Tame My Mind

What will you find here? Photographs of crocheted lap-size and other blankets I've made, as well as cross-stitch designs, paintings, and digital images I've created. Maybe other art projects as time goes on. I have not included my photography in this website, but I do have photography websites at:

• Snapshot Gallery (http://www.snapshotgallery.com/)
• [updated to new location] Tame My Mind - Imagery (http://www.tamemymind.com/photos/)
• Cheryl Lambert Photography (http://www.cheryllambert.com/photography/) (very image intensive)

I began creating digital art in late 1998 when I transferred to California State University Hayward and changed majors from Computer Science to a Multimedia option in Art. I soon added both the Digital Graphics and Photography options. My natural style leans heavily toward realistic scenes, such as those provided by photography without fancy filters and toning.

Painting is new for me. My first painting (other than paint-by-number kits when I was a kid) was made in January 2003. I took a Bob Ross "Joy of Painting" class at a local Michaels Craft Store. It was fun! I learned how to use a few different brushes and mix oil paints.

On April 19, 2003, I took a creative painting class, called "Painting from the Wild Heart" given by a woman painter in Oakland. We used tempura paints (which are water-based) on thick sheets of paper. The object of the class was to let go and and listen to your creative self, not to your inner critic. This is part of my attempt to break free from my realism box.

I've been crocheting since I was a little girl. I learned from my left-handed mother - I'm right-handed so I did what she did backwards. I've made quite a few blankets throughout my life, but have photographs of only a few of those I made years ago. I've been taking digital photos of my recent crocheted creations.

I also did embroidery as a kid, but grew to like counted cross-stitch more and more. I created my own cross-stitch 16" x 20" design of a man riding a stand-up Kawasaki jet ski for my then boyfriend (now my husband) for a Christmas gift in 1987. I have photos of only a few of my cross-stitch projects.

In March 1992, I was diagnosed with repetitive stress (tendonitis) in both wrists and required physical therapy twice a week for 6 months while I continued to work full time. At that time, it was prudent to choose to stop working on my crafts to give my wrists time to rest. So, I put all my crochet and cross-stitch projects away in 2 large plastic containers and placed the containers in the hallway coat closet where I wouldn't be constantly reminded about them.

In 2001 or early 2002 before my grandfather died, my mother made a very colorful crocheted lap blanket for him to keep his legs warm while he was out and about in his wheelchair. It was a big hit at the convalescent home: The colors were eye-catching, the hand-made blanket was a homey touch, and the smaller size (about 35" x 45") of a lap blanket is less likely to get caught in the wheelchair when it moves.

In late September 2002, I dragged out the 2 plastic containers and started crocheting again. I began making lap-size blankets (aka lap robes or lapghans) with the intent of donating them to the convalescent home that had cared for my grandfather. My mother joined me in this effort and together we shipped 11 lap blankets to the convalescent home in Wisconsin. The blankets were distributed during the December 2002 holidays by the managers of the home to residents who did not have much family contact.

I continue to make lap blankets and intend to donate them to a local convalescent home or other care facility in the Fall. I have completed 6 lap blankets and 1 full-size so far this year, each with a different design and different color scheme (since using the same pattern and same colors would be boring!).

I've worn wrist splints on both arms at night since early 1992. I've learned to compensate and work around my wrist problems, as well as a lower back problem that began in August 1996 as the result of a rough small boat ride with my son on Lake Tahoe.

As long as I don't overdue it and pay attention to how my wrists and lower back feel, I've been able to continue crocheting and cross-stitching. They touch something inside me that's been missing for 10 years.

I hope you enjoy viewing these projects as much as I enjoyed creating them. Many are projects I did a long time ago and gave to family members. Others I created when I was completing my undergraduate degree between June 1998 and December 2000. I'm also including my recent projects, including the lap blankets and my attempts at painting.