On the Lighter Side

   So a dear friend (Christina Main of sweet lavender bake shoppe) introduced me to a newer site called Pinterest. It is the most fun site!! It is a social network with a twist. Each member has their own page like Facebook et al but everyone "pins" pictures of things they love.
    You create your own "boards" where you pin your pictures. You can use the default topics like..My Style, For the Home and Products I Love or you can make up your own topics. You get a Pin It icon to post to your tool bar and when you are surfing the internet and find a picture you love you click the Pin It and choose where it goes.
  You can Follow anyone's Pinterest that calls your name just as you would a blog. You can repin other folks pictures that you like too. It is so much fun and the things people post are amazing! As they say "A picture speaks a thousand words"
  You can view mine here -mind you, it's a work in progress. Look around and see all the other peoples Pins and if the site appeals to you too then become a member. If you do join please post your Pinterest link here so I can see your choices. Can't wait to see what gets pinned next!!

Life is so Precious!

   My husband and I have had a very rough few years. It is amazing how all priorities change when you are in "survival mode" Things that used to be important take not only a back seat but sometimes don't get a seat at all anymore. Doing fun things becomes irrelevant and sometimes impossible. Decision making is vital.
  I remember when I was in College taking classes to become a Teacher. One class taught about the "heirarchy of needs" which states that until you have your basic needs met nothing else matters. It was very interesting to see it play out in my own life.
  This being said it amazes how even basic needs stop mattering when someone you love has health issues. For example, when my Grandma was dying and under Hospice care it never occurred to us how we were going to get me there 3+ days a week to help her. The gas money was irrelevant. The time away didn't matter. So many things just didn't matter. All that mattered was her.
  When the Earthquake and Tsunami hit Japan our life seemed good comparatively. Our meager resources seemed to multiple enough to allow us to reach out even in just tiny ways. Did you see it play out all across our country? In some of the toughest economic times since "The Great Depression" we still managed to pull together and send amazing amounts of money and help! Did it happen in your life too?
  The last few days have been especially tough. Yet again, this morning a call telling us about the precarious situation that one of our beloved family members was in changed it all. Their health and well being was all that mattered! Nothing else, LITERALLY NOTHING ELSE mattered! All we cared about was that they would be ok. Thank the Lord there is a good chance with the right medication and time they will be! But isn't it amazing what it really is all about? What really is important?
  All that really counts is life. Those people in Japan (as well as other devastated areas) aren't focused on all they have lost. I am sure is it horrible and scary and sad etc etc to lose all BUT all that really matters is did they lose someone they love? All that matters is that they are together with those they have left!
  While I do not want to downplay how difficult life can be, and how scary and unpredictable the future is at times, as long as I know those I love are well everything else pales. How to pay the bills, buy the food, get the needs and on and on and on?? For today it just doesn't matter. Today I truly have all that really counts. Would to God that I can remember that more often.
  

Favorite Things

    As with all who make things there are some that just don't work out. They fail on some level or another and have to be discarded (or in the case of crochet-unraveled) On a side note, unraveling makes my husband come unglued. Guess it brings up memories of his mom who, being an avid crocheter also, would not tolerate errors and would pull out rows and rows of work. Something about this is so upsetting to his senses though I have yet to pinpoint exactly what aspect of it gets him. Well that's a whole other blog ;)
  On the flip side there are those items that so far exceed our expectations that they quickly become our favorites. It may be the overall look, the textures, colors, shape...or maybe all these things combined? What ever is it we end up in LOVE. I am no exception and wanted to share a few of mine. (Maybe when I am really brave I will share some of my failures as well.) I definitely have a few that fall into this category and occasionally the list grows when some unexpected new item I make becomes a part of it.

 

   These bibs were probably my first truly favorite item. They are made from a Vintage pattern. Though I am not sure exactly which era the pattern is from I do know it is old. 

   The design is so sweet and the nature of it allows it to be made for a boy, girl or gender neutral. It can be dressed up with appliques and fancy buttons and left unadorned.

  I have even altered the pattern to make it doll sized for a custom order I received. There may be nothing super special about this bib to anyone else but that's often the case with things we love. I think above all it reminds of a time when handmade items were cherished and treasured, saved and passed down. 

  Two other pictures of items that are also on my favorite list:

Do you have favorites? Things you adore for any reason? It doesn't have to be something you have made, it could be anything. If you would like to share them here I would love to see them

New Blog and New at Blogging

   This blog is so I can have a place to share the good, bad (hopefully not much of this) and beautiful  world of my crochet life.  I guess, as all good blogs do, I should start by telling you who I am.
    My husband and I run two businesses (an Ebay Store & Thrift Shop) and Crocheted in Love makes up the third though this one is solely mine. Three businesses equals a very busy and hectic schedule. Add to that 3 kids (20, 18 and 7) still at home... well you get the idea ;)
    I do love our Thrift shop and Ebay is a necessary evil but my real love is crocheting. I crochet whenever and where ever I can, mostly during any car ride and evenings after the day is done. 
  I will and can crochet just about anything but my favorite is anything baby or infant related. I adore using thread to crochet and booties are my specialty. A lot of folks don't like to work with the small hooks and thin cotton but I do! I think the results are wonderful. Thread booties have a detail that is hard to achieve with regular yarn. Don't get me wrong though, I have and do offer yarn booties as well, as they can be darling but thread just has a unique quality.

   I also started making photography props-mostly infant ones- but also have made them for older children and adults. I have designed a few original cocoons, hammock style slings as well as a couple of pods and pads. I have more ideas but finding time to design is harder than finding time to make a ready made pattern so I fluctuate.

  Custom orders are my preference. I think there's nothing sweeter than asking for the color, size and style you want and then actually getting it! I think giving a gift that isn't found on any store shelf has it's advantages and generally those are the items which are saved and passed down through generations.
 So that's probably enough for now :) Please view some of my things using my Etsy link. Hope you like them