Crocheting:
I have been spending the last few weeks sewing some Halloween projects and working on my book, so my hook has been hibernating. But, I took out this week to start a new Halloween inspired crocheted scarf that will be available in my shop late next month.
For this scarf, I use Sugar 'n Cream cotton yarn. I tend to have a hard time working with a G hook and cotton yarn. It always gets stuck in between the strands of yarn and drives me absolutely crazy. But as I was cleaning out my craft room, I came across this cute wooden handled G hook. I completely forgot about buying it. Oh the stuff I find in that room. It is like a treasure trove of crafts. :) I usually use plastic hooks because my hands are always "moist" and metal hooks make my hands smell like metal. Yuck! But this little guy has a metal top with a wooden bottom. It actually worked really well, and though I still favor the plastic hooks this is a nice alternative!
Reading:
Last Saturday, a little before 5:00 am, I woke up out of a dead sleep with a brand new idea for a novel. That is pretty much how I get my ideas, in the middle of the night, which is why I have a notebook, pen, and flashlight in my nightstand. I also always have my iTouch nearby, and the notes app is perfect for late night ideas!
I was fortunate, this time, to have a very well defined idea, so I jumped right into researching. One of my favorite places to go for my research/writing material is my local used books store. I have found more than half of my writing books there, plus the prices are great! As I was searching through the dozens of bookshelves a book caught my eye, Bitten: True Medical Stories of Bites and Stings by Pamela Nagami. I knew right away that this book would be perfect for my writer's bookshelf.
I have already read two chapters: spiders and jellyfish. The quote on the cover from Publisher's Weekly is spot on, "Fascinating but frightening". It really is! I can't wait to read the rest!
Will one of my characters meet their demise by being bitten or stung? You'll have to wait and see. :)
oh, gosh.....that book!!! I'm one of those people who are absolutely adored by mosquitoes (I went outside just yesterday to take a (1 !!) photo and came in with over a dozen bites!! I HATE summer!!!!) I really don't want to hear about the mosquito chapter!!!!!
ReplyDeletemelissa - I have the same problem with plastic hooks. Take a look at your hook and see if the very end of the point and the hooky part have a sharp looking point. I took a fingernail emery board and using the extra fine side buffed off those sharp locations -- problem solved. I tried this with a cheapo hook first and it worked like a charm.
ReplyDelete*shudder* I am itching at the thought of that book!
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