Fat Bear Week

Tweet

Vote!

(affiliate links to my designs)

You really have to scroll to find my entry, but you might find others you like along the way, too! The quality and variety of entries has really exploded since I last participated in the Spoonflower challenge. I had a very difficult time choosing only three. I needed about 90 votes!!! I think I hearted more than 120 designs I would love to use in a quilt. Basically every snowflake design, every blue design, every polar bear design, every religious design... Boy, if I had the money and the time, everyone on my Christmas list would get a quilt from one of the challenge fabrics!

Tweet

Contest!

Back in 2017, I entered my first (and only) Spoonflower challenge design. I knew I didn't win anything, but I had no idea I got so many votes until I entered my second challenge entry this week! I was 73rd of 9,996 entries!!!

(I still haven't made the swimsuit I intended to create from my Hexie Madness fabric, but I'm hoping some upcoming changes in my life will open up some new free time I can devote to my sewing machine...)

Now I've gone and done it again! I finally entered another Spoonflower challenge because I actually have a new design that fits a contest theme!!!

Voting for the Winter Holiday Patchwork contest will commence July 4 and last through July 16. I would truly appreciate your vote, if you like my design. I will share the voting link as soon as it becomes available.

This is my all-blue 2024 Digital Snowflake Temperature Quilt, representing just the first half of this year. I love the eclipse and Northern Lights snowflakes! I'm still thinking this fabric might make a great dress or coat, but I also love this design idea so much, I might actually appliqué, piece and quilt from real crocheted snowflakes and real batiks one day.

Tweet

Snowflake Monday

Last February, my beloved husband took me to the Grand Mesa for some Valentine cross-country skiing. Some of the most beautiful snowflakes I've ever seen were captured that trip!

I thought all the snowflakes appear to have what looked like gemstones or fancy buttons in the center. When we got home, I bought this little package of fancy buttons specifically to make some snowflakes similar to what I saw on the Grand Mesa.


I finally got a chance to work up my first button snowflake, and I'm anxious to go back and buy more buttons now!

Well, I'm anxious to go back to the Grand Mesa for more cross-country skiing now, too!






The campaign I've been volunteering with for the last three months suggested a Do Something Nice Day the day after the election to counter some of the fears, worries and potentially emotional things that could happen that day. I LOVE the idea.


One of the volunteers then created a Project Kindness so we can extend goodwill all the way to Thanksgiving.


I had planned to mail a bunch of my snowflakes to Children's Hospital on Wednesday because that would spread my favorite kind of kindness to many little folks who really need cheer. Then the 8-year-old daughter of one of close friends became enamored with the prototype snowflake I was making to test today's pattern, and she inspired me to invite the girls I teach on Tuesday nights to come to my home tomorrow night and pick up a snowflake they can give to a shut-in, someone they know who might be lonely, someone who may have lost a family member or pet, or just anyone they think might need a kind deed.

So I'm going to encourage 22 little girls to join me in Do Something Nice Day on Wednesday, November 9, which hopefully spreads joy a lot further than I could have done it on my own, and I should still have enough snowflakes to send some to Children's Hospital, too.

Won't you join me, too, in spreading sunshine and snowflakes the day after the election, no matter who wins? Because regardless of who is president, we are still awesome people capable of doing magnificent things. Let's show the whole world what we can do!


Of course, I had to make red, white and blue versions because tomorrow is Election Day... Please vote if you haven't. And Friday is Veteran's Day. Please take time to thank a vet each time you get the opportunity. Spread smiles every chance you get.

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: 6.5 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 7 crochet hook, two-holed or three-holed .5-inch to .75 inch button, 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: This snowflake may be pinned many different ways. I hope to finish another one in pink on the train this week for my sister-in-law, who should find out today or tomorrow if her lump is cancer. I'll probably do a variation of the blue version pinning for her.


NOVEMBER 14 UPDATE: My sweet sister-in-law got good news! Although she has FOUR cysts, three she did not know about, they are just cysts, not cancer. CELEBRATE! CELEBRATE! DANCE TO THE MUSIC!!! I also discovered three errors in the below pattern. I've fixed them.


Amer I Can Snowflake Instructions

Round 1: 1 sc in button hole, ch 5,[1 sc in same buttonhole, ch 5] 2 times if using a 2-holed button or 1 time if using a 3-holed button, * 1 sc in next buttonhole, [ch 5, 1 sc in same buttonhole] 2 times if using a 2-holed button or 1 time if using a 3-holed button; repeat from * in 3rd buttonhole if using a 3-holed button. You should have 6 sc and 5 ch/5 sp at this point, regardless of how many holes are in your button. Ch 2, 1 tr in starting sc to form 6th ch 5 sp of Round.

Round 2: Ch 5 (counts as 1 dc and ch 3), 1 dc over post of tr directly below, * 1 dc in next ch 5 sp, ch 3, 1 dc in same sp, ch 5, 1 dc in same sp, ch 3, 1 dc in same sp; repeat from * around 4 times; 1 dc in next ch 5 sp, ch 3, 1 dc in same sp, ch 2, 1 tr in 2nd ch of starting ch 5 to form 6th ch 5 tip of Round.
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 3: Ch 5 (counts as 1 dc and ch 3), 1 dc over post of tr directly below, * ch 3, sk next ch 3 sp, 1 sc in gap between next 2 dc, ch 3, sk next ch 3 sp, 1 dc in next ch 5 sp, ch 3, 1 dc in same sp, ch 9, 1 sc in 7th ch from hook, ch 11, 1 sc in 9th ch from hook, ch 13, 1 sc in 11th ch from hook, ch 15, 1 sc in 13th ch from hook, ch 1, working back down branch, sk ch loop just made and next ch, 1 dc in next ch (Round 3 snowflake tip made), ch 11, 1 sc in 11th ch from hook, ch 1, sk next ch on branch, 1 dc in next ch, ch 9, 1 sc in 9th ch from hook, ch 1, sk next ch on branch, 1 dc in next ch, ch 7, 1 sc in 7th ch from hook, ch 1, sk next ch on branch, 1 dc in next ch, ** 1 dc in same Round 3 ch 5 tip (snowflake branch or spoke made), ch 3, 1 dc in same ch 5 sp; repeat from * around 5 times, omitting last 2 dc and last 3 ch of final repeat (marked by ** above); sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 5; bind off. Weave in ends.


Finish: 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.

Tweet

Declare Independence

One of the most powerful videos I've ever seen!

Tweet

Wordless Wednesday

Tweet

Friday Freedom

A music video in support of independent conservative presidential candidate Evan McMullin who offers the American people a much better choice than Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. Set to the song "The Light of Liberty" by Nate Gagon from his original musical "A Father's Day." The song may be downloaded from iTunes by clicking here. (It's track 12 of the "Chase Isaac" collection). Visit www.evanmcmullin.com to learn more about Evan McMullin.

Tweet

The Comfort Zone

Way back when I was 16, I landed my first non-family job. I'd spent about four years helping my dad with his switchboard answering service, and I'd helped my brothers off and on with their newspaper routes - rolling and rubberbanding newspapers before putting them into a big shoulder sling and tossing them into front yards from my bicycle.

My first real job was at a burger joint, and I was pretty good at drive-through, flipping burgers and cleaning the lobby. I also gave the best birthday parties in the whole county inside a refurbished caboose while dressed like a clown assistant.

One thing I was really bad at was front counter and suggestive selling, which was required. Oh, how I hated that. I hated when I had to endure restaurant employees suggestive selling to me, and I didn't like to do that to my customers. It often got me docked, but I never felt comfortable with the idea of talking people into something they don't want to buy.

So I should have known better than to volunteer at the (Independent Presidential Candidate) Evan McMullin booth at the Denver Botanical Gardens annual pumpkin festival.


I'd signed up to volunteer with the campaign the day we got back from our Pacific Northwest vacation. I create memes and help with social media. I can do that. I'm comfortable with that. And sometimes I'm even good at it.

When the call went out for volunteers to man the booth for an entire weekend, I initially contributed candy to be handed out to kids. That was another thing I could do and feel good about. Well, except for the sugar... But kids love sugar, and this time of year, well, even I like seeing the little kids get excited about costumes, jack-lanterns and candy.

Two days before the event, however, few volunteers stepped forward. It's difficult to give up a weekend, especially if you have kids, and most of the Colorado volunteers have families, I think.

I'd just read somewhere that you can't change opinions with your own opinions. The only way you can change opinions is with actions.

I have never been one to rant and rave about politics. Frankly, the topic typically turns my stomach. But this year, I believe America is in a world of trouble, and I felt so strongly about it, I decided I should do what I could to try to help because I just didn't like the main two options. At all!

I decided I should help with the booth because I would be showing instead of telling how much I care about the future of my country and the world I'm leaving for my grandchildren.


When all was said and done, if I had been a paid employee, I'd probably have been fired. (Other McMullin volunteers were more aggressive and confident than me, and they yielded much more success than I did.) After the first couple of rejections, I couldn't bring myself to initiate conversations anymore. I do okay when someone is really interested and asks questions. But I'm not good at forcing conversations upon people who want nothing to do with it.

The guy in the insulated window booth next door teased me and kept telling me I had to get out there and sell my candidate. To me, that's no different than trying to push a hamburger onto someone who doesn't want one.

They say about 30,000 people visited the pumpkin festival during the three-day fest. A mass blue and orange exodus left in a massive cloud of dust before the Broncos game started on Sunday, and we didn't get many customers after that. (Perhaps the football fans would have been happier that particular weekend watching orange pumpkins instead of orange jerseys. The home team lost.) (It was really cool to see the F-18s fly over four times while awaiting the game's national anthem!)

I don't know how many people I talked to, but I estimate about 20 on Saturday and about six on Sunday. Six people actually took flyers from me on Saturday. On Sunday, only three. But on Sunday, one voter anxiously signed up to help with the campaign and get on the email list.


I survived the ordeal by watching (and learning from) people's reactions. Thankfully, I didn't have any rude customers. Many were not interested, but everyone was respectful. Well, except for the woman who mouthed that we volunteers are crazy for thinking anyone can pull off a campaign in such a short time span.

Many people read the sign. They saw Evan McMullin's name. If nothing else, they read the sign. That's better than not seeing it at all.

Many people would make eye contact with me, then quickly turn their eyes away if I tried to smile at them. I took that as my cue to leave them alone. They came for pumpkins, not lectures.

Some people would ask who Evan McMullin is after reading the sign. I would tell them in a sentence or two. Most would nod and walk away. Again, at least the name is getting out there.

For those few who were truly interested, how exciting to tell them and watch their eyes light up. Several people told me they were already voting third party. We had some great discussions about this being the year of third parties. That was exhilarating. Changes are in the works. A revolution is slowly coming to a boil. Even though this year's election may not turn out the way I hope, I think the movement to fix what's broken has taken hold, and I think it's going to be amazingly successful in reshaping our system. I welcome it.

I've decided I won't volunteer in that capacity again because it's just not my cup of tea. I can help more effectively by donating what I do best... creativity and proofreading. I'll leave the suggestive selling to the true salespeople.


On the opposite side of us from the window guy was a tie dye spin artist. It was so much fun to watch the reactions of passers-by. People my age and older, the hippie generation, would admire and try on the colorful clothing. Teenagers would ooh and aah and comment, "Oh, I need to do some tie dye when I get home!"


Directly across from us was a crochet booth, catering mostly to little girls. I enjoyed watching young moms drool over cute little hats and dresses, thrilled that crochet is back in style.

Next to the crochet booth was a foster care group. I took particular interest in this booth because I was a therapeutic foster parent. If you think it's hard to recruit voters, just think how hard it would be to recruit foster parents!

I tried to see how many people signed up to be foster parents. Sadly and yet humorously, that booth had fewer customers than me. What tickled me is the volunteers (or employees or foster parents) in that booth weren't too worried about how many people were interested. They were completely content talking to each other and playing with their handheld devices. What a way to spend a weekend day!


When the event concluded, I helped clean up the booth, then found a vendor still selling food. I brought home two giant turkey legs for The Lizard and I for dinner, but I also managed to snap a few photos on my way back to my car. I'd never been to this particular venue before, although it's been on our bucket list because they put on one heck of a light show for Christmas. I'll bet the flowers aren't blooming then!

Tweet