Wordless Wednesday

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Beginning to Look a Lot Like...

I recently participated in my first-ever ornament swap, hosted by Lisa's Chaos. This is what I created and mailed off:
(See, Alyeska? I really can part with one of my tiny bears if I make it knowing I'm giving it away!)

And this is what I received in return. My exchange partner, Robinella at Not a Stepford Wife, actually put some homework into creating her lovely ornament, and she painted two of my original snowflake designs onto a glass ornament!!! Isn't it simply gorgeous?!?
This swap was a fun thing to do. Meeting people all over the world who have the same interests, dreams and hopes is a miracle, something that didn't happen so easily 20 years ago. Blogging has opened so many doors for me, and I'm just getting started!

I've enjoyed "meeting" both Lisa and Robinella, and I've enjoyed "meeting" so many readers from all over the globe. What a wonderful way to start off the Christmas season!

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Free at Last!

Guess what I have in my hot little hands!!! Two DVDs of more than 600 retouched Makeover Madness photos! Actually, they are not in my hands... they are in the DVD drive and being uploaded for printing as I type.

Light at the end of the tunnel!

I thought I'd finish the retouching Friday night. But with just 14 photos left to go, I could no longer keep my eyes open. I retired for the night unfinished.

Because I thought I was so close to done, I splurged Saturday morning and shot the sunrise for the first time in what feels like forever. Jackpot, too. I could not have picked a more perfect sunrise or location to shoot. Watch for Wordless Wednesday.

When I got back home, My Dear Lizard wanted to go on a bike ride, being as the weather was so perfect. So off we went, me wasting a good three hours when I could have been retouching. But I had only 14 photos left to go. I could afford such luxury. I was one happy camper. Or maybe I should say happy cyclist...

About 5 p.m., I picked up where I'd left off on the retouching and finished at 6:08. You should have seen my happy dance!

But then a couple of hours later as I was building the slide shows I make for each girl, I found another folder of photos. One more girl. And of course, it would have to be the one who needed the most retouching. My heart sank.

I finally finished the last round of retouching (and this time I did make sure no other untouched folders were lurking in the dark recesses of my hard drive) at 11:38 p.m. I slept through the sunrise Sunday morning, sang a duet in church, served in the nursery of my new ward for the first time, then made sugarless maple pumpkin muffin crowns for the women I visit teach, went visiting teaching, and picked up the slide show project once again after dinner. I really, really, really wanted to be done last night. I had planned to do another snowflake pattern today.

But it was not to be. Once again, I had to go to bed before I finished because I could no longer keep my eyes open, and I had to get up in time to be at work today.

At 6:10 this morning, I finished the last of the slideshows, got everything backed up in three different locations and then burned DVDs, still making it to work on time! Now I just have to order the pictures and schedule the scrapbooking party for all my volunteers to assemble the photos into albums and fill the gift bags, and the residential treatment center will be getting Santa early!

It feels SO good to be done!!!

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Time for Me to Fly

I'm going almost wordless once again. Because it's been one of those weeks...

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Eye Candy

I'm almost done with my retouching project, and then I get to go back to a normal life. Until then, here we go again... Today's installment is the result of my playing around with various Photoshop filter and plug-in combinations following a trip to Moab last Thanksgiving.* I have no monetary interest in Photoshop or any filters or plug-ins and am not being compensated for mentioning them; I just love manipulating photos and sharing what I've done.

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Wordless Wednesday

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Eye Candy

Still plugging away on my retouching project, so you have to put up with just a wee bit more photography...

Today's installment is a study of contrast in texture.

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100!

I've cycled 100 miles in a day. They call that a Century Ride.

I've crocheted 100 (or more) teddy bears and 100 (or more) snowflakes in the last 13 months. I've held a $100 bill in my hands, and even better, I've deposited one in my savings. Several times, I'm very proud to report!

I've done 100 situps at a time. I've shot 100 photos in an hour. Several times. I've climbed 60 flights of stairs more than 100 times in the last two years, and I've done more than 100 flights of stairs in a day 16 times since I began climbing stairs.

And now I've done 100 blahg posts!

To think that back in June, I was terrified I might not have enough creative ideas to fill a blahg. I procrastinated starting my blahg for nearly two years because I was so apprehensive of adding one more thing to my already full plate.

I wanted this post to be special, so I was really hoping I might photograph something spectacular over the weekend. We had 13 inches of snow in our second significant accumulation of the season, and my photo excursions did not disappoint!

This is one very happy Century Blahg Post!

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Fingerprint Friday

This year's handmade scarves are beginning to roll in...

I do several charity projects throughout the year, but the one at Christmas-time always takes the biggest bite out of my time. But I could never do this project alone. Each year, this particular project demonstrates the amazing generosity of my friends and co-workers.

For about six or seven years now, a bunch of my co-workers and friends have been spending a Saturday or Sunday, usually in November, at a residential treatment center for high-risk teenage girls. My friends and co-workers do the girls' makeup and hair, and then one of my co-workers uses boas, fake furs, jewelry and other fun props to model the girls while I shoot glamor-type portraits. The girls are all showered with attention as we try to bring out the best in them. We call it Makeover Madness.

I then retouch and print the portraits, and then a HUGE group of my friends and co-workers helps assemble the photos into albums we sprinkle with motivational quotes. We stick the albums into gift bags (which are donated and recycled by all kinds of folks) filled with all kinds of gifts (again donated by all kinds of folks). Then a group of us plays Santa and delivers the bags out to the girls in December.

Each girl gets a handmade scarf made by one of my friends or co-workers. I can't even begin to tell you how many people have learned how to knit or crochet specifically for this project. Some of them don't make anything the entire rest of the year. They do just this. They do it for me, because I ask for help, and they do it because it makes them feel good inside.

For hopefully obvious reasons, I can't share pictures of the girls or give any details at all about the bonding I witness each year as we do this. The expressions on the girls' faces when they dive into their bags, hungrily looking for those photo albums, and then their expressions when they see they really can be beautiful are so worth every ounce of time, energy and sacrifice it takes to do this year after year. The girls excitedly share their photos with each other and with their staff. We always include extra photos they can give away as Christmas (or other) gifts. (Yes, we respect the beliefs of those who don't celebrate Christmas.)

I'm very grateful to be allowed to share my talents, and I'm so grateful for my friends and co-workers. I'm grateful we were able to pull it off once again this year, even though this year has been a financial struggle for so many.

***

Steven Curtis Chapman sings:

I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with
The fingerprints of God

PamperingBeki challenges bloggers each Friday to discover, recognize and see God's fingerprints and share them with the rest of the world. See instructions to join in here. Also check the other blogs linked there to see more great Fingerprints!

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Friday Funny

Good thing I wasn't sipping water when I watched this one. My computer would have been all wet!

And here is the link in case you can't view it above.

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Eye Candy

This was the original photo.

This is the same photo after running it through a kaliedoscope filter in Photoshop.

* I have no monetary interest in Photoshop and am not being compensated for mentioning it; I just love using the program, I love sharing my experience with it, and I am very busy with other projects right now and don't have time to write about anything else.

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Wordless Wednesday

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Eye Candy

Yet another digital quilt. This one is comprised of sunrise and sunset shots during my first year of owning a DSLR camera (a Nikon D300).

* I have no monetary interest in Photoshop and am not being compensated for mentioning it; I just love using the program, I love sharing my experience with it, and I am very busy with other projects right now and don't have time to write about anything else.

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Snowflake Monday

Have you ever finished what you thought was a perfect flake, only to have rusty blemishes marring it when you remove the pins?

Three of my flakes have suffered that fate in the last month.

The first thing I learned is it's okay to throw out ten-year-old pins and buy a new box. And then I learned white fingernail polish has just the right magic to fix a faulty flake.

I suppose typewriter correction fluid or bleach might work, too. But I've not tried them. I did dab a few snowflakes with fingernail polish, and I'm completely satisfied with the results.


Because I didn't want to share just a tip on how to fix a defective flake, I decided to quickly jot down yet one more pattern. Makes a nice (and much-needed) break from zapping zits on teenagers, which is what I'll be doing with Photoshop during most of my spare time for the next couple of weeks. Sometimes I think I'd rather be crocheting!

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


Finished Size: 4 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 11 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or foil, cellophane tape, glue, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

Rust Spot Snowflake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: 12 sc into ring; sl st in 1st sc.

Round 2: Ch 1, sc in same sc, *ch 8, skip 1 sc, sc in next sc; repeat from * around for a total of 6 chain loops, ending with ch 8, join in first sc of round; bind off.

Round 3: Join in top of any ch 8 loop, sc in same loop, *ch 13, sl st in 10th ch from hook, ch 3, sc in next chain loop; repeat from * around, ending with sl st in first sc 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 4: *4 sc across next ch 3, sc into ch 10 loop, ch 5, sc into same loop, ch 7, sc into same loop, ch 9, sc into same loop, ch 11, sc into same loop, ch 9, sc into same loop, ch 7, sc into same loop, ch 5, sc into same loop, 4 sc across next ch 3p repeat from * around, ending with sl st in first sc of round, 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 the 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 Funny

You probably need to know I'm a stairclimbing enthusiast to understand why I find this so enjoyable.

Here is a link if, like me, you are unable to see embedded videos.

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Eye Candy

My latest digital quilt, with fabric I want to quilt with for real...

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Wordless Wednesday

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Retiring an Old Friend

Back in July, I was concerned winter would set in before I was able to work with some bright, summery batiks I'd ordered. In August I took a day off to help take down the Quilts at the Capitol. We finished shortly after lunchtime, so I had a whole half a day to sew!

I finished one skirt I had been hoping to make and then wear before summer ended, and I did get to wear it several times! But then the sewing machine sat dormant again for more than two whole months. Poor guy. He gets so lonely. Or he could be a she...

Last week we had a snow day. Typically I'd be out shooting because, well, that's what I do. And that's why nothing at home gets done on a timely basis. I don't know what got into me this time, but I decided to shovel, take a walk at a nearby park, shovel, sew instead of bike up a nearby canyon through 29 inches of fresh white powder and shovel some more. Also made homemade chocolate chip oatmeal cookies with no sugar! Oh, and then I shoveled again.

The black bag I've been using since I made it in about 1994 has seen its better days. The cordouroy literally is beginning to give. So I decided it's time to make a new bag.

I just loved slicing into my lime green stash again. The snow was white and bright, the fabric looked like summer; what more could a girl ask on a cold and blustery day?!?

Now the little black bag goes into storage. The fabric is so worn, I'm not sure I can use any of it for anything else. But the zipper may come in handy one day.

And now it's Take Your Lime Green Bag to Work Day! Every day! Even though it might as well be winter! Carrying my bright new bag, I can make sure the bus sees me when it's dark and dreary!

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Snowflake Monday

This may be my free pattern and crochet swan song for a while. I'm doing a service project next weekend that will result in about 80 hours of intensive photo retouching I hope to get done before the holidays. And then I'll need a nice little vacation from my computer and Photoshop!

Because I won't get a chance to do this again for a while, I'm sharing two patterns this time, and the second one is super simple with a fun and creative triple twist.

To me, the first snowflake looks a little like bicycle spokes. But then again, I'm a cycling fanatic...

If you like a bigger flake, as a variation of the first pattern below, I made a second snowflake from the same pattern using a [half double crochet, double crochet, treble crochet] sequence instead of the [half double crochet, double crochet] sequence in the third and fourth rounds and increasing the chain spaces from eight to ten stitches on the fourth round. The flake looks nearly identical but measures five inches across.

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: 3 1/2 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 11 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or foil, cellophane tape, glue, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

Bicycle Spokes Snowflake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: 6 sc into ring; sl st in starting sc.

Round 2: Ch 5 (counts as 1 dc and ch 3), *dc into same sc, dc into next sc, ch 3; repeat from * around for total of 6 points, join in 2nd ch of starting ch 5, sl st into ch 2 space.
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 2 (counts as first hdc), *dc into same ch 3 space, ch 3, dc into same ch 3 space, hdc into same ch 3 space, sc between two dc below, hdc into next ch 3 space; repeat from * around, ending with sc between two dc below; join in 2nd ch of beginning of round, sl st into dc and into ch 3 space.

Round 4: Ch 2 (counts as first hdc), *into same ch 3 space, work dc, ch 3, 2 dc into 3rd ch from hook, ch 5, sc into 5th ch from hook, ch 5, sl st into sc, ch 5, sl st into sc, ch 3, 2 dc into 3rd ch from hook, dc, hdc, sc into dc below, ch 8, skip hdc, sc, hdc and sc into next dc; hdc into next ch 3 space, repeat from * around 5 times for a total of 6 spokes and 6 points, finishing with sl st into 2nd ch of starting ch 2 instead of hdc on final repeat; 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 the snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.


For the second flake, you don't need thread! (Well, except to hang it.) A couple of readers have mentioned they are not able to work with thread and tiny hooks anymore, so I wanted to design a flake with regular worsted weight yarn. And then, while discussing my pink ribbon flake with Allicats on Ravelry, she inspired a terrific idea I incorporated here. Plus, I'm into recycling, and a snowflake would be the perfect way to bust a stash of those dreaded white shopping bags everyone seems to hate because they are so darned plain.

Finished Size: 3 1/2 inches to 5 inches from point to point, depending upon yarn used
Materials: 1/8th inch wide white ribbon OR white yarn OR narrow plarn (instructions below), size F crochet hook, thread for hanging, and that's it! You' won't have to block or stiffen this flake! (Unless you want to.)

Super Simple Plarn Snowflake Instructions
Ch 6; join to form ring.

Round 1: Ch 6 (counts as first dc and ch 3), *dc into ring, ch 3; repeat from * around for a total of six spikes; join in 3rd ch at beginning.
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 2: *Sl st into next ch 2 space, ch 3, dc into same space, ch 4, sc in 4th ch from hook, ch 4, sl st into sc, ch 4, sl st into sc, dc into same ch 2 space, ch 3, sl st into same ch 2 space; repeat from * around for a total of six points. Bind off. Weave in ends.

That's it! You're done! Attach a thread to the tip of any point, and hang your flake! If you used plarn, this flake is weatherproof! You can line your patio with flakes that will twirl in the breeze all through the holidays!


Narrow Plarn

To make narrow plarn, lay a white plastic bag out flat, smoothing out wrinkles and seams as much as possible. Slice off the bottom half inch all the way across. Gently open up the folds of the bag with your hands and smooth the bag out once again. Starting anywhere along the bottom, cut at an angle inward for half an inch, then cut along edge, maintaining half-inch margin all the way around and continue keeping the strand half an inch wide as you reach the point of beginning. Continue cutting and cutting and cutting until you reach the handles. Don't stop each time you go around and start a new strand. Keep cutting in one continuous piece.

Your plarn does not have to be perfect, and mistakes will not show. I promise. This plarn is much thinner than what is used to make crocheted and knitted bags and sandals, but it doesn't have to be sturdy for a snowflake.

However, thin plarn is easier to break, so be careful not to pull too tight while crocheting with it, especially when chaining. If it does break, just tie the ends together and keep going. Weave in the ends when you're done.

Snowflakes look best when made from all-white bags or bags with blue or pastel writing. (Pastel bags make nice accent flakes, too!) I'm hoping to have instructions for another holiday project using up the tons and tons of white bags with black and red writing after Thanksgiving. So stay tuned!


Many thanks to The Lizard for taking the photo of my hands cutting the plastic bag because I couldn't shoot and cut at the same time.

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Hot off the Press!

For the past six years, my employer has published a pocket-sized weekly planner. Budget constraints in 2009 made it impossible to offer the calendar again in 2010. My husband and I looked into printing the calendar ourselves, but that, too, was cost-prohibitive.

For the past six years, most of my weekends and vacations have literally focused on filling the next year's calendar with up to 60 photographs. That's a very hard habit to break!

I hope and pray the world financial situation will improve in the coming year and that publication of our weekly planner can resume in 2011. But for now, this calendar is my gift to the world in these troubled financial times.

I also plan to release a free version of the weekly planner in sections on a monthly basis (to spread out bandwidth usage throughout the year instead of one big server crunch now through January). The first installment will be available in December.

Of course, strings are attached... you know, all that legal mumbo jumbo. This calendar is copyrighted and provided by Snowcatcher Photos. You may print the calendar and share the calendar via link back to this site. A permanent link will appear in the right-hand column. You may not under any circumstances sell the calendar or any of the images therein. Modification or republication of the calendar or any of the images therein without prior written consent of Snowcatcher is strictly prohibited.

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