Crochet Crazy

 

Goodness where has the time gone!?

I do have quite a bit to tell you but I have also swapped laptops and this one does not load up pictures in the same way so I am dealing with that.  

I am over on Facebook as my workshops move on but I did not promote anything during August and I will not do so as we are all busy doing things anyway.  But I do have a small group beginners crochet pencilled in for 19th September then  a beginners sewing date for October, a Christmas craft session in November and perhaps squeeze in a general bring what you want help with session which could be chaos but also quite exciting.  That may be better for January as a few unwanted presented could be recycled perhaps?

Anyway.  I will be back once I have fathomed out how to get my pictures from my camera to this laptop.

But do pop over and say hello here

Instagram  :  Indigo Blue Designs.

Look for the blue flower.

Facebook  Indigo Blue Designs - Textiles and workshops

Bye for now.

xx

Followers...please stick with me.

Dear All,

I think everyone with a blog now knows that Google reader is shutting.  I am able to stay with all of  the blogs and websites I follow via blogger.  

Just in case it is an issue to keep following me I have signed up with bloglovin.

I have been blogging for nearly 6 years in September and I treasure all 239 followers ( and hopefully more in the future).

So if blogger stills shows the blogs you follow great if not then click on the new Bloglovin button at the top of my blog so that you can keep viewing my posts etc.

I think this posts needs a picture.................

Taken by me at the Eden Project earlier this year.

Back tomorrow hopefully with a longer crafting related post.

Any compact collectors out there?  

What did you think of the compact in my previous post?  Lovely eh?

Take care.

x

Help!!! More blogger problems

Well, all has been well for a few weeks but now I am unable to "browse" my pictures to upload them to my posts.  The button function to do this is not there.  Just the selected and cancel button.  I have carried out a system restore which usually sorts out Bloggers little hic-cups but this time it has not worked.

Been having problems since Thursday hence no posts.  It was ok before Thursday.
Any ideas?
I am about to go back to work so having even a small cliche is not very helpful as my attention is distracted anyway.
I am not over techicy so any really simple advice which is idiot proof would be appreciated so that this idiot can sort this out.  I have loads of Cruise holiday pics to show.  If Blogger keep doing this then I may have to swap to something else to have run my Blog.  I have been with blogger since 2007 and I like to stick with what I know, but honestly, there is nearly something every month at the moment and this laptop is only about 2 years old, if that.
Got friends popping round for tea and cake and a catch up so I shall be back later this afternoon.
Best wishes
All
xx
PS Update - I think..........I think I may have sorted it out.  off to try out a post to see.......



Odd comments!

Due to "Anonymous" leaving some rather odd comments on my blog recently I am going to implement blogger approval for a while.  I try to make leaving a comment easy (although the number I get seems to have dropped off recently) so I do not really want to do this but it has happened three times now.

They always pick posts that are fairly old, in the case of today it is a post for last April.

I am hopeing that it will deter them or if it is a machine it will bounce back to them.

Not been around much this week but I do have some Zentangles and sketchbook pages to show.  Not much sewing going on at the moment.

I have had a box of fabric turn up yesterday which I will now need to photograph and put in my new web shop.  They are lovely fat quarters for quilting. patchwork etc.

I shall post some pics here as well.

I might be back later this evening with some sketchbook pics it really depends on whether I fall asleep in front of the "Tangled" film that Sophie wants me to watch with her tonight!

Well it is Friday night.  Gone are the days of going out partying all evening and then doing the same on Saturday.

Oh the memories.

xx

New Website...... nearly there

The website is nearly done, now just need to move items around and to add some goodies to create your own ideas.

I have some other projects that have not been featured on this blog  and the supplies will assist in the completion of those projects.

The new site will be called:

www.indigo-stitched-designs.com

My logo is there and a clean and easy layout.

Still some work to do but a prize for the comment left in January which helped me reach a decision on the name.

Back tomorrow with a post about my trip to the Tate Gallery in St Ives, Cornwall.

xx 

Featured here....

I received an email yesterday letting me know that I am featured in the magazine in the "Sites to be Seen" in Issue 4 of Popular Crafts.

They have a very good website with lots of things to read and do.  They also have swaps and challenges which many of you may be interested in taking part in.

The next issue is out on 18th May and I have submitted a project for that issue.

I looked for thing's to put in Sophie's Easter bag while her and hubby went off to do secret Mummy's Day things.  I thought may be some art supplies or making kits.  I was just about to go to the checkout when they  came in the shop!

I shall have to try again when I know that I will not be found.  Sophie did find some jumbo pipecleaners in The Range today.  Paid for them with her pocket money and then when we got home said "What can I make with them?"  Any ideas?

xx

Blog changes

Once a year, about now, I feel like a bit of a change at Indigo Blue.  Last August I added the blue background and a 3 columb layout.  Did it all on my little own and it all worked.

So I got up this morning and as it was too hot to spend much time outside I decided to make some changes.

I found the above background here and loved it straightaway.  It reminds me of some of the felt notebooks that I make and it is very summery and cheerful.

So I followed the instructions and deleted my existing background.............................

and frankly that is as far as I have got.  Try as I might I can not add this new background despite following all of the installation instructions.  I have the right template, but the only thing I can think of is that everything has been changed during the past year on blogger.  Making changes last year was a doddle and took a couple of hours of carefully stages. 

So, I have lost my background and I have not got a clue how to add another.

The intended background says it needs minima template and it has but there is something stopping it from loading as I can get the logo to show at the top of my blog but not the background itself.  At the moment I have a different logo in an attempt to attach a background from another source, but still nothing.

Maybe I should change the whole template but I can not one the same to the one I have.
What simple task have you been working on today that turned out to take all day or proved not to be fruitful?

Oh well, as Scarlett would say

"Tomorrow is another day"............

xx

Am I drifting along?

It could be that time of year....but I am feeling a little restless, uncertain, frustrated and feeling a bit like a one -legged duck......going round in circles. I shall be taking a slightly new direction at work in September as I shall be teaching some art to Year 7 and 8. Do not fear, I do have an art background and I can draw a bit. I am actually looking forward to it as I do feel that I need a change, something new to get my teeth into so to speak.

Talking of getting my teeth into something, I am looking into re-starting my own website which I shut down about 4 years ago to concentrate on Etsy and Folksy plus, more importantly, Sophie starting school. The website provider was also very slow, problematic and I use to spend most of my evenings shouting at my laptop. Not good for the old stress levels!

After a couple of emails with the two lovely Julia's of Down to Earth and Marmalade kiss, I feel up to giving it another go.
Over the past (nearly) 4 years, I have been getting used to using blogger and coming up with ideas to put here, plus being asked to take part in the 2010 sew calender, appearing in an issue of Sew Hip and making many blog friends.

I like to blog as it makes me use my brain, writing a post takes time and thought to a certain extent, planning.

But is this blog just drifting along?

Do you like what is featured here? Is it any use? Interesting? Are the tutorials any good? Etc.

Comments have been small and I am wondering if I am posting items that are, dare I say it, boring, or a bit run of the mill.

What makes people want to add a comment? I like to leave comments to support ideas, other people, to keep tin touch with those who I have sent swaps to, have something in common with, etc etc. I have never actually met anyone via my blog, maybe one day I will. I find blogging less threatening than Facebook, although I may need to set up an account to support the website.

From a personal point of view, having this blog has been a good way of looking back. I looked up the before and after pictures of re-doing our kitchen which is just over a year ago, where has the time gone? For that reason alone blogging is fun.

Also logging all of the things that I have made and when you look at the dates thinking, crikey I made that quilt two years ago, I might be due to make another etc.

Sophie gets a kick out of seeing her makes featured here and I have even set up her own little section too.

I have learnt alot from craft blogs, which have pointed me in the direction of good tutorials, books, ideas, humour, laughter, an insight into other parts of the world and even sadness.

Maybe I amnot so adrift afterall. So I shall keep adding to this "online diary", although any feedback would be of interest to me as I am coming up to another blog anniversary and my annual blog building session. I changed the layout nearly a year ago and another change might be in order, keep things moving forward.

What are your reasons for blogging?

xx

Blog layout probs.

Many thanks for the supportive comments about Toffy. He is off to the Vet again tomorrow, so keep your fingers crossed.

My blog layout supplied by Scrappin Blogs has been deleted by Photobucket which is why there is that silly text square in the middle of everything. (Now gone). I am now going to have to try and replace it. Nothing to do with me etc but Scrappin blogs have been told that they have to many hits etc and it is taking up too much space. A few things to do seem to not be going right this week. I shall now have to find another layout, bit annoying really as I loved that blue flowery thing I had going on. Any suggestions?

xxxxxxxxxx

Update:

I have managed to get rid of the photobucket text box but at the expense of having to delete the codes for the blue and flower background that I have had since February. So my job now is to find another layout that is just as nice. I think that I need to find another layout blog.

Even more of an update:

Found this background tonight and I am going to live with it for a couple of days. I found it here and there are manymore to look at. What do you think?

Blog Refurbishment 2

Well, the response to the 'new look' has been positive so far. I am still going to live with it for a bit and see.

I thought that you might like to know where I got the ideas and guidance from:

http://www.scrappinblogs.blogspot.com/

http://www.blo64rt.blogspot.com/

Take a look, it is easy but I did need to print off the intsructions to make the changes as there was too much to try and remember in my head.

Off to The Eden Project today for a wander round and I think that I shall take my camera as well.

Enjoy the day.

xx

Blog Refurbishment

Still here, just having a little play with the blog layout etc.

Nearly there but my banner is still too big and I do not seem to be able to make it any thinner. I may need to re-do the picture.

Back soon.

xx

Updated at 4.20pm:

Well, I am going to live with this for a few days and see. I have had to remove my Indigo Blue banner as I can not get it to fit and is too over powering. Maybe just the title is enough. Might have a play with the fonts styles if I can.

What do you think? I need a change and it is very easy to just stick with what you have. It is also a bit scary to change it in case it looks a little rubbish.

xx

Am I going Mad??

Many thanks for your lovely comments about my necklace. Will work on the matching bracelet too.

Now I think I must be going mad or my maths is worse than I thought but I thought I saw 37 followers in my sidebar at the end of last week now there are 35! Now, I could have mis-read it, a couple of late nights, may not have had my glasses on at the time etc, but I have been left a bit baffled. So if you have removed yourself then please come back!! I am 40 this year (shush keep to quiet won't you?) so 40 followers is my secret wish. This seems to be happening quite a bit in this house at the moment. Does this mean that middle age has suddenly sneaked up on us and is now biting us on the bum! Or are we/I just a little absent minded. I believe that my life has too many things going on in it that I have to remember that I can not fully cope with it all, so some bits get left out or forgotten completely. I have not done that which some of my friends have done such as forget to pick their child up from school, oopps! Or forgotten anyone's birthday, or other major event etc. However I do find it harder to remember everything. Yet I am expected to, and not just for today either, but last week, last month and for, pete's sake, today I was asked about something last year!!! List might help, yes? Well only if I can remember to take it with me or remember where I left it.

I do like post-it notes and if they are brightly coloured and in funny shapes such as lips, even better. They do help, but it does not help me with the 'I thought I saw..'scenario.

The picture below made a laugh. My desk at work is not quite as bad as that, but it could be if I let it!

So if, and I mean if, I saw 37 which is now 35 please come back so that I do not feel that I am losing the plot. Am I the only only one who experiences this? What have you forgotten that you never used to, or thought you saw something.

How do you remember things? Tie a knot in a hankie, write a list, ask someone else to remind you, an item such as post-it notes etc?

I have also forgotten where I parked the car in a multi-storey car park as well. Plus being rung at work by my hubby telling me that I was supposed to be at a hair appointment, yet I was sitting at my desk thinking how much work I was getting done!. Luckily I have a very understanding hairdresser, felt a bit of a twerp though.

Anyway, I think that I will go and have a sit down and a nice cup of tea using this, to rest the brain cells or is it my eye sight that is the problem?

Thank you Maxine..

(Honestly, I could have sworn it said 37.....)
Bye for now...

xx

Trying a New Look

I am trying out a new layout because I have never liked the green background that I came with the blogger template that I started off with as it did not really go with the title Indigo Blue. I still need to do something with my header as it is still too big, smaller that it was mind you! Tell me what you think as I have been building up to doing this as I was too worried that I might accidently delete the whole lot!

Blog Building!!

Just a short post today as it is late ( or should I say early). Been adding to blog site as I was asked how many people have visited and I simply did not know. So my limited knowledge of ICT but good instructions from those in the know, has enabled me to add a hit counter. Lets see if it changes.
I have started to stitch on the quilt backing, it is very heavy but is keeping my knees warm whilst sewing it. Definately a winter project. Busy day tomorrow so better head off for some beauty sleep.
Lovely flower taken with new camera.

Blog Building!!

I feel quite pleased with myself, my limited knowledge has not stopped me from adding a few items to this blog. Obviously I had help with good instructions from fellow bloggers and statscounter, but they are additions none the less.



Just a quick post today long day ahead of me, been up planning for a special lesson tomorrow but I have started to attach the backing to the quilt!! getting excitiung now as I can actucally see the light at the end of the tunnel.

See you soon.

U-Handbag Button

Have copy and pasted the U-handbag button onto my blog but was hoping to have it down the right hand side of the page. I am hoping to move it once I have figured out if I can.This is definately a blog worth viewing. Lisa who runs the site also has another blog which gives advice for running a craft business and you will be able to link to this on the site shown here.
Lisa also sells bag making supplies such as magnetic fastenings and interfacing.

On my flickr site I have added some fabric storage ideas, I made these in May/June in advance of my work collegue becoming a Dad. Well the big day has arrived, so congratulations.
I have also set up an Etsy shop which was quicker than I thought it would be so I have not yet loaded my photo's onto the computer, but that will have to wait until the weekend.