May News and Reviews

Hello everybody on this sunny spring day! It's the 1st of May, another holiday in Germany, and finally - after several cold and rainy weeks - the spring is back with warm and sunny weather. We've used this day off from work to go walking hiking. There's a very nice region just about a 40 minutes drive away from us, where you can go hiking, climb some hills, explore some dripstone caves or an ancient ruin. It's a great area for a day's trip and today was just a perfect day to go out and enjoy the spring. Days like these fit perfectly to my activity resolutions, and I'm still going to the gym - although it's getting harder now, with the nice weather outside. I haven't lost any more weight over the last month, but I'm okay with that: I know that the last pounds are always the hardest to lose, and on the other hand I've built up some muscles (which are heavier than fat). I feel healthy and optimistic, and I can even enjoy a piece of apple pie or cheese cake without having a bad conscience, and that was the plan: be active, enjoy eating, be happy. :)

So, how about crochet? April's been such a busy and exciting month: it started with the revelation of my super-secret project, followed by a series of "Making of... The Wedding Blanket" posts.

After that I've posted a whole bunch of new motifs for the "Beyond the Square" Challenge, and recently I've updated the Challenge News as well. However, the highlight of the past month has definitely been the Knitting and Crochet Blog Week at the end of April.

I've put a lot of effort into writing the posts and taking the pictures, but I never would have thought that I'd get so many lovely comments or find so many new and amazing blogs. It's been a great experience for every participant I think, and I'm glad that I had the possibility to join this party this year.

Talking about party: please remember that there's another link-party here, soon - you can still vote for your favorite topic in my right side bar.

Now let's see what's next on the list: my first blogiversary lies ahead this month, which means I'll use the opportunity for another giveaway, I hope you won't miss that :)

I also hope that you can look forward to a few more original patterns. I've got a few patterns in mind, but it always takes a while to reproduce the item, take notes, take pictures, write down the pattern and finally post it. I've posted this picture of some mandalas before, but here it is again, because I'd really like to make a pattern for these:

There are several more ideas in my mind, but if I told you now - where'd be the fun and surprise in that? :) Meanwhile you can enjoy more of my Challenge motifs, which I'll be posting soon again.

Finally, since this a general monthly update post, here are some non-crochet plans for May:

• Opening the outdoor jogging season
• Taking the bike for my way to work (could be rather wishful thinking, I'm not much of a cycling fan)
• Re-designing my other website (a travel blog)
• Preparing stuff for our upcoming USA trip
• Getting some nasty but necessary stuff over with, before I can comfortably look forward to our vacation (expensive car check-ups, unpleasant medical check-ups)

That's it for today. I hope the weather is lovely at your end of the world, too :)

Have a great week,

April News and Reviews

I'm starting to really like these monthly News and Reviews posts on my blog! So let's see what has happened in my little crochet world and what comes next...

I've already showed you the first picture of the Wedding Blanket (the thing formerly known as the "super-secret project") - thank you all so much for your lovely comments so far!! Next on the list: a couple of "making of"-posts.

Although I've been quite busy with this blanket, I've also made a few smaller items, like some crochet stones (I've already posted the Birthday Stone last week) and more motifs for the "Beyond the Square Challenge". It's quite a big motif collection already, but unfortunately it's much more fun making them than preparing the blog posts :) 

I'm also working on a pair of cute "Spring Bunnies", but I've only finished the first bunny so far. It always takes me quite long to finish amigurumis, because I'm always looking for excuses to take a little break from all those tiny little hands and feet that have to be sewn to the tiny little body... :) Anyway, I hope I'll finish the second bunny just in time before Easter!

Talking about Easter: There's another link-party here in k-town on Friday! So far the Spring/Easter topic has got the most votes, but you've still got a few days time to vote for your favorite topic! (Although I'd personally LOVE to see some colorful spring crochet! *gg*)

Last but not least, I'll participate in the 3rd Annual Knitting and Crochet Blog Week this month:

The topics for the week were announced today, so maybe you want to check them out and decide if you want to join, too!

That's all for my crochet plans for April so far, but you'll never know which new ideas might pop up in mind now that I've got more crochet time again... :)

Finally, as usual, a few words about my 2012 Resolutions:

Nobody could be more surprised than me, that I'm still sticking to my activity plans! In fact, I've just come back from the gym :) Sometimes I'm worried because everything seems to go too well, I haven't skipped one single training since I've started, I've lost 20 pounds since January, and I haven't had a serious "chocolate disaster" so far. What's more: it's still easy! Now I think it's time to let you in on a little secret: I've been listening to an additional relaxing, motivational, hypnosis kind of thing CD for a few weeks now (mainly to gain control over my craving for chocolate and what the experts call "emotional eating"). I'm usually more than sceptical of these things, that's why I haven't mentioned it before, but hey: it seems to work, I'm not even thinking of chocolate anymore! (at least not much... *gg*) Let's just see what the next month brings, I'm still positive!

Have a great sunny month of spring everybody! :)

March News and Reviews

Can you feel it? It's already March, the days are getting longer, spring is coming closer and I LOVE it! :) Today let's talk about past and upcoming crochet projects and the State of my New Year's Resolutions again.

Crochet:

During february I've been really busy with the super-secret project. I even forced myself to weave in (most of) the ends, because this project really had lots of them!!! It felt like a million threads, but it turned out it was "only" about 400 - so far. Damn, I'm so glad I've started this part early, it would really annoy me to add two extra weeks just for weaving in those ends! Here's another little glimpse, we're coming closer to the end...

I've also signed up for the 3rd Annual Knitting and Crochet Blog Week:

(click on the picture for more info)

Unfortunately I had already missed this fun blog week when I started my blog last year in May, and I hoped that there'd be another blog week this year. So I was really excited when I first learned about this year's blog week over at Lazy Daisy Crochet and I signed up at once! For those of you who are also new to the crochet blog community or have missed this project last year, here some infos: in the week from April 23rd - 29th every participant (crocheter or knitter) will blog daily about a given topic. The topics will be announced before, so you can plan your posts in advance. I'm looking forward to this project, and I hope that many of you will join in, too!

Now I've told you about my February crochet and my plans for April, but what about March? Well, first of all I have to finish the super-secret project and of course I want to continue with the Beyond the Square Challenge (edit: I've updated this post today as well!) I'm afraid I have to post the motifs more frequently to reach my goal of 100+ this year. I've also started working on another wiggly design, but I'm not sure if it will work out the way I have in mind. We'll see... :) Last but not least, there'll be another theme-party in a week already - there are still a few days left to vote for your favorite topic. So far it looks like it's going to be a very colorful party :)

And now let's see how my New Year's Resolutions are doing:

I'm doing fine with my activity plans: I still haven't lost my motivation to go to the gym three times a week, mainly doing a combination of moderate cardio workout and strength training - and meanwhile I lost 12 pounds!! No, wait - I've read a brilliant quote just yesterday: "I'm not losing weight, I'm getting rid of it. I have no intention of finding it again!" *lol*

March will also be the last month of our dancing course: so far we've learned the Slow Waltz and the Wiener Waltz, the Foxtrott and the Disco Fox, the Boogie Woogie and the Jive, the Blues and the Cha Cha Cha. Tango and Rumba will be next on the list. Oh, I love the dancing lessons, I really do! I hope I can persuade John to do the next course, too - maybe after the summer, I don't want to overwhelm him :)

I've also got plans for the time after the dancing course: it will either be Zumba (which I've never done before) or Country line-dance (which I've been doing for about two years in a group before I lost interest). You see, my activity level has really increased a lot this year and I feel good, I'm not that tired and lazy like before, it seems that I've got more energy.

Thank god the main point of my Resolutions (the activity thing) is working out, because some other points don't: I'm still wasting time on Pinterest (but it doesn't feel that addictive anymore), I still haven't read a (fictional) book this year and I have done nothing to improve my skills in digital photography. On my to-do list. The year's still long :)

I wish you all a happy month of March with lots of sunshine, energy and happy thoughts! :)

February News and Reviews

Good morning, everybody!

Wow, time's flying again, don't you think? It's already February, and I can't wait for the spring - I'm so sick of the cold and dark weather!

Today I'd like to write about several things: 1) the "Beyond the Square"-Challenge, 2) some other crochet projects I've got on my hook or on my mind, and 3) some words about the state of my New Year's Resolutions.

1) The Challenge:

While I'm still posting motifs of my first collection, I've already made and blocked some more motifs:

 

To tell you the truth: I've never blocked any piece of crochet in my life, before I've started this Challenge. I've always been too lazy for that. But I've found out soon, that some of these motifs really needed blocking, because they just wouldn't lie flat - and meanwhile I'm blocking nearly every single motif, because I think they look so much prettier, especially when they've got lots of picots (and many of them have).

That should be all about the Challenge for today, I'm still updating the Challenge News from time to time, so if you'd like to read more and see who has joined our little party, just hop over and check it out! :)

2) other crochet projects

I understand if some of you might be a little bored that the only thing going on in k-town seems to be the Challenge right now. The truth is, I'm still working (more than ever) on the super-secret project. It's got a definite deadline, and I have to hurry up a little. I can't wait to show you the finished project including a series of detailed "making of"-posts afterwards. I hope you can wait some more weeks :)

Right now I try to stay away from new projects, but they are definitely on my mind: recently I've made a cover for my e-book reader. I don't really like it however, that's why I haven't weaved in the ends yet or showed you some pictures. Maybe I should just finish it and post it to see what you're thinking about it. I've got an idea for at least one or two more covers, and I want to give it a try soon.

More crochet I've got in mind: I'd like to design another wiggly crochet pattern; I've got a beautiful bottle at home that needs a nice cover; I've discovered some interesting stitch combination during the "Beyond the Square" Challenge and I've already got an idea how to use them; my mother gave me some pieces of her old kitchen wall decoration (potholders that look like dresses, but not like those you can find on ravelry), and I'd love to figure out the pattern; I might even try some piece of freeform crochet; and - I'd also like to start another blanket (so that would be the next "big" project). You see, I've already got a huge to-do-list, and February's only just begun! :)

3) The state of my New Year's Resolutions:

One of my Resolutions for this year was to be more active, do some sports and lose some weight. Well, it's going.... GREAT! :) I've joined the fitness-studio and I'm doing my work-out three times a week, it's lots of fun and I've already lost four pounds, yippie! :) That means, only twenty more pounds to go :( No, seriously: I think it's the first time that the main goal in my mind is NOT "lose pounds" but "be more active and live healthy" instead. With this shift of attitude, losing weight is just a wonderful side effect, and I'm not really worrying or obsessing about weight and food like I usually do when I'm on a diet. I only hope, that I can keep this motivation (i.e. to live an active, healthy life) until... well: forever! :)

Last sunday, John and I had our first dancing lesson: we've learned the basic steps for the Blues, the Slow Waltz and the Disco Fox. We'll be practising and improving these dances in the eight weeks to come and learn one new dance every week (which will also be practised and improved as long as the course lasts). I think it's a good concept, and we're enjoying our new Sunday afternoon hobby.

Another point on my list was "reading more books": Well, that's still tricky. I'm reading, yes, but mainly magazines and traveller's guides - have I told you already, that we've booked our flights to the United States? No? Well, that's more great news that lift my spirit in this cold time of the year: We'll be visiting John's family in Michigan again this summer, and while we're over there we also want to spend two weeks in California, cruising from Los Angeles to San Francisco. I'm sure I'll come back to this topic lots of times until the end of June :)

I think that's it for today. Maybe I'll do a little preview/review and "state of resolution"-thing every month now.

I hope you'll all have a great start into the new month, remember: every day will bring us a little bit closer to spring now :)