EnigLdy~SheepFaced

Revamping the Office

Here is the bag I designed:
and it works great.  I also made a matching lanyard for my work badge and used the swatch for a credit card holder once I added a zipper.  Yeah, I'm all that.

I've finally made some decisions for my home office.  If you've been a reader for any time at all, you know that I'm constantly battling the office.  I have too much crap but it's good crap.  The crap is taking over my life and it makes my ears hurt.  As if that makes any sense.  It is so difficult being Sybil - I am a perfectionist/hoarder.  I become overwhelmed when things are cluttered.  I also collect everything on anything that I like.  The only way around this issue is to downsize.  I know that I will only miss 1% of whatever I get rid of and I can get over it or buy another.  I gave my DSeester my stereo that includes a turntable.  You have no idea how hard that decision was to make.  BUT, I was housing an entertainment center to hold it and a TV.  Wasted space - major no-no.  I think the last time I used the turntable was in the other house and we've been here about 6 1/2 years.  Hello, McFly!  I also unloaded the 14" stack of record albums.  Boohoo.  I had DSeester dig through the pile and then they went to a good home through Freecycle.  I hope they ended up in a loving home.  The entertainment center is DD's and she's giving it to her DBF.  I hope it leaves the front porch soon.  After getting that outta here I moved the table between the filing cabinets and Freecycled the countertop I was using as a desk.  That left some crap on the floor - including the TV.  Little did I know that secret powers were at work for me.  Some things are just meant to be.  When I got up on Sunday and was scanning bloglines, I saw an ad for a similar cube system that I found at Target.  To get an idea of size, I visited the Target site and about had a heart attack.  Target had the cube system on sale for $10 cheaper.  OMG - I packed up the muscle (DH) and off we headed to Target.  I grabbed three of the cube systems and a wall mount system for the TV.  I didn't really mean to take up DH's Sunday but I did.  He helped me put together the cubes and then he mounted (no, not like that) the TV.  I promised all sorts of favors after that and you don't want to hear about it - trust me.  Yes, it involved mounting.  After that long ass story - here are the results:

Before:

and after:

No, it is not model home perfect yet but it was Sunday afternoon and they expect me to be at work all week.  Do you have any spare time I can purchase?  I really need a few days to get it all set up.  However, I plan on painting so I may need more than that.

One last picture - apologies again to you dial-uppers. 

This is the yarn I spun and am knitting a scarf I designed.  How yummy is that for overspun, ho-made yarn?  I'll soon have it wrapped around my neck so that I can properly welcome our 112-degree Texas summer.

Anyone? Anyone?

Great price!

You KNOW this!

Ten Things You Hate Doing
1. to dust.
2. to repeat myself. 
3. to drive.
4. listen to people talk just to be talking.
5. huh?  to repeat myself.
6. to use public restrooms.
7. to wait.
8. to car shop.
9. to argue.
10. dropping the bomb - telling someone something I don't think they'll want to hear.

DD goes to the dr. tomorrow to set her surgery date.  I hope she gets over this year of health issues soon!  I'll have quite a bit of hoop jumping to do while she is down for some healing.

Picture Heavy Post

My apologies to you dial-up readers but I've put off uploading pics and here they are.  First up, we have the beautiful doily from DC Ruthie:

Don't be hatin' on me.  Tis mine, all mine.

Next up are my splendid purchases from NETA.  I almost missed out.  I have never purchased from their annual t-shirt/bag sale and I procrastinated this year.  Luckily, shirt/bag lady hooked me up and was sweet enough to mail to Texas.  They're all from New England, hence the acronym - NETA= New England Textile Artists.  I'm their honorary Texan.  The tee and bag are so well worth the money and I am so thankful that I lucked out.  Check them out:

Now we have goodies that I've made: a pincushion and marshmallow chicks.  The pincushion - sad, little pincushion just had to have a spot in the limelight but there really is a story behind it.  You know how you have so many frigging things on the "to-do" list that the importance of some things have to reach up and literally bitch slap you before you get to them?  Well, consider me bitch slapped.  I have never found the need for a pincushion so have never purchased one.  However, I also like to have a needle/thread available so that special man in my life doesn't rifle through everything I own and then leave it NOT how he found it.  Uh, I believe a needle jumped onto the floor and into the ball of my foot.  It may be that he didn't quite put it back but hey, I wasn't there so I ain't 'cusing no one.  For some reason it did push me to rethink my ideas of a pincushion.  Sad, little pincushion was born out of some scrap, felted sweater material and stuffed with sad ass yarn (or is it sad, ass yarn?) I spun and broke off.  How's that for saving the foots?  Truly - I'm happy that it was me and not the DGB who stepped on the needle.

Peeps -- how cute are these?  They make me happy.  I love the real ones and now I can drool over these.  As I age gracefully I don't eat them but I have fond memories of my love for these squishy sugar balls.  DC Ruthie hooked up this yarn whore - she calls me when she is at the store and also makes special trips just for me.  The only person that loves me that much is....uh...it may only be her but I'm still thinkin'.

Last but not least I have some GB pics to share.  Last year I made him a plastic canvas "Cycling Willy" and told him that until he learned how to ride his bike entirely, he couldn't have it.  He did okay last year but it was still a struggle to get the push off by himself.  He shrugged and told me he didn't want "Cycling Willy" and it has sat in my office.  It must've stewed in his brain for a year because two weeks ago he grabbed his bike, suited up and is now a bike rider.  When he was still working out the start, he asked if he could have Willy.  I was amazed that he'd been thinking about the goal I had placed on him.  DH told him that he had to do a big circle through the front yard before he earned it.  He didn't do it on Saturday but when he woke up Sunday, out we went and he hopped on the bike and earned Willy.  We were thrilled for him.  You too get to enjoy the helmet pic.  We were lucky enough to view the ear in person.

We are deep into baseball season.  Last week he was the pitcher and caught a line drive and luckily we were all paying attention and were witness to the amazing feat.  Here he is up to bat.

Spring It Forward Baby

I don't know anyone needing this but thought it was cool: Mobility Air Transport

and for cool bio stuff

I love this site for bargains.

and this info to get the hogness part of your life under control:

You won't find time for exercise, you must make it.  Start small. "You ate the elephant one bite at a time, you'll have to get rid of it one bite at a time."  Rewarding yourself with food is a "great cultural bugaboo." Instead, reward yourself with a CD or go to the movies.  Don't let others determine what you eat.  Don't put off starting a healthy routine.  For more information about the Governor's (AK dude) experiences, read his book: Quit Digging Your Grave with a Knife and Fork: A 12-STOP Program to End Bad Habits and Begin a Healthy Lifestyle (Center Street).

Check out DC Roo's handiwork --- she amazes me with her talent(s):

What'd I accomplish over the weekend?  Get this - I got the tax folder together for the grinch's cohorts to let me know how much they're sending off to repay the grinch.  I annually dread it and Wednesday is dee dae fer dat meatin'.  I got the house redded up (where did Mom get that saying?), laundry, baking and cooking.  I also felted the purse and parts.  The majority of it is put together.  I will post a pic and the pattern once I have it completed.  I think the size turned out perfect for me but the true test is use.

I also put together two of the crocheted chicks with the yarn DC Roofie sent me.  I hope to knock out a few more tonight so I can share a pic.

DS is at the coast for spring break.  He heads back to town today since he has a job interview tomorrow for summer employment.

Needing to post

I forgot to tell you that I'm a winner.  No, not in the self-esteem sense ~ in the for real, gift in the mail sense.  This lovely lady had a horrible accident with some sort of metal object ending up in her toe when she slipped on her shoes before running out the door.  I had to respond to that since I have extremely sensitive fee.  Check out what I won!
I haven't decided what I'm gonna do with it yet but I may make a summer tank top for my new skinny self.  Yes, I'm seeing improvements with the ol' broad bod.  The bathroom scale still screams like an injured dog but I tell it to shut up or I'll have a Krispy Kreme Centerfold hop on.

Sales at the knitting vault are going well:

 

Pattern Name	Sales Count
Children's Pumpkin Slippers	2
Credit Card/ID Holder	1
Crocheted Heart Coasters	1
Lace and Cable Scarf	13
Low-Riser Cuff Slipper Socks	7
Seed Stitch Purse	4

Looks like I'll be posting another scarf soon since that is the front runner in sales. 

Being an advertising major I found this video extremely entertaining.  Those who know me know that I don't work within my field of study.  Our graduating class had open offers in Arizona and NYC.  I'm not interested in relocating so here I sit at UT.  At least I can update my blog and laugh at the video.

Isn't it funny how songs bring back so many memories?  I don't think there is anything else in the world that would bring back a memory where you know who was there, what year it was and what you were doing.  For example:  Lay Down Sally reminds me of my very missed friend from high school, Pam Fabian.  Her mom's name is Sally and I distinctly remember her telling me that her mom hated that song.  hehe - wonder why!

This is a cool site where you see rooms from houses around the world.  It amazes me that most every place on earth looks like the USA when I imagine dirt floors and a woman trying to sweep with a corn broom.  I guess I've watched too many Save the Children advertisements.

I have a 7:15 baseball game to attend tonight.  I was hoping to chat on the puter with DC but it looks like I'll be drinking coke and hooting for the baby.

Yumminess

We had the very best dinner Monday night.  I made broccoli cheese soup and baked acorn squash.  Is that not the yummiest looking squash?  The soup was superb and probably the best I've ever made.  I took the comments suggestion of doubling the amount of broccoli and using the chicken broth to mix in the corn starch.  I bought the broccoli while I was at lunch Monday and across the parking lot is this yummy bread store: The Great Harvest Bread Company.   DH & I buy their bread at the local farmer's market and I've never been to their store until Monday.  OMG - I bought their Peach Cobbler Crumble bread and it is yummy enough to kill someone over.  DH & I have been enjoying a slice in the evenings for our dessert.  I sure wish I could find a recipe for this bread.  DH says it reminds him of my zucchini bread.  That made me chuckle since he couldn't imagine eating zucchini let alone a bread made from it. 

Knitting update: I am on the final strap of the self-designed purse.  I have about 40 more rows of 7 stitches and then I will make the internal pockets.  I hope to have it washed up and ready for construction over the weekend.  I desperately need a brownish purse.  Yeah, I know that I have two others hanging in the closet but desperate is a personal thing.

I've decided that I'm going to paint my home office.  It should be the cutest thing and I'm hoping it'll make everyone drool with envy.  I will have to find a way to keep the computer up and running while all this painting occurs because the bills will need to get paid and I don't have a ton of time to set aside for the makeover.  I will also need to find a room to move everything into to keep it out of the way.  My options are: DS's room or the hallway.  DS is away at college but I like to keep his room a haven away from school.  The hall is not really wide enough to accommodate all the furniture and things I have stacked in that room.  I may have to become creative in placing items around the house.  The hope is that I will clear out the "unneccesaries" in the room so that I can become more productive.  I have approximately eleventy bazillion recipes that I've printed out or snipped from the newspaper.  An equal amount of fabric and just a tad less yarn.  I wish my DC Ruthie would haul her skinny ass down here to Texas and take home some of this fabric.  I still cry over the loss of a dumpster load of fabric that ended up going with the trash man.  My original fabric load consisted of my ass (quite rotund) in a dress, leaning into a dumpster and piling it into my trunk.  I worked at a theatre and they dumped all the fabric samples into the trash.  I believe I have five 32-gallon plastic bins filled with fabric.  Get this - I gave half of the haul to my boss and still have this much left over!  The load I lost was one that someone told me they'd grab and never did.  Still makes me sad although I really don't need more and definitely don't have storage room to accommodate.  I've probably used 10-20 pieces out of the haul.  It will be decision time once I empty the room.

Fatgirl has been working out daily, as planned.  I feel like I've reached the point that pushes you over the edge to where you enjoy and look forward to each time you do it.  I tell myself that I deserve an hour a day to work on my body.  DH has been extremely supportive and willing to jump on dinner that I may have started or just plain leaving me alone to get it done.  I hit it at 5 - as soon as Judge Judy has torn away someone's self-esteem and handed it to them.  I truly wish that I can grow up to be her or a meteorologist.  Wouldn't that be the life?  Go to work and be the meanest bitch to everyone who crosses your path or go to a job where accuracy never plays into it?  Maybe I could combine them into the perfect job - poke my head out the door, walk back onto the set and say, "It is gonna be another hot one down here in Hell, Texas.  I hope everyone will just f*ck off if they don't like it.  Do I have stupid written across my forehead?  You're just a con artist and I don't believe a word you say.  Case dismissed!"  BTW family members: if you call between 5 and 6, I ain't talking to you.  I'm working out.  Don't make me pull out my JJ attitude on you.

March?  WTF has the time gone?  Didn't we just clean up from Christmas?  Pretty soon I'll be 90 years old and only count the years instead of the months.

I thought I was anal - this lady at work beats me hands down.  Not only does she have everything inside the house extremely organized, she's taking off a week of work to fertilize the yarn yard (Freudian slip?), stain the concrete porch and numerous other things on her list.  I love her lists.  I once caught sight of one of her lists and topping the list was "shave pubes."  My boss and I will never let her live that one down.

Still working on trying to find a house in the ol' stomping grounds.  It seems that all we're finding (that is big enough for all of us) are drug infested areas.  The only problem with that is leaving it sit for most of the years.  I don't want squatters or other problems.  We're also working on the financing.  I'm hoping to get a contract on a house soon.  Keep it all crossed for us.

Guess I'll get to work since that is what they pay me to do.

Although I didn't die from it...

This is why I used glass bottles with my son.  Anything that you CAN'T clean pristinely did not go into my son's mouth.  I was too young to be hung up on such things with DD.  I just hope my son is continuing the tradition and keeping dirty things out of his mouth.

Fun Friday

Random things I like...

• Baby kisses
• The "in love" feeling
• being naked - scary for you but this is my list
• a clean house
• organizing
• making lists - ask Seester about my sticky note obsession
• jewelry - ask Seester about my baubles and beads
• pedicured feet
• being girly
• men with long hair
• reading
• dessert
• men who wear t-shirts under their dress shirts
• line dried clothing
• fire - the smell, the sight, digging around in it
• cold days
• shoes
• TJ Maxx and Marshalls
• shaving - crazy isn't it?  I shave daily!  Legs and pits!
• garage sales, clearance racks
• doing laundry
• smoking - yeah, I know that it is bad for my health - leave me alone
• Autumn
• holding hands

How's that?  I'm sure I could make this a never ending list but I'll spare you.

Busy, upcoming weekend.  Tomorrow morning is garage clean out time, and then we have GB's first baseball game of the year at 3.  Sunday is Lion King and daughter's 27th birthday.  I hope that maybe we can trim trees next weekend.  The burn ban means that we will have to store the trimmings for a later burn date.  The exercise will do me good.

Speaking of exercise, I've decided to up my exercise schedule to every day.  Pretty ambitious but my motto has always been "shoot for the stars."  I am trying to kick the metabolism in the ass and I can't think of a better way to do it.

Check out this kick ass studio.  I think I need to throw everything out and start over.  Mine is way more eclectic and so uncool.

Life's Little Blooms

My favorite flowers are the spring bulbs.  Here is what I have blooming in my yard:
Gorgeous narcissus that I inherited with the house.  Unfortunately they only have a lifespan of about a week.

This weekend we are taking GrandBaby to go see the broadway hit:

Highly recommended and I'm sure way worth the $.  We've waited about 5 months since we purchased the tickets.  Another big weekend event?  My oldest baby's 27th birthday is this Sunday.  It doesn't seem that long ago.  I hope that any of you out there who have youngsters will try and enjoy the years you're raising them.  Try to enjoy the trying times right along with the joys and celebrations.  It goes way too fast.

I've added a few more audio books to my finished reading list.  Once I get the name of the one I just finished, I will add it to the list.  I plan on listening to it again because it was pretty inspirational about being kind, compassionate and understanding.  Those are some characteristics that I have a hard time finding within myself, for the most part.  Especially with myself.  The author is not a major bible thumper which you usually run into when "reading" this sort of book.  He quotes many famous religious and poetic leaders throughout history.  It was a wonderful listening event for me.

I finally got out of the knitting/crocheting rut and I've designed a purse/bag.  I have the front and back complete and I'm now about half way through with the joining strip.  Once that is complete I will work on the handles and then they will make a trip through the washing machine.  It is designed in pieces, felted, blocked and then constructed.  I'm hoping it will turn out the way I have it planned but if not, it will just end up a little smaller than planned.  I am not a fan of large purses/bags so this is intended to be more of my preferred size.  Hopefully.

Spinning - I'm plugging away at some brown wool that I purchased from the spindling class instructor.  I bought 4 hanks of roving from her and I have about 2 finished.  Once I finish the other two and then ply them together I plan on designing a scarf for the yarn.  It'll be my first project with yarn that I've spun.  How cool is that?  DH says I was born into the wrong century.  I wonder if spinning wheels were so expensive way back when!?  I still need to invest another couple hundred bucks into things I need for my spinning.  DH says he can make me some spools.  How cool will that be?