Bring It, 2015!!

Darlings, I'll admit it. I am one of those New Year, New Me people. I'll wait while you roll your eyes. I have always been a firm believer in using benchmark days -- New Year's Day, my birthday -- as the start of a journey to a better me. I'm such a benchmark addict, I remember making a list of changes I was going to make ON MY MOTHER'S FORTIETH BIRTHDAY!! The list was entitled, "Because I Have a Forty-Year-Old Mother". It contained things like organization and weight loss -- all the usual suspects. And lo, these many years later, I'm still a disorganized plus-sized model!!

But this year is going to be DIFFERENT! (Again, I'll wait for the eye-roll.) This year, my resolution is simple: to Just Be Happy. And most of the things that make me Happy are really good for me. Meditation, swimming, yoga, biking, eating relatively healthy foods, journaling, crocheting, making music, making art, hanging out with kids, hanging out with positive and creative people, reading, going to the beach, dancing.... I assume that a heightened level of organization and time management would also make me Happy, and I'm enough of a fan of the scientific method to try that out. I'll report back on my progress in a month or so. Pizza, ice cream, and bourbon also make me Happy, but sometimes a gal needs to fall off the wagon -- and take pride in getting back on said wagon -- in order to be truly Happy!

In the past few years, I've been creeping toward Happy. I guess when I was younger, I never really felt I deserved True Happiness. But I learned something important once I started moving toward Happiness. The Happier I am, the more productive I am. The more productive I am, the bigger impact I'm able to make. And guess what! That impact makes me Happy!

So this year's New Year's Resolution is simply that: to Just Be Happy. If what it takes to make me Happy changes, so be it. I am a work in progress.

That's about all the news for now, darlings! Stitch 'n' Bitch starts at Rogers Park Social on Monday, January 5, at 7:00pm and at R Public House on Wednesday, January 14, at 7:00pm. Toddler Music Jam at The Common Cup starts at 10:00am on Friday, Jaminary 9. Wishing you a Happy and prosperous new year, and as always, until next time, Peace, (Radical) Love, and Yarn!

Christmas Greetings

Merry Christmas, darlings!

It's been much too long! I hope this post finds you happy and healthy and surrounded by people you love! I hope your shopping is done, your stockings are hung, and your eggnog is spiked!

Lately I've really been missing writing this blog, and as I've got a couple of weeks off of work for the holidays, I thought Christmastime was the best time to jump back in. So here I am, ready to regale you with stories of my yarn adventures.

December has been a month of simplification for me. I canceled all of my Stitch 'n' Bitches. I said no to social obligations. On Sunday I deleted the games off of my phone and my tablet and left Facebook groups in which I have lagging interest. No more pointless distractions! No more time vortex. I want to focus on music and art. And yarn. Lots of yarn.

2015 will see the return of The Blog, the streamlined stitch 'n' bitch schedule, the continuation and impeovement of the quarterly Craft-Tacular Art Spectacle, and a new, exciting musical endeavor! I've been learning to play the guitar, and I play for the kids in my Mom 'n' Tots art classes, so I thought it would be fun to do a toddler music time at the Common Cup Cafe, 1501 West Morse Avenue in scenic Rogers Park. The owner, my good friend Ruth Hoekwater, liked the idea too. So starting next month, I'll be rockin' with the babies on Friday mornings at 10.

Here are some projects I've been working on in December. I've been trying to up my game on the things I make, putting my own spin on some tried and true patterns.

Jill Silverman rocking her sassy pastel hat

My new fingerless mitts, fortified with thumbs

Grrl Genius Cathryn Michon plugging her new movie, 

Muffin Top: A Love Story, in her bespoke sport-weight 

fingerless gloves, a gift I made for her Chicago premier

Uber-talented tenor Chase Taylor sporting a heavyweight 

skully on closing night of Lyric Opera's "Porgy and Bess"

Darlings, it's great to be back! I'm so excited about what the new year has to offer. I look forward to sharing my adventures with all of you. May your days be merry and bright. And, as always, Peace, (Radical) Love, and Yarn!