Little Crochet by Linda Permann

I never win anything. Until last week...

The stars aligned and I was the winner of the Slate Falls Press giveaway for Little Crochet by Linda Permann.

Going through the book this afternoon I found myself saying over and over again, "I think I will make this first." I love so many of the patterns but think I narrowed it down to:

The Hooded Capelet,  Sock It To Me Sweater Vest  OR  Swing Set Sweater

 

All the patterns seem easy to read and good for beginner-intermediate crocheters. I might even try my hand at reading charts. Definitely will keep you posted on future works-in-progress. My Ravelry queue keeps getting longer and longer!

Second Book Ideas

So I haven't exactly finished writing my first craft book but in true Sarah fashion I have already started thinking about my next idea. I want it to be a craft book all about babies and kids. Not really crafts for the kids to do, but stuff to make for them - blankets, room decor, toys, etc.

Laying in bed last night I thought about using the word virgin in the title. Something like Virgin Cocktails and Crafts for the Non-virgin. That seemed like maybe, just maybe, it crossed some line so then I thought - Cocktails and Crafts - Baby and Kid Edition but that sounded like we were going to be serving drinks to babies and kids and is a little boring. 

I want the book to give you a peek at my sense of humor but I don't want to offend anyone. Maybe I need accept that I can't make everyone happy and have to decide if I want a little shock or mass appeal.

Do you have any suggestions for a title? If I use your title you will for sure get a mention in the book and a free copy - you know... when I actually have it written and published.

It's Not You, It's Me

Ouch! How can something so generic and boring hurt you so much? I understand that less than one percent of unsolicited manuscripts get purchased which is about the same odds being injured by a toilet this year or finding a four-leaf clover on the first try: both 1 in 10,000. I am not going to lie though... I was hoping I would be the lucky person that they wanted to fly out to meet and start working with right away, can you say sequel? I knew that wasn't going to happen after a couple months went by and I hadn't heard from the publisher, but a girl can hope.

Now I have to decide if I want to continue to try and find a publisher or a literary agent. Nothing needs to be decided today, I think I will tend to my wounds and go camera shopping.  Perhaps it is poor form to post my rejection letter, but I am proud that I put myself out there. I still believe my book is a great idea and I will comfort myself knowing that Martha Stewart's first craft book was also rejected.

Weekly Progress Report

Well Blogger boss it is like this... I have been real busy with some other stuff and haven't had a lot of time to work on my book. I know, I know - no excuses. I promise by the end of the week you will see a draft of my introduction and the table of contents typed up. When you hired me you knew I was easily distracted.

It isn't like I have been doing nothing blogger boss. Here is what I have been working on lately... a preview of my first attempt at a quilt. I am embroidering all the baby animal squares and I bought some fabric I love for it. I also finished knitting Gigi's birthday doll but you can't see that until I get some clothes made for her (you know how those pictures can come back to haunt you).

Getting Started

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.”
-Mark Twain

I am really good at big ideas, not so great on taking action on them. Now that I no longer have performance reviews, staff meetings or kaizens, I am no longer held accountable for my day-to-day activities. If the kids are alive at the end of the day I have done my job.

Well no more! (of the no action part, not the keeping the kids alive part) I have a goal now - to write a book. What you see here is the start of that, an empty journal. This is now my way of being held accountable - even if it is my pretend blogger boss.



Each week I will set myself a goal and will let my boss know where I stand on my progress. This week's goal is to commit to the project, buy a journal and write the Table of Contents. I have finished two out of the three already and it is only Wednesday.

Oh, and in case you hadn't figured it out, the book will be about hosting your own Cocktails and Craft party. I want to say thank you to all those that I have floated this idea to (and the million ideas before) that have provided me with nothing less than 100% support. Thank you!

Now if you don't mind - I have some writing to do.

Children's Literature Wish List

When I was pregnant someone told me that I wouldn't have time to read anymore. Luckily, they were wrong. I still get to read, just not as long as I like and I read A LOT of children's literature.

My kids love books which makes me very happy (even when I have read the same one over and over and over again).

Some of my favorites include:

• We're Going On A Bear Hunt by Helen Oxenbury
• Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson
  Karma Wilson (Author)

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  (Author), Jane Chapman (Illustrator)
• Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See by Bill Martin Jr. (Author), Eric Carle
  Eric Carle (Illustrator)

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  (Illustrator)
• The whole How Do Dinosaurs... series by Jane Yolen
• The whole Dr. Seuss collection
  
• and Max's personal favorite - Truckery Rhymes by Jon Scieszka

I have to admit though - I am looking forward to reading them chapter books. Last night I started to make a mental list of everything I wanted to read to them and came up with the following list:

• Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
• The complete Wizard of Oz series by L. Frank Baum
• The complete Ramona series by Beverly Cleary (I really really want the original covers!)
  
• Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
  
• Hollow Tree in the Deep Woods by Albert Bigelow Paine (which my dad used to read to us)
  
• The Indian in the Cupboard Trilogy by Lynne Reid Banks
• Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder
• Charlotte's Web by E. B. White
• Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

I feel like I just wrote out my Christmas wish list! What am I missing?? What would be on your list?