Snowflake Monday

A good many years ago, my blog was hacked while Lizard and I were attending the funeral of his brother. I think it took three days back then to clear up all the problems.

Last month, I attended the funeral of my father, and last week, my blog disappeared. This time, it took roughly three hours for me to figure out why every single published post disappeared, while I could still access and edit the posts via Blogger.

I tried different browsers on different devices. I checked my account with my hosting service, which was up-to-date. And I tried using Window's diagnostic tool, which (unsurprisingly) was no help at all.

I reached out to the Blogger Help Community, which could take up to 24 hours, if you get a response at all (what's up with that?!?), and decided that wasn't going to solve the problem.

I was able to access Lizard's blog (which hasn't been updated in quite a while), as well as Alycia Quilts and Mr. Micawber's Recipe for Happiness (sadly, the only blog addresses I could remember without links), so I deduced the problem probably wasn't Blogger.

I set up a new holding tank on Blogger where I could transfer all... geez, 3,528 published blog posts if I wasn't able to find a resolution. I would have to go through each post and change any self-directing links. So, probably 2,000 or more links. I cried. There is no way I will ever have time for that! However, I did move the two most recent posts, and I copied this post to the new blog, Snowcaught. Which is where you might be able to find me if this ever happens again.

I did web searches and learned Blogger was not down and my web host was not down, among other non-helpful trivia.

After exhausting chat searches on Blogger, I decided to do a chat with a tech via my web host. 45 minutes later, I was informed my DNS had not properly renewed on the server's end. The change was made (not by me; I don't even know what that means, really), and I was promised my Snowcatcher website would be back online within 48 hours.

As a result of this experience, I've decided no one else in my family can die. And I hope you will understand from whence the name for this week's flake came. Nothing like finding out you don't want to lose your blog by losing your blog. Can you believe I passed on naming my flake after today's obvious moniker??? Oh, thank heaven...

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: 3.5 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

SPECIAL STITCHES:

Popcorn Stitch (pc)

Work 5 dc in designated st, take loop off hook, insert hook through top loop of 1st dc and replace loop on hook, pull loop through top of 1st dc.

Splat Snowflake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: [1 pc in ring, ch 8], 6 times, sl st in starting pc to form 6th ch 8 tip of Round. Don't pull magic circle too tight.
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 2: [4 sc in next ch 8 tip, (ch 12, 1 sc in same tip) 5 times, 3 sc in same tip] 6 times; sl st in starting sc; bind off. Weave in ends.

Finish: 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.

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