Fun Things for Homebound Folks to Enjoy

Ahoy, mateys! I have extensive experience with being stuck at home. I would like to share my (unfortunate) expertise with you all, in hopes that these thirteen tips will help you stay content while homebound. 

1.) read a book!

2.) create a collage
In addition to more traditional, paper-based collages, you can make sound collages. I learned about sound collages via Keri Smith. You basically make a list of all the sounds you hear within a minute. 

3.) follow an exercise video
yoga, Pilates, aerobics? Whatever you'd like!

4.) write in a journal
If you do not have access to a bound journal, you can always write your entries on loose sheets of paper and bind them at a later time using staples or whatnot.

5.) doodle

6.) comment on your favorite blogs
I love it when people comment on my blog, and I'm sure other bloggers do, too!

7.) try a new recipe
I recently made this yummy fruit salsa using a recipe from Gimme Some Oven. 

8.) knit or crochet
You can learn to knit and/or crochet using free tutorials on YouTube or pay for a class on Bluprint.

9.) watch TV or a movie
I have been loving Anne with an E on NetFlix! If you do not have a TV, you can watch free content on YouTube or from Open Culture. I love watching yarn hauls, crochet vlogs, and more on YouTube. Try it!

10.) coloring
There are many free coloring pages online, as long as you have a working printer. Grab some colored pencils and color your heart out!

11.) take an online class
Try Coursera, Udemy, Skillshare, or another online platform.

12.) write poetry or flash fiction
For an example of a flash fiction story, please see my post for The Bowl.

13.) make still-life photographs
Staging and taking still-life photographs is fun! Give it a try. This is an example of one of my still-life photographs, called Pain and Hope.

What are you looking forward to doing at home?

Stay well, all!

Caron Cotton Cakes review

     Hi, all! I hope everyone is doing well despite the pandemic. Here in northern New Jersey, our grocery stores are running out of supplies like toilet paper, bananas, laundry detergent, etc. On the bright side, I got a commission via my Etsy shop, Green Owl Crochet, for a granny square lap blanket. The customer wanted an acrylic and cotton yarn. I chose to use Caron Cotton Cakes. I love this yarn so much that I wanted to write a review about it. 
    I bought two skeins of Caron Cotton Cakes for a commission. The customer wanted a soft, acrylic/cotton yarn. I went to Michaels (the craft store) and they had a lot of a yarn called Caron Cotton Cakes. I love Caron Cakes, so I figured I would enjoy using their Cotton Cakes. Sure enough, I love them! This yarn is 60% cotton and 40% acrylic. It comes in 8.8 ounce (530 yard) skeins. It is a worsted weight yarn and Caron recommends that you use a size H/8 (5.0 mm) hook with which to crochet this yarn. The yarn is soft and luxurious-feeling. I usually dislike cotton yarns, but again, Caron Cotton Cakes is soft and lovely to work up. 
    I bought two skeins of Caron Cotton Cakes in the colorway Fruit Tropics. Later on, I bought one skein of the colorway Blue Hawaiian. I am not sure what I will do with the skein of Blue Hawaiian. However, as I previously mentioned, I am using the two skeins of the Caron Cotton Cakes in colorway Fruit Tropics to crochet a granny square lap blanket. I am using a size K/10.5 (6.5 mm) hook to work up the lap blanket. 
     Have you ever worked with Caron Cotton Cakes? If so, how do you like it?

the granny square lap blanket I am working on

Fruit Tropics (left) and Blue Hawaiian (right)

another view of Blue Hawaiian

in like a lion

In the past month, I have been crocheting a lot, and writing and making a few pieces of art. My friend, Pepe, commented on a painting I made. He said that it "looks like [Joan] Miro". What a compliment! In terms of my crochet, I made a lap blanket for a friend of mine, Lindsay, and I finished about half of another lap blanket. I am making the latter lap blanket with various scrap yarns. Please do not forget to check out my Etsy shop, Green Owl Crochet. Until next time... Ciao!

"Just Play #1"

close-up of scrap blanket

close-up of rainbow lap blanket

my cat, Callie, models the scrap blanket