Upcoming Contest

Eclectic . . .
That's a pretty good description for the current state of my Color Me Crochet shop on Etsy. There are so many different items to crochet!

Last year, I had a lot of fun experimenting with my crochet! There were the basic crochet staples (hats, scarves, shawls, blankets) in as many variations my daily muse would help me create. Then there were the custom orders formed from the inspirational minds of my awesome customers! Additionally, I found myself caught in the web of crocheting with tiny string -- nameplates, earrings, bookmarks, and even adding beads!

It has certainly been a fun year of creating, but I would like to start off this year by focusing on my products and ideas that really catch the attention of you, my awesome readers!

Right now, I am working my way through the Facebook Page apps and regulations to figure out the best way for you to tell me what crochet stuff you love! As an encouragement for you to share with me, I will be giving one lucky person one of the items that he or she voted for! (some rules apply ... those will come soon!)

Be sure to check this blog and the Color Me Crochet Facebook Page on or before January 15, 2013, for more information about the upcoming contest.

I am so excited, and I hope you are too!

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01/07/2013 Update:

The Color Me Crochet Facebook Page now has the 2013 Contest Tab up and ready for sharing!

The contest is now set to start on Monday, January 14, but I was too excited to wait until then to post the Tab! You won't be able to enter any information, or comment on any photos of products just yet, but I wanted to give extra time for you to share this awesome contest with your friends!

I've also posted the Contest Rules here on this blog, for your perusal. Let me know if you have any questions, so I can make sure to answer them all before this contest starts!

I hope you are as excited as I am!

Who has control?

Yesterday I started a wonderful new medicine to try and mask some of the daily pain I experience through my disability.

I don't actually know if I am typing a sarcastic 'wonderful' just yet, since I have not been on it long enough for any sort of effect -- whether good or bad.

It is an interesting feeling to face, knowing the number of failed attempts I have had with pain-reducing medicines. It can be hard for me to believe that there is even a small chance that this new one will work.

In some ways, though, the struggle is forcing me to a good place. A tough place, but it is good overall.
Over and over again I am being presented with medical information that tells me I have no power to change or control the chaos my body goes through. It is a very hard thing to face, and it can be easy to become burdened and depressed by some of the realities I may physically face in the coming years.

And I have absolutely no control.

I think that can be one of the biggest spiritual struggles for the wealthy and/or healthy -- God desires for us to relinquish our 'earthly need' for control. For us to recognize and accept His command over every aspect of our lives.

And at the young age of 23, I don't even have the option of control over my physical health. Not for the big things, at least. God is forcing me to accept total trust in His control over my life.

I have no idea where He is going to lead me physically, but I have complete confidence that He will be the One leading me.

And no matter how difficult it can be to live with so much uncertainty and lack of control, it is very comforting to be confident in the promises of God's plan.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.   Romans 8:28

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.   Jeremiah 29:11

I have absolutely no control.

And that really is a good thing.

Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2013!

There were some who thought the world would not make it this far...

And others who thought we would have flying cars by now!

No matter how it has come for you, God decided to give us each one more day to live, and that is certainly something to celebrate!

Undoubtedly, many of you will be writing (and reading) countless New Years' resolutions over the next few weeks. They may range from the silly, to the wise, to the seriously important.
But the odds are not in our favor! (I think, as a whole, people have short attention spans)

This blog is part of my own personal set of resolutions. I have certainly not been proactive at maintaining a good rate of blog posting over the past few years, and I intend to change that. (I probably said this last year, too, so we shall see how my attention span fares)

This blog will continue to have a variety of focuses, which completely fits with my artistic personality ... it is hard for me to settle on only one thing!

I hope you will continue to join me on my blog-writing journey over this next year, and will not hesitate to share your thoughts and comments on any and all articles!

:-)

Seriously, though, I would love to start each day reading your awesome comments!

Have a wonderful January 1st!

May God bless you in this coming year, and may you grow more each day in the ability to recognize His hands at work in the world!

Designs: More crochet earrings!

Have you ever started working on a (fun) project, and when you finally look up at the clock you notice that hours have passed by while you were engrossed in your thoughts and ideas?

That is how I am with my crochet!

It can be a bit different with larger projects (like blankets), since there is a good chunk of time before I can finish one project and start the next. I am so excited that my 'tiny' projects take so much less time -- I can follow my ideas wherever they lead me without having to wait days upon days first. :-)

Here are a few of the earring designs I have been working on! They are all super light and totally awesome, and can be made in an (almost) endless variety of colors! (And they only cost $18 through my Etsy shop!)

I would absolutely love your feedback and to hear your own design ideas!

I expect to have even more designs to show you over the coming weeks ... I have been bitten by the 'crochet earring' bug! (Now all I need is to remember to buy more earring hooks to connect my crochet pieces to!)

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Do you love to crochet? I have a slowly-growing collection of my own personal patterns in my shop -- just for you! They are inexpensive, and so much fun to crochet. I look forward to sharing them with you!

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Would you like to learn how to crochet? If you are in my area (near Boulder, Colorado, USA), I would absolutely love to get together with you! Teaching is an exciting new part of my crocheting experience -- and I love sharing it!

If you aren't in my area, that is really quite a bummer. However, if you are interested, I would love to try and teach you how to crochet via Skype, AIM, or Google chat!

Comment below if you would like to find out more. :-)

These beauties just need hooks!

Update: I have followed my ideas even further, and love how they turned out!

The crochet diamond measures about 2.25 in vertically

This is such a fun avenue of crochet, and it seems as though the variety of ideas will never end! If you would like to crochet any of these yourself (a few are even good for beginners) please comment below. I am working on making each one into an inexpensive pattern to share the joy of crocheting something fun and wonderful you can use (wear) each day! I will put the most popular via comments at the very top of my Etsy To-Do list!

Have a blessed day!

Life: Struggles and Encouragement

There are so many days that I sit down to write on this blog ... and I simply have no idea what to say.
No words, no thoughts, hardly any ideas rambling through my brain slow enough to be caught and fleshed out.

This past weekend feels like a bit of a blur, to be honest.

I hate admitting this to the world, but I was a bit of an emotional wreck this weekend. I am overwhelmingly thankful for the blessing that my husband is in my life. He's my rock when I forget where to look for God. When it's so dark that I just want to shut my eyes and stop straining them trying to find the Light. He never leaves, and he reminds me that God is the same (to an even greater degree!).

There are so many days that having a disability really stinks ... To be honest, I've considering writing a book titled "Some Days Life Simply Stinks" or some variation thereof. It would be all about how hard life is. How easy it can be to find yourself stuck in a bleak view of the shadows that surround you like a brick wall. How easy it is to forget that the shadows aren't really even there ... and you can walk right through them into the light.

Some people seem to have the notion that becoming a Christian means your life will get easier and happier. It doesn't help that even believers answer each other's "How are you?" questions with big smiles and "I'm good! How are you?" even when it is completely untrue.

That notion is beyond wrong, though. In many ways, choosing to become a Christian means choosing to live a hard life ... possibly even harder than the one you were living before. More trials, more persecution ... more growth. Growing is hard! (ever hear of growing pains?) In the end, though, every form of Christian suffering is completely worth it. Unfortunately, it's easy to lose sight of what's important.

Over the past few months I've been having more pains, more weakness, more struggles ... more exhaustion. Emotional and physical. It really wears on you. There are so many times that I just want to cry out, "Why?!" even though I know I won't get an answer in mere words. Even though I know that there is a reason, and I simply can't see it yet. There is some reason I'm being grown (says the woman who barely reaches 5'0") ... I just need to get through the growing pains.

Sometimes it is nice to be reminded of the promises of God. That they still exist today, and that He still has a plan that surrounds my whole life.

This last weekend a horrible tragedy happened pretty near to my home. Such an unexpected night of horror in the Aurora movie theater. It was even more near to my husband, as one of his childhood friends is recovering in the hospital after a bullet went through her skull. Her name is Petra Anderson, and I would encourage you to read this well-worded blog post from her pastor.

There is nothing more wonderful than knowing that the Creator of all things considers us so well as to orchestrate the tiniest (and largest) details of our lives.

Read, and be encouraged. While times may be hard, God never leaves your side. You might feel too weak to endure your struggles, but always remember His infinite strength ... and how much He has chosen to love you!

Designs: Earrings!

The set is now online!

Every time I get an email from Etsy with tips and helpful hints on how to turn my shop into a better experience for the customer, I seem to find a list of things that simply can't apply to who I am as an artist.

First, it is really hard to price crochet items according to the traditional methods. They are so heavy in the time that I spend! So, almost everything I sell is done at 'wholesale' price, because retail would be way above anything I would be willing to pay -- even for something handmade! (That is partially due to my strange ability to be averse toward spending money...I know everything I make is well-made and valuable!)

Second, they constantly write about making your shop 'cohesive' and focusing in on one thing: jewelry, baby hats, paintings, etc.

A soft and fun scarf for any season!

I suppose my shop is (mostly) focused on one thing: crochet! However, that can lead to a very eclectic shop, as my artistic personality simply loves creating!

For example, the beautiful new earrings that I have crocheted (above). They use a lovely pale green bamboo yarn that I just had to crochet with!

Click on the links below each picture to go straight to their page on Etsy!

The variety in my shop is probably overwhelming to the average customer, but that is how I create. How am I supposed to reconcile my artistic desire to try new techniques (and get a start on my very long Idea List that somehow keeps growing) with a need to make my shop more appealing to the eye of the consumer?


Take a look at these other gems: they are so much fun to create!

A simple vase to decorate your home!

A shawl to keep you warm in Winter and stylish in Fall!

A Variety of Ideas

I had the pleasure of talking with a potential client a few days ago (I might get to crochet a few baby blankets! That would be so awesome!), and I realized that, thus far, all of my blanket sales and give-aways have not occurred within the confines of Etsy. You have never gotten to see them!

So, my wonderful readers, I have decided to share a few with you. (those that I have photos of, that is)

These are both baby blankets, with a cute diamond design across them for decorative effect. The first is solid yellow, and the second is a striped design with pink, yellow, green and blue stripes (perfect for the couple that has chosen to wait until birth to know the gender of their bundle of joy!). They are incredibly soft, and I hear that the little ones are enjoying them!

I hope these give you a few ideas for blankets and other items that we can design and make together!