August 9th, 2011 -- Posted in EZ-blog Oven, knitty/stitchy |
So I suspect my cross-stitch drawer may have been getting more lonely over the past little while, especially in the recent year as I’ve taken up knitting. I mean no offense to it, but those teeny-tiny squares *are* a little more difficult on the eyes! And wielding a small needle seems to be a little more tiresome on the neck muscles as well, which is something I can’t afford these days.
Nonetheless, I have not been ignoring this craft completely! Even though I only created maybe one or two cross-stitch patterns last holiday season instead of the usual “bunch” of them, I’m never without a project in the works. I still find it to be one of the most portable crafts to take on the go; I do most of my stitching while waiting in doctor’s offices and in the car and things like that!
Right now, there are a couple of birth announcements in progress for babies born in 2011. I like to give them no later than the baby’s first birthdays, so it helps to start them way ahead of sched! These little boys were born in April, 2 days apart even though they were due more than a month apart! They are also cousins so I made them matching designs. I’ve mostly finished the main part of the pattern but now need to add the birth details.
Last year I only had to do a couple birth announcements… a cute horse and frog. I didn’t get a chance to grab a photo of the Rocking Horse one (maybe next time I see my friend I’ll ask!) but here is the Frog one…
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May 5th, 2011 -- Posted in family, life as a mom |
So this was a craft idea we had this year for both birthdays (my mother celebrates hers in April) and Mother’s Day. I ended up making 3 arrangements with my son, who is 6, and they all turned out really beautifully (and different!).
Here’s what we did for these great gifts…
Supplies:
- Clear Flower Vase (if you don’t want real glass, get a plastic one)
- River Rocks or other stones/faux gems/decorations
- Fake Flowers
- Flat Sheer Ribbons
Steps:
Have your child help you wash and dry the vase and fill it carefully with rocks/decorations. They can make layers if they want. Then stick in the fake flowers in the middle. Cut them if they are too tall. Tie the ribbon around the edge of the vase. My DS came up with the idea on his own to have the ribbon at the same height that the rocks come to! Have them put a little finger on the first knot as you tie the bow so it stays very tight. You can layer up two colours of sheer ribbon for a nice effect. Leave a long enough “tail” after tying. Cut the edges on an angle.
There you go! Professional looking floral arrangement at a fraction of the price and one that will last all year ’round! We got most of our supplies at a big craft store and at a grocery store so it is fairly easy to find what you need to make these gifts. My son was able to help out at age 6 and I might suggest you could go a bit younger, such as 3 or 4 depending on your child’s patience level, but not into toddler and preschool age levels.
If you do try out these crafts, I hope the gift recipients enjoy them very much! We’ll be delivering the rest of ours over the next couple of weekends and are hoping for some positive reactions. 
March 19th, 2011 -- Posted in EZ-blog Oven, knitty/stitchy, pain / disability |
This a post I have been working on for a very long time (almost a year actually!), so it seemed fitting to post it after a long “hiatus” of being unable to post (has it really been 4 months?). Let’s just say it’s been a stressful and painful holiday season and aftermath… I’ve had a difficult time coping with the pain lately, which means sitting up at the keys and having enough brain-power to be verbal is a much more rare occasion (this while already having to pick from my few waking hours of the day when not involved in eating, stretching, family care, driving, resting, icing, heating, and moving very slowly around my small little paths in the world!).
My creative methods of coping with pain have always there in the background so I really wanted to write about it… every time I create a card or bake something or work on a home decor project, it is very heavily impacted by my pain. But the message I want to send is that you can still be creative despite of your limitations. And not only that but it can help turn you around and distract you from your pain and take you away from your pain…
A compromise: using a cake mix, but still making my own icing. Taking the time to ice the cupcakes, but only a few at once, and doing it seated.
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Work within your comfort zone, go at it very slowly and cautiously, and you can still create… The projects you see here in my blog were not each created all at one time. I have a very different schedule and routine, but I’m slowly able to still piece things together. And I have found that to be very worthwhile! The life of a chronic pain patient is very much like a scarf or quilt – you may only be able to make very small rows or blocks at a time, but they eventually add up into a larger whole that is noticeable… and beautiful.
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I have always been creative, so it’s no wonder it has been something I’ve clung to, even through this difficult time of coping with new spinal injuries, chronic pain, and relentless headaches.
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