Happy New Year! I've been busy...just not blogging

I was painting pottery just about every week up until Christmas and I've been crocheting like a mad woman. I've finished the actual stitching for Hannah's blanket. Just need to tuck in all the tails. I'll post photos once I can borrow a camera again.


I was asked to paint 15 mugs for the missionaries at a local church. Each one was supposed to be different and in their colors of royal blue and white. I used 3 shades of the blue. It was difficult coming up with 15 patterns, but I've heard all good things so far!

 

 

 

I'm not making resolutions this year. However, I do need to stop getting sucked in by new art and craft projects! My friend Jen did an awesome thing last year. She didn't buy any new craft supplies, just used what she had for a full year. I am sooo impressed. Not sure I could stick with something like that with requests for painting and crochet projects, but it's a very cool idea and amazing that anyone could do it! Another friend tried not to buy any books for the last few months of the year. He didn't make it. :)

Every Vote Helps Decide the Winner!

Please help Southeast Community Weed & Seed Project win a $25,000 grant from Pepsi! Vote for us every day at www.refresheverything.com/newportnewsweedandseedproject! The money will be used to begin a program to teach soon-to-be-released offenders sheetrocking and woodframing skills so that they have a trade. This will increase their ability to get a job when they are released. This project is a partnership between volunteer carpenters, the Newport News Sheriff's Office and Weed & Seed.

Please vote every day!

Made My Reading Goal for the Year!

I just finished reading my 75th book this year, which was my goal for 2010. Yay! Most of what I read was good, some was bad, some was just boring. I joined LibraryThing.com in January to help keep track of what I read, what books are on my wishlist and get suggestions and feedback from other readers. I've made some online friends there and enjoy the LT community. I broadened my horizons and read books that didn't fall within my normal interests. Read a few classics like I try to do every year. 


The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins was my 75th book, and it was sooo good! It is a composite of several familiar stories: The Lottery, The Running Man and others. However, Suzanne Collins' story blends them all in a way that sucks you in and doesn't let go till the book is over. I love the fact that Katniss Everdeen is a strong female lead who doesn't compromise herself, even in the midst of the "love story." I especially like this in a YA novel. I'm so ready for the next books in the trilogy!


Here's the premise: A postapocalyptic United States, called Panem, is divided into 12 districts. Every year, each district must supply 1 girl and 1 boy between the ages of 12 & 18 as tributes to the Hunger Games. In the Games, the youth are placed in an arena and must fight to the death. The Games are televised live and everyone is required to watch. The location and climate of the arena is different every year - a forest, the mountains, a desert (which didn't work out so well for ratings that year because the tributes were freezing and dying of hunger instead of fighting). Despite how horrible and dismal this sounds, the book really is an awesome story of survival and humanity, and a commentary on big brother, mindless reality TV and a community's responsibility to its residents.


Thank goodness for audio books. With my life as busy as it is right now, I don't have time to read traditional books. However, I can listen while I'm in the car or working on art or doing something else with my hands. CDs and Playaways are the best! Check out my widget on the side with books from my LibraryThing!

Tangled Backpacks

My goddaughter and nephews love for me to draw designs on their things. I tangled my goddaughter's notebook and pencil case for school, but I'll post pictures of those later. They now have personalized cinch backpacks for swimming and karate so they can tell them apart. No fighting over who has who's pack any more! :)

Beanie wanted me to make her bag for her gym clothes different from everyone else's. Can you believe middle schoolers have to pay $20 for a gym uniform? When I was in school, you wore what you had at home! Anyway, here is one more cinch pack with tangles on both sides. She asked for all black. I guess that's  in case too many colors are not cool. :)

My Latest Mug

My aunt Audrey requested geometric patterns in a dark color on a large mug. This is what I came up with.