Oh it’s Monday, and I feel it. The days tend to run together a bit more while the kids are out on summer break, but for some reason Monday always feels like Monday. And this new stage in my life, this idea of treating the hobby as a job isn’t helping much, either. That means I drink this cup of coffee, and then I go to work. It was hard last week because the kids still see it as my pass-time, so they didn’t understand when I didn’t jump right up to do the things they needed or wanted. But I’m serious about this, more serious than anything I’ve ever tackled in my life. (I shouldn’t have to clarify, besides my family, of course.)
The truth is, I’ve spent years and years being modest pshawing my way through every idea that this could be my profession. I’ve rejected every comment that I’m good at it. But dammit, I am. I’ve gone to craft fairs and heirloom shops of various kinds, and I see what people are selling for small fortunes, and although I’d never say it out loud, my mind is always screaming, “I can do so much better than that!” It isn’t even that my technique is better than anyone else’s. It isn’t. It’s just that I have these ideas in my mind, and when I sit down to really create them, they turn out right!
I was in a yarn shop near Gatlinburg, TN. once a few years ago. Anytime I go out of town, I always search for the yarn shops because that’s when I get to stock up on supplies being that the only place here is the local Wal-Mart. I used to bitch about that, but not now. Not now because that means I’ll have the only shop around soon! Anyway, I was looking over all the pretty colors and totally molesting all the wonderful textures when I happened upon a baby blanket the lady had for sale. It was a simple white blanket. I say simple because the design was a clean simple design, but don’t let that retract from the blanket, it was gorgeous. I checked out the price tag and thought I’d swallow my tongue when I saw she was asking $100 for this blanket. Also, don’t let my shock over the price be any indication that I was offended by it or anything. The truth is, while I’d mentally calculated the supplies for this blanket were no more than just a few dollars, being that I’ve been crocheting for decades, I automatically knew the amount of time put into making the blanket, and if she’d really been charging for labor, the price would have been even higher.
My sharp intake of breath simply came from the fact, I would never have been bold enough to price one of my creations at the price. First, I would have been too insecure to think the item was that good, and second, I wouldn’t think anyone would ever pay that. But they do!!!!
Now, I don’t intend to actually stock my store with handmade items. It’s going to be a supply store. I’m selling my stuff right now to help me raise the money for the store. My nine to five days are plain and simply moving toward a goal. I’m not looking to get rich or even pay bills. The reason I’m doing it is bigger. I’m working on a dream.
Okay, so what I accomplished last week: 
I started this tote months and months ago. I’m still a new knitter so it takes me a million times longer to knit than to crochet. It’s that whole two needle thing. I stopped working on this with every intention of getting right back to it, but that didn’t happen until last week. I had maybe ten percent of it finished when I picked it back up. I still have to add a strap and finish the lining. This is mine. The colors are so pretty in person. Even the social butterfly liked it which is unbelievable because she doesn’t like anything I make. The tote is simple stockingette stitching with garter stitching for sides, bottom, and top. The flower is crocheted, and I’m lining it with a bright pink fabric. I also knitted it with double strands because I knew I’d be knocking it around. It had to be sturdy! It’s a big tote measuring about 12″x15″x4″. Nice and roomy for yarn, needles, hooks, books, etc. Anyway, it gave me the craving to have the stuff in my hands again, so it has already served its purpose. Not to mention, the hours spent knitting it when I could have whipped it out with a crochet hook in no time gave me tons of practice with those knitting needles. It also gave me the confidence to try knitting in the round again. So let’s see, I’ve spent my whole life using one crochet hook. Then I picked up two knitting needles, and now I’m using four of them.
What I making with them I won’t be selling, either. I have some leftover yarn from some previous baby items, and I have a book filled with knit baby hat patterns so I thought I’d continue the learning process by making some hats for charity. You’d be amazed at how many charities there are out there for such things. Two of my favorites are Afghans for Afghans and Project Linus. There are also tons of local charities and places that will accept knitted or crocheted hats for newborns especially preemies. Local cancer centers are great places to donate “chemo caps”, and it’s a wonderful thing to do to support and encourage people in their darkest hours. Getting in the practice before I pick up the needles for profit won’t just help me like this.
All this work for free may make you skeptical about the declaration of a “nine to five” atmosphere to get me to my goal, but trust me, that’s front and center in my mind all day, every day. 
For instance, this would have been an item to market except people keep popping out babies all around me! Hello?!? You could at least give me a break between celebrations, you know! Seriously, I couldn’t be thrilled with all tots who have recently joined us here on earth and all those still on their way. There’s gotta be something in the water. I have three new cousins and two more on the way. Also, three fellow bloggers are patiently counting down the days until the arrival of their bundles of joy. Personally, I can’t wait to read their exhausted ramblings after midnight feedings and diaper changes. Should be entertaining if nothing else.
Now it’s back to work. I should still have a little time before the kids wake up and start fighting and crying about how they’re starving. If you think “working” from home is easy, you’re mistaken. The only easy thing about it is getting to work in your pajamas all day if you want. That’s about where the ease ends. Seriously.
Running Down a Dream
July 20th, 2009
My Corner
July 3rd, 2009
I have spent the last two days organizing and moving things around in the house. It isn’t easy considering I’m moving all of my hobbies upstairs to a small little corner/alcove at the top of the staircase. 
Trying to get years of sewing, knitting, crocheting, and just about a dozen other hobbies into a spot this small has been challenging, to put it mildly. That slanted ceiling right there didn’t help any. I finally decided to put it all in this particular place because I’m tired of moving it from one room to the next, every time my family shrinks or grows. This way it isn’t taking up any space that might eventually need to become a bedroom. (I type that knowing damn well I probably just guaranteed needing this space for something very soon.) When David was here a few weeks ago, I took him upstairs to show him how everything was utter chaos from recent renovations. He’ll be able to testify that getting all that stuff that was blocking our path organized and arranged attractively deserves an award of some sort! Fortunately I take pride in accomplishing tasks like this, and the satisfaction of knowing the few material things that are important to me are neatly tucked away and cared for is all the reward I need. 
Now you have to realize when I say “material things”, I’m not talking about expensive things. I think the most expensive thing in my corner is probably the table my mother-in-law bought me for Christmas this past year, and I’d been looking at the exact same table for around $150.00. My favorite possessions are books, cds, and yarn. I know, I know… I lead such an exciting life. Everyone wants to be, don’t you! If I was a person who mistakes chaos for excitement, I would be convinced I lead the most exciting life on the planet! However, I know better. Again… it’s unfortunate. (By the way, I realize how dumb it was to take that picture with the window, laptop, and lamp glaring like that, but I realized it too late, and I’m far too lazy to retake the dang picture.)
I wasn’t the kind of person who enjoyed these sorts of activities until I went through my first few months of being put on severe physical restrictions. That’s when I realized what my dad had always known. I can’t sit still and do nothing. Isn’t it amazing how much our parents really do know about us even though we were always sure they had no clue? When Iwas a teen, my dad was also the person who made me aware that I couldn’t talk without stuttering if you held my arms down. I’m not nearly as bad as I used to be because I worked very hard at not being one of those gesticulating maniacs people avoid in conversations.
I know this is a holiday weekend, but since we don’t have a whole lot planned, I’m going to try to get some serious work out of everyone around here at least one day. Do you guys have exciting plans for the weekend? Inspire me! I’m not in a very festive mood these days, but I can be persuaded by the right idea!
Sittin’ Up In My Room
April 17th, 2009
So you know that room I’ve been pretending to be interested in fixing up for months now? For those of you who don’t, I won’t link back to previous boring posts, I’ll just clue you in really fast. Three years ago I bought a big ole house that I absolutely love. Back then my little IzzyB was only four so her room was purposely placed close to mine even though there is an upstairs room perfect for a little girl’s dreams to grow and come true. We’ve never used this room for her because to have her way up there at the back of the house was just too scary for me (not her). Not to mention there was black paint on the walls from a failed attempt at a teen trying to have a red/black Asian themed room. There were giant holes in the walls. We’ve been using the room as storage for months.
Nothing fancy or expensive was planned. We did what she wanted from the very beginning. The thing is, we’ve had to do all the work ourselves. I have no creative talent whatsoever in drawing, painting, etc. I’m not being modest. I can’t draw. I envy those of you who can. We didn’t buy stencils, so be kind. This stuff is free-hand, and at times, painted in by a seven year old!
Anyway. I took “before” pictures of the room, but for some reason they didn’t save, and I didn’t realize it until it was too late to take more. There is no way to describe what we took on when we began this project. It took three coats of primer just to cover the black. And that was after days of scraping and tearing down wallpaper that was used on the ceiling. We had to plaster holes in the wall that ranged from the size of an eraser to big enough to put an infant in. Yes I’m really proud of us because we didn’t bail after the first few days and get someone else to do it even though we really wanted to!
As I mentioned, nothing expensive went into our project. Just to break it down for you, we didn’t buy any new furniture. Our supplies totaled around $350. They included primer, plaster supplies, all the paints, new bedding, cute floral wall hooks, and of course, all the brushes and cleaner. We had the long curtains placed at the beginning of the hall but bought the small ones on the window.
The first shot is straight through the door into her room. The bed is to the right and there is the little hallway to a drop down into a little nook of sorts.
The second shot is of our artwork to the right of the room with the little built-in drawers. The ceiling is slanted there. That wall is only about three feet high.
The third shot is to the left side of the room.
The fourth shot is to the front left side of the room. It’s the corner to the to the left of the door. She hasn’t finished putting her dollhouse back in order yet!
The fifth shot is of the slanted ceiling above the bed. All the ceiling space has those big blue clouds with a “sun” painted around the room’s light fixture.
The sixth shot is through the hallway into her sitting room. That long bench is built-in and I’m in the process of sewing a pad that will go all along it to make it a comfy sitting bench. However, the top is broken into three compartments. The top is on hinges and opens to show you all her toys! That brown chest holds all her homemade blankets, quilts, etc. I’m still deciding on whether or not to paint it. Those windows are tiny. This whole area is just a little room tucked into the house. I can’t describe how cute the setup is.
The seventh picture is to the left of the bench. This used to be another set of built-in drawers, but they were broken and unusable, so we pulled them out and made her a cute storage nook for all her stuffed animals.
The next one is a little built-in bookcase that’s on the left next to the doorway. She hasn’t finished bringing her books upstairs yet. I think she’s waiting for me!
Finally, the last shot is standing in the little room looking down the hallway out the door of her bedroom. That hallway is only just over five feet high at the peak of the slanted ceiling. I know this because, other than Bella, I’m the only person who can wall through it without bending over.
I purposely tried not to get too much of the floor in the pics because we have to do some work on it, too. Not much, though. To be almost a hundred years old, it’s in really good shape! Just needs some sanding here and there to get up stains, etc. For now, we have some area rugs with all the colors she chose for her room in flowers, bugs, etc.
I really wish the pictures showing the room before we began had saved. It’s so hard to point out the changes we made and how much of a difference they made. As you look at the pictures, just imagine that everywhere you see the white ceiling there was faded floral wallpaper and everywhere you see the green paint, it was black!
I’m absolutely thrilled to be finished. She has been moved in for about a week now, and so far, she’s keeping it really pretty and clean. So this should be the end of my ranting over this one particular project. Aren’t you thrilled! Of course you aren’t because if you know me, you realize it’s time for me to start the yard work which means rants, raves, and tears over that. Just like every year, huh. At least I’m consistent!
Thanks for going along with me!