June Highlights

· by · in Miscellaneous. ·

At the end of every month I like to look back on all of the projects I completed, recipes I’ve made and any other tidbits that caught my interest. I also like to set goals for myself for the new month that is starting. Usually after I make this monthly post, I like to sit back and say “Good job Tami you really got a lot done!”. Well for June I’m changing my self congratulatory cheer to “Good job Tami you really learned a lot!”

The most important thing I learned is that sometimes I just need to take a break.

Since I started Tanglewood Knots at the very end of January, I have not gone a day without doing something blog related. I was either writing something to post, reading posts from blogs I follow, or searching for new blogs to follow. What I learned in June is that even though I absolutely LOVE all of these things –

IT IS A LOT OF WORK!!!

If you are a blogger I hope that you are nodding your head right now in agreement. If you are a blogger that is thinking “No way, blogging is easy peasy. I post every day and it only takes me 5 minutes!!” If that is you – please make your very next post about how you do it!!! 😀

I ended up taking 10 days off from all blogging activities. It wasn’t planned. I just sat down one day trying to decide what to post and came up completely empty brained. I got a little stressed out about that. I thought, hmmmm maybe I need to spend some time with my Mindful Mandala. But then thought, no. My Mandala is for when I’m stressed about crocheting or need to recharge my Crojo. Crochet actually wasn’t the cause for my stress. I’ve been crocheting like a maniac every day. So what I learned in June is even if you are doing something that you really love to do – it’s okay to take a break. I’m still in the process of catching up on all of the blogs I follow. I had almost 500 posts waiting for me in my inbox.

Now let’s take a look at what I else I learned in June!

Kumihimo Braids

Learning to make Kumihimo braids was one of my goals for June and I did it! This was my most popular post for the month. I am so happy that I added this skill to my crafting repertoire! It’s fun and fairly easy to learn. I’m already finding ways to use braids in other projects and I have a lot of plans for making some jewelry. Plus now I have a good reason to take a stroll down the bead and cord aisle in the craft store!!

A Little Crochet Sunshine

It was a very cloudy and rainy June in the Northeastern United States. After what seemed like endless drizzly days there was one day that the sun finally came out and inspired me to make this little bit of sunshine. I was going for a little sun motif but it looks like a flower. Either way it made me happy!

Tuesday Tatting Tales

I am determined to learn how to tat lace. I decided that I would dedicate one day a week to chart my progress on this adventure. I have made some great progress. The most important thing I learned about Tatting in June is – I can learn this!! I turned the corner from being only frustrated and disappointed to now being encouraged and optimistic. I still have a lot of practicing to do, but I have defeated that fiendish imp named impatience that always seems to spoil my plans. At least as far as learning to tat lace is concerned. 😀

Fantastic Bake Along and Wednesday Dinner with Bill

There was a lot of yummies in June. We had an awesome Pizza Party for our Fantastic Bake Along. There was also some scrumptious desserts that I made for Wednesday night dinner with my son Bill.

June WiPs

Like I said earlier, I did not take a break from crocheting during June. I started a few projects and continued on others. I started another summer tank top and incorporated some Hairpin Lace into the design. I started working on a crochet Picnic Basket – crocheting with 2 strands of yarn over some rope. And I started making a beach cover up  for my daughter Madeline.

maxi skirt 1

I also worked on my maxi skirt – which is 99% done!!! I am making a Kumihimo braid for a drawstring to finish it off. I will be posting about this skirt in greater detail tomorrow or Tuesday. I am insanely proud of how this came out!!

And finally I started working on the Dancing Butterflies Wrap. I should be finished with this within a few days and will do a full post then. I went digging through my stash and found some yarn that I had completely forgotten about!! Ironically it is Red Heart Unforgettable yarn!!! So the good new is I didn’t have to wait until I went to the store to buy more yarn. The BAD news is, I didn’t have to go to the store to buy more yarn. 😀 😦

I won’t be setting any new project goals for July. I have plenty of projects left over to finish up. Will I start anything new in July? Of course I will! I just haven’t decided what yet. 😀

Thanks for reading!!

~ Tami

 

 

57 responses to “June Highlights”

  1. as someone who’s had a blog for almost 10 years now, I just wanted to say that blogging should always be fun, and never become a chore. I probably spend more time than I should, either on my blog or visiting others and commenting,, but I find it relaxing, and it always gives me ideas and motivation for my own crafting. Not to mention that I love the exchange of ideas and chit chat that goes on.
    I find my blog is a bit like a friend. You know, when you think, “Oh I must phone so-and-so and tell her . . . “. That’s how I see my blog.
    You had a very busy June, and got lots of interesting things done. But if you need more time to yourself to craft, and want to spend less time blogging, then just do it! It’s your life, and your blog, after all :d

    Liked by 3 people

    • Thanks Claire!! I love the way that you describe your blog – a friend! That is the perfect way to describe it. I love the “chit chat” too!! It was something that I didn’t expect when I started this site. And it has been a wonderful surprise!! Being still kind of new to the whole thing I’m still working out that balance of how I spend my time. I hope that 10 years from now I will be sharing your encouraging words and valuable advice with another new blogger! I’ll say – “One time a veteran blogger gave me some excellent advice…..” and I will recount how you so eloquently described your blog as your friend! Thank you again Claire!! 😀

      Liked by 1 person

      • I think of everyone as my blog gang!! I really enjoy writing, reading and replying to comments! Claire hit it right on the head with her description of her blog being one of her friends!! 😀

        Liked by 1 person

  2. Whew! Look at all you’ve done in June! I’m impressed. 🙂 I totally agree that blogging is a lot of work. But the good news is that it’s work that we enjoy (hopefully). I can’t wait to get it most days. I’m constantly thinking about what I’m going to write next. But there are also times I just need a break from all of it. That’s when I sit down and just read a book all day(s).

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    • It is truly a labor of love!! I find that I’m looking for blog subjects in everything!! I usually start composing my next post in my head while I’m falling asleep! I probably should have been reading a book during my hiatus – instead I played World of Warcraft when I wasn’t crocheting!! 😀

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  3. Holy Schnikes!!! You’ve done a lot this month!!!
    I need to post a Kumihimo project soon- that’s my favorite craft. You’ve been knocking it out of the park with your tatting too! 👏

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thanks!! I love doing Kumihimo!! It really is so relaxing. Right now I’m using it to make the drawstring for my maxi skirt. I’m thinking some beads on the ends of the drawstring will look sweet!!! 😀

      Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you!! I enjoy doing the monthly highlights. I am always surprised by how much I’ve gotten done. I usually feel like I haven’t done anything. LOL. I am very happy with how the skirt came out. I can’t wait to wear it! 😀

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  5. Breaks are definitely good, they refresh us and also help us appreciate what we have. In this case it sounds like you are refreshed and ready to go. I love Claire’s advice, (such a wise woman) and it clarified to me that my blog is like that; it has given me many new and wonderful friends that I already cherish, especially during this time of transition. So, Tami, blog away, or not, just know that your friends are happy to read whenever you are ready to post! 😄 Glad you are back!

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  6. Pingback: Yarn and Coffee – June .. I finished projects!!! | Crochet Stitches and Butterfly Kisses·

    • Hi! Finding my groove really was the trickiest thing! It was funny when I first started my blog, my “plan” was completely different than what it is now. I’ve really enjoyed meeting so many people, reading their posts and watching my “blog baby” evolve and grow. I’m going to have a lot of completed projects for July I hope. I just need to finish all of my June leftovers – AND not start anything new! LOL 😀

      Liked by 1 person

  8. I agree with Claire93.

    And I love the idea of thinking about it as a friend! That is so perfect.

    The more blogs I follow, the more I realize that I can’t visit everyone of them every day. So, I’ve given myself permission to not visit every single post, or maybe not every single post every single day. I get to as many as I can and don’t stress if I miss any.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Wasn’t Claire’s comment just perfect!! I can usually manage all of the ones I follow but that’s with me spending my first cup of coffee everyday reading new posts. Usually takes about an hour. But only reading a few here and there for 10 days I didn’t realize how quickly they would stack up. I should be all caught up this week – I tried not to stress about it and have skipped a few. I just don’t want to miss anything!! LOL 😀

      Liked by 1 person

  9. Wow Tami you have been a busy June girl! Such fabulous projects and delicious bakes! I find with social media activity (I have my blog, 3 facebook pages, Pinterest (for pure pleasure), and just started Instagram.. .You have to get the balance right. You can burn out even posting liking, talking on social media, is all giving out to others. One has to balance giving and receiving, it is like inhaling and exhaling, the ying and the yang. So to balance that out listen to your heart (via your feelings, which are connected up to your God-self) do I feel like blogging today? If you don’t feel like it then there is something else that would be more beneficial and fun for you to do that day.
    Giving back to yourself would be all the things you love to do just for yourself, arts and crafts could be in this category or cooking and gardening or just watching movies. Whatever it is, when you spend a day doing it, it recharges your batteries and tops up the giving to yourself love-tank! Giving to yourself, then is balanced with giving out to others (social media etc). Much love ❤

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you Sarah!! This is all such wonderful and good advice! I think my “me” fuel tank was running on empty. I am really bad with social media. I have instagram and mostly just enjoy seeing everyone else’s posts. I have twitter but really don’t do much there with interacting. My blog posts are set up to send out a tweet automatically but I really don’t use it. Everything just seems to move too fast! That’s why my blog is my favorite way to connect.
      Isn’t it funny how sometimes it is just too easy to work so hard at finding a balance that you end up forgetting to include your own self into the equation! I’m feeling very refreshed and recharged now. 🙂

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      • I’m so glad, you instinctively knew you needed to make some me-time for yourself. ❤ I think we all need to find our own balance points and to find ways to pace ourselves in a fast-paced world.

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  10. Tami ~ I think finishing up what you’ve got going from June is a very good goal for July! Sometimes things just take longer than we want them to. Setting time to finish those projects is sometimes the only way to get them done.
    Thanks to you I’ve also created monthly goals recently. They aren’t published, but they are written down and I’m keeping track of my progress. I am one post short of my goal this month for my photography blog (CottonmouthCreek.wordpress.com), but I will get that written and published before I go on to set other goals. And I have one more project I want to post by the 4th. We’ll see if I can pull it off tomorrow!
    Thanks for your inspiration! I’m enjoying getting to know you! And I’m still very impatient to make that fudge of yours! Maybe that’s why I didn’t finish my photo post… I needed chocolate!
    Jan

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you Jan! I’m really enjoying getting to know you too!! I really love your creative thinking and you have given me some fantastic advice and inspiration too! It makes me so happy to hear that I’ve inspired you to jot down your monthly goals. I do suspect however that you are a “list writer” like me. I may be wrong but I’m willing to bet that when you have a big event, or a lot of things to do that you write a list. I am a compulsive list writer! Whenever I feel overwhelmed or just when I think that I’m going to become overwhelmed I grab a pen and break it all down. Especially around the holidays. I jot down a menu then another list for food shopping. Then I make another list for holiday cleaning, then another for miscellaneous tasks or errands etc etc. Am I correct in my assumption??
      I am definitely going to check out your photography blog! I haven’t spent nearly enough time on Tapestry as I had hoped but I’m just glad it’s there for me because when inspiration does strike me I’ll be ready for it.
      That fudge recipe is great for a quick chocolate fix!! 😀

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    • It really does seem to be that time of year for it! Thankfully I was not sick – and it wasn’t just the blog that I took a break from. I played a little World of Warcraft but mostly I just sat outside every day and crocheted. So I really took a whole internet break. I checked my work email and the local weather forecast but that’s it. It was really nice. I think I just needed to recharge my “me” battery! 😀

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  12. I feel so obliged to of followed you on your skirt journey! Awesome job with all that you’ve achieved you continue to mesmorise me with your crafty super powers! I think its good to take a break and refresh on everything and have a mini holiday so to speak! High five gurrrrrrrl

    Liked by 1 person

  14. I really enjoyed reading this and you have done sooo much and you are always responding and appreciating everyone, I’ve noticed! You deserved a break. Always make time for yourself to relax and unwind, you have to take care of yourself in order to be the best that you can be..and you are amazing Tami! You inspire me 🙂 Can’t wait for the skirt post, it looks beautiful. ♥♥

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thanks Kelley – you’re so sweet!! I really love the little chats that always happen in the comments section. I would love to be able to add a forum or chatroom to the website. Wouldn’t that be awesome!! 😀

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      • I do too. the feedback and knowing someone is appreciative is very encouraging. A forum would be cool.. a good place for getting to know each other, asking crochet questions and all that stuff..

        Liked by 1 person

  15. I love blogging and yes it is work and I find I have to juggle things just to stay on top of my day. What I do is pick 5 blogs to read every day and no they are not the same bloggers. I read several of their entries and kind of catch up. It helps me stay connected and learn new things.
    Like you I needed a mental health break from blogging and I have been focusing on my writing. I’m in a writing class in addition to writing group in person and the 2 online blogging groups on WDC. I’ve worked on the assignments for the class, wrote a poem for critique for the writing group night and put the prompts up for the 2 online but didn’t write any blog entries. I focused on my yard, the company visiting with us and it felt wonderful. I haven’t even crocheted since last Wednesday. The vacation felt awesome and I’m ready to write again.
    Try to remember to be happy with what you’re doing and success will follow.
    PS. That skirt looks spectacular!

    Liked by 2 people

    • Wow Lyn!! You needed a vacation more than I did!! 😀 It really did feel good to almost completely unplug. I should develop some sort of a schedule/plan for blog reading. It’s easy to manage until I miss a day or two (never mind 10 days!). I am really excited to post about the skirt. It turned out better than I ever imagined. I’m making a drawstring with my Kumihimo braid and then it’s done!! As always thank you so much for your advice and encouragement Lyn! 🙂

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  16. “Good job Tami you really got a lot done!” <- Yes! I chuckled when I read this, because it's so important (to me, as a creative person) to pause every so often and acknowledge the creative accomplishments I have made. Doing that pause-and-praise helps motivate me to greater things. For a loooong time I kind of took it for granted, and even after I had written something really fun and creative and good, I would just rush on to the next thing. So, "Good job, Tami, you really got a lot done" in June!
    I love that you took a break from blogging. I have also been posting a bit less frequently in the past couple of weeks, and although that seems to drop blog stats a bit, I keep reminding myself how much I look forward to other bloggers' really good posts, even if they only come once a week or even less frequently. It's better not to make yourself be in lock-step on blogging, so that you can be flexible and come back to it refreshed.
    Glad to see your tatting is coming along! Will look forward to hearing more!

    Liked by 1 person

  17. You are so right, blogging is fun, but not easy. Especially if you have a blog that focuses a lot on crafts, and you haven’t had time to work on anything. I think to ease the pressure on myself, I need to expand my blog a bit to include a few non-crafty things for those weeks when I don’t have a lot of time for crafting.

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  18. I totally get the taking a break Tami! I have too, mine was not intentional, it just happened, life events and time restraints sort of took control but I’m ok with that. I do get a little frustrated on times because I haven’t posted but hey a blog is for life so there’s no race right! I do still find time for my crafts, mainly crochet and painting and I still work so all in all it’s not so bad. You certainly achieved a lot in June again! Your tatting is really looking good, (still not returned to mine) that skirt is amazing too, can’t wait to see a pic when it’s finished ;). You have inspired me yet again, (hubby is on a diet, so all those yummy cake inspirations are being put on the list to do sometime), but maybe my next blog post will be a round up of my crafts for June, or the way I’m blogging it could be July 😂 no sweat..blog friends totally get it 😉

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you!! For a few days into my blog vacation I was a little stressed about it, but then I thought exactly the same thing as you – this is for life and there really isn’t any deadlines that I’m missing – except ones that I’m creating for myself! So I thought why am I making this into a stressful situation??? Then I relaxed, grabbed my hook, went outside every day to crochet and enjoyed myself. It’s been amazing to see how many blog friends do totally “get it” and it really makes me appreciate what a wonderful community we have here.
      I should try to include some “lighter” versions of my desserts but sadly I’m not sure there are any LOL!!! I only get to feed my son once a week so I go overboard with the biggest, yummiest recipes I can think of. Maybe subconsciously I’m trying to give him enough calories in one meal to sustain him for an entire week!! LOL 😀

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      • Haha well your son is one lucky chap! Funny how crafters are generally on the same wavelength, it’s a whole new community of friends I haven’t made yet! Such s lovely thought isn’t it! 😊

        Liked by 1 person

  19. I totally agree that if you don’t feel like blogging and it’s stressing you out, you should take a break. I’ve found a good pace at the moment, where I read blogs in the mornings and then try to focus on work harder during the day (I really need to get that PhD finished!) and that’s okay! The sneak peak to the maxi dress is awesome! It’s going to look amazing! 😍

    Liked by 1 person

    • The blog vacation was just what I needed. I think that what really stressed me out was that I had hit a point where I didn’t have anything to write about that one day and it kind of spiraled into me wanting to take a little break. I only wish I had stayed up to date on my blog reading though. I still have a few hundred to get through. I’m putting aside an extra hour a day until I’m all caught up. 😀

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      • Haha I feel you I’ve been trying to not do too much blogging during the weekend so that I can really enjoy friends and family and I spend the whole week catching back up on all the posts I’ve missed! But I’m getting there 😊

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  20. I completely agree. Sometimes you just have to take a break from things you love so that you will still love them. I’m still so burned out from college that I hardly ever play my flute just for fun and it has been 10 years. I love reading your blog, don’t burn out! 😉

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    • Thanks Meghan! I’m glad I took a little break. I definitely feel recharged. It really is important to schedule some down time every now and then. I hope you pick your flute up again, I love flute music! 😀

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    • LOL – well those three things are about 75% of my life! I have a very low stress work from home part time job – which I am so grateful for. My children are all grown up so I don’t have little ones to chase around. I’m finally at the almost totally “me” time of my life!! Oh plus I do as little housework at possible – like the absolute minimum!!! LOL 😀

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