Dragon Pattern Inspiration

Like everyone, I find inspiration in all kinds of ways from lots of different things.  I was Pinterest-ing before Pinterest existed by saving internet images to a dedicated USB drive that I took everywhere with me!  I'd like to show you some of the things that influenced the Dragon Pattern.

The entire Pern series by Anne McCaffrey had a huge impact on me and how I imagine dragons.  My only regret is that Jewel Faceted safety eyes do not exist!  I searched the internet high and low and found no such thing. 

I have definitely been inspired by the work of Dragons and Beasties.  Their little polymer dragons are just so adorable and with a really attractive clean design. 

Lastly, the dragons of Windstone editions have always been a source of fascination for me.  My father has had a couple of them up on the mantle since I was a child, and they always looked real to me!

Broken Update

My hand is free of my cast, but the doctor and therapist assures me that it'll take at least a month of slow stretches and exercises before my hand is back to approaching normal.  Right now my joints feel stiff and sore, and although I can crochet I have lost my stamina.  It only takes a short bit of crocheting till my arm and hand feel exhausted.  I think I may have pushed a little too hard this past weekend and now I'm dealing with lingering soreness. I have hope that it will get better, but goings are slow. 

0/10.  Would not recommend breaking your hand.

Status: Broken

In April, on Friday the Thirteenth, I broke my 5th metacarpal bone - the one on the side of my dominant hand.  I did it in the silliest, stupidest way possible.  An ant surprised me by touching my hand while I was writing my to-do list for the day, and I instinctively karate chopped it.  Post-chop, the ant was no where to be found, and my hand hurt on a level best communicated in four letter words at top volume without children present.  X-rays showed it to be a spiral fracture, and those words ("Spiral Fracture") tend to illicit a sharp hiss and eyebrows raised in pity from doctors and nurses alike.  I needed an immediate cast, though surgery was not necessary.  This being my first ever broken bone, I was strongly tempted to get a hot pink plaster cast, but was talked out of it by my husband.  I opted for a state of the art, black, moldable brace.  I still can't take it off for any reason, but at least it's a little lighter, a little sleeker and maybe a little more comfortable.  The doctors lied and told me it would be 4 weeks total in the cast.  After 3 weeks and an x-ray, I was told it will be another 2.5 weeks "at least".  In the intervening time I have published three new patterns, created a facebook community page for people working on my patterns, designed this website, re-organized every nook and cranny of my crafty life, painted my cast and have been going slowly insane.  I need my hand back. I have no idea what to do next, but it won't be designing more crochet patterns.  Unfortunately, that will have to wait until the cast comes off.