One of my Favorite Authors - C.A. Goody

C.A. Goody is one of my favorite authors.  She isn’t too well known, but she should be.  She is the author of a series of “children’s” books that feature Charlie the cat.  I put children’s in quotes because they are good enough that adults can enjoy them as well.  She told me her goal was to write them so an adult could read them with a child and both could enjoy them.

The books are about Charlie’s various adventures from Charlie’s point of view.  The very first one I read was “Charlie Moves to Arizona”.  It was so funny reading about Charlie discovering the Arizona desert.  It helped me realize how unique an area I live in.

I believe Ms. Goody is the only author who has written a book that both my mother-in-law and I have enjoyed.  We have totally different tastes in books and that is OK.  I figured she would be hesitant to read a children’s book, but I was pretty sure she would enjoy it.  When I handed her a Charlie book, I told her, “If you aren’t enjoying this by the end of the first chapter, don’t bother reading it.”  She didn’t even make it through the first page without laughing.

My mother has just been reading “Charlie and the Rodent Queen”.  She told me last night that she is enjoying it, despite feeling rotten.

Now, if I have whet your appetite to read about Charlie, Ms. Goody has “Charlie’s Halloween Adventures” available as a free PDF on her website.  Go on over there and check it out.  I haven’t read it yet, but I’m sure it’s good.

Oh, you need to know the website?  Here it is: http://charliethecat.com/

Charity Items Make Great Gifts

Charity items make great gifts.  There are times when you feel like a little something should be given.  This is true especially around the December holidays.  An example would be little gifts for coworkers or neighbors.  So many of us are on diets and don’t need another little item to take up room.  Also, as the gift-giver, the cost of these items can add up quickly.  This is a great place to give donations.  Donate a hand-made item to a charity in the person’s honor.  My experience is that many people appreciate this more than a small box of chocolate.  This is also great for places where you want to thank a whole group, like our vet’s office.  I donated to an animal-friendly charity they support.  When I sent their card, I told them about the donation.  A bonus is that, for those who don’t appreciate the donation, they probably wouldn’t have appreciated the gift, either, but the donated item still brought cheer to the person who needed it.

These charity donations don’t just have to be around the holidays.  These can be used as thank-you’s when someone does something extra special.  These are also great memorial items.  When someone dies, instead of sending flowers, I send items.  In most cases, it is a month’s worth of items.  I put this information in the sympathy card.  The families have been quite touched by this.

You can start on these charity items now, donate them, but use them as “gifts” next Christmas.

Don't Forget the People you Know

Although I believe making items for charity is important, it is also important to not forget to make things for people you know.

First of all, don’t bother making things for people who aren’t going to appreciate a handmade gift. If the recipient isn’t going to appreciate the time you spent, save that time for someone else and just purchase a gift.

Second, there are other people in our lives besides friends we see regularly and family. There are the people who we really appreciate, yet tend to forget. I am thinking of people like those at a doctor’s office or vet’s office that always take good care of us. It may be a cashier at a store or a waiter at a restaurant. These are people you probably won’t take the time to make a sweater for, but a small handmade gift is unexpected so it is a double treat. This year, I took ornaments for the employees at our local pet store. This is a small store (5 employees) where we get our cats’ canned food. They have been great. When we are ready to get the food, we call them with our order (on Monday), they order it for us and it is set aside and ready for us when we arrive that weekend. They are always friendly and ready to help answer questions. The ornaments I made were really quick to crochet, but when I delivered them, the recipients were so excited and touched. I once took a little jack-o-lantern to an afternoon doctor’s appointment that was on Halloween. The doctor’s face sure did light up. These are quick projects, but that little something often brings a great big smile, especially to someone who has been having a bad day.

The most important person to remember and make items for is… YOURSELF. If you see something you want to make for yourself, you have permission to stop making items for charity and other people (unless someone is paying you for it) and make something for yourself. This may seem obvious, but for some of us, we need permission to do that. At one point, I would feel guilty if I was making something for myself instead of charity. I had to consciously give myself permission to spend time on something for me. I have come to the point that I can take time to make something for myself and not feel the slightest bit guilty.

My Charity Work

Good morning.

I figured since Derya blogged about my charity work, I would expand on it.  First of all, the quote from my e-mail to Derya best describes my work.

"My New Year's resolution, every year since 2003, has been to make an average of at least one item for charity each day.  Every year I have beat that goal.  For many of those years, I have made over 1000 items.  That goal has been beaten while dealing with fibromyalgia.  One year I had shoulder surgery and this year, I did it after dislocating and fracturing my shoulder last December.

Who have I made these items for and what have I made?  NICUs (booties, hats, afghans, sweaters), infant loss programs (burial outfits, afghans), hospice (magnets, ornaments), nursing homes (lapghans, scarves, hats), the military (hats), animal shelters (cat toys - from otherwise unusable yarn like stained yarn).  I think those are the main groups."

Yes, I am proud of what I do, but my circumstances allow me to be able to do this.  First of all, I am disabled with fibromyalgia so I don't work.  I also don't have any children to take care of and we aren't caregivers for either set of parents.  In other words, I have time.

For many, time is so limited that doing even one item a month may be impossible.  For those, if they can donate even a few dollars, that can go a long way as well.  Take the Ships' Project as an example.  Here is a link in case you aren't familiar with the group.

http://www.theshipsproject.com/Home.htm

It doesn’t matter how many items Ellen receives, if she doesn’t have the money to send them on to the troops, they don’t do any good.

````````  (a comment from the cat – he stood on the keyboard)

Speaking of cats, one of the things I make is cat toys for the local shelters.  This was originally started to use up some rug yarn that I didn’t know what to do with.  I crocheted a ball and put a jingle bell inside or stuffed it with scraps of fabric from what my serger cut off.  I also used little scraps of fabric and made tiny sacks that I stuffed and added a touch of catnip to enhance.  I then sewed across the top to seal them.  These are simply a way to use resources that otherwise would be thrown away.  When I get a bag, I go to a big box pet store that has animal adoptions that day.  I go in and hand them the bag and ask if they would like some cat toys for their cats.  I have yet to be turned down.

A note for those of you who are making booties, slippers, mittens, or socks for charity.  If you tie both pieces together with a piece of thread or yarn, it is more likely both pieces will make it to the recipient.  When I do baby sets, all pieces are tied together.

Have a good day.

Welcome and Happy New Year

Welcome to my little corner of the internet.

When I was in college, my roommate's friend once made a comment that I "could help cure depression by being locked in a closet with a tape recorder."  It was actually meant as a compliment based on the fact that I spend a lot of time rambling to myself.

That is basically the basis for my blog.  When I find something that excites me, I want to share it.  When I create a new pattern, I want to share it.  I don't actually care if anyone really listens to me or uses what I share, but I want that information to not be lost.

I have come here by a round-about path.  Writing is not my forte.  I actually don't even like writing... I think.  That was certainly the case until a couple of years ago when I met Ms. Stella Pope-Duarte.  She was the key-note speaker at a graduation ceremony I was performing at.  She was so fascinating to listen to.  During her speech, she made a comment that she was going to be teaching a writing class that summer, so come to the class and we would have fun.  I called my mother from the parking lot and said, "I want to take a writing class this summer!"  Talk about some of the last words she ever expected to hear out of my mouth!  It was a great class.  I'm not totally sure it was fun, but I did grow.  I discovered that I could write for myself and I don't have to care what others think of it.  Those days of peer editing and abusive comments are gone.

The final nudge came from Ms. Derya.  She wrote me:

"I am absolutely astounded by your passion, perseverence and your desire to help others. You make more items for charity than many organisations do! I hope you make a website soon. It's very quick to start a blog with a service such as tumblr.com and I know your challenge would inspire many people as it's inspired me."

It was the right words at the right time.  I decided my New Year's resolution would be to start a blog.  I didn't reaize how easy it really was.  I guess my next resolution will be to get some of my patterns written out and put on Ravelry.  That may be more difficult since I need to get the pictures off my camera.

If you want to read about my inpiration at her blog, visit: http://www.laylock.org/blog/2011/12/the-charity-knitting-challenge/

I hope you enjoy your visit.  I want this to be a place to explore and inspire.