Filed under: Blogging, Blogroll, Crafts, Crochet, Design, Finished Projects, Hundred Flower Scarf, Knitting, Life, Ongoing Projects, Ripple Blanket, Thoughts, Writing
there are no graphic signs enough for my slack-jawed expression right now!!!
a long time ago i submitted this here blog to
Crochet Carnival
and guess what?!?!?
my blog is there!!!!!!!!!!
blop on over and check it!!
which reminds me, i have some photos for you of wips and finished projects. i took them with my sil1’s camera when she was in town for G’s birthday last week. unfortunately, she forgot the cable, so i have to wait a couple of weeks till she gets home (she is spending this week with her parents) for her to send them through snail mail (there were too many photos for email)…
so, in a while u will have some new pics of my ripple… it’s going, slowly with my buzybee schedule, but going nontheless…
so, i leave you with a pic of g’s new crocs, brought straight from china by my mom, who got back yesterday… too bad i forgot to ask for a pair of mine!!
I also finished sil1’s hundred flower scarf! yipee!! pics as soon as she sends them…
Filed under: Crafts, Crochet, Current Status, Design, Finished Projects, Granny Square Bag, Hundred Flower Scarf, Life, Ongoing Projects, Ripple Blanket, Sewing, Thoughts, Writing
I know I have been scarce in the blogosphere, and other places, but these last months have been, well, hell.
First, Hubby was finishing his Masters Program, for which he had a scholarship, that basically kept food in our table while I got better from my burnout + looked for a job + decided whether or not to return to college. Well, he finished his Masters, with honors. And so went his scholarship. And 60% of our monthly income.
Now, we were prepared for that, really. But when we made our plans, we didn’t count on my unemployed self still being unemployed, and our computer, which for many times saved our collective behinds with heaven-sent odd translating and formatting jobs, decided it wanted a vacation, which meant sending it to tech support, which made our savings last for about a month. Yeah. Things were dire in the preeety household.
Then we all got sick together as winter came into play. I decided I had to go back to school, or things would be bad permanently, so I started the whole “back to college” process, and away went my pride, since I had to seek financial aid – from my mother! Not a good thing I tell you.
In a moment of desperation, I fled to the streets with a desperate face and a pile of résumés under my arms, and proceeded to stop at every printing service, ad agencies and such, begging for a job. I even tried some English schools for teaching positions (not my thing), but nothing came to my aid.
As I walked past a house, I chance to look at its walls and what do I see: a sign offering typing services! In I went, and now it’s been a month and $600 and I am employed, enrolled and applying for scholarships!
I tell ya, if things got any worse, I’d be dead by now. It’s not all a bed of roses (or daisies, daffodils, and assorted) but things are improving. In a weeks time, G will be celebrating his birthday with classmates, the whole assorted family will be here for the party, as we celebrate 3 years of a better world because he is in it. That is one great kid I made!
About that not being a bed of roses comment, Hubby is still looking for a job, and apparently it’s going to be tough, since he is in crossway of sorts, career wise.
Now, for the worse of all: remember I mentioned the computer brakedown? Well, it went to tech support, and came back not himself. How come I used to be able to run Photoshop, Corel and Firefox, plus Messenger and iTunes at once, and after my baby came from its vacation, I could barely run Photoshop on its own? I pondered over this for 2 months, till one day the answer came to me: the tech guy, hear this, EXCHANGED MY PENTIUM 4 3.0 FOR A CELERON 3.12!!!!!!! I kid you not!! And the shop has removed itself from any responsibility for the occurrence!
Of course, we’re taking the appropriate measures, but it takes time. And to top it of, our mother-board has short-circuited, so I am now computerless. And there is no money for a new board and new processor, so…
Meanwhile, I can only read all the blogs I follow, and post, at work, and that doesn’t happen everyday, so I’m taking a (forced) leave of absence, with occasional visitation rights. Oh well.
Now, for the crafting, it’s going… With the new job, I don’t have much time left, and now that I’m going back to school for a B.A. in Design (insert huge grin here) the time will be even less, but I managed another Santa Hat, am halfway through a cardi for G, one for my sis-in-law, and finished a scarf for Hubby (autumn colors, perfect for a redhead!), and am going strong on the ripples. I even bought some great fabric for cushions, and will be (having made) a sofa cover, finally! And it’ll come off really cheap too, since I got a cheap child-safe fabric, meaning if it gets ruined by 3 yo hands, it won’t hurt as much! And I’ll even try my hand at sewing the Hundred Flower Scarf together (finally) and the inside of the Granny Bag. So that’s all folks!
I’ll try to get some photos done, and show you guys.
And to explain the title of this post, I am awed and amazed that, even though I haven’t posted in so long, there are still some hits and comments on this blog. Thank you so much!
Now I have to go back to work. I can’t believe it took me 2 hours to write this (I had to stop constantly; apparently people do get out in freezing cold weather on a Saturday; based on previous Saturdays, I couldn’t tell). Bye ya’ll.
Filed under: ATCs, Art, Blogging, Crafts, Crochet, Knitting, Opinion, Photography, Ripple Blanket, Writing
though i might have led some to believe it…
i just took a break from blogging, cause i was really tired of my posts, them being so dull i bored myself to tears rereading them.
the reason i started blogging was so i’d lose my irrational fear of writing in the first place. it’s strange, because i have all these monologues in my head, and they make a lot of sense, and they are good stuff, but when it comes time to materialize them, through word or verse (yikes!) they don’t come out right. i was told once that the best way to learn to write is to read, but i do that a whole lot, and i mean a whole lot, and still i’m hopeless…
why is that i wonder?
so, as i took this blogging brake, i accomplished many things. and now for a list of them:
- i did a lot of work on my ripple blanket. i’m half way through it! hubby loves it too, and thinks it’ll be a great addition to our room. of course he hopes i will bring myself to making the bed every morning, in the need to show off my craftiness. then again, he also hopes i will somehow become immensely rich and support him for life so he doesn’t have to work and can do his research all day (he just got his masters degree on philosophy of education, something about aesthetic education and some guy named schiller who lived in the 17th century – or is it 18th – and habermas and some other people – did i mention he graduated in philosophy? – and i actually understand his work, i just don’t have the heart to bore you to tears, but i’m real proud of you hon!). back to the ripples, they were going strong, and i got a lot done in a week, but my arm started giving me grief, so i laid off of it for a while. but it’s going great! i think i’ll get back to it in a few days.
- i’ve taken up knitting seriously. seriously. my arms were in bad shape, but i couldn’t just sit iddle, and i must run from my wardrobe and it’s cry for help, so, after dabbling with the continental method in a scarf or two (every beginner’s project) i took on the mountainous effort of a hat/cap/thing-made-of-wool-that-goes-over-head-on-cold-days (agh!) for my sister-in-law. the only hitch is that i, being a newbie to the world of knitting, well, not exactly a newbie, but a recently converted member of such holy sisterhood, seeing as i first picked up a pair of needles and yarn at my grandmother’s knee by the advanced age of 5, even before i learned my letters, but not having really quite gotten the hang of it till i became proficient on crochet a few months ago, which i also learned at my grandma’s knee at the age of 5 or 6 – oh how i digress!!! see what i meant when i said i am a terrible writer!!! well, to get back to the subject. i made the damn thing too small cause i didn’t swatch it for the gauge, nor for the colours, so i had to frog it a lot because the (pink) colours weren’t working. then i had to frog again because i misread the pattern. and then because the colours weren’t working again. but now, after deciding the
hatthing will go to my eleven year old cousin who also loves pink (as well as my 22 year old sister-in-law) so i don’t have to frog all of it and start over, i am almost done. just a couple more rows and a pompom to finish it off! yey!!! i don’t think i’ll get to show you pictures, but the explanation to that will come later. - i’ve joined threadingwater on her new Mother’s Day Project. I’ve been meaning to get back to stitching/embroidery for a while, and i think this will be a good kick-start. she’s looking for help, so hop on over and get to it! i’m also
working onthinking of a button for the project, maybe i’ll even get to actually making it! - i did some more ATCs for a newbie ATC swap over at swap-bot. since there wasn’t a real subject to the swap, i was at loose ends, so i started looking through some random images, and picking the ones i liked, and pretty soon there was a common ground between them, so i went with it. i usually make a big picture which i cut down to ATC format. in this case, i turned it into four different ATCs. here they are, and the prints are on their way to TX and IA.
well, that’s that. oh, about the photo thing. i usually borrow my mom’s camera, and that hasn’t been possible lately, so… no photos yet. i will post soon, i promise. maybe this weekend!
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Filed under: Blogging, Crafts, Crochet, Life, Opinion, Ripple Blanket, Thoughts, Writing
i’m one third of the way done!!!!!
on my ripple blanket, that is. i was goofing around, and decided to try it on the bed, thinking i had a looong way to go, so you can imagine my shock when i realize i have only 2 thirds to go! it’s extraordinary what a difference the width of the blanket made. the best 25 inches i ever lost! it was so exhausting working on it back then, but now, in 4 days, i’ve advanced what had taken me a month!
and i really need to work better on my posts. i bore myself with them…
well, off to torture clean house!
bye bye
Filed under: Blogging, Crafts, Crochet, Life, Ripple Blanket, Thoughts, Writing
for a few days now, which makes the writing a bit difficult, since mostly what comes out is self-pity in writing. so i’ll keep it simple.
the ripples are going strong. am at 34%. YEY! somehow i will get photos. don’t know how, but i will. that’s that. i’ll try some eloisa james for some cheering, right along with a ripply and some sandwiches, so not in the mood to cook.
Filed under: Amigurumi, Art, Babette Blanket, Blogging, Blogroll, Books, Crafts, Crochet, Current Status, Design, Finished Projects, Granny Square Bag, GrannySquares, Heaven Blanket, Hundred Flower Scarf, Knitting, Life, Matryoshka Doll, Memes & Quizzes, Ongoing Projects, Opinion, Painting, Paper, Photography, Quilting, Ripple Blanket, Sewing, Stool Covers, Thoughts, To-Do, Ultimate Blog Party, Vertical Scrap Blanket, Writing
first, watch this.
now, for the ranting session.
- the amazon does produce a lot of oxygen, which it consumes right away.
- the territory where amazon is located houses a lot of people. these people are for the greater part brazilian.
- the people who are pulling it down are corporate america. yes. that’s right. huge “american” multinationals are taking it over, with the “purpose” of using the land for grazing. cow grazing. know what they do? they pull down all the vegetation. then they put one cow there. leave it for a while, and go on to the next piece of land. taking that same cow, by helicopter, while the ground burns to get rid of the cleanup job. and this is a very poor soil, especially after the burning, so the only thing that grows there is forest, cause they are self sufficient, and the fallen leaves and dead animals make up for the lack of nutritients in the soil. these are the same companies that gave the military money for the coupe d’estate in the 60’s, which led to our state as a military dictatorship from 1964 to 1984, a time when many, many hundreds “mysteriously dissapeared” after being taken by the military. these people were mostly tortured to death and disposed of in unmarked shallow graves. most of them are still missing. the military then went on to start hundreds of projects meant to “bring progress to the country”, but which ended up bankrupting us. and that is still a problem 20 years later. i could go on, but all this information is available, so…
- there are minerals and gems and gold and silver and all that more around there. all of it protected. but, if you happen to own the land… need i say more? there is a huge speculation of diamond mines there as well.
- not to mention all of the flora and fauna, many of which have tremendous medicinal importance, hence the potential to make pharmaceutical companies even more rich then they are already.
i’m gonna stop for now, but you catch my drift, right? the people who get their hands on that land is gonna such it dry, and make gazillions in the process. and all in the guise of “saving the green”. yeah right!
Filed under: Art, Blogging, Crafts, Crochet, Life, Opinion, Painting, Photography, Ripple Blanket, Thoughts, Writing
he’s the guy i think about when i finish a piece of artwork. basically, because i’m using the same technique as him, on a different medium. if you don’t know what the hell i’m talking about, check this. if you still don’t get it, don’t bother. it’s just artist schpiell. and boring, at that. artists are way overrated.
here’s one of his earlier works, the ones i obsessed about in college. and am greatly inspired by. i have a love/adoration thing with pop art. no i will not comment on it, cause my daily 2 hours of computer time are coming up, and i need to go. i’ll leave you with some rauschenberg eye candy.
and just so there’s some crafting done in the craft blog, the ripples are going strong!
Filed under: Blogging, Crafts, Crochet, Life, Opinion, Ripple Blanket, Thoughts, Writing
replying to peaseblossom, on the whole post grunge/flower lover thing from last post:
yeah, but they are so complete opposites. when you’re a teen, there is the whole search for identity, one of your own, not influenced by your family, that you end up hating everything about them, and running the other way. then, when you get older, things settle down, and sometimes, you end up right where you left…
in my case, i went form rebellious grunge teen to adult mother and wife (i was 21, but still, it was a major shock), and it went on so fast, i lost track, and lost something in the process. there is supposed to be whole phase for that transition from teen to adult, but i did on the blink of a scalpel. i had a c-section, so i lost even that moment, when you go from pregnant to mother, i was so high on legal drugs.
i never put too much stock into rituals before that, but now i understand one of their purposes: they prepare you for the changes, and help you cope with them. maybe i wouldn’t be such a mess if i had had a childhood/adulthood ritual, like a bat mitzvah or other such. oh well, too late now, but do you get my point? i know it must be difficult, with some five thought processes jammed into one post, but do you?
it’s like, how did i get here? like i woke up hung over on a strangers bed (not that i ever did that, but i imagine that’s how it must feel)
and there is nothing wrong with paradoxes either. they just make me wonder sometimes.
and the ripples are going strong, even if my mood isn’t. instead of brooding all day, i rippled. and watched a really yummy young Tom Cruise on tv! (just so there was some craft content in this craft blog post).
Filed under: ATCs, Art, Blogging, Crafts, Crochet, Life, Opinion, Paper, Photography, Ripple Blanket, Thoughts, Writing
manda mentions that sometimes she wonders how a former punk can be so influenced by florals. which got me wondering how the hell a former grunge not only gets influenced by florals, but actually crochets?
can you explain that???
i know i don’t.
oh well, another magical mistery.
the ripples go, and go, and go… with all the frogging and destruction, i am once again at the 20% mark, but what the heck, it looks better now, so no regrets. all else is ignored for the moment.
i’ve been unable to get a hold of my mom’s camera these last few weeks, but i wanted to give you guys some eye candy, so i’ll show you my latest artistical attempts, in the form of atcs. these are actually very close to what i was working on before my breakdown last year, back when i called myself an artist (delusion and grandeur and such…), and i’m very proud of myself for gettingback on the horse start producing again. it was over a month ago, but for someone who’s spent the last 18 months running away from anything resembling art supplies, it is a huge step. my former teacher only got stuck for about 6 months when the same happened to her, so that’s about the time she gave me, and when the 6 months came up and i couldn’t even pick up a pencil, she sorta gave up on me. can’t really blame her though. i wouldn’t go back anyway. but, it’s good to be doing something, and here are the results. hope you enjoy them as much as i did when i made them (self critic is high in these parts, which is one of the reasons i had the f^&#%$@ breakdown in the first place, but more on that never).
these are my view on “abstract”, and they are going to my swap partner, over at swap bot. since it seems to be going around like virus over the web, NO, YOU MAY NOT COPY IT!!
btw, it’s a triptic.
preeety abstract 01
preeety abstract 02
preeety abstract 03
Filed under: Blogging, Blogroll, Crafts, Crochet, Design, Granny Square Bag, Hundred Flower Scarf, Life, Ongoing Projects, Opinion, Ripple Blanket, Sewing, Thoughts, To-Do, Vertical Scrap Blanket, Writing
(yeah right, like i’m gonna post that here!) and i’m a lazy person.
yes. very lazy. i’ve been putting off blogging, for laziness purposes. thinking is exhausting. crafting as well.
but i’m back (i think), and i’m rippling, (can’t show you pictures though).
I frogged some of my first rows, cause they were not looking good, and it required a lot of gymnastic abilities, but it’s done, without having to frog all of it. i also took about 25 inches from the sides (also a manoeuvre deserving of Olympic medals – note the use of plural) cause it was too wide and sagging from the bed too much. it’s good now, it looks good, it’s good to ripple again, cause before it was so wide it was tiresome, and i got bored halfway through it. well, not anymore, i got a lot done. will try for some pictures in the near future.
and the real reason for my craft brakedown is simple: i have to sew the lining in my granny bag.
yeah, i had breakdown over that. you would too if you were deathly afraid/really bad at sewing. i’m thinking of taking it to a seamstress down the street, just so it gets done before the next millenium. i really need to learn to sew. really.
plus, my (grandma’s) sewing machine needs some repairs, and i don’t have a car to take it to the shop, so i procrastinate on that, and i really hate handsewing, so i put it off. shamelessly. it sucks.
but now i’ve gotten over it, and started to ripple again. plus i started the vertical blanket for baby monster, which i put aside as well for reasons of creative nature.
and that’s that.
ah, i also have to sew the hundred flowers together, at which i’ve been baulking for nearly two weeks now! how’s that for wooss/wuss? (how do you spell that?)!
i did two scarves too!
and THAT is that!
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