Trying Something New...

Hello, Hello!

I am trying to keep warm on this freezing Tuesday.

I keep meaning to blog more often, but I always keep coming up with excuses.  It's too cold to blog.  I'm too tired to blog.  I'm too hungry.  The kids are crazy today.  I have housework...  Well all of that holds true today:  It's a wintery hot mess outside.  It's lunch time and I have yet to begin preparing anything to consume.  I'm definitely too tired, as I am battling a sinus infection.  For someone who marathons all day, doing housework, I never seem to find an end to the pile of things to do around the house!  And yes, my Little Darling has a semi-permanent playmate, Little K, whom I babysit several times per week.  They are absolutely wild together.  I love it, but it's hard to tune out the distraction and focus on a blog post.

Today, I threw away the excuses and just decided to make something happen.  This blog is important to me.  It's a single spot, a safe spot, where I can chronicle my projects (the mishaps and the wins), and where I can journal for a brief moment.  I like to share, but I am often too busy to make time for such.  This is how I share and record.  I feel a little lost without blogging sometimes.  Guilty, even.  Like I am cheating on my blog with.... domestic life.

Well, I am back now.  The plan is to make an effort to remember what makes me smile (writing and sharing pictures) and to create time for that on a more consistent and regular basis.  My other plan is to avoid turning into a human popsicle.

Lately, I have planned and been working on several projects.  I have been hooking away, and I have been doing some... er-hem... sewing.  Hand sewing.  My sewing machine still intimidates the hell out of me, but I am going to conquer that territory as well one day.

I have been thinking a lot about habits, and I decided I needed to break one of mine.  I am ALWAYS coming up with really cute ideas and projects for little girls.  I love little girls clothes and toys, although, yes, I find some of the toys to be gender biased and offensive.  But I think I should try to make things for boys...  I want to open that creative spot in my mind, which, until recently, was filled with notions of Tonka trucks... frogs... bugs... drool?  Who knows!  Honestly, I only have one female child.  I never worry about creating things for little boys.  I think that sucks!  I hate that I can't even find something within the depths of my reasonably creative mind to design a project for a little boy.

And with that frustration, I did the only thing I know how to do when I come to a mental road block in terms of creativity.  I decided to WORK through it.  I immediately started on a set of blankets for little boys.  As of now, my mind still works in "Girlie Girl Mode", meaning I create something for a little girl and then "translate" it into something for a boy.  I think that worked well for me on this project, but this is just the beginning. I think boys are hilarious, energetic, fun, and wild.  I hope to work those sentiments into some interesting tangible projects, but until then, take a peak at what I have in the works for now...
 

I had been doing so many African Flowers lately.  I am in LOVE with hexagons!  I don't know why, but they're adorable.  So, for this, I went back to granny squares.  Single colored blocks.  Something simple.

I am sure that there is an art to taking pictures of colors, to make them show true.  I just have not managed to master this art!  I found this Bernat "Little Boy Blue" multi-colored yarn, which sort of kicked off my inspiration.  Then, I paired it with (a totally different kind of yarn) Caron Simply Soft in Soft Blue, Off White, and Cypress.  I have finished all the squares.  I just need to piece everything together.

I am hoping to turn this into a little set...  maybe with a hat?  A sweater?  Or should I try my hand at crocheting a teddy bear?   Ok, I don't know about that last one!  I don't have the patience at all to create amigurumi!

Until next time...  Stay Warm. Stay Happy!