Wordless Wednesday

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Word Play

(affiliate links to my designs)

2025 marks the second consecutive year I, as a full-time caregiver, have been unable to meet my photography goals. That doesn't mean I love the craft any less!!!

I LOVE to create photo collages. With paper, fabric and even digitally. I absolutely LOVE collages!

I created my next calendar while watching the 2025 International Balloon Fiesta (via live stream, of course) and while listening to the October 2025 General Conference of my church (via live stream, of course.)

All the floral collages I've created this year inspired me to do the same thing for next year's calendar. When I began compiling photos, I realized more than four per month would not be photographically engaging, especially from a viewing distance. I decided to limit myself to four photos per month. Hence the calendar title. (Which I hope you've noticed I've not included in searchable text anywhere here or on the Zazzle page in an attempt to prevent unscrupulous traffic.)

The title of this calendar is a play on words... some might deem it inappropriate. Or totally get the wrong idea. I did worry about that. It took me a lot longer to push the publish button on this calendar because I had to really consider what might happen if I keep the name. Ultimately, I decided the world won't end. If people don't get my sense of humor, well, that just means we're different. And that's what we're supposed to be. Variety is the spice of life!

The word I used for the title of my 2026 calendar does have meaning beyond the common context. If people can't get the main definition out of their heads, I hope they realize the photos included in this sentimental collection were shot while my husband was still whole. While we were building a life together. Back before Parkinson's robbed him of many of the things he loves most. There are so many joyful memories in this calendar, the total number of photos included (56) multipled by 12 or even 2,026 can't even come close.

My husband brought me joy and brought me to joy. Over and over again. Even though Parkinson's takes little pieces of him every single day, he still brings me joy. This calendar celebrates that joy. Even though things have changed, Lizard is still the light of my life, and I'm still so grateful he came into my life and accompanied me on so many beautiful adventures! Fingers crossed we might still claim a few more fun (and photographic!!!) adventures in the years to come!

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Snowflake Monday

Not only is it Pinktober, but I just learned my sister is going through a second round of chemo. I hope my granddaughters enjoy pink Halloween snowflakes as much as the more typical Halloween colors.

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 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, optional second color (or any number of colors desired), googly eyes or other means of making eyes, 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
NOTE: I did not glitter these flakes.

Triple Shot V Snowflake Instructions

With center disc color, 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 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in same ch as sl st, 2 dc in each dc around for a total of 24 dc; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.

Optional Round 2: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc and ch 1), [sk next dc, 1 dc in next dc, ch 1] 11 times; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 3.

Round 3: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), [2 dc in next dc, 1 dc in next dc] 12 times, omitting last dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2. Bind off if making flake in more than one color. Weave in ends.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

Optional Round 3: Sl st into next ch 3 sp, ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc in same ch 1 sp, 3 dc in each of next 11 ch 1 sp; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.

Round 4: If using same color, ch 2 as 1st dc, 1 dc in same ch as sl st. If using new color, 2 dc in any dc. [ch 1, sk next dc, 1 sc in each of next 2 dc, ch 1, sk next dc, in next dc work (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc)] 6 times, omitting last 2 dc and last 2 ch of final repeat; 1 dc in starting dc to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round.

Round 5: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc over post of dc directly below, [ch 5, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook (picot made), ch 3, in next ch 3 point work (3 dc, ch 7, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook and in each of next 2 ch, ch 4, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook and in next ch, 1 dc in top of next dc, sl st in next ch of ch 7, (heart picot made) ch 1, 3 dc)] 6 times, omitting last 3 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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Friday Fortius

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Funny Story

(affiliate links to my designs)

My pink cosmos are exploding, and it looks like I'm going to get at least another week and a half of beautiful flowers, if the ten-day forecast can be trusted. (Sometimes it can, every once in a while...)

I captured one photo a couple of weeks ago that made me yearn for a smiling flower face. I've done this before with sunflowers, but never with cosmos. I immediately set out shooting cosmos so I would have a wide variety of color

I literally was on my hands and knees and even on my back trying to get just the right angle. I was all over the ground. Four straight days. Every chance I got. I was addicted. I kept going out for more.

I looked for my little open arm spiders, too, because they are so cute.

What I didn't look for or even think to beware of was slithering residents. Last week, while watering my lavender, I discovered a miniature snake.

I carefreely ambled back in the house for my phone, then sauntered back out to snap a photo I could use to try to identify the species. It was just a baby, maybe nine inches long. It hadn't moved at all. I walked back inside to photo search my young guest/tenant. Was not expecting a danger noodle at all. It's been years since we've had nope ropes in our yard!

Just as I discovered I had trouble brewing in the backyard, I noticed my neighbors huddled over my driveway on the opposite side of my house. I stepped out the front door to greet them and noticed a coiled visitor also occupying valuable territory in front of my house. And drawing quite the crowd. Just about all the kids in the neighborhood had to try to get a closer look. (My neighbor carefully guarded the button-tailed visitor to keep young 'uns from getting too close.)

My neighbor was able to gently shovel both reptiles into an orange construction bucket before relocating the twins to a non-disclosed area where humans will not be on the menu. Upon his return, he warned me because, he said, rattler mamas don't typically have just two babies. He told me to be very careful in my backyard. Lots of places for creepy crawlies to hide. YIKES!

Needless to say, I haven't been in the backyard much since then. But that's okay because I have plenty of cosmos photos with which I can play.

One of the flowers had the most beautiful coloring. I couldn't resist creating a greeting card.

That gave me an idea for more Spoonflower fabric.

Which meant I had to create a new cheater panel, too.

I'm going to try to save the seeds from the bi-color flower. It's just so darned beautiful!

Eventually, I'll probably get back outside and shoot some more cosmos. But I'm not so sure I'll be rolling around on the ground anymore!

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Faith over Fear

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