Most people who know me well know that I have a really hard time getting out of bed in the morning. I always have big plans to get up early and get things accomplished, but sleeping always seems so much more tempting in the morning than dragging my ass out into the cold house.
But my friends, here I sit at 9am on a Saturday. I was up at 8:30. I honestly can't remember the last time I was up this early at my own will (I say down with alarm clocks!). Was it all just winter hibernation I was experiencing? Did that warm breeze blowing through our windows (that we left OPEN all night) wake me of a long slumber? It is finally spring here, and I'm loving every second of it. It was in the high 70s yesterday, and today appears to have the same forecast. Last night it got down to about 58. Spring has sprung in Connecticut!
Some things I plan to do to do in the next month to celebrate spring are dig out my summer clothes and put away my winter ones, dig out my bike..... oh yes, my bike. my lovely lovely bike, oh how i love thee. I've been seeing all these motorcycles out and about and although my bike has two pedals instead of an engine, it makes me jones for the wind in my hair as I pedal around in the warm sun. And skirts! Yes skirts, in fact, I may bust one out today to wear. with sandals!!!
Also I've been jonesing to go back into the city for the day. I'll hold off on another night trip into the city for awhile..... even though we take the commuter train in, if we catch the last train out I'm not home until 5:30 am.... That makes for a rough day after ha! I never thought I would ever say this, but I've come to love New York city. Discovering the real city, the city beyond times square commercialism, has put a longing into me. I have so many thoughts about it racing through my head, but I'll save that for another post. Right now I have big plans of making the most out of my day :)
Still no camera cord, but Dennis will be back from vacation tonight and hopefully I will get paid for the week on Monday or Tuesday..... perfect timing to pick up the last minute supplies for Merlefest, 4 days till take off!
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
oh no that's not ropey
So without me noticing, Dukey was at it again, causing trouble. Only this time he really didn't mean to. I was on the computer this morning downloading tax forms for our last minute federal taxes when an error message came up saying one of my USB hubs was malfunctioning. oh no! look down, pull out my two cords in the USB, fix the problem, go to plug them back in..... oops. Dukey was being oh so good laying at my feet chomping away on Ropey, his rubber rope toy.... but it turns out my camera cord got tangled around ropey and got chomped on too, right through the wires. damn. that really sucks.
It sucks so much because we just put every penny we own towards our federal taxes today. in 2007 both Pat and I were independent contractors. This was my first year without having taxes taken out of my pay, so I learned alot today. Like put away a chunk every week for taxes at the end of the year! Ouch. I wonder if we had done estimated taxes every quarter if it would have felt like we got screwed so badly. I've always gotten all of my taxes back, I guess b/c I was in college and claimed the higher education credits. 2006 I made squat for money so I got it all back for being low income. This year, we paid out big time. Just when I thought we were getting somewhere financially, just another blow to take. So we made the decision last night to rent here for another year, keeping on track with our savings and paying down our debt like we've been doing so well at in the past couple months. It makes the most sense in every regard. I'm settled with the decision, not so heartbroken any more.
So I probably won't be sharing any pictures in the next week or so, atleast not until Dennis gets back from vacation and I get paid for this week. I'm running an environmental company this week.... put that one on the list :) It's not going too bad, very busy. Very busy the week before Merlefest, when I wish I could be sewing. It figures..... but it's really not so bad, I think it's keeping me from getting burnt out on sewing. I'm working on some hemp items now. I'm planning on putting all the pics in a gallery when I get back from Merlefest. This is the first year I've photographed most of the things I'll be bringing. It always ends up I put it off till last minute and then run out of time. I've regretted that on a few items, ones that I really loved and wish I had pictures to look back on.
Anyways, I want to get an hour of sewing in before Sex and the City. I have to get up REALLY early tomorrow, and have to work a REALLY long day. But I haven't watched my show in over a week now, and caught an episode last night. I'd been jonesing for it, ha! So I need to stay up WAY too late and watch it again tonight. Will draggin ass all day tomorrow be worth staying up too late? eh....
It sucks so much because we just put every penny we own towards our federal taxes today. in 2007 both Pat and I were independent contractors. This was my first year without having taxes taken out of my pay, so I learned alot today. Like put away a chunk every week for taxes at the end of the year! Ouch. I wonder if we had done estimated taxes every quarter if it would have felt like we got screwed so badly. I've always gotten all of my taxes back, I guess b/c I was in college and claimed the higher education credits. 2006 I made squat for money so I got it all back for being low income. This year, we paid out big time. Just when I thought we were getting somewhere financially, just another blow to take. So we made the decision last night to rent here for another year, keeping on track with our savings and paying down our debt like we've been doing so well at in the past couple months. It makes the most sense in every regard. I'm settled with the decision, not so heartbroken any more.
So I probably won't be sharing any pictures in the next week or so, atleast not until Dennis gets back from vacation and I get paid for this week. I'm running an environmental company this week.... put that one on the list :) It's not going too bad, very busy. Very busy the week before Merlefest, when I wish I could be sewing. It figures..... but it's really not so bad, I think it's keeping me from getting burnt out on sewing. I'm working on some hemp items now. I'm planning on putting all the pics in a gallery when I get back from Merlefest. This is the first year I've photographed most of the things I'll be bringing. It always ends up I put it off till last minute and then run out of time. I've regretted that on a few items, ones that I really loved and wish I had pictures to look back on.
Anyways, I want to get an hour of sewing in before Sex and the City. I have to get up REALLY early tomorrow, and have to work a REALLY long day. But I haven't watched my show in over a week now, and caught an episode last night. I'd been jonesing for it, ha! So I need to stay up WAY too late and watch it again tonight. Will draggin ass all day tomorrow be worth staying up too late? eh....
Thursday, April 10, 2008
inspiration, move me brightly
I've got the sewing bug. I remember the first time I caught the sewing bug, years ago. It never went away, just sometimes it goes into remission for periods of time, sometimes days, sometimes months. I haven't felt this inspired to sew in so long. Well no, I shouldn't say inspired because I have had some great inspiration in spurts. I haven't felt the urge to sew sew sew like this in so long. Especially with a festival in 2 weeks. Usually I'm burnt out and dreading stepping foot near the sewing machine by now. I even passed my goal of 8 dresses. I've done excellent on this weeks goal of 2 items a day- Monday, check, Tuesday, check, Wednesday, 3/4 of a check- today I only managed to get one adult item and one child's item done, but I had to draft the pattern for the child's dress so I let it slide. Here's to putting a check by Thursday and Friday.
It's almost as if I suddenly have a new outlook on sewing for a profit. Suddenly the self motivation is there. I've been sewing for a profit for over 4 years now, but always lacked self motivation to completely support myself off of it. Hmmm I'm curious to see how long this self motivation will last :)
So I pulled out my old Counting Crows cd end of last week and have been listening to it since. I have this habit (probably a very annoying one to anyone within listening) of putting in a cd while sewing and playing it non stop on repeat, over and over and over. For example, I listened to the same counting crows cd 6 times today. And probably about 24 times in the past 5 days. I mainly do this because I use the cds to keep track of how much time I spend sewing. If I change the cd then I have to keep track of how many minutes are on each cd that I listened to. But this way I know exactly how many minutes, and how many times I listened to it. Crazy probably. haha! It doesn't drive me nuts when I'm sewing because it becomes background music that I can sing to even when I can't hear it over the whirring of my machines. In fact, I listened to The Band's Rock of Ages cd for about 2 years straight, that was the ONLY cd I listened to while sewing. That's alot of The Band. It's funny because any other time it would drive me crazy if I had to listen to the same cd more than 2 times in a row. And even funnier that I love so much music, and have so much music, yet in the sewing room, only one cd will play. I think tomorrow I'll finally switch to a new cd.
Well the reason I brought this up is b/c I pulled out the Counting Crows on a complete whim. I spotted it all dusty in my cd rack, haven't listened to it in years. Didn't even know if they existed still. Well tonight I went onto ebay to take care of a few things, and wouldn't you know, on the front page, a huge auction with the Counting Crows. Some sort of VIP hang out with the band auction for charity. It was in the thousands. They also were auctioning off the lead singer Adam's journal with all their songs handwritten in it. Know how much that was up to? Almost $7,000, yes that's seven thousand. So I guess that answered my ponderings on whether they were around or not. And apparently still have a following. Makes me wonder if they put out a new cd, I'll have to check it out. The one I own is their first album.
Anyways, I was feeling good and accomplished and wanted to share. It's late and I have to get up at a reasonable time tomorrow to meet with Dennis for a few hours. He's going on vacation this coming week and I get to run the business while he's away. Should be interesting, ha!
It's almost as if I suddenly have a new outlook on sewing for a profit. Suddenly the self motivation is there. I've been sewing for a profit for over 4 years now, but always lacked self motivation to completely support myself off of it. Hmmm I'm curious to see how long this self motivation will last :)
So I pulled out my old Counting Crows cd end of last week and have been listening to it since. I have this habit (probably a very annoying one to anyone within listening) of putting in a cd while sewing and playing it non stop on repeat, over and over and over. For example, I listened to the same counting crows cd 6 times today. And probably about 24 times in the past 5 days. I mainly do this because I use the cds to keep track of how much time I spend sewing. If I change the cd then I have to keep track of how many minutes are on each cd that I listened to. But this way I know exactly how many minutes, and how many times I listened to it. Crazy probably. haha! It doesn't drive me nuts when I'm sewing because it becomes background music that I can sing to even when I can't hear it over the whirring of my machines. In fact, I listened to The Band's Rock of Ages cd for about 2 years straight, that was the ONLY cd I listened to while sewing. That's alot of The Band. It's funny because any other time it would drive me crazy if I had to listen to the same cd more than 2 times in a row. And even funnier that I love so much music, and have so much music, yet in the sewing room, only one cd will play. I think tomorrow I'll finally switch to a new cd.
Well the reason I brought this up is b/c I pulled out the Counting Crows on a complete whim. I spotted it all dusty in my cd rack, haven't listened to it in years. Didn't even know if they existed still. Well tonight I went onto ebay to take care of a few things, and wouldn't you know, on the front page, a huge auction with the Counting Crows. Some sort of VIP hang out with the band auction for charity. It was in the thousands. They also were auctioning off the lead singer Adam's journal with all their songs handwritten in it. Know how much that was up to? Almost $7,000, yes that's seven thousand. So I guess that answered my ponderings on whether they were around or not. And apparently still have a following. Makes me wonder if they put out a new cd, I'll have to check it out. The one I own is their first album.
Anyways, I was feeling good and accomplished and wanted to share. It's late and I have to get up at a reasonable time tomorrow to meet with Dennis for a few hours. He's going on vacation this coming week and I get to run the business while he's away. Should be interesting, ha!
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
WIP- blocking it out
So I thought it was strange and cool at the same time that all of a sudden I'm stumbling across so many people talking or working with block printing. I know it's been around forever (literally), but when I went to start doing it a few years ago I couldn't find very much on it, never mind people actually doing it. I'm sure etsy has helped, that's what made me dig out my block printing stuff again a few weeks ago. I had another block that I had been saving, but since have taken up screen printing and been absorbed with that when it comes to printing. I sketched out my design last week and then put it back into the draw, thinking to myself that I need to focus on getting ready for vending. But after coming across a few of the blogs I read mentioning block printing, plus seeing a few cool printed paper items on etsy using it, I dug out my block once again today.
Pardon my appearance in that last one, I appear to have some kind of crazy bed head going on :) Speaking of hair, I'm probably cutting it off this weekend.... I loved having some bangs last spring and summer (when the above pic was taken), but when I see a pic like this one it reminds me that they require some work to look good, and this was one of the days I apparently didn't feel like doing the work :)
Oooo I wish I had more time, I have so much I'd love to share now that I'm on the topic of printing. More pics, a short tutorial, and some more of my two cents on the subject to come in the near future, I promise!
Now last night I set a goal for the week. I don't think I'm going to have much work this week with Dennis so I told myself I needed to make at least 2 adult pieces every day for the entire week (excluding my super busy weekend coming up). Or 2 child pieces to one adult piece. So at the end of the week I should have 10 more pieces to add to my vending stock. Yesterday, goal accomplished. Today.... errrr.... ummm.... well I got alot accomplished on this block!
I started this morning for about an hour, then got showered and ran some errands, then came back with plans on sewing to meet my goal. But that block was calling me, it nearly killed me putting it down before the shower. The only thing that really stopped me was the pain in my elbows, before I ever carved a linoleum block I didn't know I had muscles right above my elbow, haha!
So I just wanted to share my work in progress. I was good and didn't finish it, I have at least another hour to go. Here's it in it's current state, almost done. Just have to do the inside details and go around for the final touch ups. Then I'll test it out and make sure I don't have have any spots raised too high.
I find carving takes a long time, several hours depending on how detailed the design is and how big. Here's one that I did last year for some kid's t-shirts. The mandolin is what I carved and printed onto that moleskin fabric, then stitched it on to the shirt. I also made the music note and grass, but those I just cut out of foam and mounted on a piece of plexi glass. These tshirts were a bluegrass theme for Merlefest. For this bird I plan to use it on both fabric and paper when I finish it up. I'll be sure to post some pics when I do! I also plan to write up a little how to and my comparison to screen printing, just not in the next couple weeks, I've got some sewing goals to accomplish!
Pardon my appearance in that last one, I appear to have some kind of crazy bed head going on :) Speaking of hair, I'm probably cutting it off this weekend.... I loved having some bangs last spring and summer (when the above pic was taken), but when I see a pic like this one it reminds me that they require some work to look good, and this was one of the days I apparently didn't feel like doing the work :)
Oooo I wish I had more time, I have so much I'd love to share now that I'm on the topic of printing. More pics, a short tutorial, and some more of my two cents on the subject to come in the near future, I promise!
Well I did manage to make one dress today, have the second cut out and ready to be sewn. So I think I'll still make my goal despite starting my sewing at 4pm, it's just going to be a late night, definitely not getting to bed before midnight tonight :) Tomorrow I have a huge goal of getting up early, getting a short hike in since it finally feels like spring here, and then getting my 2 items sewn up. Ok I'm off, my night it growing longer with every paragraph here, ha!
Saturday, April 5, 2008
the pay it forward winners!
Well I almost didn't have time to do this today, so this is quick, in between a bridal shower for Pat's cousin and a train ride into New York City I drew the names and here they are (trumpets sounding)
High Desert Diva- 1st place winner of the soy candle
Nikki- winnner of a roll-on body oil
Justine- winner of a roll-on body oil
I know I only said i was giving away two things, but since I was so lucky to have a few new folks stop by to say hello, I threw in one more oil :) Thanks so much gals! Please visit my site to see what I have in stock and send me an email with your choice and address to ship to, my email is augustwest005 @ sbcglobal.net (don't forget to remove the spaces before and after the @). Ok, now it's your turn to play!
Off to catch the train!
ps.... I know Patchouli is a either love it or hate it scent, so if you don't like patchouli I highly recommend the vanilla lavender scent for the roll-on body oil :)
High Desert Diva- 1st place winner of the soy candle
Nikki- winnner of a roll-on body oil
Justine- winner of a roll-on body oil
I know I only said i was giving away two things, but since I was so lucky to have a few new folks stop by to say hello, I threw in one more oil :) Thanks so much gals! Please visit my site to see what I have in stock and send me an email with your choice and address to ship to, my email is augustwest005 @ sbcglobal.net (don't forget to remove the spaces before and after the @). Ok, now it's your turn to play!
Off to catch the train!
ps.... I know Patchouli is a either love it or hate it scent, so if you don't like patchouli I highly recommend the vanilla lavender scent for the roll-on body oil :)
Friday, April 4, 2008
rain keeps falling on my head
What a rainy spring day. Cold and damp. I had to work outside today, luckily only for a few hours, but I'm still trying to shake the chill from my bones!
I wanted to share a few things today. First is my "I'M A WINNER!" wristlet from Daisy Janie. It arrived a few days ago along with some bad news from the IRS, so unfortunately the IRS letter ruined my happy mail.... But I'm feeling better and now it's time to enjoy the first item I've won in a really long time :)
She designed the fabric herself and the bag is super sturdy, very nice and professionally made! Thanks Jan!
A month or so ago I did a trade with the lovely Danielle of Pixy Patch. I sent her my soap and soy candles, and she sent me this delicious smelling box of goodies.
I had requested the mint bath salts and the super cute tea cozy, but she also filled the box with lots of other goodies, including my favorite item of them all, the mint salt scrub! I LOVE this stuff! It was a very generous sized sample and I'm still using it.... I only use it every few days because I find when I use it I'm in the shower at least an extra five minutes soaking up the lovely aroma of mint, hehe.... my favorite! There really is nothing better to me than taking a morning shower with some invigorating mint... My Good Morning Mint soap is my personal favorite just for that reason :)
I also wanted to share this ebay seller I just found the other night, Wonderful Items It is a store full of some very cool vintage reproduction posters. At awesome prices! I already bought 2 of them and am waiting for the bidding on my third to end. I'm slightly obsessed with peacocks, so I couldn't pass these up.
I'm planning on eventually framing them, but for now they'll be tucked safely away until I find the right frames.
So that's about it for today. I have a busy weekend so I should get some sewing done tonight. Speaking of peacocks, I'm planning on making another peacock applique for myself. This skirt was too hard to let go of, thankfully it was just and inch or two too small for how I would have liked it :)
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