Final completes for july

I'm finding I'm winding down on my gung ho attitude on crafts. I've got nothing to prove anymore. I think I was going gangbusters to finish things because I needed to reinforce the idea that I wasn't just lazing around in my unemployment.  Well, no more marathon sessions. It's sheer pleasure again. I'm getting inspired by folks' blogs and thinking of new ideas. Especially after my continued debacle in the blue square, I'm eager to move on to things that give me pleasure. I'm going to utilize those squares and turn them into bags, I think. We shall see, but I'm just glad to ditch the guilt of not working on something I started because it is just not productive.

I finished the next wave of Christmas presents. I'm ignoring the response of two thirds of my furry family.

Potholders done.

Two someone's slept through my momentous finish. 

Ain't it just the way?

I have the whole day and a newly organized fabric shelf to inspire me to cut and sew on the second clue in a mystery quilt and I am more focused on the fact that I am three inches short of finishing the last of the Christmas potholders for my daughters.  This will require a trip to a craft store and you know I won't be able to get in and get out without at least fondling a fabric or a yarn.  Fondling has a 75% chance of leading to a purchase of some kind.

The maternal unit is offline as her computer but the dust. So I won't have a passive communication connection with her. Now we have to choose something new.   I'll take extra patience pills.  I suppose I could try to make shopping for that fulfill my need to touch and purchase something but computers are notorious for not being soft or have different textures that you can pull to you and get a tactile zip of mmmmm when you contemplate the future of it.

I guess I'll just hug my cat before I go out.

Another lesson learned

I tried the traditional match every seam and follow the rules and it only managed to stress me out.
I should know by thus point in my life that I like the rules only insofar as its a guideline. I like making my own patterns and forging my own way into things I see. Once I came to that conclusion, again, I actually want to get back to my sewing machine and proceed. I'm so much more inspired to create again.

It's a little like the rest of my life. I stew about some chores, my inner child whines about how I don't want to! Then it comes to the actual doing and it takes ten minutes and I might have spent two days not wanting to do it. What a doof!

A cats life

I wish I lived a cats life. Usually when my life is going to hell is when this seems a good solution.

I would wake up when I want. Make a little noise, maybe nibble a little, scratch at the cat box before doing a circuit around the house. Should I crawl under the covers on the guest bed?

Should I sit in the window and space out?

Maybe I will crawl up on the furniture for a snooze.

Or help with crafts.

Sometimes I even have to snooze after a light nail therapy session.

Yeah, I need a cats life!

Invitations and waiting

So the second phone interview is over. Blueman says I came across as though I knew her. I guess losing the fear of winning is relaxing. I can just be me without being so aggressive. Confident, not arrogant. Maybe?

We were also invited to rejoin the stitching group that we had been a part of years ago. After we moved, they were pushed into a new location and we weren't sure as to where to find them. I'm rather excited to be part of a group again. I haven't stopped my crafting but it's always fun to be with likeminded others.  I feel a little as though it's the first day if school. I loved it. New clothes, folders, tablets, the feeling that anything can happen! Hoping you meet a new friend.

Now is the waiting. Not my strong suit. But I will fill in with some fun, I'm sure.
Why, today is grocery day. That's always a treat!

The roller coaster

So yesterday I stepped off the curb of indecision and sent a resume across the inter web to a former co-worker. I should say, last night.  We'd had a power outage and appointment 30 minutes away so after that and a reboot of computer, I finally sent it off.  For a position I'm not certain I even want.

One half of me is relieved and one half says "why the bleep has no one called?" It's been 21 hours already.  For a job I'm not even sure I want.

Blueman gets at least one if not two calls per day. We also receive one to four telemarketer calls per day. I mostly just blink when the phone rings, it rarely for me. But now? I am tensing up for a call that may not come for a job I don't know if I want.

Tomorrow it won't be so difficult. Tomorrow I'll pretend to have forgotten the prickliness of wondering if I have any worth to the working force. Tomorrow I'll keep myself occupied enough that I don't have to wonder if this is even a job I want.

A decided lack of inspiration

I found out that my library books are not due until next week. So that slows the desire to pick one up to read.

In 10 days I get the next clue in a sewing challenge. So why bother to do more than just straighten the craft room?

I have a brand new bra in the drawer, why not put off laundry until I'm on the last one?

There are no birthdays/holidays that require a craft as a gift so why not slow down on the completion?

It's been suggested that I apply for this particular job simply because I have the experience to do it, not because I want to work. It would be nice to have the physical "yes, we want you." But I'm not sure I want the hassles that are probably involved.

I feel spoiled and unworthy.

And that's the state of the onion from here.

Reading

I've had good luck with books lately.
I read a fun mystery called Kale to the Queen, a Kensington palace mystery. Quite cute. Today I read book three in Lisa Kleypas' series. An easy romance. Sometimes you just need a good happy ever after kind of story.
I do have a biography in the pile as well as two more food mysteries but I couldn't resist getting five, yes, five books at the library. I was a greedy puss today.

Reading has always been an escape, a hobby, and at one time it even led to a job for me as I worked at three different county libraries. I love books. I like paranormal stories, graphic love stories, easy mysteries (nothing like true crime) some non-fiction...

Reading expands your vocabulary. Regency romances taught me what a chemise was and all about debauchery. Certain authors have a favorite word, extrapolate or parse for example. Or a phrase like "fair point well made".

Reading takes you to another place be it real or imagined. I love series so I like to imagine what might happen if I were to drive into one of those favorite towns or if I ran across one of the characters walking down my street.

I cannot imagine a world without books and I don't understand folks who don't like to read. I'm not saying they are bad people but boy are they missing out!

July complete part six

Squares were actually finished in June but my sewing assistant finished putting them together a few days ago. All I had to do was finish it off.  Blueman may have a vet to hand it off to, so hopefully it's not in the finished pile too long.

Today we get to check out The Toe. Blueman has an appointment and I may trail along. The heat has really been taking a toll on me these last couple of weeks as it's very fatiguing but I think he feels better when I'm there.

Hoping to sew tomorrow. I'm knitting a blue starry looking thing and crocheting potholders. I need my third craft in the trifecta! Not sure when I'll get the next clue in the mystery quilt so I might pull out the flower quilt again. Oh the possibilities.

July complete part fives

Christmas will be here soon!  Time in waiting rooms is never wasted by me.  I have two potholders ready for one of my girls for Christmas. I'm working on red ones now. I'll probably have two sets in red, at least that's my goal. It's only July so I'm praying I've given myself enough time.

Today has been a good day for chores too. The to-do list has a lot added to it and I've surely done enough to be able to mark something off.

Yesterday's sermon really made me rethink priorities and what's important.  Month by month, I'm getting happier with who I am and what I'm doing.

Sleep, the great reset

On a rough day whether it be fraught with frustration from de-seaming little blocks or frogging yarn (rip-it, rippp-it) sometime it's easy to go to bed feeling like a bucket of annoyance is sitting on your chest. So it was for me the other day. I'd been very frustrated with my progress on several fronts and I'm surprised my sleep wasn't filled with the remnants of the day.  But I woke up feeling like a reset had been declared. The new day was suddenly not filled with errors or problems to solve but a full array of possibilities. I love that feeling. It means I've forgiven the previous day and myself for the disappointments. It means I'm open to moving forward. For someone easily mired down in sticky issues, I can fully appreciate those days of freshness.

Yesterday was such a wasted day. Went to seek assistance only to see "we only see people by appointment". At first we were told three month wait but it turned out to be three weeks.  Then to the ER for four hours. They looked at his toe, studied it, did a basic bandage on it and sent him home. They didn't clean it, do wound care or anything. Told us to be sure and see podiatry next week. *sigh*.  But after 9 hours of sleep, I am reset and will pull up my big girl panties and deal with it myself.  I had ideas to work on it so I will just proceed. PLUS, I bet Blueman we would be there five hours but it was just under four so I owe him ten dollars. I have an idea about how to see he gets that, too.  *saucy wink*

July completes part four

The shelves are done in the closet!

I'm still not sure this is how I will set them up but this is a start.

The first step in sapphire stars is complete. I'm a little disturbed that my squares are wildly less monochromatic than the reference square. (The picture shows two of the better matching squares). I fear that once I add the yellows and reds, it will look less like a fashionable quilt and more like the rainbow blew chunks on my fabric.  Yes, that was a bit graphic but I liked the description.

Happy fire cracker day

Lots of progress made, no new completes.  Shelves are painted, brackets are half attached to the wall, mystery quilt squares are nearly finished after only a few mishaps. Scrap yarn squares are adding up. Books are getting read.

Now I sit listening to random pop-pop-pops and wondering how long I have to stay awake in order to not be a fuddy duddy.

Happy Independence Day to everyone.

July completes day three

Today was usual errand day. Added was a broom/dustpan holder at the apartment of the maternal unit. After I unlocked a computer issue. It involved a chat with tech support and I must say I wondered if I was really talking to yahoo or if I'd gotten hooked up with another scammer. All appears to be well, so, no harm no foul, I guess. I'm calling this a completion because much like the curtain rod, it had been on the to do list for a few days and we must take our successes where we can find them.

I also completed a book today and started a new one that I'm quite enjoying as well. "Marrying Winterborne" by Lisa Kleypas was a well written, light romance.  I'm currently reading "Taming the Highlander" by May McGoldrick. So far, very good read also. Library day is Wednesday, and while it's not due, I'd like to finish by then.

It's actually more level than the photo appears!

July completes day 2

odd shaped window + window seat and mounted tv = added difficulty in hanging curtain rod and curtains.
The humorous little blurb on the box suggested that it would take 30 minutes to hang. They didn't feature in bins, card table, computer table and the queen of shortcuts.
The curtains aren't cut or hemmed yet but they are doing a delightful job of blocking heat and nosy Parkers!  While this isn't a craft, I put sweat and a curse word into my work!
And best yet, the massive to do list is shorter by one!

Note comfy kitty cushion on the window seat!

July completes part one

First completion for July. Curtain tie backs for my mother. She felt it was silly to use clothes pins.  I had just been given the little metal rings from a friend who was de-stashing. Cool that I was able to use them so quickly.

I made a rather huge list of chores for the next four days. I've already marked off around five items so I'm extremely pleased with the progress so far. The tailgate has been moved into the garage and relative safety. I've finally managed to remove a reminder of a past life and rehung a new picture in its place. I had to do some hinky gymnastics to do it, but it's done.

I also hung a quilt my mil made for Blueman.
I'm feeling pretty pleased and I still have three more days to complete the list.
Woot!

Oh and one of my previous projects was received and appreciated. This may equal finding $20 in the street!