Month: August 2012

Beary Cute!

I did something yesterday that I never have done in all my 19 years: I went to Build-A-Bear. Ya, I know it’s lame that I had never gone before. But I was never taken as a child, and I don’t think that’s really my fault…

Anyway, my friend took me to Build-A-Bear. Initially I was somewhat leery of the whole process, but a few minutes in I decided that I didn’t care what anyone thought of me, I was going to have fun! And fun I did have!! My bear is named Hudson after my dear friend who took me. And today I coloured her house. While watching musicals. Heehee!! 

I even found the TARDIS by her house!!

I Win!!

As you may have noticed from my posts in recent months, I’ve been having some computer trouble. Namely in the form of the internet hating me. Not a good thing in today’s world. I didn’t think that there was much of anything that I could do about my problem, though. Faster internet was what I longed for and hoped would cure my ailing computer, but while on vacation these last 2 weeks I had a lovely fast connection and still the problems persisted.

And then while talking with a lovely friend who understands computers much better than I do suggested that perhaps all I needed to do was change my browser. It seemed too easy, but at the same time made sense. So I tried Explorer. Now I hate Explorer. It’s awful. But surprisingly it helped. I was able to watch YouTube again. Which is a big improvement. But things were still a bit wonky with my Photobucket account. So today I tried Chrome, and I cannot tell you what a huge, lovely difference it has made for me! Photobucket and YouTube both work now and if I weren’t so busy updating my life I would be jumping up and down for joy! Ok, well maybe that’s a bit over the top, but you get the idea.

Do you remember about a zillion years ago when I made a bag to hold my tatting? I promised pictures then, but wasn’t ever able to keep that promise. Here they are now.  Isn’t it lovely? 🙂

Home again, Home again, Jiggedy Jog

I am happy to report to you that I made it safely back home yesterday evening. Let me tell you, going from the cool Washington temperatures (in the 70s F) to my home in the Southwest (over 100 for many, many days now) is a bit of a shock. I have barely gone outside all day. But that’s not unusual for here in the summer.

All this time indoors has given me the opportunity to work on a few projects I had put off for a while now. Do you remember a while back when I made my lovely striped maxi-skirt? Well at the same time that I bought that fabric I also bought fabric for another maxi-skirt. This one is cream and olive and is reversible. It was a bit tricky figuring the seams out where I joined the skirts together because I didn’t want any seams showing, but after much tearing out of stitches I’m pretty sure I finally got it right. I’ll post pictures in the near future.

The other project I’ve been working on is that piece for the back of my sweater that I showed you pictures of a while ago. In the pictures it’s still in several pieces and all that needed doing was to put it together with an edging. I’ve done that and am now just finishing a few details to make it extra pretty. I’ll post pictures when it’s done. I’m quite pleased with how it’s coming out, especially since I was afraid I wouldn’t have enough thread. But it turns out that I’ll have more than enough thread, so I have no more fear on that account.

Thoughts on Eternity

Today will seem dull to you, but it was a good one. My mom and I went to see my Nana and Great-Grandma. Other than the other night when we surprised the whole family by showing up at a party I haven’t seen these ladies in quite a while – especially my great-gramma. We had good visits with both. Most likely this will be the last time I see either one of them.

But, you know, as sad as it is to lose family (and trust me, I know from personal experience all about loss and grieving), I’m so glad that’s not the end. I’m so glad that God created people with a soul that doesn’t die when our bodies die. Our souls will never cease existing, and God has given us the opportunity to live forever with Him in heaven once our frail bodies die. Think of it: forever. It’s so much longer than these 70 years we have on earth. And can you imagine heaven?? It’s gonna be awesome. The only thing is that unless you become a child of God by believing what Jesus Christ says about Himself in the Bible, namely that He is the Son of God, that He died for people like you and me, and that He then rose from the grave conquering sin and death, you cannot spend eternity with God. Hell has become a byword, a naughty little thing we don’t say in front of our small children, but fully expect them to blaspheme as soon as they become older. Trust me, hell is a real place, and it’s way more awful than anyone alive can imagine. And if you don’t accept Christ’s offer of salvation from its flames you are choosing to damn your own soul to hell.

 

Today was an adventure. We went to a breakfast place for lunch. You know, one of those hole-in-the-wall places that serves the best food ever? Ya. I ate breakfast for all 3 meals today. Yum! After that we went to a really big flower place. We walked around for about an hour, but didn’t even see the whole thing!! I’m not really that much of a flower person, but I enjoy plants and I saw several varieties that I had heard or read about but never knew what they were. It was a very enjoyable time. And then just before dinner we all went on a walk – and got lost! Heehee! But we soon found ourselves. Iphones with google maps is very helpful.

So that was my day. I read, ate, walked, slept, o ya, and I wrote out that tatting pattern! I know a lot of you don’t tat, but for those who do here is the pattern. If you try it I’d love to hear about it. This is my first attempt at writing patterns, so let me know if there is any way I can make it better, whether in writing clearer instructions or making a better finished product.

*****

Tatted Dalek Pattern:

You need: 2 tatting shuttles, the thread of your choice

You need to know: split rings, split chains

Pictures help me, so here’s a visual aid. Yes, I made it in paint. Don’t judge. I’m poor. 😛

Each ring is made of 4 sets of 4 ds (4ds-4ds-4ds-4ds). Rings 1-6 and 13-16 are joined by chains of 4ds-4ds.

Start with a chain of 4ds-4ds, r 4-4-4-4, ch 4-4, r 4-4-4-4, ch 4-4, split ring 4-4-4/4,

ch 4-4, r 4-4-4-4, ch 4-4, r 4-4-4-4, ch 4-4, sr 4-4/4-4,

sr 4-4-4/4, sr 4-4/4-4, sr 4/4-4-4, sr 4-4-4/4, sr 4-4/4-4, sr 4-4-4/4

sr 4-4/4-4, ch 4-4, r 4-4-4-4, ch 4-4, r 4-4-4-4, ch 4-4, r 4-4-4[join initial chain here]4

You are now done with the body of the Dalek.

First row: ch 4-8, r 6+6, ch4-4, ch 4-4 (don’t attach to the picot yet), r 6+6, ch 8/4

Second row: ch 4-8-4, ch 4-4, ch 4-8/4

Third row: ch 4-8, ch 4-4, ch 4-4, ch 8/4

Fourth row: ch 4-12, ch 4-4, ch 12/4

Top round: ch 20, r 4-4+4-4 (join to central picot of chain), ch 20

Tie your strings, cut, glue if you’re like me, and you’re done 😀

Happy August!!

I am pleased to be writing you all from Washington State! My mom’s family is all out here still, so here I am. It’s surprisingly cold for summer, but then again, it gets hot in the southwest. I am enjoying all the greenery and water here, though.

I have a surprise. Well, I actually already told you about it, but I have that picture of my tatted Dalek to show you (the background shows my sketches and calculations). I’ve made 3 by now, testing my pattern and trying to make that bigger piece I hinted at. Also shown is an actual dalek (from Doctor Who. You really must watch it!! It’s quite good. And clean.)