Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Knitting Away

I'm not a huge fan of flying but it does beat a horse and buggy of the past.  Our trip to South Korea is coming up soon and I'm in the stage of deciding what to bring on the flight to fill the 14 hours 5 minutes we will be in the air. Of course, this doesn't include the boarding time, the time we spend after pushing back from the gate and all the time it takes to take off and land.  It's a lot longer than 14 hours and 5 minutes.

It's times like these (among other times) that I am so thankful that I'm a Constant Crafter. I have several projects to do during the flight.  Our niece is expecting her first baby in July and I thought it was a wonderful opportunity to get out my knitting needles again and knit up a darling blanket.  I have it started but I hope to complete it during the flights to and from Korea.  The photo above is of the yarn I chose.
I also started a hat and I plan on making several for friends and family. I am in love with Churchmouse Yarns. I have made a couple of their patterns and they are darling. I especially love that I can order a kit which included everything.

I am also bringing some maedeup projects and books to read. Delta has always had a great selection of movies so I'm sure I'll spend a lot of time catching up on all the movies I haven't seen in the last year.

We are so lucky that we are flying business class even if it did take every last one of our frequent flyer miles with Delta. Coach is brutal and I get upset thinking about how many miles Rocketman flew to Asia in Coach. I'm not one that can sleep on a plane but Delta has seats that recline all the way and it's nice if I want to lay down and listen to my IPod.

We will be going to Jeonju with Hellena, our Korean friend who is a flight attendant. She booked us a night in a hanok and sent us photos. We are so excited. I wanted to go to Jeonju because it's the home of hanji. I never got there when we lived in Korea and I regretted it.  Jennifer, another friend, has taken a job in India and is moving there but we will be able to see her before she leaves.

I can't wait to eat buddae jjigae at Nolboo!!!  I've been craving it and they have the best in my humble opinion. We will be staying in Suwon for 1 1/2 weeks and then going to Seoul for the final few days. It will be hard to leave again but just knowing we will come back makes it a lot easier.

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Signs

I'm a big time believer in intuition.  I believe that God, Jesus, our Spirit Guides, our loved ones who have passed, give us signs whether they are whispers in your ear or picking up a penny to find a year with special meaning.  When I'm ready, I will share with you my journey in the world of psychic awareness.

I had a couple of magazines I had recently received just thrown on the counter.  Rocketman came home from work one night and as he glanced at the magazines, he saw something strange.  Do you see it?  (His name is Curt).
He called me over and I freaked out!  I do believe this is a message either for him or me yet we are in the dark as to what exactly it means if anything. I am keeping a close on my guy until something or nothing happens.
These are the words that were covered up by the magazine. Do you listen to your intuition?  I'll let you know if anything happens. But for now, we are in a state of heightened awareness.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Noah's 7th Birthday Party!

Noah's Ninja Birthday Party!
 Last Saturday, Rocketman and me celebrated Noah's 7th birthday with a ninja themed party put on by his Mom and Dad.  Invited were his entire 1st grade class and some neighbors.  But because it was a holiday week a lot of kids were on vacation and the party ended up with 8 or so kids.  The kids had so much fun from checking out the baby chicks to playing Just Dance.
                                        Rocketman spent time keeping little Ez occupied.
We also did a clay project. We made a little polymer clay ninja. Here are the instructions so you can make your own ninja.
 
Polymer Clay Ninja
 
Materials:
Polymer clay: black, beige (flesh) and apple green
 
Instructions:
1. Sword - Roll a 1/4" green ball into a 1 1/2" long tapered log. Bake according to manufacturer's instructions and let cool.
2. Body - Roll a 7/8" black ball into a cone.
3. Arms - Roll two 3/8" black balls into tapered logs and press onto each side of the body. Hands - Roll two 3/16" beige balls into teardrops and press onto each arm.
4. Head - Roll a 11/16" black ball. Face - Flatten a 1/4" beige ball into an oval and press onto head. Eyes - Roll two 1/16" black balls and press onto face. Press head onto body.
5.  Press sword into the hands and position.
6. Bake according to manufacturer's instructions.
 


Here are their creations which I baked during the party.  They cooled in time to send home with each child. It was a fantastic time.

Monday, April 8, 2013

Maedeup Monday!

This "Maedeup Monday!" is about one of my favorite knots, the garakji maedeup (ring knot).  There may be times when you want to add a garakji maedeup to your jewelry design.  This is the way to string a garakji maedeup to any project you are working on.

Take a piece of scrap cording (I usually use 2mm cording but 1.5 is fine too) and build the garakji maedeup around the cording.  Tighten to the cording which will leave a hole on each end when you cut them apart.  I usually do a row of them like you see above.  Cut them apart and place a drop of white glue to keep from fraying. 

I then use my loop turner to add the garakji to my project. 

That is how I made this bracelet that was featured in my book, "Elegant Knotted Jewelry." This bracelet is also available for purchase in my Etsy shop

Poor Rocketman!  I went back to my doctor today because although my elbow is feeling better, it is still causing me a lot of pain.  He took more x-rays and confirmed that it is still fractured but is starting to heal.  He said it could take up to 6 months to be back to normal and to keep it in a sling and to continue taking it easy.  Rocketman has been doing the ironing and cleaning of the house.  I do the dusting but with my left hand, it takes me forever.  Grocery shopping has been a nightmare but I've gone to going more often and buying less each time. Sweet Rocketman  has not complained once and is just worried that I am doing too much. 

It's not that I don't use it, but it gets really sore.  The doctor sent me home with more painkillers to take as needed.  It's so hard to not be able to use my dominant (right) arm.  It's been a month now and we'll just take each day as it comes.  It is getting better, I just wish it was faster.

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Road Trip with the Grandkids

Last Thursday, I packed up the grandkids and hit the road to visit my folks and to stay with my sister and her family.  I didn't let a fractured elbow stop me but I was grateful to have help loading and unloading the car.  I had a text from my son-in-law when I arrived in Rockford, IL letting me know that he had forgotten to put Noah's suitcase into my car.
 
Our first stop was my parent's house.  I left Noah with my Dad and my Mom, Ezra and I went off to Kohl's to get Noah clothes for the weekend.  When we returned, my Mom wanted to wash the clothes so we hung out waiting for Noah's new clothes to dry.  We got to my sister's house a few hours later.
 
On Friday, we piled all the kids into the car and went off to the Discovery Center Museum.  It is an interactive museum full of hands on experiences for the kids.  The kids had a blast!



After lunch, it was time to check out the chickens.  Noah had his own camera and took pictures of my sister's chickens.  Ezra just loved being around his big brother.
                        My brother-in-law took the kids on a tractor ride.  They LOVED it.
                                                       The kids colored Easter eggs.
                                                                   Ezra loves his Madison.
                                                                   Sunday Easter egg hunt.

Ezra had trouble sleeping.  I would put him down around 8:00pm only to have him awake around 12am. I would put him in bed with me and he would sleep until 5:30 am. I didn't sleep because I was afraid I would roll over on him.  I tried once to put him back into the Pack n Play only to have him wake up.  This went on for three nights until I told my daughter about it.

She asked about the ball.  They  had send a plastic ball with him which my sister's dog had broken the first day. I thought is was just something to play with.  She said that he likes to sleep with a ball.  My sister ran out Easter day to get him one and wouldn't you know it, he slept all night.  I just wish I would have told her after the first night.  I was one tired Grandma when we got home.

The weekend was a blast and it was so fun to see my grandkids with my family.  Everyone had a great time. Rocketman stayed home because he had work obligations.  He just got a new job in his company and he starts May 1st. 
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