Project anxiety...

Do you guys ever get project anxiety?

Of course, it seems that most of my life is surrounded in anxiety right now. I am pretty sure it is the hormones. I can't wait to be off of them. I feel that panic, which is usually reserved for, well, pretty much all of Jr. High. That's kind of where I am if you really think about it. My face is broken out, I don't have any friends, I live with family...It's just weird. I feel like I second guess everything I do. I can't dress myself without over thinking it, and there's the depression. It's tedious. I hated Jr. high, so now it's like going back but with hot flashes and gray hair. Fun times.

What were we talking about?

So, I have it in my head to make something for my dear friend who is getting married. Will it be added to the pile of unfinished projects? I hope not, but it's hard to make something for someone else. Especially because she has her own house, which I haven't seen so I don't know the feel of it, and I am not sure of what she needs. Everyone needs a little robins egg blue, am I right?

My philosophy on home decor is this, if you love it, put it out there! This is why my house is usually a little more cluttered than some, but by George it IS interesting to look at, and it makes me happy. I mean, it would if I had a house. *cricket, cricket* I have friends though who are very paint with number, this color belongs in here and everything has to match. I think I am over thinking this though. Although, my thought is, if it's going to end up in the yard sale next year, I would rather I didn't make it, you know? Why put forth all the effort, and mental anguish if it's not really going to be LOVED! It shouldn't surprise anyone, I have a really hard time buying presents. I don't like to get things just to get them, I like knowing I hit a home run when it comes to gifts and with some people, I am pretty awesome at it, if I do say so myself. I haven't seen this friend as much as I would have liked so I am a bit more disconnected than usual.

The other problem is, you guys, I have such a list of things to do! I have a crochet purse to finish. I have a crochet robot I never got to my friend, to finish, her daughter is going to be 23 before she gets it. I have something I need to make for another friends baby, because I told her I was and then I haven't. Then there was that post on Facebook where you make something for 5 people. I have that figured out, but nothing ready to send. I have formula cans to refashion, I have a camera I would love to figure out, photoshop to learn and become amazing at. My ukulele is completely lonely. I also have 5 dolly's to crochet. Here's the saddest part of the story, I am kind of over crochet for the moment. *gasp* I have a few other projects, but it seems that I can never get anything completely together enough to embark on these projects.  Not to mention the sewing I would like to learn and master and totally rock at.

You see why I wear myself out?

No wonder I am pimply. *cries*

So, do any of you get project anxiety? How do you over come it? Gift card?

Also, I really am struggling with my personal style. I totally have panic attacks over it and I THINK, maybe I was once stylish. So how weird would I be wearing vintage hats out? Do you have to be completely vintage to wear the hats or should I just throw them on with reckless abandon? It seems the hair needs to be somewhat vintage as well with a hat. Are they inappropriate for church?, because let's face it, that's the only time I dress up. I do get myself dolled up but then I just hang out in the basement, walk to the post office and chill with Dr. Phil. It all seems so futile. I don't know, I just don't know, and I guess that is the problem. No, I bet the over thinking is the problem, which is probably linked to the hormones. We have come full circle.

Faux bangs, holding a cute baby. I made him the shirt he's wearing.

 

In other news, I started this post, went to the store and came back, but while I was going to the store there was a kid who totally did the robot across the street. It was pretty awesome, and it made me wish I had my camera attached to my brain at all times. How cool would that be?

In the freezer...

I came to find out that my local grocers freezer was holding out on me. How did I not see this before? 

Seriously!?!?!?!?!

Yes, they now live in my freezer, no way I was going home with out them. Now, I haven't tried them  yet, but I am pretty sure they will be amazing. How could they not be? I think I can live here in peace. Now that I know these are hiding out in the freezer section, there is peace in my heart about the decision to move here. I can get through anything now.

Formula can refashion...

Because refashion sounds cool and exciting and super creative.

Soooo, A while back I came across a super cute store called darlybird. I bought the flying birds for The boy's room and they are awesome. I also went to her blog just to see what she was all about and found this awesome little bit of art that she was inspired to make from a french crafting magazine. Well, I loved it. I thought it was so fun and original, I decided to log it away for a future project.

*with reverb* The Future is NOW! ow ow ow ow....

You may also remember my Boy Can post

I took a formula can and made it into a handy dandy yarn holder for while you are crocheting. For those of you who don't crochet, yarn has a way of be-boppin all around the room and under the couch and tripping people and the cat attacks it and killer dust bunnies attack it and it's a mess. Soooooooo...

I took the formula can, and decopauged some paper over it. I am still too impatient to make it pefectly smooth and all. I am sure if I took more time it would be better. I printed out the kiddo's heads in black and white, Tati's was a little flat on top so she got to be on top. We have discussed my cropping problem.

So yeah, I bought some grommets and a grommet attacher thingy and put that through the top, viola! Yarn protection from cats and killer dust bunnies and all that yarn has to fear. Hopefully yarn is not afraid of the dark!

Bad crops...

It has come to my attention, and only because I was working on a project for my mom, that I have a chronic cropping problem.

You see, I needed nice round heads for a thing I am working on, (I will show when it's done) And these are the type of cut off, cropped out, heads that I came up with.

I like cropping though so...I suppose it will be a problem forever.

How cute are baby galoshes though?

I will answer for you, pretty darn. Cute that is, pretty stinking darn cute. If you are seeking cute baby things try Tuesday Morning's they never disappoint.

PS: the boy is now waving in a very I heart Germany circa 1936 kind of way, but he's too young to know, we are starting to get some up and down movement so it should be all sorted out soon. 

The Lurker and Hugo: A memorandum...

There was something eerie going on in the house. How weird would it be if Grandma and I were cosmically linked? It would be weird right? Every time I go use the facilities here in the basement, it seemed as though someone else above me were using them at the same time, and for like two or three times I really thought maybe Grandma and I had some weird connection fit for Ripley's believe it or not. It was not so, it's just the septic tank.

I feel like a lurker. Something about being in a basement makes me feel lurky. Maybe it's because if the day is not so great and we don't get out, I don't see much daylight. Now that it is warming up though, we are making the effort to emerge and be free. I am not excited for hotness.

Some things around town:

I couldn't get a great picture, but it says "Please turn off your truck if it is louder than us. Thank you!"

 Pretty sure Dave is going to take it, or has, I haven't heard because I could not really care less, but if you are thinking you need a good campaign strategy, this may be the way to go.

The Jack Russell Formerly known as Hugo: Starring my nose bump.

I got an update on the Hugo, it seems he is loved and has been fixed and is now called Dexter. I am happy to know he is happy and loved and that his life is better, but it was still really hard to know he's not mine and has a new name and yeah...I am not even sure what emotion it stirred in me, but suffice it to say I miss him and I am happy for him all at the same time. I saw a Dog Whisperer about a Jack Russell and it made me miss him terribly. At least he didn't go nuts every time the garbage disposal was on. I love him so much I would almost be tempted to get another Jack, but I think he was a rare and precious diamond of the Jack Russell world. It's funny, I almost named him Dexter. It is what Carey Grants name is in a few movies, so it seemed an almost natural choice.

Peace out Dex. I guess maybe it just made me sad that we couldn't take care of him the way he needed to be cared for, and it just solidified the fact that he isn't coming back. He isn't mine if someone is naming him something else, maybe it just really sank in that he's gone, I don't know. I suppose it just shows how awesome a dog he is if I cry every time I think about him being gone.  It's a crappy situation that I believe divine intervention made OK, so I am very glad for that.
Hugo came to us right before Easter 2008 of the attack Russel clan he was the calmest and most awesome. Uncle Lee even told me after I decided to keep him that he was the best one to pick. He was the calm one. We were even on an Ingrid Michelson album together. Really we are on the back under the CD.  It's because of our awesome factor. Seriously, behold!

 

And then some fluffy baby ones, because who doesn't like some fluffy baby pictures?

Bye little buddy. You were a great friend to me when I needed one most, and the best dog I ever had. I love and miss you always. I do not miss the little white hairs of doom though. Maybe we can be friends again in the next life. :)

To get to the other side...

Today I saw a chicken crossing the road. In that moment, I really wished I had my camera ready, it just seemed something that should be remembered and seen and commemorated. It was like poetry in motion, or cliche joke in motion, but nonetheless it seemed to stand out in my mind. Something in the swirling thoughts and lists of to do's told me it was important to note.

This week has been horrendous. I knew people could be careless with other people's stuff, I knew there would be casualties of renting, but I never expected people to be that careless, and it just never ends. Just at the time that I think I have a grasp of what once was and what is, a new discovery comes along and makes me want to poke people in the eyes.

Note the dirt oh and the huge gaping hole. There is another to match that one. This would be the couch thought to have survived the ordeal, only to find, it hadn't. No sorry, no feeble attempt to make excuses. Nothing. So the tally is, renters: 2 couches, 4 frames and artwork, one bed (maybe 2, haven't been able to observe the extent of the damage.) And a quilt, a throw pillow and possibly a george foreman grill. Oh! and the sellability of my home. Did I tell you they tore out the selves in the computer room and put another guy in there? Did I tell you they didn't ask and used a quilt of mine for a door? Did I tell you they drove nails through that quilt? Did I tell you they had the nerve to look annoyed when we came to rescue all of our stuff. Annoyed! Them? At that moment, I wished I had known karate or was a ninja. I would have ripped the annoyed right off of their face and they would've never known it was me. 

I got a migrane this week, I was literally so angry and full of hate I couldn't see straight.  I didn't think I was, of course, but I don't do migraines so what else could it have been?

While all of this is going on, I am trying to unpack, organize arrange and write a talk. Do you know how hard is to write a talk about Jesus when you are full of anger? It's pretty hard, but I think I am finally making progress.

So yes, things have not been fabulous, but in the end it is just stuff, and in the end these people who have rented my house and wrecked all of my things are lame, but they aren't my kids so I can rest easy and know that my Sam will be poked in the eye by me if he EVER does anything remotely like that. He would at the very least apologize profusely, and hey, maybe this gives me a great excuse to get a new couch for our someday home when that someday comes. That can't be all bad right? I even took all of that pent up aggression and anger and decoupaged the heck out of a Winnie the Pooh calendar.

Take that Pooh bear! And the boy's room looks cute to boot! Other things that have been a bright shining beacon of happiness this week include:

These are quite possibly the cutest PJ's ever on the planet. Or it's the cutest boy ever on the planet totally rocking the pj's. I happen to believe it's a little of both. He looks so well mannered too.

Organizing and having some of my treasures with me has been a happy thing. It feels more like home to me.

 And despite the fact that I am drowning in life this week it hasn't been all bad. There is a thrift store a few blocks from me and it had the cutest little girl clothes and they were 50% off to boot, but it also had a wonderful treasure:

Pigs playing ukulele's in sailor suits, can life get better? I submit that it cannot!

Best salt and pepper shakers ever, aside from my Siamese cats of course.  

I also made the boy a shirt with my new Silhouette machine.  

Droooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool!

And my bestest friend ever is here visiting me, and it's extra happy because I don't think anyone else will, and we ate pralines and cream blue bell ice cream and watched Twilight with riff trax and hashed out an idea for my talk, which will be likened unto the chicken that crossed the road, because isn't that all any of us want to do really? Get to the other side in one piece or in peace? To get to the other side happy? To get to the other side period? And how do we do that? With faith in Jesus Christ of course. It will make more sense in my talk I promise. Thus we see, even in the worst of weeks, the Lords tender mercies make it OK and all will be well with the world again. Just gotta keep on keepin on.

I am excited to get to the other side of this week. To get to the other side of forgiveness. To get to the other side of my talk. I am excited to be settled.

See you on the other side.

The Boy Can!

I decided to get ambitious yesterday. I have many formula cans and was feeling kind of bad for throwing them away, they have to be good for something right?  

So I took this:

And made it into this: 

 Back

And Flying monkeys, that I had to add wings to:

And the moral of the story is, I still don't really know what to do with it, but now I can't throw it away. *throws confetti*

If you would like to make a formula can into something adorable, but useless that you can't throw away, I would suggest using pictures that were printed on normal paper, photo paper doesn't like to bend onto the can. I also suggest you are better at decopauge than I. Mine wrinkled up, I am too impaitent I think, but I do have an idea for a use and will be back with more formula can transformations. I know, I know, how will you wait for such a glorious update? You will deal, it's part of life. I am sure a book deal is forthcoming.