I Didn’t Run Away

I didn’t run away, honest, but I sort of fell down Alice’s rabbit hole. Sorry I’ve been AWOL (in this case, away without leaving a message).

All is good, thankfully no sickness or trouble caused the absence just …. well let me explain why and how I came to be down that rabbit hole for over a month.

First, if you read yesterday’s post you know I’ve been and am working with two awesome authors organizing virtual tours for them through MC Book Tours. The tours have been my number one project, but they aren’t why I fell into that hole.

I actually began gazing into the rabbit hole around Christmas when Santa brought me a Cricut Maker. I began learning how to make labels, decals and such by watching YouTube (that was the first step that led to so many more down the rabbit hole). From there I saw a video on finger knitting and made what I’d call a knitted chain that I used to wrap around a wreath just to see how it would look. Then I decided to use the wrapped wreath to make a Valentine’s Day decoration.

The finger knitting lead to trying my hand or I should say arm at arm knitting. That was fun but I quickly learned that the two skeins of yarn I had were not enough for a throw. When I went back to get more, there wasn’t any of the same color (at several stores I tried). That project was undone and put away for later.

In the meantime, I had learned a bit more about finger knitting and gave that a try again. This time I decided to go big and made a blanket/throw that measures a little over 7 feet long and 3 feet wide. As I was finishing that I started working with a small loom I’d gotten. My next project was what I call a shawl/scarf using that loom. That turned out to be 13 inches wide and 8 feet long. I’ve since started another one that is only 9 inches wide and probably won’t be as long as the first.

During all this I started helping a couple of people at work design and decorate one of our front store windows for spring. I saw a pattern online for a cute little birdhouse and decided to make some out of various colored scrapbook paper. I made 6 that we hung from the ceiling and 4 that I put on dowel rods and placed in containers of flowers I’d put together. We got the window done a few days after Valentine’s Day and I have to say I think it looks very “spring like.”

I’m now working on a wreath for the other window that we’ll do in a patriotic theme after St. Patrick’s Day. The wreath is to look like a flag and is made from wooden clothes pins that I’ve painted red, white, and blue and put on a wire wreath form. The blue pins will have some white stars on them. It’s amazing the things you can find when you google a project.

So, are you seeing how and why I fell down the rabbit hole and am just now starting to find my way out?

I have read several great books (two by one author, yeah Bloo Moose) during my time away. I hope to have reviews this week for two of the amazing authors. I’m also listening to Lisa Gardner’s latest release.

I forgot to mention the chalkboard I made from a mirror and a cute pillow cover I made using material featuring vintage cameras (another thing I’ve started collecting again). There is also the puzzle I put together and framed. The real treat is the 1955 Underwood manual typewriter I found at a thrift store. I beat the urge for three weeks before I went back and bought it. I can’t set the margins and the ribbon only tightens one way, but what fun it is to type on it. I had forgotten how much I enjoy the sound of the keys typing (and how hard they are to press).

I’ve been busy down in the rabbit hole. But, I think I’ve gotten the “crafting bug” under control and am slowly climbing out to get back into the blogging world.

Do you ever get carried away crafting or such and go from one project to another without stopping? We are thinking about giving hand poured soy candles as Christmas gifts this year so I might need to give that a try just to see how hard they are to make. And did I mention I’ve purchased all the material to do hanging macrame baskets like I did years ago? Oh, I got another fun idea from watching a YouTube Channel called White Cottage Company (you should check it out, it’s a great channel). I forgot to tell you about the water fountain I’m working on to put in my “secret” flower garden this spring.

Ah, I think I’m sliding back in the hole again…… Any suggestions on how to do all and not go AWOL again?