Maybe. I was a bit too tired to do much after I finally finished a long work day, plus it was suddenly 100° outside after a break in the weather.
Sunflower doesn’t care. Photo by Lee.
So I sat in my chair this evening and colored in my coloring book. It took me a few evenings to do this one, because I only do it when my hands get tired of crocheting.
This is the book. Note the tasteful version of the image I did.
I have a couple of other books in Sugar’s series, too. She is a very fun jewelry designer and often teaches classes. I met her in the waiting room when each of our husbands was having oral surgery. Check out the series if you like adult coloring books.
I also find the bleed-through on the back fun to look at. The book contains blank pages to blot up excess ink.
I also got a coloring book by another friend’s daughter, which has lovely Art Deco and Art Nouveaux images, with lots of space. I may try different techniques on those. Once I get the motorhome opened up again, I’ll have access to my pencils and crayons.
Another option!
I’m glad to have this throwback activity to ease my mind. I loved coloring when I was little. It’s one of the things that kept me quiet (along with reading, but I read too fast and often ran out of books). I often colored outside in my treehouse. I’m pretty much the exact same person I used to be, only less anxious.
Another Lee photo. He likes to crop them this way.
Time to conk out. Thanks for enjoying my activity.
I have nothing today. The only time I left the room was to get all the condo staff to try to find Lee’s driver’s license. He later found it.
I’ve enjoyed a lot of diabetes drug commercials today.
Other than work, I had a nice phone chat with my dear friend Mike, who is conveniently going out of town when I’ll be camping in his neighborhood. We are like ships passing in the night. Well, only he goes on a lot more ships than I do…back on topic, I also colored another page in my coloring book with questionable grammar.
I did this psychedelic stuff while watching Everything Everywhere All at Once. It was one psychedelic movie. It’s fun when the star is also a martial arts expert. I see why Michelle Yeoh won so many awards.
Whoa, colors.
There was no Barbie movie this evening, since my friend was busy moving a desk. It was heavy. I understand. Oh well.
I’ve done a good job entertaining myself this past week, though I didn’t expect it to be THIS solo. Next time I’ll remember to get a two bedroom place so people can visit. I didn’t do a great job making friends this visit, though of course there was Bill and Steve. I’ll try again!
My flowers stuck with me the entire time I’ve been here.
I’m a good friend to me, though! Way to go, Suna self esteem.
Since ye olde pandemic set in, I’ve noticed many of my previously non-crafty friends jumping into the “craft therapy” club. I don’t blame them one bit, because there are so many reasons engaging in crafts can be soothing. I found myself so out of sorts during the Snowpocalypse and my last week at work, that I took to coloring in an adult coloring book.
The paper bent a bit, but it looks good flat. This reminds me of myself as a teen.
It felt good to just randomly pick shiny colors and fill them in. It took enough mental space to clear my mind of my surroundings, but didn’t give me a headache from thinking.
I had a sort of bad pen for the background, but I am coming to like the texture.
I’ve seen lots of pictures of things people colored on paper or on their computers, and they are always cheery. Friends with art talent are painting more, too. I’m told it’s great fun. Kathleen had made some of those things with beads, but I haven’t seen any. I’m told it’s the same kind of “just enough thinking” project.
The need to create beautiful things and concentrate on something other than the news is why I came back to knitting, too. I’m not alone, either. I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to see my friends taking up knitting or crochet and having fun. I was very disappointed when my friend Melanie, who gave us our late dog Brody, had someone pick on her for being a “granny” because she took up knitting. No, she’s a granny because her child had a baby, sheesh.
ANNOUNCEMENT: Knitting is popular with young people, old people, men, women, gay, and straight. So is crochet. Thank you.
I’m happy to report that the table runner for Lee has grown by another pattern repeat. It may get finished soon! Then I just have to finish the border on the shawl project. Oh, no, will I be out of projects?
It needs to be 50 inches before I start the border. I’ve got a bit more than a foot to go.
First of all, it is hilarious of me to ask that question, knowing how much yarn and how many pattern books I own. Still, I do have a birthday coming up…
So, I admit I followed an ad and bought a pattern for a lovely project ($5).
It is just what I need for sitting in my cold Cameron office, if I ever get to go back.
So, then I had to find yarn to make it. Luckily, the local yarn shop that I like to support, Hill Country Weavers, had the yarn, three different shades of this stuff, though not the ones in the picture (naturally).
While I was there, I browsed around and bought some more Noro knitting magazines, because I just love looking at things made with that brand of yarn. Then I found a slightly more difficult project to make that I ALSO want to try, so I got yarn for it, too. I detect a pattern in my choices. I like self-striping yarn!
This has entrelac, which I love, plus simple lace. Fun times. I picked a color with no purple in it. I have too many purple shawls.
So, that takes care of my birthday gift from Lee! I get exactly what I want!
Maybe later in the year I will make something in a solid color. We’ll see. I think bright colors are therapeutic for me.
So, have you taken up a new craft or other project to keep you a little calmer and help you feel productive?
The Hermits' Rest 