Blog Hopping Around the World

I have been invited by a dear friend Betsy at " The Simple Life of a Queen" to participate in the Blogging Around the World" blog hop.

Betsy is a very talented woman who I have been blessed to meet almost 2 years ago. She lives in Spokane, Wa and is happily married with 3 grow children. Her children are all over the world and it's a blessing that she likes to travel so she can keep "going" and visit her children while traveling even to Japan... Isn't she lucky ?
I met Betsy through Grace Saylor and Teresa Kasner who have also become dear friends to me. I feel so fortunate to have met her and to be able to share her amazing artistic projects. She is a gifted crocheter and knitter and I have been amazed every time I see her work especially her crochet doilies and table covers. What I feel is so special about Betsy is the fact that she is so unselfish and she is so giving. Almost everything she knits and crochet goes directly to others .... You hardly ever see her wearing any of her creations, because as soon as she finishes something she gracefully gives it to someone...what a sweetheart ! ....I hope you will go visit her blog and admire her projects as much as I do.

This week is my turn to answer the questions that will let you inside my world of crafting ...


1. What am I working on?

I always have too many work in progress ( WIP). I'm one of those people that makes lists to prioritize what I should try to finish first, but I truly believe that one should not stop creativity and inspiration and I always say I wish I was an octopus ... Can you imagine how much we could get done had we had that many hands ???

Well I'm not an octopus, but I sure have an overflowing feeling of inspiration coming at my head every day ... And only 2 hands of course ... so I'm always behind on all my projects.

Right now ...I'm working on :

Baby things :
A cute crochet border for a a baby blanket for a friend who already had her baby, a baby blanket which I started last year ( but got lost when we moved and just now found it again :)) and a pair of baby booties which are the cutest thing you have ever seen...

Blankets:
I'm currently working on a ripple for myself and a green and brown granny square (I had also put it alway in storage when we moved).

Scarves:
I have a linen simple garter stitch scarf, a lacy pink cashmere, a yellow and grey ripple, and a soft white stockinette cowl and one of my current favorites ... The turnagain cowl ... I'm sorry but I don't have pictures of all of them as I usually take pictures after I finish a project so I can show it to you ...

And of course my washcloths which I'm working on throughout the year for Christmas gifts.

Well, I think I could spend a lot more time telling you about the projects I have started but then you would really think I'm crazy... I know, I know I should be working on one of them right now ...

I just don't like to work on just one project, but I do feel like I should try to contain myself to start so many projects at the same time ... But I will eventually finish all of them and start new ones again ... I told you the inspiration and the ideas are overflowing in my head :)


2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?

I usually work from a pattern, especially when I'm knitting, but when it comes to crochet I love to create and to change a pattern, even if it is just a little,so I can give it my own little twist. I do have to say that most of my inspiration comes from all of you my friends from blogland. You all are so great and you do such wonderful work ... you give me great inspiration every day.

I love every kind of fiber from cotton to wool. I think I change the fibers according to the weather as I knit and crochet all year long. I also love to sew ( although I'm a very beginner) and I have just last week discovered that I do like to embroider so I'm going to be giving it a try again very soon. I have tried painting, scrapbooking and card making ... I think life is in constant motion and it's most interesting when we are trying and learning new things at every chance we have.

3. Why do I write/create what I do?

Both my mom and my dad have always been very creative and artistic. So I have grown up in a house in which art was always part of our lives. For me creating and working on something artistic is just like breathing ... I need at least a little bit of it everyday to survive.

My father was a journalist so I always wanted to write a book ... And I hope to still do it someday ...( I have secretly started it in the back of my head I think )... I think that is why I started my blog. A place and space for me to collect my thoughts, my ideas and then show you the product of these ideas. I'm no writer by all means, but what keeps me encouraged is knowing that you are all going to be here every time I come back with a new idea or project to show you ... No matter how crazy or simple it might be. So, I write to keep record of my projects, but most importantly for myself and for you ...


4. How does my writing/creating process work?

I believe I get inspired by everything ... Sometimes is a color, or a picture that I see somewhere, a magazine, a book, or a song I heard, or a post from one of you ... every day something grubs my attention and that energy turns my head to the place where I get inspired to start, continue or finish something ... I also get inspired by a person I love and sometimes when it's close to their birthday or a special date I get inspired to make something for them ...

Voila ... That is me and my crafting/ creative life ... I hope you feel like you know me a little bit better now and that you know the part of me that makes as closer friends, even though I have never met ( most of) you " in person" ... I do feel closer to you and feel that we are all a part of a big creative world ...

And although this is not a question I was asked to answer I will leave you with my favorite project I made last year ... That was the granny square colorful wedding blanket I made for my niece and her husband ... I just loved working on it and I think it turned out very nice and just like my niece ... That was for me the funnest and most favorite gift I made all year..

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As part of the blog hop I'm supposed to invite another blogger to participate on this fun game ... I have invited, but have not yet heard from them so I'm still waiting for their permission to post their names here. As soon as I hear from them I will announce who will be the next blogger posting next week.

Stay tuned as the week goes by and you will hear which blog you will be hopping to next ...

Thanks for staying with me, for all your sweet comments and encouragement ...

Have a fun ... Fabulous week!

Ps: I'm sorry but I'm posting from my ipad and the pictures related to each of my questions can only be posted after the text :)
Hope you enjoy them !