Be Creative---

It seems 2016 is the year to be creative--or at least, I want to be more creative...............................
and what do you do to find more creativity, you search the web for inspiration.


Daisy Yellow Art has a great idea--ICAD--Index Card A Day!!  How hard can that be??  It sounds easy and I'm going to accept the challenge!  One index card a day for 60 days?  Whoa, I can do that!  The challenge on her website begins June 1-July 31, 2016.

Wait!  That's another few months away--what to do in the mean time? Check out her other suggestions:  Prompt 60

Ideas to practice now

Making Decisions!

How do you go about making decisions?  Doesn't matter how small or large decision--what is your process?  I've been working through a big decision (to me that is!).  I know, to you, this might just be a small thing--so you're going to shake your head.  But, we are remodeling our house--and the decisions are coming right and left--what color to paint this room?  What carpet? what flooring?
This is costing a load of $$$$--and my decisions now will live with us for another 20 years!

So, that's why I finally decided on wood flooring for my studio and there is no flooring down the hallway--and that's a whole new story, but now, I must decide on carpet!!  oh gee whiz!

I got to thinking there must be a 'ton' of information out there on making decisions

and Of Course, there are.........................

here are some ways the "experts" sort these things out---

REALLY?

1. Identify your goal. (This one was easy!)
As David Welch, PhD, professor of political science at the University of Waterloo in Ontario and author of Decisions, Decisions: The Art of Effective Decision Making, explains, "People who aren't self-reflective are going to end up making bad decisions because they don't really know what they want in the first place." Before you switch jobs, ask yourself: Do I really want a different career? Or do I just want a different boss? Don't make a decision based on the wrong problem. 

2. Eliminate choices by setting standards.  (No problem here--I'm limited by $$$$)
If you're trying to buy a digital camera, list the features you'll actually use. Any camera that has them is therefore good enough for you; ignore anything fancier. Speaking of which...

3. Don't worry about finding the "best." (What?!)
How good you feel about your decisions is usually more important than how good they are objectively.

4. Be aware of biases. (Okay, if you say so!)
They can lead smart people to make dumb decisions. For example: We hate to lose more than we like to win, which can result in behavior such as holding on to a tanking stock instead of accepting a loss. We remember vivid examples better than facts, which is why plane crashes stick in our heads more than statistics on air safety. And we're susceptible to how information is framed—a "cash discount" is more appealing than "no credit card surcharge." Keeping these biases in mind can help you think clearly.

5. Try not to rush. (Well, that's not been a factor--that's the reason everything has been moved into one room for a month--I did take time to drink a beer, take a nap, go for a walk, etc)
People tend to make poorer choices when they're in a bad mood or under a lot of stress. When facing a complex decision, use your conscious brain to gather the information you need, and then take a break. Go for a walk. Spend a half hour meditating. Take a nap. Have a beer. The idea is to give your unconscious mind some time to do its work. The decision you make afterward is more likely to be the right (or at least a perfectly acceptable) one. 

6. Don't sweat the small stuff. (Oh Come On!  Trying to work around boxes and furniture--honestly!)
When possible, eliminate the need for decisions by establishing rules for yourself. You will go to yoga every weekend. You will not have more than two glasses of wine. You will buy whatever toilet paper is on sale.

7. Do a post game analysis. (I'm ready to do that post game analysis--exactly, when will that be?)
After each decision you make, ask yourself how you felt afterward and what about the experience you can apply in the future.

Catherine Price is the author of 101 Places Not to See Before You Die (Harper Paperbacks). 

"Throw Me Something, Mister!"

"Throw Me Something, Mister!" is a cry you can hear during all Mardi Gras Parades throughout Carnival season.  Let it be known that you will be receiving numerous amount of beads, trinkets, and 

You will have sore arms, stomped hands and aching backs from a day of

screaming, yelling for those darn beads!  No, I'm not going to reach for those

beads but, just wait--when you are in the midst of the throngs of people,

you'll be right in the midst!

Shrove Tuesday is the last day before Lent, a period for fasting. It is also known as Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras, and features large festivals and celebrations across the United States. The Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans, in Louisiana, is typical of the masquerades and dancing in the streets that take place in other parts of the United States before the long Lenten fast.

Traditional Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans spotlight the King of the Carnival and the Monarch of Merriment, as well as Comus, the God of Revelry. Many people dress up in eye-catching costumes and a spectacular ball is held. Debutantes are introduced at the Ball Tablaeu as a formal introduction to society.

People throw trinkets to crowds as part of the customary “parade throw” at New Orleans’ Mardi Gras celebration. During the Bacchus parade, the king's float throws doubloons with the image of the “Celebrity King” on one side of the doubloon (cups and toy coins) to parade watchers. Traditional Mardi Gras food includes the King Cake in which a pecan or charm is hidden. The person who gets a piece of the cake with the charm or nut is dubbed the “king” of that year’s Mardi Gras.

The Mobile and Baldwin counties in Alabama also celebrate Mardi Gras. Parade schedules start as early as January and feature marching bands, colorful floats, and crowds of parade goers along the streets in downtown Mobile. Galveston, in Texas, hosts its own Mardi Gras celebration, which features masked balls, a royal coronation, Cajun dances, jazz performances and parades with floats.

The March Madness Warm-up

March Madness pertains to B-ball (basketball) but as a knitter I'm referring to Sock March Madness and right now, there is a warm-up pattern you can use.  And I'm thinking----STASH!

Check out Ravelry for insight into

March Madness--Socks Forever!

This pattern is for warm-up for Sock Madness 10. It is mix of many things. It combines carefully chosen pieces of Sock Madness patterns from previous years and joins them into a pair of Mad Mix Socks.
The pattern contains instructions for both cuff-down and toe-up versions for fingering weight socks. The stitch patterns include six different textures to play with. The finished sock is sum of fewer or more pieces. You can pick and choose the bits that please or challenge you the way you like and make a unique pair of Mad Mix SM10 warm-up socks.

A big warm thank you to all these Sock Madness designers for giving their permission to present their design as a part of this pattern!

The dozen original SM patterns from 10 designers that are joined here are:
da Treehouse by Adrienne Fong & Debi Woods
Daisy Daze by Maria Ekblad
Diamonds in the Fluff by Leslie Comstock
Dimpled Diamonds Socks by Deborah Swift
Hieroglyphic Socks by Heatherly Walker
Longing for Spring by Caoua Coffee
Mad Color Weave by Tina Lorin
Nornir by Caoua Coffee
Painted Madness by Tricia Weatherston
Rose Water by Heatherly Walker
Supporter’s Socks by Linda Pankhurst
Wimbledon by Ros Clarke

Knit away all February and let the Madness begin!

In And Out The Crochet Hook Goes..............................

My hobby is crochet   has the most awesome crochet necklace to adorn your neck!

Take a gander at this--is this not smashing?

And I can think of many opportunities to splash some color into

one or two of these rings.

Do you think you could tackle this woven adornment?

I'm game if you are!

Have You Seen This?

Oh My Gosh!  I'm having so much fun with this palette builder

by Play-crafts!  You can take that special photo and upload to their

palette builder and have your color swatches.

I know, this is mostly used for quilters for fabric,

But, I can see potential usage in other ways.

What if you wanted to paint your bedroom one of these

colors?  Or how about using these colors for

a clothing line?

Still yet, if you are a spinner or weaver, there is a

way to built colors into your yarn stash.

Go have fun with your photos!

It's a Weaver's World

 I was the delivery person from one weaver to another!  and it just so happen, our Westside Weavers' were meeting at my house on the day there was the hand-off.  There was no stopping us--we had to dig into the box of handwovens.  Then the show began...................................

Colorful and playful towels

just one stack of towels from the bin

up close and personal with the towels

and as weavers, we inspected each towel carefully,

deciding on what weave structure, sett, dent

just plain weave--JUST, sure!

on same warp, but different looks!

happy colors!

color combinations we hadn't tried before

bright and festive!  We're thinking about a challenge called

Gypsy--what would you weave

we all were thrilled with this weave--dots and dashes!

summer/winter?

more dots and dashes

This is my towel now!

Even the hems are neat and tidy

same warp, different wefts

color and weave napkins with spot bronson

broken twill with color!

Which would you choose to take home?  It was definitely a pleasant chore!

Thanks Charlene for the tour of your handwoven towels

and the program for the day!