22 February 2018
Vanessa Gulin Laven 2/22/16
In honor and remembrance of Vanessa Gulin Laven, I'm digging around the internet trying to find as many things she may have written for others, her many blogs and journals, photos, etc. I'm also hoping that her son Henry Laven will read these entries to get a real sense of who his mother was. We have been cut off by his father who was never too eager to let us or especially Vanessa's mother, know what was going on. Trying to get photos or updates or phone calls was a battle. He remarried shortly after Vanessa's death and had another child.
Here's an article she wrote as a guest post:
Vanessa blogs over at Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts. She writes about knitting, kung-fu and how she kicked cancer’s butt. She’s @MMAAC on Twitter and NessaMcTastic on Ravelry.
Here's an article she wrote as a guest post:
ORGANIZE YOUR HEART AND MIND
Vanessa blogs over at Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts. She writes about knitting, kung-fu and how she kicked cancer’s butt. She’s @MMAAC on Twitter and sells body parts as Survival Organs on Etsy.
3 WAYS TO UNSTUCK YOURSELF LIKE AN EMOTIONAL NINJA
In every hero story, there comes a point where the hero she reaches a mental or emotional roadblock in training. It happened to Rocky when he had the chance to fight Apollo Creed (yo!). It happened to the Ninja Turtles when they hid out on April’s farm before Leonardo was able to psychically connect to Splinter and it happens to the best of us, even me.
When you’re short on patience, time and energy here are three ‘G’s you can use to get back on your feet:
1. Go meditate!
The Turtles were hiding out from Shredder, stuck on a farm with Raphael in a coma. What was leader Leonardo to do? The only thing he really could do, meditate. He was able to tap into the wisdom that their sensei Splinter had taught them and find where Splinter was. While you won’t be able to psychically connect to a talking rat, you will be able to tap into your own inner sensei. It just takes a few tries. I can guarantee that after a five minute break, you’ll feel a bit better.
2. Get moving!
You don’t have to run up the steps of the Philly Art Museum to “Fly Like an Eagle” nor do you have to beat up slabs of meat. What you do need to do is get up, go for a quick walk and go sit somewhere else. By getting up and moving, you’re shifting from a sluggish gear to one that will help you feel like you’re on fire.
3. Go eat!
What did you have for breakfast? Was it my favorite, a cup of coffee followed by an “I’ll eat after this email” promise? How many emails ago was that? You don’t need to swallow raw eggs or binge on pizza but go eat something. Your brain needs vitamins, minerals, fats, proteins and carbs to function. It’s brain food.
Do you already know this? Sure you do! But when you’re fighting off swarms of time sucking bad guys the obvious doesn’t spring to mind so easily. Take this as gentle motivation to do what works for you. If you need help with motivation or finding out what works for you, I can help!
Meet Vanessa
Vanessa blogs over at Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts. She writes about knitting, kung-fu and how she kicked cancer’s butt. She’s @MMAAC on Twitter and NessaMcTastic on Ravelry.
FEED YOURSELF! MAKING LUNCH A PRIORITY
At least once a week, sometimes more, there’s a flurry of “Oh crap, I forgot to each lunch!” tweets. In the interest of full disclosure, I’m often one of those people. Lunch, and breakfast!, seem to be the most overlooked meals of the day particularly for work from home types.
Why?
I conducted a very unscientific poll amongst my fellow creative entrepreneur friends. Their reasons included being too busy, getting sucked into the zone, putting it off until later and that the idea of lunch is too stressful.
I fall into the last camp. Most days, I have no idea what I want to eat so I end up not having anything. It seems to be overlooked by most cookbooks as well! Leftovers aren’t an option for me either, since most of them are earmarked for my husband’s lunch at work.
Another problem is cultural. When I worked an office job, it was easy for me to remember to eat because I saw other people eating at their desks. So I ate at my desk too. Suddenly, I was working through every lunch. Or I would go to a lunch meeting where we were busy working on a deadline and not eating. At home or at the office, we’re forgetting to take a break and nourish our bodies. We are putting work first and ourselves second.
These excuses and impediments are masking the real (for most of us!) problem: By making time to refuel my body, I’m making myself a priority. I can’t make myself a priority when the gremlins in my mind say “No!” They urge me to put other people and things (I’m looking at you, Facebook!) ahead of my own needs.
So what can we do to make ourselves a priority and get food into our rumbling bellies?
The first step is to acknowledge that it’s OK to take care of yourself. It’s impossible to take care of others, if we don’t also care for ourselves. So go ahead, consider this your permission slip to take care of you and your needs.
Next step is to eat when you’re hungry. Maybe you’re not hungry as soon as you wake up. Or eating at 12pm just doesn’t fit into your schedule. That’s perfectly fine! Just know what your hunger signs are. Check in with your body throughout the day. Don’t wait until you feel dizzy or cranky before eating. Once you start reading the signs your body sends you, step three becomes easier.
Build it into your day. If you’re prone to forgetting or putting off eating, schedule it. Set a reminder on your calendar to get up and go eat. This is also a great way to get into a new habit like working out or drinking more water. Habits take time to form, so be patient!
Make your lunch ahead of time. Did you know you can put the fixings for a salad into a mason jar and it’ll keep for a week? Just put your dressing first and the greens last with everything else in the middle. Best of all, it’s portable in case you need to take your lunch on the go.
Make it a special meal. I love hard boiled eggs but my husband doesn’t. Lunch means I can make myself egg salad and not gross anyone out. The days I plan on eating something that I love are days that I eat and feel satisfied with my meal.
Lastly, view it as an investment in your business. By eating delicious and nourishing food, you’re improving the heart and soul of your job. You’ll feel better and so you’ll produce better work. Better work will attract better clients and customers. And isn’t that a simple solution?
Do you struggle with eating regularly or are you an eating all-star who has already earned your Eat Lunch Every Day badge? Share your stories + link us up with your favourite lunch ideas and recipes in the comments!
Vanessa blogs over at Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts. She writes about knitting, kung-fu and how she kicked cancer’s butt. She’s @MMAAC on Twitter and NessaMcTastic on Ravelry.
07 February 2018
JUL 05
I had every intention to start writing this post the night before or early this morning. But I didn’t. And here’s why: ...
I had every intention to start writing this post the night before or early this morning. But I didn’t. And here’s why: I wasn’t feeling well. If you’ve talked to me on Twitter, you’ve most likely caught on to the fact that I have frequent headaches. As in every day or every other day. This morning, I went for a second acupuncture session. I wanted to cancel. I had a long list of reasons like, “I’m tired” or “I have to blog!” or “I’m hungry”. The best one was “I have a headache. I can’t go.” I can’t go do something that’s been slowly working to at least relieve my headaches because I had a headache.
But I went anyway because I know that I need to put my health and myself ahead of my business. Before I can work on more lymph nodes for my Etsy store, I need to make sure I’m taking care of me. I’m not perfect and sometimes the excuses win out. It’s easy for me to slip into my default setting of being a house hermit.
Last night at around 10.30pm as I was reading before bed, the SGT said he didn’t feel sleepy.
“I’m suddenly feeling motivated to go to the office right now and do some work. I can finish up a few things and then take tomorrow (Friday, July 5) off.”
I could see the appeal of knocking stuff out of the way early and with no one else in the office, it would a distraction free zone. And yet, something about it didn’t sit well with me. “Do you really want to set this expectation now? This is a new job for you and I would prefer if you didn’t set the personal expectation that you should be working even on your days off.”
He’s also a night owl which doesn’t really mesh well with the corporate world’s 9am to 5pm hours. Sticking to a sleep schedule is a big part of making sure he’s well rested before going to work. He heard me out and waited for twenty minutes before making a decision. He didn’t go into the office but went early this morning instead. Our lives may still be askew in certain areas, but it’s finally coming under control.
“Balance by ant0720 via Flickr”
How have we been able to bring things into equilibrium? Two main ways:
1. Setting boundaries and doing our best to enforce them. For me, that means turning off notifications from Facebook and Twitter on my phone. And after 10pm, my phone goes into “Do Not Disturb” mode.
2. Being okay with the imperfect. Sometimes, (especially with the SGT’s work) we have to be okay that there isn’t a strict division between work and home any more. Things happen and we either get sick and can’t blog or have an emergency come up and need to answer email at 11pm. This has been the hardest thing. There isn’t a huge line in the sand that we make and keep our lives neatly contained. That may have worked in the past but now we’re always connected. What is in our power to do is manage expectations now and do our best to honor our boundaries.
So do you think you have your work/life balance down? Is it even possible?
JUL 04
Happy 4th of July!
I’m going to get my patriotism on this day by picking out posters from Sharpwriter’s Etsy shop. I know my office is going to need my favorite president, Theodore Roosevelt fighting Bigfoot:
I think it’s a majestic piece of art that really speaks to my soul. I’ve loved Theodore since my second grade report on him. Plus, during his youth and presidency he gifted taxidermied animals to the American Museum of Natural History along with his notebooks of full of his observations. Scientific presidents for the win!
Happy 4th to my American readers and Happy Wednesday to everyone else. I’ll be spending the rest of today doing laundry, tackling Mount Boxmore and loudly singing along to the musical 1776. We don’t have a grill but we might pick one up today just because!
http://img2.etsystatic.com/000/0/6230905/il_570xN.267156642.jpg
JUL 01
A Mid-Year Review
Can you believe that we’re halfway through 2013? I can’t. Yesterday was the last day of Quarter 2 in the fiscal year. We’re now in July (Happy Canada Day!) and already there’s a slight buzz about Christmas coming soon.
Inspired by Tara Swiger’s latest blog post, I’m going to spend part of today reviewing my year so far and setting my goals and intentions for this new quarter. Reviewing what’s been going on is breeze when you keep a daily notebook like I do. In my page-a-day diary, I write a bit about what I did that day.
My diary is the teal one
Nothing major, just a few lines. I’ll make a note of what I got done, or where I ate or what I did if I went out. I also use it to jot down any thought-provoking quotes I may come across in my reading.
According to Goodreads, I’ve read a total of 26 out of 50 books so far this year. That means I’m two books ahead of schedule. I think next year, I’ll have to bump that up to 52 books. That means averaging a book a week. This year I’ve gotten into the habit of getting into bed earlier so I can spend at least an hour reading. It’s quite a luxury of time but it helps since we’ve given up television. It was a habit I got into as a child and I’m happy to say that since college ended, I’ve been able to get back into reading.
Today is a day of quiet reflection and I am looking forward to it. Will you take a pause and look ahead?
JUN 28
FO Friday: Age of Brass and Steam Shawl
Subtitled: this is why I can’t have nice things. “Why?” you may ask. Oh, no reason. Just this:
This is why I can’t have nice things.
That’s the Brass and Steam shawl blocking. My cat Ninja has fallen in love with the shawl itself. Patches, who is lurking in the upper right corner, just wants the wire blockers. I’ve now moved it into the walk in closet away from prying kitties.
And there she is in her full-sized glory. I need to find out which box holds my pins and mats so I can just pin it in place and let it open up some more. I cannot wait until it’s finished drying so I can wear it! I can’t say I can blame the cat, the yarn is really smooshy.
Pattern: Age of Brass and Steam Kerchief
Yarn: Cephalopod Yarn Skinny Bugga! in Maxima Clam
Needle size: US 7 4.5mm
Ravelry link to project and notes are here. More Finished Objects can be found over there.
JUN 26
Getting settled in…
This weekend, the SGT and I closed on our first home here in Minneapolis, MN.
This is the current view of our living room. I call it Mount Boxmore. I think it needs a few more boxes covering up the front windows. Like most works, I, as its creator, will never feel like it’s ever truly finished. Or something. Thankfully, the boxes of yarn have all been unpacked. I just haven’t had time to make anything with said yarn.
For WIPs, check out Tami’s blog.
An open letter to my younger self
Today is my birthday and I am 28 years old. I’ve been thinking about my life these past ten years and how many changes that have happened. Graduating from high school, college, meeting the Sgt and moving in together, losing my dad, getting married and beating cancer. It’s been a very full decade and I’m leaving out some smaller and more private changes!
I’ve been thinking about what I would tell my younger self if I could. What I wish I had known at 18, other than buying Apple stock and what the winning lotto numbers were.
Let your light shine. You are awesome and when you let that awesomeness shine out brightly, people respond well to it. Embrace it, own it, wear it. That’s what confidence is and looks like.
The people who respond positively are your friends. And chances are, they’ll be very good friends. Those who react negatively aren’t your friends, even if they say or seem like they are. A good friend wants to help you shine out brighter than ever, not dim your light.
“No” is a complete sentence. I don’t have to explain or offer an excuse. If I need to be polite, “No, thank you” works. I can say no if I don’t want to. No one can make me do anything and declining doesn’t make me a wet blanket or a bitch.
On the flip side, say yes to something out of your comfort zone. The caveat to this one is, “but only if you really want to.” I’ve sometimes kept myself from trying or doing something that deep down, I really wanted to do but I was afraid of taking a risk. The fear was from appearing vulnerable, failing (especially in front of others) and possibly succeeding.
I asked around on Twitter and Facebook too and I got some good gems. Like this one from my step-father-in-law, “Add value to everyone else’s life. Yours will be incredible.” It’s about more than just doing unto others, it’s about thinking (and acting!) about how you can help someone else and make their life awesome. It’s adding your light to someone else’s.
From Em Dash Paper Company, “No one can tell how young you are, and your age doesn’t affect how awesome you are. Just own it.” The wonderful thing about being young is that you have the rest of your life ahead of you. Come to think of it, that’s true at any age.
What would you tell your younger self if you could?
JUN 12
WIP Wednesday: Brass and Steam Shawl is almost done!
I’ve been exclusively working on this shawl. It’s been so easy to pick up and put down at will.
I don’t have much yarn left, it’s about the size of a handball, I would estimate. If I stop now, I’m not sure what to do with that small bit left so I’m pressing on. I want to finish and have just enough for two hexipuffs, so about twenty yards short. I also don’t want this shawl to end at an awkward size. We’ll be settling into our new home next week which means I’ll be able to block this with my blocking wires. I can’t wait to be out of this hotel room!
For more works in progress, check out Tami’s blog.
I am a unique and special snowflake
Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts by Vanessa / 1,702d // keep unread // hide
The Declaration of You will be published by North Light Craft Books this summer, with readers getting all the permission they’ve craved to step passionately into their lives, discover how they and their gifts are unique and uncover what they are meant to do! This post is part of The Declaration of You’s BlogLovin’ Tour, which I’m thrilled to participate in alongside over 100 other creative bloggers. Learn more — and join us! — by clicking here
I have a big personal problem. It’s hard for me to admit that maybe I am special. That I have an important and different perspective on the world. And you do too.
What’s keeping me from admitting this and weaving it into the truth I have about myself?
Personally, there are several factors (and I bet you can relate to some!).
Firstly, raised in a Cuban house in the United States, I was taught to put my needs last. My mother was one to downplay her strengths and I absorbed that. My mom was able to fix a friend’s heirloom crocheted tablecloth by reverse engineering the granny square pattern. She was able to remake some of the missing squares and mend the other ones that started to unravel. My friend offered to pay her for her time. My mom said she didn’t want payment because what she did was “no big deal” and that anyone could do it. I wish I had a photo because it was a big deal. My mom remade close to twenty very small squares and mended another thirty. I told my friend to write a check for however much she felt my mom’s skill was worth, so both she and my mother were fairly compensated. I had to explain to my mom that not everyone can reverse engineer a pattern like that. This is a bad habit that’s been ingrained in Latina women.
Secondly, no one likes a braggart. However, sometimes it feels like admitting that you are awesome is the same as bragging. It’s not. Am I the very best? No, I am a flawed person but I am a good person. And the things that I am the very best at are things I should be proud of. A braggart only talks about their super awesome skills and puts others down or dismisses other people’s strengths. That’s not me, therefore I’m not a braggart.
Thirdly, it’s hard for me to accept praise. I think this is something that many women are socialized to do. You don’t raise your hand too often in math class, you’re to be sweet and let others have the spotlight. Meanwhile, the boys are pushing each other out of the center. (Pushing men to be the best at all costs isn’t good either.)
What’s a gal to do?
Well, two things. One is that I’m learning how to talk about my work. It’s possible to talk about my work without boasting or phrasing it like a humblebrag. And talking about it doesn’t mean that other people are judging you. Take a step back and ask yourself if you’re really bragging or does it just SEEM that way? Chances are, it just seems that way. So push through that fear and talk.
The second thing I do is remind myself that I am worthy of praise. My voice is unique and that’s what’s wonderful about me. There’s a great prayer that I found that I’ve printed out and have it pinned up:
[...] There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.[...]
I try to stay mindful and let myself shine, as I was meant to. I invite you to shine along with me. My shine won’t dim your shine, together we’ll make the world brighter.
JUN 07
The ebb and flow of creativity
Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts by Vanessa / 1,706d // keep unread // hide
I was crocheting a lymph node when my mind started to wander (as it often does). I was thinking about this blog and the space that I’ve created here. I feel like I’m in a real transitional period. And it scares me. Yes, even bad ass knitting ninjas like me get scared.
So what am I doing about my feelings?
Firstly, I’m taking deep breaths. Lots of them. In for a count of three out for a count of three. I try to visualize all of that wonderful oxygen going into my bloodstream and up into my brain feeding it. Have you noticed that when you feel stressed out, you start taking shallower breaths? Notice your breathing throughout the day and try to breathe deeper.
Secondly, I’m giving myself permission to ebb and flow. I think it’s a vital part of the creative process. By experimenting with different mediums like painting with acrylics, watercolors, drawing and collaging, I’m making myself into a more enriched person. I’m not giving up on fiber arts, they are my first love.
However, I think I’m ready to talk more about self-care (like this guest post on eating lunch) and a little less on what I’m making and doing. So bear with me while I go through these changes. I hope you stick with me because I have a LOT to say about giving yourself permission to be the best person you can be!
In the comments, please feel free to suggest topics you’d like to see me cover, both health and knitting wise!
IP Wednesday: Age of Brass and Steam Shawl
Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts by Vanessa / 1,708d // keep unread // hide
Once again, my teal socks have been frogged. I just wasn’t happy with the idea of knitting one sock and having to make the other one. I also don’t think the yarn wanted to be socks. It told me it wanted to be a shawl. I’ve been so chilly here in Minnesota and my Mrs Tumnus shawlette is nice but not cutting it. Yes, I could just wear long sleeves, but I moved from Tennessee where I rarely needed to wear long sleeve shirts. So I have none and the stores here are only selling summer wear.
I listened to my yarn and a shawl was born. The pattern is the Age of Brass and Steam Kerchief, a free pattern on Ravelry. The pattern calls for DK or worsted weight yarn but I’m using fingering weight so I’ve just kept going past where the pattern says to stop. I also want this to be a larger shawl than what it calls for. It’s going to need a good blocking when I’m done. I want to use up as much of the skein as possible so I can make a hexipuff or two.
For more WIPs, check out Tami’s blog.
Taking some of my advice…
Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts by Vanessa / 1,708d // keep unread // hide
I’ve blogged about how important it is to take a pause, listen to your body and find exercise that you love. I do my best to heed my own advice.
So today, since I’ve been fighting chronic headaches since yesterday, I’m going to drink some water, breathe deeply and be good to myself.
What are three small things you can do to be nice to your body today?
(A note about that picture: It’s a work in progress done in color pencils. I’m calling it migraine with aura.)
JUN 03
I guest posted!
Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts by Vanessa / 1,710d // keep unread // hide
I’ve got a guest post up on MamaO Knits 2 Much’sblog. Heather Ordover, aka MamaO, is the fabulous host of my favorite podcast, CraftLit.
You can read my guest post, When is your body like a gauge swatch? on her personal blog and be sure to tune in to her show on Friday when she starts Bleak House by Charles Dickens.
MAY 31
FO Friday: A better portrait
Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts by Vanessa / 1,713d // keep unread // hide
I keep playing around with my watercolor set and I’m really seeing improvement. I have to remind myself that they don’t work like acrylics. With acrylic paintings, you work from dark to light. With watercolors, it’s the opposite, paint the light parts FIRST and THEN you put in the dark bits with more washes.
With that in mind and a few tutorials I found online, I was able to draw and paint this portrait.
JUL 01
A Mid-Year Review
Can you believe that we’re halfway through 2013? I can’t. Yesterday was the last day of Quarter 2 in the fiscal year. We’re now in July (Happy Canada Day!) and already there’s a slight buzz about Christmas coming soon.
Inspired by Tara Swiger’s latest blog post, I’m going to spend part of today reviewing my year so far and setting my goals and intentions for this new quarter. Reviewing what’s been going on is breeze when you keep a daily notebook like I do. In my page-a-day diary, I write a bit about what I did that day.
My diary is the teal one
Nothing major, just a few lines. I’ll make a note of what I got done, or where I ate or what I did if I went out. I also use it to jot down any thought-provoking quotes I may come across in my reading.
According to Goodreads, I’ve read a total of 26 out of 50 books so far this year. That means I’m two books ahead of schedule. I think next year, I’ll have to bump that up to 52 books. That means averaging a book a week. This year I’ve gotten into the habit of getting into bed earlier so I can spend at least an hour reading. It’s quite a luxury of time but it helps since we’ve given up television. It was a habit I got into as a child and I’m happy to say that since college ended, I’ve been able to get back into reading.
Today is a day of quiet reflection and I am looking forward to it. Will you take a pause and look ahead?
JUN 28
FO Friday: Age of Brass and Steam Shawl
Subtitled: this is why I can’t have nice things. “Why?” you may ask. Oh, no reason. Just this:
This is why I can’t have nice things.
That’s the Brass and Steam shawl blocking. My cat Ninja has fallen in love with the shawl itself. Patches, who is lurking in the upper right corner, just wants the wire blockers. I’ve now moved it into the walk in closet away from prying kitties.
And there she is in her full-sized glory. I need to find out which box holds my pins and mats so I can just pin it in place and let it open up some more. I cannot wait until it’s finished drying so I can wear it! I can’t say I can blame the cat, the yarn is really smooshy.
Pattern: Age of Brass and Steam Kerchief
Yarn: Cephalopod Yarn Skinny Bugga! in Maxima Clam
Needle size: US 7 4.5mm
Ravelry link to project and notes are here. More Finished Objects can be found over there.
JUN 26
Getting settled in…
This weekend, the SGT and I closed on our first home here in Minneapolis, MN.
This is the current view of our living room. I call it Mount Boxmore. I think it needs a few more boxes covering up the front windows. Like most works, I, as its creator, will never feel like it’s ever truly finished. Or something. Thankfully, the boxes of yarn have all been unpacked. I just haven’t had time to make anything with said yarn.
For WIPs, check out Tami’s blog.
An open letter to my younger self
Today is my birthday and I am 28 years old. I’ve been thinking about my life these past ten years and how many changes that have happened. Graduating from high school, college, meeting the Sgt and moving in together, losing my dad, getting married and beating cancer. It’s been a very full decade and I’m leaving out some smaller and more private changes!
I’ve been thinking about what I would tell my younger self if I could. What I wish I had known at 18, other than buying Apple stock and what the winning lotto numbers were.
Let your light shine. You are awesome and when you let that awesomeness shine out brightly, people respond well to it. Embrace it, own it, wear it. That’s what confidence is and looks like.
The people who respond positively are your friends. And chances are, they’ll be very good friends. Those who react negatively aren’t your friends, even if they say or seem like they are. A good friend wants to help you shine out brighter than ever, not dim your light.
“No” is a complete sentence. I don’t have to explain or offer an excuse. If I need to be polite, “No, thank you” works. I can say no if I don’t want to. No one can make me do anything and declining doesn’t make me a wet blanket or a bitch.
On the flip side, say yes to something out of your comfort zone. The caveat to this one is, “but only if you really want to.” I’ve sometimes kept myself from trying or doing something that deep down, I really wanted to do but I was afraid of taking a risk. The fear was from appearing vulnerable, failing (especially in front of others) and possibly succeeding.
I asked around on Twitter and Facebook too and I got some good gems. Like this one from my step-father-in-law, “Add value to everyone else’s life. Yours will be incredible.” It’s about more than just doing unto others, it’s about thinking (and acting!) about how you can help someone else and make their life awesome. It’s adding your light to someone else’s.
From Em Dash Paper Company, “No one can tell how young you are, and your age doesn’t affect how awesome you are. Just own it.” The wonderful thing about being young is that you have the rest of your life ahead of you. Come to think of it, that’s true at any age.
What would you tell your younger self if you could?
JUN 12
WIP Wednesday: Brass and Steam Shawl is almost done!
I’ve been exclusively working on this shawl. It’s been so easy to pick up and put down at will.
I don’t have much yarn left, it’s about the size of a handball, I would estimate. If I stop now, I’m not sure what to do with that small bit left so I’m pressing on. I want to finish and have just enough for two hexipuffs, so about twenty yards short. I also don’t want this shawl to end at an awkward size. We’ll be settling into our new home next week which means I’ll be able to block this with my blocking wires. I can’t wait to be out of this hotel room!
For more works in progress, check out Tami’s blog.
I am a unique and special snowflake
Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts by Vanessa / 1,702d // keep unread // hide
The Declaration of You will be published by North Light Craft Books this summer, with readers getting all the permission they’ve craved to step passionately into their lives, discover how they and their gifts are unique and uncover what they are meant to do! This post is part of The Declaration of You’s BlogLovin’ Tour, which I’m thrilled to participate in alongside over 100 other creative bloggers. Learn more — and join us! — by clicking here
I have a big personal problem. It’s hard for me to admit that maybe I am special. That I have an important and different perspective on the world. And you do too.
What’s keeping me from admitting this and weaving it into the truth I have about myself?
Personally, there are several factors (and I bet you can relate to some!).
Firstly, raised in a Cuban house in the United States, I was taught to put my needs last. My mother was one to downplay her strengths and I absorbed that. My mom was able to fix a friend’s heirloom crocheted tablecloth by reverse engineering the granny square pattern. She was able to remake some of the missing squares and mend the other ones that started to unravel. My friend offered to pay her for her time. My mom said she didn’t want payment because what she did was “no big deal” and that anyone could do it. I wish I had a photo because it was a big deal. My mom remade close to twenty very small squares and mended another thirty. I told my friend to write a check for however much she felt my mom’s skill was worth, so both she and my mother were fairly compensated. I had to explain to my mom that not everyone can reverse engineer a pattern like that. This is a bad habit that’s been ingrained in Latina women.
Secondly, no one likes a braggart. However, sometimes it feels like admitting that you are awesome is the same as bragging. It’s not. Am I the very best? No, I am a flawed person but I am a good person. And the things that I am the very best at are things I should be proud of. A braggart only talks about their super awesome skills and puts others down or dismisses other people’s strengths. That’s not me, therefore I’m not a braggart.
Thirdly, it’s hard for me to accept praise. I think this is something that many women are socialized to do. You don’t raise your hand too often in math class, you’re to be sweet and let others have the spotlight. Meanwhile, the boys are pushing each other out of the center. (Pushing men to be the best at all costs isn’t good either.)
What’s a gal to do?
Well, two things. One is that I’m learning how to talk about my work. It’s possible to talk about my work without boasting or phrasing it like a humblebrag. And talking about it doesn’t mean that other people are judging you. Take a step back and ask yourself if you’re really bragging or does it just SEEM that way? Chances are, it just seems that way. So push through that fear and talk.
The second thing I do is remind myself that I am worthy of praise. My voice is unique and that’s what’s wonderful about me. There’s a great prayer that I found that I’ve printed out and have it pinned up:
[...] There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.[...]
I try to stay mindful and let myself shine, as I was meant to. I invite you to shine along with me. My shine won’t dim your shine, together we’ll make the world brighter.
JUN 07
The ebb and flow of creativity
Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts by Vanessa / 1,706d // keep unread // hide
I was crocheting a lymph node when my mind started to wander (as it often does). I was thinking about this blog and the space that I’ve created here. I feel like I’m in a real transitional period. And it scares me. Yes, even bad ass knitting ninjas like me get scared.
So what am I doing about my feelings?
Firstly, I’m taking deep breaths. Lots of them. In for a count of three out for a count of three. I try to visualize all of that wonderful oxygen going into my bloodstream and up into my brain feeding it. Have you noticed that when you feel stressed out, you start taking shallower breaths? Notice your breathing throughout the day and try to breathe deeper.
Secondly, I’m giving myself permission to ebb and flow. I think it’s a vital part of the creative process. By experimenting with different mediums like painting with acrylics, watercolors, drawing and collaging, I’m making myself into a more enriched person. I’m not giving up on fiber arts, they are my first love.
However, I think I’m ready to talk more about self-care (like this guest post on eating lunch) and a little less on what I’m making and doing. So bear with me while I go through these changes. I hope you stick with me because I have a LOT to say about giving yourself permission to be the best person you can be!
In the comments, please feel free to suggest topics you’d like to see me cover, both health and knitting wise!
IP Wednesday: Age of Brass and Steam Shawl
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Once again, my teal socks have been frogged. I just wasn’t happy with the idea of knitting one sock and having to make the other one. I also don’t think the yarn wanted to be socks. It told me it wanted to be a shawl. I’ve been so chilly here in Minnesota and my Mrs Tumnus shawlette is nice but not cutting it. Yes, I could just wear long sleeves, but I moved from Tennessee where I rarely needed to wear long sleeve shirts. So I have none and the stores here are only selling summer wear.
I listened to my yarn and a shawl was born. The pattern is the Age of Brass and Steam Kerchief, a free pattern on Ravelry. The pattern calls for DK or worsted weight yarn but I’m using fingering weight so I’ve just kept going past where the pattern says to stop. I also want this to be a larger shawl than what it calls for. It’s going to need a good blocking when I’m done. I want to use up as much of the skein as possible so I can make a hexipuff or two.
For more WIPs, check out Tami’s blog.
Taking some of my advice…
Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts by Vanessa / 1,708d // keep unread // hide
I’ve blogged about how important it is to take a pause, listen to your body and find exercise that you love. I do my best to heed my own advice.
So today, since I’ve been fighting chronic headaches since yesterday, I’m going to drink some water, breathe deeply and be good to myself.
What are three small things you can do to be nice to your body today?
(A note about that picture: It’s a work in progress done in color pencils. I’m calling it migraine with aura.)
JUN 03
I guest posted!
Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts by Vanessa / 1,710d // keep unread // hide
I’ve got a guest post up on MamaO Knits 2 Much’sblog. Heather Ordover, aka MamaO, is the fabulous host of my favorite podcast, CraftLit.
You can read my guest post, When is your body like a gauge swatch? on her personal blog and be sure to tune in to her show on Friday when she starts Bleak House by Charles Dickens.
MAY 31
FO Friday: A better portrait
Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts by Vanessa / 1,713d // keep unread // hide
I keep playing around with my watercolor set and I’m really seeing improvement. I have to remind myself that they don’t work like acrylics. With acrylic paintings, you work from dark to light. With watercolors, it’s the opposite, paint the light parts FIRST and THEN you put in the dark bits with more washes.
With that in mind and a few tutorials I found online, I was able to draw and paint this portrait.
I call her Tabitha. I love her expression. I didn’t intend for her to look so…angry? Sad? Defiant? I also am really proud at how the shadows work and her skin tone is just what I was looking for.
What expression do you think she has on her face? Is there a story behind her stare?
For more finished objects, check out Tami’s blog.
WIP Wednesday: Yep, still more hexipuffs needed
Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts by Vanessa / 1,715d // keep unread // hide
It’s been sometime since I last blogged about my hexipuff blanket. Actually, it’s been almost six months! I’m still plugging away at it. I feel like I’ve been in a knitting funk so they’ve been the perfect project to work on while I try to get my mojo back.
I’m really pleased at the progress I’ve been making. I’m going to need more yarn that’s not in the blue range. I’m seeing a deficiency in yellow, green and orange. And just brighter colors in general. I love the bubblegum pink puffs that are tucked in there. The bright orange ones look nice as well.
For more WIPs, check out Tami’s blog.
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MAY 24
An Open Letter to the World
Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts by Vanessa / 1,720d // keep unread // hide
I’m part of a private Facebook group about a painting workshop I took. You might remember the face I did way back when?
Well, one woman posted asking for advice. This is a letter to her and everyone else out there:
Dear M,
You asked how you can keep painting and drawing even though your body is so tired. You said you’re plagued by the shoulds and must monsters. You know the ones, the voices that tell you your best isn’t good enough and will never be? The ones that say your health issues are really just a mask for laziness?
Well, guess what? Those monsters are wrong. Your best is good enough. It is more than ok to work within your limits, both physical and mental. It is perfectly fine to take care of your needs before you can take care of others.
I know how hard taking care of oneself first is. So I’ve made a permission slip that you can save and print out. Paste it into your sketch book, set it as your desktop image, put up on the fridge. Just keep it near you and remember only you can take care of you.
Be well and much love,
Vanessa
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WIP Wednesday: Teal Sock (again)
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I had to frog the previous version of this sock because it was too large. This time, I counted twice and everything is correct!
I haven’t been too much in the mood to knit anything requiring too much attention so stockinette socks it is.
For more WIPs, check out Tami’s blog.
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MAY 21
Confessions of a notebook addict: Noodler’s Ink sampler
Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts by Vanessa / 1,723d // keep unread // hide
I participated in a Reddit gift exchange all about pens and stationery. I was really excited to get my gift yesterday!
That’s 11 vials of Noodler’s ink for my fountain pen! My pen accepts both cartridges and bottled ink if I use the converter/plunger thing it came with. Now I just have to find out which box I packed it away in. The other nifty gifty is a pad of Triomphe paper. And since everything was purchased from the Goulet Pen Company, I got a sticker and a book mark. Sadly, Goulet is sold out of their Triomphe envelopes but I have plenty of my own. I can’t wait to start writing letters. I think my first one shall be a thank you letter to my generous partner.
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MAY 17
FO Friday: Golden Mantella Frog
Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts by Vanessa / 1,727d // keep unread // hide
I’ve been on a painting roll lately. It feel so much more easier to paint in a tiny hotel room than knit. I feel like most of my knitting, even sock knitting, needs to take up lots of space. But not so much with my small watercolors. I saw a photo of this guy on pinterest and I knew I had to paint him:
I’m really proud of how this frog came out, though the line between his mouth and where his foreleg connects got smooshed together. I’m hoping to take a painting class or something that will help me trouble shoot when I notice things like that happening. But I’m still proud of how my skills are improving. Plus, it’s such a cute frog! I made the spot of white in his eye with a white jelly roll pen. I’m planning on using this pen to make some white zentangles instead of my usual black ones. It’ll be fun to play with tones and values on a different and lighter scale.
A little more info on the Golden Mantella frog. They live in Madagascar and are a critically endangered species. They’re related to the brightly colored poison dart frog. Golden Mantellas are found in the forest and near fresh water ponds. They are social creatures who live in family groups called armies with twice as many males as females. You can learn more about them from the Bristol Zoo’s conservation page.
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WIP Wednesday: Circle Socks
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The short row heel socks I was working on have been frogged. Somehow, I managed to cast on 82 stitches instead of my usual 62. And in our move, I think I put that ball of yarn into a box which is now in storage. I’ve had the itch to work on socks so I treated myself to a ball of Crazy Zauberball.
The pattern is Anne Campbell’s Circle Socks. They were designed for self striping/crazy striping yarn. I’m planning on changing out the heel for a short row heel because I’m bent on trying out the technique. Plus, I think it’s an usual pattern.
For more WIPs, check out Tami’s blog.
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To Wig or Not to Wig? Or why I went bald
Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts by Vanessa / 1,730d // keep unread // hide
That really is the biggest question most cancer patients have. After “am I going to die?” of course. It’s also the most personal decision I had to make. I’m not a doctor so I couldn’t personalize my chemotherapy regime to suit me. I knew I was going to lose my hair and there was no getting around that. So much of cancer treatment is about losing control but this? This was one thing that I had control over.
I did purchase a wig. In fact, my insurance did cover high quality human hair wigs. I never got around to buying a real one. Mine was a $20 synthetic Beatle-esque bob. I thought that maybe I could deal with life if I felt a bit more normal. I had shaved my head the week before when huge snarls of hair were trapped in my pillow case. I still had my eye brows, they had thinned out but still looked normal.
So I bought the wig. Looking at the few photos I have of me in that thing, it looked terrible. And it felt even worse. It was hot and uncomfortable and itchy. I couldn’t get it to line up nicely on my head.
But you know what? For the one day that I wore it, I felt normal. The next day, I realized that I was normal. I just had cancer. And if anyone wanted to say something about being bald, they had that right. I also had the right to ignore them.
On the other hand, a friend’s mother also lost her hair to chemo. She wore her wig every day of treatment because it made her feel empowered. Other people only wear a headscarf. I sometimes wore a scarf around the house, but mostly I stuck to either going au natural or wearing a hat if I was very cold.
There really is no right or wrong answer. Perhaps you will chose to wear a wig when going out or deciding, “Fuck it. Bald is beautiful.” And if you don’t feel that way, that’s okay too. You reserve the right to tell off anyone who says anything different.
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A peek at my notebook collection
Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts by Vanessa / 1,731d // keep unread // hide
It’s been awfully quiet on my blog this week and for that I apologize. We’re settled into some semblance of a routine here in the Twin Cities while we go house hunting. It’s been a fun and exhausting process but we’re glad to really set down roots somewhere.
A few weeks ago, I posted about my idea capture journal. That’s where I scribble down my to-do lists, any thoughts for patterns or blog posts before I organize and transfer them into Evernote. Here are all of my notebooks that I currently use:
The owl notebook (gifted last summer by Underground Crafter) is my capture notebook. The big black notebook in the back is where I do my writing exercises. Much like anything else, writing requires lots and lots of practice if you want to get better. I often forget that most novels don’t fall out onto the page fully formed. There’s not just tons of revision involved but an author needs to constantly write in order to improve one’s voice. So a plain spiral notebook works best for me.
Next to my owl notebook with the grey spine is my journal. I don’t write too often in it but it’s where I write about the highs and lows of my life. I also maintain lists of books I’ve read and milestones/cool things that have happened to me each year. On the front flyleaf I also write down my resolutions for that year and how old I was when I started and finished that journal.
The aqua notebook is a page a day diary where I keep my appointments and random doodles sometimes. I also write about what happened each day. It’s more of a log than anything else. So far, it’s been fun seeing how long it’s taken me to finish a book or the last time the Sgt and I went out on a date was. Austin Kleon talks about the importance of keeping a logbook in his book Steal Like an Artist:
[...] keeping a simple list of who/what/where means I write down events that seem mundane at the time, but later on help paint a better portrait of the day, or even become more significant over time. By “sticking to the facts” I don’t pre-judge what was important or what wasn’t, I just write it down.
Even a month later, it’s been really fascinating taking a look at just what happened day-to-day in my life. I’m sure as more time passes, I’ll be able to see more patterns emerging. It’s also been a great way to track when I get sick (from a cold or the flu) and when I start to feel better.
The two gilded notebooks were Christmas gifts. The one in the front row is quite small and stays in my purse. It’s where I doodle while waiting or jot down addresses. We’re currently house hunting so I’ve written down the pros and cons to the different houses we’ve looked at. It’s saved our butts more than once! The bigger one is a far more personal diary. I write in it every night just everything that needs to come out of my mind. Every thought no matter how profound or mundane gets out of my soul and onto the page. I view it as thinking out lout but silently. It’s a form of talking to god, I just use the written word instead.
Lastly, the spiral top notebook is not mine. I purchased it from Phantom Limb this weekend as a gift to the Sgt who started a new job today. He jots down his to do lists and random notes in them for work. Sometimes, it’s easier to put pen to paper than it is to open up a program on the computer.
So that’s my notebook collection. I have a ton more that are all used and a few that are empty waiting to be cracked open. Once my page a day diary is filled up, I think I might switch to a Filofax.
What do you use to organize and track your day? Have you gone paperless?
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MAY 10
FO Friday: Zengtangled Goldfish
Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts by Vanessa / 1,734d // keep unread // hide
Hello hello! It’s been awfully quiet here. That’s because we’ve moved to the Twin Cities area of Minnesota. We’re currently house hunting so I haven’t had too much time to craft. I did, however, find time to paint this guy:
I made sure that I kept my sketchbook and my travel set of water colors out along with some of my knitting. He looks more like a little whale than a goldfish but that’s alright! I think he’s super cute. I got to use my Pen & Ink sketch fountain pen over the water color washes. I use my pen mostly in my journaling but the insert said this pen is designed for sketching. It was really smooth over the washes and I enjoyed zentangling with it. However, the ink it comes with is not water proof. I tried to run a wash over one of the fins and it started to smear. That means I’m still in search for a fine tipped pen that won’t smear if I watercolor over it.
For more Finished Objects, check out Tami’s blog.
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END OF FEED
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What expression do you think she has on her face? Is there a story behind her stare?
For more finished objects, check out Tami’s blog.
WIP Wednesday: Yep, still more hexipuffs needed
Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts by Vanessa / 1,715d // keep unread // hide
It’s been sometime since I last blogged about my hexipuff blanket. Actually, it’s been almost six months! I’m still plugging away at it. I feel like I’ve been in a knitting funk so they’ve been the perfect project to work on while I try to get my mojo back.
I’m really pleased at the progress I’ve been making. I’m going to need more yarn that’s not in the blue range. I’m seeing a deficiency in yellow, green and orange. And just brighter colors in general. I love the bubblegum pink puffs that are tucked in there. The bright orange ones look nice as well.
For more WIPs, check out Tami’s blog.
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MAY 24
An Open Letter to the World
Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts by Vanessa / 1,720d // keep unread // hide
I’m part of a private Facebook group about a painting workshop I took. You might remember the face I did way back when?
Well, one woman posted asking for advice. This is a letter to her and everyone else out there:
Dear M,
You asked how you can keep painting and drawing even though your body is so tired. You said you’re plagued by the shoulds and must monsters. You know the ones, the voices that tell you your best isn’t good enough and will never be? The ones that say your health issues are really just a mask for laziness?
Well, guess what? Those monsters are wrong. Your best is good enough. It is more than ok to work within your limits, both physical and mental. It is perfectly fine to take care of your needs before you can take care of others.
I know how hard taking care of oneself first is. So I’ve made a permission slip that you can save and print out. Paste it into your sketch book, set it as your desktop image, put up on the fridge. Just keep it near you and remember only you can take care of you.
Be well and much love,
Vanessa
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WIP Wednesday: Teal Sock (again)
Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts by Vanessa / 1,722d // keep unread // hide
I had to frog the previous version of this sock because it was too large. This time, I counted twice and everything is correct!
I haven’t been too much in the mood to knit anything requiring too much attention so stockinette socks it is.
For more WIPs, check out Tami’s blog.
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MAY 21
Confessions of a notebook addict: Noodler’s Ink sampler
Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts by Vanessa / 1,723d // keep unread // hide
I participated in a Reddit gift exchange all about pens and stationery. I was really excited to get my gift yesterday!
That’s 11 vials of Noodler’s ink for my fountain pen! My pen accepts both cartridges and bottled ink if I use the converter/plunger thing it came with. Now I just have to find out which box I packed it away in. The other nifty gifty is a pad of Triomphe paper. And since everything was purchased from the Goulet Pen Company, I got a sticker and a book mark. Sadly, Goulet is sold out of their Triomphe envelopes but I have plenty of my own. I can’t wait to start writing letters. I think my first one shall be a thank you letter to my generous partner.
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MAY 17
FO Friday: Golden Mantella Frog
Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts by Vanessa / 1,727d // keep unread // hide
I’ve been on a painting roll lately. It feel so much more easier to paint in a tiny hotel room than knit. I feel like most of my knitting, even sock knitting, needs to take up lots of space. But not so much with my small watercolors. I saw a photo of this guy on pinterest and I knew I had to paint him:
I’m really proud of how this frog came out, though the line between his mouth and where his foreleg connects got smooshed together. I’m hoping to take a painting class or something that will help me trouble shoot when I notice things like that happening. But I’m still proud of how my skills are improving. Plus, it’s such a cute frog! I made the spot of white in his eye with a white jelly roll pen. I’m planning on using this pen to make some white zentangles instead of my usual black ones. It’ll be fun to play with tones and values on a different and lighter scale.
A little more info on the Golden Mantella frog. They live in Madagascar and are a critically endangered species. They’re related to the brightly colored poison dart frog. Golden Mantellas are found in the forest and near fresh water ponds. They are social creatures who live in family groups called armies with twice as many males as females. You can learn more about them from the Bristol Zoo’s conservation page.
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WIP Wednesday: Circle Socks
Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts by Vanessa / 1,729d // keep unread // hide
The short row heel socks I was working on have been frogged. Somehow, I managed to cast on 82 stitches instead of my usual 62. And in our move, I think I put that ball of yarn into a box which is now in storage. I’ve had the itch to work on socks so I treated myself to a ball of Crazy Zauberball.
The pattern is Anne Campbell’s Circle Socks. They were designed for self striping/crazy striping yarn. I’m planning on changing out the heel for a short row heel because I’m bent on trying out the technique. Plus, I think it’s an usual pattern.
For more WIPs, check out Tami’s blog.
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To Wig or Not to Wig? Or why I went bald
Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts by Vanessa / 1,730d // keep unread // hide
That really is the biggest question most cancer patients have. After “am I going to die?” of course. It’s also the most personal decision I had to make. I’m not a doctor so I couldn’t personalize my chemotherapy regime to suit me. I knew I was going to lose my hair and there was no getting around that. So much of cancer treatment is about losing control but this? This was one thing that I had control over.
I did purchase a wig. In fact, my insurance did cover high quality human hair wigs. I never got around to buying a real one. Mine was a $20 synthetic Beatle-esque bob. I thought that maybe I could deal with life if I felt a bit more normal. I had shaved my head the week before when huge snarls of hair were trapped in my pillow case. I still had my eye brows, they had thinned out but still looked normal.
So I bought the wig. Looking at the few photos I have of me in that thing, it looked terrible. And it felt even worse. It was hot and uncomfortable and itchy. I couldn’t get it to line up nicely on my head.
But you know what? For the one day that I wore it, I felt normal. The next day, I realized that I was normal. I just had cancer. And if anyone wanted to say something about being bald, they had that right. I also had the right to ignore them.
On the other hand, a friend’s mother also lost her hair to chemo. She wore her wig every day of treatment because it made her feel empowered. Other people only wear a headscarf. I sometimes wore a scarf around the house, but mostly I stuck to either going au natural or wearing a hat if I was very cold.
There really is no right or wrong answer. Perhaps you will chose to wear a wig when going out or deciding, “Fuck it. Bald is beautiful.” And if you don’t feel that way, that’s okay too. You reserve the right to tell off anyone who says anything different.
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A peek at my notebook collection
Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts by Vanessa / 1,731d // keep unread // hide
It’s been awfully quiet on my blog this week and for that I apologize. We’re settled into some semblance of a routine here in the Twin Cities while we go house hunting. It’s been a fun and exhausting process but we’re glad to really set down roots somewhere.
A few weeks ago, I posted about my idea capture journal. That’s where I scribble down my to-do lists, any thoughts for patterns or blog posts before I organize and transfer them into Evernote. Here are all of my notebooks that I currently use:
The owl notebook (gifted last summer by Underground Crafter) is my capture notebook. The big black notebook in the back is where I do my writing exercises. Much like anything else, writing requires lots and lots of practice if you want to get better. I often forget that most novels don’t fall out onto the page fully formed. There’s not just tons of revision involved but an author needs to constantly write in order to improve one’s voice. So a plain spiral notebook works best for me.
Next to my owl notebook with the grey spine is my journal. I don’t write too often in it but it’s where I write about the highs and lows of my life. I also maintain lists of books I’ve read and milestones/cool things that have happened to me each year. On the front flyleaf I also write down my resolutions for that year and how old I was when I started and finished that journal.
The aqua notebook is a page a day diary where I keep my appointments and random doodles sometimes. I also write about what happened each day. It’s more of a log than anything else. So far, it’s been fun seeing how long it’s taken me to finish a book or the last time the Sgt and I went out on a date was. Austin Kleon talks about the importance of keeping a logbook in his book Steal Like an Artist:
[...] keeping a simple list of who/what/where means I write down events that seem mundane at the time, but later on help paint a better portrait of the day, or even become more significant over time. By “sticking to the facts” I don’t pre-judge what was important or what wasn’t, I just write it down.
Even a month later, it’s been really fascinating taking a look at just what happened day-to-day in my life. I’m sure as more time passes, I’ll be able to see more patterns emerging. It’s also been a great way to track when I get sick (from a cold or the flu) and when I start to feel better.
The two gilded notebooks were Christmas gifts. The one in the front row is quite small and stays in my purse. It’s where I doodle while waiting or jot down addresses. We’re currently house hunting so I’ve written down the pros and cons to the different houses we’ve looked at. It’s saved our butts more than once! The bigger one is a far more personal diary. I write in it every night just everything that needs to come out of my mind. Every thought no matter how profound or mundane gets out of my soul and onto the page. I view it as thinking out lout but silently. It’s a form of talking to god, I just use the written word instead.
Lastly, the spiral top notebook is not mine. I purchased it from Phantom Limb this weekend as a gift to the Sgt who started a new job today. He jots down his to do lists and random notes in them for work. Sometimes, it’s easier to put pen to paper than it is to open up a program on the computer.
So that’s my notebook collection. I have a ton more that are all used and a few that are empty waiting to be cracked open. Once my page a day diary is filled up, I think I might switch to a Filofax.
What do you use to organize and track your day? Have you gone paperless?
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MAY 10
FO Friday: Zengtangled Goldfish
Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts by Vanessa / 1,734d // keep unread // hide
Hello hello! It’s been awfully quiet here. That’s because we’ve moved to the Twin Cities area of Minnesota. We’re currently house hunting so I haven’t had too much time to craft. I did, however, find time to paint this guy:
I made sure that I kept my sketchbook and my travel set of water colors out along with some of my knitting. He looks more like a little whale than a goldfish but that’s alright! I think he’s super cute. I got to use my Pen & Ink sketch fountain pen over the water color washes. I use my pen mostly in my journaling but the insert said this pen is designed for sketching. It was really smooth over the washes and I enjoyed zentangling with it. However, the ink it comes with is not water proof. I tried to run a wash over one of the fins and it started to smear. That means I’m still in search for a fine tipped pen that won’t smear if I watercolor over it.
For more Finished Objects, check out Tami’s blog.
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