Adventures in upcycling

So I was bored. Isn't that how all my posts start? I found some random material and started upcycling. I started with an old pair of jeans, an old skirt, and part of a sheet. Yes, my skirt is made out of a sheet.

Here is what it looked like when I was done:
I think I like it but I'm still trying to make up my mind.

A short skip and hop into fall

This morning when I left for work my car thermometer said it was only 59 degrees outside. Unbelievable. I was actually cold in my car and I turned the heat on slightly for all of 2 minutes! I love it. Yesterday, I wore a light hoodie in the evening. I didn't really need it but it was fun to pretend. I shouldn't get too happy because it will probably still get over 90 sometime in the next couple of weeks...For now I am rejoicing and reveling in the cooler temperatures and low humidity.

Weekend plans: Aaron and I are planning a small pizza and game night. Having a potluck pizza party has been one of my dreams for about a year. Finally! I'll make up tons of dough and everybody will bring toppings and together we will consume as much pizza as we can possibly stuff into ourselves. When we are so fat that we cannot move, we will commence the playing of games. I'm excited. What are you doing this weekend? I can always use ideas for weekend plans.

Pretty Bird Bag

Here is a bag that I won a while ago from this blog which was made by the Marie-Madeline Studio. The most exciting part about it was that they let me pick the fabric collection that the bag was then handmade out of! I picked the Pretty Bird collection. I love the bright, cheerful colors. They make 8:00 am tutoring a lot more cheerful.

The bag was definitely bigger than I was expecting. It is both beautiful and functional. I use it as my school bag for when I have to tutor. The roomy interior is perfect for all my notebooks and folders.

Thanks again!

Design

Sometimes when I'm bored at work, I start planning out future projects. For instance, lately I've been brainstorming Christmas present ideas. But shhhh, I'm not telling. Even though I'm not much of an artist, I often times try to sketch out an idea before I start working on a new project. This helps especially if I don't have a pattern. Here is a sketch for a bag that I've been thinking about.
I know I'm strange, but sometimes I just can't help it.

Here is another design, but I'm less sure about how to make it.

Why my mom is amazing...

Well, I suppose there are many reasons, but she came to where I work bringing with her a hot fudge milkshake. I like her.

Long time, no post

I know that my many fans have been seriously missing me, so I just thought I'd pop by and let you know that I'm still alive. The past week has been a very busy one for me. Last Thursday, Kelsey came for a visit! I literally had the best weekend of my whole summer. I gave her a tour of the town (including seeing the biggest sassafras tree), I took her to Mammoth Cave (the biggest in the world), on Saturday we had a whole day of crazy adventures including tubing on a very warm lake and almost getting lost while on a boat, we stayed up way too late, we also got to visit with tons of friends and I got to take her to church. We also did lots of random things like try to catch one of the few remaining fireflies and we caught a cute little frog. Hopefully, I will post a couple of pictures in the next day or so.

On Monday morning she left and on Tuesday morning I started tutoring. And on top of all that, I was really busy at work (which rarely happens) and I wasn't feeling too well. Craziness. I finally feel like I am caught up on my sleep, school and life.

Perhaps I will write about our adventures in more length later, but for now you will just have imagine all of the fun we had.

"We agree that as a group they're rather stupid..."

I love to walk places. During my college years, I walked everywhere including school, church, coffee shops, the library, etc. I don't have as many opportunities to walk places since returning home, but one of my favorite things about my job is that I work in the old part of downtown so I there are actually crosswalks and sidewalks which I utilize nearly every day. I often walk to my favorite park bench to have lunch or sometimes I meet someone at a downtown restaurant for lunch.
The thing that gets me the most is how often I get honked at or spoken to by strange men. Occasionally women will say something in passing, but for some reason, guys feel compelled to speak to me. The other day I walked past what appeared to be a parked car and was terrified when a voice emerged from what I thought was an empty car to say, "Hey, beautiful." Blah. Please don't, just don't. Sometimes I think that it is my fault and maybe I should change the way I dress. But the fact that I used to wear a winter coat, gloves, a hat, a scarf, long pants and winter boots (practically a winter burka there) in Idaho didn't seem to stop guys from talking to me there.
One time in Idaho when I was walking home from school (most likely wearing my winter burka), I crossed the parking lot of a grocery store. I was on the phone with my mom, but that didn't stop an old man from beckoning me to come closer. He was quite ancient looking and wearing a vetern's baseball cap. I thought, "Oh, this poor old man just needs some help." So I stopped talking to my mom and gave him my full attention. He looked at me and said, "Has anybody told you that you look nice today? Because they should have." I didn't know how to respond and so I just kind of mumbled thank you and walked away. I didn't know whether he was a really nice old man or just a really creepy old man.

Here are some reasons that it is just plain stupid for guys to talk to me on the street:

• You creep me out.
• Why would a person like me ever want to even talk to a creep like you? Harsh, but true.
• Even if I do actually acknowledge your existence, which I probably won't, I will hopefully never see you again so what good is it going to do either of us?
• Did I mention that you're creepy?

My brother once gave me this whole talk on how it was ok for me to flip off any guy who was trying to hit on me/flirt with me. Needless to say, I was greatly amused. I don't have any plans for flipping anybody off, but please don't even give me an excuse.

So Intelligent

Yesterday, I wore two mismatching earrings to work. Fortunately, I discovered it after only being at work for 2 hours. Call me smart, real smart.

In case my closet wasn't full enough...

I found a new place to internet window shop. The store is called DownEast Basics. Check it out. I love their clothes. Too bad I have a phobia of buying clothing off the internet. However, I just found out that there is a store in Spokane. I might have to stop in on my trip out west. Here are some of my favorites. I would totally wear this (in a different color of course).
EDIT: So after posting all of this, I just found a giveaway. Check it out.

Ooohh, pretty

A couple days ago, I found a website called Shabby Blogs. I was inspired to give my blog a makeover. Knowing me, I might end up changing it again in a few days. I still need to work on a better header. blah.
Now I feel all fresh and sparkly clean. A blog makeover is to me as Kambucha is to Brad Belschner.
Other slate cleaning activities include, but are not limited to:

• The fact that my room is clean! Not just tidy, but actually organized and mostly cleaned out. Since Lindsey and Kathleen slept in my room, I had extra motivation to get it done.
• Kelsey is coming this weekend. Kelsey once said to me, "You're like my conscience." It's totally true.
• School starts next week and my work schedule will change! After a long summer, I am ready to make some changes to my schedule.
• I had tea (for the first time in months) out of a brand new, super cute tea cup. Thanks Velez family!

On a totally different note, I've just spent the last few hours, yes hours, brainstorming different things to do when Kelsey is here. Anybody have any brilliant ideas?

Looky, looky

Look who came to visit.
Aren't they beautiful? We had tons of fun. They got to meet my family and others. Don't you wish you were here? Feel free to visit any time. I'm always here.

They brought us tons of yummy corn on the cob. We then proceeded to eat tons of really good food. We also got to hear/share lots of good stories especially the one about Julie and the kidnapper. Too exciting. But you won't get to hear the story unless you come and visit. I was stupid and didn't take any pictures (excepting this one) so hopefully you'll get to see the few that Lindsey and Kathleen took.

Twinz

The family that I will be tutoring for this fall has the cutest little twin girls. They are about 6 years old and the only way I can tell them apart is by the color of their ponytail. Even though they dress them exactly alike every day, they always put a yellow hairband in one girl's hair and a blue one in the other's. They are so crazy and cute. They both love to eat raw red onions. Here is a sampling of things they said last night. Since I can't keep them straight, I will just refer to them as twinz.

Twinz: How old are you?
Me: 22.
Twinz, incredulously: Are you almost 100?

Twinz pointing at me: Mommy, can we keep her?

Twinz: Can you live with us?
Me: Can I bring my family too?
Twinz: Sure! You can sleep in my room.

After this, they proceeded to show us about 20 pictures of a duck they had drawn that looked almost exactly alike. I love them so much.

Ella's Present

I made these burp cloths for baby Ella, but I couldn't post pictures until I gave them to Laura. In case you can't tell, there are little frogs on the green side. I also crocheted the flower to go on top.

Wherefore art thou, winter?

This past month has been so incredibly hot and humid. For the past few days, all I can think about is cooler weather. I miss my sweaters, scarves, purple hat, winter coat, and boots. I miss cool, crisp air, yellow and red leaves. I miss the fireplace and bonfires, hot drinks, and soups. I really want a bowl of chili with a side of cornbread. I miss standing in front of the oven to get warm. I miss sleeping in my winter pajamas while being covered in tons of blankets. I miss curling up in a chair with a good book while being wrapped in blankets and drinking hot tea.

Dear Autumn and Winter,

Please come back. I miss you. I'm sorry for all the mean things I said about you in the past.

Lindsey