Yarn Love, part 1

So I said a while back that I wanted to blog more about my life outside of CF, so this is my starting point.

I have been doing a lot of knitting and crochet lately and I just find it hard to sit down and type out my thoughts.  I feel like I'd much rather be working with my yarn.  ;) But I've also been following a lot of yarn related blogs lately and I really like what I am seeing and would love to contribute to the yarn blog world.  So I thought maybe I'd "try" to alternate a crafty post with a health related post...or maybe focus more on my crafty things than my health issues at all.  We'll see how this works out.  In the next few posts, I'll be sharing my journey with yarn art.

Let me get started by saying, I am not an artsy person.  I can't draw or paint for the life of me.  Art class in school was more a time for doodles and fooling around, it was never my strong suit.  When I was in college my core group of girls and I dabbled in scrapbooking, and card making.  I loved doing all of that because I didn't have to draw my own stuff, I could just use stamps and stickers and such.  I spent a lot of money and bought a lot of the things.  But I just wasn't loving this craft.  It was expensive and took up a lot of space which I didn't quite have.  I still have a lot of the stuff and will use it for the card stock or the pretty paper designs, but not much more.  I actually gave a lot of it to my mom because she has more time.  If I have the space some day, maybe I can go back to it.

I ended up going an extra half year in college to do my student teaching...so I graduated in the spring and then went back in the fall the same year (the next school year).  I had a whole new crew of room mates as mine had all graduated and started work.  So clearly as you'll find out in the next sentence...we were huge partiers.  LOL...jk.  One Saturday morning...yes, this is what we did for fun...we went to Walmart and bought yarn and knitting needles.  Then spent the rest of the day learning the basic knit stitch.  One of the girls in this crew (remember, not my original crew, but my new crew) had been working on a cable scarf in a dark blue and after much discussion, the other 3 of us decided we wanted to learn too.  I bought two skeins that did NOT match together at all.  One was yellow cotton yarn and one was a light purple fluffy yarn.  If you know anything about the fiber content of yarn, these two definitely did not go together.  I'll have to see if I still have the yarn and post a pic. (UPDATE:  found the yarns)

 As you can see, the colors aren't too terrible together.

BUT, if you look closely at the thickness, they really don't go well together.  *lesson learned*

So I started doing a scarf using both of those colors.  Scarves are great ways to learn because it's mostly straight and can be done rather quickly.  Long story short, I never finished that scarf, it was too hideous.  LOL.  Because the purple is so much thicker, the purple stripes were wider than the yellow and the scarf wasn't really wearable.  Years later, I ended up ripping the whole thing out and saving the yarn for something else.  Keep in mind, this was over 10 years ago.  Yes, I've kept this yarn, maybe out of sentimentality, maybe because I can't bear to part with yarn I may someday use.  Whatever the reason, this is what started my love of all things yarn related. I don't remember what my next project was, but I knitted many baby blankets along the way and ended up teaching myself the many intricacies of knitting, including different stitches and non straight edges.  I'll continue sharing my journey in later posts.  Keep your eyes peeled and thanks for reading!


For more pictures of current projects, visit my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/yarncraftsbycait/ or follow me on IG @cpell215.

Faith

Things have finally settled down since the holidays and the craziness that was work in November.  :(  My colleagues and I have come to terms with the way things went down back then and we have moved on.  The office is more peaceful and we are learning to get along with each other (without our boss).  I have found faith in my company again and am eager to see where the future leads me within the organization.

This week has been a bit odd.  They announced there is a position available in another office, which I have already applied for and I have an interview Tuesday.  Their manager is very aware of my promising job performance. But on the other hand, because of mediocre job performance, some of my colleagues are not able to apply for the new position, so a little tension there…although they don't know that I have applied. I think it will do me well to get away from some of the drama from my current office.  Because even if I say it right now, I know its probably only a matter of time until my colleagues throw fits again.  They believed I (and one other) were getting special treatment…but we had the numbers and we performed our jobs exceedingly well, while some of them did not perform as well.  Work ethic goes a long way, people, trust me.  I have been very successful and I am super proud of my accomplishments.  I went to school for teaching and am now working in customer service/travel, so my prior experiences don't necessarily match up with where I am, but my successes prove that I am motivated to learn and better myself.  For example…I met my reservations (car and hotel) goal by August of last year, had doubled my goal by the end of the year AND I led the office in customer satisfaction scores…and oh, I even made my monthly goals in November when I was out on medical leave for two weeks.  I attribute my successes to being content with where life has taken me.  Although it wasn't where I thought I would be…I couldn't be happier.  And I know that if my life had taken me elsewhere, I may not have been as healthy and happy.  So I am thankful for that.

I have recovered from my exacerbation in November as well…so my mood and enthusiasm has been better. Although this week, I have been waking up with sore throats and sinus-y issues.  I am hoping thats just because we are using the heat more.  Its been a crazy winter so far!  It was nearly 60 degrees on Christmas…and it has barely snowed.  Shhhh.  Hopefully it stays that way. I'm still recovering from last winter. ;)  We finally settled on a plow guy.  That was fiasco…Our old one called in November to check and see whether we still wanted him.  I kinda said "well I was really hoping to find someone who can help me shovel, not just plow."  We had SO much snow last year that it would have taken me days to shovel out a path to get to our cars.  It was ridiculous.  This man was an older man and didn't shovel, which I totally understand.  He got kind of defensive when I told him we needed more, like he was offended or something.  Whatever, we didn't have an attachment to him whatsoever, so it was easy to cut ties.  I called several landscape companies in the area…and NO ONE returned my calls.  That was also ridiculous. I mean, don't you want the business??  So finally I was talking to the girls at work and one of them (we have rarely seen eye to eye) gave me the name of a guy she knows.  I was so grateful, but at the same time afraid to call him.  I didn't want to feel like I owed her anything if I hired him.  So I sucked it up and called him…he was wonderful.  He's a young guy in the construction business, he was happy to help and he loves to do this for people.  He actually plows out disabled Vets in the area for free!  How sweet is that?!  He's expensive, but I think it will be worth it if we get any snow.  I am grateful to have that off my back.

Been knitting a crocheting a lot lately.  I did a bunch of orders for friends and family over Christmas.  I'll devote whole post to that soon.  I'd love to start marketing my stuff and really selling it.  I have a Facebook page, but its mostly just family that follows me.  Maybe if I put it out here on my blog more people will want to follow and see what I have to offer.  I'm always adding new items and trying different things.  I love that it can relax me and help me unwind after a long day.  I love being able to show off my creativity.  :)

HOT, HOT, HOT

This weather is just killer. I don't have any energy to get stuff accomplished…and I really don't feel like working or working out! ;)  My house is a mess, I really hope no one stops by because it just ugh.  I need to do laundry, but its in the basement and I hate lugging it all down there and then bringing it back up and folding it.  I'd much rather have snow piles up to my ears…well I may not exactly be ready for this again…but I'd settle for under 90 and lower humidity.

This is the view from sitting in my car after one of our many snowstorms this past winter.  It was literally up to my shoulders.  My city was supposedly labeled, "the snow capital of the US".  It was a pretty extreme winter.

Of course, last week after my post and after my great update at the PT…I ended up with some moderate belly pain one evening.  I called CF clinic the next day and they sent me for an X-ray the same day.  Apparently I had a "lot of stool" built up in my colon.  So I was feeling pretty awful for a few days while that passed.  In the midst of that, I started coughing more than my norm.  So I called the doctor again on Monday.  They must be so sick of me!  LOL.  I am still feeling pretty bloated, but the pain in my belly is gone.  I also started Cayston (an inhaled antibiotic) for my cough.  So far it does seem to be helping.  I'm bringing up more junk and my cough doesn't seem as tight.  

Other than this heat, I really can't complain.  Our garden is looking awesome!  I'm spending a lot of time crocheting or knitting.  I have tons of friends and a coworker having babies lately.  So lots of small projects.  I'll try and do a whole update on that later with pictures.  I am so proud of (and in love with) ALL the things I make.  As much as I hate to give them away, I know they are going to good families who will appreciate them.  Some things I've made of late…lovey blankets (my new favorite thing, so quick and easy to do…and adorable), head bands for baby girls, large blankets, hats of course.  I have been slowly working to clean out my craft room and it really seems to be helping motivate me to craft more and use what I have!  Its a slow process, but when I feel motivated, I'll clean for a half hour or so and so far it looks really good.  The crafting is a cathartic thing for me.  It keeps my mind occupied while also relaxing me at the end of the day…as long as I'm not too tired.  Its like free therapy!  And crocheting and knitting can be done in front of the tv, so I am still spending time with hubby too.