happy mondays

doing a lot of spring-like cleaning around the house today did my head a lot of good. i was physically cleaning, but my mind was a million miles away sorting through thoughts of how to get more organized with neverfeltbetter, getting ready for the upcoming craftywonderland and how to wrap up little unfinished projects here and there i have laying around. it was a good day to play catch up with far away friends...i miss them so much but hearing their voices and listening to their words did me just fine :)

now i turn my attention to my craft table, which over the course of the week has become a catch all for a bunch of crap i didn't put there. or maybe i did and don't remember (it has been that kinda week lol)...either way, i have some new plastic bins i need to utilized for fabric organization and such. i have so much i can't find anything! i don't know what i have anymore.

i am looking forward to some new fabric brooches and fabric covered pins, as well as some new pendants for the show and listing on neverfeltbetterbyjen.com and etsy, and i think i will pull out some older necklaces to see if i can't take better photos now i have a new camera (yay, i am loving my little nikon!). perhaps just some TLC around the house, and shops will get my mojo moving again. that and some good vibes and a nice glass of merlot...LOL

all craziness aside...

we had a wonderful day today, with sushi lunch downtown at our favorite dive sushi place...walking around downtown in the sunshine and finishing up with some junky and delicious vegan baked goods from whole foods. we took the bus, and train and made a day of it. i am fat and happy, the girls are exhausted and it is time to wind down for DR. WHO. it's the part one of a two parter-seaon finale. woot!

august craftywonderland!

my appearances at craft shows here as of late has been dismally few and far between! but my happy ass will be down at craftywonderland early august. just in time for some baby hats to debut :)

so i have just enough time to finish up some new pendants and rework my table for a fresh new look. i need a new table cloth in the worst way and some new risers. time to start hunting for fun artifacts at the thrift stores! i could sew a table cloth but i don't think i have that much of one fabric. i am more of a scraparella, if you know what i mean.

my tattoo is scaberella, lol but still radiating beauty and love. *LOVE* i tell you! it is as if it was always there, scabs and all! ha. you know those old-timely mustaches that are all curly and full of villainy? i am plastering one on the ancient tattoo of my ex and me kissing, during happier times. his huge shnoz is perfect for a "you must pay the rent" curly villain 'stache! hilarious? yes. i crack myself up i tell ya. a fitting tribute remedy since a cover up is out of the question :)

between friend phone call catch up (i have at least four to do, with no less than two hours each LOL. we are a chatty bunch especially long distance!), craftshow readiness and keeping this house from bursting into flames--all while working full time....it will be a busy week or two a head. i love that old recycled AA saying: one day at a time. but i like to keep a winking eye on the future, too.

ps. that cabbage patch model is my personal CP from the 80's. barry is his name, complete with pacifier and jogging suit and plastic tennis shoes. the diaper is a newer one, though. his yarn fro' is boofing out my baby hat to the max! i am still on the hot hunt for a newborn model but i thought this would be funny for now.

lawdamercy!

endorphins are so cool--a welcome change from the pure exhaustion as of late! my ode to neverfeltbetter tattoo is almost done, one more gruelling session and i am done! :))) and it is making me happy....so very happy.

other than this joy, i am trying to crochet and start/finish some pendants, work on our bikes..do stuff around the house, enjoy the weather. i LOVE our weather right now: cloudy and coastal hoodie weather until about 2pm then it burns off to gorgeous and warm sunshine. if it stayed like this forever it would be perfect. so, for this week, just basically keeping busy and enjoying it along the way.

i did finish one more baby hat, this one is a nice sage green with little brown dots...i am not getting good pictures though so no listing yet!

insider: i don't get it. why have a blog if if is private when you have NO friends or readers? if that is the case i suggest you whip out the ol'fashioned paper diary, hon. (are you there god? ha ha) since it is all cow-crap anyway why so secretive? you know we are all just *dying* to hear about all the peace, love and secrets to mothering you can impart on us all...LOL...! :)

bike rims are at a premium nowadays

no luck at any of the FOUR bike shops we went to today! but there is one more, and that will be a phone call first so not to waste time and effort. though we did pick up a bike for miss lucy and ever since about an hour ago she is a pro! with training wheels, of course :) still looking for one for lyric and of course, my rim and chain. who knew a 1971 schwinn (correct spelling today!) would be so problematic!

i forgot my morning pill today and have been a uber-space-case-to-the-max. good help me get through the rest of the day! lucky i am just relaxing and about to crochet while shawn makes lettuce wraps and cold tabouli. yumm! pictured are three finished baby pixie hats. working on a sage green one currently and i have some pieces cut for the sewn appliques. busy, busy...i am going to try and list one or two soon and i am also working on some pendants that i need to get to herbivore--i would have liked to have had them by tomorrow night since the tattoo place is right next door, but i don't know. i am uh...behind schedule LOL!

tomorrow at 5 is my tattoo! holy shit.

*whew*

finally, it is the end of my week! tomorrow we are hitting up the bike shop to get my chain and rim for my aqua shwinn (did i spell that right lol) to make it a fixed gear. i am pretty excited! little lucy is getting the trailer treatment and lyric is proficient on a bike and has outgrown her old one. shawn's needs some TLC and we are OFF! i am eyeballing a bike rack for the honda for exploring. and if i am extra good i would love a little basket like my old bike that got stolen. so hopefully we can take care of that all in one day. me and my brood will be out and about in this, the most bicycle friendly-city in the US. with at least four more months of good weather i am ready to get riding! in sacramento i rode my bike everywhere with my friend elizabeth. we clocked our milage one day and we road 5 miles! in midtown that is a lot, i think. we pretty much hit up everywhere at least twice that day :) good times, good times.

monday:: monday is my tattoo! let's not forget what a treat this is for this mom of two, wife of one. ha. i cannot wait to post pictures...i am beside myself with joy! seriously. you have NO idea.

on a eyeglass related note, if you haven't heard of THIS website for innexpensive glasses, well...you should check it out if you are in need. i am getting the red ones with big flowers on the sides, i think. SO CUTE!

happy friday!

gentle reminder: be sure and pamper yourself sometime this weekend--take a nap, take a walk, get a haircut, get a tattoo...or hell, do all of those things! don't think about it, DO it.

as for me--it isn't quite my friday yet. so i have big expectations for my weekend. along with the aforementioned activities, i will be doing some crocheting and sewing for sure. these things relax me, allowing me to regroup. allow me to rustle up the energy and attack the week/or life in general. there is an energy crisis going on, and i don't mean fossil fuel or greedy politicians fucking me in the ass over it. no, my friends...this is my own personal energy crisis that right now is purely *mind over matter* at this point. because if i allowed myself to feel like i want to feel i would be letting my little family down. they need me so, LOL. i would be tucked ever so nicely in my comfy bed with my sleep mask and fan going. ALL DAY LONG!

so, as i forcefully make myself do what i need to do for the rest of the night to come to a mellow close, i say to you: happy friday! i hope you had a great week, and that you will continue on in that fashion. me, well i am doing just alllllright. no surprises, no drama, no fantasy about how life is.

it's pizza night, kids!

i am extraordinarily tired tonight, so therefore it is pizza nite. i started feeling like i was about to pass out about 6 this evening, so i cut out an hour early. i really need to get my labs done--i will have to work on that this week. i don't think i can wait another two weeks. my thyroid hates me, you know. :) it probably hates you too, but it isn't in charge of you so you are gold. as for me--i am kinda fucked until the meds are right! oi vey!

however, in the good news department i am getting a new tattoo on monday! what you ask? well, poppies and sky...naturally! i can't wait. i so deserve this.

i am also on the lookout for a fresh baby model for my new little baby pixie hats...i love them and it is making me ovulate. weeeeeee! just what i need, huh?

my brain fog says that is all for now...there is more but i just can't seem to get it out right now.

i really can't believe....

that it has been THIS long since i have written...feels like blogger has eaten some of my posts. i have felt like such a space-case this last few weeks. could be my thyroid, huh? could be busy full time hours. could be i am just a slacker! who knows, throw a dart it could be any of those and more! :) i have been slammed with reality and working full time (just for the summer, then i go back to pt thank god), weekend stuff with the family and trying to somehow not collapse in exhaustion while figuring out how to squeeze in any room for creativity.

hmmph! it isn't working every well, this much i know. my initial thyroid meds aren't really working and i need to deal with that asap-but that is only half of it. i have in the last few weeks tried like the dickens to get off the floor and make some new items for NFB, which i have started to do. plus i stopped into herbivore yesterday and had a nice talk with michelle about life, being busy, being overwhelmed and the balance. i really have neglected all my stores but i made plans with her for some more pendants and also a FAT winter/holiday order which if i was smart i would literally begin working on now since a lot of scarves are involved! the whole thing gave me some creative juice to flow upon.

anyway i am going to try and write more starting now, it is good for me! :) i am working on some crocheted headbands, and i have listed a few things lately. plus now i have to get some pendants for herbivore and also union rose. i am trying to get everything sorted out and that is half the battle.

happy wednesday!

TGIM

usually i don't love to rush the ending of the weekend to the beginning of the week, but i am glad the weekend is behind me! it was really hectic with craftywonderland and finagling (did i spell that right?) family stuff too but it was fun, a bit slow, but fun. today my interview came out and i have received some kind words about it. check it out, and feel free to make fun of me rambling and making little sense LOL.
http://www.diyalert.com/node/4937

today i am kinda feeling tired and crapped out with a lot of work to do around the house but i am hopeful to get it all knocked out so i can sit down and list some of the seagull brooches that didn't sell yesterday. :)

ps my hair isn't purple it was the stage lights. but wouldn't it be cute if it was? ;p

please come visit me here!

i am starting to get a tad nervous about the whole thing, just like old times! craftywonderland in portland oregon....you know you want to come see! :)

in other good news today, i did an interview with sister diane of DIY alert, and it will come out on monday in the pdx profile section plus another blurb in the regular newsletter. uh...this is rad! i will link when it comes out, of course and i will be very proud. that is if i don't sound too dorky in print LOL!

don't put it off any longer!

this was my battle cry for last night, as i realized i am a smart-assed punk who thinks it is ok to cruise through and pull it out at the last minute. i am referring to getting ready for this sundays craftywonderland.com of course. i admitted this late yesterday afternoon and kinda laughed about it, but then had a AHA moment of no wonder things are like they are half the time--i SLACK! so, after locking up around the apartments at eight last night i summoned some energy and pulled out the whole of my stock--tagged and bagged what i was bringing (also making me have an AHA moment about slimming down and only concentrating on what really works for me in the shop--i have a lot of crap that is just sitting around!) and all that i have left to do is hand print out prices. also i need to make sure my display/table stuff is in one place. doing this made me realize I AM OUT OF BUSINESS CARDS and don't have time to reorder online. but at least i know now and not friday night trying to scramble to print out some myself or some shit.

well i guess the moral of this story is i can't blame mental fogginess and complete exhaustion on my procrastination problem--i have been like this forever. but it is time for a change!

pictured above are some finished seagull brooches. they are about 4 inches long and made from vintage fabric scraps :)

humpty-hump

happy wednesday. i am kinda grumpy today...like the old man i am i broke something pulling out all the patio furniture for the pool area today. grrr that stuff looked light, but must have been made from Adamantium or something. and i should have asked for help, but i didn't. anyway i put the hurt on myself, but i will live i am sure. :)

picked up some needed sewing notions today, such as PINS--something you think you have but you don't when you go to find them, and WHITE THREAD--ditto. going to do some sewing tonight--i am making some fabric seagull brooches and flowers, too. i am digging on the oilcloth i picked up thinking i would use it as a table cloth, but realized it was too busy. not too busy for brooches though, especially paired with different fabrics for the proper juxtaposition. boy, i like saying juxtaposition. say it with me!

again, happy wednesday. try not to break yourself anymore than you already have, and try and get some good sleep. oh wait, that was my internal dialog going on out loud again! for *you* i say keep on rockin...because i know you are in your own way. lol.

my monday, your tuesday.

didn't get the luxury of an extra day off yesterday, since my regular day off is monday anyway. so today, your tuesday, i am having a case of my mondays! i am off work already--jammed and got everything done quickly since we have company and i am trying to allow them to have the most quality time together skate-wise. although i am hoping it is quite a while until the next houseguest...we ate TOO much good food in the last few days! he is vegan too so we felt compelled to wow him with the best portland has to offer. and of course we didn't disappoint. his favorite was the vegan taco truck and since today is his last day he requested it one last time. :) last night i made pizza with the "teese" vegan cheese from foodfight and THAT did not disappoint, either. we have had organic beer and wine, amazing breakfasts and brunches and snacks that made us fat and happy. thank god we don't eat like this all the time! but it is nice to show friends around and brag about all the freaking amazing vegan fare here. we have a vegan mini-mall, after all ;p

the week in review

today i have already gotten off work, so i am sitting here waiting for my shawn to come home from the airport with his best friend visiting from cleveland with vegan mexican food from the taco truck. it is one of those days already though. i don't feel very good--not a cold or a bug kinda bad--just a bunch of little things. my tummy feels weird- my bellybutton hernia is acting up. yes, i have a hernia. you would too if you had two 9lbs+ babies lol. but, they run in my family and i think i am going to get the repair. i would get my sleek innie belly button back and also it won't get worse with complications. i dunno--i go in on the 20th unless it gets worse and i sneak into urgent care. i remembered weird al's version of 'living with a hernia' and i checked out the youtube. good old weird al! now i am really old because i used to just laugh and laugh at the video thinking ha on old people and their hernia's! blargh.

other than that fun, it has been a busy week. i finished up some orders one of which is featured here: a flock of seagulls lol. this weekend i am picking up the sewing machine adrienne is loaning me to shut me up. hopefully it will only be for a few weeks until i can get mine situated. i keep putting it off, thinking i should repair my old singer but then i see all the cute stitches available on newer machines and i flip flop back. either way i am going to be sewing up a storm very soon, and i can't wait. no more hand-sewing for me :)


shawn is stoked about dave visiting. he has all these skate spots to share and the most excellent vegan places to eat--i hope to steal dave away one of the few vegan bars LOL. i don't think he will be too happy to leave--cleveland is no place for a self respecting vegan nowadays, hee hee. the peer pressure will be great for him to move out west for sure.

well off to continue waiting for lunch. i have laundry to do and the girls room is a pit of doom and despair. yay!

constant flux

i have become one of those people who are constantly rearranging. like on the weekly :) it is a zen activity for me, i am really just making the energy flow at a maximum. what a perfect thing to do on such a dreary day! apparently we are going to have record may heat this weekend--but today was soggy and gray. i suppose i will appreciate the warmth even more, but i will be glad to see it go. if i wanted to live in blazing hell i would be back in sacramento LOL! it is supposed to go back to a normal NW spring weather by tuesday thank god. maybe i can catch some much needed rays....hello my little cheek freckles! it has been a while since i have seen ya.

quotes for the day:

"When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everybody will respect you."

"In dwelling, live close to the ground. In thinking, keep to the simple. In conflict, be fair and generous. In governing, don't try to control. In work, do what you enjoy. In family life, be completely present. "

"Born to be wild - live to outgrow it."

-lao tzu


i don't have any clue what is going to be for dinner. i really need to go to the market, but lucy looks like rainbow brite (she dressed her self and has on about 3 layers of clothing) and is covered in stamp ink (animal stamps=fun times). lyric is looking raggedy too but i am getting off to round them up as best i can. there is no food in this house and i am craving something sweet! :))

happy friday and all that jazz :)

one more day in my work week, but thankfully saturdays in the office are pretty mellow. which i think i am going to take advantage of if that is the case and crochet something from the rad vintage pattern books my friend laura picked up and sent to me (they are as heavy as bricks, and the postage was crazy! what a doll!). i collect vintage crochet manuals, patterns, funky pictures. and lemme tell you these books do NOT disappoint with the crochet-lady-crazy. i am going to make shawn a tie LOL.

ooooo it is almost time for BSG! happy friday :)

a few new pendants

found this groovy vintage pillowcase from sears and roebucks that just cried out to be made into (what else?) pendants (among other things when i get my sewing machine up and running).

my head aches and i am inhaling a sachet of lavender right now. it is kinda helping. i need a hot shower and some peace and quiet, honestly.

so far i have only listed these on etsy but i will do so on my site tomorrow in the morning.

happy thursday!

while dinner is cooking, a quick post :)

teriyaki noodles with beef-less strips and veggies. hungry!

it has been a busy week. took the girls to the indoor swimming pool, the duck pond and several other parks to explore while the weather was giving us a break. it was really pretty here the last few days, and when the sun shines you take advantage of its rays. :)

i am working on a larger custom orders during the evening, trying to get that out to their prospective people as quick as possible. i replaced my older and cheaper soldering irons with a big boy that pretty much will melt a tin can. love it! i can't remember if i mentioned being at junes craftywonderland, but it is also something i am preparing for. if i get my sewing machine even one week before i have a couple of ideas i would like to go ahead and try out. that would be as good as any place to see if something bombs or not! :p i am seriously dying to sew and i am so hard up late at night i watch video tutorials on different sewing projects. kinda sad, LOL. but it makes me happy, and that is all that matters.

well, dinner is about ready to serve and lemme tell you i am happy to partake. happy monday!!!