by Kat | Feb 17, 2023 | General, In This Moment
I don’t know about you, but I have found since I turned the “50’s” corner, I have struggled mightily each year with an ever worsening case of the dreaded Dry Winter Skin!
Usually, by mid-February, there is not enough moisturizer in North America to make a difference. But this year, I have found some things that are working… and not only working but making a difference! I thought I’d share my finds with you all!
First, a several weeks ago Kym had raved about this product so, of course, I clicked the link and poked around a bit on the JVN website. I not only picked up her recommendation, but I also got a bottle of this scalp oil… and for the first time in a very long time my scalp is not dry and flaky! Once a week, a few drops massaged into my scalp before I wash my hair and the results are so good! No dry, itchy, flaky scalp any longer!
Next “problem” dry skin area for me are my poor feet…over the years I have tried what feels like a gazillion products to combat dry, cracked skin and had no success with any of them. That is until I saw an “ad” on IG of all places for Aquaphor Healing Balm Stick. It says “Immediate Relief” on the label and oh.my.gosh… it is immediate relief! An added bonus is that I give myself a mini foot massage when I rub it in and my hands are loving it as well!
The final find that I have to share with you came because my “usual” face cleanser was no longer being made by Aveeno… grrr. I really loved what I was using and I hate when a product I love gets discontinued. So I was forced to find something new… and though it took a few product “tries” I have found my new go to face wash. It is L’Oréal Age Perfect Nourishing Cleanser. It is not drying even with daily use!
And there you have it… three things that are making my winter so much better!
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! See you all back here on Monday!
by Kat | Feb 16, 2023 | General, Poetry
I read the poem I am sharing today earlier in the month and I did not know then how much these words would help me as the month progressed. I have memorized these words – it was simple to do so – and they have become my litany of hope as February has had some daunting challenges.
Langston Hughes wrote this poem, part of the Shadow of the Blues, in 1987. John Musto set the four poems to music, which you can listen to here (Island begins at 5:03). I did not need the music to find the balm of hope in Hughes words though… and I hope that you do as well.
Island
by Langston Hughes
Wave of sorrow,
Do not drown me now:
I see the island
Still ahead somehow.
I see the island
And its sands are fair:
Wave of sorrow,
Take me there.
From The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes.
If you want to read more poetry, Bonny is gathering us all together today! If you’d like to join me with Bonny and Kym and share a poem…we’d love to have you!
See you all back here tomorrow.
by Kat | Feb 15, 2023 | General, Unraveled Wednesday
Greetings Gentle Unravelers!
I am still feeling behind on sleep from a weekend of insomnia, but I got one good nights sleep and (at this writing) have my fingers crossed for a second.
But I wanted to catch you all up from the past two weeks of making!!
I am roughly halfway to the “knit 9″ of stockinette” portion of my handspun sweater. I am a bit concerned about the armscye because it is… errr… ample. But the body circumference is good, so I am contemplating solutions and knitting on.
But things are cheering me on!!
I have an African Violet that is blooming! (What a lovely treat in February!)
And my Temperature Embroidery is moving right along. I abandoned the onerous frame after doing some practice wheels free-form… and I think I got the hang of getting a well woven wheel! Bonus, I can keep the neighboring wheels out of the way and I have had to move into the “warm weather colors” once for the 72°F day we had last week! Crazy I know… and we have more of those temps threatening this week!
I also completed some Quilted Hearts Coasters! It was my first experience with the quilt as you go technique and I loved it! As I sewed the strips onto the backing. It was so fun… it was so easy! I plan on doing some research on this process to see what else I can do with it!
I am making progress on my Base12 Hitchhiker. I am almost at another color change and have more than 25 “teeth” completed.
And I have a finished skein… I spun a lovely gradient yarn with some batts I got from Hipstrings. These are the “warm colors” and I am almost finished with the first half of the “cool colors” so stay tuned. I have no plans for this skein… yet!
I started listening to Lindsey Fitzharris’ The Facemaker. It is a fascinating look into how Dr Harold Gillies ingenious surgical interventions helped the lives of soldiers who were wounded in WWI.
And I am nearing completion (boo!) on Nobody’s Fool. I am utterly smitten with Sully and really don’t want this book to end!
And that is all I have for this week… what about you? Have you tried something new this week? Or is there a book you cannot put down? I want to know!
As always, if you wrote a post to share please leave your link below and thank you!
by Kat | Feb 13, 2023 | General, In This Moment
Brings a slow start thanks to a bad bout of insomnia this weekend. Ugh.
So I am easing myself into the week gently, with an extra cup of coffee before I begin the “Monday Chores.”
But there is sunshine again today!
And I have some weekend embroidery wheels to catch up with and I have a painting to finish, of course! But I thought that these hearts would be perfect (and quick!) coasters for Valentine’s Day…incentive for finishing that painting today? Yes, I think I could get a few done tomorrow with time to spare! I already have a bunch of random width strips in my scraps bag!
I am thanking my last week self for making a big pot of chili which will be our leftover dinner tonight… so the dreaded “what’s for dinner conversation” won’t happen!
And with that, I’d better get started! I hope your Monday is off to a quicker start than mine!
by Kat | Feb 10, 2023 | General, In This Moment
Hello Friday… it’s been a week where my motto has been this: “The hurrieder I go, the behinder I get”
I have felt like I have been playing catch up all week but there were a few good things.
Thing One: I have had tremulous buds on my snow drops for weeks and I feared that the bit of an arctic blast we had last week would do them in. But as you can see above, bloom they did! They opened yesterday and it was fun to see them “dancing in the wild winds” we had! A very good thing for the list!
Thing Two: I got my homework done! Wooo! The theme for this week was “Atmospheric” and while I don’t think I quite achieved an “atmospheric painting,” Rick’s first comment in my feedback: “This reads well” was enough for me. He then gave me some ideas to “fix” my foreground trees… that look a bit like lollypops! Yes, they do!
Thing Three: Kareem Abdul Jabar’s response to having his decades long NBA Scoring Record broken by Lebron James on Tuesday night. I deeply loved watching Kareem play basketball, but I confess… I love even more where he has gone with his life post-basketball.
Thing Four: I stumbled entirely accidentally upon the Emergence Magazine Podcast a couple of weeks ago and I have been meaning to tell you about it. The episode that drew me in was one with Robin Wall Kimmerer talking about Serviceberries. It’s absolutely worth a listen and I been delighted with other episodes as well!
Thing Five: Otherwise known as The Things That Kept Me Behind This Week! I had the appointment with the NP which caused me to have to go for X-rays (which were inconclusive) but I called to make the referral appointment with the Ortho who I eventually did manage to make contact with and set an appointment. Because I was in “Appointment Mode” I also made the appointment for my annual mammogram. I mean what is not to love about calling into Doctor Office Phone Queues and making sure you are pressing the correct number for what you want to do… and then waiting… listening to Hold Music… with interspersed advertisements for UPMC… Oh! And could you please complete a survey for us at the end of this call! (Because who does not want to have the opportunity to push more numbers!!)
And with that, I have some things to finish (still) from this week. See you all back here on Monday!
