About 14 months ago, I re-opened my Etsy shop and set up a social media page to increase the visibility of all my websites. Because I'd retired. And medical bills did not.

I've put a nearly daily effort into maintaining the social media site to try to bring in more traffic to my Etsy shop, my Zazzle shop, my Spoonflower shop, my greeting cards and my photography. I couldn't do any longterm time commitments because Lizard's needs are too great, and that's my priority. But every litte thing helps the bottom line, especially with the dental bill. Is there a toothy smiling emoticon???

Saturday, my social media world came crashing down around me as I unexpectedly lost administrative access due to perhaps pushing a wrong button when navigating the prompts that would occasionally pop up to con me into some other service I did not want or need. The 14 months I've put into the Snowcatcher social media page were suddenly a relic of the past, and something I could no longer manage. The page is still there and viewable. But I cannot access any of the data, and I can't respond to messages sent to that account. I can't even read messages sent to that account.

I spent nearly three hours with various AI bots trying to help me figure out the problem, all to no avail. I finally got a real human, which didn't last long enough because I was suddenly having to prove who I am and ownership of my assets. I wasn't fast enough in documenting all that was requested of me, and the "conversation" was terminated. I've tried to initate conversations with other real humans, but the AI bots are either unresponsive or not transmitting the data.

I melted down into a puddle of tears three times on Saturday, perhaps realizing I would have to just start over again, plain and simple. I didn't want to. I wanted back the work I'd put into building the page.

About halfway through the Saturday ordeal, the sound of a cash register emerged from my phone. I'd made my third sale on Etsy since I re-opened the shop!!! I quickly notified the buyer I would get the package to the post office within the hour but that I may have already missed the deadline for the package to go out that day. And Monday was a holiday. Tuesday would be the earliest it could go out.

The buyer did not respond, so perhaps was aware the package might not be trackable until today.

I prepared the label to ship my package, and once again, third time's a charm, my printer would not print. After battling the printer for a good half hour, I drove to the nearest Kinko's to print my label. Also printed my coloring page handouts for my class on Sunday. SO, so thankful I did that instead of wage war with the printer again.

I've had to replace my printer three times since I began working from home in March of 2020. My sweet neighbors have a grandson I'm convinced will be a rocket scientist like his dad when he grows up. He has asked for each of my failed printers, phones, computers, external hand drives... He takes them apart to see how they work. He's 13 now, and he can build a computer by himself. My current printer will find such a good new home this week! I feel a tiny bit guilty for getting joy out of knowing what is to become of that piece of machinery. But I'm also so thrilled to be contributing to this boy's curiosity and drive.p>

I decided to stay away from the computer all day Sunday to reduce the stress I might be inflicting upon Lizard. NOTE: Awesome day, in spite of everything that transpired the day before. Oh, and a live support agent tried to call me in the middle of the night too early Sunday morning, when my phone was silenced to prevent anything from waking Lizard. Probably lost out on my final chance to talk to a live person, but Lizard got a good night's sleep, for which I am so grateful.

Monday morning I was back at my computer trying to get help, and nothing worked. Nothing the support agents suggested worked. I still had no access. And I'd re-read Patrick Kearon's message on fresh new beginnings, and I decided to seize a fresh, new beginning. I started my Snowcatcher page all over again from scratch and asked my 435 friends and loved ones to please smash that like button and follow once again. I'd never begged for attention like that before, and I hope I don't have to do it again. But I was amazed at the outpouring of love I received within minutes.

The best part of this whole experience, though, was during one of my salty tear weak spots, when Lizard, who'd been offering to do anything he could to help (he isn't able to operate a phone or a computer anymore), responded to my heartbroken plea of, "Will you still love crybaby me me in heaven?" He put his hand on my knee and responded with such tenderness, "Of course." Boy, did I ever marry the right guy!

Today's pattern is inspired by one of my Christmas Star Snowflake prototypes. It's January, and it certainly isn't a Christmas star, so it needs a new name. The outer round reminds me of tiaras, which actually gives me another future crochet idea... Oh, and this is my 900th snowflake pattern here on Snowcatcher!!!

You may do whatever you'd like with snowframes you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!

Finished Size: 5 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 7 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, water soluble school glue or desired stiffener, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

Royalty II Snowframe Instructions

Ch 36. Taking care not to twist work, sl st in starting ch.

Round 1: Ch 5 (counts as 1 dc and [ch 3), sk next 2 ch, 1 dc in next ch] 11 times, omitting last dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 5.

Round 2: Ch 7 (counts as 1 fpdc and [ch 5), fpdc around next dc] 11 times, omitting last fpdc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 7.

Round 3: Sl st into next ch, [7 sc in same (next on repeats) ch 5 sp, ch 3] 12 times, omitting last 2 ch of final repeat; 1 dc in starting sc to form 6th ch 3 sp of Round.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

Round 4: Ch 3 (counts as 1 sc and [ch 2), in next ch 3 sp work (1 dtr, ch 1, 1 dtr, ch 3, 1 dtr, ch 5, 1 dtr, ch 3, 1 dtr, ch 1, 1 dtr), ch 2, 1 sc in next ch 3 sp] 6 times, omitting last sc of final repeat; sl st in 1st ch of starting ch 3; bind off. Weave in ends.

Finish: I've been stiffening my flakes with undiluted, full-strength water soluble school glue for quite a while now, and I've been squishing the glue onto and throughout each flake with my fingers (yucky mess!!!) instead of gingerly painting the flakes with glue. Yes, it's a mess. But it's faster. And stiffer.

Tape wax paper or plastic wrap to top of empty pizza box. Pin snowflake to box on top of wax paper or plastic wrap.

If using glue, mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture or desired stiffener. Sprinkle lightly with glitter. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflake to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflake from wax paper or plastic wrap. Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.

(affiliate links to my designs)

Seeing all the other completed temperature projects others have been posting on Instagram and in online Temperature Quilt groups infected me once again. Oh, boy, I got it bad!

I started out with just a thread crochet temperature snake because that didn't seem like too much of a commitment, and I could use up all my old Lizbeth variegated threads to boot. It will be an interesting project, but I fell in love with it on January 1, and I still today have NO regrets whatsoever. The best part is that I don't even have to do the whole year. If I get tired of it, or it gets too long (I'm doing three rounds of single crochet for each high and each low to better show off each colorway), I can begin the tail and finish it in probably four or five days. Or I can stop and begin a new temperature snake, perhaps even changing up the color scheme... Wouldn't it be cute to have a collection of 12 unique little temperature snakes?!?

By January 2, the temperature project craze had fully engulfed me, and I started a new digital temperature quilt. The idea came to me because I've been trying to create a new valentine card almost every day to launch my new Zazzle card shop. I finally incorporated daily conditions, too, which I'm so loving so far. It's coming out so adorable, I started another new digital temperature quilt a couple of days later.

Four days later, I started yet another. And the next day, oops, I did it again.

So now, after a full year-long break, I have five totally new ongoing temperature projects for 2026, and I still have no regrets. They are all projects I can work on quietly while Lizard sleeps. I feel no pressure. I'm so glad I talked myself into this, and I can hardly wait until the end of the year! But not because I'm tired of any of them. I just think they are all so stinking cute!!!

I wish now I had snapped a photo of my oldest and hardiest lavender before giving it the most severe haircut of its 15-year life. It outgrew the garden and was hanging over the sidewalk by a good ten to eleven inches. It complicated snow shoveling in winter, which now is being done more by my kind neighbors than by me, and it was a continual magnet for dog marking.

I hated clipping it back so much. I felt as if I was removing arms and legs. But, oh, my, the aroma!!! Of all the garden work I do, I don't think anything is more pleasant than touching and inhaling lavender!

I got what I thought was this bright idea to try to root some of the clippings. I hadn't done any research at that point as to how to do it successfully. I finished my task (first mistake), then began preparing each healthy sprig for vase living. After dunking about ten vases' worth of sprigs, putting away all the tools and garbage bin, and sweeping the walk, I looked up how to root lavender clippings.

I quickly learned I'd done it wrong. I should have been preparing the sprigs and putting them in a vase as soon as I cut them. I should have cut them with sterilized clippers. I should have clipped the tips, not the entire branches, for rooting, then clip what needed to be pruned. I changed out the water in the vases with homemade rooting hormone, and I moved all of the vases into indirect daylight. Indoors, of course. It was too cold out for anything alive. I did do that part right.

I learned it is possible to root from woody clippings, but it's more difficult and takes longer.

I change out the rooting hormone each week and regularly remove dead clippings. I moisturize the live leaves two to three times a week with a gentle spritzing of clean water. I'm down to four vases now, and I'm continually cleaning up shed leaves. This experiment has not been as successful as I would have liked.

However, I have learned so much, and I expect to be far more successful next year. I have two or three sprigs that seem to be attempting to form roots. And I've had vased lavender throughout my living room and kitchen for going on three months now. My pruned front yard lavender won't be thwarting snow shovels all winter, and it should bloom as always come June. I truly cannot complain!

Lizard stuffed my Christmas stocking with a handful of glow-in-the-dark sewing thread. Of course, he can't actually buy gifts anymore; I took him shopping in October specifically to fill our stockings after Thanksgiving. I knew he would not remember, so everything would be new to him. I didn't realize I did this so far in advance, it truly was a pleasant surprise to me, too, on Christmas Eve!

I combined all four colors of glow thread with my size 10 white crochet thread for the first sample of today's pattern, then just the blue thread for the second. I think the glow threads added just the right amount of sparkle to my flakes!

Then, on a complete whim, perhaps being just a little crazy, I pulled out my size 13 crochet hook and worked up one more sample with just the glow-in-the-dark sewing thread. I haven't done this in so long, and my close-up eyesight is so poor now, I wasn't sure I could do this anymore.

You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!

Finished Size: 5 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 7 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, water soluble school glue or desired stiffener, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

Sparkle Snowflake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: 12 sc in ring; sl st in starting sc. Pull magic circle tight.

Round 2: Ch 8 (counts as 1 dc and [ch 5), sk next sc, 1 dc in next sc] 5 times; ch 2, 1 tr in 3rd ch of starting ch 8 to form 6th ch 5 sp of Round.

Round 3: Ch 6 (counts as 1 dc and [ch 3), 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, 1 fptr around post of next dc, ch 3, 1 fptr around same post, ch 3, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, 1 dc in next ch 5 sp] 6 times, omitting last dc of final repeat; sl st in 3rd ch of starting ch 6.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

Round 4: Ch 4 (counts as 1 tr), [sk next dc picot, in next ch 3 sp work (1 dtr, 1 tr, 1 dc, 1 hdc, 1 sc, ch 3, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 5, 1 sc in 5th ch from hook, ch 3, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, 1 sc, 1 hdc, 1 dc, 1 tr, 1 dtr), sk next dc picot, 1 fptr around post of next dc] 6 times, omitting last fptr of final repeat; sl st in 4th ch of starting ch 4; bind off. Weave in ends.

Finish: I've been stiffening my flakes with undiluted, full-strength water soluble school glue for quite a while now, and I've been squishing the glue onto and throughout each flake with my fingers (yucky mess!!!) instead of gingerly painting the flakes with glue. Yes, it's a mess. But it's faster. And stiffer.

Tape wax paper or plastic wrap to top of empty pizza box. Pin snowflake to box on top of wax paper or plastic wrap.

If using glue, mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture or desired stiffener. Sprinkle lightly with glitter. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflake to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflake from wax paper or plastic wrap. Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.