I don't know exactly why but 26 had made me feel old. I never felt age creeping up on me with the oncoming of any other previous birthdays but this one has made old. Well, as old as a 26 year old can feel.
Maybe it was the other night at the bar when I was just trying to get a little dinner in my stomach and there were some pretty loud "kids" trying to get a little booze in their stomach. I found myself glancing at them with distaste as they loudly requested rounds and rounds of shots all the time exclaiming "woooooo". The moment I caught myself commenting that they were "so loud", I realized I'm old. Not in years, for surely they couldn't be any more than 4 years my junior, but in phase of life we were on totally different planes. "Loud" has always been a way I have been described. In fact, my mother once commented that a friend and I were in a perpetual state of loud squealing or sleep, but that there was no middle ground.
So, what happened to me? When did this new phase of life sneak up on me? When did I stop being the loud squealing girl and start being an (cue the dramatic music, dun dun dun)... adult?
Well in pondering these questions I turned to Ally and we decided to come up with a list of 30 Things to Do by 30, in hopes of wrapping my mind around this next phase of my life. Some I've borrowed and others I've come up with myself. So here is my list:
1. Be in touch better with the people in my life that I love and that deserve it.
2. Develop better and more realistic expectations of myself.
3. Have a career plan and stop relying on happenstance to take over.
4. Trust that happenstance is not always a bad thing.
5. Understand that worry is not a productive feeling to dwell on or act on.
6. Stop apologizing for things that I do not need to apologize for.
7. Accept people for who they are and not what they say they are or what you wish they could be.
8. Accept that some times people change, but most likely, never will.
9. Create more. (Aka, blog more, hint hint)
10. Learn a new skill that you never thought you could conquer, ie killing a spider on your own without so much screaming.
11. Embrace being spontaneous.
12. Hike to the top of Humphreys.
13. Make a budget and follow it.
14. Create a retirement fund and then actually contribute to it.
15. Surf.
16. Have a regular volunteering gig.
17. Have a big girl piece of furniture.
18. Learn how to work power tools with confidence.
19. Read one book a month for a year.
20. Learn how to play (at least) on song on the guitar.
21. Take my mom, dad, brother and sister-in-law on a date each.
22. Enter an art show and actually win a prize (Lebanon Country Fair doesn't count).
23. Get rid of 100 things.
24. Learn to drive stick.
25. Actually make frozen ready to cook crockpot meals for a month in advance.
26. Have a good credit score.
27. Begin another degree or continue educating myself.
28. Travel to Istanbul not Constantinople.
29. See the northern lights.
30. Excitement for the next 30!
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Underwear doesn't count. Any excuse to read a funny blog!
I usually hate New Years resolutions. It's just something to reflect on a couple months down the road that you wish you had stuck to your guns on. So boy am I surprised to find that as of today I am still sticking with it.
I really only had one resolution, don't buy any clothes in 2012 (underwear doesn't count). For some people I'm sure this would be easy if not something they already do but, and I'm laying my cards on the table now, I am a clothes junkie. I don't know when or where I got the bug but I love shopping. I used to hate it, my mother would drag me to the store and, under duress, I'd pick one thing. Now we have a blast picking things out for one another getting acquainted with each others style.
When I moved out to Arizona I had to pack everything into a Honda CRV. That's when I noticed the problem. I had too many clothes. I got rid of some of then at that time but soon there after I noticed I hadn't really relieved the issue. So, once I got to Flagstaff I did it again and thoroughly this time. I also found a great piece of advice regarding cleaning out your closet which I will happily pass along: Clean out your closets and then turn all your hangers around the opposite way; if in a year any of the hangers are still facing the wrong way then consider donating that piece of clothing (obviously not everything should go e.g. wedding dresses, tuxedos).
So happily, here I am. April has begun and my closets are free of clutter and I actually have some money in the bank. I'm looking down the barrel of wedding season without being able to buy anything... but I think I'll make it. I can always buy some new undies!
PS- I was puzzling over the correct way to list examples and I remembered one of my favorite comics about proper use of i.e. and e.g. Check it out, The Oatmeal is hilarious!
Also, my other favorite explanation about the use of "a lot". I this ALOT!
Friday, March 30, 2012
Itchy and achy... snail mail go faster.
I love receiving care packages... but the only thing that tops receiving them is sending them. The second it is in the mail I get itchy.
I knew some of the consequences of moving away from the vast majority of my family and friends back East to live out West was going to be that ache. Anyone who lives far away from their loved ones knows what I'm talking about. Not being able to see someone or hug them makes you ache. Skype helps but sometimes it's just makes it even tougher not to be able to reach through that screen and squeeze the crap out of one of them.
That's where care packages come in. Opening a box your loved one sent you is like being able to hug them from far away. It turns that ache into an itch. And, whereas, the ache sucks the itch is tolerable.
When I got to wrap up my friend's quilt and make her a care package I sent along the things that I wish I could enjoy with her. Annie's Mac and Cheese, best stuff on this Earth. Seriously. My new favorite green tea, which does not taste like dirt. As roommates in college we used to drink tea together after a rough day. And, finally, the quilt.
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| "I want to snuggle you like only Snuggles the bear can." |
I sent the package and started immediately getting itchy. Snail mail was taking WAY too long (ok, fine, it only took about 3 days but it seemed like a lifetime). I asked her to take a picture of when she opened it, and once again being the lucky girl that I am, she made me a video. Here are a couple of stills of the video, a little before and after:
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| Gosh, I miss this girl... urg, I'm getting itchy again! |
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| I want to hug her so freakin' badly! |
Binding and Barbie clothes
Now that I had finished the front of the quilt and had become attached to not ruining it I faced the scariest part of quilt making. Binding and then washing. Cue dramatic music!
So, with a lump in my throat and a growing need for someone who knows what they are doing to hold my hand I start to finish my quilt. I really wanted an experienced quilter around but then I realized where all the quilters are hiding. Somewhere in the inter-webs!
I started my research and here are the lovely ladies who helped me out:
Anyone Can Quilt
Amazing detailed instructions and information about spray basting (do it, you won't be disappointed)
http://anyonecanquilt.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/08/machine-quilting-101-1.html
Red Pepper Quilts
Great photos of the whole process and clear instructions
http://www.redpepperquilts.com/2009/11/binding-tutorial.html
Mama Love Quilts
This tutorial is about quilting straight lines, which in my case, I was and it was super helpful
http://mamalovequilts.blogspot.com/2012/01/10-tips-for-trouble-free-straight-line.html
Heather Bailey
Great PDF tutorial with drawn instructions, if you are anything like me I need to see it from every angle in order to understand instructions so this was very helpful
http://heatherbailey.typepad.com/photos/continuous_quiltbinding/index.html
Crazy Mom Quilts
Incredibly detailed step by step instructions on how to make your binding
http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/2008/10/binding-tutorial.html
Also, all these ladies make amazing quilts too, so be sure to check out the rest of their websites!
I began construction confidently armed with all these wonderful words of wisdom and years of their experience. I taped my backing to my floor, spray basted my batting to the back and then delicately spray basted the front to the batting to complete my quilt sandwich. I then cut around the front of my quilt and rolled it up, ready to be finished off at the machine.
I had to attach a "walking foot" to my machine, which wasn't easy. I'm not a very technical person so anything that requires a screw driver I usually call in the big guns, aka the boyfriend. Somehow, with the aid of the machine's manual and PBR, I managed.
Then it was "go-go-walking-foot-go"! I hit a few snags... literally. But, overall, it turned out ok and pretty uneventful. I began the binding portion of the quilt, and this was were I realized that I need to take a breath and go slow since the stitches needed to be so precise.
I then began to think about my grandmother; my Dad's mom, not my Mom's mom who I've written about before. One Christmas my grandmother handmade me Barbie clothes. Hand. Made. The tiny stitches astounded me. Each little garment was so beautifully crafted and so lovingly stitched. Once again, I will proudly admit that I am a lucky girl, what an wonderful grandmother. Remembering those tiny clothes and the delicate sewing I started the binding process anew, I have those genes in me, I could make this happen!
After reading all the quilting blogs it sounded as if everyone loved washing their quilt, that it was the most satisfying portion of the process. I found it terrifying. Just throwing this lovingly made thing into a machine and hoping it doesn't rip it to shreds. Gulp!
Somehow, it survived! And here is the end result:
So, with a lump in my throat and a growing need for someone who knows what they are doing to hold my hand I start to finish my quilt. I really wanted an experienced quilter around but then I realized where all the quilters are hiding. Somewhere in the inter-webs!
I started my research and here are the lovely ladies who helped me out:
Anyone Can Quilt
Amazing detailed instructions and information about spray basting (do it, you won't be disappointed)
http://anyonecanquilt.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/08/machine-quilting-101-1.html
Red Pepper Quilts
Great photos of the whole process and clear instructions
http://www.redpepperquilts.com/2009/11/binding-tutorial.html
Mama Love Quilts
This tutorial is about quilting straight lines, which in my case, I was and it was super helpful
http://mamalovequilts.blogspot.com/2012/01/10-tips-for-trouble-free-straight-line.html
Heather Bailey
Great PDF tutorial with drawn instructions, if you are anything like me I need to see it from every angle in order to understand instructions so this was very helpful
http://heatherbailey.typepad.com/photos/continuous_quiltbinding/index.html
Crazy Mom Quilts
Incredibly detailed step by step instructions on how to make your binding
http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/2008/10/binding-tutorial.html
Also, all these ladies make amazing quilts too, so be sure to check out the rest of their websites!
I began construction confidently armed with all these wonderful words of wisdom and years of their experience. I taped my backing to my floor, spray basted my batting to the back and then delicately spray basted the front to the batting to complete my quilt sandwich. I then cut around the front of my quilt and rolled it up, ready to be finished off at the machine.
Then it was "go-go-walking-foot-go"! I hit a few snags... literally. But, overall, it turned out ok and pretty uneventful. I began the binding portion of the quilt, and this was were I realized that I need to take a breath and go slow since the stitches needed to be so precise.
I then began to think about my grandmother; my Dad's mom, not my Mom's mom who I've written about before. One Christmas my grandmother handmade me Barbie clothes. Hand. Made. The tiny stitches astounded me. Each little garment was so beautifully crafted and so lovingly stitched. Once again, I will proudly admit that I am a lucky girl, what an wonderful grandmother. Remembering those tiny clothes and the delicate sewing I started the binding process anew, I have those genes in me, I could make this happen!
After reading all the quilting blogs it sounded as if everyone loved washing their quilt, that it was the most satisfying portion of the process. I found it terrifying. Just throwing this lovingly made thing into a machine and hoping it doesn't rip it to shreds. Gulp!
Somehow, it survived! And here is the end result:
Friday, March 23, 2012
I'll confess, I'm scared of color.
My closet is made up of black clothing. And, no, I'm not going through some rebellious stage where I dye my hair aqua and rub a whole eyeliner pencil on every day. I grew out of that phase long ago. But, apparently, I never updated my wardrobe.
I'm even lucky enough to own one myself, which has traveled to Ireland with me, Boston and now Arizona.
So I set about assembling the rest of my friend's quilt, attempting to squash my fear of colors with a little vino and PBR. I chose light blue (at my friends request), a deep purple with small floral print and a yellow and burnt umber checkered pattern. I added several stripes to either side of the original image of my friend and I. It was fun just to add to the quilt without any size or pattern to follow. Just sewing and ironing at will.
The result was this:
In my artwork I tend to stear clear of bright and bold colors. Black is definitely a dominate color in pretty much everything else I create, but for some reason when it comes to quilts I love color. Maybe it's because I was lucky enough to have my Aunt and her gorgeous color infused quilts in my life. She and her husband are both artists; sigh, what an amazing lifestyle. Check out their artwork here, http://www.bossbrownart.com/ and you will see a pair of people who are not afraid of color, that's for sure!
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| Amazing work huh!? |
I'm even lucky enough to own one myself, which has traveled to Ireland with me, Boston and now Arizona.
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| Lucky, lucky girl with the traveling quilt! |
So I set about assembling the rest of my friend's quilt, attempting to squash my fear of colors with a little vino and PBR. I chose light blue (at my friends request), a deep purple with small floral print and a yellow and burnt umber checkered pattern. I added several stripes to either side of the original image of my friend and I. It was fun just to add to the quilt without any size or pattern to follow. Just sewing and ironing at will.
The result was this:
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| Quilting and PBR can't get much better than this! |
The next step I had never done without assistance so I checked numerous resources before starting but that will come soon. In the meantime, I basked in the glow of an almost completed quilt!
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
First day of spring my a**!
So instead of writing witty, charming and inspiring posts about crafting I've been shoveling snow. A crap ton of snow. A metric crap ton of snow!
When I tell people that I live in Arizona and that it snows, I usually get some perplexed looks. In fact, in one instance, I had a fella follow me around a bar and tell everyone I met that I was a liar. He was charming!
On Saturday is was beautiful here, so the boy and I went kayaking in Winslow:
On our way back the ominous clouds were beginning to collect over town. The winds began to whip around the car and yank at the kayaks strapped on top. We even passed by a giant semi truck that had been tossed onto its side off of the highway. A storm was definitely brewing! Those in the know were predicting about 12 to 24 inches of snow in town and more than 50 inches up on the mountain.
They were right. Damn it. We got 24 to 29 inches in town and 53 inches up on the mountain. And you know what that means? Shoveling. Stupid, shoveling.
So you tell me again, fella. Am I a liar? I know, lets make a bet. If it snows here in Arizona, then you have to come out here and shovel out my driveway every time it dumps on us. Please?
When I tell people that I live in Arizona and that it snows, I usually get some perplexed looks. In fact, in one instance, I had a fella follow me around a bar and tell everyone I met that I was a liar. He was charming!
On Saturday is was beautiful here, so the boy and I went kayaking in Winslow:
.JPG) |
| It was gorgeous and totally empty, a great way to spend St. Paddy's Day! Just don't forget the sunblock, I got burnt. It's the fair Irish skin! |
On our way back the ominous clouds were beginning to collect over town. The winds began to whip around the car and yank at the kayaks strapped on top. We even passed by a giant semi truck that had been tossed onto its side off of the highway. A storm was definitely brewing! Those in the know were predicting about 12 to 24 inches of snow in town and more than 50 inches up on the mountain.
They were right. Damn it. We got 24 to 29 inches in town and 53 inches up on the mountain. And you know what that means? Shoveling. Stupid, shoveling.
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| Not as much fun as kayaking, but you don't need sunblock. Good news I guess? |
Friday, March 16, 2012
Mistakes are just wonderful little flaws... Right? False.
Mistakes... so many, many mistakes.
In my excitement to rush into the next steps I made a couple mistakes. Ok, more than a couple. But the best part about making someone a gift is that it doesn't stay in your home for you to obsess over.
I printed the stencil the size I wanted it. Which was large since I had no idea what I was doing and I was definitely concerned about making it look like the picture. I then layered the fabric and the stencil and committed my first mistake. Here is a visual of the stencil and fabric sandwich I made:
Mistake numbero uno:
I figured that with enough soaking and patience I would be able to remove the paper from the fabric since I was planning on just sewing over it. Nope! The paper was sewn to the fabric. Because, dur, you sewed the paper to the fabric. I'm not sure what I was expecting but do this like I did. I would suggest the following sandwich if you are looking to replicate this project:
Mistake numero dos:
The purple fabric I had chosen has a very light pattern of flowers on it. I had hoped for this pattern to be visible. Well, that's all well and good but since I had now sewn paper to the stencil I had to flip the stencil and cut out the purple fabric, leaving the light colored fabric as the background color. Well, that's easy enough adjust to, but once again my OCD flared up and I thought about starting over. Happily, my friend would not care one bit since she wouldn't know about the mistake. Oh well, until now that is. Sorry, hun, I made a boo-boo.
Mistake numero tres:
Did you know that sewing machines really just want to sew in straight lines? They do. That's sort of "their thing". So when I wanted to outline a picture with my machine it was not the easiest task. In fact, it was pretty ugly. But, once again, she wouldn't care all that much since if need be I could just scrap it and send her a card. Happily, I didn't have to. But if I could do it again I would purchase a "darning" or "free motion" foot for my machine so I wouldn't have to fight the machine into curves when all it wants to do is make straight lines.
Once the stencil had been totally sewn and I had made all the mistakes I could on these steps I got to cut out the stencil and yank the paper off. I think this was the most rewarding part of the process. I cut pretty close to the edge of the seams, probably about an 1/8 of an inch. Once I finished it up I received the most praise that could be expected from such a debacle-ish beginning. The Boyfriend said "Wow, that turned out way better than I thought it would". Nice, on it's way to being an ok quilt, which is all I was looking for, since it's not staying at my house!
Finished result:
In my excitement to rush into the next steps I made a couple mistakes. Ok, more than a couple. But the best part about making someone a gift is that it doesn't stay in your home for you to obsess over.
I printed the stencil the size I wanted it. Which was large since I had no idea what I was doing and I was definitely concerned about making it look like the picture. I then layered the fabric and the stencil and committed my first mistake. Here is a visual of the stencil and fabric sandwich I made:
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| Yes, my needle is a lightning bolt, because that's how fast I sew! Boom! |
Mistake numbero uno:
I figured that with enough soaking and patience I would be able to remove the paper from the fabric since I was planning on just sewing over it. Nope! The paper was sewn to the fabric. Because, dur, you sewed the paper to the fabric. I'm not sure what I was expecting but do this like I did. I would suggest the following sandwich if you are looking to replicate this project:
Mistake numero dos:
The purple fabric I had chosen has a very light pattern of flowers on it. I had hoped for this pattern to be visible. Well, that's all well and good but since I had now sewn paper to the stencil I had to flip the stencil and cut out the purple fabric, leaving the light colored fabric as the background color. Well, that's easy enough adjust to, but once again my OCD flared up and I thought about starting over. Happily, my friend would not care one bit since she wouldn't know about the mistake. Oh well, until now that is. Sorry, hun, I made a boo-boo.
Mistake numero tres:
Did you know that sewing machines really just want to sew in straight lines? They do. That's sort of "their thing". So when I wanted to outline a picture with my machine it was not the easiest task. In fact, it was pretty ugly. But, once again, she wouldn't care all that much since if need be I could just scrap it and send her a card. Happily, I didn't have to. But if I could do it again I would purchase a "darning" or "free motion" foot for my machine so I wouldn't have to fight the machine into curves when all it wants to do is make straight lines.
Once the stencil had been totally sewn and I had made all the mistakes I could on these steps I got to cut out the stencil and yank the paper off. I think this was the most rewarding part of the process. I cut pretty close to the edge of the seams, probably about an 1/8 of an inch. Once I finished it up I received the most praise that could be expected from such a debacle-ish beginning. The Boyfriend said "Wow, that turned out way better than I thought it would". Nice, on it's way to being an ok quilt, which is all I was looking for, since it's not staying at my house!
Finished result:
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| Dawww, aren't we cute! |
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