Crafting for the holidays confession.

Isn't it wonderful to make something beautiful and useful for someone special? Don't you love knowing that a blanket, hat, scarf, pair of mittens or sweater helped keep someone warm during the long cold months of winter? Goodness knows I do. Even more, I love seeing someone use something I made for them. They don't have to even say thank you. I just want to see my handiwork used and enjoyed.

Frankly I don't see this as some horrible request, but more as a natural extension of the entire reason I decided to gift something I made with my own two hands, and dedication in my mind. These beautiful bits of handwork were made to be used and used and used.

On another note I have added 2 more books to my needlework library:

Gothic Knits by Fiona McDonald
and
Comfort Knitting and Crochet: Afghans by Nora Gaughan, Margery Winter and the Berroco Design Team

I have been looking and coveting the afghan book since it came out. There are some very nice patterns that I will gladly try out as soon as I get a chance. I am also excited to get my needles tangled up in one of the dolls in Gothic Knits. These books are going to wait until the new year though, so that my holiday crafts have a chance to be finished.

Peace
J

Crocheted Mandalas a quick review

Today, once I got back, I was greeted by a package from Amazon. I have been waiting months for this; Crocheted Mandalas by Marinke Slump and Anita Mundt. I have to say it was worth the wait.

For anyone who may not know, Marinke Slink aka Wink or winkieflash, was a crochet blogger who found a path of clarity in the world of crochet to help her push back the onslaught of her depression. She chronicled her creative explorations on her blog acreativebeing.com, and in turn opened up crochet for 1000s of people. She sadly lost the fight before this book was released. She has left us her contributions to this lovely book aswell as lots of other great patterns on her blog and on ravelry. 

The book is beautifully illustrated with photos and crochet diagrams. Amazingly the diagrams are actually both functional AND decorative and are very creatively interspersed thruought the book. I have to say I am impressed with the whole package.

I have not had a chance to try any of the patterns yet, but I have gone through the instructions for a couple of the projects and they are clearly written and seem to be very concise. You can tell that this book was definitely a labor of love.  

Now, I am off to craft a little before bed. When I get a

chance I will try a pattern or two from the book and post some pictures and words.

Peace

J 

Early day, and getting a book pre order

Ahhhh, the smell of cold air. I can't say it is my favorite thing but I have smelled worse.

Today I am up early (yes, I got up at 8 AM. Yes that is early for me.) because I am taking my mother to a Dr appt. Out of town. About 2 hours out of town. She is going to see an arthritis specialist and it has taken a couple of years for her to find a Dr. that would give her a refferal. Such a long and convoluted story really, one I won't go into depth for here.

This situation causes me some anxiety, as most things do. I don't want it but it happens. It happens a lot. Sometimes it cripples my mind and makes me a quivering mass of worry, and it makes me lose sleep frequently.

I have found a few ways to tame these incessant feelings, like knitting, crocheting, beading, crafting, embroidering, painting, drawing and meditation. I can get lost, even for just a few minutes at a time, and that can be enough sometimes to tame 'the Beast' of my anxiety.

Speaking of Crochet, I will be getting my pre-order of Marinke Slink's book Crocheted Mandalas today. So excited. I am looking past this trip to the end of the day when I can Crack open the pages of the book. I will post my review as soon as I am done.

Peace.
J