Starting Fresh

I feel like I  need to have a place to workout some thoughts that's semi-private (i.e. not tumblr where the kids are).
Lately I've been feeling sort of stressed, somethings that are obvious stress-inducers, something are just me worrying about crap that doesn't need to be worried about.  I feel like I need to get some things cleaned up, re-organized, finished up etc.  I have tons of projects I want to do, but can't focus to pick one.  I'm trying to choose at least one unfinished craft item to get finished and either displayed and used, gifted, donated or gotten rid of. I have all these fabrics I love and have horded - and it's dawning on me, I can't enjoy them hiding in a box because I'm afraid to use them.  I also have fabrics I bought when I first started sewing and quilting that I'm not totally in love with anymore, so I'm trying to use them for charity quilts.

I'm trying to do the same thing with the stacks of books I have lying around in my 'to-read' pile.  I need to read them so they can be re-shelved, sent back to my friend, or if I don't love them, traded or donated.

One thing that helped with the push was I got a living social voucher for a tshirt blanket.  I decided to take my twin's shirts that I've had for like 2 or 3 years and get them made.  I had cut all the shirts but hadn't sewn them yet because the idea of interfacing them all was sort of daunting.  That and my sister is picky, so I didn't want to mess them up. (Lets not talk about the fact that they were just sitting in her closet for the last decade or so...)  It used up most of them and gives her a useful item and saved me a headache.  Its a blanket, so I'ts backed with fleece and doesn't have batting.  They had another one this week, so that was my early birthday to myself - do all my band tshirts from high school/college.  Years ago I had started it, so theres a few shirts that I"ll have to pitch because they don't fit the guidelines the site has for cutting the shirts.  At least I will end up with something I can use and enjoy and empty out 2 plastic bins in our garage.

My face is broken out like WHOA!.  Not only does it hurt, it makes me feel crappy.  It really sucks because I was seeing quite a bit of improvement, then it seemed like a small hormonal breakout that hasn't stopped.  I thought maybe being in a different climate for vacation added to it, but it's now almost a month.  I'm thin king I might try to get a facial for my birthday and see if that helps.

We are going to re-do my bathroom, so I'm looking forward to that.

I'm feeling sort of...out of sorts about turning 31.  I'm struggling with feelings about not having a baby.  When sorting through Husbot's family photos they were all cooing over baby pictures and E was like, "what would you want grandkids to call you?"  It felt like an anxiety attack.  The idea of being a grandmother of sorts and having never had a child of my own makes me feel sad.

There’s probably a million and one things I could update on, but I’m going to talk about what is most on my mind…. Vacation in T-Minus 2 weeks!! I am so ready for this. I don’t get very many vacation days, so I am so ready for this. We’re going, for the third time to SDCC. We’re headed that way on wed, then have tickets for Thurs, Friday and Sunday with Saturday open for the beach. I’m also hoping there will be a cool Nerd HQ panel. I’d be ok with skipping an ‘official’ panel on Sunday to see some of the same people in a smaller venue. We’ll see how everything goes.


Trying to get some projects done. I did a quilt for one of G’s friends for her birthday. There are some lumps and bumps in the backing and I would have preferred to hand sew the front of the binding, but there was a deadline. I decorated a wipes case for my sister (for traveling) and want to do one for me, and G seemed sort of interested in one too. I want to finish G’s Monster High inspired quilt. I have the top and the backing ready, however, I had some issues trying to quilt it and had to seam rip. I need to work on cleaning my craft space with my new shelves as my sister in law is coming in this weekend and wants to do some crafting while she’s here. I have more quilts in my head than I will ever have time to do :P

Last night I showed G the first two episodes of Once Upon A Time, she seemed to like them, so maybe it will be something we can do together, and I only saw like the first 7 or so. I probably watch way too much tv, but it’s a nice way to relax after work.

We’re in a holding pattern for E for transferring schools, mostly due to her own waiting til the last minute,so we’ll see.

I had made some goals for April, take pictures once a day, blog/journal more, workout 3 times a week, and clean out stuff. I fell apart on the journaling, did so/so on working out, but have done pretty well on cleaning things out. We took all of my craft stuff out of the garage (minus my fabric tubs) and hubby built shelves for me – pink ones at that: D So I’m slowly putting stuff back away and trying to clean through it as I do so. I cleaned out most of the cupboards in the kitchen – got new glasses and some new cereal bowls. I also cleaned out most of my old paperwork and tried to get all my photos into one central location. I got a groupon deal for half of photo scanning, so I’m sending off some photos to have that done and will probably work on scanning the rest of them myself slowly. I think I’m going to fill a digital frame for my dad for his birthday – it sounded like a good idea. I may make some of those school year frames of me and my sister for father’s day if I can find all of them. Granted, I hate almost all of them of myself… but thought my dad might like to throw them up in the hallway or something. I have one of G that is current (though some look washed out as I had to scan and print them because they weren’t the right size for the frame.) and I’m trying to find all of E’s to make one of her… but I don’t know where all of hers are. Hubby says his ex took a ton of photos when they divorced, so she might have them. I’ll find as many as I can, and I guess if E wants to track down the rest at her mom’s and send them to me, that will work. E is wrapping up her first year at college this week and will come here in June to work summer arts camp. She’s trying to arrange an internship for July at her mom’s, but not much progress has been made on that front. G is finishing up 6th and we’ll get her in June till August. Due to baby mama drama, we may end up with G for 7th grade and possibly the foreseeable future. I’d be happy to have her back, I just want to know what we’re doing, I hate waiting on her mother to sort stuff out. I’m definitely ready for a break. We have our comic con trip in July. I just wish I had more vacation time. I haven’t finished any crafty stuff during April, but I have lots in progress. March was mainly my Nerdist quilt that I gave to Chris Hardwick at the Nerdist Podcast we went to in Atlanta. It’s so sad that only one picture worked, I would have loved to have one with him… but maybe he’ll be at Wootstock and I can get one with him there 

It feels like the last 2 weeks have been a wirlwind. Started playing Portal 2 with the hubby (that's what I got him for Valentine's Day), it's great, I love how snarky Glados is. THough it does make me feel dumb sometimes because I cannot for the life of me figure out how you would solve it...then hubby fiddles for a while and gets it.
We've been slammed at work. I like my job, and I'm glad it's not one where I have to take my work home, but it's tiring and with the commute - I'm fried some evenings. Friday after work we headed out towards Houston. Saturday we picked up G from her mom's and headed towards the Dallas/Ft Worth area to go see E for her birthday. It rained ALL day. We got there around 2:30 and did presents with the kids (We let G have hers early as we won't be able to go see her for her birthday next month). We then went (along with E's roomate)to go eat at Texas De Brazil. Hubby, G and I had gone at thanksgiving to the one locally, but E had never been to one. I think they all enjoyed it. We stopped at the mall on the way back. Sunday we went to half price books (Love them! Wish we had them here) the Kimball art museum and the Modern art museum. Then In & Out buger - So good! I can't explain it, it's probably because it reminds me of California, but I love In and Out. They are really tasty bugers too, especially for being fast food. We then went to another mall :P Monday morning we headed back towards the Houston area to take G to her mom's. I hit a really nice Joann's in Arlington and spent way too much money on fabric... but got some good president's day deals and star wars fabric! We stopped at the Galleria so G could go to the lego store. After we dropped G off, we headed to Ikea. The only thing we *needed* were shower curtains, but I ended up with a bagful. We drove the rest of the way home Tuesday. I'm ok with missing Mardi Gras this year. Tuesday evening we cleaned up around the house, did laundry. I attempted to help E with studying for stats over Skype. Dunno if I helped her any, but I hope so.

I've been so tired that I don't want to do a whole lot this weekend except sleep and do some crafting. Some friends had talked about maybe coming over saturday, but I haven't heard from them, so if they don't thats ok. We're pretty busy these next few weekends.

Good things about today
It's friday! (its sad that this is so exciting considering it was a 3 day work week)

Completion

I finally got the boarders put on my carpenter star - so I can get it in the mail to my SIL. Www.amyscreativeside.com was a good motivator for this. I think I even know what i want to accomplish this next week

Today was nice- slept in some, got Lunch, ran errands and got donuts :). I picked up breaking dawn and watched that. I also got the second season of Downton Abbey - which is exciting since it's not done airing on PBS. Now if they would just hurry up with season 2 of Sherlock !

Good things about today
-king cake donut
-cutting fabric with my accuquilt

Friday yay!

So glad that it's Friday - this week has felt long and I haven't slept well. Tomorrow I just want to sleep in, finish my quilt top and work on the nerdist one and perhaps pick up breaking dawn.

Good thing about today february 10,2012
- hot cocoa with mini marshmallow