Today sure had it's ups and downs. Right now I'm just tired. I took photos at the Pasadena archery range but I won't be posting them tonight. There seemed to be a lot of dogs and horses there today.And tonight when we were driving through Arcadia I saw 2 raccoons by the street. I also heard a bullfrog today. At the archery range I worked on beading a hat and knitting a rug. At one point my hands were too cold to do much of anything. About then we decided to pack it in and go somewhere warmer.My friends Roland and Merikan worked on their basket quivers. Most people were working on bows. We always   read more

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My daughter and I practiced some retail therapy yesterday by going to Joann's and Art Supply Warehouse. We also drove to Pearl in Huntington Beach only to find a vacant building. And another one bites the dust. Thank you economy.At Joann's they were having another 10 for $10 Simplicity pattern sale and I finally got the archery costume pattern I've been trying to get since before Halloween. I also got some patterns for pillows and home dec items. And another apron pattern or two. Sadly and a commentary on our times, Joann's now has their beads under lock and key. They installed glass cases for   read more

Yesterday I was at a writer's meeting and mentioned knitting and found out the 2 people sitting next to me had just learned how to knit. I got so excited. Like most beginners they started with a scarf. Oh no! So we are going to get together so I can show them how to knit a hat to go with their scarves. Fun. I wonder if they'll be at the writer's meeting tonight. To get in the mood for winter I added a snow widget to my blog. It never snows where I live so I have to bring my winter wonderland to my blog instead.   read more

I'm getting ready to have my daughter visit. Which means I have to hide the things I'm making for her for Christmas. HAHA.I picked up some root beer colored beads last night at Michael's. I suppose it's a sign of the times that now they have a combo lock on their bathroom and their employee's lounge. Those didn't exist when I worked there. Very inconvenient when you have to use the restroom. And they no longer just tell you the password. You have to wait for them to page someone to come to the door and unlock it for you. Kind of like being in second grade eh? I'm surprised they don't come in the   read more

dragged the rug I'm making into my bedroom so I can knit while various things are uploading. So far it is olive green wool, royal blue, and deep purple. It's amazing how much down time there is on a computer waiting for it to finish this or that funtion.It's already looking darn and chilly outside. I was going to cut out some aprons on my front porch, but I think I will wait on that until the light is better. My back was sore when I got up this morning so I'm trying to take it easy. Right now I'm getting the afternoon sleepies.I need to organize my yarn better. I'm not making the best of it.   read more

I've decided to make a vlog about what I've been up to lately and as soon as it uploads to youtube I'll share it here. It is me talking about Nanowrimo and Halloween 2009. And it highlights some of the projects I'm working on right now. Sometimes I forget I can make videos and weeks go by without me making one. I make them with my Canon Power Shot and Windows Movie Maker. I'm working on 2 aprons. I'm also making a knitted rug. And a beaded collar. And writing 1,667 words a day for the National Novel Writer's Month. It sounds like a lot but I still have time to blog and watch too much TV and   read more

It's been a busy day and I'm getting kind of sleepy. But I'm still making bread. The loaf I spent all day making is about ready to go into the oven. I can't wait to see it turning brown. My first loaf ever of home baked sourdough bread. I'm so excited. While it was rising, I went to the fabric store and picked out the fabric to make two aprons for Christmas gifs. Each apron has 2 fabrics. So for the first one I'm going with red chili peppers on a burnt orange background with orange and yellow polka dots for the pockets and straps.   read more

Today has been a busy day and not much time for crafting. This is Nanowrimo month so I've been working on my novel. And some of my characters are crafters! Ha, big surprise there. One of them crochets and the other one is sewing. Speaking of sewing I want to make some aprons for Christmas gifts. I got a cool pattern from Simplicity. It's 2492. The catalog has a Christmas version not shown on the pattern envelope. But I think I want to make a year round version. If I'm going to that much trouble I don't want to make something someone will open on Christmas that they won't want to wear until   read more

My knitting plans on the train flew out the window on Sunday. The trip is 2 hours by bus and 3 by train. Only the bus was packed, and then so was the train. It looks like many students took the train to Isla Vista for the Halloween party scene, and bought group tickets, because the conductor had a big ole stack of tickets and was checking it with IDs and everyone on my train car seemed to be under 24. I had no elbow room.However, at the Santa Barbara train station, our train was delayed for an hour and a half. Another train was stuck on the rails, and our train ended up pushing it into town.   read more