Hula in the Coola Day

Hula in the Coola Day

This is a fun little holiday that would be a great party idea when February 1st falls on a weekend.  Basically, this day is for all of us who live in the north and are getting tired of the winter weather.  Why not put on a hula skirt, drink fruity drinks and imagine you're in Hawaii for the day?  

Today was not so cold and the sun was out, so I didn't need a break from winter . . . we'll see what tomorrow brings on Groundhog day.

Of course, working on bright flowers in all sorts of colors automatically makes me smile.  I finished part two of the mystery scarf crochet-a-long and am loving all of these motifs.  This is a project that is using up scraps of yarn, which is very good as I can't bear to throw away the remains of a skein once a project is completed.  i look forward to seeing what part three brings on Wednesday.  

National Inspire Your Heart with the Arts Day

National Inspire Your Heart with the Arts Day

What a great day!  I do hope that most people are inspired by the arts more frequently than once a year; however, this is a good place to start for beginning arts-lovers.

The arts have always been an important part of my life.  I grew up surrounded by music and art.  Throughout my childhood, playing the piano was one of the most important aspects of my life and led to me studying music in undergrad.  There were often various art projects going on in the home, so our house wasn't always the tidiest place in the world.  

Reading is another of the arts that is a daily part of my life.  I can't remember a time when I wasn't reading numerous books at the same time.  I was an early adopter of the Kindle, mainly because I immediately saw that this would make packing for trips so much easier -- no more contemplating which books to pack or how many would be needed for the trip!  

Drama is another of the arts that I have always enjoyed -- whether acting in school productions or going to the theater.  Movies of all genres are also a regular part of my life.  

In high school, I was introduced to Andy Warhol's art and became completely obsessed with his art, his world and his lifestyle.  His life seemed to be the complete opposite of one lived by a midwestern small town girl and appeared glamorous and exotic.  

The above is a homage to Warhol, using an Absolute Vodka limited edition bottle as the base.  The tulips are crocheted and keep their form through wiring.  I chose flowers and the bright colors because they are reminiscent of Warhol's flower series.  

I can't imagine a life without the Arts.  It's troubling when I hear of school cutting out creative programs, often to funnel money to sports.  Sports are also important, but should never overshadow the arts.  I also believe that creative programs reach a broader group of kids and teach skills that can be used for a lifetime.  

National Fun at Work Day

National Fun at Work Day

It's too bad that I didn't know about this holiday when I worked in Corporate America!  It would have been fun to plan activities for my team associated with this day.  With that said, Fridays were usually the most fun day of the week anyway at my prior company.  This was the day when consultants were in the office rather than at client sites, interview and cultivation days were hosted, everyone dressed more casually, and there was an all-office lunch and happy hour.  Final Fridays often popped up with enhanced happy hours, either in the office or at a near-by restaurant.

Working from home and building Occasions by sonjabegonia, it's all up to me to make the work day fun.  Fortunately, that is not an issue because I truly enjoy the creative process.  I don't enjoy computer work as much (likely a hangover from years of sitting in front of a computer), so I just postponed those tasks for another day.  As a treat, I watched an old '80s Molly Ringwald movie - For Keeps? - while working on some new designs.  

At the end of the workday, I also received some great news.  I have been approved to sell on Handmade at Amazon!!!  I had not applied in 2015 because I wanted to see what types of stores ended up selling on the site and I also assumed that there would be some growing pains that Amazon would sort out in the first few month.  I decided to apply for an invitation last week and was pleased to be accepted as a seller.

February is going to be a busy month setting up a new shop as well as expanding my presence on various social networks.  I'm excited!

Daisy Day

Daisy Day

I love all sorts of flowers and find daisies especially friendly and inviting.  Daisies are said to symbolize purity and innocence, so it's not surprising that you often see children pictured with daisies.  Daisy crowns and daisy chains are wonderful ways to use daisies picked fresh from the field or flower garden.

I combined my affection for daisies with my hot tea obsession when creating two of the tea cozies available at Occasions by sonjabegonia.  The crocheted daisy tea cozy at the top of the post will brighten up any tea service or kitchen.

For a more dramatic tea service, check out this Gerbera daisy teapot cozy with a black base and colorful daisies.

I had a lot of fun creating both tea cozies and covering them with flowers.  They keep tea in any standard teapot warm for a long time.  

International Day of Commemoration of the Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust

International Day of Commemoration of the Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust

Auschwitz Liberation Day

Holocaust Memorial Day in the UK

As a child, I read Anne Frank's dairy.  I visited a concentration camp in Germany on a dark and dreary day in my teens.  When the Holocaust Museum opened in DC, I found it to be sobering and informative.  I hope that everyone takes advantage of the opportunities they receive to learn about such atrocities so that history does not repeat itself.  

Related to these commemorative days, today is also

Vietnam Peace Day

Rather than share stories, post recipes, link to Etsy, or describe my latest projects, today I decide to keep my thoughts brief.  I'll take some time for reflection and pray for peace.  I hope that you will do the same.  

Toad Hollow Day of Encouragement and CALs

Toad Hollow Day of Encouragement

This is a day that I had never heard of until searching around the web last week, but it's a pretty cool idea.  This is a day to give encouragement and kind words to all around you.  

The day is based on the legend of Toad Hollow written by Ralph C. Morrison. This Bugs and Bunnies blog post provides a great overview of the history of Toad Hollow and the creation of the day of encouragement.  

I think it's easy to forget to say kind words on a daily basis, especially when you're operating in a stressed and over programmed environment.  One place that I've found an overwhelming amount of kind words and encouragement is in the fiber arts community -- particularly in the knitting and crocheting communities.  It's fun to share photos of completed projects and ask questions in various virtual groups and also provides immediate feedback as well as longer term inspiration.

With that in mind, here are three CALs that I'm participating in over the next few months:

CALs or Crochet-a-longs

Each of these projects is a virtual crochet-a-long where a piece of the project is revealed on a schedule and people post progress pictures throughout the CAL.  Each are in their early stages and it's already been very interesting to see how the same pattern looks in different colors/yarns and made by different crocheters.  

Scraps of Yarn CAL Mystery Scarf

Creative Crochet Workshop created a scraps of yarn mystery scarf CAL that is published in four parts.  I was drawn to this project because I have a lot of scraps of yarn (where do they all come from???) and I love the flower theme.  

My first week's completed motifs are pictured above.  I'm purposely using as many colors as possible.  I'm looking forward to the next set of motifs being revealed tomorrow morning.  

Crochet with Me CAL 2016

Beatrice Ryan Designs is hosting a crocheted afghan crochet-a-long over a 12-week period, with new sections available each Saturday.  It's only been 3 weeks and I've already learned a few new stitches and techniques that I'm sure I'll use again in future projects.  Her directions recommended that the afghan be made using 1-3 colors, so I've selected white as the main color, with red and black as contrasting colors.

Again, the end is a mystery.  I do know that there will be edging and a border, which is great news because the different stitches are creating a jagged edge.

Wonder Crochet Blanket CAL 2016

American Crochet has created the final CAL in which I'm participating right now.  The Wonder Crochet Blanket CAL is unique because every two week, a different designer creates the next section of the blanket.  As with the Crochet with Me afghan, I'm learning new stitches and enjoying seeing the various version crocheted by fellow CALers.

So far, I crocheted the first section with white and blue and the second in a bright orange.  I don't know if I'm going to stick with these three colors or incorporate more throughout the afghan.  I kind of like the idea of changing colors with each section to highlight the fact that the piece has been designed by numerous artists.

This one is a long CAL -- a new section is announced every two weeks, so I won't have the completed work done until the end of the year.  I hope that I don't lose momentum!

National Peanut Butter Day and Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day

National Peanut Butter Day - January 24

I celebrated National Peanut Butter Day yesterday at breakfast with a toasted English muffin topped with peanut butter and coconut.  Very tasty!

It took a long time for me to grow to like peanut butter.  I have never had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  I thought Reese's peanut butter cups were awful until college.  I've never had a desire to spread peanut butter on celery (Ants on a Log) or an apple.  Peanut butter cookies were okay but never my first choice.

I always enjoyed peanuts (but, again, not my first choice of nuts) but just didn't get the appeal of peanut butter.

A jar of peanut butter will last for years in my house.

I've slowly come to like peanut butter in limited quantities.  I love a good peanut dipping sauce.  Chicken and broccoli in Thai peanut sauce is delicious.  A thin layer on an English muffin accompanied by coconut, honey or chocolate is a good breakfast or snack.  

Peanut butter day also reminded me of a day I spent in Plains, GA with my family last April.  Plains is best known as Jimmy Carter's hometown (growing up and now) and for peanuts.  This little town does a wonderful job of keeping it's small town feel while accommodating lots of tourists.  The Jimmy Carter  Museum and homestead is wonderfully maintained and operated.  President Carter continues to teach Sunday School when he is in town at a little Baptist church.  The main street of the town is lined with cute stores that sell antiques, souvenirs, and lots of peanuts.

In Plains, I was introduced to peanut butter soft serve ice cream -- I would definitely try that one again.

For more information about this spot, visit the Plains GA site

Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day - January 25

Bubble wrap!  Not as easy to find these days since companies have found less expensive ways to pack their boxes.  Whenever I do receive a box with bubble wrap, it is impossible to resist popping the bubbles.  Since I live alone, I don't even have to share the popping privileges!  

CNN has a great article dedicated to Bubble Wrap on their site today.  If you're yearning for the sound of bubbles popping, the videos are a must watch.  

My Yummy Lunch Today

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Wrapping up this post, I had to share a picture of my yummy lunch today.  I made Eggplant and Spinach Curry served over jasmine rice.  It was a hot and spicy dish because I used a couple serrano peppers, along with plenty of fresh ginger, curry powder and other traditional Indian spices. To complete the sauce, I used a combination of milk and tomato sauce for a creamy and slightly tomatoey finish to the dish.