Some of us worry more than others. For my part, I do it a lot. So much, in fact, that I’ve taken to wearing a rubber band around my wrist, and, when I catch myself borrowing trouble from the future, I give my wrist a wicked snap. I have gone through four rubber bands so far. They start out nice and stretchy, but, eventually, they become slack with overuse.

 Anyway, one of my favorite people has had some extra things to worry about lately, so I made her the Worry Man above. To employ his services, you simply scrawl your worry du jour on a tiny scrap of paper, fold it up, and pop it into the Worry Man’s creepy, gaping maw. There is no way to retrieve your worries, by the way. They remain permanently in the Worry Man’s guts, and I made sure he has space enough for a few years’ worth of worries at least. Once they are in him, the burden of your worry has been transfered to him — leaving you free to come up with some new worries, I suppose.

–S.

First, Happy Fourth to those who celebrate it! (This calls for jam!!) Allow me to explain.

Last year wasn’t a good berry year, but this year, well, I’ve never seen anything like this. The king and I have been picking black raspberries from the hedge I installed to keep trespassers away from the honey bees. We’ve been mashing them into jam and canning said jam. It would appear that we have enough to keep ourselves in jam for the next 10 years

By extension, everyone we know will be receiving jam, no matter the occasion. It’s your birthday? Jam. Your anniversary? Congratulations! Here is some delicious jam. New baby? Jam is the perfect gift for an infant boy or girl, no? . . .

Sure. As long as they aren’t too spooked by the labels we made for the jam jars, that is. What began as a play on words came to life as a disturbing nod to the bubonic plague. Good times!

World traveler and amicable companion, T.S. Turtle, Esq. will soon be joined by this little fellow. . .

I knitted him from a pattern in the (sadly) long out-of-print Unusual Toys for You to Knit and Enjoy by Jess Hutchison. He is such a friendly thing. I think he’ll do well for himself.

–S.

Things have been quiet here — save the clicking and clacking of my knitting needles. This fabulous turtle (complete with removable sweater shell!) comes courtesy of knitty.com.

Soon he’ll be taking a very long swim — about 6,000 miles, in fact — to live with a presently turtle-less little girl. Godspeed, T.S. Turtle, Esq.

–S.

Speaking of tedium, I just finished a new bottle cap mirror, which is on exhibit with several other artists’ works created with found/recycled materials. (Yes, it is for sale. Yours for $400. Woo hoo!)

Thanks go to all of the heavy drinkers who contributed. I hope you’ll keep on drinkin’ — and saving me your bottle caps. I’m especially looking for very colorful or unusual ones and bottle caps from outside the U.S. since there are so many amazing specimens out there.

–S.

I wanted to show this off sooner, but I thought it best to wait until now. In the latest issue of CRAFT Magazine (Volume 05), you’ll find my how-to write-up of the Cave Canem — “Beware of dog” — paper mosaic (modeled after the ones in ancient Pompeii) which I completed on my living room floor.

The whole thing spans 80 square feet, and here is a little close-up of the tedium in progress…

Don’t get me wrong. The dogs and I are quite pleased with the result. It’s just that, well, getting it all done was kind of a bitch.

–S.

Just finished Mikey the Monkey for my friend’s little boy, since the last monkey I knitted for him scampered away. That first monkey’s name was Maurice, and he was a vision. He was made of the softest, burgundy yarn, and he had the shapliest little ears. Anyway, sometimes I wonder who found him, and what they thought at the time. I wonder if — wherever he is — he is loved. . .

Well, take two. Mikey the Monkey is new and improved — his tail is long enough to wrap around his little keeper’s wrist, so that he cannot get away. Ha!

–S.