The Granny Square

So I've been on my crochet journey for a few weeks now and I've made a lot of stuff. A lot of messy bun beanies, some phone covers, some flowers. 

I found a girl on YouTube who has a 365 day granny square challenge. So you can make one a day for a year and learn a new one every day and then at the end you can make a giant crocheted quilt. If you don't know what a granny square is, google it so you can see some examples. It's a crocheted square and there are hundreds of dif patterns. A lot of people basically make them out of their left over scraps. It's something that goes by fast and if you wanna work on a small project, a little at a time, this seems like the perfect thing. 

I'm just starting. I did one tonight and started on another. I think it's gonna be super awesome. I hope all my squares match up in the end. Lol

I'll def post a finished result. Prob in a year or so. I def want to recommend a challenge like this for a beginner. It teaches you a lot of different techniques and you feel like you've completed something because it doesn't take forever to do. 

Anywayz (haha anyone remember that one from back in the day?) 

I hope all is well. Much love <3

Starting Crochet

Well everyone, 9 days into January and I'm pleased to say I have completed one of my resolutions. Well kinda.
 I learned how to crochet! And in one night too!!
We had a snow storm coming (which didn't turn out to be super serious in our area) so I had my husband stop at the store on the way home from work and grab me a couple of crochet needles. He bought me a super nice pack with lots of different sizes. I had already purchase a roll of yarn last week. I bought black cuz I love black and what won't look good in black?

Welp I got on the handy dandy YouTube and Pinterest and I learned the basics. I can't credit one person because I learned what the basic stitch was and then watched like 5 different people do it and looked at images on Pinterest and blogs too.
At first trying to read the codes for patterns seemed overwhelming but it was  just because I didn't know the terms and the stitches yet. I have learned the 4 basic stitches that are most commonly used and I'm pretty sure I have those down. For the most part.
Huge hold up was the black yarn though. For a beginner I do not suggest going with a dark color. You can't really see it well enough to see where all the stitches go and the patterns you're making.
So I remember I had some brown yarn from crafting and I had a giant soft blue roll from my baby shower. We used it for a game to measure my belly. It was cheap and people could cut a lot from one roll to measure how big they thought my tummy was. We had a LOT of people participate and they didn't use like any of the yarn cuz there's a TON on each roll.
So I used this Carolina Blue color to start. I had done a couple of pretty big squares on the black but I kept starting over because I simply couldn't see if I was being successful.
I was sure I had the basic down so I found a simple tutorial on Pinterest that took me to a blog and then to YouTube, of a bun beanie. I didn't have to read a pattern because she explained what to do.
I'm not a perfectionist so a lot of the time I will do things kinda messy and make it work. But in a good way. If that makes sense. So I wasn't positive, at the beginning, if it was coming out right. But I knew that if I was doing it wrong at least I was consistent. Lol!!
However,  I was doing it right. I single crocheted the entire hat. I didn't count my stitches, this is the part where I do things messily. I think it's probably important to count them but honestly, I can't watch my shows or whatever and count the whole time too. lol after getting about 15 rows in I realized that in the first few I had done them about 5 stitches too long and it gradually slopped down and then I was consistent with the same amount of stitches so I figured I'd fix it at the end some how. Well in that mistake I learned something. I learned how to make things diagonal and descending or even ascending,  and for a beginner that's good knowledge. I always learn from my mistakes, especially in crafting.
 I felt like it was taking forever. The way this lady described this beanie was a little different then how I saw some other hats be made. I thought the end wasn't in sight. I worked on it a lot the first night. But I looked at the video and she said something like 60 rows and I was like OH ok! That's not too bad. I'll get there soon.
I really had to get use to how I was holding the hook and the thread and my work. My hand wanted to cramp and my work was loose. I had to get some practice in to get full dexterity. Before being halfway through I found my rhythm. And I can tell you, as a beginner with crocheting. The first bit of your work is probably the hardest. Once you get into a rhythm it's natural. And a lot of fun. It's crazy how halfway through my project I instantly understood how all of these motions with the loops could create different visual effects. It had a lot of gears turning in my head and made me excited for the different many patterns I can do with one simple hat if I want to.
I worked for an hour or two and finished it the next day.

I did the entire beanie with a single crochet and then I decided to add one row of triple just to try it out and somehow cover up where I had those few extra rows, it worked!
 I'm super happy with it as a first project!!
I can't wait to see what's next!!

Paintings

Just wanted to post some of my completed paintings from 2016.
They aren't in order of when I painted them. A few came from tutorials from Cinnamon Cooney- The Art Sherpa, and Angela Anderson. You can find both ladies on Youtube. They have free painting tutorials and show you step by step.
There are other's that are all original.
I love painting sooo much. I would do so much more if I had more free time. I see no end in site. If you've never tried, you should!

2017 New Year Resolutions

Happy New Year!!!!!
As usual, I've been wanting to write a post for a while, and I decided why not start now.....At the new year. We are almost 6 days in but, Hey, better late than never!

My last post I talked about beginning my painting journey. I have done SO much with it since that post. I've wanted to post about it, but really, life with a baby means I'm lucky if I get to paint. I don't get to post about it too. haha

So for the new year, my resolutions are things that I definitely think are achievable. I mean, why set goals that you think are going to be tough to actually accomplish.

In 2017,  I plan on painting more, learning to crochet, & getting in shape or working out more.

I have wanted to learn how to crochet for a few years now. I just never took the time to do it. I ordered a really nice set of crochet needles once and they never got sent because apparently the company ran out, so they refunded me and I never purchased more.
As many times as I've looked at them in hobby stores I never bought any because I wasn't sure what I needed. Well I ordered a variety set the other day and now I'm just waiting on it to be delivered.
I watched a lot to beginner tutorials and I read on starting out and I think I've learned as much as I can about it without being hands on. I bought some yarn tonight and I'm ready to go!!
I'm sure this will be a new exciting journey and I can't wait to see what I learn how to make and do with it.

I've been painting for 6 months now and I think I've done about 20 paintings, give or take a few. I don't plan on stopping, and I see and am praying about actually starting a business with it, here in the future.
Man how crazy that is from my last post, huh?

And as always and like most people, I need to start working out. I needed about a year to recover from child birth. My body was still weak. I recently did a minor workout and I have to tell you, the first time you do sit-ups after you have a baby is super crazy. Its not unbearable with pain or anything, it just feels so strange!!! You can tell I hadn't done anything with those muscles in a long time.

We are planning on going on a cruise in the next few months and I'm disgusted with my stomach and my arms are jiggly, and I hate it. I want my husband to think I'm hot and I want to fit in clothes that I already on and not constantly need to buy new because I feel like I can't fit any that I already own.
So yea, lots of stuff, but nothing unachievable.

I hope that you are successful with anything you really set your mind to as far as New Year Resolutions go, and I pray that the next time I get around to writing a post I will have a good workout routine, a few crocheted projects going, and a lot more paintings completed.

Bottoms up. Much Love ya'll!

New hobby, Painting

I'm starting to think I should just start all of my posts' with, "So I discovered on Pinterest...."
Lol

But really, a couple of weeks ago, I stumbled upon a tutorial and it sent me to Youtube, where I spent a couple of hours looking at video tutorials (like you do)
I've always wanted to go to one of those Wine & Paint places, but it can be a little bit pricey for someone on a budget, and since I still have never left my son alone with anyone, I don't think it will happen anytime soon.
Something you will come to know about me is, if I'm interested in something and I think I can make it, especially if it's something expensive, I will try my hardest to do it. I feel like I have gained a lot of life skills because I wanted to do it myself and save money.
So I decided to talk to my family and see if they wanted to have a DIY paint party. I found a couple of tutorials that were easy enough for beginners and we all picked one we were interested in and made plans to meet and have a party. We had a potluck and bought some cheap canvases, paint brushes, and craft paint, and had a paint party. It was pretty great. We all spent less than $10 which was amazing considering the Paint night classes average about $40 and you have to bring your own wine. And all of our children were able to play and be comfortable at their Mimi's house.

A few things happened when I found a tutorial that I liked for us. First, I discovered that most videos on youtube that say they are a painting tutorial, are NOT. They are a mostly a demonstration. Lots are time lapsed videos where you watch someone paint, they don't explain anything, and I really think they shouldn't call them tutorials, because it's more like entertainment. But I did find a few that were actually tutorials and I discovered this delightful woman named Cinnamon Cooney, she's known as The Art Sherpa (that's what her youtube channel is called). She has very basic to pretty time intense tutorials, and she really helps people who probably have no artistic ability, be able to paint and feel good about themselves.
I love that she is very bubbly, she has a spirited personality, full of charisma, and she really breaks it all down for you. Plus she has colorful hair, and I've had just about every color myself so you know I love that!!
I've learned so much in the last few weeks from watching her videos, art wise and in just being a generally nice, happy person. Art does that for you and sometimes you need people to show you the door that art can lead you into a different world.
I've always loved crafting. I dabble in just about everything that falls under crafting categories, and if anyone were to ever ask me if I'm an artist I would tell them, I doodle. I'm not a good drawer but I love to do lots of things that are art related.
Cinnamon has really expressed that not all things in art mean that you have to be a good drawer and it took her saying that to me, after me believing for so many years that I wasn't an artist to know that I am one. Just because I'm not the best animator or drawer doesn't mean I don't have skills in so many other branches of art.
I've painted along with a few of her tutorials and I started a journey that she has called Big Art Quest. You can find out more info by going to her page. But it's basically an art journey that she's planning to last about a year, and I came into it about half way through, but with youtube it's easy to start and get caught up. Anyway I've only done the first quest so far but I already feel like by the end of this quest I'm going to have grown so much.

Painting is amazing because I have so much doubt and will totally hate what I'm doing and think I need to quit, but Cinnamon has said in so many of her videos that "it's just art" its not that big of a deal. "let it dry and repaint your mistakes" and I think that the doubt I have in myself when Im not liking how a painting is going, is really apart of the journey and always helps.
At the end of my paintings, I'm usually really proud of them and in love.

Of course, I've been crazy inspired and I honestly feel like I can take the skills I've learned in the last few weeks and paint something original. But for now I have so many tutorials available, and new ones coming every week, and with my very spare time to paint anyway, I'll be little busy before I ever do one of my own.
I have to paint at night when Luke is asleep or during his nap time, if I can get away. He's teething again so he's been very clingy and painting while he's awake is impossible right now.
So I can't do as much as I'd like to, but I have big hopes and lots of plans for the future.

Here are a few that I've done recently, from tutorials by The Art Sherpa.

Of course when I see these I immediately see the places that were troublesome or flawed. But I love them and every time I paint a new one they get better and better. 

More to come in the future. 

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