Crochet Queen: Royal Ramblings

Soul Mate Dolls ~ Dollmaking as a Healing Art Sparked by a recent trip to   American Girl Place (AG)  in Chicago with my granddaughter, Chloe, I’ve moved into “doll mode.”  My own AG doll has lived with me for at least ten years and I possess life-long love dolls! The joy of crocheting fashions in miniature, made it necessary to have someone to wear the fruits of my labor. My granddaughter, Chloe, has enjoyed playing with my doll when she visits; and now, as she approaches the age of five influenced by an older friend, she has begun to want her own. Two years ago I put “dibs” on a plan to be the special one to buy her first A G doll since I am the one who loves dolls, unlike my daughters who were never very caught up in doll play. On the calendar for two months, our special “Girls’ Day Out” finally arrived! I tried my best to contain my excitement to an acceptable level. It was a great outing for all of us, including high tea at the store with the newl...

Thursday, October 16, 2014 "Make the World Better with a Sweater is a woolly wonderful way to do both. On National Sweater Day (Friday, December 12), ask your friends and family to wear their most festive holiday sweaters, donate $5 to Save the Children and spread the holiday joy! Together, with sweaters, we can make the world a better place – transforming children's lives and the future we all share." For years after my husband and I served as Peace Corps Volunteers in Honduras we supported Save the Children with pennies-a-day donations to support a child in a third world country. We went through more than one child because when they turn 18, the support is suspended. It was gratifying to receive actual letters from the children we "adopted." We crocheters share the ultimate enthusiasm for sweaters and this is a fun and easy way to make a difference. Find out how you can hold a sweater party, donate or spread the word through social media. 

As if it was not exciting enough to be traversing along Ravenswood Avenue during the neighborhood Art Walk in the crisp air and warm sun of autumn last Sunday! Add to that the pleasure of running into the display of Cathi Schwalbe outside the Lill Street Art Center  (Chicago)! Cathi Schwalbe: Sewing Forgiveness Named as one of the featured artists during Chicago Artists Month (October 2014), Cathi's performance piece, "Sewing Forgiveness: City of Chicago" will appear in a number of venues around the city. What a delight she is...taking in everything in her environment with her generous and child-like enthusiasm, offering to sew a button on anyone who passes by! Sewing a button on  this gentleman I was immediately taken by her ~ the title of her exhibit, the display of old suitcases filled with vintage buttons. Button supply in vintage suitcases It didn't hurt that she was super-complimentary about my unique purse from Mexico and admired my jewelry! ...