Baseball Tarot Book & Deck by Mark Lerner & Laura Philips

3/27/15 - It looks like today may be a good day to stay in and work on some positive affirmations.  I usually draw 3 Tarot Cards every day for a little insight.  For several months, I have been using the Baseball Tarot Deck by Mark Lerner & Laura Philips. This deck gets a two thumbs up rating from me.  The back of the book describes this deck as follows:

 LESSONS OF THE GAME, LESSONS OF LIFE.  Are you batting a thousand or in a slump?  Has your boss thrown you a curve or caught you off base?  Baseball actions have become metaphors for life, and BASEBALL TAROT applies these metaphors as a means of finding insight into love, work, relationships, dreams, decisions, dilemmas, and virtually any other personal issue.  Expertly translated from traditional tarot, it is an enterraining and accessible way to seek guidance and advice through familiar baseball situations, players and lingo.  From the All-Star to the Umpire, from Error to Grand Slam, each card image evokes the card's original meanings.  The book explains how to pose questions, lay out the cards and interpret the answers for yourself and for others.  It's insightful and inspiring.  Now step up to the plate!...............

Yes, step up to the plate!  Even if not a seasoned Tarot reader,  you can get a sense of what is brewing with the three cards I have today:

Nine of Balls - Strikeout - mourning a loss
XVI Whole new Ball Game (traditional Major Arcana Card would be The Tower) - shocking change, deeper truth comes out
Seven of Balls - Spitball - unethical means

On a positive note, Balls represent a traditional Tarot deck's swords so they refer to conflicts within one's mind, as well as with others.  Therefore although a change is definitely coming (the Tower/whole new ball game) maybe my thoughts are what make this seem unfair and a lot worse than it really is........................... 
          ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
****I must admit The Tower/Whole New Ball Game is not one of my favorite cards.  I remember years ago there was a time when almost every reading I would draw/receive the Tower.  That was the time prior to my divorce.  Just saying, I have respect for the cards when the same message comes through repeatedly.

Old Gypsy Fortune Telling Cards, copyright 1940

3/26/15 - I have been collecting Tarot decks for
some time.  I am astounded by the number of
decks available and the subject matter.  Just the
other day I took a picture of my oldest deck - 0ld
Gypsy Fortune Telling Cards by Whitman Publishing Co , copyright 1940. 

Today on Mary K. Greer's Tarot Blog she mentioned this deck (see below) along with some much older decks.

Old Gypsy Fortune Telling Cards, Whitman Publishing Co., 1940.

This 36-card deck is essentially a Lenormand with twelve cards that vary from the standard—some a mere substitution of a different image and others, entirely new but drawn out of the Mülhausen/Drake selection. It has more of an emphasis on love and marriage. There have been three different artistic renditions of this deck, all designed in the style of children’s book illustrations. There are no playing card associations.

 

Also included in her discussion: The Evening World’s Home Magazine (New York) reproduced the original “Philippe” (heirs of Mlle. Lenormand) Instruction Sheet in their October 19, 1903 issue. Included are the standard Kunst-Comptoir 1854 images that one is encouraged to cut out to make one’s own deck. Here is the article if you wish to print it out and do the same.

I have saved this image and hope to be able to blow it up on the library photo machine. 



I just checked Ebay for the value of the 1940 deck I have.  It is listed now from $28.00 to $80.  My deck was found in the Smith house. 

Project gone wrong.................

This post is a bead project gone wrong.  I longed for the book Beaded Bracelets to KNIT by Leslieanne Bellar.  I finally found it on sale and promptly completed the beaded bracelet in the photo.  I have to admit, I do not care for it.  It is just too bulky.  I will probably take this one apart and salvage the beads.  If I try any more patterns from this book, I will do one of the flatter versions.

Pattern for Arrowhead - knit, crochet

3/14/15 - I decided I would like to add an

arrowhead to my "western-style" windmill
bag.  I got the idea from this funky sweater
I purchased some time ago at the Goodwill.
I don't think I have ever worn it.  Anyway,
my attempts at a knit arrowhead or a crochet
arrowhead are recorded below.  I think I like
the tightness of the knitted version.  When I
get some beads added to the piece, I think
the arrowheads will lay flat.  Of course, I
could sew 2 together for extra stiffness and
that would make them straight.

Notes for Me on Knitting:

Decrease slant to right - (K 2 tog or P 2 tog)
Decrease slant to left - (psso or slip stitch on
  right needle, work next stitch, pass slipped
  stitch over worked stitch)
Stockinette is knitting all knit stitches on one side and all purl stitches on the opposite side

I left a long tail 24" long so I could pick up 4 stitches along the base of the triangle to shape the bottom part of the arrowhead.  for this I knitted 3 rows, then increased a stitch at the start and end of the 4th row, next row I bound off.

Knitted Arrowhead:  CO 10 st, knit across,
P next row - decrease one stitch at beginning of row and one at end = 8  st
Knit across
P next row - decrease one stitch at beginning of row and one at end = 6 st
Knit across
P next row - decrease one stitch at beginning of row and one at end = 4 st
Knit across
P nest row - decrease one stitch at beginning of row and one at end = 2 st
k last 2 st tog and bind off

*It doesn't really matter if you do stockinette stitch or knit every row.  And the decreases can be simply K or P two stitches together . . . . or you can worry about slanting them L or R as described above.

NOTE: I made 2 arrowheads and sewed them together for stiffness and to keep them from curling.  I had plans to bead them like the ones on the sweater but it was not working for me.

I liked the knitted version but a simple crochet version could be made as follows:
Ch 4
Row 1:  2 dc in 4th ch from hook (beg of ch), ch3, turn (3 sts)
Row 2:  1 dc in same place as turning ch, 1 dc, 2 dc in last st, ch3, turn. (5 sts)
Row 3:  1 dc in same place as turning ch, dc to last st, 2 dc in last st, ch 3, turn. (7 sts)
Row 4:  dc in each st (7 sts)
I then ss over to the center 3 sts and sc 3 sts, ch 1, turn for 2 rows then increased in first and last sts for 5 sts to give a little shape to the base of the arrowhead.

My Ravelry link to this Windmill purse can be found here.

Spring Clean Up

3/20/15 - I have gotten a lot done in the last couple of days. I cleaned the well house.  It had been invaded by mice or ground squirrels or both.  They chewed away at the little door trying to gain access.  They have done so much damage to it that I may have to rebuild it! I had to throw away the blanket I use for additional insulation because they had it in shreds also.  Here is a before cleanup photo showing how they chewed the Styrofoam insulation I use to insulate the pipes in the well.  What a mess...............
 I have moved and burned the big pile of wood that sat in my yard all winter as a result of the big maple limb coming down. The wheelbarrow contains the last few logs that I will burn in the fireplace this afternoon.

My herb garden area has also been cleared. 

Crochet Four Leaf Clover

3/17/15 - Making Shamrocks today.
Crochet Four Leaf Clover Pattern and more infor here.

Round 1: Ch 3. Join with a slst to the first chain to form a ring. Ch 8, slst into the center of the ring. Ch 8, slst into the center of the ring. Ch 8, slst into the center of the ring. Ch 8, slst into the center of the ring. Ch 10, slst into the 2nd chain from the hook and into each of the remaining 8. Slst into the center of the ring.
Round 2: In first ch 8 space, make the following stitches: Sc, Hdc, 4 Dc, 2 Tc, Dc, Hdc, Sc, Hdc, Dc, 2 Tc, 4 Dc, Hdc, Sc. Slst into the center of the ring. *In next ch 8 space, make the following stitches: Sc, Hdc, 4 Dc, 2 Tc, Dc, Hdc, Sc, Hdc, Dc, 2 Tc, 4 Dc, Hdc, Sc. Slst into the center of the ring. Repeat from * for the next two ch 8 spaces.
Bind off and weave in your ends. You will need to finger block or wet block your clovers to get the proper shape. I found that using my fingers was good enough to get the shape you see in the photos.

NOTE: The three leaf clover and lady bug were
made from patterns contained in the following
books by Lesley Stanfield:

75 Birds, Butterflies & little beasts to knit and
crochet

100 Flowers to Knit & Crochet

I like making these small projects that really test
your pattern-following skills.  And, they are fun to have around to make a quick embellishment.

Later today I will be going out for some Irish stew at the Knights of Columbus. 

Happy St Patrick's Day!

UPDATE;  Not only was the stew delicious, but I also won $100 dollars in a drawing.  Some luck from my crocheted shamrocks must have rubbed off on me. 

Car Update

3/7/15 - Well, I finally made the plunge and
purchased a car with my winnings.  I got
this Cocoa Silver 2015 Buick Encore.  I kept
trying to find one with the real shinny chrome
wheels but finally gave up.  I am kind of glad
I did. I really like the wheels on white and some
of the darker colors; however, I saw one like this
with the wheels and it really didn't look as good
as mine.  Yeah!  Finally starting to like this little
car a lot better,  I got the moon roof and AWD so
I am happy,

Pictured on the right is a Nissan Juke.  It was several thousand dollars cheaper than the Buick and I really liked the look.  Only problem is that it doesn't look like a car a 60-something old lady should be driving ...... even in a more subdued color.  So, I opted for the old-lady Buick. 




Another car I considered was a hatchback Ford Focus.  Again, it looked like something a younger person would drive.

Circles in the Square

3/6/15 - To the left is a knitted circle I completed quite some time ago.  I still do not know how I am going to use it.  I had originally thought I would put it in a frame of plexiglass and hang it in the moon garden area. Then I thought a handbag, or motif for a jean jacket or sweater back............. I suppose a throw pillow would work.  I have copied the free pattern for the pillows to my computer.  It is from Red Heart called Circle in the Square Pillows  .  The picture to rhe right is their completed version. There is also a similar pattern for a throw called Circles in Square Throw.

I found the pattern for the stars and moon in a book by Nicky Epstein entitled Knitting in Circles.  this lady is super talented.   I have only done colorwork knitting a couple of times on smaller pieces.  I definitely need more practice because this one has a few puckers where I didn't allow enough yarn. 

One month later..........................

3/4/15 - I am finally making an attempt to
get back to this blog.  Last month there was
so much trouble with my computer connection
that I finally just gave up and took a break.

This morning I am preparing to make a 100
mile trip to Aurora, IN to visit my dentist. 
Today they are predicting 3-5 inches of snow
WHERE............Southeastern Indiana!  

I have spent the last 2 days preparing my resume.
Hopefully I will get some job applications completed soon.  I am looking forward to a part time job.  I don't think I want anything full time.
And, I hope someone wants me at all!

Here is something I have started doing during this cold weather.  I completed one puzzle found in the barn.  I am now working on this 3-D round, plastic puzzle.  Maybe I can coat it with something and use it for a garden globe.  It has fairies and flowers as a theme.

I just heard that it is going to be snowing by the bucketfulls in Cincinnati!!!!!!!!!!!  BAH!!!!!!!!