It’s Like Living On the Hellmouth

Only without any vampires, bumbling British librarians, or Slayer and wisecracking sidekicks.  In short: lame.  I’m referring to the fact the the entire town has lost power…AGAIN. *big sigh* Yes, this is a fairly common occurrence.

In other news, the new job is going swimmingly.  I adore working there.  How could I not, when at any point in time there could be a dog running through the clubhouse that I get to pet? See also:

PUPPIES!

Anyway, I’m happy.  I have oceans of free time now, so much that I haven’t even been productive, I’ve just been soaking up the contented vibes.  I come home, hang out with Steve and the pets, and do a lot of glorious nothing.

I feel my mojo coming back, though. There’s freshly made cookie dough in the fridge waiting to be baked tomorrow, I’ve dusted off my cameras, and I’ve got lists started.  Have I mentioned I love this time of year?

Best. Rummage. Sale. EVAR!!!

So, the hospital auxiliary in a town near us has a huge annual rummage sale. Like takes up the fairgrounds (which aren’t ginormous but aren’t tiny either) huge. I go every year, but it varies a lot in quality. I usually kind find a couple cute owls and maybe some cool kitchen stuff, and once I found some blue mason jars, which are pretty rare. I’ve always envied other people’s cool finds, but today? Today was my day. Behold:

Vintage fondue pot: $1.00

Coffee thermos with flower pattern that matches my favorite thermos: $2.00

Copper bunny mold: .25 cents.

Super sturdy food mill: .25 cents.

Original 1983 Care Bears game: $2.00

Bear picture frame (bears are a thing between my husband and I): .50 cents.

New owls for my collection: $2.00

Cool tin box: .50 cents.

And the grand finale:

Two working Polaroid cameras: $5.00!

Best thrifting haul ever: priceless!

Thank You Universe!!

I got the job!!!!

Oh! And…

I’m also working on a cupcake scarf from Twinkie Chan’s book.

Is This What Being Happy Is?

I think it is.  It’s a huge change, going from a job where there were no boundaries between work and personal to actually having free time.  What I have been doing:

I can cook anything, but never got the hang of baking bread. Also, I've been meaning to learn HTML for oh, the last 10 years or so

 

Also crossing off my list of things to learn:

Because it's about the only thing I can't do with needles/hooks and yarn/thread.

I freakin love Debbie Stoller’s Stitch and Bitch books, by the way.  And knitting is not as hard as I thought it would be.  My goals:  A Gryffindor scarf.  And a hat, so I can put a giant pompom on it.  I think they look better on knitted ones.

Spending time with Steve has also been amazing.  Like actually going out on a Friday night!

There's a place in my town that makes AMAZEBALLS bacon cheesburgers. Heaven!

 

After spending 3 months with Steve home pretty much 24/7, Duke is not too inclined to listen to me like he used to.  My pack position has slid down.  Good thing he’s so adorable!

Duke so badly wants to be a lap dog

This is as close as he gets.

Aaah, life is good.

More Lists

I need an app for...

I'm not very good at...

My favorite color combinations...

Letter To My Future Self

Dear Nikki,

Number one, I really really hope you’re working at the job I really want right now.  If you’re not, then I hope you’re working someplace equally awesome.  Don’t settle for a shitty job because you’re terrified of being broke.  I know it sucked to have your career path/5 year plan go tits up on you, but I hope you learned from it.

I hope you learned that the Universe will manifest what you ask for, even if you don’t specifically ask.  All those thoughts you had about how the commute was kinda starting to suck, and you were kinda bored, and the way customers were getting under your skin?  What you didn’t want to admit was that it was time to move on, so you kept talking yourself out of it. Listen to your instincts.

I hope you learned that you should work around your priorities. Why is it a priority if it’s not put first?  You define what’s important, not anyone else.  If you allow others to impose their priorities on you than you’re telling everyone, including yourself, that you don’t matter.

I hope you learned that you do matter.  That you deserve better.  That no matter what the situation, you always have a choice.  And you should always make the choice that is best for you.

I hope you learned that fear is limiting and serves no purpose.  Ask yourself what is the worst that can happen?  What’s your Plan Z?  Confront your fears and find courage on the other side.  You are stronger than you think.

I hope you learned not to underestimate yourself. Stop selling yourself short.  You have to value yourself before anyone else will.

I hope you learned to take better care of yourself.  Eat healthy.  Be active.  Don’t let anything stress you to the point that you stop doing those things, especially not for years.  It’s going to take a while to undo this damage.  Don’t let it happen again.

Remember this:

You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

(From The Desiderata of Happiness by Max Ehrmann)

30 Days of Lists Catch Up

I started my lists.  It’s really fun!  Because I am a nerd, of course.  I was stuck for the longest on what kind of book, because I wanted to make one, but I also don’t want to touch my scrapbook supplies because I have a big project planned.  I ended up using this book:

It’s been floating around the house forever, because I keep thinking I’m going to use it for a gratitude journal, or art journal, but I use my Filofax for everything.  So I’m happy to have found its purpose.  At first the small size seemed limiting, as you can see from my first couple pages:

Um...I'll write in different colors?

I know! I'll put a bird on it!

 

But then the small size seemed freeing-not a ton of space to fill, not a lot of stuff needed to make a big impact.  So I experimented:

Stamping and journal tags

 

I’m going to try to see it as a challenge:  be as creative as possible in limited space, using only what I have for supplies already.  It’ll be a good way to warm up for my big project.  I’m happy I decided to do this!

Balls

So, remember how I was all “I just have to make it through this month at work”? Well, I didn’t.  Background story:

Actually, screw the background story.   The reasons are legion, but suffice it to say that things became intolerable there.  I had been looking for another job for a while, and had a couple good interviews, so when things reached critical mass last weekend, I quit.  And now I’m holding out for a job that I really want, but I hate waiting.  I feel both proud-I put up with a LOT of shit at my old job-for finally standing up for myself and terrified-being unemployed after over a decade sucks.

Pity my husband, is what I’m saying.  He’s had to deal with a lot of mood swings.  Last night he brought me home Cheetos (my comfort food, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve cried into a bowl of Cheetos in my life) and caramel swirl brownies with chocolate frosting.  The man was not fucking around.  And I did feel better.  I’ve been trying to finish old projects that are laying around, like this:

I crocheted this from a Twinkie Chan pattern in Toffee magazine

And this:

From Creepy Cute Crochet by Christen Haden

I also started on a cupcake scarf from Twinkie Chan’s book.  But today I’m going to work on my 30 Days of Lists stuff-I’m stuck on what kind of book to make, because I seem to be in a rut on scrapbooking.  So I’m determined to break out of the rut.  Maybe I’ll get really crazy and re-organize my crafty space, see what I have for supplies (a ton, I buy supplies for a project, get busy and put it off or leave it half assed-the body of that ninja has been hanging around since last Christmas waiting for the embellishments to be put on) and either finish the projects or figure out new uses.  I need a kick start to get off my ass and get all the things that have been on my to-do list finally crossed off instead of surfing the internet on the couch. Maybe change my mindset a little.

 

 

Day 30

Finally got around to making this cute fox coffee cozy. It’s a Twinkie Chan pattern from an issue of Toffee magazine.