Wordless Wednesday

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Get Used to Different

I was going to write about my point-and-shoot freezing up in February, sending the camera to Nikon for repairs, getting it back good as new a couple of weeks ago, and how wonderful it is to have my trusty li'l cam back. I couldn't wait to share photos with my reconditioned camera! Believe it or not, I haven't even had a chance to use it yet. That's how crazy life is for me these days!

For nearly 9 months now, I've been able to sleep when Lizard sleeps. It's been glorious. But it's kind of been like motherhood. Brand new motherhood. His sleep schedule is not predictable, but also pretty backwards, sort of like an infant. For so long, I was sleep-deprived trying to keep an eye on him at night, then working long hours, albiet mostly from home, five and six days a week.

We're trying to flip the schedule now so we can take advantage of warmer, sunny days to stay active and hopefully slow the rampant progression of Parkinson's. It is NOT an easy battle!!! But we're doing the best we can. I'm hoping we might be able to sleep at night and walk or ride bikes during the day by the end of May. My original goal was April 15. Well, we didn't quite make that one. But I haven't given up!

Needless to say, there are lots of hours when I must conduct my personal activities quietly so I don't wake him. It's kind of weird that he can sleep through a jackhammer next door, but my rapid typing will wake him and cause him to be restless. Perhaps it's ghosts of that whole work-at-home thing...

There have been a few crochet endeavors because I can do that quietly. I can also read quietly. I can sometimes even edit snowflake photos without making too much noise. If the heater is running, and I close the bedroom door.

One of the things I've been able to do when he falls asleep while watching television is watch something I want to watch. For a couple of years, my friends have been encouraging me to watch The Chosen. As the episodes began to pile up, I became more and more reluctant to get into the show because I didn't want to have to start over every time I'm forced to take a lengthy break.

I rewatched and relistened to all my favorite Easter podcasts throughout Holy Week. There were so many, it took until last Thursday to finish them all. Friday I found myself hungry for more of the same kind of programming.

I watched the first two episodes of Season One of The Chosen. And I was addicted!!! I've been binge-watching ever since, every chance I get. I don't get enough chances! But I'm finally getting to watch! I even get to crochet a bit sometimes. When I can peel my eyes from the television screen...

This has got to be some of the best programming ever done. I just finished Season Two. I wish I'd been able to keep up with it all along. But I'm sure enjoying it now. And there's kind of a thrill in watching them night after night. I could go sleepless again just to finish the rest of the unwatched episodes.

Yet, it's good to absorb a couple of episodes at a time, then ponder. This Jesus has a great sense of humor! And yet, the gentleness, the tenderness, the thoughtfulness, the patience, the sheer exhaustion... The portrayals are magnificent. The casting is perfect. The photography makes everything so realistic. The storytelling is outstanding. I am brought to tears so many times. I had to step away after watching Jesus walk by the crosses at the beginning of his ministry. I think that scene is going to stay with me a very long time, and, honestly, I hope it does. I hope I never forget. I hope my heart will always be pricked by the Savior's sacrifice. I am so grateful for this visual portrayal. I am so grateful to be able to strenghten my soul and my faith via the only opportunity I might get to sort of walk in his footsteps.

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Snowflake Monday

Lizard was having another sleepless night. I finally got him to sleep at about 3 a.m., and by then, my body wasn't sleepy anymore. I decided to create another snowflake. I couldn't get to my thread and hook where Lizard was sleeping without waking him, so I went through one of my old commute crochet bags. Found the appropriate size crochet hook and a tiny ball of thread. I played chicken with the thread and lost. Ha ha.

I've been tinkering with my smile center each week, trying to come up with the perfect grin. Today's flake is my favorite smile and my favorite pattern so far. When I looked up funny chicken names, boy, did I find a GREAT variety. Flappy bird seemed to fit best, given the creation adventure.

(affiliate link to my greeting card designs)

You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!

Finished Size: 4 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 7 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, water soluble school glue or desired stiffener, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

Happy Flappy Snowflake Instructions

Special Stitches: fdc (foundation double crochet)

Make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 11 dc in ring; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2. Pull magic circle tight.

Round 2: Ch 4 (counts as 1 tr), 1 tr in same ch as sl st, ch 2, sk next dc, 2 tr in next dc, ch 2, sk next dc, 2 tr in each of next 2 dc, 1 fdc in bottom of tr just worked, 1 dc in same fdc ch, [1 fdc, 1 dc in same fdc ch] 11 times; 1 ltr in next dc, 1 tr in same dc, sl st in 4th ch of starting ch 4.

Round 3: 1 sc in each st around, increasing 2 sc in each eye space for a total of 42 sc; sl st in starting sc.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

Round 4: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in same sc, [ch 5, sl st in 3rd ch from hook, 1 hdc in next ch, ch 1, sk next 6 sc, in next sc work (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc)] 6 times, omitting last 2 dc and last 2 ch of final repeat; 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round.

Round 5: Ch 14, counts as 1 dc and [ch 12), in next ch 3 tip work (1 dc, ch 3, 1 dc) 6 times, omitting last dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 14; bind off. Weave in ends.

Finish: I've been stiffening my flakes with undiluted, full-strength water soluble school glue for quite a while now, and I've been squishing the glue onto and throughout each flake with my fingers (yucky mess!!!) instead of gingerly painting the flakes with glue. Yes, it's a mess. But it's faster. And stiffer.

Tape wax paper or plastic wrap to top of empty pizza box. Pin snowflake to box on top of wax paper or plastic wrap.

If using glue, mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture or desired stiffener. Sprinkle lightly with glitter. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflake to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflake from wax paper or plastic wrap. Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.

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Friday Fascination

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Piece of Mind

I made three major mistakes (requiring the services of Jack the Seam Ripper) in this block before I finished it. Before pressing, I noticed I'd made yet another mistake.

I was tempted to leave it as is because I'd already had to correct so many mistakes. Who would notice one goose flying in the wrong direction on the skirt of my dress? I stepped away for a few hours, then returned. The fixed booboo made ripping out four seams totally worth it. What a pretty block!

Now I just need to sew the three blocks together in a strip and then sew them into the front skirt panel. Maybe I can wear this dress to church on Sunday!

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Wordless Wednesday

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Barbed

I was shocked to see healthy rhubarb in my raised-bed garden last year, and I knew I'd probably get another crop this year. I had no idea I'd be able to delight Lizard in early April!

I made a full quart jar of strawberry rhubarb (with grocery store strawberries) Lizard enjoys with his plain, unsweetened yogurt each morning.

I was checking out the rhubarb plant again over the weekend; I'd cut the stalks I used, not knowing I was supposed to twist them off. The plant seems to still be going strong, but I also had six giant seed heads! And, there are three mature plants now, not just one. Plus a very young plant. I think there will be plenty of rhubarb to even freeze a bit later on!

One of my friends told me the stalks would mature faster and the plants would produce more leaves if I remove the seed heads. So I did. There were several baby stalks, about 7 inches long, on the seed stalks. I was going to run to the grocery store and buy some more strawberries, but I paused long enough to look up other rhubarb recipes. I found one for sweet and sour rhurbarb, which I adapted for our tastes. I added in one of my own (frozen) serrano peppers from last summer, and we tried the new concoction on wild rice. Oh, my heavens!!! We can't wait to drizzle this on our burritos!!! This stuff is AWESOME!!!

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Snowflake Monday

This is the final pattern from my forgotten collection of 2013 smiling snowflakes. Somehow, I'm not sure four is enough. I might have to craft a couple more. Maybe even three more. I need a whole week of smiling faces, right?!?

I made a mistake (or, as they say in quilting, design element) in the white snowflake. Can you see it?

You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!

Finished Size: 5.25 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 7 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, water soluble school glue or desired stiffener, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

Happy Flake Instructions

Special Stitches: fdc (foundation double crochet)

Make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 11 dc in ring; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2. Pull magic circle tight.

Round 2: Ch 4 (counts as 1 tr), 2 tr in same ch as sl st, ch 2, sk next dc, 2 tr in next dc, ch 2, sk next dc, 3 tr in next dc, 1 fdc in bottom of tr just worked, 1 dc in same fdc ch, [1 fdc, 1 dc in same fdc ch] 10 times, working last dc of final repeat by drawing up loop through 3rd and 4th chains of starting ch 4 for first 2 dc yo (creating a linked tr/dc as well as completing Round 2).

Round 3: 1 sc in each st around, increasing 2 sc in each eye space and 2 more times evenly spaced around, for a total of 42 sc; sl st in starting sc.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

Round 4: Ch 8 (counts as 1 sc and [ch 7), sk next 6 sc, 1 sc in next sc] 5 times; ch 3, 1 trtr in 1st ch of starting ch 8 to form 6th ch 7 sp of Round.

Round 5: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 4 dc over post of trtr directly below, [(ch 3, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, in next ch 7 sp work (5 dc, ch 3, 5 dc)] 6 times, omitting last 5 dc and last 2 ch of final repeat; 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round.

Round 6: Ch 13 (counts as 1 sc and [ch 12), in next ch 3 tip work (1 sc, ch 5, 1 sc)] 6 times; omitting last sc and last 3 ch of final repeat; 1 tr in 1st ch of starting ch 13 to form 6th ch 5 tip of Round.

Round 7: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 4 dc over post of tr directly below, [in next ch 12 sp work (6 dc, ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook, 6 dc), in next ch 5 tip work (5 dc, ch 3, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, 5 dc)] 6 times, omitting last 5 dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off. Weave in ends.

Finish: I've been stiffening my flakes with undiluted, full-strength water soluble school glue for quite a while now, and I've been squishing the glue onto and throughout each flake with my fingers (yucky mess!!!) instead of gingerly painting the flakes with glue. Yes, it's a mess. But it's faster. And stiffer.

Tape wax paper or plastic wrap to top of empty pizza box. Pin snowflake to box on top of wax paper or plastic wrap.

If using glue, mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture or desired stiffener. Sprinkle lightly with glitter. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflake to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflake from wax paper or plastic wrap. Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.

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