Awsome Piece of Work

I don't really have anything to say today, just wanted to share this incredible piece of work. I can truly appreciate this house. I mean this thing looks fully functional. This is the tree house to end all tree houses. Go to the site below, and there are pictures of the interior. The bomb baby! Not the tree house your dad attempted when you were a kid!

 

 

Oregon man thrashes local children in treehouse-building contest

www.gizmag.com

My mistakes, not so bad

OK, for the last several months, I have been attempting to crochet a beanie, then a hat, then I wanted to make a cool shrug. I know, I need to make up my mind. The problem with that is there is so much I want to do, that I get the feeling that I can do it all. But getting back on track. I researched, and researched, and researched. I looked on this website, and that website. I even joined a knitting circle. Shut up, shut up.

Now, I found very cute patterns, but the difficulty level was way too advanced for my talent, or found patterns that were for knitters, or just couldn't find anything  I liked. I mean the yarn gods were against me. Why, what'd I ever do to them? I took a crochet class about a year or so ago, and had some yarn left over from that. I figured that I'd use that, why go out and get into debt for one beanie. Plus, one yarn is as good as another, right? I tried one pattern with what I had, not understanding why it wouldn't work. I tried another pattern with same said yarn, again, weeks worth of set backs; taking the design apart, reworking it. It was a mess, and frustrating as all get out. Let's just say that I'm not experienced enough to substitute patterns.

I will give the novice some advice. Don't go in thinking that you will complete the selected pattern in one day, even if it is simple. You have to first find your own way of holding your yarn and your needles that makes the process comfortable for you. This may take some time. I sometimes don't find my groove until I am just about ready to put the piece down for the day. It just takes time. I know, I'm the last one who should talk. I always feel like I'm doing it wrong. I have been told that it is not wrong, you just have to find your way.

Today,  I  have included the finished product, and I must say that it came out not so bad. I gifted this lovely piece to a friend's daughter, and just got a FB message that the intended absolutely loves it. Like the blogs title says, my mistake, not so bad. I must give a shout out to Yarns Unlimited in Santa Monica, and Brandie for allowing me to take my pictures in the store. When you get a chance, drive by there, they have some great stuff. I don't know my yarns to tell you what they have, but you should find what you are looking for there.

The moral of this story is: if you don't know what the heck you are doing, DO NOT substitute! You will only experience heart ache and hours of frustration. Wait until you have become more familiar with your chosen craft. I learned that the hard way. Although, my mistake has one of my friends asking me to duplicate this hat in blue. Oh, well...

A Steady Progression to Obsession Part 2

A Steady Progression to Obsession Part 2

Now, when I last left this subject, I was informing you of how I had gotten hooked on making purses. Making them is like eating a Pringles, you can’t make just one. I am constantly in create mode. If I'm not actually working on a project, I am thinking of the next one, then planning the one after that. My down fall, or blessing, is going into a book store and hitting the craft section. I almost always find a book that I want, or a few projects from it I would like to try. I pretty much obsess over where I can find the book cheaper, or free. Umm, me love free!! I take a picture of the book, in case I forget the title, then begins my quest to locate said item.

As soon as I get the chance to go online, I check on Ebay, Amazon, or one of the swap sites like swaptree.com, in hopes that I may procure that particular book. I check my Yahoo group in case someone just happens to have fallen out of love with the very thing I need. I usually don't find the book until later, or just put it on the back burner until that creative bug hits again, or I have some free time. You know, life has a funny way of cutting in on your magical world of creativity. I have all these great ideas, but then not enough time to get them going. Ugh!

I get a lot of my ideas trawling the isles of Jo-Ann's, or Michael's. For those of you who are new to crafting anything, these two stores are the go to places one hits first. However, if you live near a .99 store, you very often will come across a treasure trove of stuff for your project. Now this method can create a few problems, like me getting extra stuff that I don't need at the moment, but swear that it will come in handy for a project down the road.

The only remedy for that is to go into the store, go down only the isle I need to go down, not looking to the left or the right least my eye catches some pretty babble. And I don't dare go to the discounted section! Sometimes this works, sometimes. I have tried to only bring a few dollars with me so that I have no choice but to get the one thing I came for. Again, sometimes it works, if only to put off the purchase for a later date. I guess the only sure fire way to not come up with a new project is to be dead! And since I’m in no hurry to end it all, I will keep my chin up and continue to endure this cursed craftiness gene that has been biologically passed down to me. It’s not all bad people; you my adoring fans do get the benefit of the fruits of my labor. For you, it’s a win win situation. See you in the discount section!!

How to cope with this economy artisticly

To have the ability to create something is wonderful.  I watch others when they look at something I have made, earrings, a purse, a drawing, what ever, I feel like Wow, they like it. But at the same time, I wonder how it feels not to be able to do that. I have to catch myself and not take for granted the talent I 've been given. It can be easy to do.  I didn't start collecting my art work until I got into high school, but I had always doodled up till then,  and artistic people run in my family so I don't know anything else.  I don't know what it's like not to be doing something. When a person tells me they can't draw, I just simply don't believe them. I mean everyone can make a stick figure. Right? Not right.

In this day and age, meaning our sad economy, I think that the non artsy craftsy people should begin to explore the arts. I don't mean that you have to start off with the state of the art supplies, just a few good things necessary for the chosen art style. There are a lot of great things just sitting around your house, missing socks, bottle caps, even safety pins can be transformed into a functionable piece of art. Your old stuff is just waiting for new life, and it does help to create something.

 To put that all the frustration of what ever has been bugging you during the day into a project, is very therapeutic. I think that you will find, even if you feel that your piece is not as good as someone else's, the process of creating does relax you. It has given you a purpose, and  at some point of your day, you find that you can't wait to get to that project when you get home.  Once you have began working on your item, you'll really get into the moment. I say all that to say this, things are tough. There's no denying it, and doing finger painting, or decoupage is going to cure the high jobless rate that we are currently dealing with, but there is something about creating that makes you feel useful. That's my positive thought for the day.