2013 Fear Avoidance List Accomplishment 2: Filet Crochet

I did it. I completed another project on my fear avoidance list for 2013. This time in the form of a Filet Crochet project although I didn't choose white or off white for this particular project as I went with what I had on hand. 

Filet Crochet didn't have the fear associated with it like the Granny Squares did. It was more of a lack of confidence that comes from being told your too dumb and clumsy to be able to do something so fine and delicate. I knew lots of people who did this type of crochet. I had a Great Aunt who made table runners and alter cloths for churches in this style and another Great Aunt who was well known for her delicate curtains, table cloths, bed spreads and wall hangings. Then there were the adopted grandmother type women in my life also did this delicate dainty bits of work and sold their pieces for good money a couple of different examples were christening gowns and wedding and birth samplers.. They put hours and hours into their pieces and liked to talk about these projects with lots of pride when custom orders were made especially if it involved a church or confirmation, baptism, and wedding type event.  Their speed and reputation intimidated me. I felt a pressure that if I got into this type of crocheting that I'd have to be just as good if not better than they were. Something that my mother and step-father weren't shy about implying and talking about. My mother didn't even attempt it because of the pressure she felt from her husband. That didn't exactly make me feel like it was possible for me to do it at the time.

Those that I knew who made such lovely pieces are all gone now. The opportunity for me to learn from them especially after I gained experience and confidence in crocheting was lost. Some of the pieces I have that were made for me or given to me are starting to show their age and disintegrate and/or need a bit of repair. I haven't been able to find anyone who knows how to do this type of crochet and would be willing to recreate these pieces or attempt to repair them.

Because of my success with the Granny square I thought I would try my hand at Filet Crochet. I chose this praying hands piece to do because it was the pattern I recall hearing my mentors say was the easiest to create. It also is something that I saw them do both for income and for self satisfaction. I'm glad that I did it. While the actual crochet part of this piece is done, it's not totally finished. Besides running in my tail, I have to block this piece and starch it.

It feels amazing to have completed this piece also. I actually found this type of crocheting to be rather enjoyable and I hope to be able to do another piece soon. I do find myself wishing that I hadn't waited so long to attempt it because I have a few questions about tension and blocking that I wish I could ask my Great Aunts about instead of learning it through trial and error. I have peace with the timing though and amazed at how quickly I was  able to get it done and well how good it looks even in the rough fresh off the hook. Maybe Grandma Ethel was right and its in my blood after all.

High Fiber Apple Muffins

1½ cups buttermilk

3 oz ready to eat natural high fiber bran cereal

1 egg slightly beaten

2 T butter, melted

2 T honey

1 lb apples, cored, pared and diced

16 large pitted prunes, diced

¾ cup whole wheat flour

¾ cup all purpose flour

2 T firmly packed dark brown sugar

1½ t double acting baking powder

½ t ground cinnamon

¼ t baking soda

¼ t ground nutmeg

1/8 t salt

In large mixing bowl combine buttermilk, cereal, egg, butter and honey; stir to combine and let stand until cereal softens, 3 to 4 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375°F

In medium mixing bowl combine remaining ingredients, stirring to combine; add to cereal mixture and stir just until combined. Spray 12 2½” diameter muffin-pan cups with nonstick cooking spray; fill each cup with an equal amount of batter (each will be about 2/3 full). Bake for 30 min (until muffins are browned and a toothpick, inserted in center comes out dry). Remove muffins to wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes; invert muffins onto wire rack and let cool completely.

12 servings

Peanut Butter Potato Candy

1 small potato
1 package powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Peanut Butter

Boil small potato until soft in unsalted water. Remove skin and mash with a fork. Add vanilla. Mix in powdered sugar small amounts at a time. Continue adding sugar until the dough is firm. Roll on powdered board to 1/8" thickness. Spread thin layer of peanut butter. Roll up like a jelly roll. Thinly Slice.

2013 Fear Avoidance List Accomplishment 1: Granny Square

I did it. I completed a Granny Square. I'm so excited at finally being successful and defeating a fear that has held me captive for over 20 years that I just couldn't wait to show you.

 Now technically it's not completely finished because I have that dangling little bit of yarn to run into the piece still  as all my tutors in the art of crochet would screaming at me if I were to show them this as it is. Well, to them I say hush now. I promise that I will run that tiny little piece of thread in before it's used. I just couldn't wait another minute to show that I've faced this fear. It was hard enough waiting for the battery to charge in the camera and the computer to warm up, and then to load the program so I could get it re-sized for sharing with those who take a minute to look here at it. 

It is such a huge feeling of relief to finally lay this issue to rest and accomplish something so very basic as what you see above. It's also a little bitter sweet and twinged with sadness because my beloved Gram,  Aunt E, and all the ladies at the center of my support circle growing up aren't here to see it. Oh, I'm sure they can see what I've done and are cheering loud and clear just outside of my frequency to hear them or well I hope they are as they've all left this world except for maybe Aunt E. I lost touch with her a long time ago when we had to move suddenly.

Is it perfect? I don't know. Does it look right I think so with the exception of my dangling bit that I have left out in my haste to share. It's definitely better than anything I have done in the past. I try not to look to closely for faults as I'm not sure enough in my ability of being able to keep my step-father's voice on mute. It's getting better. I've just had more time of hearing his negative voice and painful experiences to reinforce his negative messages than I do positive, empowering over coming and conquering his lessons. I've made progress but it's been slow. With this success I think I'll be picking up speed and erasing the tapes.

 

One of the items that I have avoided and feared doing has been making Granny Squares.  I spent over 20 years listening to people go on and on about how simple they are and how to be a true crocheter you should be able to do a Granny Square. I can't tell you how horrible and worthless that made me feel. How doubtful I was about even continuing with crocheting. How many books and cute, fun projects I rejected over the years simply because they contained a Granny Square. I can't tell you how much I missed out on because of this little issue of mine with this  very basic, beginning crochet project.

My fear started in my youth before I hit the double digit of 10 years old. My step-father's brother's wife E made beautiful afghans, dolls, flowers, coats, etc. etc. out of yarn. She was amazing to watch because her hands just flew with her quick neat rows of stitches and I would sit and watch her work for hours. I wanted to learn how to do the flowers, dolls and especially the coats she made.

 My mother's sister had started showing me how to crochet as it was something she enjoyed doing and I was very depressed that I was going to have to wait 9 whole months for school to get out so I could pick up my lessons. So aunt E  offered to work with me so I wouldn't have to wait for 9  months to get started. She was pleased that I could chain already and felt that it would be good for me to start on a quick moving project of a Granny square.

What age and experience forgets is that youth and inexperience can struggle to learn something. what's simple for one isn't always so simple for another. It was a nightmare for both of us. She was too fast, too quick, to simplistic in her instructions. I couldn't follow her and have it look as nice and neat as hers did. This angered my step-father to no end. As he wondered if I even bothered to show up to work with Aunt E.

 I'd meet with aunt E and work for a bit then go home and have to present the work to him for review. If he didn't like it he'd rip it out and say repeat it. Well... that didn't help me improve any because I worked so hard on trying to follow aunt E's moves that I couldn't recall the moves or how to start from scratch simply from my memory. Aunt E didn't work with patterns unless it was something very new and advanced for her. Everything was from her memory. My mother and step-father didn't consider that I might benefit from written instructions. I didn't consider that there were written instructions out there that one could follow for the Granny Square.

My mother got involved and started meeting with Aunt E to learn how to do it. My mother was a very smart woman she picked it up quickly. Partly because it wasn't as new to her as she made everyone believe and secondly because she found written instructions to follow and third because she made friends with women who crocheted and they helped her out by walking her through the steps because they remembered what it was like to be new that Aunt E had forgotten.

So after my mother's amazing progress with learning how to make Granny squares and my continuing lack of progress not only did my step-father continue to rip out my work to start over but he began to add punishments. Little things like no dinner, no TV, spankings and humiliation. My mother didn't do anything to prevent this from happening. Although she did take extreme care to not get caught with the pattern and extra help from the ladies. By the time I figured out what she was doing, I totally lost my desire to learn how to crochet. Aunt E had the wisdom to drop the lessons. She'd still have me go over to her house for "lessons" but she wouldn't send me home with a project any more. She began to tell my step-father that it was simply too hard for me to keep traveling with the project because of it's size and bulk. then after a bit she changed her work schedule around so we couldn't meet. At our last conversation back in 2001 she admitted she did it to stop me from being picked on because I was getting enough of it without her adding to it from my parents.

However, by the time I got to my beloved aunt she was dumbfounded by the change in me and my reluctance to learn to crochet but she didn't give up. She told me there were many other things to do besides Granny squares. She and her circle of fellow crocheters didn't shun me for not doing them or wanting to do them and so I began to heal and learn other stitches. But nothing would get me to attempt a Granny square ever again. 

I ran hot and cold on crocheting ever since. I found away to laugh and make fun of myself when it came to Granny squares while inside crying and feeling like the biggest loser in the world. Then in June of 2012 my daughter decided that she wanted to make a baby blanket for a dear woman who was having a baby. Most that looked like something that would match my dd's attention span and crocheting skill were Granny squares. In August someone asked what my problem was with Granny squares because they were so easy to do. I told her the short answer that I was Granny Square challenged and beyond all hope. She snorted and rolled with laughter at that. In fact she was quite hysterical from the laughter as she headed back to her physical therapy session. Her dh told me that she felt that way about knots until she had two different colored ropes to tie together and could see the knot. he also told me about her beautiful work and how between carpel tunnel and a stroke she couldn't do her beautiful knot work or crochet or knit.

I didn't realize how I was negatively influencing my daughter because of my fear of being humiliated if I did the Granny square wrong. It ate at me and ate at me and finally I had enough of hearing my mother and step-father's nasty remarks about my inferior work in my head and remembering that time in my life. I began to research for a pattern that was written down and seemed crystal clear. I watched youtube type videos. I talked to my friend who's a crochet goddess and my aunt. I had panic attacks, got sick, put it off and tried to block it, bury it, and give up especially because of the increase in the volume of the Granny square sound track of mother and step-father negative voices (things that in the past got me to shut down, stop in hopes of silencing them). 

The urge to put this on my 2013 to do list began to get stronger and drown out my mother and step-father's voices, and finally I had to do this. I'm now here to say that I did it. I found a pattern that was clearly written at my level. I went where I had no choice but to work on following the pattern. I had to rip out and start over many times. I got sick which is polite way of saying I threw up a lot. I had to work on it in 5 to 15 minute intervals because that's all I could mentally handle. But I didn't look back, I didn't quit, I jumped off the cliff and fell towards my doom. Only there wasn't any doom. I finished it. I completed it and that's all that matters.

In fact, I'm helping my daughter to make a granny square baby blanket now because I don't want her to go through what I did of being afraid of something. I especially don't want her to fear this pattern simply because I feared it for so long and deeply. It really is a simple pattern when one has clear instructions. I can see now looking back why there was such a problem between my various instructors and me learning it. Besides the obvious of me being a righty and some of them being a lefty. lol I'm thankful to my daughter for showing me that it was more to it than was obvious on the surface and I'm thankful for the opportunity to work with her to further reinforce that yes, I can do this.

GF CF Pancakes

1 c brown rice flour
½ c white rice flour
1 c tapioca flour
½ c potato starch

2 tsp salt
1 T GF baking powder
3 T sugar
3 eggs *
1¼ c Vance's Dairy Free**
3 T oil
¼ tsp GF vanilla

Mix like normal pancake batter. Lumps are ok as long as not big. Cook on griddle until light brown and bubbles form. Turn over cook other side til brown around edge.

Variation: for chocolate pancakes use Vance's Dairy Free Chocolate.

*or use egg replacer
**or use other milk substitute

This is a recipe that is good with syrup, jam, peanut butter, powder sugar, or however, you like your pancakes. The pancakes also work well for wrap style sandwiches.

Chocolate Coconut Potato Candy II

4 cups coconut
¾ cup cooked, cold mashed potatoes
1 pound powdered sugar
6 oz chocolate chips
small piece of paraffin

Variation add finely chopped almonds to the mix

Mix the first three ingredients together. Next shape the mix into balls about the size of an unshelled walnut. Let the walnut size balls dry on wax paper. In a double boiler melt chips and a little bit of paraffin on low heat. Dip dry balls into chocolate.

These have been described as being close to Mounds candy bars and as being close to Almond Joy if you add in some finely chopped almonds to the mix before dipping in the chocolate.

2013 Tackling Fears or Avoidance Issues Update 1

I've not made as much progress as I would like but I have managed to make a bit.

The Granny Square:
I have a pattern that looks like I can follow it. I have a nice solid color yarn to work the pattern in. In fact it's in the color that I was given a long time ago to at my first attempt to learn how to make one. I just love the sense of humor on that one.

The Filet Crochet:
I have found many patterns for it. I just have to narrow it down. Do I do a dragon or do I do a sign or what exactly to choose animal, plant, dragonfly... lots of possibilities have presented themselves. I do know what I will not be doing. I will not be doing any of the patterns that I remember my Great Aunt S working on. Nothing against the patterns or my Great Aunt S. It's just that those are big projects and above my skill level at this time. Doing table cloths for a seating of 12 or bedspreads or alter cloths are just bit out of my comfort level at this time. And that's helped to narrow down my options for what to do.

"The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien
I have a copy waiting for me to pick up. Today I plan to go and fetch the copy home so I can start reading it.

Art
I've been working on doodling. It's been very helpful for keeping me both focused and tolerant when I have been placed on hold. It's that time of year of making lots of phone calls and being on hold for awhile goes hand in hand with. The doodling exercise has been a good use of that time. I should have something to show as soon as I get my camera back. I am already thinking about the 2nd part of the course as I've looked ahead. I have ideas swirling around in my brain but not sure how to put them down on the paper yet.

Like I said not mad much progress but have made a bit. If your just seeing this and wondering what I'm doing then please check here. Until next time.

Gluten Free Rice-Oat Bread

Rice-Oat BreadCombine in bowl of a heavy duty mixer:

3 large Eggs
¼ cup Sunflower/Soybean oil
1 Tablespoon Cider Vinegar
10 ½ cups Very Warm Water

In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients. (Remember flours kept in refrigerator should be mixed first; microwave for 20 -30 seconds to warm... then add other ingredients)

1 cup Rice Flour
1 cup PrOating Flour
½ cup Tapioca Flour
½ cup Potato Starch Flour
3 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Tablespoon Xanthan Gum
1 ½ teaspoons Salt
2 Tablespoons Egg Replacer (or an extra egg white)
2 packages Active Dry Yeast
½ cup dry milk powder*

Add about half of the flour mixture to the liquids, beat on low speed to mix. Gradually add rest to flour mixture and then beat on high speed for a full 3 minutes.

Batter will be like very thick cake batter. Spoon into well greased loaf pans. Let rise in warm place until double, about 40-60 minutes. Bake at 350° about 23 minutes for large loaves or 18 minutes for mini loaves. Turn onto rack to cool.

Makes 2 regular sized loaves or 5-6 mini loaves.

*or lactose-free baby formula instead of dry milk powder. or potato milk can also be used to make this a dairy free recipe.

As for heavy duty mixer... Denise recommends that we use a Bosch universal mixer for this. Although a heavy duty kitchen aide might work. Denise also says that a GF oat flour can be used in place of PrOating although PrOating is what she used.

Thanks to Denise for sharing the recipe. Thanks to Eloise for creating it in the first place as that is where Denise got the recipe from. Thanks to Kathy for passing the recipe to me.

2013 Tackling Fears or Avoidance Issues

2013 will be a year of working on my fear/avoidance list. I put in a request for a sign as to what I should do in the year 2013. Since making my request, I have received a variety of signs in the form of emails, topics on discussion in my numerous groups and gathering places, seen ads and offers for, overheard random phrases while out shopping, riding the bus, waiting in various waiting rooms, etc. a few things on my fear/avoidance list. Because a few of the same things kept coming up repeatedly I took it as a big flashing neon sign from the universe to get my attention that this is what I am to work on in 2013. I don't know if I will tackle the whole list or not this year. As I have a pretty big list that's been accumulated over 40 years to work through.

What items will I be focusing on for the month of January? I've chosen Granny Squares, Filet Crochet, "The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien, and art. I figured I'd start small and go with the hottest topics that coincided with my list. I'm not sure in what order I will do them in as some of it will depend on if I can get the required items together to do it.

Granny Squares

My plan is to find a pattern for something that involves Granny Square. I plan to first learn how to create one and then make something from it. Just thinking of doing this project is making my skin crawl and the dreaded sound track tapes of my mother and step-father start playing. If I can do this... maybe I can get their sound track erased.

Filet Crochet

I'm pretty much going to do with this what I plan to do with the Granny Squares. Find a pattern and create something.

"The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien

My plan here is to get a copy of the book and read it cover to cover. I'm not sure which form I will find it in. Thanks to the movie coming out in December 2012 all available copies are checked out. I've put a request for a hold on it at our local library. I may take a look and see if I can get a kindle version or I may just break down and buy a copy at the book store. I know I have a copy of it or I should still have a copy of it somewhere. I think it's in storage with the rest of the stuff from my adopted grandmother. I may have to go check out the shed and see if its still there or not.

Art

My plan here is to take some workshops online. Maybe even with my children. I've looked into several different ones and they all seem to be good and very interesting. It's making it hard to choose where to begin. I signed up for a three week ecourse by Jani Franck titled "UnEarth your Creative Nature". I chose it because it's “suitable for aspiring or lapsed... and anyone who wants to bring more creativity into their daily life.”

Now that I have shared this, I must do it. I hope to have an update soon on at least one of these that I have accomplished for the month of January.

Chocolate Coconut Potato Candy

1/3 cup mashed potatoes
1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flaked coconut
Chocolate (German or Semi-Sweet works well)

Mix ingredients thoroughly. Shape into desired size balls. Place in refrigerator until very cold. Roll candy in melted chocolate.

Reflect on the Old Year...

2012 has come and gone. 2013 is here. What will the new year hold for you? What lessons did you learn in 2012 that will make 2013 better? To help you determine this, reflect back on the the year you had in 2012. Below are some questions to help you with your reflection.

Reflection Questions for 2012

  What was the single best thing that happened this past year?

  What was the single most challenging thing that happened?

  What was an unexpected joy this past year?

  What was an unexpected obstacle?

  Pick three words to describe your 2012.

  Pick three words your spouse/significant other would use to describe your 2012
(don't ask them; guess based on how you think your spouse sees you).

  Pick three words your spouse/significant other would use to describe their 2012 (again, without asking).

 

 Pick three words your children (if you have them) would use to describe your 2012 (again, without asking). 

 

 Pick three words  your children (if you have them) would use to describe their 2012 (again, without asking.)

 

 What were the best books you read this year?

 With whom were your most valuable relationships?

What was your biggest personal change from January to December of this past year?

  In what way(s) did you grow emotionally?

  In what way(s) did you grow spiritually?

  In what way(s) did you grow physically?

  In what way(s) did you grow in your relationships with others?

  What was the most enjoyable area of managing your home?

  What was your most challenging area of home management?

  What was your single biggest time waster in your life this past year?

  What was the best way you used your time this past year?

  What was the biggest thing you learned this past year?

  Create a phrase or statement that describes 2012 for you.

Create a phrase or statement that will describe 2013 for you to follow the new year.

Bacon Cheddar Pinwheels

1 can (8oz) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

2 T ranch dressing

¼ cup cooked real bacon pieces or 4 slices bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled

½ cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese (2 oz)

¼ cup chopped green onions (4 medium)

Heat oven to 350°F

Unroll dough; press each into 12x4” rectangle, firmly pressing perforations to seal.

Spread dressing over each rectangle to edges. Sprinkle with bacon, cheddar cheese, and onions.

Starting with one short side, roll up each rectangle; press edges to seal. With serrated knife, cut each roll into 9 slices; place cut side down on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 12 to 17 minutes or until edges are deep golden brown.

Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve Warm.

Happy Birthday!!!!

Many moons ago, a mother went to the L & D ward of her local hospital. She had a baby who couldn't seem to decide if he wanted to come into the world or not so his birth was prearranged. She was nervous, worried and a bit scared of what to expect this time around as she knew deep down it would be a very different type of birth and not just because of it being scheduled and induced.

Everything seemed to go OK and was pretty uneventful with the exception of a small nagging trickle of fear that the one unfavorable midwife and another icky person would be there to attend the birth. Progress wasn't really made because everything was going so slowly even with the stuff that was suppose to speed things up. The belts of the monitor were pinchy tight. The position needed to be in for them and the tubes of the drips was uncomfortable.  The uncertainty if the father would make it in time and if he would or wouldn't being the icky one weighed heavily down.

 The promised pain relief and antibiotics didn't come. Which added an additional nagging thought to buzz around one's already worried mind. The you'll have your baby in a couple of hours didn't happen, time marched slowly by, and the lack of action was unnerving instead of soothing.

Then a friendly face popped around the door like the sun from behind a dark cloud. One of the nagging fears/concerns was quickly relieved when it was revealed that the most esteemed, lovely midwife could be the attendant but only if the baby came in time and beat the clock.This midwife promised she was going to make things happen and that she did while also cautioning that it would be unlikely she'd be around to deliver. She allowed a change of position and broke the bag of waters while talking to the babe to come out. She promised to correct the issue with the antibiotics, get some pain relief so rest could be had before the big event and also to alert the NICU people just in case.

The mother and baby must have taken the clock comment to heart it seems because the clock didn't matter in the end. In fact the baby came faster than anyone expected. It caught everyone by surprise as there wasn't time for the ordering of the required antibiotics let alone pain management, there wasn't time for many, many things that were planned to happen. There was barely time to get a whole bunch of nameless, faceless emergency/NICU people to the room.

The mother was embarrassed for her over all loss of control. It seemed to come out in a nasty display of cursing as she fought to get in control of the power surging through her body, to remain on her back when her very cells were screaming for her to change positions with  intense back breaking type pain, and the people that were gawking at her didn't help any either. If she had ever felt the need for modesty in her life this was the time she felt it greatly and that was the last thing she'd get. The mother marveled at how powerful her body was and how strong her instincts were to do certain things even though she wasn't able to do them as felt guided. She wanted to change position as she knew it would help and was right but wasn't in a place where she could do that and it confused her. It was a big relief when the baby finally came out and it was discovered to be a boy. The word of that moment in time for her was Redemption.

The baby was of good weight 7 lbs 2 oz although there was a need for a whiff or two of oxygen and warmth. He  didn't have to be rushed off to the NICU right away. A brief moment of a couple of minutes with his mother to hold him was allowed. His father shadowed him while the staff did the business of checking him out and monitoring him that the meconium required.

It was a good thing as the mother knew something wasn't quite right and didn't want to freak the baby's father out  as she was freaking her mother out stayed with her by insisting that something wasn't right. It wasn't but an hour later that it was discovered just how right her nagging feeling was that this birth would be different and something not so good was going to happen. If her mother hadn't been there to fetch the nurse...If the kind nurse hadn't been so concerned about getting her cleaned up properly from the loss of  what was assumed to be bladder control.... the hemorrhage might not have been discovered in time.  But it was and while the recovery was a bit harder than it could have been and the concern for the odd breathing sounds and weird nursing issue were dismissed, they both are here today.

It's hard to believe that 14 years have passed. That the little bundle that had to be held just so and struggled so much to eat is now bigger than I am. That the little wisp of a baby is growing into a fine sturdy young man with a bright future.

May his day be extra special and he know how much he loved, wanted and needed. May he have many more years to come.

Happy Birthday to my dear son.

No Bake Oatmeal Drop Cookies

• ½ cup Creamy Peanut Butter
• 2 tsp Vanilla
• 3 cups Quick Oats
• ½ cup Butter or Margarine
• 2 cups Sugar
• ½ cups Evaporated Milk 
• 4 tablespoons Cocoa Powder
• Wax Paper
  
  
  1. Add Butter, Milk, Sugar and Cocoa into a pot.
  2. While stirring, bring to boil and hold the boil for 1 min.
  3. Remove pot from heat.
  4. Add Creamy Peanut Butter and Vanilla to hot mixture in pot. Stir until Peanut Butter is melted.
  5. Mix Quick Oats into melted mixture until completely covered.
  6. Drop spoonfuls of the mixed cookie mixture onto wax paper.
  7. Let sit for approximately 30 minutes to harden.
  
  

2013 What will I be doing?

I'm not sure about everything that I will be doing in 2013. There are a few things that are waiting to be sorted out still, a few that are waiting for confirmation to happen, and a few that are maybe wishful thinking and yet might just happen only time will tell. However, I do know a few things that I will be doing for certain.

I received a new camera for Christmas. It's my first ever fancy, high tech camera. I consider it fancy and high tech because it not only needs lenses in order to work and it has more variety of options to use when taking photos. It has the ability to do video as well. I'm honestly in way over my head with this camera. So I am looking forward to learning how to use it properly this year.

I want more art in my life this year. I want to find the joy I once had when it came to creating. So I signed up for the UnEarth your Creative Nature * e-course by Jani Franck. I believe that this will be the first of many creative or art workshops this year. At least I hope so.

I'm joining forces with one of my friends from my first round of college days for a challenge of finding joy. How are we going to find joy in our busy lives? We plan to do it by participating in the Joy Dare.** I've already printed out the joy dare prompts for the year. I've managed to get day 1 and 2 done for January. Only 994 more to go... 

One thing that I am hoping to do this year is learn how to knit. I know... I know me and sharp pointy objects are not exactly a good combination. lol Why the sudden desire to learn to knit? I'm not exactly sure other than I did receive a nice pair of wooden knitting needles a year ago and they've been calling my name ever since. I'm not exactly sure when or where this will take place yet. I'm still trying to find a class locally and figure out a budget for it. yes, I know there are videos that I can watch to get me started. I've tried that and it didn't work out very well. I have a real problem with watching someone do something on video and being able to follow along especially when it involves crossing the mid-line or using both hands like knitting does. So I really need live instruction to get me started. Something my former teachers, mentors, and instructors, can vouch for. lol

I'm sure there will be other things that will fill up my calendar before the year is out but for right now this is all there is.

*If your interested in learning more about the UnEarth your Creative Nature you can click on the title above or click here.

**If your interested in learning more about the Joy Dare you can click on the above title or click here. 

Happy New Year!!!!

May your year be filled with love.

May your year be filled with smiles.

May your year be filled with quite restful moments of peace.

May your year be filled with music to dance to and songs that make your heart and soul sing.

May your year be filled with moments that show the miracle of the Divine.

May your year be filled with passion to live your dreams.

May your year be filled with beauty.

May your have rainbows after every rain.

May your year be filled with educational opportunities and the seeking of wisdom.

May your year have shining beacons to light your way during low times.

May your 2013 be blessed.