What I Will Lose in 2014

This is my first blog post written from my smartphone so I'll keep it breif to spare my poor thumbs.

I've posted a lot on facebook and told many people in person over the holidays about my new, small apartment. When I went to pick up my keys and start unpacking somethings today, I was shocked yet again at how small it really is.

361 sq ft of living space and an additional 180 sq ft of storage/workshop area. To many people in the world and even many in our own country, this is probably a lot of space for just one person. But for a rather comfortable, midle-class millenial from the spacious Chicago suburbs who runs numerous businesses, it will certainly be an adjustment.

Besides square footage, here is a brief list of everything I will be losing when I move into this new apartment:

-cable tv
-internet (but I do have data on my phone)
-central air conditioning & heat
-dishwasher
-washing machine & dryer
-microwave
-toaster oven
-tv set
-one dog
-big back porch
-a very safe & comfortable neighborhood
-the safety net of living with a family member

This is a lot to lose, especially considering I am ADDING to my monthly expenses to live in this new place. But what I hope to gain will hopefully outweigh the loss of all these creature comforts. I hope to gain:

-a greater sense of autonomy and self-worth
-more space for messy, creative projects
-the joy of living truly on my own
-the freedom to mess up and be confused
-a release from the pressures of materialism
-more clients and work I love
-the simple pleasures of a slow life
-increased productivity
-using public spaces & rescources more
-staying couped up in my house less

Now, this is a long, unedited list of what I hope to gain and it may not all come true but I can only hope that a lot of what I will lose in my tiny apartment will lead to even bigger, more meaningful gains.

What could you stand to lose this year? What do you hope to gain?

Happy New Year, everyone. As always, thanks for reading!

A Snapshot

I feel the need to record and save this time in my life. It feels much less busy and "loud" than the last few months but somehow more significant or heavy than that whole time which all disappeared in a flash of constant, mindless busy-ness. If anything, I am leaning more towards underwhelmed by the big picture of my life for the time being. I feel as if I'm floating and either about to come crashing down or continue moving higher and higher, hopefully towards something good.

My grandpa died a few weeks ago. I am all too aware that I still don't understand what that really means. I saw him when he was sick and can't quite get that terrible image out of my head. I know that death, whatever it is, must be more peaceful than laying on your side and groaning but I still just can't grasp that I'll never see him again. Even as I type this, my eyes well up with tears but I think "it's fine, I'll see him at Thanksgiving." It is especially hard living 14 hours away from home right now since it means missing his memorial service. It is also especially hard being part of the working poor during times like these when the pressure to earn is so great and you are left to the mercy and charity of family.

My sister and our dogs are still in Chicago with the rest of my family which means I have been alone in this house for the last few weeks. I found out I'm not good at living alone. I need noise. I got a new BluRay (sp?) from a guy I clean for and am currently blasting Ragtime from Amanda's iPod so the house isn't so quiet. Thank you, Broadway.

I decided to stop trying to run an Etsy shop a 2 weeks ago since it only added stress, made very little money and I never put the time into that I should have. I was also dumped from a relatively serious relationship (at least as far as they go in my life). I think, in the very short time since then, I have further damaged a few hearts that probably already had enough wear and tear, including my own.

I should be focuing more on my main forms of earning and income, babysitting and cleaning houses, but something keeps taking over me. It seems to be some form of positive or - at worst- neutral apathy. I have not smoked a cigarette in 3 days and while that makes me very happy, I don't see it as a feat of willpower but one of disinterest which is a concern to me. If I were to lose interest in any hobby, smoking would be the most beneficial to ditch but considering the level of my addiction, it seems odd that apathy could outweigh the need for nicotine.

This may all sound like I am in an unhealthy or unhappy place but that's not quite true. I feel just fine. Not overjoyed but not depressed or down. I can't quite pinpoint how I'm feeling or what is going on in my mind or life but I can feel that it is possibly significant. Maybe I'm wrong but I feel like something's happening here. At least I'll have this in writing to compare later.

Simplify

Living simply used to be my ultimate goal. Avoiding the excess and stress and desires of modern, materialistic living. That was while I was a college student with high hopes, low rent and a lot of help from my parents.

Fast forward: I'm out of school, financially independent (mostly) and dealing with higher rent, student loan payments, car repairs, health costs, taxes, self-employment, adult dating, adult friendships and a dozen other day-to-day realities of adult life including the first time I've had to deal with illness and looming death in my family.

It had been mostly good and I still have no real reason to complain. No major F ups, no additional debt after school, no extreme breakdowns leading to hospitalization or losing a job. But nothing is simple about my life. NOTHING.

I have many, many addictions. Self-control is not in my functioning vocabulary. Willpower? Huh?

Among my addictions to caffeine, nicotine, sugar, sleep too much/sleep deprivation, mood swings, and attracting just enough chaos into my life to follow through with the thrill of swooping in and fixing everything last minute, is my addiction to goals, pursuits, ambitions and jobs.

I want to do everything, learn everything, get good at everything. I want to offer everything to everyone in a way that impresses and awes.

Well, that isn't working. At least not in the sense of living simply. So, I'll start over.

I clean houses, I babysit, I sew and I can help organize cluttered spaces.

It's clear that I do not have the time, motivation or vision for creating and selling unique products. It's clear that I cannot cook, garden or decorate for others in a way that is worth their money. Yet.

 And it's clear that I have been stretched so thin and in so many directions that I have no time to do anything I want to do just for myself. And when I do have that time, I stress and worry and procrastinate and write long-winded, tipsy blog posts about my lack of time.

So, Eff it. I'm done till I'm ready. I'll focus on what I can do well and get better at it. I will be punctual and efficient and professional until my workload, income and skills grow enough to expand. This will hopefully lead to a true, small social entrepreneurship endeavor that will benefit me and the people I employ and rely on.

Until then, I gotta simplify. I'm still gonna be complicated and stressed and a tired, worry-ridden young kid with no idea what their doing, but maybe it'll all be a little simpler.

Always Restless, Always Changing

Hypothesis: The need for more is not always a bad thing.


I'm restless again. This happens pretty often- not sure if I should say every few months or include the smaller, more frequent feelings of restlessness that seem to visit just about every other week.

Maybe we are a generation of restless people, always looking for more, expecting more. But, then again, I wonder if we are just a restless species and some people have learned to be content without change. Or, perhaps, as many people have suggested before me, it's just a symptom of being young.

Often, we are quick to blame our need for more (especially material possessions) on our fast-paced, consumer-based and self-centered modern society. I definitely think this is one major factor. But I think that maybe all humans are fated to want more of something, anything, every now and then. And maybe that isn't necessarily such a bad, entitled, selfish thing.

A few years ago, while I was in college, I was frustrated with this cycle of contentment for a time followed by a phase of longing and dissatisfaction. I remember talking to a friend about it one night over black coffee and cigarettes at Waffle House (Note: I still want to quit smoking, but I will always miss smoking in a Waffle House over good conversation at 2am for as long as I live). We decided that wanting more and never feeling fully satisfied is natural and re-occurring but were comforted by a new idea: Maybe you can at least you can choose what you want more of. Or try to, anyway.

One of my favorite concepts I took away from my beginning level philosophy class at Anderson University was that your thoughts create your desires, and by changing what you think about or how you think about it, you can change what you yearn for. You can change what you want and what you think you need. 

Powerful stuff.

This friend and I decided that a never-ending desire, need, longing or whatever else you want to call it for more is not always a bad thing depending on the target of that desire. I remember listing goals and pursuits such as knowledge, experience and travel as noble and worthwhile objects to always crave more of.

Now that I have graduated and have been immersed in the adult world of self-employment for over a year, I find myself restless yet again for more. More clients, more ideas, more projects, more cleaning supplies, more organization in my home, more accomplishments I can be proud of. Sometimes all I want is more time alone or with my dogs or with my friends. Often- almost always- I wish I had more self-control and discipline so I could stick to goals, schedules and plans which all go strongly against my personality type.

Some of these desires are healthy and fuel productivity, a sense of self-efficacy and added income. Some simply lead to attaining more followed by simply feeling dissatisfied and even anxious. Like when I recently wanted more than the relationship I was currently in and went on a date with someone I thought would be "more" in many ways only to feel even more disappointed and alone.

So, here I am, restless and wanting more of many things which, paradoxically, is often also wanting less of others (ie: wanting more time with my dogs would mean less work but I also want more work so, that doesn't get me anywhere).

So, I've decided once again, just like many years ago and a few times since, to try to pick what I really want more of. I want to create more, I want to relax more, I want to socialize more but also listen more, talk less. I want more work but only with people and projects that I am excited about and enjoy, no miserable rich people treating me like Cinderalla or projects that demand too many hours of labor for too little profit (or, as is often the case with me, a small loss).

I am restless. I am tired and need to be energized by my own life. I will decide what I truly want and need more of, a noble and worthwhile cause, and go after it. And then, in a little bit, after a phase of satisfaction and even true happiness (if it all works out), I will be restless and wanting more again. So I will pick what is worthwhile work to get it- again.

I think I'm figuring life out. And - oh, boy - is it exhausting. But at least its better than wanting and working for nothing at all.

Or... 

Maybe I'm just a self-centered and aimless product of my generation who is unsatisfied because of the outlandish expectations I have for my life as all the journalists suggest.

What do you think? Do you want more? Is that bad? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

THANKS FOR READING

Thread & Sewing Organizer- The Prototype

I had this idea a few months ago when I was setting up my new sewing room and it was instantly all-consuming. I've never designed a product before but this one was so clear in my mind- practical, relatively simple to make (or so I thought- ha!) and pretty darn cute.

This is just the prototype and the craftsmanship is faaaarr from perfect but I'm very happy with the overall look so far! I really hope to get the design down and start making these to sell for sewers and quilters online and maybe at shows (long-term goals, people).

I put 2" dowel rods on 3 sides but left the last one to hang and organize small sewing tools. I want to add a pincushion either to the top or this side and a handle to make it portable.

Here's the good part: Right now, this one just sits on the desk but once I order lazy susan bearings, it's gonna spin. PA-POW! The practical element just went through the roof!

Part of the iffy craftsmanship is due to my limited workspace and tools. Almost all of this project was done in my bedroom or on the back porch using a handsaw, hammer, nails, drill, Elmer's glue, spray paint and other odd-and-ends.

The other part of the iffy craftsmanship is due to just wanting to get it done. :)

Now that I've got a starter, it's back to the drawing board for me and my wonderful friends and family who are helping plan this whole thing out.

Do you have any ideas for what can make this an awesome organizer?! And what are the other uses I'm not thinking of? So far, I've thought about making these for tools, other crafts, jewelry and maybe even one for the kitchen. Please share your ideas!

THANKS FOR READING

Equality in the South- Charlotte Pride 2013

When I got in my car tonight after working 30 non-stop hours in 2 days, I was exhausted. My head pounded, my ears were ringing, my feet were so sore it hurt to push the gas pedal, my back ached, my face was burnt and my voice was completely shot.

After about an hour of driving, the relief of caffeine, water and 3 ibuprofens melted away the stress and fatigue, letting in a tidal wave of thoughts, emotions, reflections and revelations.

My head raced, my heart swelled and I spent the last two hours of my trip deep in thought, alternating between fighting back tears and grinning like a fool.

I was overjoyed thinking back on the thousands of eager supporters who jumped at the opportunity to help change discrimination in our state and make the workplace safe for all LGBT employees.

I was thrilled basking of the memories of marching in a parade with 50,000 on-lookers screaming and cheering for an organization dedicated to securing their rights.

I was touched remembering the people who call Charlotte and the Triad home who were amazed by the acceptance and support their community was showing for all people.

I was encouraged to see and hear about so many companies and employers who treat their LGBT workers the way every employer should- the same as everyone else.

I was saddened thinking of the five people I talked to who, once they had outed themselves at work, mysteriously lost their jobs within a few weeks.

I was encouraged when I looked back on all of the couples, families and individuals of every sexual orientation, gender identity, race, nationality and age who mingled together and celebrated being in a space of equality, acceptance and love.

And I was proud. Proud of myself for the work I did, proud of Equality North Carolina for all of the amazing, important causes they fight for, proud of my leaders and volunteers for everything they accomplished and proud of the state I live in.

Proud of North Carolina?

I am all too aware of the political situation in North Carolina right now. I am often scared, angry, discouraged and downright overwhelmed by the discriminatory and unethical laws and practices our representatives are putting in place at break-neck speeds. 

But this weekend, I didn't see hate or discrimination. I didn't see fear or sadness. 

This weekend, I saw people in the street ready for change and willing to make it happen. Not for the sake of a political agenda, but for the sake of equality.

And that is why, although I wasn't born here, I am proud to call it home.

THANKS FOR READING

Workshop/Bedroom Makeover Part 1: DIY Light Box Under the Bed- FREE PROJECT!

My sister and I switched rooms a couple weeks ago. Her room was twice the size of mine with a bathroom and sink and walk-in closet and she wasn't using most of the space. 

Most people think switching rooms sounds simple, and I guess it does. But most people don't understand how much stuff I have and how long it takes me to "nest" in a new place. I moved out here with a load and a half in my tiny Honda Civic and I own hardly any clothes or shoes, my toiletries are few and I have 2 necklaces to my name. Why so much stuff?

In one word: Etsy

Well, Etsy and working as a seamstress.

A short list:

Sewing supplies, fabric, tools, hardware, ongoing projects, completed projects, thread, buttons, ribbons, zippers, velcro, snaps, eyelets, paint, painting supplies, markers, colored pencils, paper, glue, iron, ironing board, shipping supplies, photography set-up/supplies...

(And that's just off the top of my head, there's more)

Anyway, here we are a few weeks after the move and I'm JUST settling into my new room. I'm very happy and proud of all the work I did and the space is organized down to every last inch so I've wanted to post about it for a few days. But there's SO much going on in there, I didn't even know where to start, so I just didn't.

So, let's start with one of my favorite, most simple and FREE projects I did that makes me very, very happy and proud- my light box.

I've wanted a light box for a while to trace designs onto both paper and fabric for various projects. They're expensive and it seems like such a simple concept, I didn't feel like spending much money on it. I looked into using some old wood box frames I have but didn't want to deal with finding Plexiglas and cutting it to size. Then I stumbled on the most obvious solution online!

I already had this storage box under my bed for all the random kitchen things we don't need in my current house but that I'm hanging on to for when I get my own place. It wasn't very full so I purged some of the stuff, shoved it all into the back - and - VOILA!

I also already had the LED lights inside and wasn't using them- I had bought one for a buck or two for my last closet which didn't have a light in it and the rest were hand-me-downs from a friend.

I love just pushing it back under my bed and not wasting any space since I don't use it all that often. It's still right next to my work table and i just sit on the floor to trace. It shine through at least 4 sheets of paper!!

So, that's it for today. This was by far one of the easiest, quickest and cheapest (well, free) projects in the room but I'm so happy with it's simplicity that I thought I'd share it first.

Trust me, there's plenty more to come... 

SNEAK PEEK!!

THANKS FOR READING

If my friend can make a baby, I can open an Etsy shop

Like so many fellow bloggers out there, I became distracted and started to drop this blog.

Well, no more! I'm back.

Last night, I did something just as terrifying but just as important to me as starting this blog... I finally, FINALLY opened my Etsy shop. I have been curious about the whole thing for a while and been pretty serious about wanting to have my own shop for a year now and actually planned on starting it on March of this year. Buuuutt, none of that happened. 

Magazine bowl now available in my shop!

I read every article, watched every video and even bought a book about how and what to sell, how to market, price and ship and all of that. But "over-analysis paralysis" took over (as one of the Etsy articles called it) and I was too petrified of the whole thing. Not only are there a lot of steps involved but there's also such a big risk for failure. And, just like with starting a blog, I think the biggest obstacle is that the whole thing feels a little... embarrassing.

I really wanted to blog in order to share my projects as well as my personal life and thoughts. Writing posts is so natural and fun for me and I want to share with those who want to read.

I really wanted to sell on Etsy because I love to make things and am completely enchanted by the idea of supporting myself- if only partially- by making things with my own hands.

But these both come with an underlying "look at me!" feeling that makes me uncomfortable  I do want to share, I do want to be open about my life and thoughts. That is a very powerful driving force for me, especially living so far away from so many of my friends and family.

Beatles baby quilt also listed in my shop

So, I've decided, both with the blog and with Etsy, to not be embarrassed and not hold back. These are things that are important to me that I want people I care about to be involved in. And I have to keep reminding myself that I am not forcing anyone to read my blog or shop in my store. If you really don't care about my thoughts or are annoyed by my sharing, fine by me. When I share something on Facebook or Twitter, it's an invitation, not an obligation.

Overcoming all of these ludicrous but overwhelming thoughts was one big hurdle. Talking to friends more about what I wanted to do helped a great deal as well. But the biggest motivation and "final push" (so to speak) was my friend having a baby two days ago.

My newest addition to the shop...

My friends and I have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of Irina's daughter Zoya for- obviously- several months now. When we found out she was being induced (that's how you spell that word, Irina. Just so you know), we all went in to panic mode and spent 10 hours doing anything we could to help. We even did a lot of things that probably didn't help. But it was a very happy and exciting time and going to visit mom and baby in the hospital was a beautiful and surreal experience to say the least. I mean, look at this face! So precious!

"Oh, don't mind me. I'm just gonna fall asleep in your arms
and strike this adorable pose. No biggie"

At some point during all freaking out, drinking energy drinks while scrubbing a kitchen floor with toothbrushes and waiting for when we could go see this baby, the thought occurred to me; if my friend can endure 9 months of uncomfortable pregnancy and create this beautiful little girl, I can press a button, deal with being uncomfortable for a bit and I'll probably be ok.

Talk about putting things in perspective!

This wall hanging was my first ever Etsy sale!

You can find my Etsy shop here and I will (hopefully) have new products soon. I've already had a few sales and my tiny inventory is not gonna cut it. Be on the lookout for more! 

THANKS FOR READING

I'm Pasty & My Hair Is Brown

It's been a weird few months. I haven't been posting and I'm not sure exactly what I have been doing. I know that I've been cleaning houses and babysitting, volunteering a lot and, now that things have slowed down a bit for my friends in grad school, I've been able to hang out with them more. But I haven't been as driven when it comes to increasing my business or pursuing my personal goals.

I got so off-track and confused this week that I went out and bought tanning lotion and bleach. I wasn't feeling fulfilled and, as all of my research on happiness and what makes people the most satisfied in life empirically proves, becoming tan and blonde would solve all of my problems. I told my sister and a few friends about these purchases and their very honest, disappointed and confused reactions were enough to make me change my mind and focus on more important goals.

Ok, ok. The input of my family and friends was very influential but that's not how it actually happened. So, what really happened was that I looked up how to do highlights by yourself at home last night and... it seemed pretty hard. And after a tragic bleaching that I totally botched for Halloween last year, I was skeptical about the possible results. Then, today, I went to Sun Tan City where I had started a "Free Tour of the City" a few weeks ago (I was only in there for 8 minutes the first time) and I found out the offer had expired. So THEN I decided I should focus on more important things in my life. I returned the lotion and hair dye, got $15 back and treated myself to a fancy, $7 Chipotle dinner.

I'm not tan and I'm not blonde, so I had to figure out something else I could be...

"Be Happy, Be Healthy, Be Productive"

This has become a sort of personal mantra for me this year. It's especially useful for when I feel like there's so much to focus on, I don't know what the bigger picture is. I just remind myself of these three, simple goals, and I feel like I know where I'm at. So, today, after returning the dye and lotion, I took a piece of chalk and wrote this in big letters on my quote wall next to my bed. 

That should help keep things in perspective :)

THANKS FOR READING

PS- I should be posting a lot more this week, I miss blogging...

Back to Life in Raleigh

It's been a month since my last post and I'm trying to just get back into it. I really enjoy keeping this blog up and so happy when I hear that people are reading and enjoying it as well! It really does help me feel connected to all my friends and family around the country and it makes me be a little more productive and creative in my thoughts and hobbies so I have something to write about. All that to say, it's good to be back. Back on my blog and back to Raleigh. 

Warning: This post practically turned out to be a diary entry. You can leave if you want. 

I just spent the last 10 days visiting my Granny with my sister  aunt and mom in a hospital in DC where a procedure took two very scary turns but my Granny recovered quite quickly and fully considering how serious the situation got. We kept saying that although the events that brought us together were far from ideal, it was nice to get to spend time together over the weekend and on Mother's Day and was, overall, a rather pleasant time after she had fought back, like she always does. Love you Granny!

After that, my sister, mom and I headed back to Chicago with a quick stop at a Pittsburgh hotel and quilt shop my mom wanted to visit in the middle of the mountains. I spent time at home cleaning and organizing the kitchen pantry (maybe my favorite organizing projects to date!) seeing my friends and the fellas in their lives and shadowing a family friend that cleans houses and taught me the tricks of the trade. We topped off the week with a family dinner and a sleepover with my three little cousins where we watched Dumbo and ate popcorn (with ranch, as my 5 year old cousin requested...) My last night home, I went out with some friends to celebrate a recent engagement!

On Saturday, my mom drove me to Crown Point, Indiana where my beautiful and wonderful friend Lindsey picked me up and drove me to Anderson on her way out of Michigan. I got to spend two nights in my college town and rocked my Goodwill outfit for a friend's thrift shop party. It was good to see everyone and eat Deluxe Donuts again. Next time, I just have to eat at The Nile!!

Aaaand, now, here I am. Sitting on my back porch in Raleigh listening to the frogs and the remaining rain drops trickling off the trees from a storm that must have passed through right before we arrived. Good weather, a late sunset and listening to Anne of Green Gables on audio book made this one of the more pleasant drives I've had in a while. We also didn't hit any deer or spin off the road which certainly added to the pleasantness...

Pulling up to our house just as it was getting dark and with the sounds and thick air left after the rain, I realized what a beautiful and comfortable place this is. After spending a week in the Midwest, seeing our little townhouse surrounded by trees and thriving plant life so thick and green that it's starting to take over the view of the front door was an experience more emotional and nostalgic than I ever imagined it would be. Even the musty cottage smell of our house made Amanda and I feel like we were truly home and Lady, who would hardly eat or drink while we were away, was so comfortable, well fed and watered and cuddling on my bed only a few minutes after our arrival. It was a certainly a strong feeling of belonging. (This experience was slightly marred when we discovered a dead mouse. For all of the beautiful, thriving life in this part of the country, I must say that I could do without the mice, cockroaches, millipedes and mosquitoes!)

Returning to life here, even though it has only been 2 hours, has already reminded my of my priorities and goals. A few months ago, I started moving away from the nanny share I was running and began to work as a housekeeper and seamstress. With so much support and networking from some very dear and helpful friends here in Raleigh, it has gone pretty well so far. I have a couple regular clients and help on an ad-hoc basis with some clients I have met online or been introduced to. I still babysit in my home during the week and for date nights on weekends, but am trying to get as much experience and work I can get with cleaning and sewing. My fantasy at this point is to establish myself and learn enough to support myself on projects that I love which ranges from sewing to organizing to decorating an painting to gardening.

Being self-employed is exciting in many ways and full of stress and anxiety in many others. I am proud to be a 23 year old who is making my own way and developing my skills, business and otherwise, in a down economy when so many are looking for work or unsatisfied with what they do. However, I still have plenty of moments of doubt and fear about my abilities, ambitions and livelihood. I hope to gain more clients and develop a more established schedule and to be able to offer quality services at fair prices that still allow me to support myself. And, you know, pay off all those student loans.

My latest entrepreneur project that is months in the making and far behind (my own) deadline to to open my etsy shop. I have slowly but surely been working on more projects each week and am happy with the finished products but ever concerned about how things will be received, how to carry out transactions online and follow through in every step of the buyer/seller interaction and whether or not I can actually take the things I love to make and share and make a profit from them. I am constantly in a state of inspiration and motivation and - simultaneously- fear, dread, anxiety and virtual paralysis. 

So, as I said, returning to my current home after briefly visiting my two other beloved homes, has made me think some more about who I am, what I am doing and what I truly wish to do. There are still many goals that I set out to change at the beginning of the year that I have not come close to accomplishing while a few of my primary goals, I was happily surprised to realize, have come to pass without me even realizing it such as making good friends, getting involved in the community and causes I care about and working towards becoming financially secure and independent. I need to focus on what I have accomplished and my potential to keep on track and do so much more.

I'm back, I'm terrified and motivated and I'm going to keep on keeping on. Looking back at the beginning of this blog and seeing how far I have come in less than a year is so encouraging for where I will go in the coming months and beyond.

THANKS FOR READING

Tire & Conatiner Gardening

Since it's Earth Day and I'm not ready to launch my Etsy shop quite yet (I was excited to put all the recycled and upcycled products up for sale today but I guess it can wait) I thought I'd post about my tire and other container gardens!

Since we're renting and almost all the soil around our house is orange clay, we decided to do container gardens this summer. We also live in such a wooded area that very few spots get more than a couple hours of sun each day which makes the back porch one of the sunny spots!

The spaghetti squash below is one of my few seedlings started in a tray that seems to be thriving.

A cheap plastic tub and my sister's old rain boots make the perfect planters for swiss chard, spinach  carrots and beets. now I just have to figure out how to keep the squirrels from digging in there!

I bought these pots from a garage sale in Anderson, IN a few years ago and I have used them every summer since. This year, they have cilantro and basil and I'm waiting for my chives to sprout.

Swiss chard sprouts- I can't wait to start harvesting the never-ending chard!

And now, the tires...

I knew we needed more space than all the containers we had and as I was trying to figure out where we would plant everything around late winter (I still thought we'd put stiff in the ground) I drove past a neighbor's house with a stack of 3 tires in the lawn and a sign that said "free." 

After giving the neighborhood a few hours to jump on the tires if they wanted (to me, this was too good to be true so I thought I had to share!) I went back at night and fit all 2 huge tires in my little Honda Civic. Then, just a few weeks ago, when it was nice enough to start planting, my sister and I got to work on these bad boys!

With the rims on the tires, I realized most of the soil we would have to buy would go to waste considering the relatively small surface area we would have left. So, we decided to cut it off!

1 Old Jeep Tire....

 Plus A Whole Lotta Hand-Sawing...

...Equals 1 Old Tire With The Top Cut Off!

Below is the before and after shot of Tire #1 with mostly peas and lettuce an, as an experiment, an old garlic clove that started to sprout in our kitchen. Maybe we'll get a whole bulb!

And Tire #2 is below (before & after) with peppers, strawberries, onions, radishes, beets, carrots and spinach. There's a lot in there and it's just about time to thin those little guys! We'll see how many go to harvest in such a small space...

 I can't wait to see how all of these containers do in the long run. So far, everything has been growing better than I expected but I'm still anxious for our first real harvest...

HAPPY EARTH DAY AND THANKS FOR READING!

Forget Spring, Summer has Sprung!

My sister had told me that it goes straight from winter to summer around here, but I didn't believe it till I saw it with my own eyes! For proof of how quickly things come to life in North Carolina, here's a picture Kirsten took of the woods behind my house on April 2nd (Sorry for stealing your pic, Kirst!)

And this is what it looks like today, just 11 days later!

This is the view of the woods behind my house. Every now and then I forget how beautiful this area is and how amazing it is to have all of this nature in my backyard.

The one downside to all this beautiful nature and the boom of life is the pollen. If you don't live in NC, I'm not just talking about regular pollen. Around here, pollen is a thick, green dust that floats in the air and coats everything! My car, which is normally silver, was green the other day and the inside is covered in the stuff. I've already swept my porch and outdoor furniture and it's covered again almost instantly. I was driving through a wooded area yesterday and there's so much of this stuff that there was a visible "fog" of dust in the air. 

People around here don't even seem to notice it, its so normal. But coming from the Midwest where pollen is an invisible, almost mythical, occurrence and you have to check the pollen count online to know how bad it is, this is all pretty crazy to me! And it means lots of happy bumble bees around the house and lots and lots of sneezing! I swear, if this keeps up, my allergies will be the death of me!

I guess sneezing is a small price to pay for all the beautiful foliage, but my face doesn't seem to understand the trade-off....

I'll post soon about my container gardens which are coming to life as quickly as the woods around me. 

So excited!

ENJOY THE BEAUTIFUL WEATHER AND THANKS FOR READING

A Best Friend, A Broken Laptop and A Bruised Throat

It's been a crazy week despite (or, perhaps, evidenced by) my lack of blog posts.

Kirsten, one of the people I love most out of many people that I love a whole lot, flew in last Monday to stay with me for a few days before we drove to her cousin's wedding in western North Carolina.

The first few days of our trip, however, were anything but a vacation. I have been working harder and staying busier than I have since my first year or two of college. Every hour of my week is now taken up by babysitting, cleaning houses, posting blogs, volunteering, hanging out with my wonderful new friends, sewing/crafting, handling money and taxes, running errands and whatever other insane amount of tasks I add to my to-do list! 

Now, looking back on what my life was like and how I felt when I first moved to NC, this is all a very good change. My emotional, social and financial states are all far beyond where they were just a month or two ago and I am amazed at how well things are going! However, as Kirsten's arrival made clear, my weeks are packed so tight that I was forgetting to sleep (another flashback to college life). 

The night she flew in, I had already babysat for 6 hours in the morning and cleaned, went grocery shopping and prepared food for a client which took about 4 hours plus almost 2 hours of commuting. I was so exhausted and my back ached so badly by evening that I tried to take a nap but my mind was still racing with everything I had to do that I just sat awake in my bed for 2 hours. I eventually just got up and cleaning my car (one of the many things on my mind at the time). 

I picked Kirsten up around midnight and we stayed up for hours talking and reconnecting, which was completely worth it and felt sooo good... till I had to get up the next morning.

The first few days were a blur with babysitting, a volunteer meeting at which Kirsten had to call all the State Representatives on my list because of how bad I am on the phone, a fantastic dinner party followed by about 5 hours of packing with my wonderful friend Sanja before she flew home to South Africa in the morning, more babysitting, another dinner and - in general - a whole lotta not sleeping. 

On our third day, Kirsten helped me babysit while I was running around trying to pick up the house and finish some volunteer documents. At one point I had put my laptop down to let Lady in and as I reached down for the girl I was sitting to change her diaper, Lady jumped over a table and kicked my laptop screen with her back paw.

It instantly shattered. 

In case you don't know what it's like to be 23 in 2013, I'm going to take this moment to clarify something: we use our computers a lot. Like, for everything. 

Suffice it to say that it took a lot of willpower to hold it together in that moment.

A few minutes later, while my friend Irina was stopping by and I was trying to pacify a very sleepy and unhappy toddler, she whipped her tiny but surprisingly hard head at full speed into my throat. (The toddler, not Irina.) This was a new experience for me and it's probably foreign to you as well but, let me tell you, it hurts. With tears of exhaustion and exasperation in my eyes, I told Kirsten and Irina that I was at my end.

I realized that whether or not I would call it a sign, it was a sort of blessing-in-disguise that my laptop broke and that I almost broke down with it. I've heard athletes say that getting a sprained ankle or a knee injury was a sign that showed them they needed to slow down and take better care of themselves. I think that's what my laptop was for me. (Not to mention my very sore throat!)

So, rather than cramming in all the never-ending tasks I had secretly planned to do during the weekend (which Kirsten was not happy to hear I had even thought of doing), I went away with her to a beautiful part of the country and stayed at a gorgeous house with amazing people for a family gathering and wedding ceremony that I will never forget. We caught up on some sleep, hiked to a hidden waterfall, played games, had good conversation and generally had an incredible time.

So, thank you Kirsten, for a wonderful week. 

Thank you, Lady, for shattering my laptop. 

And thank you, little girl, for a bruised throat.

I guess I needed all of that.

Admittedly, I have already replaced my broken screen, gone grocery shopping twice, babysat, dropped Kirsten at the airport, purchased a domain name, worked on my website, created a favicon, put oil in my car, sent tons of emails, made tons of phone calls and wrote this post today buuutt I do plan on getting some good sleep tonight. Maybe I don't have to slow down as long as I let myself sleep enough...

Thoughts? What's your most productive way to get things done?

THANKS FOR READING

1,000 Views and Why I Love Short Hair

Last night, after a busy week of posting, this blog reached ONE THOUSAND VIEWS! I can't believe it and I'm so glad people are reading and (hopefully) enjoying my posts. Rather than making some gushy speech about how much I love and appreciate everyone (find that here), I made this. Enjoy!

10 Reasons I Love My Short Hair

#10- I Look Like The Biebs

I can't even look as sultry as him and I think he's only like 8 in this picture...

n

#9 - It's Ideal for Showing Off My Clip-On Earrings

How would I show these beauties off if I had all that hair in front of my ears?

#8 - I Would Make An Awesome Hoodie Model

Sorry, Kirtley. As soon as I saw this, I thought "that looks like my hair!"

Check out my friend's store, United State of Indiana, here.

#7- My Bed Head Is Better Than Yours

I've even gotten it from sitting in a chair...

m

#6 - I Compensate With Makeup When I Go Out

.

..which makes me look like Liza Minelli. Don't act like you're not jealous.

j

#5 - Combine #6 And #7 And You Get This

Good morning, beautiful.

j

#4 - It Makes Me Look Professional

Thanks, Salvatore!

d

#3 - This is What I Look Like With A Center Part

Yes, the mustache is real.

#2 - If I Were An Actress, I Would Seem Really Deep

Just like Anne Hathaway, Natalie Portman and Emma Watson

x

#1 - I Did It Before It Was Cool

5 years ago. And it wasn't cool, at all. 

This is real. Feel free to laugh.

I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT AND THANKS FOR READING!

Dress Alterations: 1

Last week, I completed my first alteration job in a long while for my friend Christy and her daughter Avelyn. Christy's dress only needed to be slightly altered so I added a lace-up back and I will post photos from that dress soon.

This post is about Ava's dress that her Grandma made. It was well made but since they live in separate states and couldn't do any fittings, there were a few crucial alterations.

The most obvious difference is the middle- I had to detach the whole bottom half of the dress and add a sash for length which also meant removing the ruffle in the middle. 

For a little extra length and to make the sash look more intentional, I added about an inch and a half of the same pink fabric to the bottom as well. I think this touch made a big difference!

What the dress looked like before from all angles

The other changes that may not be as noticeable but were absolutely necessary for a better fit included widening the neck and arm holes and changing/adding closures on back. 

I was so happy when Aves tried the dress on the second time and immediately said, "This feels so much better!" about her arms and neck. Removing the existing stitches and (semi) invisibly re-sewing those parts was some of the most nerve-racking sewing I've done and I'm very glad it worked out.

This was an interesting job for two reasons. For one, I really enjoyed the amount of creative thinking and problem solving it took to do some of the changes and repairs. Amanda wants me to make it clear, however, that it was her idea to add the sash. Good job, Amanda. But that brings me to the second thing that made this job interesting... 

Another one of Amanda's ideas was to make a completely new top half. That was absolutely out of the question, not only because of how much work it would be, but because this was someone else's work. I had to respect what someone else had made and couldn't just tear it apart. Although the before and after do look quite different, I'm hoping the original seamstress was not upset by the work I did. I tried to find a way to stylishly and naturally refit the dress without making the alterations stand out.

Overall, I had a lot of fun working on this dress and couldn't have been happier when I had the whole thing finished and Ava was twirling back and forth in her new dress, obviously comfortable and happy.

The happy girl and little brother, Roald