diving in

Lately, deadlines have been light and commitments have been few, so I've finally been tackling a few long put-off projects. Getting a website for my freelance writing and photography tops the list, but I have to admit I'm overwhelmed like never before.
I've been working as a freelance writer full-time for a year and a half, and, other than this little blog, have no World Wide Web presence. I hear everywhere that it's important for a freelancer to have a website.
I'm overwhelmed on two fronts. First, there's the idea of building my own site, or working with a template. How? And with so many options out there, just checking out my options has already sucked away countless hours, choosing one, I'm afraid, will take even longer. Then, there's the idea of defining myself. I don't know if I'm ready to sum myself up in a few kitchy paragraphs. It simply makes me feel as if I haven't done enough.
But this I know: no matter my shortcomings, deadlines work for me. Without them, I would most certainly be starving. So, today, I've given myself a deadline. Sunday by midnight, I've got to have a web presence. Wish me luck!

I'm in Love!!!

Long time coming

 The obsession will not end... I am still caught up in the grip of the clutches.  I have a seemingly simple pattern that I want to design but perfection eludes me.  Not that I don't have enough plates spinning right now I get stumped by a simple pattern for a fabled clutch, that I have promised to make, yet have not gotten the dimensions and tension figured out yet.  If I were to describe the process of pattern making when it comes to a small nine inch crescent shaped purse frame one word comes to mind... Unforgiving.  The tolerances are tricky, too tight and the clutch only holds one coin, too loose and you have folds of fabric that clearly display your mistake.  To say the least each and every one of my clutches has taken some time, passion, and design.  The process of knitting/ crocheting a clutch began in December of 2008.  I made a small knit/ crochet clutch for my sister Jill.  With much thought and design I came up with this small beauty, adorned by a vintage broach from my grandmother's collection.  See all the design details here.

  

I return to the thoughts of that simple design often and wonder if it should be revisited?  I still love it and vowed to make identical one for myself, yet I am hemmed in by this elusive new design! 

Fall back

Watercolor by Leontine May Greenberg

Everyone in these parts looks forward to the return to Standard Time from Daylight Saving Time, which starts Sunday. Although it means that the sun sets earlier, it also means that days start later, when the sun is up. Lately, it's been a challenge getting up before the sun.

I've noticed a few times this last week that I've struggled for hours, sometimes all day long, to write something or finish a project. It's very worrisome. Deadlines, folks, are for real in my little world. What I've discovered, though is that if I wake up at 6 a.m. or earlier to finish it I'm suddenly focused, and can zip right through a story or project.

Being a morning person seems so lame. I've always rejected the notion that I was an early bird. Early birds. Night owls. Who has more fun? Ah, night owls, for sure! But I'm getting so much done that it means I can have fun during the day instead of banging my head on my desk.

That's why I'm looking forward to this little extra hour every morning to get up earlier with less effort. I want to solidify this early-rising routine. Goodness knows, I've got a to-do list a mile long.

Astounding.

I don't often envy an others knitting.  I find that my way of thinking is "I can make it better".  Not in an elitist way, but much more in the vein of, I would rather carry around a purse I made then a Coach hand bag.  It is far cheaper if I make it and has more personality.  Yet browsing etsy this morning I came across something that I could NEVER make better or cheaper.  Knit deer mounts! 

Sounds weird. To be honest I don't really want to own one yet I am bewitched by them! The expertise and design is amazing.  And to think this knitter has found yet another way to incorporate modern knitting into daily life!!!  Amazing!