A Little Sidetracked

My apologies for falling behind. I've been dealing with some health issues which have zapped my energy. I wonder if other people even notice when I fall behind. I somehow doubt it.

The best news is I found a sponsor for my crochet tutorials. My biggest inhibition with doing more tutorials is they take a lot of time, and don't create any income. So now at least some of them will create some income. I just hope my computer doesn't run out of memory space before I save enough money to buy another one.

Some of my ongoing project right now include a knitted stole inspired by Kaffe Fassett, a macrame' owl out of twine, a crocheted necklace with sequins, my plarn totebag and my ongoing wardrobe project of just wearing my own creations every day for a year. Since I've been sick I may have to start over, but that's okay. I've already learned so much I can do it better the next time.

Stitchery, Beads, and Other Fun Stuff

I've been working on an article called the Creative Spark and it's been keeping me from blogging as much. I was just working on a rainbow knit scarf that I'll be posting in my knitting blog.

Earlier today I hit the jackpot at a yard sale and got a bunch of beautiful silver lined lampwork beads, as well as some prints of frock coats, some metal jacks, and a watercolor book. I made out like a bandit.

So I couldn't resist making a pair of right angle weave green earrings out of some of my new beads.

Yesterday I started a stitching project with burlap and felt and I'm making a pumpkin pillow. I was hoping to work on that more today but it got circumvented by bead fever. Ah well, maybe tomorrow.

Ear Cuff in Copper and Australian Jasper

I can't believe I forgot to mention the ear cuff I designed yesterday! And I was so excited about it too. I've wanted to make one for years and now I finally sat down and figured it out.

So Excited For My Paleoplanet Friend and His Etsy Interview

Paleoplanet.net is my favorite primitive crafts forum, so imagine how excited I was to see another guy from Paleoplanet on the Etsy blog being interviewed about his bowmaking and knifemaking skills.

Handmade Portraits: Old School Tools from Etsy on Vimeo.

Catching Inspiration

Yesterday I let creativity take hold of me and I made a rustic mobile out of found objects including seashells, a pinecone, and gourd pieces. I resisted the urge to make it perfect, and just let it be what it was, namely a spontaneous outburst of creativity. Today I took a wet rag and cleaned it up a bit so the green sphere would glow in the sun.

Satisfied with that, today I got out a box of partially finished jewelry and fished out a pair of woven earrings. All that was left to do was weave in the ends and add hooks. It's amazing how close I get to finishing something, and then the project gets stuck in a box where it can languish for months, even years.

Usually that happens when I'm either too tired to finish, get called away to some mundane task, or don't have the proper piece to finish the puzzle. Today the earrings were in one box, the scissors were in the house, the pliers were in another bead box, as were the earwires. Try as I may to be organized, I just do way too many different styles of projects to make that simple.

Luckily I had my camera ready, so the earrings may actually make it into my Etsy shop today.

But for now I need to get back outside, while the day is still cool and before the sun goes down.

Update: I got my earrings listed this morning here:http://www.etsy.com/listing/53052209/pretty-bead-woven-earrings-in-pale-green

The Path of Inspiration

When I wake up in the morning, I tune into spirit and ask what I should make today. That spark of inspiration is often a subtle little voice that says things like, "I haven't worked with clay in forever, and wouldn't that feel nice on my hands," or "I've always wanted a whole armful of unique beaded bracelets."

Or my eye might just wander around the room or the garden. I just saw an amazing red dragonfly in my garden. Dragonflies are great motifs for all kinds of art projects, from purses to gourds. And I get a lot of visitors to my hummingbird feeder. I started a cross-stitch hummingbird a while back and I could work on that.

If I pick the right project and dig in I will be focused for hours. If I pick the wrong one, I won't be able to concentrate and I'll keep thinking things like 'I wish I was beading.' Or 'How come I'm not sewing today.'

Of course sometimes the universe doesn't cooperate and there are all kinds of distractions. But I do the best I can.

A Day At the Archery Range

Today at the archery range I did a lot of beading on my orange collar necklace I started a while back. It's amazing how much I get done when I'm away from electronic devices.

About halfway through the day I was target shooting when I thought to myself how glad I was to have a dozen arrows, though seven are from one set and five are from another, and how I hadn't broken or lost any in ages. Well, I jinxed myself, because the third arrow I shot after that hit the metal frame at the bottom of the target and popped the end right off the wooden shaft. Ah nuts!

We met some new friends who tried out the bow bench. It sure makes shaving a bow easier.