March 16th, 2012 at 10:59 am
Gotta Love the “Just Business” Attitude of the TheDonald
Let me get this straight . . .
We’re going to be “gifted”
with a health care plan we are forced to purchase
and are fined if we don’t,
Which purportedly covers at least ten million more people,
without adding a single new doctor,
but provides for 16,000 new IRS agents,
written by a committee whose chairman
says he doesn’t understand it,
passed by a Congress that didn’t read it but exempted themselves from it,
and signed by a Dumbo President who smokes,
with funding administered by a treasury chief who didn’t pay his taxes,
for which we’ll be taxed for four years
before any benefits take effect,
by a government which has already
bankrupted Social Security and Medicare,
all to be overseen by a surgeon general who is obese,
and financed by a country that’s broke!!!!!
‘What the hell could possibly go wrong?’
March 1st, 2012 at 18:24 pm
I willl NEVER understand people who call me up, complaining because the price SOMEONE else is charging too high, or their Postage is too high, so they are not going to order from me. Maybe I should stop answering the phone, but then I would not get to talk to so many nice people.
Or who call me up to find out if I know anyone who charges less than I do for a particular item.
Or a manufacturer who says because someone who did not order merchandise before their price increase in January and I did so can offer these at a lower price, should raise my price to be fair. FAIR, what about FAIR to my customers. All this of after years of promoting this product both because it is great AND made in the USA.
Okay I fell better, back to helping all the people who call, write and order in the most pleasant of ways.
Thank God TOMORROW is Friday
I think I need to take off for the week and find something to do that involves my turn to
Enjoy The Making
Wheat
February 13th, 2012 at 12:12 pm
Most importantly, maybe you have not been color trained, but if you look at a combination, made a small swatch and LIKE THE RESULT – then the rules be damned –
CAVEAT: I do not currently sell any of the products mentioned, but I probably should since they are so personally helpful – That changes, I will edit this Tiplet
Must be something in the air, the same day a question comes up in Tunisian Crochet, I also get two emails asking me about learning aids.
There are so many excellent color references books and tools out there, but these are the ones, I like today.
Useful to “have in hand” the “Creative Color Wheel”
It is described (and with a bit of practice really does work much more effectively than a basic color wheel) as “a tool for designers in all artistic mediums to help create color combinations and to understand color relationships… Helps organize colors to make choices and combinations easier… ”
Although I AM going to have to get them to include Crocheters and Kumihimists (braider) into the list of “artists”
Now if you want an insight into just how restrained my importance of swatching really is, I can be… another product those who are as wacky as I can be (I prefer wacky to a diagnosis of AR) is their Create-A-Wheel
An uncolored color wheel ready for you to paint your own favorite colors. A practical, hands-on, tool for teaching … color relationships. Although designed for use by painters, I have been know to make a larger copy of this and then glue yarns and fabrics to it until I find the combination that make me happy.
Because of the first can be just as useful when made last…
maybe you have not been color trained, but if you look at a combination, made a small swatch and LIKE THE RESULT – then the rules be damned
Enjoy the Making
Wheat
February 9th, 2012 at 09:53 am
In a pretty much unrelated conversation in a designer’s group, a comment was made that “got me thinking” about one of my favorite topic – Standardization.
This is not really to say that how a technique is taught should be standard, but what the end result “looks like” should have a common name.
As most know, I Love Standardization and several of us are currently involved in trying to get some into Crochet beyond the 5-8 basic stitches. There is another group that tries very hard to create at least standard terms in “English” for Japanese Braidmaking – Kumihimo.
Not making a judgement here, but I have never understood calling the part of a “threaded needle” project that was the “Stitch Key” a graph or a chart. Although I can, for purposes of illustrating stitch placement see where either term could be reasonably interchangeable.
However the dilemma is that terms “cross craft”. We could spend hours and pages on why, but let’s don’t and just stipulate that it is so.
Using graph as an example, to say that it is limited to Cross stitch just does not work. Graph is commonly used in Crochet, Knit, Beadwork, weaving – Not to mention the one place where it does have a fairly standard meaning – Math and in every case including Math – if there are more than one person at the table, we could site at least 1-4 other terms commonly used to describe again placement be it of stitches or color.
Parallel development is so common in craft technique that there is always going to be someone who thinks they “invented” a stitch or whatever and even when others can, often as not, show that the “end result” of the stitch already exists, with a different name but with the same steps in its execution – they will still choose to claim authorship and name it as they please.
Then you have the main stream (or as main stream as niche publisher can be) craft book houses who have, because of the vacuum in established standards, make their own so at least the bulk of their publications would be the same and thus more usable for the consumer.
Is there an answer to this? Probably not, that won’t stop some of us from trying to make it easier for those who love the techniques from trying to make it easier for all to share.
Maybe we need a “Design Author Pledge” where egos are set aside and common factors are defined, common names used, and then it will be up to the individual to decide how to teach the process/technique.
Okay obviously I needed something to rant about – but really, what do you think?
Enjoy the Making
Wheat
P.S. A thank you to Linda Reinmiller for her comment that helped me “finally finish” this commentary
February 3rd, 2012 at 09:42 am
May I start by saying that neither SGK or PP are my “charity of choice”
I remember the early days of Planned Parenthood. That it has historically chosen not to abide by its own stated goals is made marginally acceptable because it does do some good – and could be better
That SGK is following its own rules – not to provide grants to organizations under investigation – should not IMNHO be a reason for chastisement – or at least not yet.
Why have such a rule? Because SGK and PP for that matter have a Fiduciary obligations to their donors and to their constituency – women in need.
Neither group needs a scandal drying up its resources – although MoveOn seems to determined to create one as part of its ongoing political and social divisive efforts.
Perhaps before we all go viral with venomous commentary it would be good to get more complete facts – there are always at least 2 sides to every story and frankly I would think one needs to triple check ANY group which is primarily politically motivated and seems to have as it sole goal (moveon. org) generating as much hate as it can under the guise of the greater good.
To the best of my knowledge, pretty much EVERY State in the US has some sort of program to provide annual and even more often low or no cost mammograms to the un-and-under insured.
Instead of stamping our feet and key boards, I invite you to find a charity of YOUR choice, and make a donation. I cannot help but wonder if every one of those on line donated $10 to PP it would not more than make up for any loss from SGK.
Or, because when I was desperately in need of care as an uninsured facing major illness, it was Access Carroll and the wonderful doctors who donate their time to the organization that saved my life a time or three.
Perhaps instead of ranting pro or con about PP & SGK, you could spend that time finding a local program in need of your support.
If you happen to live in Carroll County Maryland, I hope you will consider even the smallest of donations to Access Carroll – they will use every bit of it in the most beneficial manner possible.
Enjoy the making
Wheat
