A Little More Zen

Years ago I turned to Zentangles as a way to relax and refresh my brain.  Then, things got in my way and I put those aside and went onto something else

Now!

I'm back at zentangling!

Gathered my supplies--shading pencils, micron pens, artist's tiles, snubbing point

We're ready!

There are many patterns to learn--you can find them on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, etc.

There are online couirses, newsletters

Free lessons is good!  When I first learned, we had a speaker who walked us through the first sessions. 

What is a Zentangle? 

"The Zentangle Method is an easy-to-learn, relaxing, and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns. We call these patterns, tangles. You create tangles with combinations of dots, lines, simple curves, S-curves and orbs. These simple shapes are the "Elemental Strokes" in all Zentangle art. These patterns are drawn on small pieces of paper called "tiles." We call them tiles because you can assemble them into mosaics."

Here are a few of my tiles, past and present

From different angles, you'll see unique features of the line drawings

These are simple line drawings--easy to follow

relaxation in all senses!

 

Retreat to Refresh!

Recently, we took time to refresh our bodies and souls--we took a little retreat to the beach area.  Our family had been sailing through life--no cares, no worries--oh, there are the little hiccups that we all exprience, but when our precious great grandson was born with his birth defect--we all felt somehow disconnected.  Granddaughter and hubby spent every spare minute in NICU with little JD; family members rallied by their side.  Then an unexpected text came from the brown headed daughter--

"I'm in ER with shortness of breathe and a-fib!  Don't worry, I'm doing fine!"  Not so fine for us, she lives in Colorado!  She is doing fine now, after tests, meds, week stay in hospital--of course, she is doing fine--we had the line of prayers going for her!

Aside here--do you get unlimited prayers?  Or is it like my mother said--"don't pray too much--you'll use up your prayer supply!"  Oh Mother!  How wrong can you be!  This is another topic to discuss at a later date.

Our great grandson is doing better; brown headed daughter is doing better--I'm just waiting for the third thing to drop--saying is 'it comes in threes!"  Anyway, our elastic band of stress had been stretched to it's max and we needed a breather, a retreat to refresh.  

The beach is..................................................................awesome!!

Here is what we saw in one section of the beach:  Yarn bombing!  How exciting to see works of art on the beach--

The Bollards were decked out in the finest of wear!  

Fanciful creatures

whimsical animals

sea monsters

girlish characters 

plain and colorful

Stunning beauty

Happy faces

and super people

and the lone cacti on the desert sand!

If you can make a plain lonely bollard look happy and adventurous. then any stump could be made joyful with some yarn and imaginations!

On your next trip to retreat and refresh, look for the awesome feature that are man made and the

wonders of God's creations--you can find these features in the most unusual places.

 

February Review

It's that time of the year again!  Sewing for charity!  Fat Quarter Shop is offering this beautfil pattern--

designed by Cory Yoder

The first step was posted February 28--I'm on board to sew another beatutiful quilt top and give to

charity.

And for other things sewn in February-- I present the following:

Pat Sloan's Sweet Childhood Memories--patterns appear each week, so I'm trying to keep up with each weeks sewing--for this top I'm using my scraps stash--and boy! do I have a big bin of those scraps!

Sew With Me is my red blocks to sew--this is the second block in the 2023 season.  Easy to sew!

Another block in the Sewcialites 2 prsented by Fat Quarter Shop.  This will be my Patriotic quilt--there are several designers involved in this quilt along. 

A Quilting Life offers another quilt along--another reason to use up my stash bin.  Why is it that I can never use up all the scraps in that bin?  It just seems to multiple!!

Some knitting is involved too in February--

I'm finishing up another Musselburgh hat designed by Ysolda

I use the “pouch” to hold my yarn.  This is a great way to use up small amounts of yarn.

I don't know what it is about this pattern, but it's so addictive to knit and that is all it is--Knit!

Also, working my way through the months with Kitchen Sink Shop--she presents a free dishcloth pattern each month with a yearly theme.  

This January pattern

February pattern

I'm using my handspun cotton to create these lovely gifts for friends and the best part of 2023--her theme is Cookie Delicious-ness!  Recipes included!

Finally!!

 Finally!  I received my EEW--this little thing is kind of creepy in some ways!  It's tiny but packs as punch with it's power!  I'm talking about EEW Nano 2--an electric spinning wheel that is affordable and travelable!

From this photo you can't really determine how small it is.

Here is the story:  last spring an enabler friend, who shall remain anonymous (Nancy)  told me about a Kickstarter program-- to get on the list to purchase one of these handy dandy wheels.  At first, I thought I don't really need another wheel or drop spindle, but for the price of $100 how could I go wrong with an electric wheel!  So after a few days of thinking it over, I pulled the plug and ordered the wheel--as any good kickstarter programs, you need to make the number set for manufacturing,  

Finally!!  the number required to make it a GO was reached--yay!  I was going to receive an EEW within the next few months.

Then out of mind, I forgot about the whole thing until the email arrived--"your EEW will be shipped in October" good news!  I watched the mail for that special arrival.

Since we travel often, My son's mailing address was given.  

Finally!  the notice came that my package was delivered to his mailbox!!

He goes to this mailbox--but, no packages.  He had one to be delivered also--both not there

not delivered!   A report was made to post office--they would check it out--but, no package appeared anytime--

big, sigh--I was not receiving the EEW I ordered.  I figured if a person took the package would have no idea what it was and in the trash it would go!  My son and I were both disappointed Big Time!!

Here we are, several months down the road and I kept thinking about that little wheel-- the money was refunded—I looked at the website--Dreaming Robots--and YES!  The EEW was still available for order--of course, it was a little more money, but no care for me!  I ordered one!  and this time, I received it!

The first thing I did after reading the instructions was to ply my singles handspun  cotton yarn--small but 

mighty! Is this machine!!

I'm having fun!!  

OH! Darn!

Yes—got to Darn something!  It just happens to be hubby’s sock that I knit from my handspun wool.  Needless, to say—this handspun yarn is long gone, but I found a suitable wool to use to patch the hole that his big toe made.

It took me some time to finally darn it— this is the least of my favorite things to do!  Well, actually it’s not on my favorite list at all!

I remembered the darning egg my friend gifted me many moons ago—just perfect to slip into the sock up to the hole and darn away!1

What’s a darning egg? 

Darning is a sewing technique for repairing holes or worn areas in fabric or knitting using needleand thread alone. It is often done by hand, but it is also possible to darn with a sewing machine. Hand darning employs the darning stitch, a simple running stitch in which the thread is "woven" in rows along the grain of the fabric, with the stitcher reversing direction at the end of each row, and then filling in the framework thus created, as if weaving. Darning is a traditional method for repairing fabric damage or holes that do not run along a seam, and where patching is impractical or would create discomfort for the wearer, such as on the heel of a sock.

I guess I’d better knit him another pair of socks before winter returns—that gives me about five months to finish. I have the perfect wool too!  Some that is well aged!  This yarn was bought during one of our many trips to UK when our daughter and family lived near Manchester—I just couldn’t stay away from my grand babies!  I was always popping into a yarn shop, a book shop, or a charity shop to see what was available.   One visit to charity shop, I found a treasure—a package of blue wool yarn!! And that is the yarn which will be knit into hubby’s socks!

I'm searching my stash of sock patterns--want something plain, easy to knit--he doesn't care for design elements, which suits me just fine.

And here is the perfect pattern for this yarn!  Wool-ease sock pattern--FREE--great price too!

 

Update!

Our second little great grandson has been born!! And immediately placed in NICU—where he’ll reside for several weeks.  His pediatric doctors will assess his condition of CDH and decide when to do surgery to repair his diaphragm.  

This is his "crib" for awhile--he has the greatest attention any newborn could receive--at the present time, he is incubated,  He weighted 5 lbs.6 oz and 18.9" in length at birth. 

His name has been some concern to us!  

 For weeks they called him "JD" but only the parents knew what the initals would stand for.

Finally, in the hospital room as we were visiting Mommy and Daddy, we learned his name to be placed on the birth certificate--JD = Jerry Daniel--he is named for his paternal grandfather (Jerry) and his great grandfather (Daniel--this brought tears to my hubby's eyes)

From the time I learned she was pregnant, I called her precious cargo--"Jelly Bean"

and I think that name will stick with him.

I can't imagine how my granddaughter felt after his birth when she saw all the nurses and doctors surrounding him--as she did not get to hold him or touch him!  They placed him in his crib, walked past her, directly to the NICU bear pod.  She thought he would be placed in giraffe pod but being in the bear pod is just as good.

Great grandfather and I were thrilled that we could visit him in the bear pod--he is surrounded by attentive nurses and doctors--I admit I had to cry when I saw him--so tiny and helpless--so sweet though with the Grace of God shining down on him!

Mommy finally got to visit and touch her son-- my heart aches to think of those mothers who carried

their child in their womb but unable to hold and kiss their tiny foreheads once birthed.

The mom and dad did as I suggested--sleep with the blanket I knitted and give to the nurses, who told them that any thing they would like, could be placed in the crib with him--he has a whole little corner to post photos, place mementos to surround him with love.

His other grandparents gave him stuffed bears!!  appropriate for the Bear Pod!

He is definitely surrounded by much love. 

If you believe in the power of pray, please say one for JD—he has had a few rough patches to overcome. 

 

Lent Meditations

 Lent is fast approaching and if you would like to participate in a special way to appreciate this special time of the year, here is one way.  Beginning, February 20th, Victoria Methodist Church in Bristol, UK is running Lent Mystery Knitalong. Participants will receive weekly documents containing daily knitting clues and accompanying reflections/meditations written especially by Ministers and worship leaders from the Bristol area and beyond.

the knitting clues will be released on the following dates:

Monday 20th February
Friday 24th February
Friday 3rd March
Friday 10th March
Friday 17th March
Friday 24th March
Friday 31st March

Due to the mystery nature of the knitalong, photos of the completed scarf will not be added on this pattern page until Easter, so as not to spoil the surprise for those working on it!

This knitalong is very much a team effort; big thanks to the seven reflection writers, and others who participated to make sure this knit along will go smoothly.

For more information, see: https://bit.ly/LentKAL-2023