addendum to cell phone purse

Well, back to the drawing, er, cutting board.  :(  

It didn't come out like I visualized it, so out comes the handy dandy seem ripper!!  RIPPING away!  lol  I think I know how to get the mechanics of it right this time.  Heck, for someone who hasn't been taught hardly I thing about sewing, all the techniques, how to's and such, I do pretty good :)  

Work in Progress

I know it has been ages since I last posted, my other blog  http://a-life-of-pain.blogspot.com/ explains why.... 

But now I am working on a gift for a neighbor, a small, hmmm, would  you call it a purse or a case? for a cell phone that will hang around her neck.  It is out of colorful material, will have ribbon and cute buttons on it, be held closed by a small round velcro tab.  I will try to remember to post a picture when done :)

What are you working on? :)

a year later...

The carpal tunnel surgery did not go as well as hoped, my left hand never healed right, knitting was too hard, numbness had me continually dropping my left needle :(

However, I am supposed to go back and have a repair of the repair! lol had to put it off due to life threatening health issues which had me hospitalized for over a month this spring, but doing better and have scheduled another appointment now to get things moving for my hand :)

Doing creative things with my hands is very hard (heck typing is very hard, typos in nearly every word due to left fingers being numb :( But I do try to do a bit of sewing.

This one is going to be short, mainly to let anyone who read my blog know I am still alive and soon hope to be creating things again :)


Wishing all creative blessings!

Rebirth?

Wow, after nearly loosing the ability to use my hands at all, I am again able to knit!
I have three things I want to make asap, one is a pair of *cranky pants* adapting the basic cargo pants pattern from here: http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer05/PATTcargo.html to make something like these: http://www.crankypantshome.com/hand-knit/longies-shorties/classic.html ; then I want to make this for my new grand baby, as my son is crazy about the Link and Zelda games: http://www.happyseamstress.com/uncategorized/baby-link-outfit-free-pattern

Then I heard about a *three scarf top*. Wow, all it is, is three *scarves* or rectangles knitted then sewn together! I can see all sorts of possibilities from this! A few simple measurements from all the women in my family and I can whip up some very cute tops for them in no time! And I have a book of knitting patterns I can use to make them all unique!

Now I just have to get the yarn! lol lol lol

Yes, I am feeling creatively as well as productively reborn!

MOVED!!!

Sorry I have been so quiet, not posting, but, we have MOVED!!!

Life was quite crazy for a while, not only was I stuck on bed rest from a messed up back, but we were hunting for a place to live, packing, and then moving!

The change, though stressful, has been a wonderful one!!! I am now living in a home that is almost totally handicapped accessible!!! I can come and go as I please, get to EVERY room in it, do my own laundry again!! The sheer joy that I have over the simple laundry is amazing!!!

And best of all, I CAN COME AND GO FROM MY HOUSE AS I PLEASE!!!

Now that may seem like nothing much to most folks, but to someone who is wheel chair bound and has stairs at their doorways, it is something truly HUGE!

Hubby and I go for *strolls* now in our power chairs! We go sometimes several times a day. It is so wonderful!!! And best of all, the neighbors here are friendly!!! We spent five years at the old place, we were here only a few days and met the neighbors and now speak, laugh and joke with them almost daily!!

One neighbor has two kids, little boy and little girl, I think they are like 7 and 4. Very cute kids, pretty well behaved.

Our other close neighbors are a young man with parkinsons :(, and his caretaker. Both are very nice, and they have two chihuahuas! I love chihuahuas! I get to visit them too lol . The caretakers loves plants and so we chatter a lot about them. Right now we are watering his for him while he and his, hmm, friend? I think that would be a good term, since he and the man he cares for seem to get along great. Well he and his friend are camping with family.

I have finally done a little knitting too!! I finished the cylinder pillow case I was working on. It came out bigger than I planned, but no worries, since hubby decided he didnt want a pillow in his chair anyway LOL. I will have to put up a pick once I make the pillow to go in it.

Hard to do much crafting since most of my craft things are still in boxes! :(

Crying for hope....

I just watched Diane Sawyer interview the most amazing man and his family.

He has terminal cancer.

Yet he is living each day to it’s fullest, giving as much as he can to his wife and kids, and others who travel through his life, or he meets along the way.

I cry a little still, grateful to have been touched even a little by him, sorry that his children and wife wont have him with them much longer, and such an insightful man is leaving our world behind soon.

Here are two links about him, I hope that what you see touches you as deeply, and with as much hope as they did me.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3115188410730134929

http://download.srv.cs.cmu.edu/~pausch/

Longing for spring

It has been a long, long winter... in many ways for me.

I feel like I am beginning to come out of it. Finally.

A dear beloved teacher and friend crossed over to the next life, I was struck harshly with betrayal by a trusted friend who was like a sister, and others who joined in with her. The pain is less, yet the sad deep emptiness, and feeling of loss is lingering.

It took much more of a toll on me than I wanted to admit for a while. True, I gathered myself together and carried on. Yet my heart wasn't in it. I needed time out. So I have taken that time, hovered mostly in the background, allowing myself time to heal, even to the point of neglecting my own list on Yahoo groups *The Empowered Goddess*.

But I have now taken steps to regroup, adding other moderators and owners. Adding the other owners was the biggest step for me to take, after the betrayal. But doubly so a good one because of it. I want to trust others, and to have faith in my sisters. It is part of my belief that we can have community, without *power over* struggles. That we, Goddess women can join together, communicate, and grow in strength, wisdom, love, and all ways through sharing our strengths and weaknesses and allowing others to help us, and helping others when we can.

So, I have planted seeds of faith, hope, and sisterhood.

I long to see a fruitful harvest.

Green Blessings

White Hot Charcoal!!!

I finally finished the coiled basket for my son. I love how it turned out and so does he! Which is the BEST part!

I used Lion Brand Homespun in Charcoal for the yarn, and trimmed it in natural howlite beads. Looks like white hot charcoal does :)

It is for him to put his wallet, cell phone and keys in and not loose them.

Mini Stockings Away! lol

Hi! I just love making these stockings! Especially the little ones. They give me something quick to do, and something to practice my sock knitting techniques on! Two great things at once!

I used Red Heart Holiday in red silver, green silver and white silver for it. I embroidererd the candy cane on after finishing :) I braided extra yarn to make the hanging loop at the top.

Plum Wine Stocking Done!

Done! Another Stocking! I am on a Stocking roll! lol

I used Caron Simply soft in plum wine for the main color and sage for the accent with red heart Holiday in white for the ribbing and snowflake :) I made this one shorter and changed a few other small things. I made the ribbing ruffled! My son took this picture outside in the cold in a hurry, so he didnt lay it out very well, but at least the light was good! lol

Thinking of making one one reversing the main color and accent color, but keeping the holiday white for the silver thread in it for the ribbing and snowflake.

Mini stocking coming right up!

More Stockings!

I finished my stocking! ( it is the one on the right) I loved making it, and have started a new one already! And I made a tiny one using a pattern from a web site. I will post where the pattern is later, for now, here are my stockings!

Soul Soothing Craft Work!

I started this stocking as part of a KAL last week and it has been a wonderful way of getting back into my crafts! And at the perfect time for me :)

I have learned a new technique which makes Intarsia or multi-color knitting something I can do now by joining in this KAL! And it gave me a chance to practice my sock making.

The pattern is one that Jackie (Knitting Crone from *Cauldronofcrafts* yahoo group) posted in parts for us on the group called *The snowflake stocking*.

I have so enjoyed doing this! Thanks Jackie and Garnet!

A Perfect Day

Got to go outside and play yesterday!!!! Something because I am mainly wheelchair (power chair) bound, I dont get to do much.

But I did!!!! I had my son get my chair out, and I went down the road, got mail from the corner, then went across to the Wild Cherry trees!!!!

They are just past prime, but still great for making jelly with :) So I gathers about a quart, and some twigs for cough syrup. Then rode on around the corner and sat under a tree for a while, laughing with the elements, air was particularily playful!

Then went on around my block, chatting with dogs, cats and even a neighbor lady ;)

Still didnt want to go back inside, so I went back and gathered more cherries :)

Then, slowly came home, but again, instead of going in, called my hubby to come outside and relax a while with me. It was a perfect evening.... Sunny, bright blue skies, stiff cool breeze on a warm day....... awwww........

I wish I could get out more, and get my family outside more! It is so wonderful, and good for us too!!!!!

Wishing you all such beautiful days!!

Coiled Basket Making

WOOOHOOOOO!

I finally got my blessing bowl finished!!!

It is a coiled basket, made of clothes line covered with yarn. An example of how to do this is found here: http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/lessons/middle/Sue-baskets.htm

Only I do a variation of this, and instead of having the yarn show on the downward wrap on the outside, I go downward on the inside, then back under the top coil, swing it around and start wrapping again. It makes for a smoother look, but the other way can be more decorative.

I added *bluemoons* appliqued to the outside of my basket, by simply making coiled circles. I still considering whether or not I want to make a lid.

Creative Blessings!
MaryBeth

Long time no post.....

I have been busy, very busy, not only with home life, but with a beloved mentor's death, Shekhinah Mountainwater, author of Ariadne's Thread, has crossed the veil.

Now left behind is what could dissolve into chaos. Even before she died there were members of the community trying to get control over some of her lists, and tauted long relationships with her. But I found it funny, that for all their supposed closeness to Shekhinah, that in the last six months to a year, when she was practically begging for helpers with her online community, they remained silent. As silent as her quickly approaching death.

Those of us who just want to see her work continue are being chastised for not grieving enough. Me? not grieving enough??? I have been on the phone with her many times a week until she decided to end her fight and pass on. I was there working in the background while they were silent.

But I don't want what they want. I don't want to try to be Shekhinah, or even her stand in. I just want to continue to do her work as she asked me to do. Not with power over anyone, just do my job. And for this I am called unfeeling.

I think the unfeeling ones are those who are trying to jump into positions of power, without regard to what Shekhinah said she wanted done. Those are the unfeeling ones. But they are also the ones making a big show of their grief on the lists.

That just makes me sick. I don't know if I can deal with it. I would sooner walk away than see her work disintegrate into petty power struggles by members who want things their way and are quite willing to be the squeaky wheel, whining about how they cant do the work of the list, yet seem to have lots of energy to shout their grief from not only our lists, but every list, including Witchvox there is on the Internet.

So for now my hands are tied, I cant preform my duties or I am evil, and if ppl like that gain control, I will be gone. And then I doubt the lists will last more than six months with folks like that in control.

Warning, RANT!

Happy Birthday to me.........

Yeah right.

Having an arguement with DH, son is finally finishing the dishes, after I fussed.

No one has mentioned my birthday.

Why is it asumed that *I* am to do all or most of the cooking?

Recreating Avalon

Sorry I havent posted in ages.

I have done some knitting and crocheting, but my main focus has turned inward. I have been doing some intensive spiritual studies and awakening things inside me I thought were long dead and beyond my current reach.......

But it seems Goddess can revive anything!

My current passion is to rediscover Avalon. And all the versions of Avalon from all over the world, such places where women gathered together to live, learn, and worship the Goddess in her many forms.

I believe such places can be rebuilt, first in our own hearts, home, then local communities.

If we but not only believe, but act on that belief and make it happen!

Do you have what it takes to step up and become part of Avalon?

Asking the hard questions,
MaryBeth

Sistrum/Systrum

I made one of these before, but, alas, as with many of my things it got lost in my move north. So I had been wanting to make another, and finally I did!

A Sistrum is an ancient musical and magickal instrument. It was used in Egypt and before. Priestesses of Hathor used them in their offices.

They are now used to both help raise energy and disperse unwanted or blocked energy.

They can be made of wood or metal, can have wire or wood that the bells, clappers are on. I like the beads on this one, I like the fact that it makes a *shhush shusshing* sound along with a gentle clinking.

My next one I want to find more bell like clappers for it, and perhaps make it differently.

Triple Moons

Greetings One and All!!!!

I finally got my triple moon doily and brought it back out for pictures! This was a first for me, knitting a design in two colors, it is different than just doing rows of different colors. I hope you all like it. I made the design by drawing it on graph paper first, then redid it several times in places and still not happy with my smaller crescents. But I will work on them again later. Another project for another time.

I also included a picture of the back, feel free to tell me what I did wrong! lol

Beware the Guardian of the Sacred Shawl!!!

Beware all ye would be evil doers!!!!

For Furball, Mistress of the Guardians of the Knitting is on duty!!!

She guards it so well, not even her knitters can get to their knitting!!!!

LOL she really didn't want to let me get to my knitting, when I tried she swiped at me and grabbed my hand. I really should make all the cats something, they love laying on my knitting!