Chimera Crochet and Creation

Moved/Moving/Moo

2009-06-18T12:26:00.002-05:00

I'm moving/moved to my new domain/brand/identity/awesomeness. It's called oobbles. It can be found at http://www.oobbles.com Please come visit me there. I will no longer blog here. Thanks for all of your comments and love, moove it on over to oobbles!

Caturday Strikes Again

2009-06-06T14:32:00.000-05:00

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

General Update

2009-05-29T20:29:00.000-05:00

Elsa and Josh are napping, but I wouldn't suppose for too much longer. I've been home from work now for about an hour and a half. I've been surfing the internet and making a to-do list. I'm all about lists. I made a big list today of activites that Elsa and I could do, but when I went to put them on the calender here at home, we had quite a few conflicts with other activities. Oh well, there will be more to do in the weeks ahead.

I tripped on the sidewalk during one of my dog walks today. I scraped my knee up pretty bad. Bummer. UGH, I just heard the cat wretching again and I ran to catch him and toss him into the kitchen. I don't know what his problem is. At first, we thought it was hairballs, then we figured it was his food. He did fine for awhile and now he's all pukey again. And of course he only pukes on the carpet, never on the tile. I have trouble feeling sorry for him when I have to clean up puke all the time. I suppose if he doesn't stop in another day or so, I'm going to have to take him to the vet.

In other news, I'm glad the weekend is here, even though I still have four petsits to do each day. They are easy dogs and they live close so it's not a hassle. Well, the getting up early in the morning will be a hassle. Oh look, here is pukey cat walking into the office making a face at me because I tossed him mid-vomit. Well excuuuuuse me. lol

Last Day To Vote

2009-05-29T06:29:00.001-05:00

Today is the final day to vote in Christy's Craft Challenge! What makes it extra special this month? A prize pack of handmade goodies from our own LNKHandmade Team!!

Mothering Repost

2009-04-29T14:53:00.003-05:00

I got this in my weekly update email from Mothering.com and felt it so valuable that I wanted to repost it so more may read it. (And when you go to the CR article, read the comments following it, a good dose of common sense!!)

--ConsumerReports.org recently featured a blog entry called “Five Products Not to Buy for Your Baby.” Among those five products are slings and cosleeping devices. The logic is astounding: accidents caused by irresponsible parenting, misuse of devices and, in a few cases, faulty products, have led ConsumerReports.org to urge parents to avoid cosleeping as well as all slings.

Here at Mothering, we believe that babies are born to be worn. Check out Christine Gross-Loh’s “Hold Me Close: The Many Advantages to Wearing Your Baby” and “Babywearing Tips.”

When it comes to cosleeping, we quite possibly have the largest body of information available. Some of our favorite articles include James McKenna’s “Breastfeeding & Bedsharing Still Useful (and Important) after All These Years” and Tina Kimmel’s “How the Stats Really Stack Up: Cosleeping Is Twice As Safe.” When in doubt, simply stop by the Sleep section on Mothering.com.--

Two Excellent Videos

2009-04-28T18:00:00.000-05:00

NIN: The Fragile live from on stage, Adelaide 2.28.09 [HD] from Nine Inch Nails on Vimeo.

The Lost Tribes of New York City from Carolyn London on Vimeo.

Just the Funny

2009-04-24T15:44:00.001-05:00

Haha, okay, sorry for just comics, but they are so funny.

superpoop.com

superpoop.com

Just Right Now

2009-04-15T06:57:00.003-05:00

Just another random very early morning blog post. (Mind dump?)

Breaking news- the zoo opens today! Josh and I both have to work- me in the am, he in the pm, so I'm not sure if we're going to go. I may take Elsa this afternoon while he's at work, or may wait until tomorrow morning when we can all go together.
I'm drinking my instant coffee with Caribbean cinnamon creamer. It's the Caribbean that makes all the difference.
I'm busy reading self help books and crocheting lately. Books on finance and spirituality and parenting. I don't want to reveal the titles, less you try to steal my self-help kung fu.
I have to leave for work in a half hour.
We finally (and by we, I mean Josh and his dad) got Elsa's swing set gigantic thing set up yesterday. She loves it, I told her it was her own park. It has a slide and three swings. I can't wait until the weather turns nice for good and we can put some flower pots on it and maybe some pinwheels and wind chimes. Really decorate it up for her this summer.
I am out of coffee so I am just going to go now.

Another Satisfied Customer

2009-04-13T09:28:00.002-05:00

Look at that pure jellyfish satisfaction! ;-) I made an ultra deluxe jelly for my good friend's daughter's 1st birthday! It was a hit!

It's Caturday, Again.

2009-04-11T07:00:00.000-05:00

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

HAHA! And in honor of caturday, a most excellent lolcat:

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

A Baby Chicken

2009-04-10T14:30:00.002-05:00

"Treat each customer like they are your best friend, grandmother, and a baby chicken all wrapped in one. Be yourself and joke around, but always be polite and don’t crush or eat them."

The most awesome quote I've read in a long time. From the interview with Allison Cecil of MonkeysAlwaysLook.

Better Late Than Never

2009-04-06T15:43:00.001-05:00

I totally forgot to mention I was the Etsy Hooker of the Week!
Please check out the super nice blog post about me. Thanks to all my hooker friends!

New Tattoo

2009-04-04T13:49:00.002-05:00

Dragon1, originally uploaded by Chimera Creation.

Well, here it is! It actually wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but that's okay. It's my own fault for not stopping in midweek to check the art! lol I'm going back in a few weeks to get some more done on my other shoulder and in the middle of my back. Soo, hopefully by the end of April my back and shoulders will be completely done!!

Make Your Own Cat Toys

2009-04-04T09:00:00.000-05:00

It's Caturday! Let's talk homemade cat toys!
Holly Tse is living proof that absolutely anyone can take their passion for crafting and turn it into a viable business with little money upfront. It doesn’t matter what you love to do, if you have creativity (which all crafters have in abundance), you can make anything work. She turned a love of playing with her cat and her passion for the environment into a book called, “Make Your Own Cat Toys: Saving the Planet One Cat Toy at a Time”. She created over 50 eco-friendly cat toy “recipes” and self-published the book by herself in her spare time. She used a low cost print-on-demand publisher, taught herself how to use the publishing software and visited Flickr for inspirational cat photos in order to illustrate 114 images for the book in a month.

The end result looks amazing and has received high compliments from a publishing industry professional who has worked on NY Times bestsellers. The book was also featured in The Daily Cat, an online weekly that is nationally syndicated to CBS, FOX and NBC websites.

What really inspires her is hearing how much people enjoy the book. It makes them smile, it gives them something enjoyable to do and they have fun bonding with their pets by playing with the toys they make. As well, she hopes to inspire others to be more eco-friendly and to show them that it’s fun to be green. You can save the environment and also save money too.

For less than the cost of a couple of fancy cat toys, you get 52 eco-friendly cat toy ideas that are fast, fun and easy to make. That’s a new toy each week for a year!
To create the toys, you creatively reuse stuff you have around the home such as packaging, old clothing, and crafting materials.
The book is cute, witty, and fun to read. It’s a great product for crafters who love cats, have friends with cats or are concerned about the environment.

If you would like more information, please feel free to visit her website for the book at:

www.MakeYourOwnCatToys.com

A Habit I Don't Want To Break

2009-03-31T08:37:00.003-05:00

Does anyone really just drink one cup of coffee a day? (or *gasp* none at all?) I'm trying to think of the last day that I had one or none, and I guess it would have been a few years ago while I was pregnant. I switched to decaff while I was baking my bun, but really I didn't drink much of that at all, I mean- what's the point? I've been up for a half hour this morning and I've already drank two cups and the only thing stopping me for going for a third is the fact that I'm typing this blog post. Why let that stop me? I'll be right back...

I love coffee, especially Monday morning..., originally uploaded by albaflickr.

There, that's better. I like my coffee with cream and splenda. I am not a coffee snob, I will drink instant, gas station coffee, day old coffee- cold and leftover in the pot from yesterday, etc. I have to say, though, my preferred method of drinking the bean is a nice smooth Americano (with cream and splenda).

P.S. Today's Weather Forcast: Blustery with snow showers. Temps steady in teh mid 30's. Winds at 25 to 35 mph. Chance of snow, 60%. A slushy accumulation of less than one inch. Winds could occasionally gust over 45 mph. Typical Nebraska. And tomorrow it's supposed to be in the mid 50s. LOLZ

Share With You Sunday

2009-03-29T08:20:00.003-05:00

Amy's Bridal Shower, originally uploaded by Chimera Creation.

Today I am sharing love, lots of love.
Love for friends at Amy's Bridal Shower. (And love of excessively high hair!)

Love for Josh and Elsa at his 33rd birthday party.

Love for Lincoln Handmade from the Journal Star.

Ahhh Love.

Score! You Know The Day!

2009-03-28T08:07:00.003-05:00

Remy in slaap, originally uploaded by Krabami.

C-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y!
Today I will be celebrating Caturday by drinking coffee, picking up the living room, going to Amy's bridal shower and probably seeing Monsters vs Aliens tonight. How about you?

P.S. You have GOT to check out a second photo of this guy. It is SO funny!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/krabami/3220920016/

Food

2009-03-27T06:55:00.001-05:00

I'm drinking instant creamer in my real coffee this morning, as opposed to real cream in my instant coffee, as I usually do.
On that food note- I was recalling this morning a period in my life where I tried to go raw. Raw foods, that is. I was reading this chick's blog and she made it sound so easy and fun. Well, it was okay for a few days, but it was a lot harder than I thought. I don't think I could go 100% raw now, but I'd like to incorporate more healthful foods in their natural state into my whole family's diet. Here is a recipe that looks like it might start me on the right track:

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups pecans
1/2 cup unsweetened, shredded dried coconut
1 tablespoon lucuma powder*(optional)
Pinch Himalayan crystal salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup raisins
10 dates, pitted

Directions

Process all of the ingredients, except for the raisins and dates, in a food processor fitted with the S-blade, until coarsely ground. Add the raisins and dates and continue processing until the mixture begins to stick together when pressed between your fingers. Roll and form into desired shapes and sizes

From Kristen's Raw

This Is Practically Live Blogging

2009-03-26T17:40:00.002-05:00

Whatever that is. Me and Elsa are getting ready to go out to dinner for Josh's 33rd birthday! RIGHT NOW! lol

Looking Forward

2009-03-25T07:13:00.003-05:00

Princess Belle, Beauty and the Beast, originally uploaded by FrogMiller.

First of all, I should look to the future for excitement and happiness, I am trying to live more in the now. (Thank-you Eckhart Tolle) Buuut, I admit it, I am. I have so much stuff coming up and I love to be busy. Today is work and tonight is knitting group. Tomorrow I'm getting highlights in my hair, it's Josh's 33rd birthday, and we're going out to eat. Friday is work again and then a photo shoot. Saturday is Amy's Bridal Shower. Sunday is... Er... something, I'm sure. And then following soon after is a photography meeting, a meeting with Lincoln Handmade Awesome people, an appointment to get a new tattoo, the Spring Game, Amy's wedding and a whole lot of other fun things. WHEW!

O Hai!

2009-03-24T15:45:00.000-05:00

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Busy Spring

2009-03-23T13:20:00.000-05:00

It's been busy and it will be busy. Saturday was a full day with work, crafting and Twilight at Amy's. I didn't stay to watch all of the movie, because I couldn't stand the look on 'Bella's face. I just wanted to smack her. Here she is, supposedly madly in love and full of passion for this guy and she never wipes that gaping yet sarcastic smirk off of her face. Blech! What made the books such a good read (it wasn't the author's literary skill) was how well she conveyed/tapped into that primal chemical emotion of passion. The characters themselves were okay, but, at least for me, she had me identifying with the drunk addictive emotion that the beginning stages of loving are filled with.
Anyway, I didn't mean to get into a big book or movie review- that was just my Saturday. Sunday was more work, including some housework. I have some type of clutter magnet in my house (or I'm extremely lazy) and it just makes me depressed. So every few days I make a half-hearted swipe at things, trying to get my crap together. Someday...maybe it will stay.
Monday is more work, then a meeting with a photographer, and maybe some movie watching. Or maybe tv. Does Intervention come on Mondays or Tuesdays? I can never remember.
In other news, I'm enjoying some major bud action around the yard. The bush lilac bush outside my window is actually getting some tiny leaves, it's a step up from bud stage. I'm totally excited for Spring. All of our trees in the back yard are flowering type trees, so they totally rock in Spring.

Share With You Sunday

2009-03-22T13:13:00.002-05:00

1236646862641, originally uploaded by Evanovich.

Hello and welcome to the first edition of "Share With You Sunday". Today, I am sharing a funny flickr photo from a flickr friend of mine, Evan. His stream is not for the weak of heart, and I can't in good conscious reccomend it, but I think it's funny. Not much of it is content he produces, rather much of it is found comics and internet memes.
I found this Obama spoof particularly funny.

And The Winner Is...

2009-03-21T08:52:00.003-05:00

Sarah of Our House is the winner of Chimera Crochet's grand awesome super giveaway. She will get the prize of her choice from either of my two etsy shops!
Congratulations Sarah!

It's GIVEAWAY Time!

2009-03-18T02:16:00.001-05:00

Hello and welcome to my Lincoln Handmade Giveaway extravaganza! Let's cut right to the chase- HOW DO YOU ENTER?!?

Whoa- calm down! It's super easy.
One: Leave a comment on THIS post stating your favorite item, and why, out of one of my three shops:

chimeracrochet.etsy.com
chimeracreation.etsy.com
chimeracreation.1000markets.com

Two: Become a follower of either my blog or my twitter. That's it. Oh, and make sure I know how to contact you if you win!

Now what do you win? Whatever you want! Well, within reason. The winner will be drawn on March 21st at around 8 am and that person may choose ONE item from either of my etsy stores.
Thanks, and GOOD LUCK!

What Am I Excited About?

2009-03-17T15:51:00.006-05:00

Well of course I am excited about the huge giveaway week Lincoln Handmade team is having! I am featured tomorrow, so make SURE you come back here and enter for a fab prize!
What else has me feelin it? Well, I was browsing the recently listed items on etsy (towards the bottom of the home page, really, I love this feature) when I saw what appeared to be a large mitten or a oven mitt resting on a computer keyboard. Intruiged and wondering why those two items were together, I clicked! What did I find? A MOUSE MITT!

Seriously, this may not be big news to anyone else, but I thought I was the ONLY person who got 'cold mouse hand' and here was this awesome etsian making a product specifically for my affliction! I was just so surprised, I wrote write away telling them what a great idea they had and asking if I could tell a few more people about it here in my blog. They said yes, so here you go, new product alert from little old me.
P.S. Haha! Check out their WELCOME BACK KOTTER Dolls/Action Figures. Too awesome! And they have a new blog- http://www.baddoggiesblog.blogspot.com/

Promo Poster

2009-03-14T08:15:00.002-05:00

Promo Poster, originally uploaded by LynetteFast.

SWEET!
http://lincolnhandmadeteam.blogspot.com all next week baby!

Her First Real Haircut

2009-03-12T14:26:00.001-05:00

Her First Real Haircut, originally uploaded by Chimera Creation.

We had decided to let her hair grow out, but then I talked us both into getting it cut. I just don't want it hanging in her face all summer while we are at the pool! We need something easy and breezy for all the swimming and bike riding and general summerness we have planned. I love it! I wish I could get mine cut like that!

New at ChimeraCrochet

2009-03-11T13:49:00.002-05:00

New, originally uploaded by Chimera Creation.

You can check them out in my flickr stream 1. Pixie, 2. Undead Zombie Cupcake, 3. James, 4. Bunton

Or even more fun- check them out in my shop- http://chimeracrochet.etsy.com The Owlingtons, The Woolingtons and HedgeBalls now have their own sections!!

P.S. Stay tuned to http://lincolnhandmadeteam.blogspot.com for some AWESOME giveaways coming up SOON!

Two Things On My Radar

2009-03-08T13:00:00.002-05:00

A Girl and Her Llama by ADR Photographic Art

I love this photo and now I must have my own llamma. (I did buy the print, maybe that will tide me over.)

Also on the radar, a blog I love to read- Romantic History But it is especially on my radar for these little boy rompers. HOW CUTE are those?!?! And she made the pattern up herself. So amazingly talented!

Elsa On Stairs

2009-03-07T07:41:00.001-06:00

Elsa On Stairs, originally uploaded by Chimera Creation.

I love capturing one of those distant glamour shot looks when I'm taking photos of Elsa! lol We've been having SO much fun going to the haymarket, it's like our new favorite place to go. She loves to walk by the trains on the western edge.

Another One

2009-03-04T15:50:00.001-06:00

From Bad Joke Wednesday in the Etsy Forums

"Did you hear about the new cordoroy pillow cases?"

"They're making headlines."

. . . . .

Lisa @ Craft Fair

2009-03-02T15:28:00.001-06:00

Lisa @ Craft Fair, originally uploaded by Chimera Creation.

I had so much fun at the Wayne Craft Fair! I sold the most I've ever sold at a craft fair (like FOUR things!) but besides that, it was just such a great atmosphere. They had plenty of food and drink and live music. The ride up was a blast with some super nice chick-fil-a's! I'm so glad I decided to go!

Joke

2009-02-27T16:40:00.001-06:00

From my Reader's Digest I just got in the mail:
A guy walks into a bar with a lizard on his shoulder. "What do you call that?" asks the bartender. "Tiny," says the guy. "Because he's my newt."

LOL! I admit, it took me a good 30 seconds and a re-read to get it, but then I totally laughed... out loud even!

Be Safe.

2009-02-23T15:53:00.002-06:00

Be Safe., originally uploaded by Chimera Creation.

HAHA, this is SO awesome! I got it from Visions in Vinyl
She actually sent me two, so I put one on each side! The color 'ice blue' matches my van perfectly. The Windstar is SO pimpin now!

Lovebirds Mobile

2009-02-21T09:32:00.003-06:00

lovebirds mobile, originally uploaded by Chimera Creation.

Here is my entry for the February challenge in Christy's Craft Challenge. It's a lovebird mobile, and it was really hard to photograph!

7...8...

2009-02-20T08:24:00.002-06:00

NEIN!
Haha! I've discovered what is apparently the best thing about teaching a toddler a second language. They are able to say NO! to you in many different ways. It's both cute and frustrating to tell Elsa to do something and have her yell, "NEIN! NEIN! NEIN!" and then have her follow it up with "NO! NO! NO!" just in case we don't speak German. HAHAH! Ich liebe es!
In other news, I just realized I have yet to complete my craft challenge for Christy's Craft Challenge, so I will definitiely be doing that when I get home from work.
In other other news, I think I have received the most awesome flickr comment ever written. I shall recreate it for you here:

From ZNT.HÖLDUM (3:65) O carrot ! carrooooootttt !!!
for th holy head of anubis! she's so..
indifferent.. so indifferent that hurts my feelin's
:)
i like it, & the pills, & the jellyfish
they still behold the homemade style but they're expresive
:)
:)

Sorry, I have a crush.

2009-02-19T12:42:00.001-06:00

It seems like he's singing it faster than the other acoustic versions I've heard. What is it about crushes? Do I usually lust after 40 year old balding men? No, well, not usually anyways! I admit it, I enjoy having the drama and rush of a crush. Even a silly one on a star. It is by no means all encomapsing, but it's funny to giggle at myself when I listen to his songs.

Smell Me

2009-02-15T09:25:00.005-06:00

So yesterday I was working a booth at the Home and Garden show. It's a booth involving pet products. Caddy corner from us is a bee booth with bee products- honey, beeswax lotion, etc. So anyways, as people walk by I ask if they have a pet at home, so as to acertain if they would be interested in any of our products or services. Cut to scene:
This lady in red is walking down the corridor towards my booth, but she is across the way, stuck in a throng of people. The event was very busy. She makes purposeful eye contact with me and my booth and struggles to get through the people to talk to me. I assume by her delighted look that she must be an animal lover, so as she approaches I ask, "Do you have a dog at home?" With wide eyes she holds up her hand and says, "Smell my hand!" Me, taken aback, smells her hand, thinking the answer to my question must lie in the odor of her fingers. Did her hand smell like dog or something? Nope. Flowers. She exclaims, "Doesn't that smell SOOO good?" I nod dumbly as she walks away.
She didn't even have a pet, she wanted me to smell the beeswax lotion on her hand. Who approaches a stranger working a booth just to have their hand smelled? What a wierdo.

Love For Valentines Day

2009-02-14T01:52:00.001-06:00

Love For Valentine's Day, originally uploaded by Chimera Creation.

Happy Valentine's Day! <3 <3 <3

More of the same.

2009-02-08T14:21:00.001-06:00

*moony sigh*
On another note, I have Elsa singing the acoustic version of "Sorrow". I've never seen anything as cute and awesome at the same time before.

Greg Graffin

2009-02-06T12:48:00.001-06:00

Hi Greg Graffin, I have a crush on you.

Oh, and hello to Iron and Wine too. I just discovered you and I like you a lot. But not like "Greg Graffin" like you, just like like you.

Faceless

2009-02-05T11:45:00.001-06:00

Faceless, originally uploaded by Chimera Creation.

HEY WHAT'S GOING ON? Not much here. Have you been keeping up with my flickr stream? That's what I thought.
So, I went to the dentist a few days ago for a cleaning and an exam. They decided at my next appointment, instead of fixing my broken tooth, they are going to pull my last three wisdom teeth! AWESOME!
In other news, I crocheted a frog, I did my federal tax, but not my local, I have not yet purchased tickets for the Spring Red White game and I'm looking forward to the LNKHandmade meeting tonight.

Christ, coffee and knitting needles: Spiral Washcloth

2009-02-01T10:12:00.000-06:00

These are super cute and I want to make one today.
Christ, coffee and knitting needles: Spiral Washcloth

Custom Closets For Organizing Crafts, Hobbies, and Projects

2009-01-30T17:58:00.001-06:00

Custom Closets For Organizing Crafts, Hobbies, and Projects! by Ronald.Eapen

Anyone who enjoys crafts or hobbies knows the frustration of having to dig through everything to find what you need only to have to fight for a spot to work after the search. Many people stuff all of their items into a traditional closet and find it hard to use because they can't see what they have. Custom closets designed specifically for your craft is exactly what you need. Everything is kept neat and tidy while still allowing you to see exactly what you have so there is more time to be creative and less time spent hunting.

Divided Shelving

Laminate sheets, paper, bristol board, wood, and many other items are difficult to store because of their size and shape. You want to be able to see the types and colors you have, but they need to be protected so they don't get bent or ruined. Divided cupboards in custom closes are the perfect solution. Vertical is best for larger sheets. A sliding door works to hide these cabinets when you aren't using them.

Horizontal shelving is ideal for scrapbooking papers, stickers, and other small items. If you are concerned about having them fall out, consider having them installed at a thirty-degree angle and use shallow wire baskets. These are also great for yarns and other oddly shaped items.

Drawers

Smaller items such as pens, pencils, paints, and paintbrushes as well as supplies often pose a challenge for organizational systems. Having a series of small drawers is helpful for these kinds of items. You can fill them with spools, wooden shapes, die cuts and other items and keep everything separated. When you are ready to use them, you can pull the entire drawer out. For larger drawers, be sure to have moveable dividers.

Specialty drawers such as pull out workspaces are a convenient necessity for custom closets. They are great for holding your supplies while you're working, or have them on the end of a countertop to make it easy to work with larger projects.

Containers

Plastic dividable containers are the hobbyist's best friend unless you don't have enough space to stack them up. Make sure to include a number of shelves that fit your various containers perfectly. Adding doors onto each will help you to hide the mass of containers when you're finished. For supplies that are just too nice to hide away, custom closets can have glass sliding doors to keep out the dust.

For ribbon and rolls of paper, custom closets can have an area with lengths of dowel to feed them onto. If you keep the paper towards the work surface, you can inlay a measuring stick and use it to measure out what you need or use the edge of the countertop to tear it off. Have holes routed in the top to sink cups into. You can keep pencils, scissors, paperclips, and other small items in them while keeping them out of the way. For wreaths and other hangable items, use pegboard as a backboard for the unit. It doesn't matter if you have a huge space for a closet in Chicago or a small space in a New York apartment, the only rule with these types of storage spaces is to design them specifically for your items and habits.

Take The Time

2009-01-28T09:03:00.000-06:00

As parents and concerned citizens I’m sure most of us at one time or another have been confronted with the question of lead poisoning. But have you asked yourself what your government is doing to protect your children from lead contained in toys? The answer? They're banning toys, taking books from schools and libraries, hurting low income families, killing entrepreneurial spirit and risking putting the economy in an even greater depression than we've seen in decades. I'd like to introduce you to their solution: the CPSIA.

Do you know about the CPSIA? No? Then I ask you to take a few minutes to find out about it.

The CPSIA stands for Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, a new set of laws that will come into effect on 10 February, 2009 and will impact many, many people in a negative way. Make no mistake, this is very real. View it for yourself. If Forbes, the American Library Association and numerous other media are paying attention, perhaps you should too.

How will these new laws affect you? Well, here are a few examples:

To the Parents of Young Students:
Due to the new law, expect to see the cost of school supplies sky rocket. While those paper clips weren't originally intended for your student to use, they will need to be tested now that your 11-year-old needs them for his school project. This law applies to any and all school supplies (textbooks, pencils, crayons, paper, etc.) being used by children under 12.

To the Avid Reader:
Due to the new law, all children's books will be pulled from library and school shelves, as there is no exemption for them. That’s okay though, there's always television. Our children don’t need to learn the love of reading after all.
Article from the American Library Association http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=1322

To the Lover of All Things Handmade:
Due to the new law, you will now be given a cotton ball and an instruction manual so you can make it yourself since that blanket you originally had your eye on for $50 will now cost you around $1,000 after it's passed testing. It won't even be the one-of-a-kind blanket you were hoping for. Items are destroyed in the testing process making one-of-a-kind items virtually impossible. So that gorgeous hand-knit hat you bought your child this past winter won’t be available next winter.

To the Environmentalist:
Due to the new law, all items in non-compliance will now be dumped into our already overflowing landfills. Imagine not just products from the small business owners, but the Big Box Stores as well. You can't sell it so you must toss it. Or be potentially sued for selling it. You can't even give them away. If you are caught, it is still a violation.

To the Second-Hand Shopper:
Due to the new law, you will now need to spend $20 for that brand new pair of jeans for your 2-year old, rather than shop at the Goodwill for second hand. Many resale shops are eliminating children's items all together to avoid future lawsuits.

To the Entrepreneur:
Due to this new law, you will be forced to adhere to strict testing of your unique products or discontinue to make and/or sell them. Small businesses will be likely to be unable to afford the cost of testing and be forced to close up shop. Due to the current economic state, you'll have to hope for the best when it comes to finding a new job in Corporate America.

To the Antique Toy Collector:
Due to the new law, you'd better start buying now because it's all going to private collection and will no longer be available to purchase. “Because the new rules apply retroactively, toys and clothes already on the shelf will have to be thrown out if they aren't certified as safe.” http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123189645948879745.html

To the American Economy:
Already struggling under an economy that hasn’t been this weak in decades, the American economy will be hit harder with the inevitable loss of jobs and revenues from suppliers, small businesses and consumers. The required testing is far too costly and restrictive for small businesses or individuals to undertake.

To the Worldwide Economy:
Due to this new law, many foreign manufacturers have already pulled out of the US market. You can imagine the impact of this on their businesses.

If you think this is exaggerating, here is a recent article from Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/2009/01/16/cpsia-safety-toys-oped-cx_wo_0116olson.html

And for those of you prepared to be stupefied and boggled, The New Law
http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsia.html

Did you know? If this upsets or alarms you, please react.

Vote Jane!

2009-01-26T08:16:00.002-06:00

My Geography Jane (see below) is now in the running to win this craft challenge. I'm all about winning, so please take a moment and give her a vote:
http://christynelson.net/challenge.php

ChristyNelson.net: January Craft Challenge Reminders

2009-01-25T18:34:00.002-06:00

ChristyNelson.net: January Craft Challenge Reminders

Geography Jane, originally uploaded by Chimera Creation.

This is my entry into Christy's Craft Challenge! As Christy puts it in her blog- Materials to be used for the challenge:

green paper
fabric
brads
rubber bands
embroidery floss

You must use at least a little bit of each of the supplies provided. Other than that, you are pretty much free to create whatever you want!

So that's what I did! It was hard to decide what to make, I had quite a few ideas rolling around in my noggin. I decided to make a doll type thing, but even that took some narrowing down. In the end I made Geography Jane, her body is hand sewn, I crocheted her legs and eyelashes and her hair is differently dyed shades of wool and alpaca out of my spinning stash. She has brad and paper earrings. This was a lot of fun and I've already purchased next month's craft challenge so I can do it again!

Housekeeping

2009-01-23T19:05:00.006-06:00

I've been doing stuff with Elsa, museum outside inside stuff. Currently she's saying, "Where's the bug mommy?" "Look in room." "Dudde" "Where's bug? Mommy!" I don't even know what she's talking about.
Anyways, I've also been joining artfire (previous post) and today, 1000Markets, which looks pretty freakin cool. I wanted to post a master list mainly for my own reference, but feel free to click away.
WHERE AM I?

http://twitter.com/ChimeraCrochet
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=646651751
http://www.myspace.com/perkychipmunk
http://www.youtube.com/perkychipmunk
http://www.blogcatalog.com/user/ChimeraCreation
http://www.indiepublic.com/profile/Lisa72
http://www.ravelry.com/people/ChimeraCrochet
http://chimeracreation.artfire.com/
http://www.1000markets.com/shops/chimeracreation
http://www.chimeracrochet.etsy.com/
http://www.chimeracreation.etsy.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chimeracreation/

So I'm Giving Artfire A Try

2009-01-18T08:34:00.001-06:00

I figured I'd give the free account a try. I mean, it is free. I have two pills listed there, and I'm debating making it all pills all the time. ChimeraCrochet's Pharmacy, as it were. Speaking of pills, I better make some more, because I have a feeling I'm going to sell out soon. SO either snap up what I have on Artfire (click above) or shimmy over to ChimeraCrochet (link is over there to the lower right) because I just sold another one overnight.

Naughty Prescription For Love

2009-01-11T13:13:00.002-06:00

Naughty Prescription For Love, originally uploaded by Chimera Creation.

New in my shop @ http://chimeracrochet.etsy.com are some Prescription For Love Amigurumi Pills. I have a few different kinds listed. They would make a perfect gift for Valentine's Day!

Being Present is a Present to Yourself

2009-01-08T20:49:00.001-06:00

From: "The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle
Why should we be addicted to thinking?
"Because you are identified with it, which means that you derive your sense of self from the content and activity of your mind. Because you believe that you would cease to be if you stopped thinking. As you grow up, you form a mental image of who you are, based on your personal and cultural conditioning. We may call this phantom self the ego. It consists of mind activity and can only be kept going through constant thinking. The term ego means different things to different people, but when I use it here it means a false self, created by unconscious identification with the mind.

To the ego, the present moment hardly exists. Only past and future are considered important. This total reversal of the truth accounts for the fact that in the ego mode the mind is so dysfunctional. It is always concerned with keeping the past alive, because without it -- who are you? It constantly projects itself into the future to ensure its continued survival and to seek some kind of release or fulfillment there. It says: "One day, when this, that, or the other happens, I am going to be okay, happy, at peace." Even when the ego seems to be concerned with the present, it is not the present that it sees: It mispercieves it completely because it looks at it through the eyes of the past. Or it reduces the present to a means to an end, an end that always lies in the mind-projected future. Observe your mind and you'll see that this is how it works. The present moment holds the key to liberation."

How true, especially if you give that last part a try. Really step back and observe the mind as it oscillates between past and future but never settles on the now. It's amazing and disturbing at the same time. Reading Tolle is part of my voluntary simplicity movement where I am working towards not only decluttering my home, but also my mind! Another interesting this is my friend Amy is also posting on this very subject, as though we were thinking along these same lines recently. You should go give it a read.

Elsa's First Two Years, By Month

2009-01-08T13:55:00.001-06:00

Cool Cool

2009-01-08T08:48:00.000-06:00

nataliedee.com

Top Ten Change Ideas

2009-01-06T08:32:00.004-06:00

The email I got:

We're excited to let you know that this morning we opened voting for the final round of the Ideas for Change in America competition at www.change.org/ideas.

As you may know, we launched the competition back in November with MySpace and more than 50 nonprofit partners in response to Barack Obama's call for citizen involvement in government. First round voting ended on December 31, and the top rated ideas from a diverse range of 7,783 submissions have qualified for the final round.

The final round of voting ends on January 15, and the following day we are co-hosting an event at the National Press Club with the Case Foundation to announce the top 10 rated ideas and present them to the Obama administration. We will then launch a national campaign in coordination with our nonprofit partners to ensure that each idea gets the full consideration of the administration and 111th Congress.

To select your "Top 10 Ideas for America," go to www.change.org/ideas and become a part of the people-powered movement leading the call for change in America.

---

Call To Action

2009-01-04T16:23:00.000-06:00

This coming Monday, January 5, is the deadline for comments to the CPSC. The CPSC has asked for comments regarding component testing and natural materials exemptions! This is our chance to speak directly to the CPSC and push them to include these important additions in the CPSIA/provide your personal feedback on anything that hasn't been touched on. Here is the link to the CPSC forms.

More links and comments in the etsy storque.

The First Paragraph

2009-01-03T13:40:00.000-06:00

The world is profoundly changing, that much seems clear. We have entered a time of great uncertainty that extends from local to global scale. We are forced by pressing circumstances to ask difficult questions about the way we live our lives: Will my present way of life still be workable when my children grow up? How might their lives, and my own, be different? Am I satisfied with my work? Does my work contribute to the well-being of others--or is it just a source of income? How much income do I really require? Require for what? How much of my consumption adds to the clutter and complexity of my life rather than to my satisfaction? How does my level and pattern of consumption affect the other people and the environment? Is there an alternative way of living that is more sustainable in an era of scarcity? Do I have the flexibility to adapt to a period of prolonged energy shortage and economic depression? In the face of scarcity, is there an alternative way of living that fosters cooperation and community rather than cutthroat competition and social fragmentation? Are there small changes that I could make in my own life that, with many others making similar changes, would result in a large difference in the well-being of others? What are my responsibilities to the other members of the human family who are living in grinding poverty? Am I missing much of the richness of life by being preoccupied with the search for social status and consumer goods? What is my purpose in life? How am I to take charge of my own life?
--The first paragraph of Voluntary Simplicity by Duane Elgin. It gives you quite a bit to think about right off, doesn't it?

Happy Birthday Elsa!

2009-01-02T13:17:00.000-06:00

She turned two on December 28th.

Did Doing Will Do!

2009-01-01T12:40:00.001-06:00

Just read: Scaling Down by Judi Culbertson; Choosing Simplicity by Linda Pierce and 365 Simple Reminders by Elaine St. James.
Reading: Your Money or Your Life by Dominguez and Robin; Voluntary Simplicity by Duane Elgin and Paganism by Higginbotham.
Up Next To Get: Follow Your Bliss by Sparrow and Zina and To Have or To Be? by Erich Fromm; also some books by Eckhart Tolle
Just Crocheted: A pigtail hat for Leith and a kitchen washrag for Josh.
Am Crocheting: Nothing
Want to Crochet: Not sure, really just feel 'out of it' craft wise.

Was thinking about: The nature of friendships and my difficulty obtaining and sustaing them.
Am thinking about: Cleaning my office, what I can get rid of next. The Gator Bowl
Need to think about: What's next?

Take Root

2008-12-31T08:39:00.003-06:00

"It is a process, finally, of cultivating oneself and one's relationships with others- including spiritual ones. Mainstream society consists of the exact opposite--ever briefer and more superficial encounters with ever larger quantities of goods, services and people. There is no pleasure or contact, only the giddy adrenaline fueled whirl of changing experience without substance, touch without intimacy, information without meaning, company without community." From Choosing Simplicity by Linda Pierce

All of my reading as of late (with the exception of The Tales of Beetle the Bard) has had to do with voluntary simplicity. This quote was actually at the end of the book I was reading and it struck a chord with me right away. My life has been just as it says- full of meaningless contact, the acquisition of more and more worthless goods, having a steady stream of information coming to my brain so it couldn't rest and really realize what was underneath all of this nonsense. Its too much. I've said, "Enough.". My first steps have been decluttering (I've gotten rid of bags and bags of clothes and shoes, the tv, the playstation and it's games, old paperwork, purses, even outdated foods in the cupboards) and reading books on voluntary simplicity. I've also been striving to drastically reduce my Internet usage, since this, in addition to the physical clutter of my home, is my number one 'drug'. So far, I haven't obtained more peace, but I feel like I have planted seeds. Now I must continue to water them and tend them most gently so they will sprout and set down deep roots.

Crochet for Cleaning... And Love... Awww!

2008-12-27T18:43:00.004-06:00

I just read Crafterella's latest blog post and now I am totally going to crochet a swifter cloth! I didn't even think about making one. What I did think of making were scrubby washcloths for Josh. He somehow managed to finally lose or destroy the microfiber ones I got him, so I thought- why not crochet some? I think I was inspired by the latest issue of craft magazine where they talk about crocheting acrylic scrubbies- how gentle they are, yet full of cleaning power. So, I crocheted him two round ones with 2 strands- one acrylic for scrubby, one cotton for absorbency. They have been working quite well thus far. I think when I make my swifter covers I will use an acrylic and cotton mix too! What do people use for a cleaning solution?
In other crafting news, I am debating getting some black wool roving and spinning some black yarn to crochet Josh a black beanie. I just would love him to have something so handmade and full of love that I did for him.

From Twitter

2008-12-26T14:11:00.003-06:00

Struck me as funny:
7daytrial I think I'm going to have the doc look into baby safe anger management drugs. I have the meanest fetus around.

pbacgrad just made the kids jalapeño burgers. :-) Childhood trauma in 5.4.3.2.1

Hoho!

2008-12-24T13:17:00.001-06:00

, originally uploaded by chamico.

One of my favorite flickr kitties in a nice seasonal greeting. Here's hoping your holidays are happy!

Chain Curtain

2008-12-18T10:11:00.002-06:00

Chain Curtain, originally uploaded by Chimera Creation.

I got my photos back from the wonderful Copperlight Studios! It has been great modeling for them. They are so nice to work with, and obviously they do a fantastic job!

Put Her To Work

2008-12-17T14:38:00.001-06:00

Put Her To Work, originally uploaded by Chimera Creation.

Thank goodness I have an almost 2 year old to shovel the walks for me now! About time!

CPSIA Amigurumi For Adults?

2008-12-14T14:01:00.004-06:00

Discuss here: http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5956002

This is from the Child Safety Protection Act, which the new law references.
Intention isn't everything, and apparently, just slapping a "not for children
under 12" tag on your product won't solve the problem.

CHILDREN’S
PRODUCT.--The term “children's product” means a consumer product designed or
intended primarily for children 12 years of age or younger. In determining whether a consumer product is primarily intended for a child 12 years of age or younger, the following factors shall be considered:
(A) A statement by a manufacturer about the intended use of such product, including a label on such product if such statement is reasonable.
(B) Whether the product is represented in its packaging, display, promotion, or advertising as appropriate for use by children 12 years of age or younger.
(C) Whether the product is commonly recognized by consumers as being intended for use by a child 12 years of age or younger.
(D) The Age Determination Guidelines issued by the Commission staff in September 2000, and any successor to such guidelines.

Honestly, until a few months ago, I didn't even consider my items as things children would use. It may sound stupid or naive, but I figured adults were my main client and it wasn't until a customer mentioned purchasing one of my amigurumi for her child that I even realized parents would buy these for children. I buy amigurumi for myself and you can look thru my purchases to see that as an adult, I collect these items.Now more than ever, perhaps I should take out any tags or mention of children in my listings. I really don't have children in mind when I make or market my items. In fact, in talking to my consumers, I know the majority of my items have went for adult use (wedding centerpieces, gifts, desk sitters). That, and the fact that some of my items are clearly for adults (pills, animals chopped in half, etc.) is this really something I need to worry about for my shop, if I am more clear and consistent with my labeling and intended audience?

Support

2008-12-13T16:10:00.003-06:00

A suggestion:
http://www.handmadetoyalliance.org/Home/our-proposal-to-modify-the-cpsia

LOLZ

2008-12-12T20:11:00.001-06:00

1229129039405, originally uploaded by Evanovich.

Economy

2008-12-10T12:55:00.000-06:00

superpoop.com

Crafty Aliens

2008-12-09T17:04:00.001-06:00

Crafty Aliens, originally uploaded by Chimera Creation.

Fun time was had by all at the LNK Handmade holiday party! Lots of good food and good people!

Season of Crafts

2008-12-07T17:13:00.001-06:00

Season of Crafts, originally uploaded by Chimera Creation.

Here was my booth from Season of Crafts this weekend! It was great to see you out there! Thanks for supporting me, and supporting handmade! Oh that's right, you didn't come.
(o__O)
We had fun anyways.

Coffee Courtesy Toothpaste

2008-12-03T09:24:00.003-06:00

www.toothpastefordinner.com

www.toothpastefordinner.com

Complete the Trilogy: CYBER MONDAY

2008-12-01T08:24:00.001-06:00

US-ECONOMY-CYBER MONDAY, originally uploaded by spencerlargent.

An email advertisement for a "Cyber Monday" sale is received on a computer in an office in Los Angeles, California, 26 November 2006. Cyber Monday, as the first Monday after the US Thanksgiving holiday has come to be known, is the online version of "Black Friday," the day after Thanksgiving which is one of the busiest shopping days of the year among brick and mortar retail stores. Online retailers have prepared special online sales for Cyber Monday, the ceremonial kickoff to the online holiday shopping season. According to a survey by Shop.org, the association for online retailers, 72.0 million consumers plan to shop online from home or at work on Cyber Monday, up from 60.7 million in 2006 and 59.0 million in 2005. The survey found that 31.9 percent of adults will shop on Cyber Monday, up 17.3 percent over last year (27.2%). AFP PHOTO / Robyn BECK (Photo credit should read ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images)

Black Friday

2008-11-28T07:15:00.002-06:00

Black Friday 01, originally uploaded by Evans.M.

Happy Black Friday!

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,458744,00.html

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T08:52:00.001-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving, originally uploaded by Terry_Lea.

(^_^)

House N Fringe

2008-11-25T17:54:00.004-06:00

I'm not a big tv watcher. I watch maybe one movie from netflix a week and that's about it. But every season, I end up watching a 'night' of tv. I was watching Hell's Kitchen and whatever came on with that for awhile. One season I watched American Idol. For awhile I was watching the Sunday night cartoon line up on Fox. Now, though, I think I'm officially watching 'House' and 'Fringe' on Tuesday nights. It's not that they are the worlds best shows (personally, I liked Alias better than Fringe), but they just happen to be what I've become caught up in. So...tonight is TV night.

Chimera Crochet Booth

2008-11-24T09:41:00.002-06:00

Chimera Crochet booth, originally uploaded by sra_nelson.

Here was my first craft fair set up! I sold three things, a cuff, a scarf and a washcloth set. Not bad. I'm already getting excited for seasons of crafts in December!

I made yarn.

2008-11-21T11:12:00.002-06:00

Shetland and Top, originally uploaded by Chimera Creation.

Hooray! Just thought I'd share. There are more photos in my stream.

Jerkface

2008-11-15T15:35:00.001-06:00

more animals

I will be there!

2008-11-14T15:23:00.001-06:00

Holiday Bazaar -- Saturday, Nov. 22

We are excited to be hosting our first ever "Local Artisans Bazaar" right in the studio! Yoga Body and Balance is pleased to present a warm, friendly venue for local talent to display their wares just in time for the holiday season. This event will be taking place on Saturday, November 22 from 1 pm-5 pm. This will be in part to benefit the Friendship home. We'll have food, drinks, conversation and, of course, hand crafted art by some of Lincoln's finest established and budding artisans.

We invite all of you to come enjoy (and contribute to) this atmosphere while supporting your neighbors. Please bring your family and your friends and spread the word to help make this venture a smashing success. The kinds of things you can expect to see include but not limited to: crocheted wearables; semi-precious stone jewelry; hand embroidered pillows; paintings; ACEO cards; poetry books crafted by author; handmade journals; hat boxes; a novel; musical recordings; baby clothes; chakra readings; plus a variety of gift baskets from several vendors and more. This is also an opportunity for you to join in the fun. Thank you in advance for your support and we look forward to seeing you at the Bazaar!

Today In The Storque, Tonight in the Labs

2008-11-13T10:29:00.001-06:00

My chocolate covered cherry is featured in the Storque article! And of course, the article itself is important because... Today at 7pm EST - Online trunk show live in the Virtual Labs, where you'll be able to meet the makers, learn about their process and even see sellers live in their studios via webcams! This is going to be the handmade shopping event of the season, and it's not to be missed!

LINCOLN HANDMADE TEAM will be doing their show at 7pm CST- please stop by and visit with us, okay?

Spinning The Week Away

2008-11-12T08:18:00.004-06:00

I keep putting off blogging because there were things I wanted to show you and those things are still on my camera. But apparently they are not that important, because they are still on my camera!
We have been spending the majority of our time inside our house because of the weather. It's been very cold, which isn't a problem itself, but the cold has chosen to pair with either outragous wind or icy rain. So, i've been doing a lot of spinning. It seems to be the only thing that holds my interest, which I suppose is typical of a new craft. I still get this sinking feeling I'm not doing it quite right, so I'm planning on meeting up with another local spinner, Jordan, of Stricken Knits, to give me some pointers this weekend. On the spinning front, I spun through all of the fiber that came with my original spindle, spun through all the fiber I got a few days ago, ordered a new spindle that I'm picking up from the post office this morning, and then ordered two new batches of fiber from two etsy sellers yesterday, hoping that some of it will be here by this weekend for the aformentioned meeting with Jordan. I'm agonizing over what spinning accessories I really need. A ball winder? A Niddy Noddy? A swift? I'm such a novice, I don't want to purchase things I don't REALLY need. If you have suggestions, I'd appreciate them!
Also, I have been getting ready for a small local craft bazaar. I gathered up my stock and practiced laying it out, considered pricing and am aquiring all the other small things I will need for the show, like receipt books. I read a great page of tips this morning for craft shows. I originally saw the link at Marr's page.
And this week, Etsy, Your Place to Buy and Sell Handmade, is going to make craft and internet history on November 13th. On this day, Etsy sellers from around the world will get together to show their wares to a live audience in Etsy's Virtual Labs. Here you'll be able to meet the maker, learn about the process and even see them live in their studio via webcams! With the help of Etsy Teams (groups of sellers who join together to promote Etsy and their work) this is going to be the handmade shopping event of the season, and is not to be missed! Lincoln Handmade will be having their show at 7pm Central time, so DON'T MISS IT!!

A Look At My Favorites

2008-11-05T09:39:00.002-06:00

Just because. I have some other things to tell you about, but the accompanying photos are still on the camera. Until then:

My Morning

2008-11-03T12:49:00.002-06:00

I got up early because I have not yet adjusted to daylight savings time and I was paranoid I would be late for my dog walk. Since it was early, I had some average instant coffee with cinnamon bun creamer, gave Elsa some pineapple tidbits, then got us both dressed. They said there was early voting today at the election office, so since I had an hour and a half to burn before my dog walk, I decided to go vote and go to the post office to mail bills, photos and two packages. The line at the voting place wasn't too long, and it only took us about 20 minutes all together.
After we got home, I made some rough cut oatmeal with cranberries and strawberries. However, it took longer to cook than I thought, so I put it in a paper bowl and ate it on the way to the dog walk. I walked two dogs then came home. I decided to head out early before my second dog walk of the day because I needed to get some things at the natural foods store on my way out of town. I shopped there, walked down the block and got some fresh bread, then headed to the next town over to walk some boxers. Walk finished, I drove home and put the baby down for a nap and here I am now, blogging. Post post, I'm going to try to spin some yarn on my new drop spindle for the first time.

Crochet - Knot Just Another Hobby

2008-10-31T17:22:00.002-05:00

Crochet is an art form and a popular craft that's been enjoyed by modern civilizations for more than a century. Derived from the French word "croc", meaning "hook", crochet is the art of creating fabric creation from a thread, yarn or other fibers, much like knitting and weaving. The main difference is the type of hook that's used in crochet.

Origins of Crochet
Some believe that crochet was first used in areas of China, Arabia and South America, although there is no concrete evidence of this claim. Eventually, the craft became popular in 19th century Europe. While the crochet process may have been present during ancient times, the hook itself which is used in crocheting was not yet invented. Back then, people used their fingers, bent in a hook shape, to create the loops and chains.

It's believed that the type of crochet that's enjoyed today initially gained popularity throughout the mid 1700s. The tambour style of embroider had also reached Europe at this time. Tambour embroidery was worked with a smaller crochet-like hook. Crochet, as we know it, can be traced back to about 1800; however architectural digs have found samples that suggest that crochet existed before the 1800s.

Some people say that crochet pieces can be found in Egyptian tombs and others say that nuns made crocheted pieces to beautify early churches. It has been argued that crocheting is a very basic technique and it most likely had its beginnings some time in ancient history. Unfortunately, no pieces have been found to legitimize these claims about ancient crocheting.

In the 1800s, crocheted pieces became viable substitutes for lace. Fine lace was very expensive, and people turned to crochet to produce less expensive fabrics. There were few tools or pieces of equipment needed for crochet, and all kinds of people were able to do it. Crafters began crocheting by working with natural fibers, using hooks made of brass, ivory and hardwood.

With time, the art of crochet became more and more popular and the art form found a niche as a cottage industry. Crocheting actually supported some communities after imperialism had deposed their livelihoods. Those in the middle class, and people emerging in society, purchased the finished crocheted products.

Some will say that crocheted fabrics were no more than imitations of the symbols of wealthy families. Crocheted pieces were looked down upon by those who were able to afford real lace and other more expensive fabrics.

Queen Victoria had a hand in diminishing the negative attitude that people held about crochet. She purchased crochet laces created by the Irish, and then she also learned how to crochet.

Evolution of Crochet
Crocheting was done mostly with thread from the beginning of the 19th century to the 1950s. The most popular kinds of crochet methods were the filet crochet and the crochet in the round. These methods were worked in rows of closed or open mesh to build patterns. Steel hooks were mass produced and were popular beginning at the beginning of the 20th century.

In the 1950s, crocheters used thick yarns to create less detailed clothing and fabric. The craft of crocheting using thread was popular throughout the 1960s. Homemakers were very involved in crocheting but during the 1960s, more and more people became hooked to crocheting, particularly the younger generations.

Granny squares and other popular patterns began to emerge. Usually created in fun, bright colors, these squares were completed in round style. These new trends helped crochet to pick up a much-needed popularity boost in the 1960s.

Method
People who crochet today usually begin with a slip-knot on the hook. This first looped is then pulled with another loop. The second loop is pulled through the first one, and the pattern is repeated again and again to create a fabric chain. You can work these chains in rows, or turn them to create a pattern. A round is created when several stitches are pulled through one loop. It's these unique methods that separate crocheting from other fabric making methods.

As compared to other methods of creating fabrics, crochet is a relatively young craft. Through several evolutionary steps, crochet has evolved to become the art form that we know today. Different technologies and modern ways of creating fabric, however, are threatening to make the art of crochet a thing of the past. Let's hope that the many people who still enjoy crochet will pass the art along to future generations. --By: Winifred Holstone

New To Me - Photographic art of Eldeebee

2008-10-29T15:08:00.002-05:00

A Mosaic of eldeebee's In To The Wild Series, originally uploaded by Chimera Creation.

A Mosaic of eldeebee's In To The Wild Series.

I love it when I discover new photographers! The depth and scope of the work you find on fickr is just amazing! Check it out!

Hello There

2008-10-26T13:21:00.002-05:00

Hello There, originally uploaded by Chimera Creation.

Aww, it's a Burt paw! I love when my kitty is in my lap and dozing, then I can totally use him as a model! I thought this macro shot turned out really well, you can see all the tiny little hairs and his tiny pink toes!

Time Management: Prioritize Your Daily Actions

2008-10-25T13:14:00.000-05:00

Many people have trouble fitting everything they would like to do into each day. Modern life can be pretty demanding when it comes to keeping up with our professional and personal commitments, never mind putting some hours aside for leisure time.
However, with a little forethought and a little structure you can make much better use of your time. The secret is to identify what really needs to be done in each day. If you look closely at how you spend your days you will probably find that there are many things that aren't really that important. You need to do whatever it takes to ensure that these never get in the way of the things that really need to be done.
So, at the beginning of each day or even the night before you need to sit down and think about what needs to be achieved from your day. I encourage you to write down the things that must be achieved and you could also make a list of things of lesser importance that maybe you would like to do, but aren't essential.
You need to prioritize the most important things you need to do and schedule them in as the first things you need to do in the day. This is a good idea for two reasons. First, it is good to get the important things done first. Second, you are likely to be more focused and energetic first thing in the day.
The important thing is that you do not allow any interruptions to get in the way of what really needs to be done. Once these tasks have been completed you can then think about other things you may want to do with your remaining time in a more relaxed manner.

A SemiTag

2008-10-24T16:41:00.000-05:00

Rules for tagging:
1. Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog: AKSARBENLOVE
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.

Some facts: I get more and more freckles every year. I have four grey hairs and I'm not yet 30. I have really long fingers. I set the hot water temperature too high on my heater and I almost always burn my hands. My favorite fruit is the orange. My favorite color is green. I like spongbob squarepants.

(Not tagging anyone else, since I've done this already!)

Random Annoyance

2008-10-23T13:10:00.002-05:00

Two things that really annoyed me on my drive home from the dog walk today:

1. When I have my cruise control set and a few miles above the speed limit and people still pass me.

2. Unreadable/poor use of fonts. There is a van always parked at this one business and every day when I pass it, I try to read what it says on it. The font is like red surrounded with white surrounded with black and I can never make out what it says. Poor use of font and font colors bothers me. It would be perfectly readable if it was black helvetica.

I ated this.

2008-10-21T15:38:00.001-05:00

Cortland Apple, originally uploaded by Chimera Creation.

And then I took a photo of it. Mmm, it was a delicious Cortland apple. You know, I love apples that are crisp and tart and this beauty certainly fit the bill. It had a real 'fresh off the tree' flavour.

Internet Marketing For Small Business

2008-10-19T16:17:00.002-05:00

Internet marketing for small business owners is not as hard as it seems. I know that it seems daunting when you are first looking at it. I know it was for me when I was first getting started however, it is surprisingly easy and there are a number of ways to do internet marketing for small business that does absolutely nothing to increase your company's overhead because it is completely and totally free.
The first step to internet marketing for small business is a website. Having a presence on the internet is essential. Online yellow pages are also something to consider and I have found it to be one of the best submissions I have ever done for my business. Websites need to be targeted to the audience you are trying to market too. Therefore, the first step to building one that is going to work effectively is to find out the audience you want to target and the demographics of that audience.
Once I built the website and had it submitted to search engines, my next step was link sharing. Link sharing is basically, where you ask a site that has related material or services, sometimes even complementary like golf accessories would ask to share links with a site that sold golf clubs, if they would place your link on their site in exchange for you placing theirs on yours. Normally as long as the information on your site is related, they will agree. It is free advertising and most companies have already made code so all you have to do is paste it onto your website.
Social networking, this is a great way to get in some free marketing. I started with my group of friends on sites like my space, face book, and just let them know about what I had to offer. I got a decent response and still have people show up that are from these sites that have heard from their friends about my website. No internet marketing for small business strategy is complete without email marketing.
Email marketing is something that is completely free and easy to set up. I created a simple set of emails. Based on the opt in form that customers fill out when they visit the site. This does two things. It tells me about the customer, personal information such as their name that I can then use in the emails so that they are personalized. It also tells me their location. After all, it does not do much good to send American holiday emails to European customers. Finally and most importantly, I have their permission to send emails to them. This prevents any issues with spam.
Another way to bring in customers is promotional items these work wonderfully and do not cost anything to give. Simply use your current opt-in list and offer a promotional item or discount to them if a friend signs up to receive information from your company, of course, offer something to the friend as well to entice them to come. I have found that this works exceptionally well with both product and service based companies.

www.outsource-beginners.com
www.tube-pros-espects.com
Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com

Muffin Top at Your Party

2008-10-18T04:22:00.001-05:00

more animals

more animals

Easy Crochet Patterns

2008-10-17T07:52:00.001-05:00

Easy crochet patterns are perfect for beginners. Easy crochet patterns can teach a beginner the basic crochet stitches. The only thing needed is a crochet hook and a ball of yarn. Simple crochet patterns can be finished in less than an hour, which is a great way to spend the time productively. A beginner will be able to master any basic crochet stitch with the help of any easy crochet pattern.

Children and adults interested in learning how to crochet can begin with easy crochet patterns. Although it may take some time and a few easy crochet patterns before a beginner can master the basic stitches. It won't be long before a crochet novice is creating wonderful masterpieces that will become family heirlooms.

Available Easy Crochet Patterns
Crochet patterns for simple projects generally contain step-by-step instructions that are accompanied by colorful photos or sketches illustrating each part of the design. Aside from this, easy crochet patterns also contain valuable tips and additional how-to notes about the project.

These projects also provide helpful suggestions on the most appropriate type of yarn a beginner should use for a project. Different easy crochet patterns are a great way to introduce a beginner to the various types of yarn used for crocheting. There are various types of easy crochet patterns that are available to a novice.

From wearable items such as baby booties, bibs and mittens or decorative pieces like doilies, afghan covers or pillowcases. The simplest crochet pattern a beginner can do is a scarf. There are various crochet patterns for simple scarves that incorporate a single crochet stitch. However, there are crochet patterns for scarves that make use of two or more stitches. This helps a beginner become acquainted with more of the basic crochet stitches.

Dishcloths and doll blankets are another example of easy crochet patterns that are perfect for beginners. One more easy crochet pattern that a beginner should consider trying out is the granny square project. Granny squares can be used to create other crochet projects like vests and blankets wherein the size can be adjusted for kids, adults and even pets.

Beginners can also try out easy crochet patterns like a kitchen mat or even a poncho. Coasters, round or square, also make great projects for beginners as well as miniature purses that can be given away as gifts. Hats are another easy crochet pattern that make ideal gifts also.

Resources for Easy Crochet Patterns
There are numerous resources that can provide easy crochet patterns for beginners and even advanced crochet enthusiasts. Various craft books that are dedicated to crochet offer a variety of crochet patterns that range from the basic to the complex. Although craft books provide a comprehensive guide for beginners and skilled crocheters it often quite too bulky to lug around. At the same time leafing through numerous pages takes too much.

Assorted craft magazines are sold in large quantities at bookstores everywhere. There are craft magazine dedicated to crocheting. Most of the time, these magazines feature easy crochet patterns that are meant for beginners and even accomplished crocheters. Expert crocheters who have been doing crocheting for a long, long time design the patterns often printed in craft magazines.

The Internet is perhaps the fastest and most practical resource for crochet enthusiasts when it comes to crochet patterns. There are countless websites on the Internet that feature crafts like crochet. These sites offer a wide range of services and benefits that every crocheter will surely benefit from.

In most cases, websites that offer free crochet patterns may require membership before downloading any pattern from their site. However visitors that do signup for the website membership become entitled to other parts of the site as well as freebies offered. Online forums and chat rooms are open to members wherein information exchange is done between amateurs and experts.

Other times websites may offer e-books that charge a small fee before downloading. These e-books contain a compilation of crochet patterns that vary in design and degree of difficulty. A simple search on the Internet will immediately generate thousands of website hits for easy crochet patterns.

Go online today to find an easy crochet pattern to help past the time and learn a valuable craft at the same time.

Thanks to John Austwick for the info! http://www.crochet.officiallifestyle.info
Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com

The People In My Etsy Neighborhood

2008-10-15T14:17:00.001-05:00

Interview Time with Heather!

Q. What is your favorite medium to work with and why?
A. Paint because it brings anything to life and makes reality even seem surreal at the same time.

Q. Name just one favorite...
Band: My Chemical Romance
Food: does Dr. Pepper count? I use it to bake and drink, so it should!
Color: black/red

Q. What is the best experience or the best aspect of being a seller on etsy?
A. You just meet so many wonderful people that are real yet it is the best online marketplace where you can buy and sell items that are handmade, as well as vintage goods and crafting supplies. Nothing can beat Etsy!

Check out her shop!

Tips and Tricks That You Should Know About Google Adsense

2008-10-14T09:52:00.002-05:00

Google Adsense is a way of presenting web site advertisements in order to bring in revenue to the site, even if the web master doesn't sell the product.

Content
Google Adsense depends upon the content of the material in the web sites to be the key advertising selling point. The content brings people to the site to get information or to have questions answered. The rich content created by skillful and informative use of keywords about the subject at hand is what makes people stay at the web site and become clients or customers. The indexing and ranking of the pages contained in the web site is what allows viewers to discover what they will find when they go there. The more skillfully presented information that is available, the more opportunity to market the product or service.

Layout
Studies have been done about the best way to layout the Google Adsense ads. You can find information about which colors to use, whether or not to use borders on the ads, what shape the ads should be, whether the ads should be incorporated into the textual content of the ads and various other factors that make your Adsense ads noticeable yet not overwhelming. Every aspect of the layout is studied and confirmed by trial and error. In addition, certain types of layout styles will work well for one audience and may fail dismally when used for another targeted audience.

Location
Two main types of Google Adsense ads are often found on web sites. First is the text box where the ad is set apart from the content of the page by a border, white space, text size or color. Another type of location is that of blended ads. In this instance, the ad is blended into the text so that it becomes part of the content, yet the viewer can still click on the link and be taken to further information on the product in question. Since the English speaking world reads from left to right and from top to bottom, it makes sense to place your ads in the upper left quadrant of the web page rather than in the lower left.

Colors
Using colors in your Google Adsense ads that either blend with or contrast with the general theme of your web page can make a significant difference in your click through rate. Much will depend on the theme of your web site, but better success is usually found by using colors that blend with the tone of your overall page. The best way to be sure is to test your presentation for several days and look at the statistics that result.

Keywords
With Google Adsense programs, the foremost thing to remember is that the site should not be created just for the purpose of collecting Adsense revenue. Use a web site dedicated to the idea of providing information about a subject that interests you and then add the advertisements that provide additional revenue. To do otherwise will reflect poorly on both the website and on Google and you generally will not be allowed to continue receiving revenue from Google with such an approach. Take the time to research the top selling keywords and use them in your own field for maximum profits.

About the author:- Rahul.S.Kashyap
www.youradsenseprofits.com
www.infozabout.com
Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com

SERIOUS crafting!

2008-10-13T11:14:00.003-05:00

Lisa and Lynette working hard!, originally uploaded by sra_nelson.

This is from our recent Lincoln Handmade meeting! They are SO much fun to go to. Today we were working on banners to display when we do craft shows together. Everyone is so creative and I got some great ideas for other craft projects while I was there. I wish we could meet every week!
See more photos @ Lincoln Handmade Flickr Group!

HedgeBalls

2008-10-09T15:18:00.002-05:00

HedgeBalls, originally uploaded by Chimera Creation.

New at ChimeraCrochet- HedgeBalls! Fun, round, soft... grab one up today!

What's Involved In Starting A Small Business?

2008-10-07T13:59:00.002-05:00

Last night I started a three day course on starting a small business. The class is intended to be an overview of what a person may be getting themselves into. We had two speakers last night, one on "The Business Plan" and one on "Marketing". I thought I would share my notes as I take the class in order to help others who are interested in starting or improving their small business.

The Business Plan: "Businesses don't plan to fail--they fail to plan."
The first speaker discussed the importance of creating a business plan for yourself. He stressed you should be honest in it and fill it full of information that YOU, as the business owner, should know. He covered the "4 Ps" of the plan, which are: Product, Place, Pricing and Promotion. He said a great business plan will lead to sound business structure, produces a marketing plan, clarifies financial needs and serves as a communication tool. In summary, he compared the plan to a roadmap, it will help you get from point A to point B. It must be accurate, and after you write it, you must USE it. Also, for more help (and free business related templates, including a business plan) he directed us to SCORE, a great and FREE resource for small businesses.

Marketing: Honestly, I didn't get much from this presenter, she wasn't terribly organized. I feel like I've gotten TONS more great marketing tips from the Etsy Forums. The presenter mainly said to do market research, primary (interviews, surveys, focus groups) and secondary (demographics type stuff). She also said to check out your competition and to hire a professional to help with your branding and choice of advertising mediums. As I said, the etsy forums gave me more gems than I got from her presentation!

One of my favorites!

2008-10-06T16:16:00.001-05:00

more animals