Bloggers Block and Borrowed Inspiration

Posted on the 07 January 2013 by Crossstitchyourheart @TMNienaber

Hello fellow bloggers! Hope you’re all enjoying the first week of your new year.  I’ve found myself in a bit of a tough place now that I’m using my “book-a-day” calendar and my to-read list has stretched longer than ever, even with my 125 books to finish this year.

Work is finally starting to slow down after the holiday rush and I feel like I have a little more time to catch my breath.  Just in time to start my newest teaching job in February.

That’s about got your caught up on my life so far.  Which leads me to the topic of the post.  I’m suffering from a case of blogger block.

For the new year I want to write about more than just my stitching updates.  The book reviews are going well and as long as I can finish a book or two a week I’ll always have something to write about.  It’s the crafty posts I feel are lacking.  As much as I’m sure you’re interested in reading about my rather mundane, everyday life, I really would like to provide something more than that with at least one of the two non-book related posts I do a week.  So over the next few months I’m going to try a few things out and see if they work:

1. Like today, I will try and post patterns I’ve found through sites like “Pinterest” so you all can go out and be crafty on your own.

2. Perhaps I’ll try and post about books more than just once a week, like an “in-progress” review of what I’m currently reading (as book reviews tend to run several weeks after finishing)

3. Post a “most intriguing” books list of books I’ve found over the week that I’ve felt worth adding to my reading list and you might want to add to yours (I feel a little strange about this as I can’t recommend a book I haven’t read, but it could be a “might be worth a try” list).

4. I watch a lot of t.v. while stitching.  I feel like I should use this somehow…but I can’t think of anything.  Ideas? 

5. Create a “most memorable books quotes of the week” post where I post any quotes I’ve collected from the book I’m currently reading (kind of like a review in-progress…I could combine these)

So, readers, which one would you like to see me try out?  I’m interested in feedback.  Otherwise I’ll just cycle through things when I have something to post and we’ll go from there.

Thanks for staying with me there.  Now, as I’m currently doing my Star Trek WIP I thought it only fitting I share some other people’s Star Trek crafts.

courtesy of: black-lupin.deviantart.com

Obviously this is the TNG characters list.  I really like these patterns, they’re a little cartoonish but still realistic and you could turn them into all kinds of things.

Again from the fabulous black-lupin.deviantart.com (who is my new favorite person)

Here is the original series collection.  All kinds of fun people to do.  My favorite may have to be The Squire from this collection.

This patterns have also inspired me to do something I probably should have done a while ago, but that is create a blog header.  As my blog name is Cross(Stitch)YourHeart my plan is to do a kind of crosstitch sampler of different things I love.  That means books, star trek things, butterflies, coffee, shoes, and all kinds of horror creatures. I probably won’t be able to start work on this until the summer, but I’m on the hunt for patterns I can pick apart. (And of course this, plus doing a borrowed inspiration post once a week or so, means I have an excuse to spend lots of time on Pinterest).

And now, to share my very own Star Trek WIP

Almost finished!  (At east with the black background.  This piece is coming together a lot better than I thought.  Now that the center is finished I can see it all being pulled together.  This still isn’t one of my favorite patterns but I’m growing fonder of it with every stitch.  Who knows…by the time I get to the end I may finally love it.  I am pleased with the way the star trek lettering turned out (a better picture is on the twitter @xstitchurheart) and that’s really making the piece.

Alright, this post has gone a lot longer than I expected (although in my defense it’s mostly just pictures) but please leave some feedback about what you’d like to see more of on the blog (and some suggestions for the blog header/banner/project/thing).