Goin' Around in Circles

So I really love Penny Rugs but I have had another little obsession lately to learn to crochet rag rugs.  I have never had enough patience to learn to knit, my Mother tried to teach me when I was younger but being left handed it always felt awkward.  I had not patience for it either, all that counting and patterns etc....to many restrictions for my little short span of attention.  When I am making art it has to have no rules and be a really free flow thing.  That is why I enjoy painting with acryclics as well as hand sewing my pennies.

I had never crocheted anything in my life either but for some reason I just LOVE rag rugs and NEEDED to figure out how to make one.  I combed the internet and Youtube for help and have spent the last few months since the New Year making rugs through trial and error.  My first few rugs were all over the place, wouldn't lie flat etc.  Then I tried Naalbinding also known as Toothbrush rugs, worked a little better but still wouldn't lie flat and I was constantly steaming the heck out of the work while making it to get it to lay down.  Then two days ago I re-visited a Youtube video ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYw5ZvRdhPQ ) that I had watched and dismissed ages ago because the lady is working so fast and is right handed but I gave it another shot and stopped the video every couple of seconds numerous times and after a long obssesive session of stopping and starting and ripping out 4 or 5 starts I started getting the hang of it!  Finally a rug was nice and chunky and laying down flat as I was making it!  YAY! I felt such a sense of accomplishment and I really like the results.  Now only if I could stick to the pile of Laundry in the Laundry room like that..........

Time for Brooches

Life just gets so busy sometimes.  I sit whenever I can and make pennies but when that is not enough and time is short I make Brooches.  There is nothing like the satisfaction of doing a small project that you know will be a finished little piece in a short span of time.   Just the ticket when I get frustrated and anxious and feel that I have not been producing enough.  Is that obsessive compulsive?  Everything else goes by the wayside.  Laundry, cooking, cleaning, the whole world goes by but as long as I get a little project done I am happy!

Penny Angel Pillow

I started this project weeks ago before I went to Florida.  It sat for a while until the motivation hit me to finish it today.  I am quite taken with her if I do say so myself.  Just the kind of thing to put a smile on my face. A big goal of mine is to alway make sure that whatever I produce has the ability to make me happy inside when I look at the finished work.  I like my work with a funky edge, I guess I am just not the refined type who likes fussy things.  Make it funky, that's my motto!

Like if just like that some times......

I haven't posted in a little bit, a lot has happened in a short while.  My Mum went in for a knee replacement, that went beautifully and she will be getting the second knee done in the fall.  My dog, Corrie had to have emergency surgery for a kidney stone that had blocked her urethra.  That was stressful but she has made a full recovery and is a joy.

Then on Mother's day, my Daughter Morgan's best friend took her own life at 18 years of age.  That set things spinning....Grief and sorrow come over you like waves on the ocean and you just have to ride them out...Brianne was a beautiful person and a godsend for my Morgan.   They met in public school and felt such a connection with each other.  They allowed each other to be who they were, judgement free.  Silly and goofy dancing and singing toghether and just having fun.  Countless sleepovers even until recently.  Sometimes I would open Morgan's door not knowing Brianne was even in the house and there she was sleeping peacfully after a night of girl gab and movie watching.
She was blossoming into adulthood but it wasn't meant to be.  She had other plans and we are left with the legacy of a open and loving girl who we will never forget.  Rest in peace Brianne, you were much loved by my family and will be sorely missed.

First Student arrives tomorrow morning!

Ok, so I am tired of being alone in my love for Penny Rugs around here....I placed an ad on Kijiji offering to teach not knowing what to expect.  Nobody seems to know what a Penny Rug is.  I was pleasantly surprised to recive an immediate response from a very nice lady who wanted to learn the craft.  She came over for an initial Hi, how are you.  She is coming over tomorrow morning for her first lesson.  I have put together a small kit to get her started.  Making a small rug for use as a hot pad or candle mat, 7 pennies in total with a background and backing.  I haven't really taught any crafts since I was a Brownie leader.  She seems to be quited excited to get going, so am I!

Happy Birthday to Blair!

My baby, Blair, is 17 today.  I didn't have any other candles so an old "1" candle had to do.  I don't even have a gift for her yet, things have been quite hectic around here and I didn't get out to get her one. 
Yesterday I spent the day waiting with my Husband and Mother in law at the hospital for my Father in law to come out of Brain surgery. He had a tumor that had metatisized from his lungs.  He made it through just fine and we hope that he will get some improvment as a result.  Yes, I was just in Florida until last Friday night, it wasn't really a holiday, my 9 year old neice has Lukemia and I was down to help with daycare coverage.  Great the see that she is doing so well, She is supposed to be going back to school today.  Life sometimes has it's challenges dosen't it?

Florida Fun

Here I am in Florida with my 3 nieces.  I am down here for two weeks to spend time with my Sister in Law and her family doing a little babysitting for them when they needed the coverage.  Spent the first week at a timeshare in the Orlando area.  Lots of families with their kids and lots of Brits over here on holiday.  I have been wondering if they all made it home OK considering the delays in air travel due to the volcano in Iceland.  I would hate to be stuck in a hotel room with my kids not knowing when I will be getting home.  I leave for Toronto and home on Friday.  I have had nothing with me to get crafty with and I am suffering MAJOR WITH DRAWL from making pennies etc. Holidays are nice but for me, Home is Best!

Latest Etsy Listing, Anybody have any advice to boost sales on Etsy?

Just posted this little penny rug on Etsy.  I love the whole concept of Esty, handmade goods etc. but I have only been able to get one item sold so far.  I have a hard time getting my pictures to look good.  I watched the Etsy tutorial on taking pictures but I just can't seem to get the lighting to highlight my items in true colour and have a good exposure.  Guess I just have to play around with it some more.  I have the Etsy page, a webpage and now this blog page....now I guess I have to spend some time putting out the picture of taking lots of packages to the post office to send my work out to the world!  

It's Official, My Kids have Grown Up!

Wow, this is the first Easter Morning since the late 80's where there was no Easter Egg Hunt at my house.  Feels a little sad but it kinda feels good too.  I am still young, 46, my youngest is 17 this month. I was blessed with 3 amazing girls who have become beautiful young women.  I can feel the shift in my life where I am becoming a wise woman with knowledge accumulating over the years.  Next step, Grandma, but I hope not too soon!

I guess you could say they are flying the nest?!

Happy Easter!

Frustration tranforms into Telementation!

As I said in my first post, I purchased a book on Telementation recently (The Law of Attraction)  The author of this book, Jeffery Grupp, has finally written a book on this subject that gives one the clear understanding of exactly how to carry out the process of attacting into your life what you want.  I have discoverd that the first step in this process is having a CRYSTAL CLEAR picture of what you want.  Whoa, that is a tall order....especially when most of us are just keeping on keeping on everday and going through the motions of work, eat, sleep, clean, pay bills etc. 
I guess I am going to really have to take some time to formulate my picture, not just a wish list with a collage of magazine cut outs on a piece of bristol board.  What do I really want? How do I want to feel?
One thing is for sure, I want to make ART!