Final Days of April

This month went by so fast! I didn't even realize that it was over until I spent some time this morning to read blogs. Well, I shouldn't say "some time". I get so hooked on what everyone is doing these days and what other project ideas there are, it really goes on forever. And after I am finished with my favorites, I start checking out the links to the things they are reading as well. So, yes, eh-hemmm, I spend a reasonable amount of time, skimming through blogs :) They make me happy.

This month hasn't been a complete waste, yet, I need to take a moment to stop myself and really think: Did I finish all I could? Did I do everything I wanted? The answer to both of those questions is a quick, serious NO!

So, with hopes that this rainy, stormy, electricity lacking, sometimes cold and other times not so cold, sinus infected Spring time is coming to a permanent end... I am making a pledge to start something new for May that will continue until about October. You will have to wait to see what this "secret mission" is. I call it a "mission" because it's bigger than a project. If a project were the result of an Idea Baby that was birthed and nutured into something practical, yet beautiful and tangible... then the "mission" could only be compared to a very fertile mother, who sits back enjoying the beautiful, colorful fruits of her labor.

I have been going back and forth with whether going through with the "secret mission" is something I could actually see myself starting, but more importantly FINISHING. I think the answer to that, after much thought, journaling, and prayer is finally a YES!

I just couldn't let the entire month pass without making at least one more little post. The next time you hear from me it will be May -- Derby time in my city! I will have started my Mission, and I will have forced myself to do something I seriously don't enjoy: Decorating. My new office is horrendous! Almost frightening, really. I love color, but I don't naturally have the decorator's knack. I won't be able to continue enjoying this office space if I don't cheer it up with something.... even if that "something" is me sneaking in here in the middle of the night with paint filled balloons and tossing them at the walls! Ok, well, that deifnitely won't happen. I just got this job, and I don't need to be fired due my lack of impulse control and my unconventional methods of office decor. But this little space of mine will transform! Mark my words!

***** Unitl Next Time!!! *****

Idea Overload!

Whew! I cannot believe it is already FIFTEEN days into April and I am just now making a post! Goodness gracious! I think that time gets away from me easier than I could ever imagine... Right now, it's noon-ish, and I have attempted "relaxing" all day. Which hasn't worked at all. So now, I am enjoying my "breakfast of champions" = some bread, some cheese, and some carbonated & caffienated beverage. I had a bowl of Crunch Berries for "first breakfast" earlier. I can assure you that I have been quite busy, working on random little projects. This is the first time in my life that I have been completely focused on creating things for My Own Home. I usually am inspired by others. I am always excited to take on the task of creating something that is a form of expression through the viewpoint of another. Working third shift, I am often asleep in the day, and I don't spend much time in my apartment. I have errands to run, driving my Little Darling to school, activities, and whatnot. Well, a few weeks ago, I started to seriously interview and apply for a new job. As much as I love staying up all night, watching movies and working on my projects in the quiet of the night, doing the overnight shift thing is soooooo not working for the Family Life. With that said, I started to stay awake preparing for interviews and sending out more resumes for job opportunities. So here I am, on my laptop, working and working... and suddenly I stop and take a small look. I am ashamed and frightened all at the same time! My apartment is a DISASTER! I don't only mean in regards to disorganization, but I really mean it lacks personality, intrigue, style, design...and COLOR! If my Little Darling hadn't taken markers, crayons, and pencils to nearly all the walls and closets, you wouldn't hardly believe that we have been in this place for TWO years! We have several new furniture pieces and we even finally gave in and found some picture frames, but there is no sign of real "Life" inside! And that is where my little journey begins... Just for a moment here, I would like to A- point out that I made all this happen in about a week's time. Ohh! Go Me! Focused :) And B- This is my dining area, with the table removed. Nothing. Is. There.

Please continue...

First, my Little Darling has gone through great lengths to sabotage her bedroom. Her walls were completely destroyed, and so I painted them, but she fixed that with Sharpies, chalk, and crayons. At one point, her closet was in all right condition. It too, now, is covered in markings and something that I can only possibly make out to be food. She had a toy box, but it broke...most likely from her jumping on, in, and off of it. Now her room is in desperate need of a mother's touch! A "Maternal Intervention".

I am excited to RE-PAINT her room and DECORATE everything anew, and MAKE her some cute little items that will DEFINE her space! I am thinking a rainbow of colors. My Little Darling changes her mind about which color is her preferred favorite on a regular basis. Meaning, everyday, she has a new favorite color and is very passionate about her commitment to that hue. Yes, she is soooooo My Kid, commitment issues and all- hahaha! :) As of right now, I am working on 4 blankets for her. One SUPER large rainbow blanket, which is nearly finished. I am also nearly finished with the Tacky Blanket. Oh! This is such a FUN project! I, for once, didn't care whatsoever about the colors and the layout or the design. I think that is what's kept me so interested in the project and how I am able to finish it so easily! But I'm sad it's almost over... I chose to connect the squares using pink... I will admit that I wish I had a collection of brighter colors. I am so boring! If it looks like MUD, I'm on board. With the exception of pink. I Love Pink. But it doesn't help much when it's surrounded by safari greens, browns, greys, blacks, and off whites. I am working on this, however. The Rainbow Blanket is just me getting warmed up!

The last two blankets are more of sewing projects.... Yes, sewing. But we will get to that later. One is to be a quilt and the other is a simple fleece blanket with some birdie applique. I love birds! Anything that reminds me of spring-- birds, flowers, trees, insects, fish, and rainbows.

EUREKA! And there it is: Spring Paradise, as the theme for my Little Darling's bedroom! *Sigh* I can't wait to start working on things to really get the project going today.

My dining room is coming along, slowly, but ever so surely. My table cloth is nearly large enough to cover the entire table. Can you believe I crocheted another FOUR balls of yarn into this? This whole thing, as it stands is EIGHT balls of cotton yarn. It's kind of exciting to see how much yarn is going into this little table cover...

While I am on break in between jobs, I am going to PAINT! I haven't painted a single thing in 3 years. I hope it turns out well..... I also hope my paints haven't dried up! I have had some of the tubes of paint for about 5-6 years now *** Embarrassed! Either way, I paint very quickly and diligently. This will be the first time I use my easel! The Hubs will be very happy that, after 4 years, I will have finally gotten it a little messy. ...

I found these pictures of eggplants and pears on this organic recipe webpage and this gourmet recipe page. I thought I would buy them fresh and make a shadow box, etc. I don't have money to waste. I wouldn't eat 3-4 eggplants alone. The Hubs was overwhelmed on a trip to Germany when my Opa had him eating eggplant-everything. Even the sauce on home made pizza was "eggplanted". Since then, he won't touch the things. My Little Darling, as of now, "only eats stwah-berries and pasta, Mom". And pears? ...they are just nasty and smell weird! So I will find a way to fuse these images together and work out the shadow details and whatnot...and YES! Finally, my dining room will look like something other than an off white box with a table in it. *Deep Breath. I can't even wait!

I have a slew of other ideas, but I will stop here for now. Get ready for some serious Ta-dah-ing over the next two weeks. I am quite focused equally on all of these projects, and I am surprising myself at my accomplishments. Although, when working on 10 things at once, everything moves sluggishly slow towards completion. But I have to admit, I enjoy every inch along the way. So sorry for this suuuuper long post. I reckon if I posted more often, I wouldn't find myself with so much to say! Have a great weekend!