But First I ...

Day 25 – 365+1 photos

egratsia — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:48:58 +0000

Today’s word is:

motionless

Here is my picture:

Now in our house there are many things that can be photographed … but I love the idea of the kitchen grandfather-type clock … Time standing still … LOL This is my mom’s favourite clock, and even though it doesn’t tell time [something about the wall not being level and it throw's it's winding mechanism off] it still has an honoured place!!!

Filed under: 365 photos

Day 24 – 365+1 photos

egratsia — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:42:52 +0000

Busy, busy, busy and yesterday’s word was appropriatedly:

motion

Here is my photo:

The electric train [thanks Irini ] that I take to and from work every day … as it’s coming into Marousi station!

Filed under: 365 photos

More crocheting ….

egratsia — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:34:54 +0000

No denying when I start something, I usually become obsessed with it until I feel that I have mastered it well … over the weekend I’ve been crocheting in the little free time that I have … the good thing about this is that I can take it with me into any room, and even upstairs to visit my aunt … I’ve mastered another two motifs: no. 41 & 46 … I usually make a wollen one first usually a thicker yarn then work with a smaller cord …

Here are some more photos!

Motifs 40 & 41 made using 2 different hook sizes to get different sizes

Motif 46 - using yarn with larger hook.Same motif using white cord with smaller hook!

Same motif using white cord with smaller hook!

Now I’m looking online to find a pattern to make leaves … then I’ll be ready to include them in my layouts, cards!

Filed under: crochetting

Day 23 – 365+1 photos

egratsia — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:24:01 +0000

Today’s word from Suzie’s blog is:

hot

and here is my photo:

My lunch, a juicy hot pork steak … I was aiming at catching the hot steam coming out!

Filed under: 365 photos

Day 22 – 365+1 photos

egratsia — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 11:04:29 +0000

My, I think this has been the fastest that I’ve come up with a photo so far … today’s word from the blog is …

glowing

and here is my photo!

This strange little gadget sits on my computer desk, and it’s a USB hub that glows all the colours under the rainbow … it’s actually quite soothing to watch … and I find myself following the glowing changes once too often, actually I think that’s how I fall asleep each night! LOL

Filed under: 365 photos

Day 21 – 365+1 photos

egratsia — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 10:04:56 +0000

Over at the blog Suzie, has set her new word … I saw it in the morning and new just what I was going to photograph ….

Yesterday was Antonis 2nd birthday and of course I couldn’t resist going to my cousins for his celebration … So the word is:

fire

…and here is my photo:

Here he is blowing out his candle a second time!!! What a cutie!

Off to think about today’s word!!!

Filed under: 365 photos, family

Day 20 – 365+1 photos

egratsia — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:28:57 +0000

Over at Suzie’s blog today she wants us to show her a ….

sign

Here is mine!

I spend many hours within the building that has this sign, and I’m quite proud of the work I do there!

Filed under: 365 photos

January 20th layout challenge @ Get Creative

egratsia — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 06:00:54 +0000

Hello everyone, how are you enjoying the challenges …

some amazing entries so far ….

I hope I can inspire you as well …

The challenge is to use ONE shape as a focus element!

This doesn’t mean that you need to cut the paper in a shape … it can be drawn, stitched, masked, cut, even the embellishements, photos or papers can be that shape!

I’ve created two examples for you …

In this first layout my shape is CIRCLE

As you can see, I’ve cut circles, I’ve misted using circles, I’ve doodled a faux stitched circle, and the embellishment was chosen because it was made up of small circles.

The second layout is TRIANGLES

Here I’ve made a collage of the photos on the shape of the triangle, the two trees are triangular, and the banner is made up of triangles …

So, get creative, I’d love to see what SHAPES and how you will use them!!!

Post your layout under the post on the challenge blog.

You have until the end of the month

January 31st

Don’t forget the winners of all the challenges this month

will be guest designers for

Get Creative

in March….

Sfragidomania

Filed under: scrapbook

Day 19 – 365+1 photos

egratsia — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 12:57:31 +0000

Today was a hurry-up-to-get-to-work sort of day …

so, what was

bad for me

is this:

[ I thought I should avoid more photos of chocolate ... LOL!]

Filed under: 365 photos

The saga of the crochet flowers

egratsia — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:44:53 +0000

Well, this may turn out to be a long post! So I’m warning you now …

Ever since I was in my teens I wanted to learn how to crochet … I had already learnt how to knit [from a book] and I was quite good at it, but I was struggling with learning how to crochet ….

My mom crochets … but she couldn’t teach me … you see I’m left handed … and I crochet with my left hand … so I couldn’t learn by watching … or from photos in books … it was all backwards to me …

Then one day, years ago, in Apiranthos Naxos, mom says: Why don’t you visit your grandfather’s cousin who’s a lefty … maybe she could teach you … Great-aunty Phillipa was in her late 80s at the time, had problems with her eyes but she was still crocheting … and that was it … just looking at her do it … it clicked! So before no time I had learned the simple stitches and could do a fillet project …

But I never learned to make flowers or other doilies …

So rewind to the present … My friend Irini lent me a book with motifs [don't know the title at the moment but will insert it here when I find it], that had a dozen of motifs to lovely designs and clear instructions and photos …

So I thought I’d give it a go … hmmmm … not quite that easy … again, what I was doing and what I was seeing … didn’t quite match … so this past Saturday, we had a creative get together with friends … Because I was also going to leave part way through and come back the only things I took with me was my crochet hooks and some yarn!

Best thing I did … as my friend Anastasia promised to show me the tricks to the flowers … so after I returned from my trip downtown where I went to meet Jane Dean and her daughter ….

… we also went into a wool shop and I bought some lovely silk floss that you can see in the foreground of this photo …

… I returned back to my friends and was determined to learn …

So Anastasia patiently got me started, which I thank her for very much! … and I did a bit, but she also sent me this link to ‘left-handed’ crocheting … and slowly but surely I managed to do these!

But today after watching this link and the video below it even dawned on me even more … and I made the yellow flower as well as using thinner anchor variegated thread and a smaller hook to make this!

By Jove I believe I’ve got it!!! LOL

I’ve conquered Motif no. 40 …

My joy is great … now to work out the other 50 motifs that I have!!!

Filed under: crochetting, Design Collective class, flowers