Live Granades » Misty

The Den

Misty — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 23:29:34 +0000

Anwyn has claimed under our bed for her den. Liza visits her there in the mornings for some one on one snuggle time.

Wednesday Photos

Misty — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 18:05:06 +0000

A Granade doing what we do best!

Liza and Pop hamming it up!

The newest Granade!

Spring Concert

Misty — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 15:49:39 +0000

Eve and Liza all dressed up for their spring concert this week. Can’t believe that this was Liza’s last one!

Where Life Takes You

Misty — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 18:49:31 +0000

I have been absent from this site for some time. The short explanation is, I’ve been incubating.

Here’s the slightly longer explanation: Two years ago I attended the Global Women Summit in Austin, TX. Since that experience, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about what sort of contribution I can make to the world. There’s a lot of need out there and since I have been blessed with abundance, I want to share. So how to do that?

That’s been the sticking point for a while. I’ve tried several projects and none of them fit quite right. They were worthy things. Good things. Life giving things. But not the right combination of what Frederick Buechner calls where my “deep gladness” and the “world’s deep hunger” meet.

Just after the first of the year, a friend asked me if I’d be interested in a project she was going to be working on. (I’d convinced her to attend the Summit in October and she’d caught the same bug as me.) She started explaining that she wanted to sell crafts to raise money for and awareness of the worldwide water crisis. Now I have interest, organizational ability and a bit energy but Hallie has vision and drive and all that magic stuff that makes things start to happen. I immediately said yes!

Since January, I have been saying that my friends and I accidentally started a non-profit organization. And I say it sort of jokingly. But it’s starting to be the real deal. In the very near future we are going to need an accountant and lawyer to get it set up. Right now we are working out of our church and our own pockets.

But now! This is the exciting part! I get to share it with everyone! Visit The Water Glass to see where I’ve been spending my time. There are lots of pictures and links, so feel free to poke around a bit.

And check out this video. It’s an excellent overview of the water crisis in under four minutes.

First Day of Second Grade

Misty — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 14:13:49 +0000

And Liza starts preschool tomorrow.

We stepped outside this morning to take this photo and there was a cool breeze blowing. Nice change of pace to the hot weather we’ve been subjected to most of the summer. The summer is over and I’m glad to see it go. I’d like very much now to settle into a boring routine for at least six months.

U2 in Nashville

Misty — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 03:10:12 +0000

The first time I heard U2 was 1986. A friend let me borrow “The Unforgettable Fire” on cassette tape. I fell in love with “Pride (In the Name of Love)” and was pretty much hooked.

This is my view from the 27th row last night:

The show was UN. BELIEV. ABLE.

It was made better by getting to go with some of the people who know me better than anyone in the world.

Gals, let’s not wait another 20 years to see them again, huh?

Needs more yarn

Misty — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 21:24:53 +0000

Pretty much everyone who reads this blog knows that in the past year I’ve become rather crazy about crochet. It has pretty well consumed my free time. And I mean it when I say “consumed.” If I’m sitting, I have a hook, yarn, pattern or all three in my hands. My current tally in my ravelry.com projects list is 108. That number is actually a bit low because I made a lots of hats for charity before Thanksgiving last year. So in reality my completed projects number is closer to 200.

And charity is the reason for this post. So far, I’ve made hats for Arkansas Children’s Hospital, toys for foster children, bears for Mother Bear Project, booties for pregnancy support services, hats for the homeless, and a few adult hats for a friend of a friend who is headed for brain surgery sometime soon. I have loved every minute of it but all of this takes yarn, lots and lots of yarn.

This is where you come in! I need yarn. So I’m asking if you are a crafter, to clean out your stash. Ask your friends and relatives if they want to clean out their yarn closets. If you already watch Freecycle in your area, keep your eye out for yarn and snag it if it comes available.

New yarn is best for donating to hospital situations and worsted weight works best for the kinds of project I do. But if you have older yarn or different weights, I’ll take those as well and make it work. I got an excellent windfall last year from Freecycle via Danielle of baby weight yarn and that’s what at least half of the hospital hats were made from.

My goal is to continue to turn out hats, scarves, shawls and toys for disadvantaged folks. If I can use up some yarn that needs a home, even better! Email me if you have yarn or other thoughts and ideas.

Addendum: I should have given a shout out to my yarn store of choice: Knit Unto Others in Arkadelphia, AR. Stephen’s mom spends most of her days there with the owner, Claire. The shop is fantastic! Full of lovely yarn and lovelier people and as the name claims, they are all about keeping people warm and snugly.

Friday Liza

Misty — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 13:39:28 +0000

Liza dressed for her Spring Music Concert on Thursday.

Remembering Japan

Misty — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 20:46:33 +0000

Japan 2008 Part 1 225.JPG a photo by misty.granade on Flickr.

I have spent all day grieving for Japan. We visited three years ago and I fell in love with the beauty of the place and the graciousness of the people. If it is possible to be homesick for a place that you’ve never lived, then that is what I am. My heart is so sad.

If you are interested in helping, please donate at the Red Cross.

Growing up Crafty

Misty — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 14:23:14 +0000

There are lots of things I love about Eli and Liza. They are kind and funny and smart and, best of all, interested in making things.

It’s a bit late in the season, but both of the kids wanted a scarf to wear. So yesterday Liza and I purchased yarn (she picked out both hers and Eli’s) to make scarves. Liza got right to work on hers…

Liza spent about 45 minutes yesterday afternoon “crocheting” her yarn. She kept asking me how to do it and so I showed her a chain stitch and how to do it with her fingers. I told her that it would be a lot easier for her when she got a bit older. She was happy with what she could do.

After she went to bed last night, I made her a scarf and had enough yarn left over to make a tiny hat. She proudly wore them to take Dad to the airport at 5:30 this morning.

Eli was less enthusiastic about his. I think the teen years are going to be made of eye rolls, long suffering sighs, and homemade robots.