Blog Hop Tour

I am honored to participate in the Blog Hop today.  I was invited by Jennifer at "Thistlebear" blog.  Jennifer lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico and is happily married to a wonderful husband and has two beautiful children, a girl and a boy, which she home-schools.  She is an inventive cook and shares luscious photos of her meals and shares recipes.  She is a seamstress and a crocheter and makes wonderful things.  What is special to me about Jennifer is how honest and straightforward her blog is - no artifice there.  I do hope you visit her there and tell her I sent you!  :-)

My Turtle Pouch that I designed and hand-beaded on white leather

1. What am I working on?

I have several WIPs (works in progress) but currently I’m doing a neat ripple pillow cover.  I found two small pillow forms in my office/episode of hoarders/craft studio – and ordered some colorful cotton from KnitPicks and began to make some fun covers for them.  I will put them in our trailer/caravan for our trips and bring them in to brighten the house when the trailer is parked.  I just finished a travel mug cozy for the ice water I drink all day.  The mug “sweats” in the warm weather and I wanted something to wick off the moisture.  I’m also working on a “kid/boy” blanket for my grandson at his request.  I have a Japanese Flower shawl on the go and also a red alpaca silk shawl halfway done.  J  OK, so I have trouble finishing things or get bored with them.  But I will finish them.  Really, I will. 

My latest crochet project - a Granny Stripe Pillow 

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?

I don’t think my crochet work is unique, really, it’s like many of my blog friend’s work. That’s the wonderful thing about craft blogging is that we inspire and encourage our contemporaries. I do a lot of my projects in cotton – I love the feel of it.  But I do many crafts other than crochet.  I’m a jeweler, beader, watercolor painter, calligrapher, potter and many other crafts.  I’m also a graphic designer and website creator.  Life is best when it’s varied, don’t you think?

Other projects of late - crocheted rocks and insulated mug cozies!

3. Why do I write/create what I do?

That is a good question, isn’t it?  I had an uncle who passed away recently, but he was famous in the family for sending out a weekly newsletter and was the family genealogist.  We all got a kick out of his newsletter as he put in it when his car was serviced, what kind of doctor appointments he and his wife went to, how many miles he walked a day, etc.  When I discovered blogs about 5 years ago, my first was Lucy at Attic24, then Alicia Paulson from Posy Gets Cozy.  I was fascinated by Lucy’s use of color in her crochet and she sparked my current color choices and I use several of her designs on my projects.  It’s hard to believe but my old colors were browns and beiges.. no more!  Alicia’s photography is sublime and I aspire to be able to do evocative photos like hers. 

At any rate – I write from my heart on my blog and I create what springs to mind that I’d like to have.  No great mystery there.  

Here is an example of how I'm inspired by fellow bloggers - 

Pammy Sue from Scotty's Place wrote up this pattern for a vintage inspired hot pad.

4. How does my writing/creating process work?

My blog posts begin with my photos.  Sometimes the photos are of a parade, a trip, flowers in my garden, a craft project or something I’m cooking or baking.  I put my collection of photos on Blogger and begin telling the story that goes with the photos.  As for my creative process, my mind is always working on what I’d like to make next.  Sometimes I see something on a blog or a magazine that sparks my desire to make something similar.  Sometimes I want some jewelry for myself and get out my supplies and tools and make it happen.  Right now I have decided to make a turquoise bead bracelet for myself so I found just the right beads and a few gold beads on Etsy and ordered them.  Then I will get my work tray out and begin making it.  If I need a gift, I will likely make it. 

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It's my great privilege to pass this Blog Hop exercise on to a blogger who I enjoy and admire – Gracie at “One Saylor’s Log”.  Gracie lives not far from me and when she found my blog and began commenting – then we made plans to meet for tea – now we swim together 3 times a week and are good and true friends.  She is one of the sweetest people I know and I’m so glad she’s in my life.  Gracie blogs about her crafts, her family, the beautiful surroundings of her home and in her travels.  I hope you will visit her blog and read about her creative and/or writing process. I am sure you will love what you see there. She will be posting her blog hop contributions next week, on July 14.

((hugs)), Teresa :-)