted to get another one done before I added them to the existing listing for the Beaded Double bracelets. Right after I finished this one I got distracted by the best sort of thing, an order.



The order had two custom pieces that needed making in cream thread. This one is the beginning of a scallop earring. There was also a bracelet to make in cream and then a few pieces that would need remaking for the shop, I was on such a roll that I finished all of that save for adding hardware to the pieces. I'll get that done this morning so that I can get the order in the mail today. It's definitely the time of the year for working quickly and efficiently.

I woke up to another order, though this time it's just one piece and I have a second already made, so I'll get back to the beaded double bracelets. I have a habit of making new pieces in as many colors as I can. This time I'm limited by what beads I have on hand, which is probably a good thing. I usually end up with pendants in colors no one wants that just sit in a box forever. I'm certain that will happen with these as well but it likely won't stop me from making them anyway.

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Beaded Double

https://www.etsy.com/listing/485374688/knotted-lace-bracelet-armenian-lace-oyaI worked through schooling in order to get four of the new bracelet designs made. I wanted to have a similar collection to the other ones, but these ones definitely take longer to work up. It was well after lunch when I finished the last one and got them all listed in my shop. I am calling them Beaded Double, though it's not a very creative name, is it. Oh well, I do like the way they turned out though.





Not surprisingly, my favorite is the black one. I think I may do another in black with gold beads, since I don't have to worry about matching hardware and I have some on hand. I don't like gold for me at all, but I still think it would look striking. I'm also thinking about making myself one since they are so easy to wear. Oh, and I did actually sell one yesterday! The ocean turquoise one is off to its new home today and I'm just about finished remaking one to replace it. My thumbs are not liking all this beaded thread crochet, but I am certainly pleased to be creating something new.

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

On A Roll

https://www.etsy.com/listing/485072822/knotted-lace-bracelet-armenian-lace-oya
Right after schooling, I made up just one more of the new bracelet before getting them photographed and listed. They are up in my etsy shop now and ready to ship. This is just two of them, the variegated purple and the ocean turquoise. The other ones are done in black and medium charcoal.

After I was done with that I started thinking what they would look like with beads added to them. Eventually I got a plan and started figuring out where exactly in the crochet process to add them. This bit was harder than I thought it would be, though in retrospect, I probably could have found a tutorial for it. Instead I worked it out on my own with good old trial and error and with pink thread. Yeah, I know, not exactly my style, but I had plenty of pink beads and thread and this was an experiment after all. It could have failed miserably.



Once the cord was done, I decided to knot along both sides of the
piece for a completely different look, from the other bracelets and necklaces I've recently done. I really like the result. It's dense and a bit ornate without being gaudy. It did take forever to make, at least compared with the simple version, though. I'm hoping to make this in a couple more configurations today and then I'll get them listed in my shop as well. They are really fun to make and with the tatted ring on the ends of the bracelet and the macrame slide clasp, they are made with four completely different thread arts. That's kind of neat, right? Well, I thought so, but I am easily amused.

Monday, December 12, 2016

Can Do

https://www.etsy.com/listing/497889929/knotted-lace-choker-armenian-lace-oyaSo, I've been told I've been a bummer lately, sorry. I really didn't mean to foist my rut on all of you. The husband surprised me and came home early on Friday and we went out of town to finish Christmas shopping and get me out of the house. What he didn't know is that after a message from someone who reads the blog on my answering machine, I felt like I needed to pull myself out of the funk anyway. Speaking of that message, I didn't return it, and I feel a bit bad about that, but I am not particularly comfortable with strangers on the phone, I much prefer email unless I know you in person. I appreciated the sentiment, so thank you for the message though. Okay, back to the point, I actually got some work done. First off I got these necklaces that I had already mostly made finished and photographed. They are made with the crochet cord, the macrame closure and a simple line of Armenian knotting along one side. The cords do take quite some time to make, but I love the simplicity of the finished piece.

Then I actually got them listed in the shop here.  They're made and ready to ship in all four colors. Then after sharing them on Instagram, someone asked if I had made matching bracelets. I wasn't sure if the design would lay right on the wrist, so I decided that was the push I needed to try something new and I spent some time on Saturday trying that out. They do in fact work well as bracelets and I made two more over the weekend. a variegated purple and a gray. So today, after schooling, I'll be photographing those and get them listed in my shop as well. I promise I'll try not to bum you all out anymore this holiday season and focus more on what I can do.

Friday, December 9, 2016

Week's End

Exact same day, like exact same yesterday. There was reading and sitting and knitting. I did manage to fight off the rain blues and didn't collapse into the couch all day. In fact it looks like I may even finish the knitting project today or tomorrow, the book I'm reading too. So I guess next week I'll have to find something else to do with my hands while I read the next book in my queue. Maybe I'll get an idea, or an order or two and get creative again. Sorry, it has been a long and boring week hasn't it. I'll leave you with yet another cat picture. It's a good thing I have four of them, well until I have to clean up after them anyway.

Thursday, December 8, 2016

Low Bar

Another day, another few inches of knitting and a few chapters of reading. Still no activity in my etsy shop, so the status quo was maintained for yet another day. Of course I did remember to get another cat photo for this boring mess. I didn't remember until bedtime, but I remembered.

There is no different plan for today either. It appears it's going to be a nice rainy day around these parts, so I'll probably have to fight the urge to sleep the day away once schooling has wrapped just to keep reading and knitting. So here's to the energy to stay conscious all day. I know, I know, I'm setting the bar pretty low lately.

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Got a Picture

Yesterday went pretty much as expected, though I did get an order in the shop early in the morning. Fortunately, or unfortunately, the piece that sold was already made and I had a second of the same one already made as well. This means I had no need to get to work remaking anything, again. Instead I did what I did the day before. I read and knitted. I did also take a picture of a cat on a lap.

So, I'm preparing to start another day of sitting, and reading, and knitting, and crossing my fingers that something more interesting is about to happen to give my creativity a bit of a workout. Otherwise I'll just be stalking the cats for another picture for tomorrow's post and that just makes me look even more like a crazy person than I actually am.

Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Sorry

I was sucked into reading a new novel yesterday as it was one I've wanted to read and it was on sale for kindle. That also means I didn't start any new tatting, but rather knitted while I read since the knitting project is just simple stockinette stitch for at least another two feet. I can easily do that without paying any attention to what I'm doing at all. This also means that I don't even have any pictures to liven up this sad little post. I do apologize. Here's hoping that I get distracted from my reading by an urgent project or something. If not I'll try to get a cat to look cute for me to liven up tomorrow's sad little post.

Monday, December 5, 2016

Weekend Recap

Last gift doily is all done. I finished it up yesterday afternoon and then frame arrived a couple of hours later, so I got it pinned up in the frame and ready to give. I probably won't take anymore pictures of the lot of them until I get ready to wrap them, but many was that a lot of knotting.

That leaves me with a knitting project, that's not really anything too interesting, just something to keep my hands busy, and remaking a couple of pieces for my shop left over from my CyberMonday sale. There haven't been any new orders in the shop since then, so I'm still fighting the lack-of-motivation monster. I do feel pretty good about the weekend though. We managed to get almost all our holiday shopping finished. There are just a few odds and ends that need buying and a few more things that had to be ordered. I do wish we could give a little bigger, but you do the best with what you've got and I've got nearly a ghost town of a shop, so them's the breaks. Here's to a better week ahead.

Friday, December 2, 2016

Almost There

I think I got about an inch completed on the Armenian lace doily. I even went ahead and ordered a frame for it, so it can be a gift when I finish about another inch. On this one I simply alternated rounds of simple points with rounds of basket stitch. I think this next round is going to be another point section and when that's done the piece should be large enough.


I should get that done over the weekend barring more interesting or immediate tasks. Right now the weekend is unplanned, which is a relief after last weekend's holiday nonsense. I think I do need some recovery time and then next week it can be back to tatting and crossing my fingers that more orders roll in to undo the holiday shopping we still need to finish.

Thursday, December 1, 2016

Not Much

I couldn't seem to get myself to work on the pieces that need remaking for the shop yesterday. Instead I managed to focus on knotting what is hopefully my last gift doily. It occurred to me that if I can actually get it done in time, it does have someplace to go, so it carries a higher level of motivation than the replacement pieces that will just sit in the shop. It's still got a good few inches to go, so I'm going to let it motivate me today as well. Then perhaps once the sun peeks out for a spell I'll be further motivated to get back to tatting.

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Tired

http://etsy.me/1x2Fijn
It was a lovely day of constant working. First it was a Woven Rose pendant. I made two, one for the order and one for the shop.It's a nice simple piece, but the weaving in the center round gives it a little complexity.







After those were finished it was onto remake this bracelet.  This was is quite a bit harder to make. I call this one Ornate and it isn't quite back in the shop yet. I finished remaking it late yesterday so I'll post it later this morning. I still have at least two more necklaces to remake for the shop, so as long as the winter tiredness doesn't continue to win, I should stay nice and busy for at least a couple of days.

The fairly sudden lack of sun around here is definitely taking a toll on my energy levels and it's been a bit of a struggle to keep from snuggling up on the couch and hibernating. That's just another reason that having orders to make for people is such a good thing for me. If something really needs to be made because someone is waiting for it, that's a very strong motivator for me. Restocking the shop, not so much. Here's crossing my fingers for more powerful motivation.

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Very Nice

Well, yesterday turned out much better than expected. I decided to do a sale after I blogged and assumed it would be a bust, but I actually got a few sales out of it from some lovely repeat customers. Even better I got two more sales this morning after the sale was over. Yesterday I worked on remaking the first piece that sold, a necklace I designed based on one of  Marilee's patterns. It's a favorite of mine with a nice, unique silhouette.

The next two orders I got in both had custom color pieces to make up, so after the necklace I started on those. I've still got one more of those to make before I get those two orders in the post. With the other orders I got this morning, I have quite a handful of pieces that now need to be remade, so I guess I have my work cut out for me for at least the rest of the week. I shall be happily tatting away to get all these orders made and the pieces replaced in the shop as soon as possible.

Monday, November 28, 2016

Monday

Happy Monday after all. Well, I survived the entire weekend. Friday, I finished all the cleaning and pulled out the Christmas decorations. Saturday we put those all up and the change of seasons was complete. I got a couple of sales over the weekend, but only patterns, so I was given nothing to tat or make and frankly not a lot of money. Today is suppose to be the biggest online shopping day, but I'm not holding out much hope for my own shop. Of course we did a little shopping ourselves, but I am trying to keep it to a minimum for obvious money reasons.

I did get a little knotting done last night as we ended the long weekend in watching a movie. I also started a knitting project to keep my hands busy as well. I seriously have a problem when I don't have something that needs making.

So I guess I'm started the week with crossed fingers and hope for my shop to get some shoppers soon.


Oh...a last minute addition to the blog:

CyberMonday SALE!!!!
Get 30% off purchases over $10 with the code 'CYBERMONDAY' Today only!

Friday, November 25, 2016

Thank You

Good Friday morning all. I meant to write yesterday morning and then got distracted with preparation for the holiday dinner, not that I had much to share. I had spent Wednesday cleaning the house including my most favorite tasks like the bathrooms. Yep, I know you missed that information.

Anyway, yesterday was lovely and exhausting. I still have a sink full of dishes, because I couldn't be bothered to wash them all last night. That means that I will be washing them all today, and cleaning the house up a bit, and probably pulling out the Christmas stuff to start to get that all up.

I know I haven't done a sale in my shop in a while and it's too late to start one that would be effective at all, but here's what I will do, get free domestic shipping throughout the holiday season with the code HOLIDAYFREESHIP at my etsy shop. I know it's not much, but thank you all out there for reading my ramblings and supporting my work!


Wednesday, November 23, 2016

What Next

Another day, another round on the doily. Also, there was more cleaning and a copious amount of laundry. The doily is around the 5 inch mark now and I'm planning to make this one a smaller one, so there's only a few more inches to go before it's done. Then I'll have to decide if it really is going to be a gift and if so, order the frame for it. 

Once Thanksgiving is over I'll pull out all the doily gifts and get them photographed, so I'll have pictures to share after Christmas. I really can't believe that I've made so many of them. Maybe I'll start a large tatted doily as a gift project to get me back to tatting in my spare time. I've been making these ones up as I go, but I'm not sure that's the way to go with a tatted one. I'm sure I'll find one already designed that I like, or I'll just wing it and hope. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

A Little More

There's not much to share this morning either. My etsy shop remains silent and I'm continuing to work on the doily which may or may not have a recipient. I guess one thing is certain, after all of these doilies, I will definitely have the technique down. Other than that though, I've not got anything to share.

The rest of the week is likely to continue in this vein, so I'll at least continue to get photos of the doily progress to try and liven up the nothing that I have to share. Still crossing my fingers for next week and a few shoppers though.

Monday, November 21, 2016

Another

In between the errand running and cleaning tasks of the weekend, I did start another doily. This one may or may not have a recipient at the holidays, but I think I needed the focusing power of a task like the doily. Without something to focus my creative energies, I end up doing inane things like playing on my phone for hours and that's just not healthy.

I wish I had some tatting idea to create, but I've been in a rut there for some time. I know that has a lot to do with the lack of sales in my etsy shop, but rather than continue to complain about that, I'll just focus on knotting and quietly wish for something to give.

This week should be full of distractions as I get ready for Thursday's hosting duties. I've got more cleaning to do and so far I've managed to do just a bit at a time to keep me from getting overwhelmed. Here's hoping the shoppers show up at my virtual shop door and I don't have time to complain come next week.

Friday, November 18, 2016

Nothing

I've literally got nothing of interest for you this morning. After schooling yesterday, I used most of my time to do laundry and start the slow and painful cleaning process needed to host Thanksgiving dinner next week. I happily live among clutter most of the time, but I do like to get everything looking nice for these large family dinners. Instead of whipping through all the cleaning in a day long whirlwind early, I prefer working up to it slowly, then panicking at the last minute, only then resorting to the afore mentioned whirlwind. Oh, and I think I just thought of someone else to make a doily gift for. It's going to be an interesting weekend, I think.

Thursday, November 17, 2016

The Museum

Whew, what a long day. We were on a train first thing in the morning, after powering through a couple of classes first. Then it was off to Sacramento. We had lunch in old town, a little shopping and then hoofed it to the Crocker Art Museum. We'd been there once before, but I think we still haven't managed to see everything on permanent display, not to mention the special exhibits This is me and my girls in front of the old mansion section of the museum before the tour. There are actually two additions built onto it in order to house all the exhibits and the rest is much more modern.







I feel weird taking picture of the art on the walls, so I didn't really do that at all. I figure I can look at much more professional photos of them online later, should I really want to, but I did take a picture of this statue by Calder because I really liked it. I thought the man only did mobiles.

After the museum it was another walk through old town to the train station and the long ride home. I didn't take any tatting and regretted that pretty quickly as I remembered that reading on the train is only marginally less nausea inducing than doing so in a car. Oh, well. It was a lovely, if overly long day and today should be a nice quiet day for recovery.

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Center Sussed

Yesterday's schooling was a little more relaxed, but I still ended up with less time for thread than
usual. I did manage to suss out a new center for the tatted/knotted snowflake. Though it's admittingly, not looking too much like a snowflake since the beads connect the points quite densely.

I quite like the center like this, it holds the piece together better, but doesn't look too busy. The piece does need to be stiffened to see if that helps it from folding a bit when I hang it. It doesn't droop from the top, but does start to fold side to side if I mess with it.

Today, we're off to Sacramento for a train field trip and to the Crocker Art Museum. I probably won't bring anything to do on the train because that just means I have to carry it all around with me when we're there, or maybe something small. I don't know yet, but don't expect much.

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Beaded

Yesterday's schooling was particularly stressful. It took a while to decompress from it. Once I did sit down I played with the tatted/knotted snowflake. So here's the finished prototype that I didn't show you yesterday. It feels like it could be a snowflake, but I felt like it was missing some things.







On the second go around I used some pearl-like beads on the bare spaces between the peaks. I also tried long joined picots in the center. Turns out the beads work fine and don't even cause the drooping I was afraid of when I started with them, but the work is slower going as I add in the beads using a beading needle instead of a normal one. The center however, is not what I was hoping for at all. There were a lot of suggestions about adding something large to the center like a button, but as I can only work with what I have on hand, I think I might try some combination of the same sort of beads. That's the only plan I have for today, so here's hoping the day goes well and I get something in the shop to do.

Monday, November 14, 2016

Weekend Recap

The weekend started with dinner out of town for three family birthdays and it was lovely to get away for just a spell. The rest of the weekend was pretty normal and fairly uneventful.

I told you last week that I finished my crochet project, so here's a particularly bad picture of it. It is probably the single most comfortable thing I have ever made to wear. The amount of cozy this cocoon is, is incredible. My only regret is that the yarn I used sheds a bit. I'm hoping after a couple of washings I can stop worrying about wool fibers adding themselves to the already collected cat fur on all my clothing.

I also spent a little time yesterday tatting and knotting together. I was trying to come up with a snowflake-like design using both techniques. I forgot to take a finished picture, this is it on progress. I finished with little triangle peaks. Yeah, sorry, that's a horrible description. I'll get a photo today to make that make sense.

I like the finished piece okay, but I think I'm going to have another go at it, maybe using beads on the long bare threads between peaks. That will also give it a little weight, but I don't know if it'll hold it's shape when hanging if I do add beads. Hmm, I guess it'll be an experiment then. Here's hoping it's not a complete waste of time.

Friday, November 11, 2016

I Tried

I wanted to just blog today about how lovely it was to get an order in my shop. It came in early in the morning and I got to spend much of the day tatting. It was soothing and focusing for me. Schooling went well and afterwards I got to sit on the couch with some comfort TV and my needle and thread.







Later, when the necklace I was remaking was completed, I pulled
out my crochet project and worked on that. I even finished the project, my cocoon. I'll get a photo later today to show you. It is beyond comfy. Then in the evening when the husband and the oldest daughter were out at a football game, I stayed up a little late with my youngest and we read our novels side-by-side until we were tired enough to go to sleep.

Then I made a bit of a mistake, I checked my emails right before bed and saw the notification for a comment on yesterday's post here. I wanted to just ignore it, but I decided that the gloves are off now and I can't just follow the rules of polite conversation and pretend that I'm okay with all of this anymore. This is not a matter of simple divergent political views, I respect those even when they are diametrically opposed to my own. Diversity is the spice of life and that is precisely why this election result is so sad. I understand that people were frustrated and wanted economic and governmental change, but I refuse to accept that this was the right way to get it. We are faced with a leader endorsed by the KKK, loved by the Alt-right, the preferred choice of Putin, white supremacists, misogynists and those people are already using his election as tacit permission to be awful in plain sight. We are faced with millions of people possibly losing healthcare they won't get back, rights that they fought so hard for stripped away, being deported, banned or forced to register because of their religion. Will all of that actual happen? Who knows, but he said he'd do it all and why shouldn't be believe that it's certainly possible.

Look I don't like ranting like this, I like tying knots in string and telling you about it. I am going to do that every chance I get, but I'm still dealing with my own grief cycle here and since this is my space, I'm going to use it when I need to. The comment I got said they they won't be reading my blog anymore and frankly if everything I just ranted about is totally fine with you, please do go and don't come back, because none of that is okay with me.