Getting back to where I want to be

Ever have one of those days (or months) where it just feels like you forgot how to be you? You get so caught up in just trying to survive that you leave little bits of yourself in your wake. I'm trying my best to get back on track though, I'm humming along with book number 2, and I've been playing with some new cross stitch pattern ideas, and I've thinking about doing up some shrinky plastic buttons.

I;m trying really hard not to get ahead of myself, but now that I feel excited about what I'm doing again I feel like I have a ton of catching up to do.

Oh and because I apparently run on deadlines and stress I signed up for Swap-Bot. So far I'm limiting myself to writing letters or the sending of postcards to avoid feeling overwhelmed (and to avoid the postage cost while I'm broke). It's a lot of fun and you should all join and look me up (Voodoo Maggie, just like everywhere else) maybe we'll end up in some of the same swaps and I'll get to send you a letter :)

and so I don't leave you without anything pretty to look at enjoy these random photos from my massive horde of them.

I fell off the planet

Okay so I didn't fall off...but I might as well have. I've been crazy busy and then crazy lazy in a horrible cycle for a few weeks now. But I've pulled my head out of ...the sand, yeah that's where it was.

I had a big wordy hoopity doo, but lucky you I deleted it and sent to myself via futureme.org, it'll be interesting so see what reading them a year from now will be like. It will probably involve a lot of headdesk's and faceplam's but then so does my 'journal' from 1999. Or it did before I burned it.

Anywho, back to more entertaining things. My book was featured in issue 12 this lovely magazine (it came out a few weeks ago, but I haven't had a chance to share) I wanted to get a copy before posting it, but alas my finances are tight. It looks good though. Here's the link for your perusal  and the specific issue.

I also snagged the good room for my crafting purposes. I wanted it when we moved in but I figured I get what I want most of the time, it had to be hubby's turn sometime right? Well lucky me he outgrew the space and now it's mine!! It's only half-ish done right now but I love it so much! So much I'm just gonna drop some more exclamation points!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! almost done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ...!!!...!

The lovely built in. Pro tip, don't spray paint shelves that you can't take outside. Unless you like huffing paint in which case you should slap yourself for being dumb.

My favorite corner full of green growing things (that aren't mold)

The upper part of plant corner

My awesome shelf full of jars and bits waiting to be turned into terrariums

Alright I've kept you long enough from whatever it is you really meant to be doing online. Go about your surfing and I'll catch you next time.

Micro bear Facebook giveaway

I've been sick or covering for people who were sick at work so I wasn't able to keep up with the thing a day posting (though I did manage to make or draw something everyday). I'm almost better now and I made this awesome tiny thing. It's the smallest thing I've ever made and you can win it. All you have to is be a fan of my facebook page ans share one of the pictures of the bear{or the album}

so go to here: https://www.facebook.com/Voodoo.Maggie1 


Go win it!

Cherry Garland free pattern

I've been doing Thing-a-day and if you've seen it then you know these cherries were my first post. And I promised a pattern when I got them into a vague garland assemblage. Well it's here! Okay so it isn't the most exciting thing ever, but it's cute, quick, easy and free.

Cherries

Foundation: Ch 2   SC 6 in second Ch from hook
Row 1. *2SC in each* across
Row 2. *SC 1   2SC in next* across
Row 3-4. SC across
Row 5. *SC 1   2SCtog* across
Row 6. *2SCtog* across
Do not finish

Stem

Join green and 2SCtog across, this should leave you with 3 stitches. SC in around for 4-7 rows depending on how long you want it. I use the flat side of my hook and come up from under the loop, it's easier when working with such short rows.

Finish off one cherry and make the stem of the second, join it to the first with SC around both (you should have 6 stitches at the end of this step.
 Join with SS to first stitch of next row, Ch 7   SC in second Ch from hook   HDC   DC 3   SC join with SS to stem.

Finish off.

To make cherries of differing sizes I used different hooks F and H.

To make the garland, crochet several cherry pairs, Ch 15 join a cherry pair at the top of the stem and repeat to desired length. When you added your last cherry pair Ch 17 and finish off. (I always add two extra stitches when I finish a chain so that when you pull it tight to knot it, it's remains even with the pattern directions.)

Abbreviations.
2SC - Two single crochet in same stitch
2SCtog- Decrease over two stitches /SC two stitches together
HDC - Half double crochet
DC - Double crochet
SS - Slip stitch
Ch - Chain

MInatures!

I've been making things, lots of things. Most of them tiny. Check it out

And a not mini thing, a goat -the pattern will be in my shop soon.

Now it's back to working up a cherry pattern to make a garland. The pattern will be my next post.