I remember when Emma was about ready to be potty trained. My mother-in-law knew I had my hands full, with two kids and one on the way. She offered to take Em and train her. She picked her up Monday evening and brought her back on Wednesday. By Friday, Jean was in the psych ward of the hospital. Granted, I had my suspicions that she was crazy when she offered. :)
Fast forward a few years, and it is all happening again. Only this time I am doing it on my own. With a child who is even more strong willed than Emma...if that is possible. I am not fearing that I will end up locked up, I am hoping for it. A little time in a padded cell, where I won"t step in someone else's urine in my bathroom sounds like a good time. "They're coming to take me away, ha ha, hee hee, to the funny farm..."
I have been doing pretty well on the whole, not getting too upset when she has accidents. But I just broke. Between her peeing and whining and Ame's just plain whining... I sent Annye to bed (wearing a pull-up over her panties so I won't have to clean up her bed later) and am hiding in my office. I hope to regain my composure and lose my migraine before the girls finish their homework and chores.
"Cause when they are done, we will have to bring the port-a-potty out to my office (yeck!) and I have to help the girls make skirts.
We are making them for activity days and I need to have the process down pat by... well weeks ago. So i have to do the practice run with the girls. Which means I should get off the computer and get things ready.
All I am going to say is I hope Mark brings me home a shake tonight. Or cleans the kitchen for me. Something. I just need someone to throw me a freakin' bone, here.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Craft insanity
Well, I've done it again. My aunt called me a few weeks back, asking me to tat her a necklace. I made her a black one last summer and this time she wanted a brown one, tweaked a bit. When I made the first one, I had used a pattern as the jumping off point and then made some changes. I wanted to make sure that I had changed it enough and wasn't infringing on copyright. But I couldn't find the original in my binder if patterns. So I spent quite a bit of time on the web, looking for it. And as I searched, I found a few patterns that talked about Bruges crochet or Bruges lace. I thought, hey, I can do that. So I got a few patterns and instructions. And I practiced.
And in my searching for Bruges patterns, I found instructions for hairpin lace. And a pattern for a shawl that I really wanted to do. So I made a makeshift hairpin lace fork and got busy. It isn't difficult, really. But there isn't much instruction around. I even found a loom, much more up to date than the fork. I made a bookmark. Nothing spectacular, mind you, but not bad.
Well, while I was researching these new techniques, I saw a piece of bobbin lace. And I remembered Margie Haire, the mom of my best friend in 6th grade. Sister Haire made beautiful lace. She is the one who got me into card making and rubber stamping, by the way. I never saw her make lace, but I did see her pillow and bolster, bobbins and lace. I think the bobbins she used are called spangles, the ones with the beads attached to the ends. I loved them... Big surprise.
I googled bobbin lace and there weren't many hits. So I got to thinking, maybe this is another "lost art." And you know how I love those lost arts. If it's obscure, then I think it would be fun to do. More than that, I think it is my responsibility to learn how to do it and teach others. I found a book at The Friends of SC Library about bobbin lace making and I bought it.
The problem is... I don't want to spend a lot of time and money on something that I can't do. And one of the patterns I saw was 10 pages long. Am I going to be able to keep things straight in my head to make anything? The patterns all look like Greek to me. And a package of bobbins (not the spangles, just boring plain ones) was like $20. Not too expensive, but I have a lot of hobbies to finance. And, like I said, I hate to waste money on something I won't take to. And I would have to make a pillow. Work and supplies.
But I hate to quit when there is a challenge placed before me. And Easter is coming up. And Mark is going to be gone the whole week before Easter, which means I am doing all the Easter basket shopping. By myself. So I did some more research and I found a beginner's kit. It has all I need to see if I like it. And it is costing me $33, including shipping. So in a few weeks, I will be able to make lace.
I found a website that called bobbin lace making pillow lace making, so I googled that. And I found a website that had tons of hints and instructions. It seems to me that there aren't a lot of patterns available, but a lot of talk about how to make your own patterns. So I guess that is what we do. We, like I am already a lace maker.
Hopefully I will take to it. I have all that tatting thread I bought that is more suitable for doilies than jewelry, but I don't want to tat doilies. Too much chance of messing up with that small thread. And it would take FOREVER! But it may be easier to do on a pillow. Then I could make doilies for my girls for their trousseau.
Anyway, this is my crazy craft life. I think I may have possibly bitten off more than I can chew. But I am pretty excited to try!
And in my searching for Bruges patterns, I found instructions for hairpin lace. And a pattern for a shawl that I really wanted to do. So I made a makeshift hairpin lace fork and got busy. It isn't difficult, really. But there isn't much instruction around. I even found a loom, much more up to date than the fork. I made a bookmark. Nothing spectacular, mind you, but not bad.
Well, while I was researching these new techniques, I saw a piece of bobbin lace. And I remembered Margie Haire, the mom of my best friend in 6th grade. Sister Haire made beautiful lace. She is the one who got me into card making and rubber stamping, by the way. I never saw her make lace, but I did see her pillow and bolster, bobbins and lace. I think the bobbins she used are called spangles, the ones with the beads attached to the ends. I loved them... Big surprise.
I googled bobbin lace and there weren't many hits. So I got to thinking, maybe this is another "lost art." And you know how I love those lost arts. If it's obscure, then I think it would be fun to do. More than that, I think it is my responsibility to learn how to do it and teach others. I found a book at The Friends of SC Library about bobbin lace making and I bought it.
The problem is... I don't want to spend a lot of time and money on something that I can't do. And one of the patterns I saw was 10 pages long. Am I going to be able to keep things straight in my head to make anything? The patterns all look like Greek to me. And a package of bobbins (not the spangles, just boring plain ones) was like $20. Not too expensive, but I have a lot of hobbies to finance. And, like I said, I hate to waste money on something I won't take to. And I would have to make a pillow. Work and supplies.
But I hate to quit when there is a challenge placed before me. And Easter is coming up. And Mark is going to be gone the whole week before Easter, which means I am doing all the Easter basket shopping. By myself. So I did some more research and I found a beginner's kit. It has all I need to see if I like it. And it is costing me $33, including shipping. So in a few weeks, I will be able to make lace.
I found a website that called bobbin lace making pillow lace making, so I googled that. And I found a website that had tons of hints and instructions. It seems to me that there aren't a lot of patterns available, but a lot of talk about how to make your own patterns. So I guess that is what we do. We, like I am already a lace maker.
Hopefully I will take to it. I have all that tatting thread I bought that is more suitable for doilies than jewelry, but I don't want to tat doilies. Too much chance of messing up with that small thread. And it would take FOREVER! But it may be easier to do on a pillow. Then I could make doilies for my girls for their trousseau.
Anyway, this is my crazy craft life. I think I may have possibly bitten off more than I can chew. But I am pretty excited to try!
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Dear Joanie,
So I was talking to my dear friend today about blogs. She is starting a blog so we can all stay in touch. We were talking about how she doesn't have anyone following her blog yet and I said I would. She joked that then she could just start every post like she was writing to me. And I thought, that is a great idea! We talked for hours and still had plenty to say. I know it is a little 'Meg Ryan in You've Got Mail', but I told her I was going to do it, so she would HAVE to read my blog to hold me to it. Of course, I neglected to give her my blog name. Mostly because I forgot it myself. And I forgot hers. Guess I will call her tomorrow.
I have learned a bit about myself in the last few days.
First, I cannot be trusted with pretty cool phones. Sometimes I leave them in my bed, but only on days when I wash the sheets. But now I have a REALLY cool phone, so I should be okay, right?
Secondly, I get right up in the morning when I have a new phone.... Because I am afraid I will hit the snooze and pull my phone into bed... And then it will go into the washing machine. Mark thought it was funny once, I don't think he would again. And I never thought it was funny.
And, on a more serious note, I really HAVE to do crafts. In the last few months, I have been reading a lot. I really love to read. It is such a great thing to do. And my girls and I are reading the same books, so we get to discuss them. I love that they are old enough (or read on a high enough level) that we can enjoy the same books. I think we are reading at an 8-9 grade level. Yep, my girls are in 2nd and 3rd grade. But enough bragging. The reason I bring it up is that the girls read A LOT of books. And I try to read the books before them, to make sure they aren't reading anything over their maturity levels. It seems like if I don't, they end up reading stuff they shouldn't. So I got to the library once a week, sometimes twice. And I get four or so books for them, plus the books for the younger kids. And I read my heart out so the girls will have something to read and we will have something to discuss. And occasionally, the books are over their levels and more on mine. And I thought I was spending some quality me time. But I just realized, when drowning my phone made me want to lay down and cry, that I am way too close to going off the deep end. I was feeling really unhappy with life, but couldn't figure out any reason why. So I forced myself not to sleep (not too hard, my sheets were still in the wash) and I went to do some crafts in my office.
I was just ripping old sheets into strips to do a rug for my girls. This isn't my favorite project. In fact, I am not fond at all of it. And I was doing the tedious part of the project. I started out with my office door locked so the kids couldn't bother me. But after about 10 minutes, I had my door open and the music blaring and I was getting things done. I think I spent six plus hours out there. Part of the time, the kids were out playing in the cul-de-sac while I worked. Then I continued after I put them to bed. I really enjoyed myself.
All along, I have been missing that creative outlet. Mark said I needed time by myself to make something for someone else. And he may have a point. And even if that sounds more altruistic than I really am, maybe it can be a guideline for me.
So I was talking to my dear friend today about blogs. She is starting a blog so we can all stay in touch. We were talking about how she doesn't have anyone following her blog yet and I said I would. She joked that then she could just start every post like she was writing to me. And I thought, that is a great idea! We talked for hours and still had plenty to say. I know it is a little 'Meg Ryan in You've Got Mail', but I told her I was going to do it, so she would HAVE to read my blog to hold me to it. Of course, I neglected to give her my blog name. Mostly because I forgot it myself. And I forgot hers. Guess I will call her tomorrow.
I have learned a bit about myself in the last few days.
First, I cannot be trusted with pretty cool phones. Sometimes I leave them in my bed, but only on days when I wash the sheets. But now I have a REALLY cool phone, so I should be okay, right?
Secondly, I get right up in the morning when I have a new phone.... Because I am afraid I will hit the snooze and pull my phone into bed... And then it will go into the washing machine. Mark thought it was funny once, I don't think he would again. And I never thought it was funny.
And, on a more serious note, I really HAVE to do crafts. In the last few months, I have been reading a lot. I really love to read. It is such a great thing to do. And my girls and I are reading the same books, so we get to discuss them. I love that they are old enough (or read on a high enough level) that we can enjoy the same books. I think we are reading at an 8-9 grade level. Yep, my girls are in 2nd and 3rd grade. But enough bragging. The reason I bring it up is that the girls read A LOT of books. And I try to read the books before them, to make sure they aren't reading anything over their maturity levels. It seems like if I don't, they end up reading stuff they shouldn't. So I got to the library once a week, sometimes twice. And I get four or so books for them, plus the books for the younger kids. And I read my heart out so the girls will have something to read and we will have something to discuss. And occasionally, the books are over their levels and more on mine. And I thought I was spending some quality me time. But I just realized, when drowning my phone made me want to lay down and cry, that I am way too close to going off the deep end. I was feeling really unhappy with life, but couldn't figure out any reason why. So I forced myself not to sleep (not too hard, my sheets were still in the wash) and I went to do some crafts in my office.
I was just ripping old sheets into strips to do a rug for my girls. This isn't my favorite project. In fact, I am not fond at all of it. And I was doing the tedious part of the project. I started out with my office door locked so the kids couldn't bother me. But after about 10 minutes, I had my door open and the music blaring and I was getting things done. I think I spent six plus hours out there. Part of the time, the kids were out playing in the cul-de-sac while I worked. Then I continued after I put them to bed. I really enjoyed myself.
All along, I have been missing that creative outlet. Mark said I needed time by myself to make something for someone else. And he may have a point. And even if that sounds more altruistic than I really am, maybe it can be a guideline for me.
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