Maket/Plaza balloon work

Anchor with starfish

Killer whale jumping through the waves

Mermaid scene

Red Octopus

Jelly Fish

Whale

Stingray

Seahorse

Side of scene

Palm Tree Scene

Big monkey

Parrot

Parrot

Missing my runs

Mono is killing me.  I hate not being able to run.  I am managing to get some walking in, a little more each time. Pretty sure I wont' be ready to walk my half, but I'm going to try anyway.  The worst that an happen is I get a dnf - not exactly the end of the world.

Tuesday night jam

We've started jamming at Scooter's on the Plaza.  Tuesday nights at 6pm

Perry Hat

made with 4 5-inch round balloons

caterpillar

I like this rose.  It's made with 3 hearts.  Not different enough for me to use it in line work, but great for decor projects.

Woven rose

Weekend in balloons

This weekend I made a carousel with balloons.  It was a lot of fun to spin.  I hope my bad video skills don't give you a headache.

Then for Mother's Day I made these sculptures

New Pattern - Tara's Hat

Tara’s Hat

This hat was made for Tara - a beautiful girl going through chemo during the summer.  The pattern is free to use  - the only payment I ask is that you join in our photo project at  http://www.fortara.weebly.com  We are collecting photos of love and support to brighten Tara’s day while she battles brain cancer.  I want her to feel an army of support behind her because Nobody Fights Alone.  

Materials

2 colors size 5 (3 works too) cotton crochet thread.

size G hook

Start with a sliding loop

Rnd 1 - Ch 1. * sc in ring, Ch 10: repeat from * five more times, join with slip st. to first sc. (6 loops made

Rnd 2 - Join second yarn in any ch-10 space, ch1, (sc, ch 3, sc)  in same space, ch 5, *(sc, ch 3, sc) in next ch- 10 space, ch 5; repeat from * around, join with slip st.to first sc

Rnd 3  Ch 1, * 5 sc in next ch-3 space, ch 5, skip next ch-5 space; repeat from * around, join with slip st to first sc. Fasten off.

Rnd 4 join first color in center of sc of any 5-sc group, ch 1, (sc, Picot-3, sc) in same sc, * ch 5 sc under both ch-5 chains from previous two rounds, ch 5 **, (sc, Picot-3, sc) in center sc of next 5- sc group; repeat from * around ending last repeat at **, join to first sc

Finished with center motif.  

Rnd 5  ss to center stitch of ch 3 picot.  ch 1, sc, * ch 5, Dc in next sc, ch 5, sc in next ch 3 picot.  Repeat from * around ending with ch 5 and join to first sc.

Rnd 6  Ch 1, sc in first sc.  * ch 6, sc in next ch 5 sp (mark 1st ch 6 space so you won’t get lost), ch 6 sc in next ch 5 sp, ch 6, sc in next sc.  Repeat from *   End the round with ch 3 and then dc into the first (marked ) ch 6 space.

Rnd 7 - 9  * ch 7, sc in next ch 6 sp (mark 1st ch 7 space so you won’t get lost), ch 7 sc in next ch 6 sp, ch 7, sc in next sc.  Repeat from *   End the round with ch 3 and then dc into the first (marked ) ch 6 space.

Rnd 10 Ch 1, sc in dc.  * ch 4 sc in next 5 ch space, repeat from * across.  ending with ss in first sc.

Rnd 11  Ch 2 (counts as first hdc) hdc  in first sc, *4 hdc in next ch 4 space, repeat from * around.  Join with ss to starting ch 2.

Rnd 12  Ch 2 (counts as first hdc) hdc around, join with ss to starting ch 2.

Rnd 13  join second color ch 1, sc in first hdc, *ch 5, skip 4 stitches, sc.  Repeat from * around join with ss to first sc.

Rnd 14  ss to center of 1st ch 5 space.  Ch 1 sc in center sc in center of ch 5 space.  * ch 5, sc in next chain 5 space.  Repeat from * around. join with ss to first sc.

Rnd 15  join color 1 in 3rd of any ch 5 space.  Ch 1, sc in same stitch.  ch 4, * sc in 3rd of next ch 5 space, ch 4.  Join with ss to first sc.

Rnd 16  Ch 2 (counts as first hdc) hdc  in first sc, *4 hdc in next ch 4 space, repeat from * around.  Join with ss to starting ch 2.

Rnd 17  Ch 2 (counts as first hdc) hdc around, join with ss to starting ch 2.

Rnd 18  join second color.  Ch 1 Sc in same, sc across. join with ss to first sc.

Fasten off and weave end in.

Princess Tara

Tara gets to be a princess for a day!

http://www.nbcwashington.com/video/#!/news/local/8-Year-Old-Va--Girl-Becomes-Princess-for-a-Day/206092511

There are still a few spots left in the virtual race to benefit Tara.

http://fortara.weebly.com/virtual-race.html

Click the link to register.  

Frustration!!

In March I traded my services (I'm a balloon entertainer) with a race organizer for race entries.  3 balloon artists for 3 hours each.  At my normal rate that total comes to $810 in services.  I was expecting to get 5 race entries in exchange and while it did represent a hefty discount, I liked the idea of trading because I like running and I like races.

We were already registered for the race they wanted me to work at and I can't be in two places at the same time, so they refunded one of my registrations and transferred one of the others since my daughter also has not mastered the art of being in two places at the same time.  She worked with me while we kept the other two registrations for my husband and son and they ran the race. I was happy that they were willing to work with me on the refund and transfer because I wanted to work with them,but am not willing to pay to work.  Since I wasn't being paid by the organizer in money I would have turned them down and just done the race if they hadn't been willing to work with me.

Race day came and it was cold cold cold, but a decent crowd showed up and we were pretty busy.  If it had been nice weather we would have been totally swamped.  A fun event and everyone seemed to like the balloons.  I had positive feedback from the organizer.

Time passed and I started to inquire about how we redeemed the race entries from our work.  After my first email the event organizer said she wasn't sure what I was talking about.  Had we agreed to work future events?  I sent her a copy of her email and for a week got no response.  Today I contacted her again and she said she did know what I was talking about now but the race entries had been APPLIED TO THE RACE WE WORKED AT.

Seriously?  How was that done?  I paid for everyone who did run.  I got no compensation at all as far as I can tell.  Why would I trade work for a race that I am unable to participate in?  The organizer wants to talk on the phone but I am leary.  Until I have an app that records phone calls I much prefer to do things in written form. I also want to see an accounting of how they view my "payment" as already applied.  I'm curious about how something never received was applied to anything.

The organizer said something about wanting to work with us on a year long basis, but this thought didn't come up until I questioned redeeming my race entries and I am more than a bit skeptical at the moment.

I hope we can resolved this without much more fuss, but it's looking like a headache in the making.