Crafty Rantings

I'm Crafty. I Rant. These are Crafty Rantings!

Saturday, April 15, 2006

Posting Your Picture to Your Profile (part 2)

Here is where it gets tricky. You will need to have TWO (2) windows open.

In one window you need to do what you did to post the picture originally: Go to your dashboard. Hit the name of your blog and it will bring up the screen where you can make a posting or changes to your template. Click under the "tab" that says "posting" then click "create" tab. Make sure you're in "compose" instead of Edit Html.

In the second window, Go to your dashborad. On the right hand side click "Edit Profile". Go to the section that says "photograph". You will need to put in the URL. This is where it gets hard but it's worth it. THE IMPORTANT THING IS YOUR PICTURE CANNOT BE LARGER THAN 50k! MAKE SURE IT FITS THE SIZE REQUIREMENT!

Go back to the first window. Click "Edit" for the post which has the picture you want. Once the post comes up (you'll see what you wrote in the window), change to the tab that says "Edit Html" at the top of the area with your post in it. You will be picking up the http address of the picture you posted. Now this is hard but bear with it. You put the picture at the beginning of your post, right? So what you're looking for will be right there at the top. Highlight the part that says: http://wordsandnameofpicture.jpg by holding down the left button of your mouse and dragging it all the way to the end butdon't copy the <> at either end. Now once it's highlighted, press Control-C.

In the second window in your "Edit Profile" section, under "photograph", press Control-V and it will paste that into your box. This points your profile to that picture to pick it up.

At the bottom of the page, save your profile.

Go back to your dashboard by clicking on "dashboard" at the top, and go look at your blog. Your picture should be there. If that doesn't work, try it again. If your picture is too big, you will get an error message and you won't be able to post it.

Hope that works for you!

Help for Photo Challenged Bloggers

WOW! Kiefer on MY blog!

For those who can't figure out how to do photos, here's how you do it.

Go to your dashboard. Hit the name of your blog and it will bring up the screen where you can make a posting or changes to your template. Click under the "tab" that says "posting" then click "create" tab. Make sure you're in "compose" instead of Edit Html. Hit the little picture button over on the right hand side. It will bring up a new window. On the left hand side hit "browse" and you can browse around in your own computer for a picture. Find the picture you want and click on the name. It will put the name of that file in the box. Select below whether you want it in the left or center or right and then in the box over to the right from there, select "small", "medium" or "large". At the bottom of the window, first press the box that says "apply this to all future uploads" press "upload" when you're done. It will put the picture in your "compose" screen. Type what you want and then publish your post. Now pat yourself on the back and say "GOOD JOB!"

Now, you say, you'd like to put it in your profile. That's harder. Let's do a separate post for that one. :)

A Little Saturday Something

I am looking forward to a wonderful day with wonderful friends. When I finish my coffee I will do a little work on my doily, maybe a little on the raspberry purse, and before my friends arrive, I'm making a trip to Michaels for a look at the dreaded double pointed needles. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed crafting of all kinds. I am inspired again. I have a lot to look forward to now. I feel like I'm 20 again. When I count my blessings besides my friends, I'm counting my ability to craft. How satisfying it is that one of my new purposes is an old one.

Sometimes we just need to be reminded.

Friday, April 14, 2006

Late Night Musings


The only picture I have small enough to post in my profile, I still prefer the one of my brother and I.I have knitted and crocheted today and I am now tired. Tomorrow is blanket day. And our group is getting together which I have looked forward to since we decided to do it. An afternoon of pizza, chocolate, a chick flick, crafting and chatting. What more could a crafty gal want? NOTHING!

My Favorite Things

Y'know, everybody thinks my absolute favorite thing is penguins because, of course, I am The Mutant Penguin Herself. Well, yes, I like them, but I like other things, too. I love snowmen. Cute pigs or yellow chicks or yellow ducks that have an obvious personality. I'm always happy to show people my favorite ones when they're at my house or office. But this is crafty rantings so let me rant about what I like crafting-wise.

I love the colors raspberry, pink, lilac and royal blue. I like soft yarn that isn't hard to work with but makes a beautiful product. I like easy patterns. I like older patterns. I love doilys - making them, giving them, receiving them. I am especially fond of the rainbow fleece blanket my dear friend (OK... she's like family, more like a sister!) Susan made me last year. That is how I got into making fleece blankets - she kept telling me they were easy to do (they are! Even for me!). I can't wait to make more fun fur or eyelash scarves to give away (or keep!). I can't draw but I love to fabric paint. I love coming up with new ideas on how to do things or decorate. I have this knack for imagining wonderful things to do but not quite sure how to go about doing it. My bedroom is an experiment in how to decorate with a theme.

I love being able to share what skills or knowledge I have about crafting with others and learning new ones from others. Roni and Brooke are going to have their patience tried helping me learn to felt. But the good news my friends is that once I learn, once it's through my thick head, I can do it again and I'll teach someone else.

My favorite things, when it comes to crafting, is getting together with the Knitting Circle as Roni has dubbed us. Being with friends, talking, knitting or crocheting, sharing ideas, eating chocolate chip cookies. It's the 2 hours I live for every 2 weeks. So now I'm excited we'll be doing it this weekend at a new spot and throwing in something new. I hope we can keep this up. The idea that I could get this kind of support and fun and feeling good is definitely a favorite crafty thing.

Oh yeah, in case I haven't mentioned it enough (and I never will!), Brooke, Linda, Julie and Roni have really added more joy to my life by bringing me back to more crafting. They are DEFINITELY at the head of my list of favorites.

Thursday, April 13, 2006

Thought For The Day

Is it just me or is everyone tired? I can barely type no less pick up my needles! Chocolate! Sleep! Where's Kiefer Sutherland when you *really* need him? :)

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Midweek Musings

It's the middle of the week. I am not getting enough sleep. Why? Because I am wanting to get to a certain spot in my crafting projects. No, sadly I did not work on the afghan last night (and probably not until at least Friday). Instead I finished the bottom of the raspberry/pink purse which I need to have done before Friday. Someone is going to show me how to pick up the stitches on Friday so I had to have that much done anyway. I am beginning to think that the only way I'll finish the projects I've started is if I take a vacation.

Good news! I am signed up for SP8! This blog has a purpose!

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Current Projects



Before I start, I wanted to share this picture because it's one of my favorites from when I was a child. I call it "Happy" and it's the image on my desktop on my work and home computers. The guy on the left is Dennis, my twin brother. Nobody knows me better. Maybe I should have him read this blog!

I suppose I should talk about my current projects. First, a hello to my knitting group (and CHAMPS buddies) Brooke, Julie, Linda and Roni. You're all wonderful!

I am crocheting a yellow baby blanket for someone at work. It is a new pattern for me and scary and since I'm almost at the edging and petrified, that's why I put it down 3 months ago and haven't worked on it since. I have to get back to that ASAP, however, because the baby is due in June.

The only other crochet projects are an ecru doily that I'm working on at home and a smaller red doily I work on during knitting group sometimes. The knitting group has moved me away from crochet and back to knitting. Not a bad thing, I suppose.

I am making a scarf which will take forever. It's two yarns together, a regular Red Heart lilac color and a soft verigated purply one which is making a soft scarf. It's totally different than I anticipated which is interesting.

With Brooke and Linda for support, I am going to make a felted purse. I have never done this. I read the directions and double pointed needles and so on and I started to cry thinking I can never do this. Y'all are REALLY going to have to help me!

I just recently learned how to use fun fur and eyelash yarn to make fun scarves. I made one for me and a beautiful royal blue one which I mailed to my daughter for Easter.

Long ago and far away I used to do cross stitch but arthritis is making me stay away from things that require that much small motor skill. I also did fabric painting and then, although I can't remember the technical term, it was putting tear away web stuff on fabric and then cross stitching over it to make designs on clothes. Duh! I just can't explain things! I also used to do a bit of sequin art. Anything that requires drawing, however, is definitely out. I can't even do stick people! I can, however, follow most patterns. Maybe there's hope with people showing me how, to finish that felted purse! I sure hope so... it's in my favorite colors - raspberry with sparkly pink yarn.

Today I hope to finish the bottom part of my felted purse (I've done 29 of the 34 rows) and I will work on my purply scarf during lunchtime. It's rainy and gloomy and the perfect day to curl up under one of my homemade fleece blankets (oh yeah! I learned how to do tie blankets this year and am having a blast! I have only one more to make - this one with penguins. I plan to do that this weekend at a CHAMPS meeting) and knit.

Happy crafting!

Monday, April 10, 2006

Getting Started


Well here goes nothing. I am not as crafty as I was in the past but I still enjoy doing various projects. I hope to sometime return to fabric painting, cross stitch and maybe even writing poetry although I am not sure that is a craft. The picture was taken a couple of years ago, btw.