MacGyver (and crocheting)

Well, now that I have spent far too long attempting to customize my blog, and V is down for his morning nap, I will attempt, once again to complete my rambling post from earlier (while I watch MacGyver of course).

When MacGyver came back on the air, I will never know, but I can't think of anything I would enjoy more on a Sunday morning (before the whole household is awake, I mean) than watching him make a bomb from duct tape and some toothpicks, while he singlehandedly (not a word? not sure) saves the world in a polite and mannerly fashion. Awesome.

So recently I have been trying to come up with a nice project to keep my hands busy. I mean, one can only facebook and read celebrity gossip for so long post-dinner. And I like crafty things like needlepoint and crocheting.

I bought a book with these super-cute crochet patterns that I was really excited about. I had images of decorating V's dresser with these funny things, and giving them as Xmas gifts (and people would exclaim at my cleverness, of course). I got half-way through a zombie, left it in my desk at work for about 3 weeks, completely lost track of the number of stitches I was on, and then gave up. It's still at work. In my drawer.

Then I thought I would give some needlepoint a go. I love embroidery, and have done it since I was a child. It seemed like the perfect thing for the sofa in the evening. Again my imagination went mad, and I pictured our house tastefully decorated with some of my finished products. I even went as far as to imagine my grandchildren bringing one of these on Antiques Roadshow (after I had passed on), only to discover that it was worth thousands! Folk Art or something like that...

So I gleefully started, worked on it for about 3 days or so, only to discover that I had used the wrong color AND the wrong stitch for the whole section I had done. I was so disappointed. I unpicked everything and then put it aside for the evening and haven't picked it up since. Every time I open that drawer, its in there... looking at me. It wants me to work on it, and I feel so guilty (Not tonight, I have a headache....). So I just don't go in that drawer anymore.

But still my quest for crafts continues....

I made V a little blanket to snuggle around him when I brought him home from the hospital (even though I live in Florida, and he was born in June..... he needed a baby blanket made by his Mum. And I needed to keep my hands busy.).

It's too little for him now, so I got it in my head that I would make him a big-boy blanket. Again, my darn imagination jumped ahead to him and his wife moving into their new house, and this blanket tenderly being laid on the side of an arm chair in the den.

Based on this vision, it took me about 45 minutes to pick out what color it should be. I didn't want it to be like that shag carpet you picked for the house in the 70's. So even though I like colors like chartreuse and mustard yellow, perhaps not the best for this project.

I started last night and have high hopes for this craftiness. It's low-maintenance. I can put it down and not feel guilty. It won't glare at me from a drawer. I won't have to make excuses to not work on it. It will be understanding (and maybe give me a massage?? Oh, no wait, thats my husband...)

I'll keep you posted on how this works out.... wish me luck!