Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm. ~ Sir Winston Churchill

It's not as easy to blog as I first thought. Too many other things get in the way.

In the meantime, I have:

Taken over my son's bedroom now that he is in Colorado, and have turned it into MY STUDIO! Whee!

Finished decorating a small cigar box with decorative paper and which now gets used regularly.

Completed construction of my first prototype for my Ditty-Bag, for which I would eventually like to sell as a pattern as I believe it to be unique and useful.

Finished a jewel-toned baby afghan for one of my husband's coworkers. It wasn't anything special, just a simple fan pattern in crochet, so I didn't take a picture of it.

Worked on an English-styled band sampler. The 16th and 17th century styles are my favorite, and I would love to find the Darlene O'Steen sampler that was offered years ago (late 1980s?) at a Just Cross Stitch seminar. Yowsa, that was beautiful.

Worked on my Sampler Sweet Bag by Sharon Cohen of Nostalgic Needle. I didn't cut the linen large enough for a bag, so this will be incorporated into an embellished block. Some day, I hope to do an Elizabethan/Tudor-type of project.

I'm in UFO mode lately, trying to finish up some old WIPs.

Long time, no blogging

During my blog absence I have finished a wool lap throw using Wool of the Andes yarn from KnitPicks! Unfortunately, we cannot find the cord thingy right now that let's us upload the pictures in the camera, including the pics of the 2 felted/fulled bags I have (almost) completed. Aargh!

I also finished a sweater for Oliver in lime and fuchsia-purple, now that he has outgrown his crazy embellished coat. I've also been working on several Faroese style shawls ... and more socks.

Too Much of a Good Thing ...

I have been decommissioned with DeQuervain tendinitis -- and just when I have to get some projects finished! My sister is visiting from Tampa, Florida, and spied a fulled/felted handbag while visiting a LYS. I offered to make it for her, planning to finish before she flies back home. In addition to this, I have a fulled/felted Fuzzy Top bag to make for my son's girlfriend's birthday 7/29. Unfortunately, due to a recent sock-knitting frenzy (pics coming), I developed the aforementioned DeQuervain tendinitis and it does not look like I will get my sister's Lucy Bag started. [The pics are from the patterns I'm using.]

Oy vey! I've never before had anything like this in all my years of knitting, etc. It's probably part of the mysterious Aging Process, which I am having serious issues with, thankyouverymuch ...

It's immobilizing not to use my hands for a few days, and it's miserable wearing this sweaty rubber wrist support in our current heat wave ... Looks like it's time to dig out my beading videos and create vicariously. I own a couple about beading The Face by Diane Brieglib and should keep me content for a few hours. It's too hot to move anyway. I mean, I'm breaking a sweat stirring dip! HA!

Creative Progress!

I have managed to bead (and finish) two -- count 'em, 2! -- necklaces in the last week AND get a good start on a pair of knit socks. Revving up the digital camera battery as we speak to post pics ... I would already have a pair of socks done as well, but the knitting needles package that said it was size 0 was really 00, and my socks ended up being too tight at the ankle rib. Nooo!

I am making plans to reclaim a bedroom in our humble abode now that my son is in the Air Force in Colorado. Initially, it will be a Stash Room to free up more working space in the Room of Good Intentions. Imagine, I will actually be able to sit at the sewing machine again AND turn around in the swivel chair!

Half way through 2005

Hard to believe we are already half way through 2005 ... My son is home from the Air Force for his girlfriend's graduation this weekend, so this puts a momentary hold on my engaging in any major embellishment projects. I have, however, finished a Mill Hill "motif" that I picked up on my way back from Green Bay (for a bariatric surgery appt./hoop), one of several that I plan to use on my CQ/embellishment projects.

Like my fellow new blogger, Nancilyn, I, too, am feeling overwhelmed with the enormity of my stash and the unfinished projects I have amassed. Fortunately, I view crazy quilting / embellishing as a means to an end in using most of my unfinished needlework. I especially related to this comment by Nancilyn: "Although my intention to complete each and every project is genuine, I am too easily diverted to the next point of interest. It's not that I get bored. It's that the exhilirating temptation to learn something new or the irresistible opportunity to increase my stash is overpowering." This hit a twin nerve in my own existence!

In my creative lifetime, I have learned: Knitting, crochet, embroidery, cross stitch, hardanger and other woven/pulled needlework, needlepoint, beading, tatting, handspinning, dyeing, quilting, lampwork (making glass beads), rubber stamps, stenciling, fabric printing, soapmaking, sewing and, to a lesser extent, art dolls, altered books, basket weaving, polymer clay, marbling fabric, rug hooking/punching, felting, weaving, macrame ...

And to think there are still things I haven't tried yet: Bobbin lace, mosaics, papermaking, porcelain/clay (complete with kiln, of course), PMC/ArtClay silver, needle laces, needle punch, locker hooking, collage/decopage ...

There are times when I am hit with true shame at the extent of my stash (and the space it is ravenously taking up) ... buttons, beads, ribbons, threads, trims, books, patterns, fabrics ... definitely more than I will use in my lifetime. At the age of 45 (oh, my God, I've said it and for anyone to see!), I have even begun to think about who should or will be the beneficiary of all this greedily accumulated treasure. Until then, and like a lot of other embellishers, I continue to envision the beautiful creations I would like to commence and complete.

Ready, set ...

Getting my blog set up, still trying to figure out how to place links in margin with title.

Testing, 1-2-3 ...

Main Entry: Renaissance woman.
Definition: Person taking on multiple roles.
Synonyms: Person of many parts.