I am really glad that 2016 is over. Although good things happened, too many unsettling things happened as well. It's time to start fresh, and January is the best time to do that.
I don't like referring to a list of "resolutions" because I feel like it then becomes doomed to fail. So, based on my guiding principal of simplicity, here are my goals and aspirations for the new year:
1) Simplify Yet Bolster My Social Media Presence
Many Creative Gifts has a Face Book page (please come "like" the page ;-), a Twitter feed (of course come follow us too!), Instagram photos, etc., etc., but I post and tweet and whatever quite randomly. This year, I'm going to methodically spruce up my page on each media platform and then try to utilize it effectively. I've come across some great checklists and tips on Pinterest (oh, we are there as well) and posted them to my "Small Business Tips" board. Well it's time to go old school, print some of those babies out, and get cracking!
2) Simplify Yet Enhance My Product Offerings
I've always just created what I've felt like making, then posted the pattern on Ravelry and sometimes the actual sample on Etsy. But I haven't paid attention to sales analytics, etc., like I really should. I want to offer items that people want to buy or make themselves! I still think it's a good idea for me to concentrate right now on crocheted and knitted baby wear and build out my Classic and Colorful Collections (but I'm sure I'll get distracted by other projects as well); I just need to be sure I'm offering what buyers are wanting. That's why I participated in two holiday bazaars this year, so that I could do some market research. Unfortunately, the turnout was very low at both due to very rainy and icy weather both days, so I'm not sure I really took away much insight from the experiences (except how to set up and break down a display table efficiently, which is a good lesson to have come away with). I think I'll have another chance in February for a special Valentine's pop-up shop. I anticipate that online sales will continue to be my focus and hopefully concentrating on #1 above will help as well.
3) Simplify Yet Enrich Each Day
It's amazing how easy it is to fritter away time in unproductive and ultimately unsatisfying ways! There's plenty of time in a day to do the things that you want to do IF you are willing to give up the game apps, email scrolling, and all the other time-sucking activities that we all do. Now, I'm a firm believer in mindless activities, we all need to take some down time, but it all needs to be managed. And, I know what you're thinking: "But it's just 5 or 10 minutes, what else could I do with that time?" The answer is plenty. Ten minutes of exercising your abs is better than 10 minutes of exercising your finger! Or, more importantly for me, 10 minutes of activities that help me achieve #1 and #2 above is what I need to be doing. As painful as it is, I think the only way I'm going to be able to direct my attention to worthwhile apps (like a book app or an educational coding one) is to delete the others (taking comfort in knowing that they remain in the App Store for future downloading again if I get desperate). But unplugging might be the best way to simplify: truly making use of the "power of an hour" concept by exercising for 20 minutes, meditating for 20 minutes, and learning for 20 minutes. Back to basics!
I hope my yearly process of closing out one year and getting ready for the next has been helpful to you as well in contemplating your courses of action. There's no right or wrong way to do any of this, just be sure you're making conscious decisions, not passively following habits you no longer need or want :-) Here's to an amazing 2017!
Showing posts with label new year. Show all posts
Showing posts with label new year. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 3, 2017
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
Simplicity
Ah, the holiday season is upon us again. Hard to believe 2016 is almost over and a new year is about to begin. I always try to have a post at the end of the year reviewing how things went and a post at the beginning of the new year setting goals and aspirations.
This year posed many challenges again, but as I look back at the first post of the year, I feel like I might have done better than I thought... Although my first goal, a realistic and meaningful blog post schedule, wasn't fully accomplished with respect to consistency, I hope it was successful in providing helpful and interesting information. And I sure had fun trying some new techniques, like short row heels on socks. Most of all, though, I do think that the crochet (and knitting) lifestyle is worth exploring. I made a point of doing a little stitching each day (or some creative endeavor), and I hope to continue to incorporate the concept of "the power of an hour" into my day (more on that to come!).
What possibilities might 2017 hold for me? Well, please return in January to find out, but I'll leave you with one thought that has been going through my mind a lot lately: simplicity. We live in a very complicated world, and the information overload can be overwhelming. As the commercialization of Christmas is evident once again, I keep coming back to "simplicity" as a guiding principle in gift giving, some early spring cleaning I've been trying to do, and how I've been choosing to spend my time. I think it might end up being just the right theme for me in crochet design as well.
So, as 2016 draws to a close, please accept my happiest wishes to you for a Merry Christmas, a Happy Holiday Season, and a New Year filled with new possibilities and adventures. And meet back here in 2017!
This year posed many challenges again, but as I look back at the first post of the year, I feel like I might have done better than I thought... Although my first goal, a realistic and meaningful blog post schedule, wasn't fully accomplished with respect to consistency, I hope it was successful in providing helpful and interesting information. And I sure had fun trying some new techniques, like short row heels on socks. Most of all, though, I do think that the crochet (and knitting) lifestyle is worth exploring. I made a point of doing a little stitching each day (or some creative endeavor), and I hope to continue to incorporate the concept of "the power of an hour" into my day (more on that to come!).
What possibilities might 2017 hold for me? Well, please return in January to find out, but I'll leave you with one thought that has been going through my mind a lot lately: simplicity. We live in a very complicated world, and the information overload can be overwhelming. As the commercialization of Christmas is evident once again, I keep coming back to "simplicity" as a guiding principle in gift giving, some early spring cleaning I've been trying to do, and how I've been choosing to spend my time. I think it might end up being just the right theme for me in crochet design as well.
So, as 2016 draws to a close, please accept my happiest wishes to you for a Merry Christmas, a Happy Holiday Season, and a New Year filled with new possibilities and adventures. And meet back here in 2017!
Monday, January 4, 2016
Hello 2016!
Well, here we are again, at the beginning of a new year! I try to look at the upcoming 12 months optimistically, a whole new clean slate on which to do whatever it is you want to do. Of course, it's bittersweet because I always go back to the first post of the previous year to see what I did, and did not, accomplish. The two blog posts a week plan sure didn't get done; I did participate more on Facebook, and I've discovered I really enjoy the interaction and some of the new tools that have been added; and I have been much better about actually starting and finishing projects -- you all just haven't heard about them... yet!
So, for 2016, here are my three goals:
1) a realistic and meaningful blog post schedule
As much as I read about the importance of consistency in posting, I think, or at least am hoping, that you all will appreciate fewer but more meaningful posts. I really don't want to slap something up here for the sake of posting and not have it be worthwhile for the reader. Now, I know, don't let perfection get in the way of progress, and I won't/can't, but this year is really going to be about meaningfulness. Quality above quantity and meeting crocheters' needs.
2) a focus on techniques and projects
"Give a pattern to a crocheter, and she's (or he) got one project; teach a new technique to a crocheter, and she's got a lifetime of possibilities." Or something like that ;-). I really want to approach this new year in learning and teaching mode. Don't get me wrong, I too love just picking up a pattern and knowing/hoping that I can follow it and end up with a wonderful finished item. I've actually been doing that a lot this past year, and I think it's going to make me an even better pattern writer. But, there are times when the pattern isn't just the way I want it, and I think it's important to stray from the directions and add my own touches. I really want to empower other crocheters to feel comfortable doing the same. Not everyone's got a local yarn store where they can get assistance and build community. That's the beauty of the Internet, we can do it right here!
3) explore the "crochet/knit lifestyle"
I hinted last year at my observation that crocheting (and knitting) are more than just hobbies; they really are important aspects of life itself. You know what I mean -- you start crocheting or knitting, and you just get this feeling. Not just about the particular project you are making but about the process you're engaging in as well as about your surroundings. I really want to spend this year exploring and conveying specifically what this means. Again, due to modern life, we don't have the communities and kinships that we used to, but I have noticed on Facebook in particular and the Internet in general, that like-minded souls do seem to find each other :-). And, I'm sure you've noticed my references to knitting as well. I really want to incorporate more knitting into my projects because, let's face it, there are certain knitting techniques that work better than crochet for certain aspects of a project (think ribbing!). I also get a different feeling when I knit than when I crochet (maybe because I haven't been knitting for as long), and I think that phenomenon will be worth exploring as well.
So, perhaps loftier goals for 2016, but hopefully ones you will want to explore with me! Happy New Year everyone, here's to making it a great one!!
So, for 2016, here are my three goals:
1) a realistic and meaningful blog post schedule
As much as I read about the importance of consistency in posting, I think, or at least am hoping, that you all will appreciate fewer but more meaningful posts. I really don't want to slap something up here for the sake of posting and not have it be worthwhile for the reader. Now, I know, don't let perfection get in the way of progress, and I won't/can't, but this year is really going to be about meaningfulness. Quality above quantity and meeting crocheters' needs.
2) a focus on techniques and projects
"Give a pattern to a crocheter, and she's (or he) got one project; teach a new technique to a crocheter, and she's got a lifetime of possibilities." Or something like that ;-). I really want to approach this new year in learning and teaching mode. Don't get me wrong, I too love just picking up a pattern and knowing/hoping that I can follow it and end up with a wonderful finished item. I've actually been doing that a lot this past year, and I think it's going to make me an even better pattern writer. But, there are times when the pattern isn't just the way I want it, and I think it's important to stray from the directions and add my own touches. I really want to empower other crocheters to feel comfortable doing the same. Not everyone's got a local yarn store where they can get assistance and build community. That's the beauty of the Internet, we can do it right here!
3) explore the "crochet/knit lifestyle"
I hinted last year at my observation that crocheting (and knitting) are more than just hobbies; they really are important aspects of life itself. You know what I mean -- you start crocheting or knitting, and you just get this feeling. Not just about the particular project you are making but about the process you're engaging in as well as about your surroundings. I really want to spend this year exploring and conveying specifically what this means. Again, due to modern life, we don't have the communities and kinships that we used to, but I have noticed on Facebook in particular and the Internet in general, that like-minded souls do seem to find each other :-). And, I'm sure you've noticed my references to knitting as well. I really want to incorporate more knitting into my projects because, let's face it, there are certain knitting techniques that work better than crochet for certain aspects of a project (think ribbing!). I also get a different feeling when I knit than when I crochet (maybe because I haven't been knitting for as long), and I think that phenomenon will be worth exploring as well.
So, perhaps loftier goals for 2016, but hopefully ones you will want to explore with me! Happy New Year everyone, here's to making it a great one!!
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Little Green Boxes and 3 Tips for Organizing the Kitchen
Well, I am getting off to a slow start this year with the blog, but maybe I'm striving for crochet perfection (or at least correct and useful information) too much! So, in the mean time, I'm posting about my New Year's Cleaning (rather than Spring Cleaning) in the hopes that it will be helpful to you. And, by getting organized and decluttered, I'm hoping my creativity will get a boost as well.
The kitchen is the first room I've been tackling. I got out my labeler and got all of the half-opened bags and containers of dried goods out of the pantry and into properly sealing containers with labels. I didn't also add the date on the containers, but that's probably a good idea going forward (hopefully I'll use up stuff fast enough to not have to worry about this, but I think on the next go around, I will add dates so that I'll know how quickly or slowly I'm using up products).
Then I started in on the refrigerator after having read this helpful post by Nealey Stapleton of the Organizing Boutique. Since I was headed to Bed, Bath, and Beyond anyway for a new shower curtain and toilet seat (the bathroom is next!), I added a 12-inch turntable/Lazy Susan to my list and put it in the fridge to organize all the small jars of pickles, mustard, etc. I think it's really going to help in avoiding jars of half-used stuff getting shoved to the back of the refrigerator and being left to die.
And, even though I stuck to my list while at BBandB, I did make an impulse purchase of Debbie Meyer's 32-piece UltraLite Green Boxes to preserve fruits, vegetables and baked goods (hey, I had some 20% coupons, so not so bad :-)
We've been trying to eat more healthfully but, if I try to shop for the whole week, by the end of the week, some of the organic produce is looking a little sad... I'm hoping, based on the great reviews given these boxes, they will help extend the life of our fruits and veggies!
So, in summary:
1) Get everything labeled and dated -- it will help you keep track of what ingredients and pantry items you have and don't have, how fresh it is, etc.
2) Keep the refrigerator clean by using a few containers and turntables to help group like items and keep them organized and accessible.
3) Allow yourself to get distracted by little green boxes if it will help motivate you and help you feel better about starting off 2015 the way you want!
(Disclosure: We are an Amazon Affiliate and the above-provided link is an affiliate link. The boxes were $19.99 at BBandB, before the 20% off.)
The kitchen is the first room I've been tackling. I got out my labeler and got all of the half-opened bags and containers of dried goods out of the pantry and into properly sealing containers with labels. I didn't also add the date on the containers, but that's probably a good idea going forward (hopefully I'll use up stuff fast enough to not have to worry about this, but I think on the next go around, I will add dates so that I'll know how quickly or slowly I'm using up products).
Then I started in on the refrigerator after having read this helpful post by Nealey Stapleton of the Organizing Boutique. Since I was headed to Bed, Bath, and Beyond anyway for a new shower curtain and toilet seat (the bathroom is next!), I added a 12-inch turntable/Lazy Susan to my list and put it in the fridge to organize all the small jars of pickles, mustard, etc. I think it's really going to help in avoiding jars of half-used stuff getting shoved to the back of the refrigerator and being left to die.
And, even though I stuck to my list while at BBandB, I did make an impulse purchase of Debbie Meyer's 32-piece UltraLite Green Boxes to preserve fruits, vegetables and baked goods (hey, I had some 20% coupons, so not so bad :-)
We've been trying to eat more healthfully but, if I try to shop for the whole week, by the end of the week, some of the organic produce is looking a little sad... I'm hoping, based on the great reviews given these boxes, they will help extend the life of our fruits and veggies!
So, in summary:
1) Get everything labeled and dated -- it will help you keep track of what ingredients and pantry items you have and don't have, how fresh it is, etc.
2) Keep the refrigerator clean by using a few containers and turntables to help group like items and keep them organized and accessible.
3) Allow yourself to get distracted by little green boxes if it will help motivate you and help you feel better about starting off 2015 the way you want!
(Disclosure: We are an Amazon Affiliate and the above-provided link is an affiliate link. The boxes were $19.99 at BBandB, before the 20% off.)
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Twas the Day After Christmas
and all through the house ... was a big fat mess!
We've been enjoying the holiday season just a bit too much since Thanksgiving, and now the time to clean up has come! I find that as my creativity (aka last-minute gift making) goes up, my time on the computer goes down. But, hopefully you will forgive me, and I will try to get back on a more regular schedule come the new year.
But, here is the Long Clownie I made for a family out west to replace a long lost one ...
Here's hoping you and yours had a wonderful Christmas, and many happy wishes for the New Year!!
We've been enjoying the holiday season just a bit too much since Thanksgiving, and now the time to clean up has come! I find that as my creativity (aka last-minute gift making) goes up, my time on the computer goes down. But, hopefully you will forgive me, and I will try to get back on a more regular schedule come the new year.
But, here is the Long Clownie I made for a family out west to replace a long lost one ...
Here's hoping you and yours had a wonderful Christmas, and many happy wishes for the New Year!!
Friday, December 30, 2011
Reflections 2011
Well, here we are again! Another year has gone by, and it's time to look forward to 2012. I went back to the "Reflections" post that I wrote a year ago, in which I tried to articulate some goals for this year, to see if I had actually met any of them :-)
Although I don't have a 1000 followers (yet) and haven't been actively participating in 5 social media forums, I have been doing a lot! I've been designing a lot of new patterns, some of which are now up on my Ravelry page and some of which were featured in Inside Crochet magazine. I also launched my "101 Crochet Tips" Kindle book and adopted a sheep.
So, lessons learned? Put out valuable content and the followers will come. It's really a simple concept but a really hard one to execute. How do you know if you've produced valuable content?! There are analytical tools out there now that help you determine what impact, if any, your content is having, and one of my goals this coming year is to make better use of those tools. But, it is still really important to stay true to yourself as a creator -- don't make anything you don't want to make: your heart won't be in it, and it won't result in something that you will want to share with the world. With limited resources, you need to find your niche and fulfill it to the best of your ability.
Another lesson learned is that, even if you have great content, you have to present it in a compelling and professional way to attract followers (and hopefully buyers). I received a scathing review of my old website -- it was really tough to hear, but I really recommend finding an objective observer who will truly give it to you straight. You don't have to actually follow all the advice you receive (though you probably should try to absorb it, think it through, and adopt a new way of looking at your work, and you have to try to remind yourself that the person is trying to help you), but you sometimes really need help in objectively seeing what you are doing. I haven't yet been able to implement all of the suggestions for the website that I have received, but it's one of my primary goals for 2012 to create a really user-friendly and compelling website, a real basic for any (small) business these days. It was interesting how "trust", a topic we've discussed in the past, kept coming up -- a website that engenders trust, that professionally presents content, and that potential buyers feel comfortable visiting and purchasing from.
In December's newsletter, which really wasn't a newsletter as much as it was a "thank you" to all of you who have found and stuck with me this past year, I really tried to think about and outline the new content I want to create and how I will deliver it in the new year. This goes back to the two words that I plan on making my mantra for 2012 -- content and focus.
So, what do you want to accomplish this upcoming year? What are your two words that will be the driving force behind your actions in 2012? Please share them here or on my Facebook page as a way to help you visualize them and to give me the opportunity to encourage you to embrace them!
Happy New Year!!
Although I don't have a 1000 followers (yet) and haven't been actively participating in 5 social media forums, I have been doing a lot! I've been designing a lot of new patterns, some of which are now up on my Ravelry page and some of which were featured in Inside Crochet magazine. I also launched my "101 Crochet Tips" Kindle book and adopted a sheep.
So, lessons learned? Put out valuable content and the followers will come. It's really a simple concept but a really hard one to execute. How do you know if you've produced valuable content?! There are analytical tools out there now that help you determine what impact, if any, your content is having, and one of my goals this coming year is to make better use of those tools. But, it is still really important to stay true to yourself as a creator -- don't make anything you don't want to make: your heart won't be in it, and it won't result in something that you will want to share with the world. With limited resources, you need to find your niche and fulfill it to the best of your ability.
Another lesson learned is that, even if you have great content, you have to present it in a compelling and professional way to attract followers (and hopefully buyers). I received a scathing review of my old website -- it was really tough to hear, but I really recommend finding an objective observer who will truly give it to you straight. You don't have to actually follow all the advice you receive (though you probably should try to absorb it, think it through, and adopt a new way of looking at your work, and you have to try to remind yourself that the person is trying to help you), but you sometimes really need help in objectively seeing what you are doing. I haven't yet been able to implement all of the suggestions for the website that I have received, but it's one of my primary goals for 2012 to create a really user-friendly and compelling website, a real basic for any (small) business these days. It was interesting how "trust", a topic we've discussed in the past, kept coming up -- a website that engenders trust, that professionally presents content, and that potential buyers feel comfortable visiting and purchasing from.
In December's newsletter, which really wasn't a newsletter as much as it was a "thank you" to all of you who have found and stuck with me this past year, I really tried to think about and outline the new content I want to create and how I will deliver it in the new year. This goes back to the two words that I plan on making my mantra for 2012 -- content and focus.
So, what do you want to accomplish this upcoming year? What are your two words that will be the driving force behind your actions in 2012? Please share them here or on my Facebook page as a way to help you visualize them and to give me the opportunity to encourage you to embrace them!
Happy New Year!!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Reflections
Ah, it's the day before a new year yet once again. This one especially seems to have come quickly. I mean, really, where did 2010 go?! We were digging out of a Snowpacolypse at about this same time last year, and here in DC, we were on the verge of another one (just dodged it, and our thoughts are with our friends on the Northeast corridor who did not!).
Of course, it's hard not to get reflective during this time of year. What did I accomplish this past year? What didn't quite get done? What am I going to try to do in the upcoming year? I've been trying to figure this out all this past week while it's been quiet at home and work, and I think I'll share some of my thoughts with you so that, next year, I can come back to this post to double check myself :-) Also, hopefully, it will help you think this through for yourself and help you set some goals for 2011.
Goal setting does seem to be the first step. Setting goals is important because you need something to try to achieve and to measure your success by. And, when I say success, I mean whatever you decide you want it to mean. It does NOT have to be a money thing (so unfortunate that a lot of people measure success by the amount of money you make) -- it's about what will make you feel like you have taken some steps forward. You'll want your goal to be something that can be achieved but that will make you stretch a bit. For example, one of my goals for the upcoming year is to have 1000 followers, either here, on Facebook or Twitter, or through whatever channels followers want to connect with me. And, I really want to make a connection with people and get feedback from them, so another goal is to actively participate in at least 5 social media/forums (I've been laying back, reading about others, and enjoying the conversations and thoughts, but as they say in NY "you gotta be in it to win it!"). I also want to do a lot more article writing and publishing this coming year, but haven't yet fully nailed down the specifics (that's the other thing -- you need to be specific about your goals, once again so that you can figure out whether you succeeded in accomplishing them).
So, I leave you today with wishes for a Happy and Healthy 2011!! And start working on your own list of specific goals you want to accomplish in the new year :-)
Of course, it's hard not to get reflective during this time of year. What did I accomplish this past year? What didn't quite get done? What am I going to try to do in the upcoming year? I've been trying to figure this out all this past week while it's been quiet at home and work, and I think I'll share some of my thoughts with you so that, next year, I can come back to this post to double check myself :-) Also, hopefully, it will help you think this through for yourself and help you set some goals for 2011.
Goal setting does seem to be the first step. Setting goals is important because you need something to try to achieve and to measure your success by. And, when I say success, I mean whatever you decide you want it to mean. It does NOT have to be a money thing (so unfortunate that a lot of people measure success by the amount of money you make) -- it's about what will make you feel like you have taken some steps forward. You'll want your goal to be something that can be achieved but that will make you stretch a bit. For example, one of my goals for the upcoming year is to have 1000 followers, either here, on Facebook or Twitter, or through whatever channels followers want to connect with me. And, I really want to make a connection with people and get feedback from them, so another goal is to actively participate in at least 5 social media/forums (I've been laying back, reading about others, and enjoying the conversations and thoughts, but as they say in NY "you gotta be in it to win it!"). I also want to do a lot more article writing and publishing this coming year, but haven't yet fully nailed down the specifics (that's the other thing -- you need to be specific about your goals, once again so that you can figure out whether you succeeded in accomplishing them).
So, I leave you today with wishes for a Happy and Healthy 2011!! And start working on your own list of specific goals you want to accomplish in the new year :-)
Monday, December 20, 2010
A Good Review!
So excited to find out that The Crocheter's Design Companion got a 4-star review from AllFreeCrochet.com: http://www.allfreecrochet.com/Crochet-Reviews/The-Crocheters-Design-Companion and they are going to be having a free giveaway of a copy of the book in about a month or two, so I will definitely keep you all posted about that.
Other than that, hard to believe it's only 5 days til Christmas! I'm almost done with the holiday cards, and we're taking it easy on the shopping this year. There's talk of a little snow, but nothing like what we had last year around this time (the first of Snowmaggedon!) So hard to believe a year has passed so fast....
I will try to post again before Christmas and New Year's, but let me just send right now a Happy and Healthy 2011 wish to you all!!
Other than that, hard to believe it's only 5 days til Christmas! I'm almost done with the holiday cards, and we're taking it easy on the shopping this year. There's talk of a little snow, but nothing like what we had last year around this time (the first of Snowmaggedon!) So hard to believe a year has passed so fast....
I will try to post again before Christmas and New Year's, but let me just send right now a Happy and Healthy 2011 wish to you all!!
Friday, January 1, 2010
Happy New Year!!
Wow, 2010, here we are!
I had such a great day today, I hope it's a sign of how the year is going to go. I went to Barnes & Noble and found "Inside Crochet", a crochet magazine from England! I haven't had a chance to really pour through it yet, but one word of caution that I have to remind myself of -- the English use different crochet abbreviations for stitches than we do here in the US. But, I'm still excited to see how crocheters in other countries approach projects and what they're focusing on in the UK.
I also had lunch with a friend of mine who's currently living in Germany. I got him to agree to look for crochet magazines for me when he gets back there :-)
I also figured out how to add more "buttons" to the blog for Ravelry and Lifetips, but these were harder because I had to configure the HTML myself to match up the pictures and the website addresses -- I'm feeling like quite the techie ;-) It really was fun in a way. Maybe this is the first step in getting me to the point where I can actually tackle doing something with my main website, but let's not get ahead of ourselves, let me just bask in the glory of getting two buttons working right!!
Ok, I need to go get ready now for a private lesson that I've got scheduled for tomorrow morning. Happy New Year to everyone again, and thanks for reading my blog!
Today's Thought: http://www.knitpicks.com/ seems to be very knitters-oriented, but they have an amazing palette of yarns, so might be worth checking out http://www.knitpicks.com/yarns/Palette_Yarn__D5420132.html?intmedid=Bottom1:Palette+Colorwork
I had such a great day today, I hope it's a sign of how the year is going to go. I went to Barnes & Noble and found "Inside Crochet", a crochet magazine from England! I haven't had a chance to really pour through it yet, but one word of caution that I have to remind myself of -- the English use different crochet abbreviations for stitches than we do here in the US. But, I'm still excited to see how crocheters in other countries approach projects and what they're focusing on in the UK.
I also had lunch with a friend of mine who's currently living in Germany. I got him to agree to look for crochet magazines for me when he gets back there :-)
I also figured out how to add more "buttons" to the blog for Ravelry and Lifetips, but these were harder because I had to configure the HTML myself to match up the pictures and the website addresses -- I'm feeling like quite the techie ;-) It really was fun in a way. Maybe this is the first step in getting me to the point where I can actually tackle doing something with my main website, but let's not get ahead of ourselves, let me just bask in the glory of getting two buttons working right!!
Ok, I need to go get ready now for a private lesson that I've got scheduled for tomorrow morning. Happy New Year to everyone again, and thanks for reading my blog!
Today's Thought: http://www.knitpicks.com/ seems to be very knitters-oriented, but they have an amazing palette of yarns, so might be worth checking out http://www.knitpicks.com/yarns/Palette_Yarn__D5420132.html?intmedid=Bottom1:Palette+Colorwork
Thursday, December 31, 2009
The Last Post of the Year
Hard to believe the end of the year is here and that we're starting a new decade. Time seemed to go so slowly as a child, but now just seems to zoom by. Well, I'm not going to get sloppy and sentimental about stuff, "it is what it is".
But, I do want to wish everyone a great new year ahead, full of fun, health, and lots of crochet!!
Today's Thought: If you go out tonight, just be safe.
But, I do want to wish everyone a great new year ahead, full of fun, health, and lots of crochet!!
Today's Thought: If you go out tonight, just be safe.
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