Back into Blogging

Hello! I've been away from this blog for almost two years! Long story short, I've been working as a travel RN during this time and have not been able to blog. I've been creating, mostly jewelry for brides on commission by word-of-mouth.

Okay truth be known. I saw my spike stitch post on Pinterest yesterday. I was blown away when scrolling down I saw a familiar photo. Clicking at it, it was the post on learning the spike stitch. Yep, I forgot I had this blog! Well I'm glad I saw that, because I was going to get my esty shop going again. That fell  by the wayside, too while away from home.

The thing is, I started a writing blog (will post link later) several weeks ago to get me spurred on with my writing. I also reopened my culture/faith/commentary blog not long before that. Then I saw the aformentioned picture. So .. welcome back to Yarntails!

I have tales to tell about the last two years but they will have to wait. I'm just glad I remembered my password to get back in here!

My latest, a pair of crocheted slippers, made of Hobby Lobby's First Love acrylic yarn in Road Trip using size J (6.00 mm) during the first episode of John Adams the miniseries.

Leaves

 I have a love for leaves. I really do. I love the tendrils and the muted colors. I love the gentle curve and the veining. And I love leaves as a design element.  I use real leaves as castings, stampings and stencils. I crochet leaves. Big ones such as those in the picture - great as coasters or dishcloths or in the spa; little ones to embellish a scarf, and tiny ones for cards. Leaves are pretty. We once had a liquidambar in front of the house. It had broad leaves that change colors with the seasons. Tom and I loved that part of the tree -- but it had these golfball-sized pods with spikes. We could have tolerated the pods, and it could have stayed if not for the bathroom plumbing getting tangled up with roots!! Whatta nightmare!  I was once told that I reminded someone of Marianne Dashwood for my love of leaves. But I'm not the drama queen that Ms. Dashwood is..actually I'm more like her sister Elinor in keeping to myself.

But I digress...anyway, leaves.

Crocheting Resolutions for 2012

Actually, yes I'm one for making resolutions. I admit it. Come on now.. people say they're not into doing that but really do; they complain about the past year and how they're glad to be rid of it, implying a resolution to do things differently. So mea culpa; I do resolutions.

So at the end of each December I face the coming year as another chance and usually have a list of things I want to do, or not do. Here they are, and it's a good thing because many of them are Etsy-related.

* Open my Etsy boutique, even with only a few ready-to-ship items.... Check!
* Renew my CGOA membership, join the CYC.... Check.
*  Revisit and start participating at Crochetville....check.
* Crochet and knit every day.....check, so far so good.
* Commit to knitting a pair of Socks for Soldiers a month....check..one down for January, started one for February.
* Learn entralac, Fair Isle, and intarsia.....looking into classes, bought books on the subject.
* Learn a craft I've never done before....signed up for Torrey Pines Needle Basket-making for February.
* Re-join Soldiers' Angels......done, and got connected with the local Vet group.
* Join my local Arts Guild.....not yet done, but got a brochure on the subject.
* Start local craft fairs...not yet done; will be with local Arts Guild.
* Take up watercolor painting....saw a class offered at the Craft Center but will take when I have more money.
* Be active in my Literary Classics Book Club....joined last November but the holiday season swallowed me up...book for February: Persuasion by Jane Austen. I already have the book and have read it before..started reading, need to fix my email issue with the site.
* 2012's 50-Book Challenge with Livejournal and Crochetville....check.
* Where's my sewing machine?? It's packed away in the garage...need to find it, get it refurbished, and get quilting.
* Increase my income!! .....add extra shifts in travel nursing.
*Get healthy!!!...use health insurance since I'm paying beaucoup bucks for it! Make regular appointments, avoid getting ill, rest, mini-vacations, drink lots of liquids (my downfall), eat regularly....make appointment with nutritionist...use the clinic's lose-weight program, etc. etc....
* Continue the momentum on the study of medieval history...check! I love this subject anyway :))

Writing:
*Journal everyday....already developed this habit so I have a good start.
*Poetry every day....ditto
*Do more blogging....okay a hard one, and easy to ignore since I really no longer like to blog as I did before, but this exercise is probably the best outlet to get writing.
*E-publish some short stories and novellas....started editing some works...will fix a target date for publication.
*Read...no problems there. I'm a readaholic with no cure in sight.

 Boy, it looks daunting....but I'll do my best..

Stash up the Wazzoo!..and found treasures

I've been cleaning and organizing my guest room all week to turn it into a studio. I've gathered all my supplies and stashes onto the living room.

Holey moley. This will take time. My stash is out. of. control. And I need to do some serious work to finish all the WIPs -- firstly, by matching the unfinished projects with their tools and patterns. Hoooo boy. It sure pays to ziplock things together...

My once-serene living room looks like the yarn tornado came by. Beads and findings and wires, oh my. Fabrichanalia! Dang! Rigel, my poor little Havanese, is confused; my cats are in curiosity heaven.

-- HOWEVER --

I found stuff I forgot I had: the jewelry displays and cases; a box of vintage beads; music sheets -- I play the harp; my yarn swift -- I almost bought a new one; my sewing kit -- unfortunately, I bought another one so now I have two; my entire KnitPicks needles set -- woohoo!! My laptop bag, a silver necklace, and my dvd of Sense & Sensibility, which I will watch after blogging and while sorting through stash.

Whew! Back to work. Pictures soon.