Rejection Letters

Leaf

Part of my world is filled with submissions. I think of something, create an idea, spend hours writing, rewriting, sketching, etc. Once I feel the idea I want to submit is ready I send it out. It may be a response to a Call for Submission, or perhaps I think that my idea is a fit for a particular place. After, I am left with anticipation waiting for the response.

The happy moment arrives, when my submission is accepted.

Sometimes, a not so happy moment arrives with a rejection.

Rejection letters are a strange phenomenon, they can evoke various feelings in the receiver.

I would divide the rejection letters into three categories.

The first category is basically a version of "We don't care about your submission." Letters and notes like these hurt the most.

The second category is a version of "We don't have space/money/time...(fill in the blank) for your submission, but thanks for sending it." these types of rejections are unpleasant, but acceptable.

And then there is the third category of rejection letters. They usually say something like "Thank you for sending your work to us. It was a pleasure to review it. Unfortunately...." Even though it is a rejection letter, it makes me feel appreciated. Someone actually values my work, effort, time and has the decency to make me feel valuable as an artist, writer, and designer. This feeling makes a huge difference. After receiving this kind of rejection letter, I actually feel a great surge of inspiration to be better the next time, whereas after receiving the first category of rejection letters make me feel like my work is worthless, and therefore even I as a person have a lesser value.

In reality they are all rejection letters, therefore my work was not accepted, however the difference in the way the letters are perceived is huge, at least for me personally.

In the end, it makes me think more about where I will send my submissions next time. Would it be the place where they value the work and the artist, writer, designer, or to a place where they don't really care?

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Monster Al and his friends

Monster Al and his friends

Monster Al is the first monster I have ever knitted. He started his life as a drawing done by my child, what seem to be a very long time ago. In reality it was fall of 2009.
I must admit, Monster Al has a special place in our lives. I wrote a book about him, which you can read here: Monster Al  and now I am writing second book which will include the knitting patterns.

The book is almost finished and the pattern is test knitted at the moment.

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E-book "Knitted Monsters in the Closet"

Knitted Monsters in the closet

Finally, my first e-book "Knitted Monsters in the closet" is available.

In this e-book you will find six knitting patterns for all the cute monsters pictured in this photograph.

Tony, the pocket monster can help you organize toys and other important treasures your child accumulate.

Bella and Rose, Dave, Harvey, Roger, and Sam, the slug are knitted toys which travel to live in their new home with children at Rose Garden.

To buy the e-book click on this button



Of course you can purchase the individual patterns as well, here are the individual patterns:




Bella and Rose




Dave

 

Harvey

 

 

Roger

 

 

Sam, the slug

 

 

Tony, the pocket monster

 

 

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Knitting Pattern for Minion's tablet or I-pad cover evil version

Minions tablet cover
 

I couldn't help myself. I just had to make the evil version of Minion's inspired Tablet or I-pad cover.

For this project you will need approximately 1 ball each of medium worsted yarn in purple (I used Caron Simply Soft Grape # 9610 )  and black yarn, 1 ball of Fun Fur or other novelty type of yarn in color matching the body of the minion (optional) for hair, remnants of white, black and grey colored yarn, two buttons.

Tablet cover is 8 ¼” (21cm) wide and 11 ½” (29cm) long.
I-pad cover is 8 ¼” (21cm) wide and 9 ½” (24cm) long.

To download the PDF file with the knitting  pattern click on this button

download now

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Work in progress.....

Fall colors scarf

I am not a big fan of greens and browns.
While I was visiting my family, I took a trip to a small local quilting and sewing store, my mom's favorite. They also had some yarn for sale. I did not wanted to buy any yarn, I have way too many at home. But I kept looking at this particular yarn and was mesmerized by the swirls of color. I just had to buy it, not knowing what I will do with it.
The yarn is really thin, and the needles I have to use are thinner than skewers or tooth picks. The progress is really slow, and because I decided to use stockinette stitch the scarf curls onto self, and therefore I need to make it really long. I have run out of the first ball of yarn, but luckily the store had one more ball of yarn. Now, I can finish the scarf.

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Tony, the pocket monster....

Tony, the pocket monster

....lives in our closet. Tony, the pocket monster fits perfectly on the closet door, and her body is full of pockets of various sizes. These pockets help to keep all the important stuff neat and organized.  My child's room looks much cleaner now. I can actually walk in without the fear of stepping onto something randomly dropped on the floor, forgotten in the midst of busy playtime.

Knitting Pattern for Tony, the pocket monster is coming soon.

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Another Giftaway

Pumpkins

My FB page Stana's critters etc reached 111 likes. I really like the number, and therefore I am offering a gift away of these pumpkins. Anyone who will leave a comment explaining why they like my FB page will be entered into the lottery and the winner will be randomly chosen on Friday October 11th 2013.

Good luck to everyone.

The winners were announced. Congratulations to all and thank you.

 Thank you for visiting.