Wanna know what I'm making next?!!......*cricket sounds* :-)

      Okay...so listen to me now. I know that most of you aren't interested...in the least!...about what my next artsy crochet hat project is gonna be!...I KNOW!! ^_^ But if you think that that's gonna stop me from showing you what it's gonna be...you're waaaay wrong! LOL
      I don't have much going on in my life right now, except tennis...{"Congratulations 'Baby Boy' Rafa Nadal for pulling it out!! :-) ... And you too Maria Sharapova!!...Maybe next year, Lleyton Hewitt!" ^_^}...and some...SHHHHHHHH!...*whispering*...football slippers, size 12!! ^_^ Yes, I'm making them for my hubby! :-) But hubby has no idea. So...shhhhhhh! ^_^
      I still have a soft pink baby blanket to make, but I found out that she doesn't need it until around the end of February...Good thing too! My funds are kinda low, and I need to buy some yarn for it!... :-] ...But, for right now, it's artsy crochet hat projects by day, and covert football slipper crocheting by night...or whenever hubby leaves the house! LOL
      The next artsy crochet hat will be this color...
      

     ...It's 'berry blue'! :-) ... Why this color, you ask?! O_O Well, because I found a really artsy applique, and it has this color in it's stones! :-) ...
 

     My applique has chains and rhinestones...or at least that's what I think they are!! LOL {Wouldn't it be something if they were some expensive gem?!...No chance, people!! ^_^} The applique also has ribbons, wrinkled fabric, and tiny safety pins! ^_^ 
 

      Now, if that's not artsy I don't know what is!!! ^_^ I can hardly wait to finish it to see how it turns out!! :-) And then it'll be on to the next one...with pink, and a little 'Mona Lisa' inspiration! ^_^ ... I know...I know!! Ha! Ha!...But you know I'm gonna show it to you anyway!! LOL..."Hello!...Is anybody still out there?!"...*cricket sounds* :-) Have a good rest of the day...whoever! ^_^ ♥

You Probably Don't Care!

I know you probably don't care,
but I will tell you anyway!
I mean, I have to talk about it.
It's what I do most every day!

I know you have your own things going,
and my things? You could care less.
But I have to spill it, talk,
share, converse, chat, or confess.

Don't you have some days like that,
when you just 'let down your hair'?
Well, today was that for me,
and it's okay if you don't care!

As you see, it didn't stop me.
I'm still talking, cracking wise.
You don't have to read about it.
You can cover up over your eyes! ^_^

Quotable Maya Angelou Inspiration

 (Vintage 1st Ed. Book by Maya Angelou "Wouldn't Take Nothing for my Journey Now" from booksvintage)

      I don't usually write about public figures when they pass away. But I always write about things that impact me...and the poetry and writing of Maya Angelou did. And in a much bigger way than I realized until I started to see her inspirational quotes being repeated all over the place after the announcement of her death yesterday.

      My first notice of Maya Angelou was in a movie about her life...I think. I say "I think" because I'm really not sure where I first became aware of Maya Angelou. Somehow the knowledge of her, her life story, and her writing...especially her poetry...has always been just a part of my awareness. 

      Probably because I saw so many similarities in our life stories. The good...and the bad, unfortunately. The movie version of her book, "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" had me in those 'ugly' tears!...But, like her, "I wouldn't take nothing for my journey now"! :-] ...

 (booksvintage)

      The only book that I can quote with total belief and knowledge is the Bible. But I realized yesterday that I'm pretty knowledgeable about Maya Angelou's quotes too!...even though...I'm embarrassed to say...I didn't always know that it was her I was quoting! O_O

      I 'did' know this quote though!...

 (Made to Order Maya Angelou Quote Hand Stamped Necklace by DesignByAnyOtherName)

      I had to use this quote many times over the years, as I was learning to forgive myself and my relatives...and when I was trying to give advice to friends on how to forgive themselves and their friends and family!...Oh! How many times have I said to myself: "Okay, Girl, so you didn't do that in the best way you could have. But now that you know better, you can do better!"... Or... "No! They were not good people. They didn't treat you in the way that you should've been treated! But now that they know better, maybe they will do better!"

      I've also often repeated the quote: "When people show you who they are, believe them the first time!" But I didn't know that it was Maya Angelou that said it!! :-] ... And below are a couple of other great quotes of hers!...

 (Maya Angelou INSTANT DOWNLOAD POSTER by InspirationalQuote)

(8x10 PRINTABLE Maya Angelou Quote by jillmarie7276)

          In her life she was a dancer, a writer, a poet, she did movies, she loved her friends and family, and she loved music!!...She once said: "Music was my refuge. I could crawl into a space between the notes and curl my back to loneliness."

      She was also known to have said: "Success is liking yourself, liking what you do and liking how you do it."...also..."If you have only one smile in you give it to the people you love."...and..."Life loves the liver of it." :-) I could be here all day! :-) But I won't!! ^_^ 

      Because of the Bible and Jehovah God's great love for me, I have become the woman I am today....But because of Erma Bombeck and Maya Angelou I was able to survive my childhood and get to a place in my life where I could come to know, and believe, the Bible's words and the great love that Jehovah God has for me. :-] ... So today I am feeling very thankful...all the way around. And I know that death cannot rob me of the words. They will live on in my heart. ♥

      One of my girlfriends gave me a book of poetry by Maya Angelou entitled "Four Poems Celebrating Women". Included in the book are the 2 poems "Phenomenal Woman" and "Still I Rise". My girlfriend paid me the greatest complement when she said, in her letter to me (which I have had tucked in the book for the last 12 years): "...naturally I thought of you when I saw this little book...She's one of my favorite people....the first poem not only reminds me of you, it sounds like something you even might have written!!" :-) ... I was very flattered because the poem she alluded to was "Phenomenal Woman". :-] If my poetry makes just one person feel the way I felt when reading things Maya Angelou wrote...YAY!! :-) ... Have a good day, Everybody! ♥

Poetry

Poetry, the gift of words,
that help you say whats in your heart;
that puts your thoughts of life together,
but pulls emotions all apart.

Poetry, your quiet friend,
that gives your voice a place to land;
that gives the things you'd  never say
a way to jump out from your hand.

Poetry, done to a beat,
a beat of words, said right in time,
without confusion of the music,
but just the rhythm and the rhyme.

Poetry, phrase harmony;
the way a noun and adverb meet;
the way they line up side-by-side,
and all Not needed they delete.

Poetry, the passing thoughts,
and all the others I hold dear,
of all the people and the places
that I've  written down right here.

Poetry, the gift of words,
and putting them together too;
Without the pen and paper
what in the world would my mind do?

'Virtual' Date Night!...'VIRTUAL' DATE NIGHT!!!!

 (40 Date Night Suggestion Cards by sayLULLOWcreative)

Even if it wasn't Friday in Massachusetts, I'd be looking for a virtual shuttle, bus, train, boat, airplane, or rickety scooter outta here!!... ^_^ ...because we've got tons of cold...and frozen!...snow still on the ground, and the temperatures are in the single digits this morning! O_O ... Can you say 'Where's The Heat?!!' ^_^ 

       But it 'is' Friday! :-) ... and all of the above is still true!! LOL I'm online checking flights...Costa Rica...hmmmm...74 degrees...Not hot enough!! :-) ... Oh well...I'll figure out something!...There can't be snow everywhere, can there?!!

 

 (Full Page 20 Original Hand Drawn Set of Weather Illustrations by ArtOutlines)

     The ice is good though!...for iced coffee...homemade snow cones....iced tea....and ice skating! ^_^

 (12 oz Skates cup by CircaCeramics)

     Speaking of tea, it's time for some green tea, with honey and lemon, isn't it honey?!! :-) ...

     

(One Color Lithography Print by JoysPrinting)

        Clearly, my brain isn't completely on yet. Maybe the tea will help!...I didn't sleep well last night, and my body parts don't wanna get that joint movement thing going just yet for some reason! Ugh!...As long as it warms up in time for my date, I'm good! ^_^ Nobody wants to see a cranky childless granny-type Wug girl sauntering through a virtual airport, singing old 'Hee Haw' songs about gloom and despair! LOL

     Anyway!! ^_^ It's DATE DAY!!!!! :-) All else does not matter....today! ^_^ Have a good date yourselves....or a good Friday...or a great weekend!!...whichever comes first for you! ^_^ ♥

Virtual trip

I really like to travel,
See the world, expand my mind.
But not getting on an airplane,
or hunting luggage I can't find!

I like a 'good ole' virtual trip.
Computer details. Music too.
Where you don't need a 'stinking' passport,
or have to wear a 'stinking' shoe!

But a little stay at home,
under covers, lock and key,
can also be expansive.
Even if it's 'virtually'.

It's A "Show And Tell"..."What Are 'YOU' Up To?"...Kind Of Day!

 (Multi Color Decorative Vintage Button Mirror by MoonRayDesigns)

     Soooo...it's Monday.That's right, right?!...It is Monday?! ^_^ I've been kinda distracted and mentally M.I.A. lately....But, I'm back!!! :-) And to prove it I wanna do a little show and tell. :-]

      I wanna 'show' you this cute and creative mirror I found on Etsy!...from Rachel of MoonRayDesigns. Her shop intro says she loves art...loves to create...and loves to make her own things!...

 (MoonRayDesigns)

     And looking at this beautifully done mirror I would say Check...Check.....and CHECK! :-) It's like a mirrored and buttoned piece of handmade art!! :-) I love it because of all of the color too! 

     And if you're into art and color, like I am, let me 'tell' you about an artist I love...whose also a blogger! :-) It's Diane, over at Duda Daze! Check her blog, and Etsy shop, out. She's great!!

     If that doesn't fill up your 'color cup'...let me 'show' you these!...

 (Vintage 1980's Sergio Zelcer Shoes from MerrilyVerilyVintage)

     No...you can't wear them everywhere!...but everywhere you wear them you'll be like.....WOW!!! ^_^

      Something else that's like WOW!...is the easy caramel sauce I just saw on The Pioneer Woman blog!...I just had to 'tell' you about it!! ^_^ 

     Moving right along!...I'd like to 'tell' you about the cold and icy backyard I'm looking at right now. Ugh! And it's cloudy too! O_O AND we have another snow storm coming tomorrow!!...I know where I''d like to put some of this cold and ice!...in Florida!!! :-)) ... or here!...

 (Hand Painted Vintage Minnie Mouse Ice Bucket from VickiesCrafts)

     ...in this Minnie ice bucket! ^_^ ...Okay! It wasn't that smooth of a transition! LOL But I had to 'show' you this little cute bucket, and I was stretching myself to try to make it fit my theme. ^_^

     Making this mug fit won't be as hard...

(Small Rain Cloud Porcelain Mug by SilverLiningCeramics)

     ...we don't have any rain...So we needed some! :-)) ...in a mug, but not from the sky!! LOL...How was that?! :-)

      Be patient. I've only got one more thing to 'tell' you. I'd like to tell you THANK YOU for being so kind and patient with me over the last few days. Your comments of encouragement have been truly appreciated. :-]

     Today I'm gonna be all about schedule!...and that probably will include some crocheting! :-) I'm not promising anything though! NO PRESSURE!!!...Besides, I have enough inventory in my 'EXPIRED' section to keep me going for...Ohhhh...another year at least!! LOL

     One more thing to 'show' you...

 

(George Nelson Ball Clock from ReStyleGraphic)

     ...And to 'tell' you...*sigh*...Time gets away from you real fast!! Take time to appreciate every moment...and make it a good day!! ♥

Feeling Better

There's no card for "Feeling Better"!
But I think that there should be,
when my friends have sent good wishes;
and been loving up on me.

When they've sent good food to eat,
flowers, cards, emails, and calls.
When they've made it bearable
watching T.V. and 4 walls.

I'd like a card to send them back,
with a smiley face there too,
saying: "Feeling so much better;
and it's all because of you!"

A Pause....For Some Other Stuff I Like!

(Typography Print Tote Bag by TheMotivatedType)

       I'm taking a pause from tennis...Australian Open tennis...WOOHOO!!! ^_^...Or I should say, I'm taking a pause from talking to YOU about tennis! :-) I saw a few things on Etsy that I wanna share!...but first...coffee! :-)

      I love that bag (in the header photo)! It's such a great sentiment. Especially for someone who is having jet lag...without ever getting on a jet! ^_^...because of changing my sleeping pattern to watch tennis. :-) Yes, I could watch it during the day. They replay all of the matches on 'The Tennis Channel'. But I like to watch my tennis LIVE!! ^_^ So...3 a.m. to early morning....I'm on it!! ^_^

      So, before I go to bed!...LOL...let me show you the cuties from Etsy!...

 

 (3D Paper Apple Sculpture by tigers4tea)

 (City Scene Tapestry Fabric Handbag by SadiesSnippets)

 (Raspberry Red Mosaic Earrings by picturing)

 (2-Way Shell Disc Necklace with Seagull by MHALLCRAFT)

(Wrap Watch with Real Leaf by VillaSorgenfrei)

      I could find a place in my wardrobe, and house, for every single piece!! :-) I'm partial to the watch and earrings though...just saying....in case my hubby is looking. ^_^

      Pause Over! :-) Back to my regularly scheduled viewing...without the talking....for now! :-)) Have a good day, Everybody! ♥

A Crafty Group

T-Shirts showing pictures,
and the pillows with some too;
Artistic framed creations
done of vegetables and fruit.

Beaded wire-made bracelets;
Things vintage and brand new;
Penguins on a lunch bag;
and, of course, there's flowers too.

Plushy toys and hats;
Kittens, pottery and rings.
Painted yarn and thread;
Priced for paupers, fit for kings.

Reusable, recycled,
some refashioned, now called "green";
No plastic for the landfill,
Just some bags fit for a Queen.

Men's ties that now are 'handles';
Star-shaped soap, a purse with birds.
Wood crafts all hand-painted.
Retro T-Shirts, done with words.

With all the crafts and talent;
place-mats, quilts, and lots of fun,
It's a group of happy people;
every daughter, mom, and son.

Are You A Powder Blue Fan?!

 (25 Powder Blue Chevron Paper Straws by BakeMeAParty)

      I don't have much to talk about that would be of interest on the blog today...except things that I shouldn't talk about...and I won't!! LOL So I decided that powder blue is as good of a subject as any to put my 'wordy chops' into! ^_^

      Actually, I didn't just 'decide' to talk about powder blue! I mean...who does that?! :-)) No, it was kinda decided for me...when one of my powder blue brooches was chosen for a treasury! ^_^ But once it was chosen.....powder blue was ON!! LOL

 (Set of Two 18 Inch Powder Blue Decorative Pillow Cushion Covers by berly731)

(Sunday Powder Blue Etsy Treasury curated by blingonthebows)

      I didn't share all of the powder blue items from the treasury, but you can click the link and go and look at all of them if you like. :-) ... I just shared the things that caught my eye...and my brooch, of course! ^_^ ...

 

(Large 3-Layer Powder Blue Crochet Flower Brooch Pin by Wuglyees)

      There's other things I could talk about...given the time, and the ability to transmit warmth and nuance across a computer screen!...but I haven't been given...and I don't have the ability...and I can't...so I won't!! LOL

     I'm just gonna get off of this computer....NOW! ^_^ ...and go and get to work on my new customer's MADE-TO-ORDER wedding package!!...YAY!!...One man's boutonniere, and four groomsmen pins! :-) One of these days I'm gonna be 'The New Big Thing'!!...Crochet Wedding Accessories by the Poetesswug"! ^_^ ...Yeah, right! LOL...Whatever!!...For today, that's what I'm doing... What are you doing today?!!!

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 jolt for my old eyes.
To make my life worth living,
and each day a great surprise! 

♫ 'Still Crazy...and TALKING...After All These Years'! ♫

(Painted Terracotta Flower Pot / Chicken Motif by SmallTownTraditions)

      This is my 1,345th blog post!...SHOCKING! O_O I just saw the number as I was getting ready to write this post!...*shaking my head*...Who knew that one woman could talk this much...every day...for YEARS!! LOL
      You could go back and look for yourself HERE, but back when I started this blog...back in April of 2010...I wasn't thinking about what I would be talking about every day up until 2013! Ha! Ha! No...I was worried about putting my creative juices on display. ^_^ I was also worried about whether my brain cells would hold out....DONE! ^_^ 
      To my credit, in that first post I warned readers that I was long-winded! ^_^ Boy, did that prove to be true!! LOL...because here I am, over three and a half years later, STILL TALKING!! ^_^ CRAZY!!!....Maybe I shoulda just warned people that I was crazy! LOL
      ANYWAY!! It's too late now! ^_^ ... So, what am I gonna talk about for my 1, 345th post?!...Autism and animals! :-) ...
      

(Siberian Tiger Original Acrylic Canvas Painting by SmallTownTraditions)

 

      Don't worry though. I'm not gonna talk about it that deeply. :-)) I'm only mentioning it at all because I just saw a little documentary on 'Temple Grandin'. A friend recommended that I see the movie about her life (which I still can't seem to get my hands on anywhere!...just saying! Ugh!).
      I was fascinated with her 'visual thinking', and how she noticed the movements of animals...especially cattle...I have got to see her movie!!!...It was fascinating to me because I always considered myself a 'word' thinker. But after looking at her documentary I realized that I am probably more of a visual thinker than I previously thought!
      And I also realized that I'm very attuned to my surroundings!...the movements of my backyard animals...especially the birds...

(Woodpecker Bird Photography by VanillaExtinction)

 

(12 X 9 Woodpecker Original Watercolor Painting by ORIGINALONLY)

 

      Lately it's been all about the woodpeckers! :-] ...
 

(5x7 Downy Woodpecker Watercolor Print-Woodpecker by GoodSailorDesign)

 

      I'm also attuned to people's movements and what it says about how they're feeling. I read my husband like a book all day every day!! ^_^ Yep!...CRAZY!!! LOL Not him......ME!! ^_^
      Is it possible that I'm like Einstein and other intelligentsia?!....Uhhhhh......No!!! I'm not so crazy as to be thinking that!!! LOL But I do think deeply about a lot of stuff that other people probably don't think that much about!..like, for instance, what a good thing it is that God didn't create humans with their ears on top of their head!! ^_^ Imagine the conversations you'd miss when it rained...having to spend half the time bent over, shaking water out of your ears!! LOL
     Well...more crazy talk!!! ^_^ What else did you expect on my 1,345th blog post?! That's what I do!...TALK!! LOL Nobody said it always had to make sense!!....and that's a good thing, because I'm still crazy...and talking...after all these years!! ^_^

      
      Now I'm off to plan a 'virtual date'! :-) Have a good weekend, Y'all! :-)

I Like To Talk

I like to talk;
I like to gab;
I like a girlfriend
free confab!

I like to chat;
I like to speak;
I find that words
are what I seek.

I like the chatter
of a crowd;
Not in a whisper,
but out loud.

But, please no talking
while you chew.
{Speaking does 
have manners too!}

I like the noise
that utterance does.
The constant
conversation buzz.

Maybe I need a
word-free diet;
No! I could not
withstand the quiet!

So, I will talk;
Oh yes! I'll dabble
in a constant
lingo babble.

And I'll talk,
and chew the fat,
while the time goes...
just like that! 

Roses Are Red...To Blanket You With Warmth, Right???!!!

 (Red Rose on Red Pillow by bedbuggs)

      It's no surprise to anyone that reads my blog on a regular basis that 'I LOVE FLOWERS'!...especially colorful flowers!! :-) And I also LOVE poetry! That's why I have to show you the crocheted afghan I made more than ten years ago...and tell you the story about 'why' I'm showing it to you! ^_^

      Here goes!...Hubby and I moved back to Massachusetts, from Connecticut, about fourteen years ago. And shortly after we were here, we set to work on planning a big 25th anniversary party for ourselves. ^_^ Well, not really for ourselves. It was more for our friends that have been there for us throughout our marriage.

      We hired a caterer to make a gourmet sit-down meal. We bought souvenir centerpiece gravy mugs for each table...with colorful painted roses on the sides, and with fresh flowers arranged inside. :-) We made a video to show, with music, of all of our friends and the fun times we've had together.

      We made four specific music tapes, with interchangeable levels of dance music and meaningful music. (we did this mainly so that no one had to spend a lot of time manning a DJ booth or something. ^_^) There was softer...Kenny G...music to play throughout the meal even!! :-) Our friends loved our choices. But of course they would!...we know them so well!!! ^_^

 (1973 Children's Book from fromlosttofound)

      Draped across a large black piano, inside the special place we rented for our party, was a large handmade poetry, and color inspired, afghan blanket...that I made myself just for this occasion! :-) I wanted it to be a little piece of me that someone got to take home with them. :-]

      But who would get it?! O_O ...What I did for weeks beforehand was sit down on the couch, every day, with my crochet hook and a lot of good old movies at the ready, and crocheted different color yarn roses, and then made them into key chains!...around 100 or more of them!!!...or at least I think it was that many.The details escape me at this moment. It could've been more!!...but I made one rose keychain for every single guest!! :-)

       In among all the colors...red, blue, gray, green, white, etc...was one black rose....ONE! And at the end of the night I asked who had the black rose...which my guests didn't know was the only one. ^_^ ... Side story: The person who originally had the black rose wanted another color, and had traded it with another one of my friends by the time of the announcement! Oops!!! LOL

 (Crimson Red Rose with Red Swarovski Pearls Necklace by smoketabby)

     Needless to say, she was NOT happy!! ^_^ And she wasn't happy because the owner of the black rose also got to take this 'baby' home!!!...

      It had been draped across the piano all night, with friends asking tons of questions about it! ^_^ Long story short....Well, not short anymore! ^_^ ...My girlfriend that is moving away to Florida in a few days was the one who won it!! :-] ...

      She called me a couple of weeks ago, wanting to give it back to me now. She's moving to Florida where it's totally hot all the time, and she thought that I would get more use out of it....Between you and me, I think my blanket is becoming sorta like the 'sisterhood of the traveling pants' jeans!! LOL (If you haven't seen the movie, click this link and see the Youtube trailer for what it's about. LOL) 
      I got the message, my friend...and I LOVE You too!!! ;_; And I'm gonna miss you terribly too!!!!...Now I have to find someone else to hold onto my 'baby' for a while! :-) Look out, friends! It may be YOU!!! ^_^
      In the meantime, I'm off to finish my studying for the meeting tonight, and get some breakfast! :-) First....poetry!!!...MORE poetry I mean!!! LOL...
 

(Roses Are Red Print by SewSkustin)

Ode To Flowers

Ode to all loved flowers,
whatever color, shape or form.
You enthrall with sheer delight!
At other times, make my heart warm.

Whether photographed or made,
growing tall out in the yard;
In a vase or porchside planter,
or just naturally unmarred;

Please know you always make me smile,
and lift my mood when I am down.
The world would be a different place
without a lot of you around!

Short and Sweet!

 (Autumn Leaves Throw Pillow by klgphoto)

     No worries about straining your eyes trying to read my long post this morning. ^_^ It's not that long today. It's just a quick one today because I've got a lot of stuff on my 'plate' to do...and no, I'm not talking about a big breakfast on my plate! ^_^ It's just a fried egg and some noodles. Keeping it light! :-]

      But I wanted to stop and let you know about an Etsy shop I found, one with a bunch of cute throw pillows. The pillow in the header photo is one of them. But there's some really cute ones! An autumn rose...a lighthouse...a city skyline...palm trees on the beach...and many more!

      Otherwise there's not much for me to talk about!....See!....short and sweet! :-) Except for maybe a pair of cute baby shoes...a poem...and a nap. ^_^

(Brown and Blue Knitted Merino Wool baby Booties by foldi)

      Enjoy your Saturday, Everybody! :-]

No Rhyme Or Reason

I've never written a poem
that didn't have a rolling rhyme.
In my head that's how I see words.
Rhyming lines come every time!

No matter what the subject,
'food', 'crochet', 'hubby's bike'.
In my mind I have to find
a word that sounds alike!

Have I written words on paper
without rhyming every word?!
Yes I have! About my father,
and my backyard hummingbird.

But when I think of poems
I can almost tap my feet...
as if music is now playing,
and I'm rhyming to a beat!

Is this every Poet's way?!
I don't know. I just know ME!
But if I wrote about it,
it would be a rhyming soliloquy!