A.........ging gracefully, graciously, and gratefully!

Part 1:

I'd like you to meet an extraordinary group of people who work out together several times a week. Under the direction of our fearless leader (aka "Eight More Ellen"...of course names have been changed to protect the innocent...and the guilty), we move through our paces for an hour. What's extraordinary, you ask? The average age of these folks is just under 70 and their positive attitude is astounding! The time flies by and often we forget about how much we're really doing.
We begin and end with great stretching and fit in aerobics, strength training, balance, and fun as well. Please join me (and us) tomorrow for Part 2!

N.........o friends like old friends

It is always so good to get together with the gals I worked with in my teaching career. Today a few of us had lunch and it was such fun to catch up. I've laughed and cried with some of them for more than 35 years and they are all as delightful as when I first met them. Obviously none of us has changed a bit! They're each holding a little scrubbie that I hope will clean up some of the dirty dishes of life!

I.........tty, bitty baskets

Some of the most difficult pine needle baskets to do are the tiny creations because it's difficult to maneuver in such small spaces. Those pictured here are from 2 1/2 to 4 1/2" in diameter. The regular size jeweled apples are another way to check the size. I find these baskets useful for all kinds of tiny treasures. The two smallest are done around tiny wire rings, and the larger around a walnut slice. The long leaf pine needles are tightly coiled and hand stitched in place with natural raffia.

Y.........ellow going green!

Just finished crocheting a new eco-friendly shopping bag. It seems to hold a lot and is quite sturdy. After I give it a few tries on my own, I'll probably make some for my etsy shop. I remember years ago my grandmother always carried what she called a "string bag" in her purse for shopping. So this also reminds me of her. . . another example of life coming full circle!

H.........appy Easter!

Easter, for me, has always been the most important Christian holiday because it symbolizes the core of that faith. Christmas seems to overshadow Easter in its celebration; but the true glory of eternal life is Easter, itself. We wish you all a most glorious Easter and all the hope that is inherent to Christianity.

C.........asablanca meets Bangkok

For those of you who asked...here is our den, also my favorite place to craft. You'll usually find me curled up on the futon with one of the cats next to me, and David in the chair across from us! When he and I were married, we combined his love of Asian art with mine of the Spanish and we're both happy with the eclectic mix!

W.........ith abject apologies to Johnny Cash

I've crafted everywhere, man,
I've crafted everywhere, man,
Across the deserts bare, man,
In the mountain air, man,
Anywhere I dare, man,
I've crafted everywhere!

I've crafted in:

Texas,
South Dakota,
Illinois,
Minnesota;

Wyoming,
Missouri,
Idaho,
North Dakota;

Iowa,
Nevada,
Wisconsin,
and also in:

Canada,
Colorado,
Oregon,
and Washington;

Mexico,
Both Old and New
Wait a minute,
I'm not through;

Massachusetts,
Utah,
Montana,
Nebraska,

In a car,
On a plane,
At a camp
in Down East Maine,

Californa,
Arizona,
New Hampshire,
Oklahoma,

(Glad I'm home...ahhhhh)

I've crafted everywhere, man,
I've crafted everywhere, man,
Across the desert, bare, man,
In the mountain air, man,
Anywhere I dare, man,
I've crafted everywhere!

This is by no means a complete list, but I'm saving the rest of my energy for crafting! If you count soaking raffia in the bathroom sink, I've crafted in every room of the house and out on the patio. My favorite place to craft is the den my husband and I share which we lovingly call, "Casablanca meets Bangkok". As you can imagine, the decor is quite eclectic!

T.........here's a reason they call it "hand" crafted!

Yesterday several friends and I made 80 thank-you notes. Just thought this might be the best way to show the process. Of course we had a lovely time and a great lunch as well. This is "hand crafting" at its best!

B.........reakfast Club

For more than 10 years these wonderful retired folks have been meeting for breakfast (and laughter therapy) every Friday morning at a variety of family restaurants. It's really necessary to go to different restaurants; one couldn't cope with us every week! We have loved, laughed, and cried through births, marriages, and deaths and never tire of each other's company. We discuss families, issues, books and sports...especially golf! All four gentlemen play as much as they can!

K.........itten in the snow!

As I opened the shades this morning it was still dark. The reflection from our living room seemed to make our cat, Kirby, out in the snow when he was sitting quite content on his perch on the newel post! What a neat experience! You can see him on his post in the column to the right. He's even been known to slide down the bannister!

W.........ow!

I've had the good fortune to be featured on another crafter's blog. You can check it out at
http://tabihats.blogspot.com/ You can also check out her "hat" shop with the darling names!

A.........ddendum to my first confession

After finishing dinner dishes, I realize I must confess that I love to do dishes even though my confession below tells you how much I avoid housework. Now I realize that puts me way up on the weird scale, but it is the one household chore I love to do! Now, do I need to get a life???

A.........ddition to first confession

I really love to do dishes! I know that puts me way up on the weird scale, but I just finished a panful and had to confess to the first confession (see below). It may come from doing dishes with my grandmother when I was young, or the silly feeling of accomplishment I have at seeing them all stacked in the drainer. And I belive I hold the all time record for the number of dishes stacked in one drainer. Do I need to get a life???

B.........uild a better mousetrap

and the world will beat a path to your door. (Or so the saying goes)! Well, I may have a better "mousetrap" here, but as you can see, it's really a dishcloth! For years I have loved handmade dishcloths and nylon net scrubbies, and finally I decided to to combine them. After using them for about a month, I've found I just love them! I've put them in my etsy shop (see right) and will also sell the pattern. I'd love your opinions as well!

F.........irst confession

No, this doesn't have anything to do with church and actually has turned out to be three confessions in one. I do intend to make it an important confession in "Confessions from a Crazed Crafter"!
"I don't clean, I don't cook, and I don't do laundry". When a dear friend received a marriage proposal this was her first answer! Fortuneately, the gentleman accepted this qualification and they had a lovely relationship for many years. Though she has now passed away, I have made this a part of my crafting mantra.
Crafting has done away with the guilt trip of keeping house. Really, I do cook, do the laundry, and clean enough to be basically presentable, but it no longer dominates my life.
Even though I must confess that it's not my original statement and that it's only partially true for me, I now give myself complete permission to spend time with family and friends, and craft to my heart's content. Now that's a true confession!

F.........avorite little friends

I must confess that making things for babies and toddlers is one of my happiest crafting times.
Here are two of my favorite little friends with the Raggedy Ann dolls I made them for Christmas.
It brought me back to my childhood and the Raggedy Anns my sister and I had so many years ago. Of course they have the "I Love You" hearts embroidered on them! The smiles from these little ones always brighten my day.

T.........he 23 year afghan

All of us in the craft world know that creating can be a time consuming process. I'm wondering, however, if my mom doesn't hold some kind of record.

Before I was born in 1942, she began to knit an afghan. Soon, she became way too busy raising a family and working so the project was put aside. It next appeared 23 years later when she waited at the hospital for my sister to give birth to the first grandchild.

Mom no longer remembers exactly when she finished it, but it continues to grace the home of my sister who often uses it to cover her first great-granddaughter. This precious family treasure has touched five generations.