April Already?
Well, I suppose I have been awfully busy having fun, so no wonder the months have flown.
Friday 12/4 (Father-in-law's Birthday)
I wasn't going to send this newsletter. I've been arguing with myself about it all day. Not because there is anything scandalous or difficult in it. Quite the opposite, in fact. Lots of having fun and playing with yarn :) No, these arguments are quite common, and the reason my newsletters always get delayed... and delayed. In the end, I thought I might as well type this internal discussion up for you so that you can see into my crazy procrastinating mind.
Have you got your cup of coffee? Tea is fine, of course, and wine or gin are acceptable too as it IS Friday evening :)
*Caveat - By the time I actually finished this, it was Sunday afternoon and MANY things went on in between, so it is LOOOOONG.*
A Discussion Between Pragmatic Dedri (PD) and Creative Dedri (CD) - with some bits of actual news in between.
PD: "You haven't written a newsletter in ages!"
CD: "I know!!"
PD: "Just start."
CD: "I don't know where to."
PD: "Just write about the My Voyage Shawl pattern. Make it Short and Sweet. Say the pattern is available now and that people can find it on your website HERE. Write a short little blurb about the story behind it and your epic adventure. Then tell people they can see loads of photos on your website. Job's a good'un." (Yes, all the Dedris really do pick up and use all sorts of odd phrases)
CD: "But I really wanted to write a separate post about the cruise before I wrote about the Shawl in the Newsletter. I can't share the shawl before I've shared some more photos. Look at these! They are great!!"
- Shelley Husband and Jassy Jay fooling around
- Bendigo Pottery
- Fragrifert Victorian Perfumery
- Picton, NZ
- Ance (my sister) at The Sounds, NZ
- Oil Drizzles in the Road
- My sister and Mom talking photos of Sydney Opera House, AUS
- Working on Charlotte in Whirligig and tanning my pale pegs on my sister's deck in NZ
- Almost all alone on the ship in Picton, NZ
- Mom and sis at Auckland Airport
- Gorgeous Beaded Necklace
- Me at Mount Maunganui, Tauranga, NZ
- Still haven't seen anyone, so we MUST be alone on the ship, Picton, NZ
- Bendigo Woollen Mills
- Bendigo Woollen Mills
- Dunedin, NZ
- Monkey's Puzzle (Araucaria Araucana), Wellington Botanical Garden, NZ
- Bendigo Pottery (swoon)
- The Sophie my mom made my sister, living happily in her living room (NZ)
- Jassy Jay messing around with her My Voyage Shawl
- Street Art in Dunedin
- My mom and my sister at Wellington Botanical Garden, NZ
- A Special Moment between loved ones
- Exiting Waitomo Glowworm Cave, NZ
- The world famous Nia (well, she SHOULD be world famous!!), cat extraordinaire and total boss of Ance (and me).
- Donna and her My Voyage Shawl. She is under strict instructions NEVER to wear it like that again unless I am present to take photos. Aww, and now I want to be back on the ship again, laughing until our sides hurt...
- Sydney Opera House, AUS
- My Voyage Shawl with the lady I refer to as 'Dame Judy' (real name: Penny Ford).
- Ice cream at Duck Island, NZ (If you'd have been in my head when we were eating this... mind blown!)
- Coffee at Stories in Wellington, NZ (best Salted Caramel Cookie ever!)
PD: "You are never going to find time to write about all of that. Fine. Don't write about the shawl then. Write about the gorgeous Emma square projects popping up everywhere. You've made a collage and all. You might as well use it!" (PD is getting annoyed now...)
CD: "I would, but I still haven't finished my own Emma Blanket, and I really wanted to do that before I shared all those pretty projects :("
PD: "But if you DID talk about the Emma squares, you could remind people to have a look at that post you did about the Catona Cutie Pies..."
CD: "I guess I could do that, but I still haven't written a post about the Stonewashed and Riverwashed Cutie Pies. And I wanted to do THAT too..."
PD: "I give up."
CD: "Fine. I'm going to crochet now. We'll pick this up tomorrow."
Saturday Morning (Very Early) 13/4 (Mother-in-law's Birthday)
PD: "What if we abandon writing the Newsletter and post something on Instagram instead? What about that post you wanted to share about Spring springing and being able to crochet-walk again (8)? Remember? When you all went to Marlow for the Rugby festival (10)? "
CD: "I was GOING to post that, but then Xander got that nose-bleed (2) and cleaning that up lead to four hours of cleaning, in which I unearthed a stash of hidden snack wrappers, remember (5)? And THEN my computer died (3) and Xander called me to come and see him be 'Spiderman' (6), which prompted a climbing session in the park instead (7). Besides, it's been two weeks since that glorious morning. It would feel like lying sharing it on this cold and dismal Saturday morning!"
PD: "What about the one you took at Rugby last Sunday (1)?"
CD: "That's not as pretty, and it was too cold to crochet for more than 10 minutes at a time."
PD: "Ok. Share one of the photos you took of the My Voyage Shawls all together."
CD: "Ugh, I'd have to crop them first. Don't you remember that I didn't bother to move the compost bag when I took the photos (11)?"
PD: "I told you to move the bag, then you wouldn't have to crop all the photos."
CD: "I know. I was too lazy to do it."
PD: "And now you have made yourself so much extra work."
CD: "Ooh... changing tracks for a moment... where's that photo I took of the Oil Flowers in the road the other day (4)? Those colours were gorgeous!. Never mind, I've found it. And look at this pretty Teal/Coral combo I found while looking (9)!"
PD: "Stop getting distracted. You are never going to post anything anywhere at this rate!"
CD: "Well, I won't do anything right now anyway, because I've got to go clean up the remains of the indoor picnic Boys Two and Three have just had (12) and then I am Going Out for the day."
Saturday Night (Very Late) 13/4
PD: "I know you've had a long day out and you've had lots of fun, but if we just focus for half an hour, you can knock this out before you go to bed."
CD: "I couldn't possibly focus right now. All I can think about is that barge in Kingston I want to turn into a crochet workshop... the one we saw this morning. Just imagine it all done up. We could do workshops every weekend! Picture it! With geranium pots and tables upstairs, and scones and tea served at pretty little tables inside..."
PD: "You can't even afford a deposit for a house. Where are you going to find the money to buy a barge and start a crochet/scone/tea business?"
CD: I know. But a girl can dream... And the food at that restaurant?!?!"
PD: "Then put THAT in your newsletter and be done with it." (PD is Super annoyed now. Creative Dedri always annoys her.)
CD: "None of my readers want to know that I have discovered my favourite restaurant ever. They don't want to know that it is small and cosy and when you walk in the door it feels like you've come home. They don't want to know about the cheesy Mac & Cheese and the Tripple fried Canjun spiced chips (hmmm) and the Southern Fried Chicken."
CD: "Oooh, maybe we can do a workshop there! Or, maybe I should start reviewing restaurants instead of designing crochet patterns."
PD: "Hahahaha!"
CD: "Hahahaha!"
Lots of internal chuckling later...
CD: "All joking aside, what do think it means that Christiaan bought me THIS book and left it on my desk while I was out? Is he trying to say something?" (This is not an affiliate link, by the way, but I have a feeling that this applies to many more mums than just me?)
PD: "Stop procrastinating and focus!"
CD: "I'm going to bed now. I saw some tiles this afternoon and they would make a gorgeous blanket. I have to go sleep-design."
Sunday 14/4 (No-one's Birtday, No Rugby, Let's get this done!)
PD: "Ok, so if we ignore all that, can you just write a very quick newsletter about Esther's gorgeous new Trinity Mandalas?"
CD: "Ooh, yes! They are really pretty, aren't they?"
Esther Dijkstra from It's All in a Nutshell is hosting a make-along for her new pattern: Trinity Mandalas. Along with a free photo tutorial and video tutorials for each part, there is also a paid PDF of the entire pattern, which you can buy HERE on Ravelry.
PD: "Pst... maybe also mention that Chilean Hands has created a 15% off coupon for your readers?"
CD: "Well remembered! Let me find the code..."
Following on from the very successful stitch marker giveaway on Instagram and Facebook, Mariella has created a coupon for my readers, which, when applied at checkout, will give you 15% off of your purchase in her Etsy store. You can either type the code in manually or click on this link to have it applied directly: LOOKWHATIMADE. There is a wide variety of stitch markers (and other cute things) to choose from.
PD: "Erm... the Sophie Cocoon?"
CD: "On it!"
A little while ago, I featured this pretty Sophie Cocoon Shrug on my website. It was created by Stephanie Best and she has allowed me to share her 'recipe'. There are links to the different patterns used, as well as handy tips. You can read more about it HERE.
Ooh, and just before you go (this one didn't need any prompting from PD), the yarn packs for Sophie's Dream are available in my Wool Warehouse shop HERE (if you haven't seen them yet). The pattern is available (for free) on my website HERE.
And now... phew... I can get back to my hook, which is bringing me more joy than ever before :)
This, just for the record, has been the most fun I've had writing a newsletter ever. Tedious as this dialogue might seem, it is what goes on in my head ALL THE TIME! I found it quite eye-opening sharing it like this. I put so much pressure on myself, focusing on what I should be doing instead of revelling in what I AM doing.
If you have made it all the way to this point, you can have a virtual Cajun fry on me! I will even allow you to dip it in the delicious cajun mayo.
Love,
Dedri
ps. I'm finishing up the border for the Sea Star blanket, working on finalising the grown Charlotte pattern, prepping to post 3 more simple squares, figuring out exciting (to me) joins, and... and... and. Whoohoo, it feels good to play again :)
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Keeping Your Hands Busy...
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