What Would A Hat Without A Boutonniere Be?

 (Crochet Fancy Two-Tone Hat by Wuglyees on Etsy)

     Okay, yes...yes I do know how long it's been since I posted last.....sorry. (head held low, but with a semi-smile on my face.) ^_^ I've been busy, People!....Uhhh.....well, busy...and doing nothing...and sick....and napping.....and going on virtual dates with my hubby...and involved in a new project with a very, very good customer...and otherwise just TOTALLY FORGOT I even knew I had a blog!! LOL

     Soooo...what have you been up to?! ^_^ I checked around a little bit and saw some new recipes you've been posting, a sick doggie :-( whose now on the mend, a new medical diagnosis for a young man, and some other funny, funny stuff too! It's nice to know that you guys were just 'getting on with this thing called life too', just like me! ^_^ 

     Of course, my 'getting on with it' always involves some kind of crochet!...It also usually involves some kind of nap and a good meal or two also, but that's a story for another time! ^_^ My latest crochet projects have been ones I'm not taking very many pictures of, like this new hat. (below)

     I'm in love with this hat, and it was totally done this way by accident!! ^_^ A true 'Ugly Wuglyee' creation!...My girlfriend's mom bought some yarn, on sale, and asked if I could make her a headband and a hat for the winter. (It was the variegated black, gray, and white on the top of the hat above). I made the hat and headband, using her own patterns...{I actually made TWO headbands. One was too large for her, so I gave it to another girlfriend of mine. ^_^)...but afterward still had a bit of the yarn leftover. And you KNOW how I hate to waste yarn! :-) So I started one of my 'flip-up' hats and figured "wherever it runs out, I'l just add another color and finish it." :-)
      Was I ever surprised at how cute it looked with the black around the bottom!! ^_^ 
 

     Now I'm thinking that maybe this should be a style that I do my flip-up hats in from now on!...What do you think?

     In other news, my girlfriends hosted a 3-day Open House at MY HOUSE :-) to show all of the crochet items I have around here, and to catch up with some old friends. It was great!! :-) I even sold a few items from my substantial stash!! ^_^ ...Unfortunately, I'm still re-organizing my house back to it's previous condition though....WHATEVER!!! LOL Love and friends before organization, right? :-)

     In other, more exciting, news. I have a new long-term customer! Well...a co-collaborator of style, really ^_^ His company is working on a new high-end menswear line and guess what?...My crochet boutonnieres are being included!! :-) I've been going back and forth with him for a while now, crocheting different styles and colors and textures of boutonnieres, narrowing the look down.
     I've been receiving boxes and bags of different threads at the house, and working up and sending off boutonniere pin after boutonniere pin! :-) It's been so much fun...in between my crochet hat and slipper making of course. ^_^ This is one of the sparkly boutonnieres I did recently...
 

     ...but I'm working on eight new ones right now...all different colors and styles! ^_^ I'm hoping that when the company gets through this process of nailing down particular looks, my little crochet boutonniere flowers will still be on the list! Who knows...maybe my little crochet boutonnieres will go 'High-End' and finally get the recognition they deserve! ^_^ In other words, shouldn't flowers...of whatever kind...always be recognized?! ^_^ I say: YES! And in that case, why not my wuglyees boutonnieres too!! ^_^
     For the time being, I'm trying to keep my expectations low. I've been burned before by ventures that didn't go well long term. But I have to say...I love this new customer. He's very reliable and professional and just a joy to collaborate with! :-) It's really nice dealing with someone who knows and appreciates your hard work.
     His company will be getting off the ground running in January some time I think. So...we'll play it by ear and see how it goes. In the meantime, I'm loving the challenge and creativity of it all! ^_^ And I'll keep you posted....Hopefully more regularly than I have been keeping you posted! LOL
     Okay, I'm off to try to get a little more sleep. It's not even 5:30 a.m. here yet! O_O Do you believe that?!!!!...Yeah. I woke up with a stomach ache from eating a bite of an OLD OLD OLD candy bar....{that's what I get for trying to shop at a 'dollar store' in California on my 'virtual date'!! LOL}...but now, after talking my head off, and using my brand new ergonomic hand massager on my belly, I'm feeling much better! I think I'll just take me another little nap! ^_^ Night, night! ♥ ...I'll leave you with a napping poem. How about that?! ^_^

A Little Doze'll Do You!

I enjoy my sleeping, and a doze,
a nap, and such.
In fact I might enjoy a snooze
entirely waay too much!

At any time of day,
you'll find me like a weeping willow.
Head hung low and dragging,
looking for the nearest pillow.

No, there's nothing wrong.
I'm not depressed. I've still got bounce!
And I can stay awake and be
quite witty when it counts!

But I've been awake for things
when I could've been asleep.
And now my time's so valuable
I don't treat it like it's cheap.

My sleeping, dozing, napping,
is to my life a special key.
It unlocks and refreshes
and dispels anxiety!

Most people try to fill up
every hour in the day.
But me, I'd rather be asleep
and waste it all away.

There's plenty hours left
for all the flit and play and chore.
An hour for a nap right now?!
Why not?! There's 24!!

Keeping Company With Friends!!

     I know I haven't been around much. Sorry Y'all. But I've been keeping a lot of company with the friends in the photos on this post. ^_^ They're a cool bunch of young, younger, cooler, and older friends who love my crochet, and love helping me show it off and try to sell it!! Woohoo!! 

     We're planning to try to get a lot of it out of my wuglyees etsy shop soon.....as in SELL IT!! :-)) I'll let you know how it goes!
 

     In the meantime, I'm crocheting hats, scarves, and slippers like a crazy woman, and I don't have much time online......Of course there's also time for an occasional nap and a tasty treat or two in between! ^_^
 

     I'll be catching up with you here and there though...especially if you have any questions for me! ^_^ My email is hooked into the comment section below, so ask away! At most it'll be 24-48 before you hear from me. ^_^ And I may even rhyme you something!! LOL

I Love A New Experience

I love a new experience!
No matter how it's learned.
A fact that's new to me,
or a new food that I've burned.

A place I've never been,
or a person I've not known.
A book I've never read,
or a gadget on my phone.

A song that's not my norm,
or a craft I've never tried.
A veggie fixed a new way,
whether boiled, sauteed or fried.

I love a new experience!
A new jolt for my old eyes.
To make my life worth living,
and each day a great surprise!

'Scoop-Thumb' And 'Roll-Along' IN THE HOUSE!!

 (Rainy Day Painting by nidhi)

      Happy Wednesday, (Hump Day) Everybody! :-) Although, NOT such a happy Wednesday for hubby and I so far!...We woke up to the sound of pelting rain on the windows, and joints that were screaming in pain!!...Ours!!...O-U-C-H!!!

      Waking up to joints screaming in pain is nothing new for me, but hubby is usually in pretty good shape...pain-wise...except for an occasional backache from sleeping in a weird position! But this morning he found it different because of a recent fall off of his bike! O_O He jammed his thumb into the ground pretty good...or rather, pretty bad!...and it has been swollen and throbbing ever since!

      I, on the other hand, always have trouble rolling over in bed when the weather gets all rainy and...achy!! Thus the nicknames hubby decided he would give us this morning...'Scoop Thumb' (because he can't use his thumb for anything, except in a careful scooping motion) and 'Roll-Along' (because that's my mode of transportation at the moment)!! ^_^ 

      I didn't let him see me howling with laughter as I was visualizing him scooping stuff with his thumb, while I was rolling along on the ground in front of him. LOL If I did, that would be all he'd be talking about for the next week!!! ^_^ I'd rather he keep talking about the fact that after three or four weeks of playing UNO with me...he STILL hasn't won one game!! ^_^  

      Okay...enough silly talk!! ^_^ But I don't have much else to talk about or show you...except for a couple of other really cute rainy day items from my co-Etsy crafters...     

 

 (Umbrella and Raindrop Necklace by EmilinaBallerina)

(Rainy day clouds fabric fat quarter white gray rain drops by spacefem)

      There you are! :-) ... 'Roll-Along'....OUT!! :-)) Have a good rest of the day, Everybody!! ♥

You Ever Watch A Spider?

You ever watch a spider,
when he's working out his plan?
He's amazing in his 'know how',
and his determination's grand!

He spins a web and sits there,
waiting for the winds to change;
For dinner to come to him,
with no stove or oven range!

It seems a 'wee bit' gory
as he wraps his dinner tight,
with no 'Seran Wrap', tape, or foil;
just 'know how', to do it right!

But what amazes me the most
 is not the way the spider dines.
It's all the prep work of the web,
which, in the sun, just shines and shines.

The web is perfect in it's shape,
with sturdiness, and lots of flare.
And with everything that's done,
it simply sways and stays right there!

You ever watch a spider,
and wonder where it gets it's brain?
Whether watching from a couch,
or you're there standing in the rain?!

When you see a spider work,
no matter where this work might be,
You can't help but marvel at him,
and his creative oddity!

 

Hello 'Ugly Wuglyee' Tuesday!!

      Hi, Y'all!! ^_^ Sorry about the blog break...again!...but I just play it by ear these days. My intention is to try to post every day, but if that doesn't happen...uhhhhh...it doesn't happen!! ^_^ I've got a lot of balls in the air (so to speak) in my private offline life right now. So, I kinda just go with the flow.
      And, from now on out, I'm gonna stop apologizing for not being here...***smacking myself on the back of the hand!!***...I'm just gonna post at every opportunity. And when I'm not here I just want you guys to know that I'll be back as soon as I can! Okay?!.....OKAY!! :-)
      But I'm here today!...so...let's talk about that thick 'ugly wuglyee' cowl scarf I was making, shall we!! :-] ...
 

      I had a bag full of bits and pieces of yarn. Not enough to make a whole ANYTHING! And not enough to add a full row to ANYTHING (in most cases)! But I saw this multi-colored cowl pattern in one of the books a friend recently gave me as a gift.
 

       It's the kind of pattern that doesn't need an exact amount of ANYTHING, and therefore GREAT for this 'ugly wuglyee' work of 'mitchy-matchy' crochet art! ^_^ 
 

      Okay...so it's not the most perfect, most beautiful, most symettrical, scarf you'll ever see! But somebody will look at it and see perfection, beauty, and symmetry!! I just know it......PLEASE!!! ^_^
 

      All of the above photos were of the scarf in it's unfinished state. The photos below are all of the cowl scarf completely finished!! :-)

      It almost looks like two different scarves, depending on which side you're wearing it on! :-)
 

      One side is fit for the more tame side of your personality...sorta kinda! ^_^ And the other side is just 'OUT THERE'!! LOL
 

      I'd love some feedback on it...if you dare to tell the truth!! ^_^ Otherwise...I'm off to get some milk and cookies! And hopefully I'll see you tomorrow! :-) ♥

Off My Schedule

I've been off my schedule,
and I'm craving normalcy.
I wanna sleep six hours
and then plan my A to Z.

It's not for want of trying.
I'm a schedule making fool!
But putting things in writing
hasn't made them now the rule.

Things keep coming up.
Out of nowhere, things to do.
Obligations that keep pulling
at my "set in schedule" glue.

I've just been giving in,
like a pushed revolving door.
I schedule to do better.
I mean, what is a schedule for?!
 

A Quick 'Virtual Friday' Check-In!

      Hello Y'all!! ^_^ I know...I know! It's been a while since I posted on the blog...AGAIN! ^_^ But I had a few days of 'busy, busy, busy'...'sick, sick, sick'! So here I am, AFTER all of that, ready to do a quick 'check-in' with you! :-)
      And since I couldn't remember what I showed you already, and I was too lazy to go back through my recent blog posts to find out, :-) I decided to just do a quick 'Did-I-Show-You-This'!! ^_^ Sooooo...did I show you the mint scarf and gloves set?...
       

      Did I show you the red tote bag, with the big crochet flower sewn on?!...

 

      If I didn't show it to you before, well now I have! ^_^ And if I did show it to you before, uhhhhh....now you've seen it again!! ^_^ That's what you get, trying to 'check-in' with a semi-menopausal lady, with a memory like a sieve, and not enough time on her hands to look up from her crocheting!! LOL

       There is something I didn't show you though! It's the finished 'Ugly Wuglyee' hooded child's sweater! :-) ...

 

      I made it from a lot of my leftover bits and pieces of yarn. And don't you dare say: "We can tell!!" LOL ...
 

      The truth is...I'm not that fond of the colors. ^_^ My girlfriend is making the same sweater for her son, using some gorgeous creams and blacks and so forth. Hers is looking FABU!! In fact, I'm almost tempted to make it again, using some 'proper' yarn! :-) The only downfall is that I don't have a little one to make it for!! ^_^
 

      I'll try to get a photo of her sweater being worn by her little boy when she's all done...which may be quite a while, considering the fact that she hasn't even finished the back of hers yet, and has a front, sleeves, and cuff and bottom line gathering to do on it! But when she's done...!! :-]

            While taking a break from 'virtually-packing' for a 'virtual trip' to Nepal later this evening, I'm working on my latest project! ^_^ It's a multi-colored circular cowl scarf. I'm using the rest of that leftover yarn I have in my bag. {No!! I will NOT waste yarn!! ^_^} It may be too ugly to wear with pride, but just ugly and warm enough to wear tucked inside a coat! ^_^ Hey! Winter is gonna be here sometime soon, right?!!

      Speaking of winter coming...Or, rather, should I say Fall (Autumn)...I'M NOT READY!!!! :-) I'm still mourning the 'Bye-Bye' of my hummingbirds!!...***a little tear just fell***Yes, they're gone! :-( I've been staring at a half full feeder full of nectar for almost a week now, trying not to let the reality of their disappearance sink in. But the chilly temps, and the different look of the sky, is fighting with my sense of un-reality!! I just keep reminding myself, like the words to George Benson's song, Everything Must Change.***another hummingbird tear just fell.*** ^_^

      Okay, click on the Youtube link above and enjoy George Benson. :-) I'm off to get my 'virtual packing' done....And, Oh Yeah!, My sister's coming by this weekend!!!...And I have to make a couple of cheesecakes too!! O_O I almost forgot about that!! YIKES!! O_O The cheesecakes are for a cheesecake exchange that's happening this weekend!! My friend wants me to make her one of my cheesecakes, and she's making me one of hers! :-) It's too bad we don't have 'taste-O-blog', so I could share them with you!! ^_^ My sister may get a piece now though!! ^_^

      Have a good weekend, Everybody!! ♥

Catching Up

I see life from my perspective.
And it's always a full cup.
I rarely see the glass half empty.
I don't let much interrupt.

But now I find this needs a change.
I have some catching up to do.
I have some things that need updating.
And some family bonds to glue.

Some things have lagged unmercifully.
They need some tweaking, not too much.
Just need to get back some perspective..
Get some family lines in touch.

This catching up will be wide ranging.
Out with the old, in with the new.
But when you're catching up with people,
there's still some old when you're all through.

Catching up sometimes is tiring.
Maybe that's why I've been waiting.
And, besides, when I'm all done,
there seems there's more that needs updating! 

Brrrrrrrr!....Sweater Time!!

      I will probably never ever ever, never ever....never EVER ever!...make this pattern again!!...but I'm half way through with it already (this is the photo I took of the back of the boy's sweater when it was only about half way done), so I HAVE to finish it now!
      It's gonna be a long sleeved hooded boy's southwest-style sweater/hoodie. :-] ...
 

     
      It's a whole lot of color. And a whole lot of changing of colors. And a whole lot of WORK adding those designs!! O_O But it's also a whole lot of fun doing something I haven't done before! ^_^
 

      And since it's time for bed, and I don't have anything else to share with you...I hope you enjoy the peek at it! ^_^ 

      I could spend a bit of time telling you the story about how hubby just found out that his new "job" is really gonna be four more weeks of un-paid training!...Ughhhhhh!!!!!...and then probably another two weeks after that before he actually gets a paycheck!....UGHHHHH!!!!...but I won't waste my time ranting about such un-smile-worthy things!! ^_^ Is it any wonder I need to go to bed RIGHT NOW?!!! O_O Goodnight, Y'all. Here's hoping you have something to smile about!! :-) I make myself feel better just knowing that somebody does!!!! ^_^ See you tomorrow! ♥

Balance

You teeter totter, in the middle,
Lean a little, OOPS! You're off!
Now you know that you're not balanced,
and you hope the ground is soft.

It's not easy to achieve,
and once you have it, to maintain.
In almost every part of life
our balance is so hard to gain.

You have to balance your emotions,
how you eat, and how you spend.
And when you're balancing your checkbook,
try to keep a level grin.

Staying somewhere in the middle
takes a conscious, careful touch,
because it doesn't take a lot
to go from balanced to 'too much'!

So try to keep a balanced eye,
a balanced plate, and balanced life.
Keep your feelings all in check,
and minimize the stress and strife.

And don't compare your sense of balance
 to your neighbor's...you're alone.
Because your neighbor's also trying
to get some balance of his own!

Soooooooo...He Passed The Test!...And I Went With The Flower!

       Woohoo!!...There were two things on my mind on my 'yawn-fest' of a blog post yesterday. One thing was that my husband was taking a special driving test, in order to get a license to drive a special kind of bus or van. He 'crammed' for it all weekend! And today...HE PASSED IT!! :-) Again I say: Woohoo!! ^_^
        I'm so excited for him!...although it's gonna mean that he's not here at home with me as much as before. :-( Hey!...Somebody's gotta work around here!! I need to be kept in the ice cream, grits, and potatoes that I've become accustomed to!!Ha! Ha!

     I've also become accustomed to crocheting my brains out! So, I guess yarn would also be on the list of things we might be able to afford soon! :-) Although, I'm not doing so badly finding projects to make, using the yarn I still have around here! ^_^ Case in point, remember the 100% cotton red tote bag I was trying to decide whether to attach a ribbon or a flower to?...

      I decided to go with the flower! ^_^
 

      ...And remember the before mentioned mint green yarn. The yarn I made the mittens and the scarf out of?!... 
 

       Hubby took a few photos of them out in the backyard yesterday...after the rainy skies cleared....I love the photos!...even though they're LOADED with contradiction!! I mean, there's no snow on the ground, but Tina is mittened to the max (not to mention that they almost look like oven mitts too!! ^_^ WHATEVER!!!!), and she's scarfed up to her headless neck! :-))
      It's also not lost on me that wearing a light-weight stringed dress along with mittens and a thick scarf is just fraught with contradiction!! ^_^ The kind of contradiction that makes you wanna scrap the photos, put Tina in a winter Parka, twist off her mitted hands, and start all over again! ^_^ 
      But...Hey!!...I'm Poetesswug, crazy-girl crocheter, poet, lover of country music and Motown, and wife to a loving non-professional photographer who took loads of these photos just so that I could find three that would work for me. I'm NOT beyond contradiction!! ^_^
       

      Besides...Tina looks cool!!! ^_^ Why mess with 'cool-mint-green-contradiction'!! ^_^ Have a good rest of the day, Everybody!! ♥

Eclectic Tastes

I've got eclectic tastes.
Yes I do! That's what I said!
I'm not afraid of being different,
Country raised and city bred.

If it's pretty, then I'm in,
but just as fast I can be out,
because I don't like what the hoopla
about some things is all about!

I think different can be cool,
in many colors, not just white.
And not just worn by 'one person',
with a body shape just right.

It's good to have 'eclectic' tastes,
and to just be who 'you' are!
But be careful, because 'eclectic'
quickly can become 'Too Far'!!