Crochet Queen: Royal Ramblings

On a couple of ocassions lately, I have mentioned to a good friend that I am traveling to some places near and some far to seek solitude. My next adventure will be spending a month in a Florida Airbandb this winter by myself. Apparently, this struck my friend as odd; she felt compelled to ask me why I would want to go for that long and be alone. A little shocked that she was questioning my sanity, I am not sure that I gave her a good answer. First of all, I don't envision being entirely alone there. I have crochet friends in Florida who I am sure I will catch up with. I also have a cousin there and another dear firend who I am sure will at least spend a weekend with me. I've already thought about pacing these visitors with some time in-between because I do think I might get a little lonely, but the opportunity to explore, crochet, read and do what I want when I want is very appealing to me! I am never at a loss for things to do and often feel like I am running on a treadmil...

I've been thinking a lot lately about how keeping busy, exploring new avenues and attending art exhibits brings me to my happy place. This past week in particular had lots to offer. It seemed like many a venue had openings of exhibits that I was interested in. I've mentioned the Stutz Business & Art Center before <Link> and they had an exibit called "Red." Everything in the multi-media show featured red primarily. It was veried and interesting. The locale is a huge warehouse which was originallt the Stutz Bearcat showrooms. Many artist studios are also there. I look forward to the Open House they will hold in March which will be much bigger and feature working artists in their studios, food and music. Located within a straight shot of each other, I was able to take in two exhibits on Saturday. The Indiana State Museum held its Annual Indiana Artists Craft fair and I was delighted to find a wonderful hostess gift for my cousin who I will be visiting in...

They say that if an object held in your hand brings you joy, then hang on to it! I've been focusing on finding joy as a part of my grieving process after Alan's death on July 1. ILiving in a new town in a new state has given me ample opportunity to get out there and look around. There is no shortage of art and culture in Indianapolis and it is the Bi-Centennial year of the state so there are extra-special things to see. Looking back on the last few weeks, it seems I'vebeen quite busy. A photo-essay about some of the things that brought me joy seemed a better idea than the minute details. Outside Gallery 116 Two sparkly friends came to visit & comfort  Debbie Watson's glass art I dshed off to Florida to get food for the soul from Sista Cin. At Isla Morada Lime does Something for me! Our favorite restaurant when we lived in Coral Springs (1977-85) Had to have their famous Key Lime Pie! The wine was just an after-thought! L...

First let me begin by saying that I've missed being perched up on the throne watching the crochet world evolve and sharing it weekly with you.  All I can say is life and death got in the way! A long and progressive disease, Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD), got the best of my husband, my King;  and he died on July 1, 2016. If you want to know the details of this horrible and debilitating disease, you can find it online. If, after you read about it, you wish to contribute to the research to find a cure for this rare disease, thank you! I've been faithfully committed to this blog since May of 2007; crochet is life to me. It is not my nature to let "life get in the way" of my weekly blog posts: but since my last post on May 5, 2016, I have not had the energy or the time to keep up with it. Although I am a public figure in the crochet world, I am also a private person. You have not read here or on Facebook about this 10-year journey Alan and I were on. Explaining ...

I rarely go so long without blogging and I don't like to use the excuse "Life got in the way." So suffice it to say, I am back! My goal on this blog has always been to express the connection of crochet to my everyday life. It is such an important part of my being or my identity; and I like to point out the many "hooks and connections" that influence how I live. On December 19, my husband and I made our 3rd move since June 2013! We experienced the ying and yang of suburban Chicago vs. the city of Chicago for 16 months. Being a "city girl," I yearned to live in the city and soak it all in. Ravenswood condo This little dream of mine was an overwhelmingly positive experience. We walked and walked, we viewed the city from the treetops while riding the "El" or the Metra. We enjoyed outdoor dining during Spring, Summer & Fall at the myriad of multi-ethnic restaurants within reach. We wandered to street fests and art galleries along wit...