The Pink Woobie

What I Made Today: Amigurumi Owl

2012-02-07T09:10:00.001-05:00

I have been incredibly restless lately. I have not been getting proper restorative sleep which is a common problem for those who live with Fibromyalgia. Often when I feel like this, a lot of mental energy without the physical, I start to feel discouraged. I feel like I should be contributing so much more than I'm currently capable of.

I thought that I would post something here today so I would feel that I had contributed. I hope it at least makes you smile.

This little amigurumi owl came to me after Ryan's alarm had gone off and I had yet to fall asleep. He hooted at me till I turned the light on and gathered the yarn I thought would be perfect for this project. I rarely use patterns for anything. I get more satisfaction out of paying attention to how the yarn responds to different combinations of stitches and shaping it whatever I am making.

My amigurumi owl is made out of 100% Peruvian wool with acrylic accents. I love the rustic look the texture of the yarn creates.

I will certainly be perfecting my design and make more of these little guys.

Ear Infection Mania

2012-01-17T05:46:00.000-05:00

Often when I've been down with a general flare of my chronic conditions or some illness for awhile, I go through a period of time which I can only describe as creative mania. It happens after I have been unable to do things for many days and I begin to feel a fraction better. I get ideas about things I want to create and it is impossible for me to sleep or sometimes even rest until I can see my ideas in some tangible form. This process is often counterproductive as I spend many hours, sometimes staying awake all night, creating. Lack of rest and sleep allows my flare or cold to get worse again. It's hard to control, but it usually produces some very lovely things.

On January 3rd I woke up not being able to hear out of my right ear. By the 4th it had started to hurt and was clear that I had an ear infection. After visiting Urgent Care and starting antibiotics, then visiting a specialist and receiving ear drops the infection still seems to be clinging on. I go for another specialist appointment tomorrow in hopes of getting some more answers.

Late one night when the pain in my ear was still unbearable I treated myself by purchasing some wool roving on Etsy. I found beautifully colored Polwarth roving form Greenwood Fiberworks. I was so excited when it came in the mail that I wanted to spin it up immediately but I already had another project on my spindle (green and yellow yarn). So I finished that one, and spun 4oz. of my new wool. I still have 4oz. left that I'm brainstorming about now.

After I finished spinning on Sunday night I started (and finished) a great crochet beanie with a cute heart pattern. There are other things I want to be working on now too, but my body has put a stop to that feeling achy but I am sure I will be back at it in a few days.

Handmade Love for the Special Olympics

2012-01-02T16:21:00.000-05:00

The 2012 Special Olympics USA Scarf Project has put out a call for donations of handmade scarves for the participants, coaches, and volunteers of the 2012 Winter Special Olympics.

I jumped at the chance to do something that I really love for an organization and event that I know makes a difference in the lives of many people.

The scarf project was born in 2009 with a call for scarves for the World Winter Special Olympics, and in 2011 the project went nationwide.

Handmade scarves given out to 2012 Special Olympics participants, coaches, and volunteers serve to provide unity, empowerment, pride, and demonstrates the support of the community for the Special Olympics.

I love when two of my passions come together like this. In 2004 and 2005 I worked in a group home for adults with developmental disabilities. I've witnessed first hand how programs like the Special Olympics bring joy into people's lives. I also know that receiving a handmade scarf while participating will instill a great deal of pride long after the event.

I will be making my scarves for the Ohio State Winter Special Olympics. The goal for the state is 625 scarves due on January 18th. I'm almost done with my second scarf and plan on making at least one more with the left over yarn. One of my scarves was my first knitting project, it's not perfect but I'm pretty excited that I've now learned a new skill.

I encourage you to participate in this great project. If your state isn't participating there are several states that are still in need of a large number of scarves. You can find all of the information at the 2012 Special Olympics USA Scarf Project webpage here. Be sure to check the project guidelines for the official Red Heart colors, measurements, and mailing instructions.

Are you participating in the project? I'd love to hear from you, leave a comment below.

Blooming Granny Square Slippers

2011-12-05T09:15:00.001-05:00

Over the weekend I spent a few hours going through my large tub of yarn. I really only got about half way through sorting all the little balls I have left over from previous projects. I had them spread out on the bed, sorting them into color groups so that I could have an idea of what was there and usable, and what could be relegated to small time waster projects.

Recently I've noticed the popularity of the color combination of yellow and gray. The soft buttery yellow that I have was actually bought as a back up incase I couldn't find the yellow I actually wanted. When my yarn was laid out I pulled the gray, white, and yellow together and started making some granny squares. These were different than the traditional granny square as they have a flower as the center piece. I didn't have a plan for these squares but I figured it would reveal itself.

In a completely separate event I was cruising Ravelry for pattern ideas. I came across some granny square slippers that are posted on the Purl Bee. I said to myself, "Self, you already have some granny squares made." It turns out I had exactly the amount of squares made for the top of the slipper, and I made solid gray squares for the sole.

So here they are. Sewing the individual squares together is a little tricky, but it's illustrated with photos in the pattern and slightly easier to understand than just words. They are my first pair of slippers. I honestly don't like to wear things on my feet, so I'm not sure how much they will get used, I suppose when it's really cold.

Next time I will use slightly heavier yarn than the gray I used. Slippers wasn't my plan when I began. I will probably also use a smaller hook, the holes in the squares are slightly larger than I would like.

As you can see, Popeye always has to get in on the picture taking.

SNOWFLAKES!

2011-11-29T15:12:00.001-05:00

I'm honestly surprised I'm not seeing these in my sleep.

On December 3rd is the GRAND OPENING of Amy Clark Studios! I was asked to contribute to the swag bags for the event and I crocheted 50 of these snowflakes. Luckily by the time I was done I was not sick of them and crocheted several more for my Etsy Shop.

If you would like to take one home and live in the Columbus area you should head to the Gallery Hop in the Short North on Saturday and stop by Amy Clark Studios at 1242 N. High Street from 6-10 pm for a chance at a swag bag.

Or you can purchase one from my shop for $5 which includes shipping!! I think it's a great deal.

Conundrum Update

2011-11-16T14:46:00.000-05:00

So I've decided to keep this great mohair scarf. Green is a color I've become pretty fond of recently, and it goes really nice with my gray peacoat.

Score one for me!

So You Want a Custom Item

2011-11-16T14:41:00.000-05:00

I get messages and tweets all the time inquiring about having something specific made. Out of all these requests, I may eventually make one or two items. I wanted to make it easier for you all to actually make a request and for me to actually get paid. So, I don't do this for the money, but I'm not going to lie that it's a good incentive to get things done.

I am asking that if you are interested in a custom item, please visit my Etsy shop to do so. The link that you click on looks like this:

If you don't already have an Etsy account I highly recommend signing up for one. There are all kinds of hand made goodies available for you to purchase.

Once the conversation is started through clicking on this link, I can gather the pertinent information to make your requested item. :)

The Crocheter's Conundrum

2011-11-10T14:20:00.002-05:00

Anyone who makes anything has had this experience:

One day you conceive an idea in your head. It's a good one, perhaps the best one you've ever had. You gather your materials, and become even more excited as you find the exact things you are looking for to bring your concept from you head and into real life.

You work hard, you occasionally stall, but you are so behind this idea that nothing will prevent you from finishing it.

When the work is complete you are left with this amazing salable product. And then you have a conundrum.

This beautiful piece that you brought forth into the world will now be heading off to undisclosed locations, and all you really want to do is keep it for yourself.

That is where I am today friends. I made this beautiful mohair cowl, the whole time thinking about all the costumers who would jump at the chance to own it. I found perfectly sized vintage buttons that completed the exact look I was going for. But now all I want to do is wear it for myself.

I know that the occasional special treat is necessary. But is this something I really need? Probably not.

I'll let you know what I decide.

Shop The Pink Woobie!

2011-11-05T13:13:00.003-04:00

A brand new inventory is up in my shop. Check it out by clicking on the Shop link above or head on over to my shop on Etsy.

It's NANOWRIMO

2011-11-01T23:29:00.002-04:00

Which means during the month of November I will be attempting to write a novel. I attempted last year and did not finish the 50,000 words. This year I hope that I will do better. I haven't been doing the best with my 30 Things Before 30 list, but this is one that I can do from the comfort of my own home. I hope to keep you posted here.

If you are interested in more information about Nanowrimo check out the webpage at www.nanowrimo.org

Coming Soon!!

2011-10-17T16:25:00.000-04:00

Lots of exciting new information, shop items, and custom order options!! Stay Tuned for NOV 2nd!!

Quick Update

2011-09-15T19:26:00.001-04:00

Recently I've aggravated some nerves in my neck.. or something. Not really sure what is up, went to the doctor today and didn't get many answers. Just a steroid shot and some prescriptions. As long as things stay status quo heading back to the chiropractor on Monday.

In the meantime I was suppose to head back home for a wedding, but the drive isn't going to be possible with the pain I'm in. I'm also taking a few days rest from crocheting to give my muscles a break.

This has resulted in a large amount of boredom. So here's a picture of Popeye sitting in my lap while I use the interwebs. He's pretty cute.

30 Things About My Illness You May Not Know

2011-09-14T12:58:00.002-04:00

It's Invisible Illness Week this week, which is fitting since I feel the worst I've felt in a long time. I'm sure you've noticed the lack of quality posts lately.

I did this a few years ago, but a lot has changed since then, so here is a new list of

30 Things About My Illness You May Not Know:

1. The illness I live with is: Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 2008
3. But I had symptoms since: My entire life.
4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: Not physically being able to do things I use to love (ex: backpacking, rollercoaster riding, etc.)
5. Most people assume: Most likely people probably assume that I'm exaggerating about the pain and fatigue, but I promise I'm not.
6. The hardest part about mornings are: Actually waking up and moving. I am so exhausted in the morning, and seriously stiff and sore from pain.
7. My favorite medical TV show is: Can't say that I watch any medical TV shows anymore.
8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: Oh my wonderful wonderful MacBook Pro. Her name is Samantha and she is wonderful.
9. The hardest part about nights are: Getting comfortable and actually falling asleep.
10. Each day I take __ pills & vitamins. Currently I take 3 prescription medications, and am working on a new vitamin regimen that so far consists of 9 pills and a powder to drink.
11. Regarding alternative treatments I: As far as I'm concerned when it comes to Fibro, there is no such thing as "alternative". I see the chiropractor, and get massages when I can. I would totally consider acupuncture.
12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: Oh goodness, I wouldn't want to choose. I feel grateful on a daily basis that my illness does not threaten my life. As long as I'm still alive I am still living.
13. Regarding working and career: Been out of the working world for 4 years now, but seriously want to return to something low key. I honestly don't have any serious career aspirations, which makes me incredibly sad. But I love helping people learn about the things that I love, and that seems to be pretty fulfilling.
14. People would be surprised to know: I'm not really sure. I'm pretty open and honest about everything, so not sure what would be a surprise.
15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: Not being able to keep up with my peers. I can deal with the pain and the fatigue, but I've been extremely lonely.
16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: I rode in a 13 mile charity bike ride. So fun, and hurt for days. But best day in several months for sure.
17. The commercials about my illness: Make me really angry. This might not be the popular opinion but people in commercials look and act nothing like me.
18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: I miss school a lot. I loved learning and discussing what I learn with my classmates. Also miss eating things with gluten in them.
19. It was really hard to have to give up: I don't think I made a conscious decision to give anything up besides gluten, which sucked but wasn't hard because I started feeling better almost immediately.
20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: CROCHETING!! One of my favorite things in the world.
21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: Spend it with friends outdoors.
22. My illness has taught me: To not be afraid to ask for help.
23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: When people say "glad you are feeling better" when they see me. Just because I'm out in public doesn't mean I feel remotely well.
24. But I love it when people: give me hugs and ask how I am.
25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: Man I really don't have one of these right now. It's always been Philippians 3:14, and haven't really had the need to contemplate anything new.
26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: There are good days to go along with the bad days, and although bad days seem to be way way more in number the good days do exist. (see number 16)
27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: The cost of medical care sucks, a lot. And healthy people don't seem to understand that.
28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: My husband Ryan does amazing things for me on a daily basis. However, my friend Jenni has sent me TWO packages from conventions she went to this summer, and that has been amazing. One was Amanda Tapping's autograph from the convention I really thought I was going to go to till the end of July.
29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: Not really involved outside of this blog post this year, but wanted to get some words out there.
30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: loved.

Granny Circle Placemats

2011-08-04T11:25:00.004-04:00

In June the Craft blog brought to my attention this neat pattern found over at The Purl Bee.

I knew I had some weddings coming up and thought that a set would make an excellent gift. I headed over to my favorite yarn shop and then saved the pattern onto my Kindle.

They were easy and quick to make. The pattern was certainly well written. I chose a slightly heftier cotton yarn than what is recommended, but I think that a lighter weight yarn would make them just as nice. I chose a color combination that is fairly neutral and inverted the colors, making the darker the primary color as to hide inevitable stains.

I didn't finish the set of four before the wedding, only because I'm a procrastinator, but the first two came out great! I plan on mailing the rest of the set when I get them finished. I totally recommend you trying out this pattern.

Summer Photos

2011-07-18T12:07:00.001-04:00

Summer, a set on Flickr.

Last summer I wrapped everything up with one post of pictures from the summer.

This summer I've been busy and my blogging has taken a back seat. Mostly because I'm trying to live a little. All part of the embracing life with chronic pain thing.

So I wanted to send you my photo set from Flickr.

These are some great things that have been going on in my life.

View from the house

2011-07-05T16:06:00.001-04:00

View from the house, a photo by thepinkwoobie on Flickr.

I am vacationing at my parents' house. Not too exciting, but restful.

Embracing Life with Chronic Pain: UPDATE

2011-06-17T12:32:00.002-04:00

This is an update on a series I wrote in February. You can find them here.

Several months ago I wrote about how I was embracing my life with chronic pain. This update is to tell you that this change in perspective has become a positive change. Shortly after writing in February I did struggle with pain and fatigue. The rainy gray days of spring, with monstrous storms and unpredictable patterns all across the US made themselves known with large amounts of pain in my entire body.

March and April may have been rough, but it seemed to go by quickly, and I really didn’t do much of anything to speak of. And now, with the sun shining, and the weather warm and slightly more predictable I am certainly feeling much better. I have been able to exercise and get out and about with friends.

Assisting with my determination to enjoy this life I have has been my trusty “30 Things” list. I’ve accomplished several (and will be updating about them soon), and have plans for many more. There is no shortage of people who have been participating in these things with me.

I’m writing this from one of my favorite places to come during the day time, Stauf’s Coffee Roasters. It’s an amazing place to people watch, get work done, eat a healthy salad, but mostly I just goof off. I rode my bike over here after visiting the library for a book on bicycle repair. My bike doesn’t need any repairs but I’m sure that if I keep riding, it will. Also, Ryan picked up a bike at the recycling center this spring, so I’m planning on attempting to fix that up. New hobbies can be fun!!

So is living life in chronic pain possible and enjoyable? Absolutely! Is it easy? No, but I keep trucking anyways. There is a certain kind of person I want to be. And I’m working to get there.

15. Participate in the Crawl for Cancer

2011-06-03T11:57:00.000-04:00

Last weekend I participated in the Crawl for Cancer and it was a phenomenal success.

Crawl for Cancer is an event that raises money for life saving cancer research while having fun in a controlled and safe environment. My team (we were pink and never really came up with a good name) visited 5 bars in 4 hours, socialized with other teams, and caused a general ruckus.

My main goal, besides donating some money to a great cause, was to spend time with some really great girls and have a fantastic weekend. Those goals were achieved.

I totally stole this picture from Lina, I hope she doesn't mind. :)

Here is some of my team with our friend Linda (in red). This was at the end of the tour while I was waiting for Ry to come pick me up and the other girls were heading out for some more fun.

The Woobie and the Tour de Cure

2011-05-31T06:56:00.002-04:00

Click to visit my personal tour page

HELLO!!!
I'm wide awake entirely too early on this fine Tuesday morning half because of the heat, half because my legs are aching from a very busy long week.

I hope everyone had a safe holiday.

This particular post is about a little bike ride I will be taking in a few weeks. I am riding in the Central Ohio Tour de Cure, an American Diabetes Association fundraising event.

I will be riding the "Family Ride" distance which is a little over 13 miles. The rest of Team NESPAC will be riding 30 or more.

If you want to help us Stop Diabetes, take a look at my personal Tour page and make a donation. The effort I am making for this one day ride is small compared to the effort people with diabetes make to be in control of their lives on a daily basis.

It's occurred to me...

2011-05-19T14:21:00.000-04:00

That I suck at anything with the word "daily" in it. I can't blog, I can't draw, hell I can't even crochet if it means doing it everyday consistently.

And I suppose that's one of the struggles of being the Woobie.

This isn't something that just occurred to me, and it's not the result of any of my chronic conditions. It's just who I am.
Ask my mom how hard it was to get me to practice my clarinet on a daily basis.

In fact one of the only things I do do everyday is take my prescriptions, but I'm pretty sure that's because I've been doing it since I was 12, and the mom was a big part of starting the habit.

So that's why when you follow this blog I sometimes have something brilliant to say and other times I'm silent for so long. It's really who I am and how I live my life.

Does it get me the most readers or help me make more money? No, but that's not why I'm here. I'm here to share experiences, entertain, and be your friend.

I know so many people who write amazing blogs and are really successful, and I'm so proud to call them my friends. But that's not who I am I guess, and I still struggle with that. I don't fit into some neat box of "blogger" or "writer" or "entrepreneur." It's actually quite frustrating when so much of life is based on labels.

When you meet someone for the first time, they usually ask "What do you do?" For me it's a rather long and complicated answer, so I usually reply with "nothing." And that sucks, that's not what I want to say, but saying "I crochet" doesn't really get the response I'm looking for. So for now, I start with "nothing" and explain more about my life to them. Some people are really interested in hearing my story, and others can't be bothered.
I get discouraged.

I have no purpose for writing this other than to say this is where I'm at. I have a killer headache and perhaps and ear ache today. I am mostly just hanging with the cat and watching Netflix. This really isn't by choice, but I play with the hand I'm dealt. And if that's not enough for you, I'm sorry. I can't be anyone other than who I am.

So for now, until I actually get to a point in my life where "daily" is actually possible. I'm just me, The Woobie, your friend. And I'm asking you to love me for that.

Day 9: Favorite TV Show

2011-05-09T17:51:00.000-04:00

I haven't taken pictures of my drawings from this weekend, but at the end of the month I'll fill in all the blanks from the days I haven't posted the drawing.

So Bones may not be my all time favorite show, but it's my favorite show right now, and one of the only shows that is currently running that I've seen all the episodes of. So anyways, I think this picture is pretty bad ass. :)

Crochet 101 Class!

2011-05-06T18:32:00.000-04:00

I know that you've been dying to learn how to crochet! So now is your chance!

Teaching other people to crochet has been one of my favorite things about this whole Woobie endeavor and am really looking forward to teaching in a class format.

I'll be teaching a very beginning crochet class at Wholly Craft this month. It is a two session class and will take place on May 15th and 22nd, 1-3pm.

I'll be teaching the basics of crocheting, including hook size, yarn weights, several basic stitches, as well as pattern reading. You will be able to complete a scarf in class and be ready to tackle more advance projects by the end.

You can find all the information about the class on the Wholly Craft website HERE!

Day 6: Favorite Book Character (not a movie)

2011-05-06T17:28:00.000-04:00

This one was hard, lots of my favorite books are made into movies. But, I did come up with one, it may have been into a TV or straight to video movie, but I've never seen it.

"The Westing Game" is a big favorite of mine, and this girl right here is a SHIN KICKER! So much fun!

Day 5: My best friend

2011-05-05T16:27:00.000-04:00

Here is my hubby as well as my BFF.

Day 4: Favorite Place

2011-05-04T15:49:00.000-04:00

Day 3: Favorite Food

2011-05-03T13:36:00.000-04:00

It was a toss up, I really love steak too. But, I'm also trying to practice drawing by looking at things and not just making it up in my head. I did not have any steaks laying around. But there is always POPCORN!

Day 2: Favorite Animal

2011-05-02T14:08:00.000-04:00

I couldn't decide if I should draw Popeye or some other animal. But really how could I love anything more than I love my kitty!
So here is a nice drawing for you!

30 Day Drawing Challenge

2011-05-01T16:14:00.000-04:00

My friend Allie started a 30 day drawing challenge this month and encouraged her friends to play along.

The idea is to draw something every day for 30 days. The list is posted at her blog and I encourage you to go check it out if you are interested.

I've been drawing a lot recently, exploring some different sides to my creativity. It gives my hands something else to do when they aren't crocheting. Since I'm not introducing a whole lot of new items into my shop, I thought posting these drawings would be a good addition to my blog.

I'm still plugging away at my 30 Things list, and keeping up the business of crochet. I haven't been blogging as much recently, hope that this helps me become more habitual in my creating habits.

Day 1 is to draw yourself. This looks nothing like me.

New Items

2011-04-21T11:51:00.000-04:00

HELLO WOOBIZENS (I just made that up, what do you think? Citizens of Woobieland)!!

I have some great new items in my Etsy Shop. Lots of cute stuff for Spring! So be sure to go check it out and tell your mother!! :)

If you live in Columbus and want to arrange for delivery instead of paying for shipping, let me know ahead of time!!

WINNER

2011-04-17T14:01:00.001-04:00

The winner for the Beer Cozy give-away is Cheryl!!! YEAH! I'll tweet you.

Beer Critter Bottle Cozy Giveaway!!

2011-04-13T11:11:00.001-04:00

You read that right. It's time for another The Pink Woobie Giveaway!!

I've mostly been running these on Twitter, but have decided to take a crack at running this one from my blog. That way my facebook fans will have a chance to play too.

I love making things for people, it seriously brings a lot of joy to my life. Even when I'm being paid for it, I just love being a part of something that brings happiness to people.

On Friday the 15th I will be posting some new items to my Etsy shop. I also want to start working with the folks I've been meeting and talking to that have ideas for custom items but have not made an official request. The Pink Woobie wants to help people acquire the awesome creations they are desiring.

There will be lots of creativity happening, and it may be a long process, but I plan on reaching my ultimate goal: to make my readers, my customers, their loved ones, and my loved ones HAPPY!

To kick the happy off I'm giving away another Beer Critter Bottle Cozy. To participate in the contest reply to this blog post telling me something you would love to see me make and your favorite color by Midnight on Friday. I will pick the winner by using a random number generator and you will win an octopus or cthulhu Beer Critter Bottle Cozy of your choice.

And just because you love me, you can spread the word!!!

Adventures in Spinning

2011-04-04T13:49:00.001-04:00

I've certainly become very interested in spinning yarn and the different techniques and fibers that are involved.

I had purchased a skein of hand spun yarn from Three Ravens Art Yarns and Fibers on Etsy. I made a fabulous dread band for myself that is so soft and holds my hair so well.

I had been talking with Xiane on Twitter so she was aware that I was learning to spin. She sent me this great art batt with my package. I don't have the tag on hand but she called it the Corbies art batt and I think it consists of merino wool, bamboo, and firestar. I had only spun the most basics of fibers before, so this was certainly a challenge, but one I full heartedly took on.

I need to work on my drafting technique and my consistency, but I was extremely pleased how my skein came out. I forgot to take a picture before I started to ball it, but here is how it turned out.

I really wanted to make something creative and different out of this and came up with a great design for a small phone pouch/clutch/cozy that I think looks incredible. I don't have a smart phone, but I believe I made it to the dimensions to fit at least an iPhone and I'm sure many other models. It also should hold some credit cards and your lipgloss. I think the shiny black buttons I found in my button stash were perfect as well. It will be for sale in my shop starting April 15th, but if you are interested in it you can contact me before then. :)

I probably have enough yarn to complete another one but perhaps something slightly smaller.

Keep in mind you can always make a custom order through the tab at the top. A request for an order is just the beginning of the creative process and only an inquiry, you are not making any kind of financial commitment by requesting an order.

SPRING

2011-04-01T12:40:00.001-04:00

You might not be able to tell by looking outside that Spring is here, but according to the calendar it's Spring Time!

The last few months have been interesting, on the fence between extremely busy and constantly on the edge of my next Fibromyalgia flare.

I've been working on custom orders as well as some new items for the shop (more about that later.) I just wanted to stop by and share with you what has been going on.

Last week my mom was in town, so I spent a lot of time just being with her and enjoying ourselves. One day when I felt not so well, I woke up from my nap and Mom had brought me flowers after her trip to the book store with Ryan. I just cut the stems and put them in fresh water, so I took some pictures. I use to really enjoy photography and haven't been doing nearly enough lately.

I wanted to share some here with you, let me know what you think!

Pattern: Crochet Coffee Sleeve

2011-03-18T14:59:00.001-04:00

So I'm trying my hand at pattern writing. Certain resources would say that every designer should charge for their patterns. This is pretty simplistic and more of a concept than a pattern.

I would love if people could try this out and share their results with me.

Crochet Coffee Sleeve
by: Chrissy Joy Bell
www.thepinkwoobie.com

My philosophy of crochet is to pretty much do what feels good. So, as far as patterns go, I’m probably not the best to be writing. This is more of a project concept than an actual pattern.

I think the best part of this pattern is that it is just for the sleeve itself. Anything can be added to the outside for embellishment and sass. :)

I haven’t been official enough to measure my gage or anything yet, but I crochet really really tight.

You will need:
Hook size H
Worsted weight yarn scraps

Pattern:
Chain 35
Join with a slip stitch to form a circle.
Row 1: Chain 1, sc in each chain around. Join with slip stitch into chain1. Turn.
Row 2: Chain 1, 1 sc in the next 18 stitches, 2sc in next stitch, 1 sc in remaining stitches. Join with a slip stitch. Turn.

Repeat row 1 and 2 for 14 rows. ( You are basically increasing by one every other row, the increase does not necessarily have to take place on the 19th stitch)

On the last row, join with a slip stitch and fasten off. Weave in ends.

Now you can add your personal touch.

Featured Creation: Baby Octopus Stuffy

2011-03-16T17:38:00.000-04:00

Look at this cute little guy! I can make these in any color with a variety of different eyes. I think he's the perfect size for a small hand or for sitting on your desk.

#20- Re-pot my House Plants

2011-03-16T16:02:00.000-04:00

Number 20 on my list is to re-pot and not kill my house plants. So far I've gotten to the repotting part. This is what they looked like before getting a good dose of worm castings and rearranged into two pots.

This is kind of a year long project for sure. I use to keep up with my plants pretty well while I was in college, but since moving to Ohio I have not been as successful.

I know part of this was that our apartments didn't get the best light. And then I got ill and barely took care of myself. Now that we live in an apartment with great light I'm going to try and not be such a bad plant mom.

I think, perhaps this is a bit about me being slightly more responsible, as well as taking interest in what my apartment actually looks like. I have no design skills at all, so we've pretty much been living in a glorified college dorm. Hopefully with some pretty plants, I'll be able to start making a difference.

Stay tuned for updates on how the plants are doing.

National Crochet Month

2011-03-10T11:03:00.000-05:00

According to the Crochet Guild of America it is National Crochet Month. I really haven't been able to celebrate yet as I'm still coming down from a pain flair. Hoping to really pick things back up in the second half of the month. In the meantime, maybe you'd like to check out what is going on over at Ravelry to celebrate.

Newest of the Popeye

2011-03-09T00:11:00.000-05:00

Out of Service

2011-03-01T15:42:00.001-05:00

Popeye and I are out of service right now. Dealing with a major pain flair from the fibromyalgia. Will dive back into creating as soon as I can.

Wholly Craft Newsletter!

2011-02-28T17:20:00.000-05:00

Wholly Craft Newsletter!: "March is National Craft Month, so why not get crafty? Our class schedule is packed with old favorites and brand new workshops, just in time for the crafty holiday! You'll find a spicy little coupon at the end of newsletter to give you a little nudge in the workshop direction :)"

Check out the Wholly Craft newsletter!! Lots of great stuff and TWO classes with The Woobie!!

#4- Get a Crochet Hook Tattoo

2011-02-23T19:42:00.001-05:00

My list got off to a good start when I learned to spin wool and the next day I completed another item on my list. I have other tattoos, so this wasn't a first time experience, but it was something I had been thinking about for awhile.

I had put the word out to the Twitter crowd that I was looking to get another tattoo and asked for artist and studio suggestions. I settled on Sweet Baby Octane simply because I had both heard good things about it and it is in the neighborhood.

Last Tuesday Ryan and I had gone in to see about meeting and artist and getting an appointment. To get in with a good artist one often has to wait up to 6 weeks for an appointment so I wasn't expecting to get my tattoo right away.

I had the crochet hook with me that I felt best represented the size and shape that I wanted my tattoo to be and showed it to D. I chose a size J hook because it is the one I work with the most and it seemed to be the perfect size for my forearm. I had arrived at the shop at just the right time because there had been a cancellation for Friday. I was pretty stoked that he could fit me in so quickly and was really looking forward to it.

D is not only a great artist, but a really great guy. My tattoo was not too complicated so we did not spend a lot of time together, but he's a guy I totally could see myself hanging out with. Both of my previous tattoo experiences were OK, but I was a little uncomfortable with the artists' personalities. The first guy was a butthead (which is the nicest way to put it) but I am sure he thought he could be, being one of the only artists in a small college town. When I got my second tattoo the guy was a hell of an artist but barely spoke at all, so I sat for over four hours in almost complete silence.

D was so easy to chat with and also efficient at his craft. Although my design was not large or complicated it still required a good amount of straight lines which are incredibly difficult. He completed my design and made it look easy. The studio was incredibly clean and totally comfortable, and I was in and out in under an hour. I will totally be going back to him for future work and I would totally recommend him to anyone looking for an artist.

I tried to wait till I had healed to post a picture, but I'm getting anxious and it's still not that pretty to look at. So you only get a small peek at what it will look like. Once it is healed I will come back and post a higher quality picture.

Veggie Crochet Hat Class

2011-02-23T19:16:00.000-05:00

Are you looking to take your crochet talents to the next level? Tired of crocheting in squares? Want to make something really creative for yourself or a loved one? Take my crochet class and learn to make some original hats!

The Pink Woobie will be teaching a two week crochet class on March 20th and 27th at Wholly Craft. We will delve into intermediate pattern reading, increasing and decreasing your stitch count, sizing for hats, and a little bit about crocheting embellishments for your projects.

Each class will be two hours long and you will be able to complete one of the hats pictured (carrot, grapes, apple).

Your project is an original Woobie design so you can be guaranteed to impress your friends. The class is $28 dollars and you will need to supply your yarn and hook. The patterns requires at least 3.5 ounces of worsted weight yarn in the color of the hat of your choice as well as small amounts of green and brown for the embellishments, along with a size J hook.

If you are interested in signing up for this crochet class, you can sign up at Wholly Craft or online at the website.

I look forward to seeing you in class!

Crochet Stitch Class

2011-02-23T15:49:00.001-05:00

Hey Friends!

Have you learned to crochet and looking to learn new stitches? Well you are in luck!

The Pink Woobie will be teaching a one day class at Wholly Craft on March 12th at 1pm. I will be teaching 3 stitches and you will complete dishcloths to take home.

The cost of the three hour class is $20 and you will need to bring at least 7oz. worsted weight cotton yarn and a J hook. Sign up at the store or on the Wholly Craft website.
Also, check out the facebook event page for more info.

This will be a great time, and I would love to see you there!

Huge Nerds

2011-02-22T20:58:00.002-05:00

I don't think it's a secret that Ryan and I are huge nerds. However, when we first met, and even when we got married, I was not up to his level of nerdiness. Since then I have become a pretty big science fiction fan and although this is something that Ryan is on board with he always feels the need to make fun of me for it. Hence the conversation we had this evening:
Me: "You love that I'm a big nerd, if I wasn't we would never be able to watch tv together."
Ryan: "Yes we would."
Me: "Yeah right, what would we watch?"
Ryan: "The nightly news."
Me: "But we don't watch the nightly news."
Ryan: "Well we would have to."

Yeah for nerds!

Embracing Life with Chronic Pain (Part 3)

2011-02-21T15:25:00.001-05:00

This is part of series about embracing life, you can find part 1 here.

Me with two amazing ladies @CarolynMaul and @JanelleSteele
in a photo booth at a Twitter inspired event.
I stole this picture from Carolyn's facebook page. Hopefully she won't mind.

Another thing the wonder of Twitter has brought me is an amazing connection with the people of my city. I kind of fell in love with Columbus about two weeks after first moving here over 5 years ago. I knew there were great people who lived here, but kept striking out when I tried to develop friendships with people I was working and going to school with.

I did meet a really great group of people our first summer here playing softball with the Maggots, and I am still really close to them. In fact I got to hang out with them on Friday and it was so refreshing to just BE with people who already knew me and my flaws and still loved me for who I am. We don't see each other as much as we once did, but they are also the kind of people that if I see around town, just giving them a hug and saying hi is enough to carry me for the rest of the day.

A whole new world of people was opened up to me when I started following people from Columbus on Twitter. I started getting out of the house to meet people, meanwhile forming relationships through online dialogue and silliness. I’ve started considering Columbus MY city, and the truth is MY city is filled with some of the most creative, compassionate, driven, and unique folks. The people I have met have different backgrounds, work in different industries, are different ages, and come from all over the world, but we always find something in common. I still get down and feel lonely from time to time, but usually all I have to do is tweet about it and I get all kinds of encouragement and love sent to me instantly. My blog, Etsy shop, and life would certainly not be as successful if it wasn’t for everyone I speak with on a daily basis, whether I see them in person once a week or every couple months. It’s really rather fabulous.

Blue Skies

2011-02-20T18:29:00.002-05:00

Just a reminder to myself, and others too, that this weather does get better and there will be blue skies again. This is a picture I took from my fire escape yesterday afternoon.

Rain, Sleet, Snow

2011-02-20T14:05:00.001-05:00

The weather sucks, and after having such a great week it's really kind of a let down. When the weather gets liket his I feel like crap and my pain is heightened. So, here I am in a ho hum mood with not a whole lot going on. I have some crochet orders to fill, but again with the pain it's not so easy.

Not sure what I'm going to do to cheer myself up, but I am sure I will think of something. Perhaps some hot tea and a warm blanket, or perhaps just a nap. If all else fails I will break out my coloring book and crayons.

What are some of your go-to cheer up techniques?

#1- Learn to Spin Wool

2011-02-19T15:39:00.004-05:00

On February 27, 2011 I began the journey of completing my 30 things before 30 list.
It was number one on my list mostly because I knew it would be the first thing that I would be doing. I will not be completing the rest of the list in any kind of order, so here it goes.

I signed up for a spinning class a few weeks ago at Wholly Craft in Clintonville. I had seen it listed when I was checking out the listings for the classes that I am teaching in March. I love buying and working with yarn and have wanted to learn to spin for quite awhile. There are a few options here in central Ohio, but none that were really convenient for me. This beginners class at Wholly Craft was the perfect opportunity for me to learn in a comfortable setting.

If you have not been to Wholly Craft it is a consignment shop filled with some really awesome handmade items from some incredibly talented people here in Columbus. My instructor Lexi was so friendly and the other women who were taking the class were pleasant.

The kind of spinning I learned is done using a drop spindle. I bought a kit right from the store with all the materials I would need to begin, which is simply the spindle itself and the wool which is called roving. We talked about the different kinds of fibers, and slowly went over all the steps to completing a skein of yarn.

I think I caught on fairly quickly, I've used up my first batch of roving already. Not to toot my own horn, but I might even say I'm a natural. It's a lot of fun and I'm really looking forward to buying more fiber and making beautiful things.

This one is for Stevie

2011-02-18T23:50:00.000-05:00

Ryan and I went out for dinner with good friends tonight and it was great to get caught up. The kids get bigger every time I see them. They are also always way excited to see us both. A few weeks ago I had told the youngest boy about my website and told him he should check it out. I've seen him twice since then and although he says he hasn't seen it yet he still remembers the address. So here is a little post for him.

Steve, Stevie, Little Man, Quad Boy, etc this one is for you!!!

Embracing Life with Chronic Pain (Part 2)

2011-02-18T10:17:00.002-05:00

This second part is about steps I'm taking to embrace this life that I've been blessed with. You can read the first part here.

Now that you know a little bit about my history with chronic pain, I want to move on to the real reason I’m writing, which is how I plan on coping with the pain, moving on, and embracing life. 2011 has already brought a lot of changes and challenges for me which I’ve been so excited to share with you here. I bought my awesome new domain, revamped my blog, opened up the Etsy shop, and was contracted to teach classes. This has all been part of me stretching out and beginning to embrace my life with chronic pain.

I’m tired of this pain dominating my life and affecting my decisions. My 30 things before 30 is another way I’m grabbing life by the horns and holding on. Although my list might not include adrenaline fueled endeavors such as sky diving or bungee jumping that a lot of people would expect to see on a list like this, I am extremely excited about my list and the things I have chosen to put on it. Even if I was a person who lived without chronic pain I wouldn’t choose to do those things anyways (not a fan of heights) but I also don’t think they are wise choices for my body.

What’s important about my list is that I made it, and care about the things that are on it. I’m not trying to live up to anyone else’s expectations of what I should accomplish or experience. This experience is ultimately for myself. I hope others will be joining me on the journey, but they will be extra added bonuses to an already great experience. Over the next 10 months I will be sharing with you the outcome of each event. I don’t expect everything to go smoothly, as I do have physical considerations when making plans for things like traveling and slightly more vigorous activities such as hiking in the Metro Parks. So I’ll be sharing the failures with you as well.

These 30 (29 still looking for one more) things aren’t the only ways I’m embracing life this year. Over the last 12 months I have had an amazing opportunity afforded to me through the wonders of a little website called Twitter, perhaps you have heard of it. I have had the pleasure of meeting some fabulous people both on and off line. Twitter has given me an endless source of entertainment, support and love during the rough times, people to celebrate with during the good times, and always a happy hour buddy or two. (As I’m writing this I’m actually getting teary-eyed thinking about all the wonderful people I am getting to know everyday.)

One thing I discovered after being forced, kicking and screaming, into adulthood is that friendships aren’t as easy to form as they were in earlier years. People have commitments, families, and jobs which leaves little time for the kind of relationship building that I find necessary to form lasting relationships. This became even more difficult when I was exiled to the realm of my bedroom exhausted and in pain. And I NEED people to get by. Without at least minimal contact with others beside my husband I get depressed, grumpy, stir crazy, and fairly emotional.

For awhile I formed relationships with my favorite tv characters, which pulled me out of the horrible depression I fell into after my diagnosis. I make no apologies for this, for several months, probably longer than a year I immersed myself in the worlds of vampire slayers, Air Force Majors, 180 year old scientists, space cowboys, and a little town called Eureka. And this did its job, it helped me deal with the passing lonely days in my apartment when I couldn’t even make my own meals. And I honestly think it saved my life (getting a little teary again.)

I was never a big TV watcher before, but getting involved in these shows introduced me to a little thing called fandom, which in turn introduced me to some AMAZING people. Now instead of laying in bed being utterly lonely and staring into the beautiful blue eyes of Amanda Tapping, I can now hop on Twitter and SQUEEEE with all my other fan girls(and guys). It’s really quite thrilling. And I still totally watch my shows over and over again, but now it’s not so much to escape from real life like it once was, and way more about being entertained by my favorite people. My desperate act of distracting myself from the pain and horribleness has turned into a really really beautiful thing. Not everyone might understand this, but I know some of you who are reading this completely get it.

You can read part 3 of this series here.

Embracing Life with Chronic Pain

2011-02-17T16:04:00.008-05:00

This is the first part of a series that I'm writing about embracing life. This post describes some of what my life has been like living with chronic pain thus far.

It is no secret that I struggle with life on a daily basis. I am almost in constant pain. The horrible fatigue that plagued me for so long after my fight with pneumonia in 2007 is starting to ease up and I’ve been spending many more hours awake, upright, and often out of the apartment. Is my chronic fatigue cured? Probably not. But it is much less severe and only gets really bad occasionally, especially when I don’t pace myself.

This has spurred me to start focusing more on living my life with chronic pain and not waiting to “get better” because I honestly think I will never be free of pain. In fact I should probably have started doing this long before I ever got as sick as I did. There is really not a time in my life when I haven’t been in pain. As a kid it was my knees and ankles, I saw doctors and got no real diagnosis for why they hurt so badly, I think I was probably 8 when I started taking ibuprofen on a regular basis per doctors advice to help the inflammation in my knees.

The pain really didn’t stop me, I trudged on and ran cross country for quite a few years. In high school I was fortunate enough to meet a great sports doctor who fitted me with orthotics and reduced my running pain, I still experienced shin splits and sore knees but not as severe as they were before. It didn’t go completely away, and I found even when I wasn’t running my legs still hurt quite a bit. I eventually quit running all together and the pain remained.

In high school I also experienced wrist and elbow pain, mostly when I was cheerleading. I suppose having girls standing in my hands and constantly slapping my hands against the gym floor probably contributed to this, but the school trainer insisted that there really wasn’t anything wrong with me. So I continued on without any explanation for the pain. Pain itself is fairly fatiguing, so although I did all these great things while in high school, I still was not the athlete my classmates were, and I found myself getting sick during hot and sunny band camp practices while others had no problem at all. What I ultimately decided about myself is that there was nothing wrong with me and I was just lazy.

Through college, which added more and more pain in my hands, wrists, head, neck, and some pretty horrible shin splits obtained from grueling throwing practices I continued on. The more pain I was in, the more tired I got, and the more lazy I felt. If you had asked me before all of this fibromyalgia stuff came to light I would have told you I was a slacker which is why I didn’t work out as much as I should and rarely participated in any kind of vigorous activity.

I was probably at the height of pain (pre diagnosis) in the spring of 2007. I was working on a farm, feeding animals, hauling maple sap, playing with kids, and spending hours bent over in the garden and green house. I was bruising super easily, in constant pain, and had some of the worst headaches of my life. But when I couldn’t do the work required of me, or was slower than I should have been, I laughed it off and said I was a slacker. It was an amazing job, and a great experience, but the reality was that I was so miserable because I was in so much pain. I suffered silently and moved on. This was the norm for me, I thought everyone had pain all the time and that it was just part of living, and that everyone else was just much more motivated and driven than I was.

I often wonder what my life would have been like if I had known about Fibromyalgia from the beginning. Would I have done all the great things I’ve done, like band festivals, summer camp, endless roller-coaster riding, cheerleading, throwing, hiking, camping, etc? Or would I have said no, I can’t because of my Fibromyalgia. Although I would have liked to understand where the pain was coming from, I’m glad that I had the opportunity to do the things I did regardless of the pain.

The series continues with part 2 here.

Custom Orders

2011-02-14T23:04:00.001-05:00

You can now make a custom order right here on my website. When you click on the Custom Order tab above you will be shown a form. Once you fill out that form and click "Send Request" I will get an e-mail with the information you provide.

I will respond to that e-mail within 48 hours to discuss the details of your order.

Sending a request does not mean you will be expected to make a purchase.

Once I give you the details and the price you will have the choice to make the order. On larger and more expensive orders I will require a deposit before I begin working on your item(s).

It can take up to 6 weeks to fulfill a special order, an expected date of completion will be given when the order is finalized.

30 things before 30

2011-02-13T18:40:00.011-05:00

2011 is the year that I turn 30 and I've been finalizing a list of 30 things that I would like to do this year. For the most part they are things I've never done before, and focus around things happening here in Columbus, Ohio. There are a few exceptions to this rule as I do have other tattoos. I still have to decide upon one more thing, so here is my list of 30 (29) things to do before I turn 30 on December 18, 2011.

~~Learn to spin wool~~
Go sailing
Make a $100 sale
~~Get a crochet hook tattoo~~
Teach a child to crochet
Appear in the Columbus Alive
Make 100 Octopus Beer Bottle Cozies
Sew a dress
~~Ride in the Tour de Cure~~
~~Write a fan letter~~
Travel the Kentucky Bourbon Trail
Visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Attend a Columbus Clippers game in the new stadium
Attend a Columbus Crew game
~~Participate in the Crawl for Cancer~~
Visit COSI
Visit Franklin Park Conservatory
Visit Columbus Museum of Art
~~Attend Com Fest~~
~~Re-pot and not kill my house plants~~
Bake a loaf of gluten free bread from scratch
Visit all of the Metro Parks
Have a professional make up consultation
~~Get a facial~~
Have a girls night/weekend sleepover party at a hotel
Go to a Roller Derby match
Complete NaNoWriMo
Fire a handgun
Perfect my French Onion Soup
Go to a con (Hopefully Dragon*Con)

I plan on writing about all of these things here and still have to pick that perfect number 30. I hope you will all join me on this little adventure.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-13T15:28:00.000-05:00

I made these cute little guys for a friend who is giving them as a Valentine's present and thought I would share the love with you!

Wednesday already!

2011-02-09T16:58:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it's Wednesday already. The week went by so fast. Since I'm not posting anything in my shop this week, I thought I would give you a peek at what I have been working on.

First there are two reasons I'm not posting anything in the shop. One, I have a bunch of custom orders to finish up and two I am planning to release a a new collection of creations in a few weeks. We will call it my "spring line."

Coffee Sleeves

I took a pretty restful crocheting break over the weekend, my hands were pretty sore and needed the rest. The hardest part was sitting still while watching TV.
On Monday I resolved to finish 3 projects by the end of the week and to shop for two more. As of Wednesday those projects are finished, and I'm heading to the yarn shop tomorrow.

Tonight is the bi-monthly event of Cbus Karaoke, where friends from Twitter get together for singing, drinks, and prizes. Previous prizes provided by a good friend have been mostly dollar store prizes that were way fun. However this month is the super special prize selection that I made. These coffee sleeves are made to fit standard coffee shop paper cups, but most can also stretch to fit around some ceramic travel mugs commonly known as the "eco cup."

When I launch my spring line in my shop I will be offering coffee sleeves like these as a custom order option, where the buyer can pick colors and design that I will make for them when ordered. This option will allow 2 weeks for completion and then another week for delivery.

Otter Hat

Yesterday I completed two projects. One of them I had been working on for awhile, the other was a custom order from my shop. A few weeks ago a friend of mine contacted me on Twitter to ask if I could make an adult sized hat that looked like an otter. I replied ABSOLUTELY, but wasn't exactly sure how I was going to complete it. In the last few weeks I've been carrying around a blank paged journal and sketching designs down. This helped a lot with the concept, and I am pretty pleased with how it came out.

Cthulhu Beer Bottle Cozy

Last night I also finished up a custom order I had gotten after Columbus Beer Guys blogged about my shop. I almost immediately got an e-mail requesting a Cthulhu beer cozy that I had made and sold on my very first day of business. This is another item I will be offering as a custom order purchase that will function the same as the coffee sleeves.

In other news I received some buttons I had ordered as part of my campaign to "Bring back the Button." They acrylic but have a leathery look and feel to them. I have 8 of them and plan on using 3 to make a Steampunk like capelet that I have sketched out in my book. I literally had to get out of bed in the middle of the night to sketch this because I was so stoked about it. Now that I have the buttons I need to buy the yarn, then once it's complete I will be embellishing it with brown satin ribbon that I have yet to find.

Alright, time to warm up my karaoke muscles. This month's theme "Bitter is the new Black." Gotta rock some angry love songs.

Stitch and Bitch with the Woobie

2011-02-04T16:22:00.000-05:00

Every time I lose a crochet hook, this is where I find it.

It's finally going to happen!

On February 24th I am hosting a Tweet Up! What's a Tweet Up you ask?

Well simply put, I'm putting the word out through my Twitter followers that on February 24th I will be hosting a get together. This particular Tweet Up which is entitled "Stitch and Bitch with the Woobie" has a crochet and knitting spin on it.

We will be gathering at the MoJoe Lounge in the Short North. The address is 600 N. High Street. Bring your crochet hooks or your knitting needles and your current project. You can purchase cocktails or coffee, and just hang out with me and other like minded individuals. I will be getting there at 6:00 and plan on staying till at least 7:30 but I'm sure others will stick around longer.

There is no RSVP necessary, but if you would like to view the official invite to this event you can click here.

I'm really looking forward to this and hope to see you there!!

Just When You Think It's Safe

2011-01-31T20:48:00.001-05:00

Over the last three years I've learned a lot about myself, and about what my body can and can not handle in the course of living with fibromyalgia.
Over the last 8 months or so I really think I've gotten into a place where I feel like I'm contributing and not just sitting on my butt. I've made some amazing friends and have had some awesome opportunities.

However I still find that I'm struggling with some things, and tonight I'm having a particularly rough time. Although it's the fibromyalgia that is causing my difficulty, I'm struggling more mentally than physically.

Two Thursdays ago I went out to celebrate a calendar launch with some very special girls. I had a great time, laughed, drank, hugged, and generally enjoyed myself without overdoing it. Or so I thought. For the next four days I was in extreme amounts of pain, most likely from standing for several hours on Thursday night. I got to the point this weekend where I felt better and recovered and was glad to have made it through another flare without too much drama.

I've caught up on crochet projects that were pushed aside for a few days. I ran some errands today, and came home and completely crashed. I am so exhausted and was only out of the house maybe an hour and a half. I am SO FRUSTRATED with this.

I hate that I can do all the right things, and still feel like the crap I'm feeling. I know that it's mostly due to the impending winter storm, whatever that will bring us. I know I can't do anything about it, and that is what aggravates me the most.

I'm being a responsible person, taking care of myself the ways that work best for me. And even when I try my hardest, I still can't live the life I want to live.

Grrr... I just felt like I needed to get that out. To rant a little in the least energy expending way. I don't know if it will make me feel better, but maybe it will let you know you aren't alone if you feel this way.

With love,
Woobie

Featured Creation: Mohair Ruffle Scarf

2011-01-29T18:26:00.003-05:00

Although I am proud of all my creations, sometimes I work on a project that especially excites me. A few weeks ago, after my first large yarn shopping trip of the year (Yarn Heaven) I had a kind of yarn before me that I had never worked with before. Most of my ideas come from feel and color. I am an incredibly tactile person, and when I enter a yarn store I feel my way through the store picking colors and textures that jump out at me. The colors I had in mind that particular day were reds and pinks in preparation to create some Valentine themed items.

When my hands rested on this soft ball of mohair, I had to give it an extra squeeze. I've been working mostly with wool, which can be soft but the mohair felt downright luxurious. I settled on this red color with a tinge of purple along the strand of yarn.

I knew for my first effort with this new yarn a simple scarf would be best. Although mohair is light and airy it is deceptively durable and warm. It also required a fairly large hook to crochet up like I desired it to. So I began with a K for the foundation chain, I knew I wanted it to be ruffled so I overloaded the foundation chain with double crochets. After I had the first few rows of double crochets I found a hook I had been looking for in one of the bookshelves, so I then began the next row with a size N hook. This gave me the texture and look I desired for the scarf.

When I felt that the scarf had the desired width (and ruffle of course) I added a shell lace border to the edge.

To finish off the scarf I've attached a button hole on the inside of the scarf, and I will be attaching a button onto the other side.

I really like this button I found and was excited to see it match so well. I am on a campaign to bring back the button. You heard it here first.

When finished it will be able to be worn button or unbuttoned. I had a snag when I went to sew the button on and need to find a needle with a smaller eye before I can finish it up. I expect it to be for sale in my Etsy store on Monday.

Crochet 101

2011-01-26T16:15:00.003-05:00

Have you been wanting to learn to crochet? Would you like to know how to make warm and soft things? Have you been wondering how you can be more like the Woobie? Here's your chance!

There is still a lot of winter left here in central Ohio, and one of the best winter time hobbies is crocheting.

In February I will be teaching the first of a series of classes about crocheting, Crochet 101 at Wholly Craft in Clintonville. This class is for beginners who have never crocheted before. I will be covering the basic concepts you need to know to get started, such as yarn weight and hook size, as well as several stitches. By the end you will be able to read a simple pattern and complete a project of you own.

Crochet 101 is a two session class, the dates are Wednesday February 9th and 16th from 6-8pm. The project for this class will be a simple scarf to keep you warm.

You can visit the Wholly Craft website for more information and to sign up for the class: www.whollycraft.com

If you already know how to crochet and are looking to improve your craft I will be teaching some more advanced classes in March.

I look forward to seeing you in class!

Sore Crochet Muscles

2011-01-18T21:14:00.002-05:00

I just Tweeted that I was thinking about what to post in my blog because my crochet muscles were too sore to get anything accomplished. So here I am with a little tid bit about why my muscles are so sore.

There is a lot of stuff I can say about my daily struggle with Fibromyalgia, but often it is hard for me to do so. There are hundreds of blog posts and articles out there that give a good picture of the chronic condition. There is also a lot of crap about it out there too. For the first two years I was ill I read almost everything I could get my hands on, and an equal number of stuff that I read was either irritating or enlightening.

If you are interested in learning the basics, there is some good background information here in my archives.

Dealing with the pain isn't such a struggle these days, I've learned to cope for the most part. Not saying that I don't have pain, because there isn't a day that goes by that I am not in pain. So yes, my crochet muscles are sore, and that slows me down a bit. I have to lay in bed, and either deal with the pain or take meds that make me nauseated and dopey. I decided a while ago that RX painkillers were just not for me. However this kind of makes me feel like a "faker" because I won't take the good stuff. But honestly it's not all that good too me. This pretty much speaks to the issues I've been having lately, not physical, but mental.

I feel like I should be doing more, I get down on myself when I have bad days, I am not the person I use to be, and am not yet comfortable with the person I'm becoming.

So that's where I'm at on this crappy rainy winter night. In pain, not able to be too productive, and feeling like a horrible person because of it.

I'm not really looking for answers tonight, just writing this to raise awareness of what people (including me) can go through on a daily basis. I'm just one among many trying to make a life for themselves despite the challenges. I'll leave you with a pretty picture.

Personal Life Update

2011-01-16T20:55:00.002-05:00

Hi all! If you've been reading my blog for a long time, I apologize for all the confusion as of late. In the beginning of 2011 I am switching things up a bit and taking on some really great projects.

Health wise I'm doing ok. There are no major health issues looming, just the daily tedium of the Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I have to say that tedious is probably a really good word for all of it. I don't feel sick, but every small task and chore takes everything I have to complete. The day is just so much more difficult to get through than it use to be. But I feel better than I have in a long time, so at least there is improvement.

If you haven't noticed by now, "Living in the MidWest" has transformed into "The Pink Woobie" and I'm even sporting my own domain name. This change came with me finally being able to get my act together and open an Etsy store.
If you don't know, Etsy is a website that sells and promotes handmade items. For so long people have been telling me how great my stuff is and I've been thrilling loved ones with gifts, so I'm taking the show on the road and selling some of my favorite creations. You can see what I have to offer by clicking on the "My Etsy" tab above or visiting the shop at Etsy by clicking here. Please share this with your friends. I take custom orders, so would LOVE to make something for you.

This past week I also interviewed and was asked to teach some crochet classes at a local handmade consignment shop. I have three classes scheduled with different projects and skill levels. I will write an individual post about those so you know how to sign up if you live in Columbus and are interested. I will also be taking some of my Octopus Beer Cozies over to be sold in the shop.

So that is what is going on here. I hope you are all well. Please feel free to leave comments to say hi!

Opening Day!!

2011-01-14T01:39:00.000-05:00

My Etsy store is officially open and you can own your very own Woobie wares. :)

You can shop right from this website by clicking on the My Etsy tab up top. Or you can click here.

Mustachioed Coffee Sleeve

2011-01-12T14:35:00.000-05:00

A few days ago I posted this as a secret Twitter preview. Now here it is on my blog for the world to see.

Sometimes I just stop and think... I get to crochet mustaches, and hopefully people will pay me for it!! Does life get any better?

Yarn Heaven

2011-01-10T14:10:00.000-05:00

I went yarn shopping today to pick up some supplies. Some good sales!! Notice Popeye's tail. Yarn went directly into plastic bin to keep it away from furry paws!

Etsy store launches the 14th!

2011-01-09T20:08:00.000-05:00

The time has finally come!!

My store will be launching on Etsy on January 14, 2011.

I have a seriously busy week ahead, but hope to stop by here and post short updates and sneak peeks at what to expect on Friday.

Here is a wool basket weave scarf with buttons. I hate how hard it is to keep scarves in place sometime, so I decided to fix the problem. It's 100% wool, which means hand wash only, but it's super warm and cuddly.

Why Crochet?

2011-01-07T13:39:00.002-05:00

As some of you may or may not know I began to crochet almost out of necessity. In the fall of 2007 I became incredibly ill and spent some time in the hospital. About a year prior to that my mother-in-law Nancy had taught me the basics of crocheting and I had made a few really misshapen dish cloths.

I picked my hook up again in 2007 to help with some charity projects a friend from church was putting together. I almost immediately got pneumonia and pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, spending a week in the hospital. My stay in the hospital consisted of lots of coughing, lots of headaches, and lots of sleepless nights. I couldn't read because of the headaches, and was by myself most of the time except for a few hours when Ryan was able to visit in the evenings. So, being the dutiful husband he went to the craft store and bought me loads and loads of yarn. During that week I crocheted about half a dozen hats and probably more afghan squares. They weren't very attractive, and sometimes not completely symmetrical. However, I pushed on.

It was estimated that it would take me about 6 months to recover fully from my illness and most of that was spent in bed not able to much else but crochet and watch TV. By December I had crafted something for almost everyone in my family. Hats and scarves were the gifts of Christmas 2007.

It quickly became apparent that it was going to take longer than 6 months to recovery from everything that ailed me. Tests were run and doctors were visited and I got a diagnosis of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. These weren't necessarily new conditions, but in my weakened state after pneumonia, they were making me ill enough that my life could not go on business as usual.

So, I crocheted on. And although I get healthier every year I still have not been able to return to school or work. Birthdays, Christmas, and births of babies have been filled with wonderful hand made gifts since then. I really find a lot of joy in it and I LOVE making something my own.

So why crochet?

For me it pretty much just fell into my lap (teehee) and I ran with it. But if you are thinking about learning to take up a craft, and thought about crocheting, I can tell you the effort and frustration at the beginning is worth the end product.
It's relatively inexpensive to begin, yarn starting for under three dollars and hooks not much more, although it can become extremely expensive when you like the feel of yarn as much as I do.
You can do it anywhere. Grab a ball a yarn and a hook and you can crochet on a bus, at the doctor's office, in the coffee shop. My favorite place is in front of the TV. I can't just sit and watch anymore, my hands are constantly going.
You can make anything. If you look at some of my recently posted pictures, you will see the variety of gifts I gave out this year. No two a like. :)
Pure enjoyment. Who doesn't like to have a bit of fun every now and then. And for me, it's totally fun.

If you are one of those people thinking about learning to crochet, please take my poll that you can find to the right of this post and let me know why it sounds appealing to you. I'm hoping to teach some classes in 2011 and it would greatly help me know what kind of audience I should present to.
With love,
Woobie

Coffee Sleeve

2011-01-05T15:51:00.000-05:00

This is what's up for grabs in today's round of Know Your Woobie.

Follow me on Twitter for fun games and prizes. :)

Have You Seen My Nubbins?

2011-01-02T21:09:00.000-05:00

In the first season of one of my favorite TV shows, Sanctuary, the audience is introduced to a creature called a Nubbin. They are cute and cuddly, but ultimately end up slightly vicious and multiply rapidly. On top of an over population problem, the "abnormals" as they are called, emit pheromones that make the staff of the Sanctuary slightly more aware of each other. Here is one being adorable:

This weekend a friend and fan of the show suggested that I attempt to crochet a Nubbin.
Here is my version. I have to say that I kind of freaked when I sewed the ears on and saw how absolutely adorable it was.

Fans of the show, please feel free to leave appropriate innuendos from the show in the comments section below.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2011-01-02T13:27:00.000-05:00

I can honestly say I am totally looking forward to 2011!! It's the most hopeful I have felt in a long time. Last year I was getting ready to head back to school and was apprehensive about that decision. It turned out to not be the right time, but I think I definitely learned a lot more about my limitations and determination.

This year I hope to develop this site more, and get my stuff out there on Etsy. Also, there is a promising opportunity that I will tell you about when I know more.

Here is a photo of me ringing in the New Year with a great friend!

Have a great 2011 everyone!

Beer Critter Bottle Cozy

2010-12-29T23:26:00.001-05:00

Blub, blub, blub.... That's my imitation of what I think is the noise an octopus makes.
And here is an octopus that cozies up to your beer bottle.
Blub, blub, blub.....

Successful Christmas Haul

2010-12-29T21:29:00.000-05:00

Here are some pictures of the things I made for Christmas this year.

Sister Suzie's baby Cthulhu that who's pattern can be found Cthulhu Crochet and Cousins.

A Pokeball hat and Lieutenant Turtle for Johnny.

Fingerless gloves for texting for Mary.

Also Gir Amigurumi that is very exciting!

Ribbon scarf for sister Stacey.

So long 2010

2010-12-29T18:51:00.000-05:00

Here is the image from this years Christmas card. I only gave out about a dozen because my addresses are all still stuck in my old computer, so this is what you would have seen if I sent them out.

New great things will be happening in 2011!

Look up there!

2010-12-29T13:53:00.000-05:00

Hey Folks! I finally own my own domain. This is just a place holder until I get more stuff up and running. I'll post some Christmas pictures soon.

Summer in Pictures

2010-08-26T03:14:00.000-04:00

So, I obviously have not posted that much this summer. I thought I would share some pictures of the summer with you and when I went to edit some it appears that I have not really taken that many pictures either. So here is a taste of what I've been up to.

I attended my first ever Doo Dah Parade on the Forth of July.

Here Joe is not pulling his weight while doing a keg stand on his and Ray's keg bike.

This is my friend Sarah who did field work this summer, which cut back on the number of midweek potlucks.

We were able to get together with her and Joe and some others to celebrate the Forth of July however.

And I did get to see my niece and nephew who are growing up so fast but love spending time together.

Cold/Flu

2010-06-11T10:33:00.000-04:00

For the 5 days I have been dealing with one of the worst cases of cold or flu I've had in a long long time. It started with a sore throat Monday morning and continued to escalate with the usual symptoms (runny nose, cough, headache, fever, body aches) till late last night. Finally on the down swing of things I believe. I'm hoping that after I recover from this I will feel well for the next little bit.

It's been about 2.5 years since I learned that I had fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. I knew then it wasn't just my imagination that illnesses that were usually no big deal for average healthy people, were way worse for me. I had known for a long time that unlike some people I could not afford to use "sick" days as personal or fun days, that I needed to save them up because I would always need them because I would always get sick.

Does having this knowledge make spending the week in bed any easier? No, not really. But it does give me a little bit of comfort to know that I'm not a wimp, or that I'm not exaggerating when I can't get out of bed because of the common cold. I just have to take these things as they come, and enjoy my healthy times.

After this past week I am really looking forward to some healthy times.

Dear Blog,

2010-06-01T19:54:00.001-04:00

I've come to realize I've seriously been neglecting you lately and for that I am sorry. You are a good friend for being patient and waiting for me to come around and update you. This will happen again soon I promise. But for now I just wanted to say hello and that things are going Ok.

The change in the weather has caused my fatigue to be almost unbearable, with the addition of the bedroom air conditioner it has improved slightly. I am still attempting to finish up my school work for a semester that has been over for several weeks and I am determined not to fail.

In other news, looking forward to the summer. There are family weddings planned and hopefully some visits with my wonderful niece and nephew. They are both growing up so fast and I do not want to miss any more than I have to living so far away.

I will also be attending my 10 year high school reunion this summer, this is pretty crazy to think about.

My dear blog, I will leave you with a picture for your enjoyment until we speak again. Here is a recently made frittata.

Yours truly,
Chrissy Joy

Mama Mimi's: Gluten Free Thursdays!

2010-05-20T16:53:00.000-04:00

I've known about Mama Mimi's Take 'N Bake Pizza since I moved to Grandview in 2008. It wasn't a place that received my patronage because by this time I was already living life sans gluten. When Ryan began working at Gentile's Wine Sellers which shares a building with the Grandview Mama Mimi's location he began bringing pizza and breadsticks home for himself. He also often came home smelling like dough and flour. Although I've never been a huge pizza fan, I do like dough and cheese. My brother-in-law who use to own a pizzeria makes a mean garlic white pizza, and I was beginning to miss it just a little.

A few weeks back Ryan came home from work and informed me that Mama Mimi's was going to have Gluten Free Thursdays. They had worked hard to find the appropriate dough supplier and did research into what exactly the best gluten free practices were when it came to cross contamination. They developed a process of using separate sauces and gloves for their gluten free options in hopes of keeping any kind of exposure to a minimum. Keep in mind though, it is ultimately a place where they make dough, and the guarantee of no contamination just can not be made.

The dough. Ryan had tried once to make a me a gluten free dough, and it really wasn't anything special, more of a conduit for toppings than anything else.

Mama Mimi's has found a supplier that has for the most part gotten the gluten free dough process right. It is organic. It is thin and chewy. What it is lacking is the brown crispy bottom that traditional dough can achieve. I have had the most success putting it in the oven at room temperature, the edges at least get crispy and enjoyable.

The ingredients. Each pizza is made to order with the freshest of ingredients. They have a large menu with a variety of toppings that you can pick yourself as well as a selection of specialty pizzas that they have designed for their establishment. They have several different sauces including homemade tomato, as well as a pesto. I personally have my crust brushed with an olive oil, basil, garlic base before my toppings are added.

Locations, hours, ordering. Mama Mimi's have several different locations throughout central Ohio including: Clintonville, Powell, Arlington, Grandview, Westerville, as well as Dayton. The hours vary by location and day. You can find the locations, hours, and contact information on their website. You can phone in your orders and now you can even order online from their website.

The picture above is today's pizza. I dug into it before even thinking about taking a picture. It had olive oil, basil, garlic base with ham, onions, mozzarella, fetta, and banana peppers. Tasty tasty.

Ages

2010-05-20T16:26:00.000-04:00

Yes, it's been ages since I've written last. Funny thing: real life seems to be getting in the way of my once prolific online life. I no longer hang on ever Tweet and blogging seems to have taken a back seat.

All of this is good news. I like being out and about and exercising my critical thinking skills back in the classroom. However I have missed it and have been rolling ideas over in my head about my writing plans for this summer.

I have a lot of passions and you know that already. One of the things I'm leading towards though is starting to write reviews and information about Gluten Free dining options and product reviews in Columbus Ohio. I think it will give me a slight focus without taking away from other interests. And I think there are things that need to be said about this wonderful city and how it is becoming more and more GF friendly.

So for my first post, I'm going to let you all know about Mama Mimi's pizza and their Gluten Free Thursdays!

Sorry for the Absence

2010-05-05T14:11:00.000-04:00

While I'm finishing up my first semester back in grad school I've been relatively absent from the blogosphere. I have lots of ideas on what I will be writing about when I get back, so stayed tuned for updates.

Columbus is starting to buzz with a lot of great gluten free foods, so I will let you know about them
Ryan and I will be brewing our first batch of gluten free beer very soon.
I want to start adding product to my etsy store.
And I plan on taking more photos this summer, and hopefully doing some painting.

Right now I'm treading water and attempting to move forward academically, the outcome is sketchy at the moment, but I should know how things will look soon.

Attempting to stay sane.

2010-03-15T17:01:00.002-04:00

From 2010

there is soap in the bathroom

2010-03-09T14:44:00.002-05:00

Have you ever heard something said and not known what it meant at the time? Then minutes, hours, or days later you understand?
I had one of those moments today. Ryan said to me last night, after attempting to get the smell of parmesan cheese off his hands:

"There's soap in the bathroom."

I thought to myself, "of course there's soap in the bathroom, there is always soap in the bathroom."

I did not give it any more thought at the time till just a little bit ago. I was sitting on the toilet and I looked over at the sink. The soap pump had been refilled, and it hit me, "there's soap in the bathroom," isn't what Ryan actually meant, but that he had refilled the pump.

How often do we hear things and we don't get the full meaning? And how often do we try to convey ideas to others without actually saying what we mean?

Springing

2010-03-08T16:26:00.002-05:00

From 2010

Focus

2010-03-07T19:29:00.001-05:00

I've had a hard time with focus lately. Since school began it seems like I am on a track that just keeps going around in a circle. I read, I write, I go to class, I start over. This is part of what school is about, getting the work done in order to learn. And I've enjoyed it. But I've been wondering about the goal of the whole process.

That other part of going to school, the preparation for the future, the refining and defining of life ambitions, goals, and skills. That's the part I enjoy the most. Recently though, this part has been lacking. I suppose after 2 years of struggling with just staying alive, my goals were altered slightly than what they might have been previously.

From the time I was about 16 or so my plans were to be a full time ordained minister in the United Methodist Church. This may have been underlying and not something I talked about; at 17 and 18 I was really into broadcast journalism and wanted to become like Katie Couric, but it was there in some form or another. There was a defined process to this goal: college, candidacy, seminary, etc, and I was following the steps the best I could despite distractions and doubts (other people's and mine).

My focus switched from that of ordained Elder to ordained Deacon sometime in the first year of seminary. The workings of the UMC are complicated and almost too much to explain to what this switch meant technically. But the non-technical reason for switching was that I did not see myself as a head pastor of a church ministering to all the needs of a congregation. I should say: although I have the skills I am not that great of a leader, I can follow but prefer not to, and really where I see myself is as an individual doing my own thing. Really where this left me isn't of much concern, in the Spring of 07 I decided that perhaps the call I was receiving may not be to ordained ministry at all.

This was a fairly emotional time in my life, the previous fall I had struggled through school, getting several illnesses that lasted for weeks. In the spring I was doing an internship at a local farm and education center and loving it, but struggling with school work and farm work having neither being very successful. While removing myself from the candidacy process was mostly an emotional decision, I thought it might allow me to explore my call a little wider than what I had until that point. I loved the church, but I also loved the work I was doing outside the church. What I wasn't sure of was how my education was fitting in to either.

With the Fall of 2007 bringing my health challenges completely and totally to the front, this decision seemed to have been the correct one. The struggles of that time can be seen throughout this blog, but what it meant in context of this conversation is that I was answering to no one but myself and my doctors. There was no outside educational (after I withdrew from classes) or vocational stress, it left me to make the right decisions for my body.

This has led me to where I am today. Back at school to finish a degree. I had already put a lot of work into a Master of Divinity/ Master of Arts in Christian Education and wasn't ready to give that fully up. A Master in Theological Studies degree seems versatile to my interests and utilizes the credits I have already received. However, I am now at a point of completing a mid program review and establishing some goals for the future.

After these last two years I can no even begin to establish vocational goals for myself. Thinking about days that I can not even get out of bed, I'm not sure how I could hold down any job, not to mention one that brings significant meaning to my life. I would love to obtain a PhD, which would mean even more school. However, I am not sure what my academic record may say to someone who would be evaluating my ability to complete a PhD.

In the past I have not been a serious student. School was a means to an end and I was trying to get to that end as quickly as possible. However, now things are drastically different. I in school because I desire to learn, stretch my mind, and think outside of what our world tells us to think. I am not there to learn prescribed ideals or simple definitions as I felt like I once was. On top of the physically challenges I am having with returning to school there are some seriously intellectual ones.

I now feel much more compelled to participate and ask the tough questions. I want to excel to the best of my abilities, and I want to become whatever I was created to become. I feel right now I am falling back into old habits, blindly completing assignments and sitting through the classes just to say that it's done and I was there. These struggles are compounded by the emotions I have about the future.

The future, what is it? I have no (if I was speaking to you face to face and not on a blog I would add an expletive) clue. I want to be something great, a catalyst for change, or at least working off of someone else's catalyst for change. I want to be known. My personal insecurities tell me that no of this will happen, that I can't rise much above what I am doing now. But I'm really getting to the point of frustration with myself, I want to say "screw you" it's going to happen and I'm going to be great. These conflicts inside of me hurt so much and occur on a daily basis.

So, what am I going to do? Where I am going? I don't know, it's one of those things I feel the need to focus on, but I get so frustrated when I do I feel that it further hinders the process. My life has become on big box of paradoxes and I'm not really sure how or if I will be able to climb out.

Four Weeks

2010-02-28T14:46:00.000-05:00

I've successfully made it through the first four weeks of the semester. It doesn't stop though, already on to the fifth. I was going to do some blogging, but realized I'm not in the right frame of mind.

I've been reflecting a lot about what things were life before I was as sick as I am. Also about things surrounding career desires and future plans. But they will have to be for another day. Just wanted to let you know that I'm still here, trucking along.

Presenting Myself

2010-02-12T11:01:00.003-05:00

After two years of considering myself "on medical leave" from public life, I have returned to the classroom as a student to hopefully successfully finish up my Master of Theological Studies degree.

I have ALWAYS been self conscious and insecure about how I present myself to others, and what others perceive of me. Before you all go commenting about how WONDERFUL I am ;) I know this. If you were to ask me to tell you honestly how I felt about myself I would give myself glowing recommendations. I think I'm honest about my strength, weaknesses, and flaws. But this doesn't make the anxiety about others perceptions any better.

Over the years I've gathered bits and pieces of what I can from what others would say about me on their first (second, third) impressions. It's a bit amusing, and I'm kind of wondering if you all agree with this depiction of myself.

in high school a boy broke up with me because I was "too bubbly" this was not his real reason, but the one he gave me. I am since glad that relationship did not last very long.
a friend I knew through band festivals in high school once told me that he thought I was intimidating for guys because I was so confident about myself and (especially high school guys) people were not use to that.
a college professor told me in conversation about discussions inside and outside of the classroom that sometimes I'm right on, and some times I say things that are very irrelevant.
during recruiting for my sorority in college a sister said that when she was going through recruitment she thought I was scary.
several people have told me that they thought that I hated them before they go to know me.

So I don't know. Honestly, I think I'm too much to handle for some people. I'm a people person (with insecurity issues, I know right!), I'm energetic and I tell it like it is. I don't have a problem with being honest, and sometimes I over share.

As I'm trying to pull my life into some kind of academic, professional, future order how I present myself is going to become important to me. Mostly I would like to form a career upon being me and assisting organizations and individuals in the things that I am passionate about. Tell me what your perception of me is... for real, go ahead, click the comment button. I think I'm awesome so you won't hurt my feelings. :)

NASA and Beekeepers Teaming Up!

2010-02-05T14:28:00.000-05:00

Over the last 5 years or so I've taken a special interest in Honey Bees. It comes not only from my love of honey, but also at the realization of what amazing creatures they are. They live in an incredibly organized society and work hard to preserve themselves. Honey bees are also crucial to the pollination of our fruits, vegetables, and flowers. What if our pollinators started disappearing? What would happen to our food?

Well, some bees are disappearing and no one is quite sure why. The HoneyBeeNet program is investigating climate change to analyze what impact it might have on Colony Collapse Disorder and general bee populations. Check out the link below to read more about how NASA and beekeepers are teaming up to investigate this phenomenon.

NASA and Beekeepers Use Satellites and Scales To Monitor Climate Change Impact on Bees : TreeHugger

Proof Reading

2010-02-05T13:37:00.000-05:00

So recently I have really noticed how much it bothers me when people are trying to make a point on the internet and they do not take the time to proof read what they write.

First of all, I think that more and more people are making off hand remarks without putting real consideration into their actual beliefs. This has stemmed from the easy access to a public forum made available by sites like facebook and Twitter. Not to mention that we have prominent media figures and politicians doing the same thing.

I ALWAYS think about what I'm going to say before I ever write it. So please never take anything I say lightly. But I have noticed that I may not take the time to proof read before I hit the send button. With loads of academic writing coming under my feet, this will be a new goal for me.

So I ask you my faithful reader (all 3 of you) to hold me accountable both for what I say and for my spelling and grammar when I say it.

Six Cultural Trends That Are Not Saving The Earth : TreeHugger

2010-02-04T11:03:00.000-05:00

Check this article on Treehugger out. These are things that I would like to blog about, but it's much easier for me to just point to someone who has already said it. I take two of these fairly personally, but am also aware of the consequences and am racking my brain for solutions. Note the picture they include with the "Advent of HDTV" while I do not have an HDTV myself I do enjoy participating in the watching experiences they create. I don't think it's a coincidence that they fans are Buckeyes!
And, as a self professed "pill popper" I'm not exactly sure what to do with expired and unused medication. They sit in my drawers taking up space, but I surely don't want them to pollute the water supply, what to do, what to do. Click on the link below to read the article.

Six Cultural Trends That Are Not Saving The Earth : TreeHugger

Twitter

2010-02-03T19:50:00.002-05:00

I started this blog post with something witty, but somehow it got erased. So without much further ado here is a little bit of what I have to say about Twitter.

According to Wikipedia Twitter, a social networking and micro-blogging website, was created in 2006 by Jack Dorsey. I'm not exactly sure when I became aware of Twitter but it has dominated many social media conversations for awhile now.

I'm always a little behind on the social media train anyways, not getting on facebook or MySpace till after I had graduated from college and was married. These two things, mainly designed for college aged folks to keep in touch and learn about new and interesting things, especially music in the case of Myspace, have evolved in to much larger networks.

After awhile I dropped Myspace, it was slow and people put a lot of junk on their profiles that I just didn't want to look at. Facebook is simpler, and I have connected with over 600 people who I know in person or have met one way or another online.

Then enters Twitter. I am not the most tech savvy person, I still really don't understand RSS feeds (although as a blogger maybe I should?), or rarely ever use to send or receive text messages. But very quickly Twitter became the fastest and most prolific way for me to send and access information. I do not have a so called "smart phone" but the basic text messaging, which my phone was designed for allows me to send Tweets (a short message, less than 140 characters) on the go. I can also have tweets of particular interest sent to my phone. Occasionally I find myself wanting to access the mobile web my phone has but I do not pay for on my plan because of a tweet I receive, but I suck it up and wait till I get home.

Some people may find that attraction on have for Twitter boarding on obsessed, but it's not all bad folks, I have surely reaped some benefits from my new friend. I have won contests for clothing and concerts, I have made connections in my city and across the country, and I've been able to keep up with business and websites I respect.

I connect with others who have chronic conditions similar to my own. I can read the latest thoughts of critical thinkers around the subject of the environment, or theology, or sports, or politics, or entertainment, or the economy, or fashion, or... or... or...

There are people out there who specialize in social media and could tell you all kinds of fun facts about what Twitter and other social media websites can do for your business or organization. But I'm not one of them. There are also all kinds of software developers out there creating new tools for social media everyday. That's not me either. I take what is given to me and use it.

So this post is really just saying "FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER" and get to know the world like I am getting to know it.

February

2010-02-01T16:27:00.001-05:00

So, it's February. Despite a serious kidney infection, January went fairly well.

I was able to start blogging on a more regular basis, which has really been a goal for a very long time. I would like to start generating more content for my blog, as well as interact with other blogs and bloggers. The focus on Living in the MidWest is wide and basically consists of the things that are of most interest to me at a particular time on a particular day. Perhaps I would have a wider reader base if I narrowed my focus more and marketed to a particular audience, but that's just not how I roll.

I had a professor once, who after reading my blog commented that it really wasn't about "anything" which is in way true. It's condensed stream of conscious, which should really give you a peak into my crazy, dreaming, idealistic mind.

What I wish were true and what is actual reality are sometimes very different, and it often becomes a source of anxiety for me.

Alas, I hope that it provides at the least a moment of entertainment for you, if not a helpful piece of insightful information.

My classes start on Wednesday, hopefully they will generate some good theological based postings in the near future. My biggest anxieties revolve around the severe fatigue I deal with on a regular basis. Never mind that I'm in a constant state of discomfort because of the pain caused by fibromyalgia (which is exhausting in itself) there are days that no matter how much I rest I can barely function enough to watch TV. How this is going to translate into school work, reading, writing, reflecting, and attending class is yet to be seen.

I'm preparing how I'm going to approach the subject with my professors. I've never been a good student, I've always done just enough to get by, pulling all nighters and last minute cram sessions. For the most part it worked pretty well. However, with my new health status, this is NOT going to work anymore, maybe it will make a me a better student. As a life long underachiever I hope that this will positively affect my grades.

I need to be self motivated, otherwise plans that I have for future life endeavors are never going to happen.

Anyways, like I said, a stream of consciousness.

Enjoy your February and hopefully you will hear from me soon.

Blog Review: Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef

2010-01-25T09:36:00.001-05:00

I don't talk about other blogs much here. I have a list on the side of the blogs that I read, and will occasionally post a link to something I've read and enjoyed. However "Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef" deserve their own post.

Flourless Peanut Butter cookies I made from the blog.

I first learned about Gluten-Free Girl, Shauna James Ahern, and became interested in her writing when I decided I needed to cut gluten out of my diet back in the summer of 2008, it was a daunting task, but she made it easier. I was able to see someone was living a VERY happy and food filled life without gluten. I read her blog posts with anticipation, wondering what new idea she was going to cook up next.

That Christmas I got her first book. This was a combination of her life story and a cook book. While there were not many recipes it discussed the ins and outs of eating gluten-free. And she introduced us to her husband Danny, the Chef.

I have been reading her blog longer than most blogs I read on a regular basis, with the exception of people I know personally. With the introduction of the Chef, there were more stories of family love and watching their Little Bean grow up to love food. Very very soon there will be a full cookbook in the bookstores and I am SO looking forward to it.

Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef make me want to eat, and eat better. I love their stories of farm stands and vegetables. I honestly didn't eat many veggies until around 2007 and this blog has given me the courage to try more. I still won't eat tomatoes though.

I look forward to hearing how one recipe didn't quite work and what they did to correct it. And while a lot of their food would naturally be gluten-free they do great looking recipes for some yummy baked goods, like these graham crackers.

Besides the amazing food these two cook up I LOVE LOVE LOVE their photographs. I've been into photography way longer than I've been into gluten-free food, and these just shine. I honestly strive to take pictures like this someday. So go ahead and jump over and check them out, you won't be disappointed. If you don't believe me just check out the honors they have received over the years.

enjoy. enjoy. enjoy.

Review: Unexpected Blessings

2010-01-24T12:18:00.004-05:00

It's been awhile since I told you I was going to read and write a review on a book I received in the mail. Between the Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and the holidays, it has really taken me this long to find an appropriate time to sit down and write. I wanted to give the book the attention it deserved, and this week when I came down with a TERRIBLE kidney infection I figured it's as good a time as any. I'm starting to feel better, but not incredibly well physically and my mind is itching for something to do. It also had me thinking a lot about the book, so here it is.

I received an e-mail from the publisher of Unexpected Blessings: Stories of Hope and Healing by Roxanne Black asking me if I would be interested in an advance copy and writing a review on my blog. I thought OF COURSE I'm interested, it's a book, and a book about something I know quite a bit about. So when I received it in the mail, I set right to reading it and it did not take me long to become thoroughly engaged.

The stories in Unexpected Blessings centered around the life, loss, healing, and hope of Roxanne Black who at 15 was diagnosed with systemic lupus. It was after this diagnosis and subsequent hospital stays that Black was driven to develop the Friend's Health Connection to help others like herself find one another and form a network of support. She recalls with great clarity the moments in her life that she sees as most important, and speaks candidly about her two kidney transplants and what the lives of the individual donors have meant to her.

In the two years since I really began to understand what living and learning with a chronic condition means I have read a lot of books that describe individual stories of great challenges and overcoming those challenges to live a new and adjusted type of life. Unexpected Blessings is that, but it is something more as well. She does not just describe her own story of illness, but also the stories of ones the she has come in contact with throughout her life and treatment. They are strong testament of the wills of people of all ages and times, dealing with chronic and life changing illnesses. Even as I read in the corner of my favorite coffee shop I found myself slightly embarrassed to be crying in public. It wasn't a all out sobbing cry, but some tears of recognition in each one of their stories.

The stories Black shared were powerful, and her life has been very inspirational. I would have like to have seen more continuity to the chapters, and a little more conclusion to the story. She tends to jump around, not unlike I do in this blog, and I felt not completely informed about the messages she was trying to share. Of course a conclusion to Black's life story will not come for some time and I look forward to hearing from her in the future.

If you see this book in the bookstore or your local library I recommend a read. Roxanne Black is a remarkable woman who tells a remarkable story.

Columbus Hope for Haiti

2010-01-20T11:13:00.002-05:00

Hey Friends, I'm not sure how many Columbus and Central Ohio readers I have out there, but this just came across my Twitter and I wanted to share it here on my blog.

Thursday January 21 from 7a.m. to 7p.m. "Columbus Hope for Haiti" is taking place at the Ohio Historical Society and online. The City of Columbus, the American Red Cross of Greater Columbus, and local media outlets are joining forces to raise money for the earthquake stricken country of Haiti.

I am very proud of my city for stepping up and making it a city wide event. There are several ways you can help out. First, you can drop your check off for the Red Cross at the Ohio Historical Society which is located just of I-71 at Exit 111.

If you do not live in Columbus or can not make it on Thursday there are several other ways you can donate:

Call the Red Cross at 1-800- HELP-NOW
Text "Haiti" to 90999, this will donate $10 which wills how up on your wireless bill.
Make a secure donation online at www.redcross.org

Please help out in any way you can!
And Thank You!

What to do with a Wedding Dress?

2010-01-19T09:52:00.004-05:00

So, something that has been on my mind lately is what to do with my wedding dress. I love it and am so glad we were able to spend a little extra money that we planned when Mom and I set out shopping.

However, I've been married for almost 5 years and obviously have no use for a wedding dress anymore. It's sentimental, but at the same time it has been in the closet and not been looked at more than once or twice since the big day. It needs some slight repair, I popped one of the shoulder straps towards the end of the day. And it obviously needs to be cleaned, but other than that it's beautiful.

Some people are able to wear their dresses again by just changing a few details. I don't attend the kind of event that I would need such a formal dress and it's a quite overwhelming amount of fabric.

I could sell it on eBay, or take it to a consignment shop, but I'd really like to do something a little more "good" with it.

Does anyone know of any organizations that do great things with used wedding dresses? I would love to support someone who helps others out in some way or the other, or who is doing good things for the environment. Let me know below.
Thanks!

Positive-Thought Strategies to Help You Achieve Your Goals - Gaiam Life

2010-01-04T17:57:00.003-05:00

I've read a lot of books, tips, articles, blogs, etc over the last two years in attempt to get my life back on track. Achieving my goals has seemed extremely far away. This article came across my Twitter feed today, and it's one of the best and most helpful things I've read in a really long time. It's things we all should already know, but of course, need to be reminded of from time to time. Click on the link below to take you to the site, it's good stuff.

Positive-Thought Strategies to Help You Achieve Your Goals - Gaiam Life

Posted using ShareThis

2009: a review

2009-12-17T04:30:00.004-05:00

I haven't been the greatest at posting lately. Life has gotten in the way, and actually I kind of prefer it that way. I'd rather be out and about, or at least busying myself at home than sitting in front of my computer with nothing to do. Lately there have been some very very bad days, but there are always good days to outweigh them. I did put my blog address in a few Christmas cards to let people know how they could catch up with me, so I am going to write somewhat of a review of the year. I'm not sure how it will turn out, but I hope you enjoy it.

In January after getting to spend quite awhile with family and friends during the last few weeks of 2008, we returned back to Ohio so Ryan could return to school. I really do not remember many specifics of the winter. It was cold, I'm sure I was in pain, but I know I wore a lot of long underwear.

When Ryan was in school I was at home resting, watching TV, reading, and probably crocheting. Occasionally on Friday nights we got together with friends at Barley's Smokehouse and Brewpub for drinks and good bar-b-que. Friends of ours also moved back into their house after having it remodeled so we all enjoyed get togethers to see the new additions. We also attend Terra Nova Community Church on Sunday mornings and we love our church family.

In March I finally found a doctor who was able to help me out with my Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I'm thankful for my primary doctor who has stuck through this with all of me and given me freedom and a lot of input into my treatments. I began seeing Dr. Goldfarb at the Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Center in Cleveland and learned more about my conditions and the best ways of treating them. I've always had low iron, but I also had deficiencies in other areas, as well as it being clear my immune function was not operating to the best of it's ability. The basic principle at FFC is to treat the whole body, working right down to increasing cellular health. Besides taking care of some nagging infections, I began a new treatment for the thyroid disorder I've known about since 7th grade. I also started taking a plethora of supplements all aimed at optimizing health and increasing energy. Within 6 months I showed significant improvement, which I consider very good news.

So by Spring time I was walking more, getting out of the apartment more, and getting to see friends. In April I went to Lexington, KY to attend a weekend long course I had been eyeing even before the fibro took over my life. It was called the School(s) for Conversion and it was held with the members of an intentional community called Communality. It was an amazing weekend of discussing new ways (and old ways) of Christian living and fellowshiping with a variety of different and like minded folks.

Since we moved to Ohio Ryan has been a teaching assistant for several different biology courses at OSU. In the spring quarter he managed to continue teaching, finish his master's research, and obtain a part time job. He finished his master's degree in Entemology in June and stayed busy working at Gentile's Wine and Beer and Brewing Supply store through the summer. Not only is this a great job for obvious reasons (the wine, beer, and brewing) but also it is just down the street from our apartment and takes less than 2 minutes to walk there. We home brewed beer before he started working there, but Ryan has pretty consistently kept something brewing for the last several months.

My mom, Ryan's parents and brother all came out for visits during the summer. There were no special events or anything, we just showed them a good time and enjoyed them taking us out to eat at our favorite restaurants. We see Ryan's sister and fiance on a fairly regular basis because they live just over an hour away in Cincinnati.

With the warmer weather and slightly healthier body, I was able to get out and enjoy our neighborhood slightly better. Within walking distance of our apartment we have 2 grocery stores, a great butcher shop, several drug stores, and about a dozen or so restaurants. It's actually fairly crazy after growing up in rural northeastern PA. I've really enjoyed getting familiar with the local coffee roasters, Stauf's who have a nice coffee shop and serve lunch. I got there a lot to get out of the apartment and read or write. I've been known to go to the Dairy Queen for dinner on more than one occasion while Ryan has been at work, but I don't make a real habit out of it. The restaurants and bars are great and the people are usually extremely friendly. We chose where we live because we know people who live close by, and it was certainly a good choice. We are close to friends and even run into people while we are out and about now.

I spent the last few weeks in Ithaca with my sister Stacey and her family. My nephew Johnny is getting to be such a big boy and we played and had fun until he went back to school. This year he is in the 2nd grade!!

Ryan came out for a week as well so we got down to Wyalusing and Tunkhannock. We saw friends we hadn't seen in a long time. Our friends Etienne and Danielle were in from Vancouver and Togo so we got to see them at their parents house on our short visit. It was great to get in touch with old friends. We were also able to make an appearance at the Wyoming County Fair for the first time since we had moved to Ohio.

In the fall Ryan started work on his PhD, began teaching again, and continued work at Gentile's. He's busy enough for the both of us since I still am not healthy enough for much other than taking care of myself. His boss at the store Roger is really nice and I think Ryan really enjoys working there.

I've been crocheting away, reading, writing, going to the coffee shop, and I've found my favorite ice cream place of all time, it's called Jeni's and is local with three or four stores in Columbus. As always we have been cheering on the Buckeye's and the football season started off with our friend's annual block party. Ryan made some amazing pulled-pork for the event and I still crave it.

I still spend a lot of time going to doctor's appointments and have been diligently seeing a chiropractor who is helping me out with my pain a lot. In March when I started seeing Dr. Goldfarb I had been walking with a cane pretty much full time. Throughout the summer I didn't need it till the weekend of the fair when I just walked too much, and now that the weather is colder I have been using it occasionally. I do have a lot of pain sometimes, but it is also an energy saver. The less pain I have, and the less effort I have to use to accomplish a task the better I feel and the better my day is.

Most recently I have done all the necessary paper work to head back to school at the Methodist Theological School in Ohio for the Spring semester. I changed my degree program from Christian Education to a Masters in Theological Studies. Given the limitations set on me by my health this will be an easier program to complete since I do not have to a do a year of field education. I still have a lot of class work ahead of me, but since I had done so much work before I got ill, it will be worth it to finish what I started. I hope to be completed by May of 2011, but it's a completely flexible date.

So here I am, officially the day before my birthday. This week I am battling a bout of insomnia that is very common to those with fibromyalgia. I got this written though, and it's been on my list. Tonight we are going to a Blue Jackets hockey game with tickets Ryan got from a customer (another job perk) and on Friday we are headed to Barley's to celebrate with the normal crew. I still have some crocheting, cookie baking, and Buckeye making to take care of before next week. But what gets done gets done, and I'm not going to stress about it at all.

I hope 2010 can bring more good things to life in our nice little world we are creating for ourselves. I hope things are well with you, my reader.

I have one request for the New Year, if you do not know very much about fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome, learn it. It sucks and a lot of people out there are suffering quietly. I'm less quiet about it... but when have you known me to be quiet about anything. I really just want more people to be aware of the life changing effects it has one people.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

More than a month

2009-12-05T18:27:00.000-05:00

It's been more than a month since I have posted. I have things to say, especially a review for Unexpected Blessings. But it's been quite the whirlwind of a month. Two trips back to PA, followed by a week of feeling horrible after each of them. With the weather turning so cold and unpleasant I have been in some serious pain. I'm also still trying to learn my limits of social interaction. Needless to say, the holidays are probably going to be rough this year. Just wanted to let you know I'm still kicking, and I'm going to try to make a deliberate effort to write this week.

What I'm Reading: Unexpected Blessings

2009-11-02T23:27:00.004-05:00

On bookshelves today is Unexpected Blessings by Roxanne Black. I received a slightly advanced copy (meaning I got it yesterday morning) but have not had time to start reading it till this evening.
When the author was 15 years old she was diagnosed with lupus and out of that illness began a community called Friends' Health Connection. Out of her life experiences and those with who she connected with through her community Roxanne has written in inspirational book for those facing challenge.
It appears to be an incredibly easy read and am very much looking forward to digging in. When I finish I will let you all know how I feel, but it certainly has me excited.

What I'm Watching: Castle

2009-11-02T23:10:00.002-05:00

Castle, which starts Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic is a crime procedural show on ABC. It's in its second season and going strong. I didn't get really interested in the show till half way through the first season, and then I was only watching it online. Last week Ryan and I made a switch from watching CSI: Miami in the 10 o'clock Monday night slot to watching Castle.

I am a fan of Nathan Fillion from when he starred as Captain Mal Reynolds on Joss Whedon's show Firefly, which is the original reason I began watching and stayed for the rest of the charming cast. Fillion plays a successful writer, Richard Castle, who joins up with NYPD's top detectives to do research for a new book. There he finds his inspiration in Kate Beckett, played by Katic. They have an great dynamic, both working well as detectives and learning to become friends. Castle also doens't hide the fact that he find Beckett incredible attractive.

The supporting cast is amazing. Castle is a single dad, and has an actress mother (Susan Sullivan) who lives with him and his daughter (Molly C. Quinn). The mother/son, father/daughter dynamic is amazing. They have real and positive family relationships and often contribute to Castle's thought process while working on a case or a book.

This show certainly has more humor than most crime shows that are on the air now. It still deals with death in a very real way, it is less about the violence and murder and more about the people invovled in the crime.

I think it is certainly worth a look online if you are not ready to replace your favorite Monday night show.

Everything I do

2009-10-28T17:01:00.002-04:00

I was just sitting here at my favorite hang out of late, Stauf's coffee shop and thinking about resent blog posts. I tend to blog about certain topics more than others at any given time. This can be because of my mood, or because something particularly interesting is going on in the world, or because I'm a flake and can't hold my attention on one thing all the time so have many many varied interests.

This got me thinking about the amount of spiritual or Christian centered posts I've written. There haven't been many recently and I've certainly have had plenty to write about. There is a lot of chatter going on these days about climate change, and climate change action, and energy bills, and there is a lot I can say on those topics, both from an environmentalists point of view but especially as a Christian. In fact, any topic I write about is from the point of view as a Christian.

When I write about my struggles, or my joys, or just daily life, I don't ever really say where my strength is coming from, or why I have the beliefs that I do. And I guess for me, I don't have to.

Everything I do and say is because and informed by the fact that I believe and trust in Jesus.

Perhaps I don't say this enough, but it has become such a part of me that I don't feel that I need to. Yes I'm a Christian, yes I read the Bible for guidance, yes I ask God for help and strength. But with every decision I make and every emotion I express I am not going to say this. But I also acknowledge that it's people's right and joy to do so for themselves.

I'm also not saying that I don't share my faith with others, because I do (like I am doing right here in this blog post). What kind of follower of Jesus would I be if I didn't? But personally I find a time and a place for everything. I would rather show people about my beliefs than to sit down and give them a speech.

So remember when you read this, what informs me first and foremost. But also remember that I am not perfect, that sometimes when my intentions are good, my actions are not always the best. I may slip up and do something very un-Christian like. It happens, maybe everyday. But please forgive me. :)