September 10, 2012

Keep Calm and Ughhhh!

Posted by kkhymn under Blythe Love, Living with Chronic Illness | Tags: , , |
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So, I am still waiting for the Botox in the butt. Again.

My insurance still needs to approve it, then the pain center suspects that the outpatient surgery group will insist on the same tests for my heart before actually scheduling the procedure! Ugh! The problem is that the tests usually take a couple weeks to schedule in the first place, then you add the fact that outpatient procedures only occur on Mondays, and how much more limited the schedule will be during the holidays. And, I just want to scream!

If I can’t get the procedure completed before the end of the year, then I will have to wait until the end of next year to try again. The reason why I waited until now to schedule this procedure again is I have reached my deductible for the year and most of the procedure costs will be covered now. I won’t be able to schedule the Botox after the New Year -$600 out of my pocket for the two little shots of Botox is too much for me.

My body is not happy with the summer heat, and my butt is just in its own hell of pain and suffering. I know this should all be routine by now for me, but honestly it is exhausting, spoon-stealing and I just want to give up trying. If I just quit everything, what would happen? Would my body just curl up and die? Probably not. Not with my luck. It is hard to stay hopeful with all the chronic crap.

My dolls, the thought of cooler fall weather and the upcoming holidays are helping me right now. My Blythe girls can’t wait for Halloween and Day of the Dead. I have already found some great Hello Kitty Halloween fabric to make a couple of dresses, a fabulous witch’s hat to wear when I greet all the trick or treaters this year, and I have a special Senorita Blythe coming my way too! Trying to Keep Calm and Blythe instead of screaming with my body.

I think my random act for each day is simply not losing it and taking it out on complete strangers, Tony or the cats. Keep Calm and practice a random act today. Share the monster and Blythe love in any way you can.

Time to share some new photos of my Blythe life ….

          

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August 23, 2012

Lola Blythe Goes Home ….

Posted by kkhymn under Blythe Love, Living with Chronic Illness, Random Acts | Tags: , |
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So today, Lola’s hand-painted eye chips came in the mail. I was able to put them in and get her packaged for travel to her new mum! I loved working on her, and I know she will be spoiled rotten with lots of handmade clothes in her new home. Just wanted to share a few final photos of this first Random Act of Blythe ….


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August 22, 2012

Random Acts of Blythe …

Posted by kkhymn under Blythe Love, Living with Chronic Illness, Random Acts | Tags: , , , |
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So, I know I have been quiet.  It has been a hard summer for me. My body is not happy with the extreme heat, and my butt is screaming loud and clear again. Waiting to see if I can have the Botox procedure in my butt again, and hoping it doesn’t come with any delays or complications like last year.

I still have no knitting mojo. And, it is really hard to deal with chronic crap without it. Thus,  I think I have a bit of a low grade depression. Nothing serious or worth taking any medication, just part of the “normal” when living with chronic health conditions. Normally my knitting mojo helps me cope with this grey cloud that lurks in the background of my pain and fatigue. Without my needles and yarn, I am just having a harder time trying to get out of it.

A Random Act of Blythe – Meet Lola!

So, right now, I am  still playing with my Blythe dolls. And, practicing random acts of Blythe. I ended up ordering a Factory Blythe doll on Ebay, and discovered that factory dolls are not for me. The bodies were flimsy, and the hair on the girl was unruly and frizzed to the max, needing lots of dolly spa treatments. I customized the head and put Katie’s body on this new redhead doll, named Lola Blythe.  Lola is now going to be my first Random Act of Blythe. She is going to a friend of mine who struggles with fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis. I am putting two sets of hand-painted eye chips in Lola, and she is almost ready to travel to her new home.

Other parts of Katie have gone for random acts as well. I gave her stock red dress and beautiful brown hair to friends on Ravelry. The brown hair is going to a young girl’s Blythe doll as a birthday surprise. Even the factory body is going as a random act to a friend on Ravelry. I think Katie’s short life is being honored cause all her parts are now a random act of Blythe love.

My mom also surprised me with a gift of funds, some of which went to getting a pink haired Blythe! Thanks mom! Her name is Ichigo, and she did not come to me new, but used and loved. I think I am the third and last owner, cause I am keeping her forever! Ichigo came all the way from Australia, and I have already finished customizing her too. Coraline and Ichigo are best Blythe friends forever.

Ichigo and Coraline Blythe

I had an impossible time trying to remove a couple of sets of eye chips from Ichigo. I used the glue stick method to remove Coraline’s eye chips with no problems. But,  Ichigo’s eyes were stubborn. I finally got her eyes to come out by having her at room temperature when placing the glue sticks on her eyes, then immediately placing her in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to let the glue sticks firmly set and cool. It still took strength to get the eye chips out, but it worked!

To get the frizz out of Lola’s hair, I tried everything, including soaking the hair in a mixture of warm water and Downey fabric softener. Nothing really worked well until I tried Samy Ultra-Lightweight Conditioning Serum. The product has no oils so it won’t harm the plastic.  I wet Lola’s hair with warm water, towel dried it and then added a little bit of serum all over her hair, combing it through. I let the hair dry naturally and combed it once more. Her hair is silky smooth!

My Blythe wish list is growing. I have a small list of Blythes that I still hope to collect and customize. I even have a place for my Blythes to live. Tony cleared out an old tv cabinet, and I am using the two shelves to keep the girls safe. They have a miniature tea set to share a cup of tea or coffee together, and comfy chairs to sit in. And, their wardrobe is growing too. I never had this much fun with my Barbies.

Blythe BFFs

I know some of you are thinking that I have lost my mind playing with my dollies. Or, maybe you think this is just a mid-life crisis. But these dolls are my mojo right now. And, I am grateful for that at least. I still want to give up on my chronic life and just pretend I am “healthy” again, throw all my medications down the toilet, and live the life I thought I was going to before I got “sick”. When I play with my Blythes, I can pretend just for a little while that everything is ok.

Still practicing random acts. Still fighting my own monsters. Just a bit differently. Keep sharing the Monster and Blythe Love. And find a way to practice a random act today.

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July 30, 2012

Being Selfish is Not Always a Bad Thing …

Posted by kkhymn under Blythe Love, Living with Chronic Illness, Random Acts | Tags: , , |
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My Coraline Blythe

Almost done with customizing my first Blythe doll. I have ordered new eye chips and plan on replacing one or two in my Coraline Blythe, but otherwise she is finished. I love how she looks, and can’t wait to start customizing my Katie Blythe. I gave her face a complete makeover, along with her haircut – with new eyelashes, blush, eyeshadow, lipstick and freckles for the perfect Coraline look.

I used acrylic paint for the eyelids, lips and freckles, and pastel chalks for the blush and eyeshadow. I sprayed a few layers of MSC (Mr. Super Clear) to seal the make-up. I found the MSC on Ebay from a local seller. For links to customizing your Blythe doll, see my blog post here. For links to sewing patterns, go here. I am on the hunt for a third Blythe doll, with bright pink hair! I am looking for a Prima Dolly London Blythe or a Ichigo Heaven Blythe – both are hard to find for a decent price.  She will make my collection a perfect trio of best friends.

I have been quite obsessed with my Blythe dolls, and have finally figured out why my creative efforts are all in these dolls right now. I am being selfish.

I realized that for the past several years, ever since my life got defined with chronic illness and pain, I have been coping by constantly giving to others – supporting others with chronic health issues online and in person, knitting through my pain and then giving what I have knit (monsters, toys, hats, mittens)  for care packages and random acts, and leading online groups in both those areas. I have been doing this because I did not want to have my life defined by my endless list of chronic crap. I want my life to mean something more.

Coraline Blythe Makeover

I think I needed something creative just for me. Getting my Blythe girls, learning to sew dresses for them and customizing them to make them my very own is all a part of doing something new and creative just for me. It may sound selfish, but I honestly think it’s healthy for me to take this time out from knitting and giving. It is my way of  recharging my batteries so I can keep on giving.

I am not giving up on random acts. I will keep making monsters and toys to give to others who are struggling. I am just taking a much needed break right now. One of the important lessons I have learned with my chronic crap is that being selfish is not always a bad thing. Saying no to others to manage your energy levels and preserve your health is a good thing. Finding ways to take care of yourself first is a good thing. Asking for help and understanding from those around you is a good thing.

Keep sharing the monster love and practice those random acts. I will join you all again soon. I am still creating and coping as best I can, and simply being human.

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July 24, 2012

There Should Be a Warning Label …

Posted by kkhymn under Blythe Love, More Crafts, Random Acts | Tags: , |
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There should be a warning label with each Blythe doll you purchase.  Owning a Blythe gives you illusions of grandeur and makes you think you are a hair dresser, make up artist,  fashion designer, hair restorer, seamstress, etc., Yes. I did it. I took my outrageously expensive Blythe doll and started customizing her – with a hair cut!

Before and After

I really was tempted to call my hair dresser to ask her to cut my Blythe doll’s hair. But I just did not have the energy at all to go out of the house after all the doctor appointments last week. So all on my own, with a pair of scissors, I snipped, and cut, and snipped. Was it insanity or courage? Probably a little bit of both. The hair is not perfectly cut, but pretty good for someone who can’t cut straight lines on paper.

Now my Katie Blythe wants to change her name to Coraline. Her new hairdo makes her look like a Coraline Blythe. Her sister Michelle decided to change her name too – to Katie! So now my Blythe girls are Katie and Coraline.

Now that I have started customizing my Coraline Blythe, I am researching the other ways I can make her my own. The next step will be to give her a sand matted face, redo her make up, and give her sleepy eyes or new eye chips. I don’t think I will change out her hair anytime soon, as re-rooting the scalp seems like something for the experts.  Don’t feel like an expert – at least not yet. What have I gotten myself into? Definitely need that warning label.

There are some great tutorials on how to customize your Blythe, and I have put some links below.  The most comprehensive tutorials are on the Puchi Collective site here.  She tells you just about everything you need to redo the hair, face, and make up for your Blythe doll. There are Blythe doll experts who will customize your Blythe doll for you, found on Etsy, but that can get pretty expensive, depending on what you want.  You can also find customized Blythe dolls for sale on Ebay and Etsy, but expect to pay double or triple the cost of a regular Blythe doll.

You may be wondering what is happening with my monster making. I have quietly given away all my monsters and critters on hand, and am taking a short break from monster knitting until the Olympics. Then, my online Random Acts of Monsters group will be casting on together for an Olympic- sized knitting competition on Ravelry. I will definitely have my monster stash for random acts again soon.

Life is too short. Focus on something that you love to do and nothing less. Do it on a regular basis; a little bit every day or every week. Then share a part of you with a random act. Take a risk, have some fun, and keep on. You may be surprised at what good it does, for you and the world around you.

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June 25, 2012

Monster Love for Your Car …

Posted by kkhymn under Random Acts, Random Thoughts | Tags: , |
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So I am sick deathly sick from this flu/cold. Add an eye infection (pink eye), and my body is just about ready to keel over.  Yeah, when I get sick, I give it my all. But, one thing has really cheered me up – some  monster love for my car!

I wanted to do something to show my love of monsters on my car. Tony did not want me to get any custom items for my license plate or frame. And, I wanted something a little bit more obvious and unique. I searched for vinyl decals for the car that were monster-like; there was very little out there.  I did find one seller on Etsy though – Stephen Edward Graphics – who had some great monster decals for decorating your walls or laptop computer.

I originally custom ordered a decal with a peace symbol, a heart and a monster. You know, “Peace, Love, Monsters”. I anxiously awaited for the item to arrive. I showed it to Tony and asked him to help me put it on the car. Man-brain hit cause he did not want me to “clutter” my car with girly items. He even suggested that he would not drive my car if I put a decal on it. Yeah, I know. Blame it on the man-brain.

Share the Monster Love

I decided to compromise and just put the monster decal on my car, without the more girly peace and heart symbols.  I know that I could have put it all on the car window, just to show Tony that I don’t care what he thinks my car should have on it. But, reality is, that I do care about him, even if I disagree with his opinion.  Life is too short not to compromise with the ones that you love and with those who love you.

I just love this monster on my car. He just brings my car a great personality. Don’t you want to order one for your car? The vinyl decals are removable, and won’t damage your car. It comes with easy to understand instructions and tools to place it perfectly on your car window for the world to see.

How to Order Your Own Monster Decal:

  1. Contact Stephen Edward Graphics on Esty, let him know you want to place an order for a decal for your car window.
  2. Select a monster (or other decal)  from his laptop decals page.
  3. Place a custom order for the item in gloss white. If you order one in any other color, it won’t show up as well on your window.

Show some monster love for your car. And when folks ask you why a monster, tell them it’s all about random acts.

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June 19, 2012

Sock It to Me …

Posted by kkhymn under Living with Chronic Illness, More Crafts, Random Acts | Tags: , , |
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So, my rheumatologist and new heart doc are in agreement. I knit, therefore I am. So, I am stopping the new experimental drug for my fibromyalgia pain. “You have to knit. Stop the new medication now.”

I found that my joint pains were skyrocketing this past month, with pain in my hands too. Something I was not used to at all. And, to top things off, I lost all my creative mojo. My knitting mojo went on vacation this past month, and life just has turned into “Blah. Blah. Blah.” Even though the fibro pain was better this past month, it is not worth losing my knitting mojo.

I even conducted a mini experiment and did not take the new medication for a few days to see if I would feel better. The result? No knitting mojo, but I was able to do some hand sewing, and make some sock creatures! Yup, the new drug definitely was stealing my mojo, and making me a bit more anti-social, with a serious case of the blahs.

I see my pain doc next week, so hopefully he will get that this new drug was not for me and give me my pain medications back. It will still take some time for any pain medications to work though cause the low dose naltrexone in my system blocks opiates from working. Translation: More pain before I get some relief again, and we have to go back to the drawing board.

Sock Bunny Love

So, I have been learning to hand sew some sock creatures as I wait for my knitting mojo to return. I have already given one sock bunny to a foster care organization to give out to their kids at their summer picnic. Random acts can be with sewn monsters and critters too; you don’t have to knit or crochet to give.

This adorable sock bunny pattern can be found in a book titled “Socks Appeal” by Brenna Malony. I just love the pattern! And, you know that bunnies multiply so I will be making a bunch of these in the future for random acts too. I made a pom pom out of yarn for the tail instead of using leftover sock pieces.  The author also has a second book titled “Sockology.”  You can also get more information on her books on her blog here, including a couple of free patterns, linked below:

I have found some great books on stray sock sewing too, listed below. All of them requiring hand sewing, which is a lost art worth remembering. I am slowly getting better at my sewn stitches, and these are almost just as addictive as knitting monsters. Sock sewing is much faster though; most of these creatures take less than a day to make!

 Sock Sewing Books:

I am hoping my knitting mojo comes back from vacation soon. In the meantime, I am on the hunt for colorful crew-length and knee high socks. I know, another craft addiction. Like I did not have enough already. Sock it to me! I just can’t help myself.

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June 1, 2012

Creativity Can Save a Life, Even Your Own …

Posted by kkhymn under Knit and Crochet, Living with Chronic Illness, Random Acts | Tags: , , |
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I have not been knitting much. My knitting mojo has been on vacation for a couple of months now. It has really been difficult to deal with skyrocketing pain levels without my knitting mojo. Every time I have attempted to knit, I have made serious mistakes that meant unraveling the project and sending it to the frog pond.  I have discovered I get more anti-social when my knitting mojo is on vacation and my body is screaming. It really has been no fun.

Tony has been wonderfully supported through my screaming body, getting off my old pain medications and starting the new one.  He has been taking me to different places to distract me, and even sat patiently while I got my hair cut and colored last weekend. We have also been car shopping.  I really need a car with heated seats, as well as my beloved Navigation system.  It is amazing what a difference those two things can make to pain and sanity levels when the muscles in my body tense up and my brain goes into a fog and I can’t remember where to turn.

Kokoru Has a Sweet Tooth

The past few days I have tried everything to try and knit another monster. I decided to get one of my most favorite monster loving yarns out and knit one of my favorite monster patterns – Iris the Gourmet Monster by Rebecca Danger. I have knit several Iris monsters, all with Lorna’s Laces Shepherds worsted yarns. I just love Lorna’s Laces yarns, all the color ways are perfect for all your knit or crochet projects. But, the yarn is especially perfect for monster making. The colors seem to make monsters extra magical.

My latest Iris was made with Lorna’s Laces Red Rover color way. This color way is variegated with deep reds, autumn browns and burgundy; it reminded me of a human heart. So I named this monster Kokoru, which is Japanese word for “heart”. Every stitch of this monster was a struggle for me, but a labor of love too. I felt like I was fighting for my life to get my knitting mojo back.

I wanted Kokoru to be a little taller than the original pattern because I went down to a US Size 5 needle. I usually use a US Size 6 needle with worsted weight yarns, but I wanted to keep my stitches tighter. I also wanted to make the arms and legs longer on my monster, for extra long hugs and monster kicks to the battles I have been facing lately. Kokoru is a gourmet monster, so she immediately went for the mini cupcakes on the kitchen.

These are the modifications to the original Iris the Gourmet Monster pattern:

  • For the body, I worked 52 knit rounds instead of 42 before starting the decrease rounds.
  • For the extra long arms, I worked 64 rounds instead of 20 before starting the rounds for the hand.
  • For the legs, I worked 64 rounds instead of 40 before starting the rows for the foot.

I Need My Monster

I was reminded how much I rely on my knitting, sewing, and crafting to face my daily battles of pain, fatigue and illness. I really do live my life one stitch at a time. Creating something out of “nothing” is very therapeutic for our bodies and minds. When you are faced with something difficult in your life, try and find something creative to focus on. It doesn’t have to be with string and sticks (aka knitting). Write poetry, sing and play music, draw, paint, garden, cook, sew – find your thing to create your life with. It will save your life in ways you never expect them to.

Then remember to give a little bit of you create to others. Share it with someone you have never met. Practice your own random act.  It won’t solve all your problems or take away all your pain. But, it can make life bearable again. And, remind you that your life is still worth living.

Share the monster love. Keep creating. Keep giving. It can save a life, even your own.

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February 14, 2012

Big Monster Love on Valentine’s Day …

Posted by kkhymn under Knit and Crochet, Living with Chronic Illness, Random Acts | Tags: , , , |
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Last weekend, Charles was able to go see his monsters for Monster Island and get his big surprise! I was able to listen and talk with him as he opened the big box; and today, I got some big monster love with some photos of Charles with his monster-filled island:

Charles and His Monster Island

On the morning of his surprise, Charles announced that “today is a very exciting day for monsters and mankind because I can finally open my monster box.”  Of course he didn’t know how “monstrous” his box would really be.

Charles wrote this poem about his monsters, and shared it with all the monster mommies on Ravelry:

Monsters are wonderful, monsters are great.
Monsters help me face things I hate.
Monsters are fun, monsters are grand
Monsters help me when I’m stuck in the sand.
Monsters, Monsters everywhere.
Monsters in the morning, monsters in my hair.
Monsters in the evening let me know others care.
Monsters make me laugh when my heart aches.
Monsters help me celebrate!

Charles is busy coming up with names and profiles of each of the monsters on his Monster Island.  Apparently the monsters are playing hide and seek with his family all around the house. But, they all return to his bed at night, covering him with monster love and hugs, for a perfect night’s sleep.

I will be sure to share updates on Charles’ Monster Island in future posts.  For now, I am just so happy to know that we have played a part on making his Monster Island dreams come true. Share the monster love, and Happy Valentine’s Day!

To read more about Charles and how his Monster Island began, read these posts:

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January 31, 2012

Gotta Love Me Monster – Spread the Monster Love

Posted by kkhymn under Knit and Crochet, Living with Chronic Illness, Random Acts | Tags: , , |
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Gotta Love Me Monster

So, my legs have not been behaving for more than a week now. The pain levels are skyrocketing and I can barely walk. Not sure what is happening to my body. But, at least I have my monster mojo. To celebrate the Random Acts of Monsters group, and to help you start your monster knitting, I have created a new, free monster pattern. And, because this is February and Valentine’s Day is around the corner, this monster is called the Gotta Love Me Monster.

The pattern is for any worsted weight yarn. You will need two contrasting colors for the pattern, between 100 and 150 yards if each color. And the needles used are a US Size 6 circular needle long enough for Magic Loop and a set of US Size 6 double pointed needles. I have written the pattern so that the body of the monster can be worked using the Magic Loop method or knit with double pointed needles. The Gotta Love Me Monster can be downloaded here on Ravelry or on my blog’s Pattern page.

I hope you enjoy this pattern, and that it inspires you to knit more monsters and practice more random acts. Spread the monster love!

 

Update on the pattern: I have received requests for more work in progress photos to be included in the pattern. I have also updated the instructions for the first row of the flap so that it will be easier to knit.  The pattern link is the same, but the file has been updated as of February 5.

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