So, I've been told that I'm competitive....ok, I'll own up to it in some respects. However, I find it hard to believe that "competitive" is often the first thing that people think of when they hear my name. Now, of course, I'm entered in a "fabric stash busting contest" on one of my favorite websites - Pattern Review.com. Well, the contest started in February, but I was busy working on business-related projects then, so I couldn't really get to clearing out my stash. It ends on the last day of the month, and I'm trying to figure out how much stash I can actually work with and get cleared out. But competitive??? Nah....see, if I was competitive, I would be furiously working to catch up to the leader, who has over 70 yards of finished projects entered in the contest.
I'm actually having fun and not even worrying about trying to win. It's pretty cool to just sew and clear out fabrics that I've had for a long time (years in some cases). Of course, there is always more fabric and more projects....what I need is more time to complete all that I want to do....lol.
Will be working at the local craft fair/show this weekend, so new sewing until Monday because I'll be too wiped out. Then I have to upload all the new items into my Etsy store....so maybe no sewing until the middle of next week....crap... Of course, I could always just say the heck with the contest and just get to work on the summer items that I have for myself and the ones that DD picked out for herself (too cool having my 6yo pick out her patterns AND her fabric!). I also have fabric to make 2 pairs of cargo pants for DS, but I think I'll wait until closer to the end of summer for those - he tends to really shoot up over summer vacation, probably because I decrease his ADHD meds and increase the food available for him (and allowing him to graze all day probably helps as well!).
So....not sure what the point was to all this....just random brain drain, I suppose. I will be trying to finish off the rest of today's wall (MBR, wallpaper), which really should only be 3 more strips of wallpaper, but a lot of cutting around things (lightswitch, smoke detector, door moulding, etc.), so more labor intensive than it really needs to be. Want to start looking for artwork to put up on the walls because it looks SO huge and empty now that it's lighter, but hubby says we should wait until the room is done before looking at artwork. We've already vetoed Surrat, Dali, and Degas. Cassat isn't high on the list either. I'm thinking Monet, but that might be too light for a room that is already done in light colors....maybe VanGogh.....of course, these would all just be prints.....and there's always the other option of "whatever I find at: Target, Ross, Michael's, TJ Maxx"....lol
night all
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Sewing and such
So...the Spring craft show is this weekend. I spent last week sewing like a demon and wound up sick with a serious head cold, and have now given up on any more business sewing. But, since sewing is also one of my ways to kick back and relax, I've resorted to delving into my fabric stash and am making clothing for both my daughter and myself. It's nice to be able to work at my own pace and not have a deadline that I'm racing to reach.
So far, I've made my daughter's Easter dress as well as a test version of it (she's very petite and I didn't want to make a dress only to have her swimming in it), a dress for myself, and 2 skirts for myself. I will finish a smock dress for her tonight, and will move on to a skirt for her and a button-up top for myself....maybe tomorrow, maybe Thursday.
So, I'm pretty sure this only applies to a few people (the sewing part), but the bottom line is that sometime, you have to take a day or so and just do what you love, so that you can get back to being balanced. There are days when it seems like all you do is give, give, give, or take care of everyone but yourself. When you realize that you are having all your days like that, it is time to take the chance to reset so that you can be a better you. Seriously, if you aren't taking care of yourself how can you expect to take care of anything or anyone else??
My family, I know, appreciate all that I do around the house, even though they don't always say thank you - when I stop doing something, they notice. The same can be said when you stop taking care of yourself. My children and husband noticed that I was no longer enjoying my sewing and that I was getting edgy and upset and were wondering what the problem was....that made me sit back and re-evaluate. Sometimes you need to do that....you NEED to do it for yourself AND for your family.
I'm finding that I am actually enjoying sewing clothing again....it's nice when the stress if lifted. I'm also finding that I'm enjoying relearning who I am and what I enjoy. I have learned that I do NOT really like wallpapering a huge bedroom, but will finish it because I started it. I have learned that I actually like cooking from scratch, but don't mind whipping out a batch of cookies from the fridge section of the grocery store. Another thing that I've learned is that I'm my own worst critic and I'm slowly figuring out how to relax towards myself.....lol. So, I no longer stress out if I can't get all the laundry washed/dried/folded in a day, which is pretty cool...lol.
Take time for you and you never know what new things you might discover!
So far, I've made my daughter's Easter dress as well as a test version of it (she's very petite and I didn't want to make a dress only to have her swimming in it), a dress for myself, and 2 skirts for myself. I will finish a smock dress for her tonight, and will move on to a skirt for her and a button-up top for myself....maybe tomorrow, maybe Thursday.
So, I'm pretty sure this only applies to a few people (the sewing part), but the bottom line is that sometime, you have to take a day or so and just do what you love, so that you can get back to being balanced. There are days when it seems like all you do is give, give, give, or take care of everyone but yourself. When you realize that you are having all your days like that, it is time to take the chance to reset so that you can be a better you. Seriously, if you aren't taking care of yourself how can you expect to take care of anything or anyone else??
My family, I know, appreciate all that I do around the house, even though they don't always say thank you - when I stop doing something, they notice. The same can be said when you stop taking care of yourself. My children and husband noticed that I was no longer enjoying my sewing and that I was getting edgy and upset and were wondering what the problem was....that made me sit back and re-evaluate. Sometimes you need to do that....you NEED to do it for yourself AND for your family.
I'm finding that I am actually enjoying sewing clothing again....it's nice when the stress if lifted. I'm also finding that I'm enjoying relearning who I am and what I enjoy. I have learned that I do NOT really like wallpapering a huge bedroom, but will finish it because I started it. I have learned that I actually like cooking from scratch, but don't mind whipping out a batch of cookies from the fridge section of the grocery store. Another thing that I've learned is that I'm my own worst critic and I'm slowly figuring out how to relax towards myself.....lol. So, I no longer stress out if I can't get all the laundry washed/dried/folded in a day, which is pretty cool...lol.
Take time for you and you never know what new things you might discover!
Sunday, March 14, 2010
wondering......
...if anybody is even bothering to read what I write since there are seldom any comments. It's a little disturbing, but then again, I can always take the view that writing here is cathartic and not really care if anybody reads or not.
Regardless, I have sent off a box of samples to be reviewed by a video blogger who reviews Etsy shops. Now, I sent the box on the 2nd and she still hasn't received it, but then again, she lives in Canada...still, it said 5-10 days...argh. I'll call tomorrow since the only info on the USPS website is that it was accepted on the 2nd..whatever. Also getting ready for the Spring Craft Show at Expoland (Fishersville, VA) on the 20th and 21st. I think I've done all the sewing for that....at least all that I can fit in without making myself totally sick and stressed. I'm hoping that this will be a great show - the fall one was MUCH better than I expected. I have some new items and more of the items that sold out in the fall, so I think it will all work out. Right now I'm debating whether I should price everything separately, or just have my price lists out like I've had at the last couple of shows....will ponder this for a little while (I have small price tags, so that's not the problem....going through EVERYTHING and tagging it might take a while, though).
Dinner was not a home run tonight. Hubby had asked if, should the price be acceptable, I could get swordfish and cook it for dinner. Ok, found some at a decent price and that's what we had tonight, along with Alfredo pasta and peas. Well, first off, DD protested loudly that she did NOT like peas, followed by her stating that the fish smelled funny. No, it wasn't bad, but she's used to tilapia, salmon, or catfish, so yeah, I could see where she was coming from. We have a house rule of "2 bites, then get PB&J" so we reminded both children of that. DD ended up with her sandwich. Having never had swordfish before, I was not sure of what ot expect, but hubby said that with a little lemon juice it is fantastic...therefore, lemon juice was put on before I even tasted it. Ok, so it wasn't too bad...definitely different from the flounder and other fish I grew up eating. However, hubby made the comment that he didn't think it was frozen while at it's freshest, so he wasn't too impressed - not at my cooking, but at the fish in general. Hey, we tried it, but we are now thinking that if we want good seafood, we should wait until we are actually closer to the sea (living in the Shenandoah valley has it's perks, but fresh seafood is NOT one of them!).
So, the discussion about dinner went into a discussion about when I was younger and how I used to go fishing with my Nanny or crabbing off one of the local docks. That then led to a discussion about family vacation and possibly introducing the children to fishing and crabbing the way *I* used to do it....well, not on the Rt 50 bridge because it would be too distracting for a 6yo and a 9yo (one of which deals with ADHD)....but maybe near my mother's house. SO I've called her and she is going to check to see when the rides open up in Ocean City and when the park that she works for opens back up (Easter weekend, I think), she's going to check the fishing/crabbing schedule and we will go from there. Now, we could go up for our DSs birthday or we could wait and go up for hubby's birthday...so we are still trying to figure out the logistics. More than likely, this will be our only family vacation that is more than one night away from home, given the finances and job situation - nothing bad, just things are up in the air right now - so we want to really give it some thought.
And that's pretty much my thought process for tonight....time to head off, get the kids' their snacks and get them to their rooms, then I'm going to play with fabric....for me and the children, not for my business.....
Regardless, I have sent off a box of samples to be reviewed by a video blogger who reviews Etsy shops. Now, I sent the box on the 2nd and she still hasn't received it, but then again, she lives in Canada...still, it said 5-10 days...argh. I'll call tomorrow since the only info on the USPS website is that it was accepted on the 2nd..whatever. Also getting ready for the Spring Craft Show at Expoland (Fishersville, VA) on the 20th and 21st. I think I've done all the sewing for that....at least all that I can fit in without making myself totally sick and stressed. I'm hoping that this will be a great show - the fall one was MUCH better than I expected. I have some new items and more of the items that sold out in the fall, so I think it will all work out. Right now I'm debating whether I should price everything separately, or just have my price lists out like I've had at the last couple of shows....will ponder this for a little while (I have small price tags, so that's not the problem....going through EVERYTHING and tagging it might take a while, though).
Dinner was not a home run tonight. Hubby had asked if, should the price be acceptable, I could get swordfish and cook it for dinner. Ok, found some at a decent price and that's what we had tonight, along with Alfredo pasta and peas. Well, first off, DD protested loudly that she did NOT like peas, followed by her stating that the fish smelled funny. No, it wasn't bad, but she's used to tilapia, salmon, or catfish, so yeah, I could see where she was coming from. We have a house rule of "2 bites, then get PB&J" so we reminded both children of that. DD ended up with her sandwich. Having never had swordfish before, I was not sure of what ot expect, but hubby said that with a little lemon juice it is fantastic...therefore, lemon juice was put on before I even tasted it. Ok, so it wasn't too bad...definitely different from the flounder and other fish I grew up eating. However, hubby made the comment that he didn't think it was frozen while at it's freshest, so he wasn't too impressed - not at my cooking, but at the fish in general. Hey, we tried it, but we are now thinking that if we want good seafood, we should wait until we are actually closer to the sea (living in the Shenandoah valley has it's perks, but fresh seafood is NOT one of them!).
So, the discussion about dinner went into a discussion about when I was younger and how I used to go fishing with my Nanny or crabbing off one of the local docks. That then led to a discussion about family vacation and possibly introducing the children to fishing and crabbing the way *I* used to do it....well, not on the Rt 50 bridge because it would be too distracting for a 6yo and a 9yo (one of which deals with ADHD)....but maybe near my mother's house. SO I've called her and she is going to check to see when the rides open up in Ocean City and when the park that she works for opens back up (Easter weekend, I think), she's going to check the fishing/crabbing schedule and we will go from there. Now, we could go up for our DSs birthday or we could wait and go up for hubby's birthday...so we are still trying to figure out the logistics. More than likely, this will be our only family vacation that is more than one night away from home, given the finances and job situation - nothing bad, just things are up in the air right now - so we want to really give it some thought.
And that's pretty much my thought process for tonight....time to head off, get the kids' their snacks and get them to their rooms, then I'm going to play with fabric....for me and the children, not for my business.....
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