too amazing for words

Flottille (detail) from Etienne Cliquet on Vimeo.

This is some special paper or something but it's pretty cool because if you watch the shadows as it's unfolding, you will see scenes or more detail on some of them - Very interesting - I'm amazed - lol. (Okay I had a few words to say about it - lol)

Crocheting instead of Writing

I had purchased these skeins of red, white and blue yarn some time ago along with some silver coated, and other color coated paper clips (I think the box of 150 large clips was $2, had reddish, blue, silver, green and purple in the box), thinking I was going to make wacky bookmarks with the paper clips and yarn to either sell or give away at events. I made four of the bookmarks, putting the eyes on only one, and decided to abandon that project.



So I've been trying to come up with something to do with the red, white and blue yarn. I decided last week I'd make an afghan to put in a drawing and by the end of this year, from all the entries from every event through November, I would give the afghan away. I'm using a "mile-a-minute" pattern for the afghan and to date, have not been able to find anything remotely close to what I'm using. I believe my grandmother, my dad's mom, taught me this pattern when I was about 10 or 12. My mother knows how to do it as well, but her stuff doesn't always turn out looking all that good.

I did a search today for some mile-a-minute patterns and found one website that has a few patterns on it and posted a comment on one of posting about the different patterns she has used with the pattern on it. I did say I would post a picture of a partial strip so that one could understand the counting of the "circles".

The pattern is super quick to work - the hardest/longest part is sewing the strips together but other than that, it's a quick and easy pattern to do.

Here is the pattern:

(starts out like a granny square pattern but then ends up like half circles joined up the strip).

MATERIALS NEEDED:
4 ply worsted yarn (any color or even can use varigated yarn - whatever you like - can be one color or several= mine will be three - Red, white and blue)
Size G/6 hook
Plastic needlepoint needle to sew strips together

Gauge 4 circles from bottom tip to center is about 6 inches

PATTERN:
Stitches used: ch = chain stitch; DC = double crochet; slst = slip stitch

Ch 4, slst together, ch 3, 3 DC in center of joined circle; ch 3; 3 DC in center of joined circle; ch 3; 3 DC in center of joined circle; ch 3. Turn

3 DC in ch space; ch 3; 3 DC in chain space; ch 3. Turn. - this basically completes your first "circle" as 2 half circles.

Repeat for desired length. The length I decided on for this afghan is 30 circles (60 half circles). Here is the picture of how to count the circles so you know how long you want it. I don't have a gauge on how long this is but for a lap throw, 30 circles is about 45 inches long.

I'll post later on connecting the strips (possibly in a video so that you can see how it all comes together - E :)

HOW TO COUNT YOUR CIRCLES:




As you can see where I have marked my numbers - at the chain space on the sides - this is how you count - hope you all enjoy - E :)

Carolyn Howard-Johnson - guest blogger on poetry chapbooks

Poets Help You Celebrate Mothers and Fathers this Spring--Inexpensively

I always love to report something a little different and I think award-winning poets Carolyn Howard-Johnson and Magdalena Ball have done it with chapbooks of poetry that can substitute for greeting cards for two important spring holidays—Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.

The two women have never met. In fact they live on different continents. But that hasn't stopped them from collaborating on a series of poetry chapbooks designed to replace trite greeting cards with real sentiment. With their 'celebration series', the two have developed a new concept for inexpensive holiday gifts. They range from only $6.95 to $12.95.




The chapbooks for Mother’s Day is She Wore Emerald Then (for mothers on your gift list) with photographs by May Lattanzio, and the one for Father’s Day is Imagining the Future: Rumination on Fathers and Other Masculine Apparitions with photographs by May Lattanzio.





Also in the series is Cherished Pulse (for anyone you love) with artwork from California artist Vicki Thomas and Blooming Red: Christmas Poetry for the Rational.

The small books, a tradition in the poetry world since itinerant vendors roams the country side selling their wares in Elizabethan times. They often sold or gave away their little books filled with their own songs, poems, and wares.

Now these poets' collaborations can all be purchased for Kindle or other digital readers on the high profile Smashwords.com site so they can be read in over nine digital formats on any computer or portable reading device anywhere in the world. This is quite a revolution for both authors, both of whom started their writing careers when the latest technology was a typewriter and carbon paper for copies.

Magdalena Ball runs the highly respected compulsivereader.com review site. She is the author of the poetry book Repulsion Thrust, which was published to unanimous 5-star reviews. Her novel Sleep Before Evening, published in 2007, was a Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist.

Carolyn Howard-Johnson's poetry appears frequently in review journals. She is listed in Poets & Writers and her chapbook of poetry, Tracings, was given the Award of Excellence by the Military Writers Society of America. She is also an award-winning novelist and short story writer and instructor for UCLA Extension Writers' Program.

For more information on any of the chapbooks in this poetry series, contact either of the authors or visit media rooms or Magdalena Ball's site.

Reviews of all these books may be read here.

Carolyn blogs resources for writers at Writer's Digest 101 Best Websites pick and lots of editing tips.


Please visit Marietta Taylor who is featuring Donna McDine

First Writers on the Move free workshop

We are coming up on the first of many workshops for readers and writers, teachers, homeschoolers. If you are interested in learning how to make your own podcasts, please join us Monday, May 16, at 7 PM US EST (don't know the conversion for other areas except the United States - 6 PM CST, 5 PM MST, 4 PM PST) either by going to the Writers on the Move workshop link or by coming in to the EWC website and joining the chat. If using the EWC website, after signing in with a name (please do not leave guest in the first box), you will need to join the room Writers_on_the_move and you will be taken to the workshop. Please tell all your friends, teachers, homeschoolers who are interested in making their own podcasts. See you all in the postings - E :)

Writers on the Move free workshop - May 16

Writers on the Move is a group of experienced and new writers/authors of multiple genres who strive to share their combined wealth of writing and marketing knowledge with all.

As a NEW feature to the group, Writers on the Move is now offering Workshops on writing and marketing. The first FREE class will be presented by Maggie Ball: Podcasting for Writers; it is scheduled for May 16th at 7pm EST (6 CST, 5 MST, 4 PST).

Registration is required, so please stop by our blogsite for the details.


After registering you will receive a PDF with a comprehensive outline specifically designed for the class. This will allow you to work on creating a podcast before the class and then ask any questions you may have during the workshop.

A bit about the workshop:

The simplest definition of a podcast is just a recorded radio show and Maggie will provide the information you need to get your podcast up and running. She'll define what a podcast is and the many different ways you can either do a single podcast, or start your own "radio show" or even syndication with recorded podcasts.

This will be a very informative workshop for writers who want, rather need to bring their books and/or services to a larger audience. If you're blogging now, the next step is to create podcasts

Writers on the Move tour and New feature: workshop

VBT Writers on the Move has changed to just Writers on the move and we have a new feature: workshops. These will be monthly member-led workshops on topics to help fledling authors and readers who are thinking of writing. The workshops will be held in Everywherechat and can be found here.

The following is the description per Karen of the new workshops; the first will be held on May 16th

In our efforts to continually provide fresh and helpful information to our readers and visitors, and since our group has so many experienced and knowledgeable writers and authors, we've added a new and very exciting feature to our group, the Writers on the Move Workshop.

The workshops will focus on writing and marketing, and depending on the presenter and topic, the workshops will range from 30 minutes to ONE hour to ONE day to ONE week long. We are hoping to keep them free, but for the week long, and possibly even the day long workshops, there may be a small fee – we'll have to see how it all pans out.

The first Writers on the Move Workshop will be in a LIVE hour long chat format, scheduled for May 16 at 7pm EST. Maggie Ball will talk about Podcasting for Writers.

The workshop link Show up a bit before to sign into EveryWhereChat and to see if there is any information already in place

DESCRIPTION OF WORKSHOP:

The simplest definition of a podcast is just a recorded radio show and Maggie will provide the information you need to get your podcast up and running. She'll define what a podcast is and the many different ways you can either do a single podcast, or start your own "radio show" or even syndication with recorded podcasts.

This will be a very informative workshop for writers who want, rather need to bring their books and/or services to a larger audience. If you're blogging now, the next step is to create podcasts and Maggie Ball can show you how.

We look forward to seeing you there!

The June Workshop will be presented by Karen Cioffi and it'll be about creating and selling e-books. We'll have the details the end of May or beginning of June.

We hope you find the information we provide valuable in your writing and marketing journey.


WRITERS ON THE MOVE TOUR: It is the 1st of May and the VBT Writers on the Move tour has begun. I'm supposed to be featured on Carolyn Howard-Johnson's blog Wednesday, but I've not prepared anything and I know Carolyn is traveling for a good part of this month. I will try to get something to her tonight and hopefully she will be able to post it.

Join us as we share our books and other writing information with you all. Please visit Karen Cioffi who is featuring Deb Eckerling today.

Remember that there is always something new and you can see the full schedule on the right under Writers on the Move Tour Schedule. See you all in the postings. E :)