Glitter and tatting

I am tired, oh so tired, most of the time. Due to the new medication. I have so many projects to work with, but in one way or another they feel too heavy to work with right now. But at least I managed to make a pair of mitts for a pretty little girl. 

It happens all the time that I forget to take a picture of things I make for others. This time I remembered it in the last minute, in the car! :) So behold, red glittering mitts! I know, I really am a great photographer...

I spend a lot of time on internet right now, finding a lot of inspiration. Too tired for most of it for the moment, but this seemed easy enough to try. May I introduce to you my very first tatted thingy!

It's a flower pendant. I followed a great tutorial on youtube, since I haven't figured out how to follow patterns yet. But I think I will, since this was great fun. I didn't have any tatting equipment, so I used a tapestry needle and thin crochet yarn. I thought it would be complicated when I first saw tatting, but at least this flower was a piece of cake. Try it! I will continue tatting, that's for sure!

Broom stick for the tired

I have learned a new technique today, broom stick crochet. Not hard at all! I would like to use it for a pair of wrist warmers, but I would have to stitch it together, and I don't like to stitch things... So we'll see about that. Maybe there is a way to do it in the round?

Not that I needed a new project, I have a ton of unfinished ones by now! And others that I really should get started on. So this was completely for my own pleasure. I needed to activate myself and do something fun, after spending several days on the couch, to tired to do more than watch TV or play with the phone... 

I had to see the doctor last week, and among other things they checked my thyroid gland (sköldkörtel, in Swedish). I asked them to, since a doctor told me ages ago that we should keep it under supervision. Then we all kind of forgot about it. But this time I thought I would mention it, and it turned out to be a good decision. Because it almost didn't work at all anymore... The doctor said I must have been having problems with it for a long time, for it to get this poor.

The thyroid produces hormones that controls how quickly the cells burns energy,among other things. With my low levels of hormones, my body has been using the energy so slowly that the cells haven't been able to function normally. That is why I am always so tired, why my memory and speed of thought has decreased. It can also explain a lot of ache  in muscels and joints, cold feet and hands, stomach problems... 

Well, you get it. I haven't been well in many ways, and this is the explanation for a lot of it. And now I need to take hormone pills, and they are the reason for me beeing so tired. I have read that they might have the opposite effect to bwgin with, since the body is so used to low levels of hormone it stops producing when it suddenly gets higher levels of hormone in the blood. It will probably get better as the body gets used to the new levels, or as we increase the dosage of medicine. 

But this far, it has made me sooo tired... To tired to knit on my black shrug, that I haven't even showed you. I hope I will have energy enough to keep you updated, it has been a little crazy around here lately. And I really want to finish something soon! :)

Now, I don't want anyone to feel sorry for me because of all this, 'cause I don't. I am actually happy to finally have a diagnosis that can explain my problems, and that I can get help to feel better!

Wishing you all the best, until we get in touch again!

Slippers

I am up late tonight. Trying to get tired wnough to aleep well, in spite of the ache. There is snow in the air, and it hurts. No use to try to fall asleep then... So sincee I am getting pretty bored from lying on the couch doing nothing useful, I thought I could show you what I have been up to this week.

My daughter reealized that she had no slippers, they were all too small. She didn't seem too  keen on letting me knit her a pair, and not crochwt either. So I thought maybe I could sew her a pair or two. So I did.

The first pair (or really the second pair I made) ismade in felted wool. They used to be a cardigan that actually used to fit me a long time ago. It didn't anymore, so I threw it in the washer and felted it, and kept it for the right project. Since black and grey is not what young girls dream about, I tried to spice them up a bit by stitching them with sparkling silver yarn and adding some sequins. I think I succeeded, since she even agreed tomake them her school slippers. (As you might know,kids in swedish schools do not wear shoes inside, but it does get rather cold and wet on the floors this time of the year.)

The first pair I made was also made from clothes. A fleece sweater my daughter used to wear. And I am happy to say that I only had to use the arms, so I have most of it left. These are a lot softer than the thick, sturdy felt slippers above, but I think they are perfect for lazy days under a blanket on the couch, or after an evening shower before bedtime. 

Both pairs have leather soles, made from a bag of scrap leather I bought on a market a few years ago. The pattern is from marthastewart.com, but I will tell you more once I sit down by the computer for a while. Have some pictures from when I made the first pair.

It is getting seriously late now, so I think I better get to bed now. Hopefully to get a good nights sleep. I hope you will too, once it is your bedtime! :) Good night!

A few thoughts

No pictures today, I'm afraid, just me and my thoughts. Hope you're fine with that.

I've been thinking a lot about this blog lately. I haven't been updating a lot lately, and it has a million reasons I guess. But the most obvious reason is that this has turned into a knit and crochet blog, and I don't knit and crochet that much anymore. Not that I don't want to, I am simply busy or too tired to get on with it. I don't work that much, but it makes me tired. And my spare time goes to tending to my family and the house. So I don't have much to show or talk about here, really. I've even thought about closing this down. But I don't really want to. So either you will see less of me around here, or I could go back to blogging about anything that comes across my mind. Or a mix of both. I know some of you will be fine with that, but I also think that a lot of (all of?) my newer followers are here mainly because of my African Flower Bag, hoping for more of the kind. Maybe some day, but I don't want to get your hopes up.

Another thing that I have been thinking about is... are you really reading what I write? I don't get a lot of comments, and I know that some friends and relatives are giving up because of me writing in English. If you are reading, please let me know! I get a feeling most people in the statistics simply browse by in search for nice patterns, not staying or reading much.

Anyway, I have been searching for patterns today. My mum was kind enough to buy me seven lovely skeins of yarn on a trip to a local yarn store. And I would love to make myself a cardigan, or something like that. But as always, it's hard to find a pattern that I like since most of them require soooo much yarn. But I think I have find a few alternatives now. I'll let you know.

Now, I have some laundry to take care of, a pair of fingerless gloves to finish and a shawl. to enlarge. It's made in lovers knots, so it will be dead simple to just pick up where I stopped and make it larger. Hopefully I'll remember to bring the hooks and the extra yarn upstairs this time. Too lazy (and somewhat tired) to hit the stairs again, once I'm up there and in the mood for some crochet.

See you later!

A little too much

Yes, I did a little too much yesterday. I should have known and stopped in time. I guess I got carried away. Today, I don't do much at all. Tired and aching. Trying to save what strength I have for tonight when we have our kid activity Royal Rangers (kind of like scouting) and for work tomorrow.
Felt the need to feel that I achieved something little, so I pinched the tops from the basil in my kitchen window and put them in the window. Not much, but at least something.
I won't be here tomorrow, too tired after work. Probably next week. So have a lovely weekend, everybody!

Lilac

I've been picking lilacs today. To make cordial (saft). My arms are that tired again, after a period when I've felt strong and full of energy. So right now I have a break, between brushing the lemons and cesting them. Or what ever you call it... Using that knuckle buster on them! :)
It's always tough to go from "healthy" to aching and sooo tired, in just a few days. This cordial making is an attempt to cheer myself up. Hope it works!
By the way, if you still have lilacs you should really try my cordial, I wrote it down on the blog last year, think the post is called Shirt dress and lilacs. Bye then!

Just a little

The days go by, and I don't do much. I read a lot, watch tiny seedlings grow and things like that. Try to rest my tired arms. Not much to talk about, couldn't find a thing to blog about the other day, when I felt like writing something.

Went to see the doctor, but there was not much to be done about them at the moment. Might need surgery in the future, to ease the pressure on a nerve, thought to cause the problem.

On the happy side, I manage to do just a little needlework every now and than. I made these little guys for a friend who's celebrating the graduation of another friend. They are supposed to look like an asparagus (wearing a graduation hat size tiny) and a water-melon. Nicknames my friends call each other. :) Not a great picture though, sorry about that.

Hopefully I'll have more to write about after the weekend. We're planning to spend some time gardening, which I'm really looking forward to. Maybe I can do just a little crochet too, that would be fun. :)

Trying to keep my spirits up, looking for hidden treassures when the days seem gray. And I usually find some! :)

One of those days

I'm on the couch today. Dressed in pj's and a fleece sweater, under a fleece blanket and my bed cover. Watching Stargate on TV. But the screen is facing south, so I can see the reflection of my window and curtain better than the actors... :)

I'm tired today. My back and my arms tell me they don't want to do anything at all. So I don't. I've been doing so much fun lately anyway. Knitting, crocheting, gardening... It was pretty cold outside yesterday, but the daughter and I went out to put some baby onions in the soil. I love growing some of my own food. I love to watch it grow. The tomato and basil seeds in the kitchen window are coming up now, tiny green plants. Lovely!

I called the hospital today, talked to a nurse about my hands going numb when I sleep. She would talk to a doctor and call me back. Maybe they can do something to help. That would be nice.

My hands are getting cold from typing, think I'll tuck them in and watch Richard Dean Anderson save the planet. Or at least I hope he will. :) See ya!

A little more crochet

I worked a little on the shawl last night. Probably too much if you ask my arms, but I felt I had to. I was sad and really needed to do something therapeutic with my hands. It's a roller coaster ride right now, both the mood and the pain is going up and down, back and forth. Mostly going for the better though. The challenge is to stay positive. And not do too much, but I'm not very good at that. I celebrate the good days by needle working, gardening and house keeping. And pain follows the next day. As I know it will. But it's worth it, it keeps me sane. Right now, I feel that I can manage this. Or at least endure it. So I embrace this moment. Nobody really knows what tomorrow will bring, so embrace your good moments too!

Much better

I'm quite happy today. I'm stiff and sore, but it's because I did something yesterday. And that kind of pain is a lot easier to bear! I felt a little better yesterday, so I did some sewing. It worked fine, so I ran to get some yarn and a hook...

...and got started on a little shawl in love knots! Yay! I probably should finish some of my projects instead, but my little girl had asked me so kindly if I could make her some more shawls. She has one in purple, but it doesn't go with all her outfits so she thought she needed some in different colors. And I am so happy to be able to work a little bit on this one.

But the thing that really made my day was probably this. My garden, how I love it! It always makes me feel so much better. Just walking around, checking what is new and what is growing. It gives me such a feeling of well-being. 

Soon, really soon, I'll be able to make some nettle soup. I love to, both since it's tasty and healthy, but mostly because my son loves it. And he doesn't like vegetables or anything green, so I'm thrilled that he actually is looking forward to this soup. :)

Ah, I love these little beauties! I wish they would spread out faster. I just love those old gardens that turn all blue in spring, with the lawn filled with them. Lovely!

This isn't that lovely, though. I guess that roe deer came back when I didn't see her and had a good meal. I'm not too upset, since this is actually the first time they've eaten my tulips since we moved here seven years ago. Just hope they don't get at taste for it now... 

Well, what can I say? A little needlework and a stroll in the garden really lifted my spirits. I'm happy. And that gives me strength to keep going a little longer, even though it still hurts a bit. Today is laundry day, but I also hope to be able to plant the pansies that are waiting on the porch. It's hard not to do too much, once I have a better day... But I'll try not to overdo it. :)

Let it snow!

"April, April, doesn't know what it wants. It rains and snows, it freezes and thaws, April, April doesn't know what it wants."

A translation of a little song we used to sing in preschool when I was six. And it's been so true for this last week. Sunshine and birdsong, wind and snow, warmth and ice... I've been feeling it in my body, and I know I'm not the only one. I can tell when the snow is coming in most cases, and I can tell if the sky is heavy and gray before I look out through the window. I know, I know... I really should stop talking about pain in every post, but you see that's pretty much all that is going on in my life right now. Some days are better, I was able to get out and cut some old branches from one of my black currant bushes one day, and even do some house cleaning another day. But then there are days when it hurts whatever I try to do. I don't even think about sewing or crocheting these days, since it feels like I could never ever use my arms again. :) OK, maybe not that much pain, but it's exhausting to be soooo tired and a little aching all the time. It doesn't have to hurt much, if it hurts all the time.

I spend most of my time on the bed or on the couch, if you were wondering. Cuddling with my stripy crochet pillow under a lovely, warm blanket in granny squares from my husband's home, looking out through the window so long that the spring light blinds me and I have to feel my way around when I have to do something in the house. :) Maybe not quite, but almost. I love watching the birds out in the trees, and see the branches moving in the wind. And I love when the sun shines on my little plants. I try to focus on the good things, enduring this tired body of mine for a while. Just accepting the pain and not thinking about it too much.

My boy sold seeds this spring, which arrived in the mail the other day. Lots of lovely little bags full of flower seeds and vegetables-to-be. I long to get out in the garden and start growing them. But it'll have to wait. Hopefully the weather will settle soon, and hopefully I'll get better too when it does. I now there will be better days. There always are. Only, today isn't one of them. They say snow is coming, and I believe it! So let it snow, I say, so all of us rheumatic weather sensitive people can move around as we would like to again! Please!?

Oh my!

It's been almost a week already? Since I wrote my last post I mean... Well, obviously time flies! Not that I've been having too much fun really, quite the opposite. I was down with that cold for almost a week, and right after that the weather change messed my entire body up. It does that to me sometimes. Going from sunny and warm with clear blue skies to gray and cold and snowy makes my poor body ache. Normally just for an hour or so, but not this time. Too big change I guess. But I try to keep my spirits high, knowing there will be better days. :) Sometimes I manage to keep my chin up, sometimes not.

But anyway, the sun is showing it's yellow face today, reminding me that it is really spring, snow or no snow. (We had some during the night, but it's already gone. Almost April, so it's no surprise the weather changes quickly.) The grass is getting greener, and so are some of the bulbs on the trees and bushes. And my window sills. I've told you about my project, replanting all my plants. And taking cuttings, separating some plants to make more, well I can tell you my window sills are packed full now! And I love walking from window to window, watching the tiny new leaves on the cuttings...

... and on the older plants that was cut down rather drastically! :) I don't usually tend to my plants too much, some people are amazed they even survive under my so called care... But I had to give them new soil this year, to keep some from dying. And they seem to appreciate it. I had so big plans about making colorful creations for my plastic pots, as the one with the hearts below, but my body obviously needed a break so there is not much crafting going on here. I'm really too tired, and my arms are too tired. But there are other things to do. Like laundry... ;) I'm not complaining, simply explaining why there is nothing crafty to see here right now. Some other day hopefully...

Oh, but this is kind of crafty, right? That's all I'm up to at the moment. Cross stitching. Bought this years ago, and have been working on it every now and then, when the mood kicks in. I'm almost done with it now, only a few more daisies to make. 

I really have enjoyed this embroidery, as you can see there are more stitches than only cross stitch in it, but I'll show you more when it's done.

I truly hope to get some energy back soon, and I truly hope my arms will heal so I can make something pretty (or ugly, or whatever really, as long as I get to make something :) ) to show you. Take care, and stay positive and appreciative about the good things in life. It's a great gift you know, even when we have bad days!

Hi there!

I'm sitting on the couch, in the sunshine, with some embroidery. My elbow has been pretty upset today, but I hope to be able to make at least a few stitches.
The house is all quiet, just the clock on the wall ticking. The rest of the family took the bikes and went for a ride. They brought some cookies and a friend along, and I hope they have a lovely time together. I was left behind since I've been suffering from a nasty cold the past few days. Sneezing and coughing...
Just wanted to show you I'm still alive... ;)

A little bored

I admit it. I'm getting bored. I miss knitting and crocheting now, so I'm trying to start again, slowly... Two rows of knitting and a little crochet on Saturday, four rows of knitting today. I long to finish this bolero, and it's not really much left to do. Maybe six more rounds before binding off, and then a little ribbing for the arms. I hope I can take it slowly enough, not upsetting any joints or nerves or what ever has been wrong with my arms lately.

 I know exactly when I stopped being bored today. It was as soon as I saw this beauty in the corner of my garden. Investigating the compost, moving slowly along the border between lawn and field. Passing just a few meters from my kitchen window. Grazing a little, then climbing up the earth cellar and walking out of sight.

Who can watch that, and then go back to being grumpy? Well, not me anyway. I sat in my sunny window upstairs, trying to get a second look. Then got started on the laundry, of all things! :)

There's a chance I'll get bored again though, so I think I'll look up the possibilities of making some clothing for my kid from t-shirts or something like that. My creative nerve is forcing me to do something!

Crochet pots

It turned out to be a good thing, that I forgot to take this picture yesterday. Or I wouldn't have had anything to show you today... The planting business was a bit too intense, I guess, 'cause my poor body didn't want to hear about it today. So no planting, just a hot, foamy bath and looking through the seed catalog, trying to decide what to buy. Not so bad after all, hey? :) It took some effort to really appreciate it (since I truly was in mood for some planting), but then I honestly felt grateful for simple things as bath foam and garden dreams. It's been a good day this far!

This is what I forgot to show you yesterday. Recognize the tins covered in crochet? They really brighten up the window sill with all their colorful stripes. They even look better than I thought they would. I love when that happens!

Maybe I'll still get a few plants in new soil and pots today, as the kids wanted to join in when they realized what I had been up to. So I'll help them out when they get home from school, trying not to overdo it. I tend to get carried away, but my body needs a break every now and then. And sometimes it's so hard to listen when it tells me to stop what I'm doing! When I'm in the mood for something, I want to do it now! :) Well, my son is just like me, so I better put some plants on the kitchen table before he arrives... See ya!

Birthday and flowers

It feels like I haven't been in here for ages... It's been a busy week! I usually sit at home every day, but last week I got to see the world for five days in a row! :) No big things though, a few visits at my husbands childhood home, church and stuff like that. But I liked getting out and meet people!

We also had people here yesterday, my family to be specific. They came over to celebrate my husband, who got a little older the other day... I had some plans to knit him a few things for his birthday, but since my hands were hurting last week (but a lot better now), he received a gift still on the needles and a little gift bag that I made. 

I often get compliments for my hand writing when I make cards, but there's really nothing to it. I usually write just as ordinary as anybody else, but for those special occasions I have a book to look in. It contains all kinds of different alphabets, and I simply copy them. Easier than it looks like, I can assure you! But I love the way it turns out most of the time. Best of all, these alphabets look great even if you don't write in even lines!

I've been trying to craft in other ways with my hurting hands, so I made this pimped pot the other day. Just sewed some felt together and glued some felt hearts that I cut out from scraps on it. I hurt a little though, my left hand didn't really want to hold on to anything. Guess I've been holding on to the knitting needles to tightly lately! So I've tried to stay positive, appreciating what I can do.

Today I felt that I had energy enough to start replanting my indoor plants. I started with the geraniums. They moved to clay pots, and I used some old saucers my mum gave me. I love them! Only wish I had more... I am planning to take cuttings from a lot of my plants, and I so wish I could put them all on pretty saucers! Either way, I hope to be able to continue tomorrow. Better not overdo it, as I usually do, and use up all energy in one day. I would regret that! So tomorrow I´ll be replanting... hmmm, perhaps suckulents. But now I better get dinner started!

A matter of focus

It's not Christmas time now, as you are all very well aware of, but I simply have to show you these tapestries. Aren't they gorgeous? They are home woven and just fascinating to look at. Can you see what they look like?

Santa Claus and his wife, Lucia and her maids and star boys. I love them!

The one to the right is fascinating enough, but the one to the left has a little twist. Can you see? One in each row is different from the others. Some are harder to find than others. My ten-year-old was amazed that this could be done! :) I almost long for Christmas so that I get to put these on my wall somewhere. We brought them home from my husband's parental home today. I have more to show you some other day...

I've been thinking a lot the past few days. And this tapestry sort of put an image to my thoughts. I have mentioned to you that my hands are feeling weird. My wrists hurt, especially when I'm holding on to something (like a piece of crochet I'm working on), and my arms feel very tired. I can't even brush my teeth without taking a little break. Nothing strange really, since I have this unidentified rheumatic condition... But it's been hard for me. I want to use my hands. I've been so happy and grateful that I've been able to crochet and knit without pain or anything. I've almost built my world around it. And now I can't. Hopefully just temporarily, but still. I really should avoid it, since my wrists really don't appreciate it. And it makes me sad. And scared. What if I never will be able to do this the same way again?

I hate being cranky about my body. I want to stay positive. Sometimes it's easy, and sometimes it's so hard to avoid looking at the negative and focus on the positive things in your life. Like in this tapestry. Some of the different figures are hard to find, like the blond star boy (the guys in white, with cone hats). Some really stand out, like the Lucia with brown hair. Some of you might have seen her already in the first picture. It's really hard to try and focus on something else but her, right? Like sometimes it's hard to focus on the many positive things, and avoid looking at that one negative thing. Do you get it?

I know people, who shout "It's so unfair!" as soon as someone is hurt or ill. And I guess they're right. Life isn't fair. Some people have long, happy lives. Some have short, painful or really unhappy lives. And I do know this - my life is unfair. But not because of the pain, the immobility from time to time. No, it's unfair because I have so much. I'm so happy! I have a wonderful, loving and understanding husband, adorable, healthy kids, a big house, so many things I hardly know where to put it all, I always have something to eat, I have friends... do you want me to continue? Yes, it feels hard that I can't crochet or knit right now, it's meant so much to me to be able to do something, to make something concrete, even on a painful or immobile day. Now I can't, but there's still so much I can do! I can write (at least for a while), I can do paper crafts, I can play games with my kids, I have so many books waiting for me to read them. I really need to look at all the other figures, and avoid that brunette that wants to steal all my attention. I want to stay positive and appreciative of all I can and all I have!

I don't know if this makes sense to you at all. I always use too many words when I'm want to explain something... :) I'm just trying to say, that life brings bad stuff to all of us. Our time here is limited, and we honestly do not have any guarantees that we will have long, happy lives. But I do firmly believe that we will be happier if we try to focus on the good things life has brought us. Appreciate it, life is a gift! And all the happy moments too!

A lot going on

Here I am, ready to show you what I've been up to lately. I've been pretty tired from time to time, so I haven't done too much, and I couldn't show you the things I was actually working on since they were a birthday gift for a friend who happens to read this blog. I think... :) Anyway, she had told me that she would appreciate a shawl for her birthday, so I made her a couple. First out was this knitted one. It's an acrylic yarn and I chose it for it's color since the receiver loves army green and camouflage. Didn't find any camouflage yarns, so this had to do.

 I used a pattern, Boneyard Shawl by Stehpen West, a really nice and easy pattern. The yarn came in a 200 g skein, and I used all of it. I would have liked to make it a little bigger, but buying another huge skein seemed to much. But it turned out great. The yarn is called Duo from Järbo garn.

The second shawl is a triangular lover's knot shawl. Surprised, anyone? :)

I also made her a card. It took some time to make, I don't do cards very often anymore so I kind of loose my feeling between the ones I make. But I like how it came together. I know the picture is of really bad quality, sorry! I forgot (didn't have the time really) to take a picture of it at home, so this one is taken with a friends phone in the dark at the party... Good quality or not, I like to document everything I make for future inspiration. The numbers up in the corner is a little card that my daughter made, sitting next to me at the crafting table. 

I have been taking it easy with the needlework for a few days, since I have some problems with my hands and arms at the moment. But I did start on a new project yesterday. A bolero for my daughter. I can't share the pattern since it's from a magazine, but it's made as a rectangle that you sew together. I will show you when I'm getting there.

A friend asked me to make her a shawl, and I went to the yarn shop yesterday (the one in town, not the cozy one nearby) and I happened to be carrying this when we walked out of there... Well, not all of the books, I bought them elsewhere. On sale. Love that! Some of the yarn was on sale too. I already had some of that chunky yarn, but needed more to make something of it, and it was really cheap! Some of the cotton was on sale too, the red, yellow, orange and turqoise. (Which is used in the bolero.) I'll make something for my girl, I think. 

The rest of the cotton is thought to be a bag or two, together with some other colors I already had at home. I feel that I should use up most of my stash, and these will come in handy. My husband said that it was a bit strange that I had to buy more yarn to be able to use up my scraps before buying "new" yarn. I don't understand? Of course I have to buy more yarn, I always have to! ;)

So I have a lot on my mind, I just hope my body behaves and lets me get on with it!

Tired but happy

It's been a busy weekend. My sister and nephews live an hour and a half away from us, and sometimes they visit us for a few days. They left just a couple of hours ago, and it's rather quiet here now. It wasn't before, and I already miss them! :) But I need some rest now, I'm actually awfully tired.

We went to our kids' school for some winter play (twice), and I'm not used to all that action and fresh air I guess. 

But it's not all action when they're visiting. They also love to stroll around in our garden, sit down and read together or just cuddle for a while. I love it!

My kids love to spend some time with their cousins. By the way, can you tell her mum loves to make her stuff? ;)

I have a lovely photo of my son too, in his new scarf I haven't even mentioned to you. Shame on me! But he's getting all grown up about certain things now, so I'll have to ask his permission to show pictures of him online. Not more than fair, so I'll ask him if he'll let me show you. I made her (another) one too, but I don't have a picture of it yet.

I think I've mentioned making fingerless mitts for the oldest, and that the two little ones wanted me to make them a pair each. Well, last night I finished them, and I can tell you they were appreciated! That surely warms auntie's heart! You will see them again shortly, since I'm planning to share the pattern.

I've been working on that potholder too as you can see. It takes some time to make them since you should use thin yarn to create the right effect, but I enjoy working on them. The color is completely off here, they're really blue. I'll get that right next time, OK?

Loose ends

 Haven't done much today. Done some laundry. Sat down on the bed to weave in some loose ends on some crochet I've made.

They're part of a plan, a plan to get some color on my window sills without spending a fortune on plants with bright flowers, that will just last a few days and then die on me. They always do. My plan is to make bright pots instead, and fill them with green plants of that kind that don't usually die on me. And not to spend a fortune, since I'm planning to let my already existing plants become parents. I'll get back to that.

 I was planning to get some felt and some pots out and be creative, but my back was so sour after weaving in those ends that I had to take it easy for a while. Thought about this body of mine, it's lacking some in strength, endurance and health, that's for sure. Which sometimes limits my life. That's why I don't work. That's why I don't get as much done as I would like to sometimes. Don't get me wrong here, I don't want to complain and I don't want anybody to pity me. I'm doing OK most of the time, and I do have a good life. It's just that I sometimes feel that I want more of life, that I want to make a difference. Even the slightest difference.

So I grabbed my notebook and started to think. (I didn't have fun, colored pens at hand, so I compensated that by writing fun, ornate letters.:) Worked just as well!) What matters in life? What kind of difference can I make with what I have at hand right now, like my crafting? In general and specifically? I don't know if I had any new thoughts, but it felt good to spell it out and to see that I can actually make something good with this. No big changes, just being a little bit more aware of what I do and why, and maybe a little change in focus. Being more positive for instance. More encouraging. Trying to inspire more, and encourage others to be more creative. Maybe teach someone how to be creative. I know it brings me a lot of joy, and I want to share that feeling with others, who might think they can't. Be creative, I mean. To take what you have and make something of it.

Well, I had some good thoughts, and I guess only time will show if they will make a difference. I hope it will shine through, both here on the web and in real life. I started this blog as a tool to find out what I'm good at, what I like to do and what I want in life. Now that I've found a hobby that I really love, and become more creative than I thought I ever could be, I want to use it in the best way I can. And it actually feels a little like weaving in another loose end... :)