Crafting like a fiend

So, I have been crafting like a fiend lately. I have been very busy. I wanted to work on my front porch to make it happy and look great. I had already recovered the larger cushions on my chairs a few years ago but I still had some fabric so I recovered some more pillows and still had some left over. I took an fish tank that hangs on the wall that I had purchased from LTD several years ago for my classroom and just never got it up and decided that I was going to give it new life. I cut a circle from the fabric and glued it to the back of the fish tank then I painted on a big J for my last name and I absolutely love polka dots so I had to add some of those on. Then I was at a loss for what to do to finish it up. I still had some fabric so I cut strips and added a solution of glue and water and curled the fabric around a cylinder and let dry. I had this big flower and left over ivy from previous wreaths and just added all that together to get the finished decoration. I added some new flowers and my door decoration to my porch. I still need to work on the mat out front but I think that I am going to look for a new one if I can't find one I like then I will end up spray painting my old one.

I had also made a kitchen curtain for my window but still had some fabric left so I took that fabric and made a valance for my door to my deck. I think it turned out very cute.

I also made another wreath. I used quilting squares and cut those into thirds and tied them to the metal hoop from an old lamp shade that I didn't need anymore. I didn't know where I was going to hang it so I tried it in several places and came up with this place. I think that I might add some things under this shelf. I have several options and I am just weighing them right now.



I have not done this much crafting in years. I think with the separation, divorce, and trying to recover I have suppressed my crafting tendencies. I think that when I became inspired this past week I realized that I am myself officially again. I have not felt this good in a long time and I am excited because of 2 years of dry spell to make up for :)

Linking to:  debbiedoo's newbie party
                  craft goodies linky party
                  Table Top Tuesday
                  20 Below Thursdays

More New Projects

Yesterday was my last day of school for the school year and summer break has begun. I turned off my alarm clock and am ready to spend at least a month doing what I want to do. I have my mission trip coming up in July and I am teaching 2 Mommy and Me classes so June is my month. It has been a long time since I have been inspired to do as much crafty stuff as I have been doing lately and I love it. This helps to keep me busy and helps me to feel as if I have accomplished something.

Here are pictures of two more projects.

Tart Burner



































So, I got a very cute tart burner and with it being clear and all I thought it needed something so I added some polka dots to match my shower curtain and TA-DA! I have a very cute tart burner in my bathroom.

Bedroom Pillows
































































So, the next project is pillows. I had 2 pillows that I have had forever and thought they needed a new life. I went to Goodwill and found 2 sweaters that matched my bedding, went with each other, and were very soft. Then I created 2 reversible pillows to go on my bed. The green one is not finished yet but I wanted to get the full effect. I am thinking of adding embellishment to the green one and that will be later. I haven't even sewn it up yet. Here are my latest projects and I am feeling creative and productive and that is a good thing.
                                                                     
Linking to : Sew Darn Crafty Party

Not really sold on the plaid but it looks really cute.  I really think that it is too much purple and I am going to look for something blue and green.

Memorial Day

Well I know that it has been quite some time since I have been on here. However, life has a way of taking off with me leaving me to catch up sometimes. As I reflect on Memorial Day and those that have gone before me I am left thinking most about my dad and my grandmothers. My dad died 13 years ago the day before Valentines Day. My grandmothers both passed away several years ago. I helped my mom last weekend put flowers up at the cemetery and just thought about who would do this when my mom couldn't do it anymore. If not for her reminding and making me and my siblings it would not get done. This makes me very sad. Then I think back on my ex's family who would go up on the mountain and sing songs and place flowers then have a huge meal afterwards. I may not have agreed everything my ex in laws did but taking that moment to celebrate and remember those who struggled, loved, and lived before them is something that is priceless.

Other things have been going on since I last posted and it deals mainly with school drawing to an end and summer break getting started. I have three more days with kids and then one more work day without them and then I am finished and ready to start summer. I have had an interesting year. This was my first move in 9 years and I am in an elementary school surrounded by new rules, lots of kids, and new expectations. So, this year has been a learning experience and I have enjoyed most of it. Right now I am even doing a project at school and I have been very busy. This being my first year where I am I have not had time to do the whole organization thing. I still have a lot of stuff in my basement but I have been taking in bags of items for a few months now. I really want to start next year out right so I will post pics of my organization when it is done. I didn't do a before shot so you will have to imagine the chaos it was before.

I have also been working on some projects which I will post pics for. I reupholstered a chair and have just finished making a kitchen curtain. Here are the pics :)

The curtain (pic 1), and the chair (pic 2) and their love child (pic 3)
Linking to:  A bowl full of lemons
Also:  Coastal Charm Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays 

 Then I worked on a kitchen curtain. So, I have caught you up on my latest projects. I am not even close to done so as soon as I do some more I will let you know and post pics.

I enjoy my internet

Well, the drama just never stops around here. The last time I was on was the 14th and at that time little did I know that I would soon be internet free for almost 2 wks!!! My internet has been down and I have called and chatted and tried to fix and then ended up having to make an appointment for a service visit. I work until around 3 everyday and the lady on the phone told me that the days are split up 8-12 and 1-5 and if they come while I am not home then I would probably have to make another appointment so I had to set it up for today which is Sat. So, crisis averted and now I am back online. YEAH!!

Easter has come and gone and it was a sweet time. My basement was too wet so we did the dinner at my mom's house instead and that worked out well. I just really wanted to do it at my apartment :( It was great to see my family and it always amazes me the family dynamics that I am surrounded by. So many different personalities, view points, and behaviors that one could probably write a book about it and maybe even a movie script.

I rode the bus all last week and part of this week but now we have other options so I am going to be riding only Thursday mornings which is wonderful for the next couple of weeks. My assistant is hoping to come back on May 10th and I have my fingers crossed. We are really in the final stretch of school this year and with June 2nd coming up (last day for kids) I didn't know if it would be possible for her to even come back.

I don't think that I have mentioned it for awhile but I am going to Guatemala in July on a Mission Trip and I am very nervous and excited. This will be the first time I have been out of the country. I have my passport and I am working on gathering the funds I need to pay for my expenses. I wrote a letter and sent it to about 15 friends and family telling them about the trip and unfortunately asking for help with funding. I don't really like to ask for help and I was very uncomfortable doing so. However, I really want to go on this trip and the reality is that I can't afford it on my own. We are doing fund raisers at church but every little bit helps. I have received some money back from those letters and to be honest it was overwhelming. I am a very blessed person and I am surrounded by those who love me. I cried when I opened those return envelopes. I just want to shout out to all those who know me and love me anyway. May God bless you abundantly.

A final chapter

So, yesterday was a crazy day. I had to teach and that is always exhausting, crazy, chaotic, fun, enjoyable, and a total learning experience for all involved. But the fun didn't stop there! I get home and go in the basement to check the leaking situation and AHHHHH!! I had standing water. So, I holler at my land lady (whom I love and adore) and she said that she was bringing me a wet vac to keep in my basement. Thirty minutes later I am in the basement sucking up water. Keep in mind I am having my family over for Easter Dinner and we are doing this in the basement

I come upstairs to take a little break when I notice on my phone that I have a message. My friend Cathy (Daisy the dogs mother) has called. I give her a call and find out Daisy needs a place to crash for a couple of days. Her daddy Randy has to go back to the hospital for another surgery. Daisy comes and Cathy leaves to take care of her husband. Daisy and the cats cautiously check each other out again and they go back to their understanding of staying out of each others way.

I get a call from my assistant (at school) who hurt her foot today getting a kid on the bus and she said that she wasn't coming in tomorrow and that I would have to ride her bus. I was already scheduled to ride another bus due to a rotation because of another assistants absence for two weeks. I called the teacher of the other assistant and told her to ride that bus I had to ride my assistants bus. Regardless I was going to ride a bus tomorrow :(

Then I have to go and meet my ex for our final meeting. It was very uncomfortable and he kept trying to talk and I just wanted to get the business done and go home. I signed the papers to have my name taken off the house and get the money he still owes me. I get up to leave and he says "I'll talk to you later." I don't know what that means exactly but I have no reason to ever talk to him again. Who knows because I definitely don't.

Got home fixed dinner, watched a movie, went to bed to get up early the next morning to take care of all my animals and ride the bus. A day in the life of me :)

Brief Catch-Up

So, I know that it has been a long time since I put anything on my blog. I have been fairly busy so I will catch you up. The last we met was March 5th and I talked about being frustrated with my life and missing male companionship. Well that is still going strong but I am trying to keep myself soooo busy that I don't really have time to think about it.

In the exercise part I did jog most of March fairly well and tried to work in this 10 day diet plan which I said to my friend Crystal I can do anything for 10 days. Well, I am a big fat liar :) I got to day 4 and blew it. However, it got me to eat more fruits and veggies than I have had in a very long time. I also froze my gym membership because who wants to go to the gym when the weather is great?

Man front. Well I did talk to a guy briefly on the phone before my school Spring Break and he said that he would call me in a couple of weeks when things settled down some. I have gotten to the point right now that if it is supposed to happen it will and I am leaving it up to the BIG GUY! I did chat with this guy actually on the phone and he seems really nice and he wants to "hang out". We shall see.

My little girl cat who was pregnant had to have emergency surgery and none of her 4 babies survived. Two died before the surgery and 2 died during. The vet said that if we had let her go any longer that there would have been lots of complications. Her pregnancy was abnormal from start to finish. However, she is several pounds lighter and she is doing well.

I also moved the rest of my big furniture out of my old house on the 19th of March. My ex had found someone who wanted to rent the house and they wanted to move in by the 1st of April. This was a very hard activity for me. I have wanted to be done because I am tired of being on a roller coaster about my marriage but as the time drew closer it was more final and much harder to deal with than I expected. The refinancing should be going through sometime soon and so then I will be totally done with the house.

I worked on my taxes and figured out that I owe almost $300 to the Federal government which really stinks but I guess since I currently don't own anything that was to be expected. :(

I went to hang out with my sister and my little niecie for Spring Break and that was a lot of fun. My niecie is very cute and very funny. She has a great personality and my sister is a wonderful mother. I had to post this picture just to give you an idea of how funny my niecie is. Keep in mind she turned 1 on March 10th :)

Now I am currently dog sitting for a friend who's husband went into the hospital for a procedure. I like Daisy but I am reminded why I am really a cat person. Cats are sooooo easy and Dogs are sooooo needy!!!

So, now you are caught up with my crazy little life. I haven't started any new projects. Right now I have to get my basement ready for Easter Dinner and that will be my project over the next couple of weeks. I have all that stuff I recently brought from the house and every time it rains the basement floods so I have to put things away and make sure they are safe. Then I have to scrub the floor and make it smell nice down there. However, I am very pumped to have my family over for Easter and wouldn't have it any other way.

March 5, 2011

So, today I have hit a point where I am missing male companionship. Off and on through this past year that has happened but today it seemed to hit harder than any other time. I sometimes spend too much time alone and I think that has been part of it today. However, I also think that because my ex has found someone to lease our home with the option to buy and that will happen by April 1st has something to do with it as well. As much as I want to be through with my ex and my old life I still want to know that part of it is still there.

I told my friend Crystal that I have been frustrated with my life right now and she said that it is a time of a new beginning and she doesn't understand why I am frustrated. I think it is because I am alone and just about everyone I know has someone even my ex and I am reminded daily that my life isn't complete. I don't have someone who I can come home to and talk about my day. I don't have little faces looking up at me expectantly. I don't have the hustle and the bustle that my friends have and even though I know that it is wrong I am jealous of my friends and my family. I used to think that I had it all figured out and that is when the rug was jerked out from under my feet. Now I struggle. I try to be the strong responsible one who can take anything and keep on ticking but right now I just want someone to hold me and tell me that it is all going to be ok.

Sorry, I know that this is probably more information than anyone would want but I just needed to get it out and even though I struggle with how personal to get on my blog I am compelled to go ahead and publish this. I made the disclaimer in my intro that I may ramble but it is all simply me.