Random cool things

Aaah!  It's Tuesday!  How did it become Tuesday already?

Since I last posted (the book and short story review), I have been extremely busy:

Minutes after I posted the review I drove to Chicago to see my mother in the hospital and to go to a memorial service for a friend I hung out with 15 years ago.  I was glad I was able to see my mother - she's doing somewhat better after her stem cell treatment (for her Lymphoma), but there's still an infection that's causing her some difficulties.  As for the memorial service, it was great to catch up with folks I haven't seen in such a long time, even though it was for a sad occasion.  It was quite a drive, though, and it wiped me out!

I had no time to rest when I got home because I was still working on my piece for the Loose Bead Society Challenge, which was due at last night's program.  I knew about it for months but didn't do the bulk of the work until the week before.  Oops!  I'm very happy with it, but I can't show you until the judging is done at the October program.  After that, there will be a deluge of pictures and "how I did this" descriptions.  I will split it into multiple posts so I won't overload you.

Since I didn't have a moment to spare, I haven't worked on the Crochet-Along cardigan much at all.  I did take it to the car dealer when I had my 15,000 mile service done on the car (so I would feel safe driving to and from Chicago), but I ended up having to rip out a bunch of rows because I misread the instructions.  I thought I was supposed to decrease the armhole for 26 rows, but I was supposed to decrease until I had 26 stitches.  That's what happens when I get up too early.

Now onto the random cool things:

• While reading another blog (thebloggess.com) I saw a link to this post from The Busy Mockingbird about art collaborations with her four-year-old daughter.  It was interesting, and the drawings are really neat.  There are even a number of prints available on Studio 9 for extremely reasonable prices.  Ooh, there are other products, too, such as tote bags and iPhone cases.  And, for the eclectic decorator: throw pillows.  They are very cool.  I recommend reading the post before checking out the items.
   
• I think the art above reminds me of art done by Kelly Rae Roberts, which is why I like it so much.  Kelly Rae's art is beautiful and a little quirky.  Steve and I first saw her stuff in one of the gift shops at the Fireside Theatre in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin.  We were there for dinner and to see "Hello, Dolly!" for our 4th anniversary.  It was a fun place and a fun play.  Anyway, I was drawn to Kelly Rae's art.  They had women with tilted heads and neat, uplifting sayings on them.  Here's a picture of one of the shop's displays:
  
  
  
  
  Her online shop has prints and original art, and an online shop in Portland called Garden Gallery Iron Works features her items as well as items they've made with iron (unsurprisingly).  The more I see of her stuff, the more I like it.

• For those of us who knit and/or crochet, making a sweater can be very daunting.  I've talked about it many times: gauging, figuring out what size to make, dreaded dye-lots...  I just read a guest post on the Lion Brand Notebook blog that explains how to get your measurements.  All of them, from neck to hip and everything in between, with pictures so you know exactly where to measure.  I've pinned this one on Pinterest (here are my boards if you want to follow me) so I'll never lose it.  Available from that post is a link to a free sweater planning guide.  They are doing a 30 day sweater challenge in October, and by requesting that guide it does put you on a mailing list for the 30 day sweater challenge.  No, I'm not going to do another sweater challenge.  After I finish the Crochet-Along sweater I need to get back to the damnable hooded cardigan.

That's it for now.  I have some holiday key patterns I'm finishing up for an order, which I will be able to post about next week.  Anyone have any ideas for what I can review on Friday?  Post a comment here and let me know.  Otherwise it may end up being about Vanna's Choice yarn!

Oh, before I go, I'd like to make a request plea for clicks on my ads.  There now two of them, and hopefully they are interesting to you and not annoying.  If you see something you like, please click.  Last month I made just over $13, which is really good, but there's been nothing this month, and I don't get any of it until I get over $100, I think.  Don't click just to click, but please click if you're interested in what the ad's showing.  Thanks!!