Bless your heart.....

This post is for my new friend Alice.  In my last blog she said that she'd replace butter with crochet on a list of gifts from God.  Crocheting is definitely a gift, but I guess I think of it a little differently.  Crochet is something that I LOVE.  It is a creative outlet and I MUST have a creative outlet of some sort.  It's just how I am.  It's in my DNA.  I couldn't get away from it if I tried.  You see, my mother is an artist...she paints, draws, etc.  Then there is my sister.  She is a professional make-up artist.  She also draws, paints, etc.  Then there is me.  I take after my dad in that I'm very logical.  I have an artistic nature with a mathematical lean.  I often call myself a frustrated artist because I would love to do all the amazing things my mother and sister can do, but it's just not all there.  It's in my DNA, but a key component was left out.....the talent.  So I crochet, make jewelry, cook, whatever I can to be creative.  It's just there.  It's who I am so I really don't think about it, I just do it.

Now, about butter.  This is something else that is in my DNA.  I am a southern woman.  I grew up in the southern state of North Carolina with biscuits, gravy, fried food, sweet tea, hot humid weather and slow talking.  As a Southerner, I have great pride in my heritage.  All Southerners do.  We can all trace our ancestry back to the Motherland, which for me is Scotland, Ireland, England, and Norway.  This makes me very verbose and I talk with my hands.  And...I cook with butter.  LOTS of butter.  Actually, for health reasons, I use mostly olive oil with some butter mixed in.  But butter makes everything taste better.  It can and does improve any recipe.  Make 2 cakes.  Use margarine/oleo in one and butter in the other.  The one with butter will taste 10 times better. The texture and moistness of the butter cake is actually noticeable compared to the non-butter cake.  And speaking of cake.  Make icing/frosting for that same cake.  It would be a sin to use anything other than butter.  It's creamy goodness is what dreams are made of.  Also, as a Southerner, we take our food VERY seriously.  We women are judged based on our cooking. "She's a pretty little thing, but she can't cook to save her life....Bless her heart."

That's another uniquely Southern "thing."  The expression "Bless your heart."  Here is a quick break down:

• Said out loud : "Bless your heart, honey. Don't do that..."continuation in our head, "You don't have the good sense God gave a billy goat." In other words, you are not a very smart person.
• Said out loud : "Bless your heart, that is the cutest dress"...continuation in our head, "You ought not be wearing that."  In other words, it doesn't look good on you or is actually the ugliest dress ever seen
• Said out loud : "Oh no dear, bless your heart..."continuation in our head, "Not a snowball's chance in Hell."
• Said out loud : "Bless your heart..." All by itself, it means "Let it disappear up your fundamental aperture." (my personal favorite) In other words - Shove it.  

You get the picture. By using this expression, we are always being mindful of our manners - another southern "must." But any Southerner knows that there is an insult in there somewhere.  In fact, they will spend the rest of the day, week, or month trying to figure out what that insult is.

Now that you've learned how this works, try it some time. You'll feel better and the recipient is none the wiser. Just be sure to deliver it with a sugary sweet, simpering smile.

Oh!  I almost forgot....here are some pictures!

This is my granny square shaw (Elizabeth Cat, I'm not.)  Car Guy calls me granny when I wear it.  He thinks he's being funny.  He also calls me granny when I'm sitting on the sofa crocheting.  He claims I'm going to crochet him into a corner.  On some days, that's not a bad idea - He He!

This scarf and hat set was made last winter to sell in a friend's store.  I'm almost glad it didn't sell because I've considered keeping it for myself.  That's still an option.

More hats and scarves for my friend's store. Most of what I make for her are for younger children. And of course there are lots of flowers.  They are so cheerful. 

I'm not a great photographer, so please bear with me while I learn.  Hopefully, I'll get better and share some more.  Have a great evening!!