Thug Life

Of all the hobbies I dabble in, I probably do cross stitch the least. A lot of what I want to stitch is either inappropriate to hang in a home with young children or Halloween-themed. Also, I'm terrible about getting frames for the finished product. I have a pretty great sugar skull cross stitch that I completed a few years ago and it took me at least another year to remember to get a frame for it. 

Cute, right?

I still haven't hung it up lol. 

Anyway, I've recently started to do cross stitch again because a friend of mine (male, 20's) mentioned liking the cross stitch patterns that look old fashioned but say something unexpected.  His favorite was "Damn, it feels good to be a gangsta" and I was thrilled. FINALLY someone appreciates weird cross stitch! For his birthday I made him this: 

Look, I even found a cool frame lol!

My friend gave every indication that he loved the strange gift so I made him this for Christmas:

Well, I began it before Christmas with every intention of giving it to him then, but I didn't actually finish it until like a week ago. I always forget that I'm tired and busy around the holidays and that it's a bad time to try to do time-consuming projects. So yeah, it still lacks a frame. I'm going to try to get one this weekend because I know me - if I don't do it now, I will just hold on to the piece for another month... year... decade... 

I have one more cross stitch project in the works, at least 5 unfinished crochet projects, a painting I want to complete for my husband, and countless other projects in various stages all over my craft room. I have a fertile imagination and hands that like to create but I don't always have the time, materials, or know-how required lol. From now on, I'll post them here when I finish them. 

Until next time! 

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Me, desperately applying myself to side-hustles

So.

Before I launch into the changes that you will see around this Words Have Power, I just want to remind everyone that I am not a fast bloomer or an early adapter. To me, it feels very much like I'm reinventing this blog when, in fact, I'm just going to start using it for its intended purpose. I'm so far behind in this concept, I'm practically vintage.What can I say, self-promotion and public vulnerability are NOT my wheelhouse. I'm much better at self-deprecation, deflection, perhaps even... stalling?

Surely not...

Anyway - here's the general idea: I will post far more often. I will post things like book reviews, songs that move me, my latest artwork or craft project, and writing from prompts. I will post pieces of my work that are for sale and pieces of my work that are so comically horrible, they will likely become memes.  I might even post videos of the work in progress; those are super-fun to watch. I will let you know what I struggle with and when I succeed. I will try to be vulnerable in a way that is true and not sugar-coated. I will integrate my Facebook shop and my Pinterest boards for more of a well-rounded presence. I will, as I said, use the blog for its intended purpose.

Right now, I'm struggling to move my handmade jewelry from my personal Facebook page to the business one. The system is clunky and slow and has repeatedly sited me for items that are against Facebook Marketplace policies when they are actually just pearl or crystal earrings. Also, I think it's easier to add items from your phone to Facebook than it is to do so from a laptop - is this on purpose? Are most people not using their laptop to handle business stuff? Typing out descriptions is so annoying on my phone.

Should be fun. Hope you come along.