Laughter Allowed!

As I've told you, I have a new position where I work. It was the job left vacant when one of our own lost her life to suicide. Thoughts of that day leave us all with such a heavy feeling of sadness. No one else wanted to do the job I now do. There are several reasons for that. One of them was that it wasn't a happy thought to work in the little office that was her's. A few people even had almost a superstition about the room.

When I first started working in that room I didn't want to rush any changes. It seemed disrespectful to our friend. However, I didn't want that room to be a place of sadness. Sometimes, as I sit there, I wonder what she was thinking when she last sat in there. Other nurses who stop by have mentioned how the room makes them sad thinking of her.

The time has come. I have taken on a big project by trying to make that feel like a happy room, a place of peace and calm, and where laughter is as appropriate as tears. So, I started by crocheting. Yes, crocheting. Remember how I chased my styrofoam wreath around the Walmart parking lot? I never did catch it and I expect it is now somewhere in South Dakota. Anyway, I bought another and I crocheted a wreath shaped sweater for it.

I added a  big green bow and some dangling twine thingies. It sounds weird but it looks  ok. I superglued a tiny little decorative clothespin at the bottom. Sounds even weirder, huh? I took it to work and hung it on the office door. I am using that little clothespin to clip on a cartoon for the day...cartons such as this one:

...and this one:

A little quirky, yes, but I've seen people smiling. There were maybe even a few chuckles. That is all I wanted.

Now, I am working on some little personal touches within the office. It is a very small office so there isn't room for much. Really, it would be smallish even for a walk-in closet. Anyway, I am taking this vase in, just because it adds a pop of color and it can sit on the floor in a corner. It makes ME happy.

Additionally, I am making something with twine and fake pearls. I'm not certain what, but I already like it.

So, that's what I've been up to.  You?

What I Need is a Good Closer

Last night Mike and I watched the St. Louis Cardinals play the Washington Nationals.  The winning team would be done for the season and the losing team would go on to play in the National League Championship.  The Cardinals are the reigning World Series Champions (Mike likes me to say that) but has been a very long dry spell for baseball in Washington.  Like a lot of people, I find it fun to cheer for the underdogs in most situations, but not baseball.  Do you remember to whom I am married?  Remember, we even eat St. Louis Cardinal toast in this house.

This post really isn't about baseball.  It is about crafting.  I know, it's hard to tell that.  Don't underestimate me as I am capable of finding a way to talk about my projects while still getting in a mention of the St. Louis Cardinal's win last night.  It may not make a lot of sense but it will make Mike happy so hang in there with me.

So... last night looked pretty bleak for the Cardinals.  They were behind by 6-1, within one strike of being done.  I'm guessing a lot of Cardinal fans there were already heading to the parking lot. The announcers even seemed to be wrapping things up.  Yet, the Cardinals managed to pull it all out of the toilet.  They won the game!  I know, I know.... still nothing about crafting.  But again, Mike is happy.

Ok, in this paragraph I PROMISE I will make the connection.  While watching the game I saw that the Nationals brought in a new pitcher right near the end.  They called him the "closer".  A closer is a pitcher who can hold up to the pressure often found at the end of a game.  A lot of times they are just brought in for that last inning.  They are highly paid for their ability to finish the job.  It doesn't always work out that way but that's their purpose.  Here's the connection to my crafting... I NEED A CLOSER!  

I love, love, love to crochet, sew, make jewelry, etc.  Often I am in the middle of one project when I dream up another.  I don't know if I'm just so excited about the next project or if I'm just afraid I will forget the new idea, but I often jump up from one and start another... and then another... and yet another.  This morning I pulled some of the bags of projects out of the little nooks and crannies (where did that phrase come from?) of my Rose Room.  Actually, there was no need to pull them out as they were spilling out on their own.  I gathered them up to show you what I mean. 

Here are more bags with projects, hanging on the closet door.

Please tell me you do this, too.  How many unfinished projects do you have hanging around?  

In the spirit of full disclosure, there are even more unfinished projects in my Rose Room than what I've shown you here.  Not for long, though!  I'm ready now, in the mood, to finish what I've started.  I think it is time for some of those projects to make their appearance on Wyoming Rose Boutique.  Yes, I am sending myself in as THE CLOSER!