It's Been A Week

It has been a week since I posted Tristan's Birthday. I have no silly excuses for why I haven't posted I just didn't. I would walk by the computer and think, "I am not going near that thing." It (the computer) has a habit of sucking up hours of my day and then I feel guilty for not getting anything more constructive done.

I did quite a bit of knitting this week. I was trying out ideas that had been floating around in my head. These were just little product and pattern ideas that you need to try to see if they work. Some of the ideas did and some didn't. In the end I came up with pattern stitches and sizes that I am happy with.

In an effort to get away from so much mass produced stuff in our lives I was thinking you need to start with the basics. What is more basic than being clean and shiny? So thinking along this line, I have come up with some pattern ideas for cotton wash cloths and dish cloths. I know these aren't new ideas but if we are going to get away from mass produced it will take a LOT of knitters and crocheters to make these things.

Enough for today.

Tristan

Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Tristan. Happy first birthday to you.

This little guy was born a year ago today on free Slurpee Day at 7-11 stores. No he wasn't born at a 7-11 but they have free slurpees today. Grandpa and I got to see him walking on a web cam last night. Both the baby grandkids are walking now and it is so cute to see them together.

Happy Birthday!

Aren't the paintings above beautiful? This artist was my inspiration for doing my nest themed treasury. I am also very pleased to say that the painting from Kellydesigns in the previous post has sold.

I am a Daisy What Flower Are You?

I just love taking these little quick quizzes. I don't know that I will make any great life altering discoveries about myself but who cares? Thank you to Reflections of Myself blog for the link.

I was able to build a treasury list today on etsy.com. I used the images of nests, birds and eggs for this one. The direct link to this treasury is here. There are always beautiful, shocking, funny or thought provoking treasuries to look at and enjoy.

These images make me feel safe, secure and peaceful. Nests are a place to start a family and safely get young ones ready to face the world. Right now my nest is empty of young ones but I still try to do my part to help Jim be ready to face the world.

I wish you all safe, cozy and nurturing nests.

How Was Your Fourth?

Jim and I had a quiet Fourth of July. He had to work but got home in the afternoon earlier than usual. We grilled some hamburgers and hot dogs for dinner and had them along with fruit and some salads. It was just the two of us to watch fireworks over the back fence. The picture with this post is my first try to photograph fireworks. I am sure there are things I should know to make them turn out better.

Etsy Orange Goldfish

I was listening in the car this weekend to NPR. The Prairie Home Companion Show was on and as usual the host was telling a story from Minnesota. This one was about a woman who made a seafood salad for her family in the middle of winter from all the fishy things she had in her freezer. At the end of the meal she remembered some goldfish that should have been in the freezer to be buried by her kids in the spring when the ground thawed. Of course she went and looked and the goldfish weren't there.

Anyway this brings me to today's bit of Etsy orange. I really don't think there is much that could be searched for on Etsy and not find some kind of art or crafted piece that would fit. Take a look at the picture of just some of the things that turned up from a search of the word goldfish and you will see baby things, jewelry, hair accessories, glasses, art and a toy.

Take a minute or two, go check out Etsy and see what you find.

My Soul Color?

I found that someone had taken this quiz and her soul was painted red. You can see her post here on the Beadiful Things blog. I don't know about yellow but that is what it said I am. Take the quiz yourself. It only takes a minute and you know you love doing these things!

What color is your soul painted? Yellow Your soul is painted the color yellow, which embodies the characteristics of joy, happiness, optimism, idealism, gold, hope, liberalism, sociability, friendship, death, courage, intellect, confidence, communication, travel, movement, attraction, persuasion, and charm. Yellow is the color of the element Air, and symbolizes the sun, grain, and the power of thought. Click Here to Take This Quiz

Quizzes and Personality Tests

It's About Etsy

Going through knitting blogs about 2 years ago I ran across a mention of a website named Etsy. I wish I could remember the name of the blog but it has disappeared from this old lady's memory. After that mention I checked it out and fell in love with it. I have crafted one thing or another for as far back as I can remember - knitting, crocheting, embroidery, quilting - anything with a needle, hook or thread. I did a little tole painting in there somewhere too as well as leather work. I started doing craft shows off and on in the early 1980's in San Diego, Ca. With a move to Utah I started doing craft shows there as well.

With the growth of the web I knew someday there would be a place for crafters and artists. I checked out site after site never quite finding a place that felt comfortable. Then one day surfing the blogs on a lunch break as mentioned before I found Etsy. It was wonderful to look around. The site design was and still is made so the products are the stars. Everything on the site is made to show off the creations of artists and crafters. The community spirit in the forums is amazing. The range of works this site has attracted is so wide as to be unbelievable.

Please if you value handcrafted work of any and all kinds check it out. You can look at individual sellers, shop by categories, check out what has just been listed or sold and see little user created mini galleries called treasuries. Where else can you find an arts festival 24/7/365 around the world with not hundreds but thousands of vendors?

Thanks to the people who created this place. The world needed it.

Let me, and everyone else you know, hear what you think about Etsy after you check it out for yourself.