My First Weaving

A couple of weekends ago I decided to create my own makeshift loom out of a piece of cardboard and some twine. I used dowel rods to separate the twine. Then I just started using yarn that I already had lying around and tried my hand at weaving.

I had no real design in mind. I figured I would make it up as I went and I did.

Eventually it started turning into something. At that point I decided I wanted it to end up looking like some kind of patchwork sweater. A "Cosby" sweater, if you will.

I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out. I tied off the bottom with some more of the twine for a messy kind of finish. Then I wound some green yarn through the loops at the top and secured them to a stick. I actually have a box of sticks in my craft supply collection. I found a bunch outside one day for another project and then just kept the rest. You never know when you need a stick, I guess.

All in all, I love the folksy, colorful, and natural elements in this piece. I'm trying to figure out where to hang it in my house. I think I'm going to tackle some smaller weavings next.

Hope you enjoy a lazy, creative, and fun Saturday!

Sunday Dream Catching

Spending part of my Sunday dream catching and listening to folk music.  What's on your Sunday agenda?

Sharing Real Life #1: Essential Tremors and Creating

This is my first post to share the less than beautiful pieces of my life. I think the mix of beautiful and more challenging pieces is what makes up a pretty great and well rounded life anyway.

This past weekend, I decided to work some of my seed bead stash to make some colorful, layering necklaces. I used to make a lot of jewelry. I still love to do it but I don't work on it often because it can be frustrating to me. I have Essential Tremor Disorder, which is a very common movement disorder. That means my hands tremble involuntarily and it can be hard to work with small beads. Most days aren't that bad but I do have some bad days. Last weekend I had a crazy bad day (for me) and I was getting frustrated trying to bead. I decided to put together a quick video to share my frustration.

Luckily not every day is this shakey. My concern is that my tremors will get worse as I grow older and I will be limited in how much I can create. I want to create as much as I can now and then figure out how to continue to create as I grow older. I don't feel sorry for myself and I don't want others to feel sorry for me either. That's not why I shared this video. We all have our trials and burdens -- it's how we live with them that really defines who we are.

Mint WIP

I know, I'm totally a cool blogger imposter. I do know what WIPs are though so that counts, right? WIP = Work In Progress. Technically I could call myself a WIP, however, I am referring to actual works of mine that are in progress.

A couple of months ago, I became completely obsessed with the color 'Mint'. It's not a color that I typically think about or use. I'm usually more a bright primary color type of person. It started one day at work. I was working in a Microsoft Excel document - jealous, right? I needed to highlight some cells for my own personal use and I was bored with my regular colors. I checked the additional colors and thought, "Hmm...I'll try mint for today." The rest of the day I got excited to see that color. I started to think about mint yarn, mint paper, mint paint...I truly became obsessed. After work on that same day, I drove myself, and my 40% off coupon, to Hobby Lobby and bought some mint yarn. I also bought an ivory colored yarn. I didn't know what I was going to do with it but I felt better just having it in my possession.

Ahh...better already...

I realize the level of nerdiness I have now entered.

I started crocheting some granny squares. After a day or so, I decided that I wanted to make another blanket. I still loving cuddling under my other blanket so why not start a new one?

It won't match anything in my house. It may end up being a gift for someone I love. Who knows when I'll finish it, given my history with crocheting blankets. BUT - I love it already and it's satisfying my mint craving.

Crochet-Embroidered Wall Hangings

Just a quick post to share something I created recently. I have been wanting to add more color and texture to my walls so thought I would create some crocheted pieces to hang on the wall.

I had some of my favorite yellow yarns left from other projects so I used them to crochet some different sized circles. Then I used some felt and thread that I had to work on some embroidery and add text and more color. I really like how these turned out and now just have to figure out where I want to hang them.

Hope you enjoy a safe and fun holiday week!

Sunday-ing

Today I am listening to Bob Dylan, working on layers of seed bead necklaces, and tackling LOADS of laundry.

Our summer has started off pretty busy with 3 different trips that allowed us to have a great time with family. In between trips, my day job has been a bit nutty. Our laundry has suffered, as a result. I thought about posting a picture of the ridiculous amount of laundry I have to do but decided to just stick with colorful pictures of beads instead.

That got me thinking about how we post just the good things in our lives on the Internet - perfect lighting, color, only posting the 2 photos of our kids smiling because the other 50 they were making faces or hitting one another. Between social media and blogs, it can leave a person feeling inadequate. I'm toying with the idea of doing a blog post devoted to the mundane and less than beautiful things in my life. It makes me a little nervous to put that kind of thing out there but, without those things, we wouldn't appreciate the good as much, right?

Hope you have a wonderful Sunday!

Dear Sara

Recently I started using one of my various journals to write notes to myself. Usually it's to a specific moment in my past but, sometimes, it is directed at Future Sara. Sometimes it's silly and, sometimes, it's more serious. It's been a good way to record memories I have and my thoughts on those memories. It has also been a way of reconciling things in my past. Do you ever wish you could go back to a moment in your childhood and give yourself a hug and say "it will get better"? This is my way of doing that.

I thought I might occasionally share a Dear Sara entry here on my blog. I will probably keep the more personal and private posts to myself, but I don't mind sharing others. I don't have a lot of entries at this point but I have already learned that I wouldn't change much from my past. There are definitely tough times that I would hate to relive but I realize now that they shaped me as I am now.

For this first 'Dear Sara' post, I will share this one:
Dear Sara 11/14/1998,
Best decision you ever made or will make.
Love,
Completely fulfilled Sara
P.S. 11/14/1998 was the day I married the one and true love of my life

Are there certain moments in your life that you would love to be able to share words of wisdom or love with your past self? What would they be?
Happy Saturday-ing!