Wordless Wednesday

Tweet

Skinned

I've been riding to my friend's work (and then back home alone) on Wednesdays. I couldn't go with her last week because I had my annual skin checkup very early in the morning.

This break in my new routine enabled me to shoot the sunrise. And, oh, was it was a beauty. Many memories, however. I went to one of the places Lizard and I used to visit for sunrise, often by bike prior to Parkinson's. I remembered with tears the last five or six times we'd visited this particular locale, when he no longer had the energy to walk with me the short distance from the parking lot to the shore. I tried very hard to be grateful he is whole now and can walk as far and as long as he wants. I wondered if he is setting speed records in heaven...

I saw my first sundog in ages as I was leaving for my appointment. I wondered if Lizard was sending me another rainbow. He used to sign his emails Beam Boss because he knew how much I love rainbows.

I had a complete meltdown as I pulled into the dermatology parking lot. It was the first time I'd been there alone since Lizard's horrific rash in 2024, and memories of that visit hurt more than words can describe.

I read scriptures on my phone for a few minutes so I wouldn't be a basketcase in the dermatologist's office. When I checked in, I was informed my checkup isn't until December.

I had shown up for Lizard's checkup. I had cancelled all his medical appointments, but I had forgotten to remove them from my phone. We saw the same dermatologist. I really had no idea the appointment wasn't mine. The receptionist was awesome. She kept apologizing as she handed me tissue after tissue. And she wasn't the one who'd made the mistake. It was all on me.

I sat in the car in the parking lot for more than an hour, crying, reading scriptures and, once again, really mourning.

The sun hitting the car finally got me moving. I probably could have sat there reading scriptures all day. It helped.

I realized my December appointment probably won't be as difficult now because I already survived this accidental visit. Kind of like everything else I feel these days. I still cry a lot. But nothing is as hard as Lizard's final week. Nothing is as hard as the first several weeks without him here. I'm able to tell myself now: I've made it through the hardest part. WE made it through the hardest part. Our love for each other stayed strong all the way until the end. It will never be that hard again. There will be sadness. There will be tears. But the hardest part is done. If I can make it through that, I can make it through anything.

Tweet

Snowframe Monday

How fitting that I designed a new snowflake frame based on this snowflake, which has entirely different grief meaning in my life now. I love the original flake as much now as I did back then, and I am very thankful Lizard is whole now and no longer suffering. But there is a huge hole in my heart now, just like the huge hole in the middle of this snowframe. This is the second of five of my old snowflake patterns I wanted to try to make a frame from one day. Two down, three to go!

I played thread chicken with this one, and I did not win. Darn it! But just see if you can find the knot!!!

You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!

Finished Size: 6 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 7 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, water soluble school glue or desired stiffener, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

Template I Snowframe Instructions

Round 1: Ch 6, sl st in 3rd ch from hook, [ch 9, sl st in 3rd ch from hook] 5 times; ch 3,.

Round 2: Ch 12 (counts as 1 dc and [ch 10), sk over next picot, in 3rd ch of next ch 6 group work 1 dc, ch 3, in next ch work 1 dc] 5 times; ch 10, sk over next picot, in 3rd ch of next ch 6 group work 1 dc, ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 12 to form 6th ch 3 sp of Round.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

Round 3: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), [in next ch 10 sp work (2 dc, 2 hdc, 2 sc, ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook (picot made), 2 sc, 2 hdc, 2 dc), in next ch 3 tip work (1 dc, ch 7, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 3 ch (branch made), ch 7, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook and in each of next 2 ch (right half of heart picot made), ch 4, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook and in next ch (left half of heart picot made), work 1 dc in top and 1 dc in bottom of 3rd dc of right half of heart picot, sl st in each of next 2 ch (heart picot made), ch 5, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 3 ch (branch made), sl st in next ch (beneath 1st branch) ch 1, 1 dc)] 6 times, omitting last dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off. Weave in ends.

Finish: I've been stiffening my flakes with undiluted, full-strength water soluble school glue for quite a while now, and I've been squishing the glue onto and throughout each flake with my fingers (yucky mess!!!) instead of gingerly painting the flakes with glue. Yes, it's a mess. But it's faster. And stiffer.

Tape wax paper or plastic wrap to top of empty pizza box. Pin snowflake to box on top of wax paper or plastic wrap.

If using glue, mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture or desired stiffener. Sprinkle lightly with glitter. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflake to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflake from wax paper or plastic wrap. Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.

Tweet

Friday Fortius

Tweet

Panel Queen

I teased I'd share the cheater panel story one day. I'd rather share a finished quilt. Or even one in progress. I guess my secret life as a panel queen will suffice on a day when I have nothing better to share.

My father-in-law created a quilt stand for me years and years ago. I asked for cactus-shaped, and he delivered. I'm almost embarassed to show how full it is now. But, at least it's organized once again.

In April, I had to move the extremely top-heavy quilt stand from the living room/dining room/kitchen/entrance to the bedroom to make room for the hospice bed. While moving the (overweight) stand, many of the panels I've collected over the years and unfinished projects from the last decade or more fell off. I had to pick them all up and move them out of the way in a hurry because my time was limited. I think I had about two hours before the hospice bed would arrive, and I still had furniture to move.

While recently trying to rush a quilt finish for my new neighbors' toddler, I had to search through my haphazard stash of panels. I realized I had never straightened out the pile. So, before I ever started the rush quilt, I organized my panels. All 60 of them. (Not including the probably 30ish Spoonflower panels I've designed over the years.)

One of these three was one of my first panels. I adored it when I first ordered it online. I was too excited when I first found it to realize the measurement was not going to be big enough for a bed. Not only was it not going to be big enough (and I had not ordered any of the coordinating fabrics so I could try to make it big enough), but it was cut crooked on one side. Back then, I had no idea whatsoever how to fix that. Or that I could have complained and probably exchanged it for a properly cut panel. I later bought two more quilt panels I thought I might be able to add to the first to make it big enough. I think falling off the quilt frame in April was the first time these three panels had ever been moved. PS: I still love the other two panels, and I'm not sure I want to insult them by putting them with the third now.

My kids were grown by the time I bought this one (the last one!!!), but I thought it would make a great gift when grandkids began arriving on the scene. My oldest grands have now graduated, and I still haven't turned this into a fun and useful wall quilt. I confess; I forgot about it. Because it got buried by all the rest!!! Which I also forgot!!! It might make a great gift for a great-grandkid one day...

I went through a butterfly phase.

Actually, I'm still in butterfly phase. I've actually finished a few butterfly quilts.

I've even designed my own Spoonflower cheater panels...

Shoot, I've even designed and crocheted butterflies!

I even love butterflies in real life.

I also experienced a powerful peacock phase. Animal and color. Still in the color phase. Possibly permanently.

And, yes, I did indeed design a crochet peacock.

I can never get enough sunflowers.

Or rainbows.

I love winter. Especially in the middle of a heat dome. I love snowflakes. I love polar bears. And owls. And penguins. And eagles. And tigers (my high school mascot, and Lizard's, too). And lizards. And bicycles. And hot air balloons. And southwest/desert scenes/artwork. And sunrises/sunsets. And northern lights. And flowers.

I apparently also love "last one" descriptions. I could not believe how many of these and scores of others I haven't even shown were purchased not only because of an incurable love at first sight, but because they each were the last one. I guess I have a few collectibles in my collection. I probably have enough to open my own cheater panel fabic store. And on that humorous note...

Linking up with Alycia Quilts.

Tweet