Craftiness

People call me crafty and sometimes im called an artist. When I see real artist I think im just crafty. An Artist, I wish.

When I sit and think about it, Ive been this way as long as I've known me. I can't remember a lot from my childhood but I remember my craftiness as far back as 4 or 6 years old.

22 things creative people do different

As a small child I loved to color, paint by number and make things with play dough. I mean, I really made things with play dough. I would make bowls, vases and sculptures, let them dry in the sun to harden and sell them to my friends for a dime. I even used clay I could dig up from the yard. When My paper dolls tore up, I would draw them up another set of clothes. I can just keep going with little things like this but let me start with first grade........

I never liked school.  I could care less about learning. First grade teacher, Mrs Martin had these needle point American flags that she let the class work on often. They were made using yarn and a fat plastic child proof needle. I would complete one in a day. That's all I wanted to do, and well, she let me. It kept me busy while everyone else read. I even finished up other students flags (mostly for the boys). She found it so amusing that she actually bought me a real needle point to do. With real thread and sharp needle. It was of a gray mouse holding a ball of red yarn. I remember it like it was just yesterday.

Later on Mom taught me to sew barbie doll clothes and later how to crochet. 

My favorite class in school was art and I loved working with clay. 

Daddy would give me pocket knives and I carved acorns and sticks into jewelry. I was always coming up with something to make or do with things I found. To think about it, that's just what kids did in the 70's. I remember the boys putting together go carts and tree houses with scraps of wood, metals and wagon wheels found around the neighborhood.

I gave up art in high school all because of a boy! Yep. I could kick myself in the butt for that. It was my chosen art class on the first day of my junior year. Unfortunately It wasn't to late to make schedule changes. I looked over at the girl beside of me, she was wearing my boyfriends high school ring! My hand went in the air and I announced to God and everybody that I wanted out if this class. Wish granted.

I never went back. See how silly teenagers are? When I reached my 30's I joined a six week pencil art class and loved it so much I took a water color class the next season. Now I sometimes attend acrylic paint parties with friends. However, Its just too expensive for me right now, so I don't go as often as I'd like.

Now days I do a lot of crocheting and will paint a picture when the notion hits me. I admire people that can draw and paint. I've always wanted to know how to draw people and attend a live model class.

Creative peoples minds are always wondering. Always overworking and thinking of the next thing to make or do. There are so many great ideas out there waiting to be created. You never know when a new idea will pop in our heads. Ideas are off the wall. all of a sudden, wham! I will loose sleep thinking about it.

I got my creativeness from my Mom and Grandmothers.
My mom is a great seamstress and can make anything from belts to wedding dresses and still owns her own alteration shop. Growing up, she was full of creative ideas.

My next project? I want to make a small fairy Garden.
See what I mean?
The idea hit me and I will think about it until its complete, some how, some way. Stay tuned for that one.

Saving The Spearmint

This excites me.

You see, we used to live in the house of my Husbands late Italian Grandparents. The back yard was filled with hydrangeas, roses, fig trees, wild flowers and some spearmint. 

I used to cut stems off the spearmint once it grew the lavender flowers on the top and put them in a vase in the kitchen as it would add the perfect green life with the aroma of mint. Oh how I miss that house and yard. 

It was told that you could place the leaf of the mint on your tongue after an Italian dinner and it would rid your breath of the garlic. I just liked the look of the twiggy bouquet.

When we were out walking in our neighborhood toward the end of last summer, I noticed an old man cleaning out his wild and weeded yard. He looks to be over 110 years old and his yard is full of different flowers as if he just threw the seeds out of his windows to see where they would grow. Out of all the flowers and weeds in his yard, I always noticed the mint he had growing near the curb. It was always tempting to pick some but that would be stealing.

As we walked by his yard, I noticed he had ripped the mint out of the ground and threw it in the pile if brush he had by the road. I asked him if I could have some, and without skipping a beat, he said "sure! Take all you want". I grabbed only a couple twigs, not to look so desperate, and continued my walk. We were only a block from home. 

I stuck them down in a pot of dirt and within a day or two, they had already perked up and leaned toward the sun. They died off in January and by March, there was new growth. New life. It was almost like it appeared over night. I mean I just looked out there a day or two ago and didn't notice.

I can already smell the mint when I walk onto my patio. It almost hides the smell of dog poop of my next door neighbors dogs. Almost. Not sure a whole yard full of mint and roses would fix that fiasco.

I will use sprigs of mint in my water along with some cut cucumber for a refreshing quench. I may attempt to make some mint tea or search for other uses for this herb. 

It will also attract butterflies as the summer progresses. I'm so excited. I got something to grow in my flavor favor. Now if I could just get a tomato plant to produce.

Im open for more ideas on usage for this mint. If you have one, I'd love to hear it.

Saturday Yard Work

Saturday morning was beautiful. The sun was shining bright and spring was in the air. My husband set off for his daily five mile walk. I prefer to stay in and lounge on weekend mornings since I have to rush up and get dressed for work the other five days the week. While he walked I stayed inside and did some house cleaning. I enjoy the hour or so time alone.

When he returned from his walk, and my house work was finished.....Wait, is house work ever finished? Naw, but it was finished enough. My husband asked what I would like to do today. "Do you want to go walk around some stores or something?" I suggested we just stay at the house and do some yard work. After all, the grass could use a cutting and the ivy in the back yard was about to swallow my house. So while he cut grass, I tackled the Ivy Tree (aka Dogwood).

Its a beautiful dogwood tree that is over taken by Ivy. You can read about it HERE.

I cut and pulled and twisted and yanked until the hanging parts of the ivy were gone. There is no way to get rid of it all and it will probably be hanging to the ground again next week. I hope not. I worked hard on that mess. After that, I trimmed the dogwood tree as far as I could reach so we can once again walk under it instead of around it. Its a beautiful tree.

 I had a lot of help from these green fellas too.

Looking over, we noticed the neighbor struggling to remove a buried pole from her flower bed. I don't know, it was just a pole buried and cemented in the ground from a previous owner of the home. Probably a basket ball goal pole. Who knows. It took four of us to chop, beat, and pull until it was finally out of the ground. Then I noticed she was getting rid of her bushes in the yard. She didn't want them because she feared they attracted bees. ??? I asked if I could have the pink Azalea and she was more than happy to let me have it but I first had to help her dig it up.
 

That took the two of us and it weighed a good 80lbs at the most. We dragged it over to my yard and I planted it in a small natural area in the front yard. I think its so pretty. I hope it lives.

While digging a place for it, I dug up this bottle. After washing all the mud off of it, It appeared into this Cherrywine bottle. Not sure how old it is but it was heavy, green tinted and thick. Not like the bottles today.
 

After I took this shot, the label faded before my eyes and you can no longer see the word Cherrywine. Pretty cool huh. I wonder what other treasures are hidden in there.

With all that being done, needless to say, my body was not used to the torcher and stiffened up. I woke up this Sunday morning sore, hurting, aching with every breath. Even the ends of my toes hurt. It feels good though knowing I got a workout and the muscle pain will go away soon. So far I didn't agitate the pinched nerves in my back so that's good. My only worry is, "I sure hope that was only Ivy I pulled from the tree and not POISON ivy."

Crochet Change Purse *Free Pattern*

I've been doing a lot of blogging lately. But hey, It's been a while since I shared one my crochet projects with you. I have a lot of crafty, crochet and artsy blog friends out there and I don't want to leave you out.

Say hello to this little crocheted change purse.

Well, I'm so tickled over this one that I'm delighted to share my pattern with you.

That's right. MY pattern. I have been wanting to make one of these little purses for some time now but could never find a pattern that I understood or that was written in English. I could have easily purchased a pattern but I do not want to buy one then find out I don't understand the instructions and my money is wasted. Its happened before. I just fiddled and farted around with this one until It worked.

I use this one to hold my change most of the time. The clasp has a place to ad a dangle decoration or a ring for my keys but I think it will be to heavy....NO not heavy with change, just with the size itself. I never have change that is heavy. By then I turn it into dollars. I'm just that poor.

Ok hookers, grab your kissy clasp and hook and give this one a try.
Remember, you can sell what you make with my pattern but please do not try and sell the pattern itself.  I'm giving this to you for free and It would be awesome if you link what your make back to me here. Thank you.

Crochet Coin Purse.

Cotton yarn- I used Peaches and Cream brand.
Kiss clasp- Size 3.5inches (8.5cm)
F Hook
You will be crocheting in rounds so you may want to use a stitch marker.

• Magic Circle (or chain 2 and sc in first ch)
• R1- 6 sc in Circle (6)
• R2- 2sc in each sc (12)
• R3- *2sc in next, 1sc* in next ,cont around.(18)
• R4- *2sc in next, 1sc in next 2*, cont (24)
• R5- *2sc in next, 1sc in next 3* cont. (30)
• R6- *2sc in next, 1sc in next 4* cont. (36)
• R7-R15 (9rounds)- sc in each (36)
• At the end of Round 15, slip stitch in next two stitches, tie off , weave ends. 
• Attach clasp (some sew on and some glue on). 

Note: if you want to make one bigger, The key is to increase the rounds to fit the clasp when its wide open (crochet circle should be slightly smaller than open clasp) and make it as tall or short as you wish by adding more rounds. 

It was so easy to make. Well, until I got to the clasp part. Boy was that a chore! I broke thread, bent needles and may have even said a bad word. So, I'm leaving it here. You can figure out how to attach your clasp yourself. I'm just a crocheter.

If you can't crochet and wish to have one of these, head over to my shop where I may have a few listed. If I'm sold out, just send me a message and Ill whip one up for ya.

Another Book Read "Remembering Big"

I've mentioned before, I'm not into reading. I hate to read. I failed literature in school over and over and over. I was always in special reading classes. I just never understood what I read. By the time I get to the end of the page, I forget what the beginning was about. Reading just never interested me.
However, I have no problem reading news articles, magazines, blogs or bulletins despite the fact that I've been called dyslexic before by my optometrist.

I have been working on my reading for the past few years. I have tried to read a book hear and there and I started this blog so I could sharpen my skills, spell correctly and put stories together. Between me and spell check, I think I've done a pretty good job.

I'm sorta ashamed to say I have only read four whole books in my lifetime. Not counting the Dick and Jane books from elementary school. Another reason I always failed in English and Literature.
I will say, reading is getting easier and I actually enjoy it at times.

Today, I read Remembering Big by Rick Watson. He is one of my blogging friends and I really enjoy reading his post. You can find his blog at "Life 101". I was excited when my autographed copy made it to my mailbox.

My plans to read it on my short beach trip failed when it was a wash out. So I settled reading it behind my desk.

I was caught up in "Remember Big" from the very beginning. It was full of several short stories. That's my kind of book! ha. Even though there seems to be about a twenty years gap between us, I could still relate to many of Ricks stories from the paddlings to burnouts, to playing hooky to keen hickory sticks. Some of the stories made me laugh and at least three of them made my eyes wail up with tears. It gave me the feeling of sitting in a porch swing and talking about the good ole days. It was an easy book to read and I didn't even put it down. I read it straight through. That was a first for me.....and a slow day at work.

Rick, if your reading this, thanks again for the book. The Medco Pharmacy story made my coffee come out of my nose. And I take it your a Chevy man.

You can find other books by Rick by visiting his website HERE.