Around the World Blog Hop

 While I have done a bit of traveling around the world by plane, and boat, and car, and train, I have done far more armchair traveling through blogging.  It is a privilege to interact with creative folk in far flung locales as well as some very close by.  One special creative blogger, Teresa Kasner, actually lives very close by me in Corbett, Oregon, near Portland and has become a lovely face to face friend. Before we met I was delighted to be able to order a set of her beautiful hand painted cards from her blog site, and have two of them framed and hung where I can enjoy viewing them.  She is soooo artistically talented and posts amazing photos and interesting narratives about the world around her, including glimpses of her beading, painting, crocheting, knitting, sewing, and civic and family/friend activities.  Thank you for  asking me to participate in this Blog Hop, Teresa!

1. What am I working on?

I finally finished my first crocheted cotton basket (pictured above) and have the first panel done for a second basket.  I have a crocheted shawl started, one sock on circular knitting needles, a cap on another set of circular needles, and the blanket (pictured below) on another set of circular knitting needles.  I also am working on a little photo album for my youngest Grand, Rose, and am sketching some flowers in her album as well.

 2. How does my work differ from others in its genre?
My work is SIMPLE and SLOWLY COMPLETED :) [I admire and am inspired by those whose work is the opposite of mine :) ]


3. Why do I write/create what I do?
I find joy in the creative process, especially in highlighting or creating the beautiful. [ I told one of my junior high teachers that someday I was going to write a book, but to date I have just written three children's plays, and contributed some devotional material to a book. ]

4.  How does my writing/creative process work?
Sometimes I enjoy the challenge of taking on an assignment, especially a project fueled by need, but more often these days, I find that as I look at the work of others, I am inspired to try to either duplicate what they have created or use their work as a launching platform for a similar project...now if I could just speed up my production rate...especially for making the many gifts I would like to give :)

One of the wonderful bloggers I have met  through Teresa is Betsy Queen whose blog is entitled The Simple Life of a Queen.  She is one of the busiest, women I know!  Her knitting and crochet projects are prolific in number and usually given away.  She is a Christian who is happily married and is living in Spokane, Washington.  She has three adult children and three grandchildren all of whom she has to travel many miles to see. [One of her sons lives in Japan!]  She has agreed to post an Around the World Blog Hop post next Monday, July 21, 2014.  Have you visited her blog?

Gracie xx