Making Monday

Here’s the latest projects that have seen progress.

Most of the wing, arm, to the waist, done. I am loving this project. Wish my body let me stay with it more.

Charity yarns, charity socks. I think they will be striped or scrappy.

Spa sock for a gift. This is cotton and acrylic. Very soft and will work well for post bath and lotion

This wool doesn’t have enough strength to be socks so after trying and frogging twice, I decided to make a hat or two.

I did get a new scene going for editing book 2. Not as much as I want but, hey, it’s something. Progress.

We got a little rain and snow this morning, but I think we are into Spring again. The mesquite bushes are getting leaves. I do hope we get more spring showers. Our area is in exceptional level of draught. That is dryer than extreme.

Happy Spring, everyone!

Finishing Friday

This was fun today. When my glue dots quit working I used the QuickStik. It worked very well!

This is about 1/3rd done. I thought I was at the halfway point but realized that I still have part of it rolled up at the bottom. But isn’t that bird cute?

There isn’t much finished since yesterday, but the spa slipper is nearly to the heel stage.

I like this cotton blend and wish I had lots more. I think these slippers will feel quite nice on tired feet.

When I post this, I plan to write a new scene for my book rewrite. This part of the writing process is harder than that first read/edit. I have to think more while trying to keep my creative brain open to new ideas. So there’s that. I’ll let you know if the scene works out.

How’s your Friday?

Finishing Friday

I’ll probably finish these by Sunday. I really need to learn to pull the sock off the loom and onto circular needles as I feel I’m faster doing the rib cuff that way. Actually, learning to needle knit two at a time socks is still a huge goal. But for now, there might be someone out there who needs these socks. I have a bag of things to take to our charity. I can’t wait!

More progress on the dragon. I’m loving the ruler for straighter lines.

I spent about 3 1/2 hours. I’m so addicted to the meditative energy that even when hurting I keep dotting the diamonds.

I brushed on the frame for the sunset. Not sure I like it. Maybe I’ll try to get a regular frame. Or see if I can make it nicer.

All is not lost. More paint or actual frame. I kind of like the wood feeling up near the top. But not happy with the inconsistency.

My editing seems stalled. But maybe if I plant myself at the laptop right now, I can find my way to words–good ones, I hope.

Progress

Another layer of Mod Podge. Tomorrow I’ll paint a frame. I had a moment of panic when the cardboard I had for drying the project fell on the floor, the painting wet. I was sure it landed wet side down. Whew! Not the case!

I was so excited to get started I forgot to take a pic of the beginning dot. I learned from YouTube tutorials and Facebook groups that when you have a large area of one color, you should checkerboard the dots. I began doing that. I found it fun and lined up the drills better than popping them in a straight line. And even more addictive. I almost got up to go work on editing. But found myself adding more and more, even when my back growled. I got up and stretched and bent then sat back down and did more dotting.

Look at that top right corner. Ha! Lots of fun!

So I got some fun little helpers today from Amazon. That pink thing with black brushes is a little vacuum cleaner to pick up the drills that stray or fall. It came with a collapsing funnel to move the drills from tray to containers. Those fancy metal things? Rulers to help place drills on the picture. They came with two straighter tools I’ll be sending to friends. I’ll let you know how well these work Thursday.

Now I need to write/rewrite/edit.

Stream of Consciousness Saturday, Way to Go!

Way to Go, Linda. Eight years of Streaming Consciousness Saturday!

Sometimes in a person’s life they need more ‘atta girl’s. Not always. Sometimes just everyday keeps us going. But I have found that when I feel least alive and I can’t find motivation for even breathing, I need to stop and take stock of my day, week, life. While it is nice when others congratulate me. I find my own boost in saying, “Look at that! Look what you survived, created, loved!”

This blog has been that for me. Day-to-day can be dull. Downright angsty. Especially these last two years. So I am learning to see small accomplishments. Not earth-shattering wins. But things that make me smile and feel alive.

Today’s win is I ran out of Haven 2 to edit. There were 52,053 words altogether. There was no ‘the end’ and quite a few undeveloped characters, scenes, and plot bunnies to work on. I have a better working title: Haven, Above, Beneath, Beyond. My next step is to work toward 60k a full story, minus stuff that needs to be deleted.

Unfinished Friday

Sorry. Not sorry. Just didn’t finish the Sunset Beach. There was only straightening, sealing, and painting a frame, but for me the straightening is the hardest. Hopefully, tomorrow I’ll ‘gird my loins’ and face it.

The socks are nearly finished. Just putting on the ribbing.

And it looks like I’ll have just the right amount of yarn for both socks.

Editing/reading first round is nearly done. I’m happy that I almost doubled my goal for February. I set up this months’ goal as just finishing. Though the project has nearly 58k I set the goal (extended last months’ goal) to 60k. That will encourage me to write a couple thousand to build a few characters up.

Sorry cell picture of the computer screen doesn’t do well. But hopefully, you can read it. I have 45,190 in my project so it seems an easy goal.

Making Monday

My passion this week has been my reading, first edit of Haven Above and Beyond. Or until I choose a better title, Haven book 2. My goal when I started February was 25,000 words read/edited to yWriter7. I have ended February with 45,190. Nearly 50k! I’m more than pleased. And I’m excited about the project. I can’t wait to dig in and rewrite, elaborate or kill parts of the story to make it better.

The heels are done on the socks. It won’t be long now!

My body hasn’t cooperated to finish the last bits of the Diamond Painting. Maybe tomorrow.

I have started working with the Trapp recorder book as it is for the English/Baroque. Then I review what works from the other book. I’m starting it over sadly. I had finished that book.

Now I need to go finish a library book that is due tomorrow.

Finishing Friday

Well, not quite but close.

Still need to straighten, paint on the frame, and seal.

Almost ready to heel. Well, the one on the left.

Yay!

I did meet my February goal of 25k words moved into yWriter7. In fact, I surpassed that number and set up for part two of Haven book two overall edit.

And on this Finishing Friday we started with the freezing fog. Pogonip or rime. Here’s how it looked from the warm side of the curtains:

It is like snow as you get light flurries. But you can watch crystals form on the bannisters. It’s like that science experiment of growing rock crystals. So awesome to look at and just an incredible sight.

Anyway…

Making Monday

My day-to-day life in pictures. 😋

With the backlight, you can see how my poor eyesight and eye/hand coordination wrought. When I get done I’ll straighten it all up. My purpose for sharing, though, is those white squares have symbols to let the Diamond Artist know what color tile to pop in. Maybe you can see why I get cross-eyed by the end of a session. And yet, I LOVE IT!

Nearly finished.

New socks started. A bit of yarn-chicken as I wonder if I’ll have enough of this white for a whole pair of socks.

Yeah, I’m back to playing my recorders. I thought I had German recorders. But the sound was off sometimes sharp or flat. I figured with practice my breath and fingers would get better. Nope. Now I find out I have Baroque recorders. Different fingering to learn. From the bottom double hole go up to one above the first single hole. That next hole up is smaller. That is the key that shows the type of recorder you have. So back to the drawing board so to speak.

Just so you see there is still editing progress. I’m feeling positive I’ll hit my goal before the end of the month.

Quick weather report. We got a dusting of snow. And it’s cold!

Making Monday

Sunset on a beach is more done than not. These are square drills. Drills are the tiny plastic diamonds that create the mosaic effect. For my eyes, it is harder to get the squares lined up than the tiny round disc drills. Still, I am hooked and love my Diamond Painting time.

Another hat more done than not. That white yarn is chenille. Not the same as the last hat. This was thicker and harder to work. Still, if you’ve ever had a chenille robe, you know it is soft and warm. I still have more of the mohair. Thought I’d change it up so this hat won’t be a candy corn.

On the editing front I’m making headway. Haven Above and Beyond (I think I’ll be changing the title) is more fun than I remember writing 20 years ago. Since this was my second novel I can see my writing has improved, yet I make many similar errors still. Anyway, the words corrected and moved into yWriter7 as of last night 14,365. I made my goal for this month 25K. But there are 56,916 in the project to weed through.

Outside of whoopie, what are you making this Monday?