Sometimes it takes me a while to finish things

I know you all have been dying to know what I've been crafting lately. I kept waiting to post until I finished this dress. My first ever done almost totally with my serger. It's got darts, pleats, sleeves, and a ZIPPER. That was the big hold up. I ended up using my sister's sewing machine over Easter - and it still took like 4 attempts and 4 phone calls to my mom. I need to get a serious sewing machine now with a zipper foot and buttonhole maker.

Punch needle onesie for baby Henry.

Hat for my mom for Christmas - fancy cables and bobbles.

One sock. Turning the heel was IMPOSSIBLE and I had to wait until Christmas to see my mom to get her help. And it turns out that the pattern had a mistake in it. Though I did need my mom's help to figure out that the pattern had a mistake. We'll see if I ever knit the other sock.

So there you go. I need new projects now. I've recently found some great vintage ribbons and I've got big plans for them. We'll see.

Viking Hat

My newest creation. I let me neices and nephews try it on to see what size of child it would fit. Turns out they liked it so I let them keep it. I'm pretty happy that the ear flaps were actually in the right spot.

I love kids with missing teeth!

This fabric has been sitting in my room for weeks. I finally got this tube scarf done.

Now time to get working on Christmas presents.

Findings and Finishings

I waited for an hour to get into the Goodwill Glitter Sale. I'm thinking this is gonna have to an annual event for me now. Here are my 2 favorite treasures. I'm such a sucker for necklaces.



Also, I worked on these mittens while flying to and from the North Carolina and I just finished them up. Now I think I've only got 3 half-done projects I need to finish.

Projects

I've found that I suck at this. Unless I have something to brag about. Here's what I have to brag about.

1. I recently finished my first ever embroidery project. This purple pillow. Hand-embroidered by yours truly.

2. And this one is a big deal - I finished my first ever quilt that actually required lots of cutting, sewing, piecing, and hand-quilting. Yes, I hand quilted this guy. And a good portion of the corners lined up. Are you impressed? Luckily I had it quilted and just the binding left to do when my sister had her baby (about 3 weeks early and at a fire station when they didn't have time to get to the hospital). I finished the binding the day after she was born. All I can say is - Natalia - I'd better be your favorite aunt.

3. And this one I can't really brag about, so much as be grateful for grandmas and good timing. I had the idea to create an earring holder by getting an old frame, getting some wire sort of screening from somewhere and somehow putting it in the frame. Realistically, that was never going to happen. Then I was at my grandma's house one day and while walking out I saw these leaning against the side of the house. I asked about them and the plan was to take them to Goodwill. They are the most perfect things I've ever seen. And required zero effort and zero money. Magic! Look at the details! Perfectly worn paint, and I organized my earrings by color in the different spaces. Sometimes I feel like the universe aligns just for me.

lists

So... if you haven't heard I passed my test. That means the ever growing list of things that I've needed to be doing, but haven't been doing because I've been studying or exhausted by studying, gets to be done. And it's about time. Here's where I'm at.

Done
1. Laundry
2. Clean room
3. Starting to work out again - went to Zumba yesterday and it almost killed me
4. Watching the Bachelorette
5. Miscellaneous personal hygiene - my legs have been shaved in the past few days at least
6. Reading books - just started a new one

Still needs to be done
1. Grocery shopping
2. Miscellaneous personal hygiene (ie eyebrows)
3. Blogging about a) a good book and b) a magical coincidence
4. Wash Jen's sheets after I slept in her bed for almost a week when it was so hot in my room
5. Planning packing/packing for Red Brick House Reunion 2010 - CANADA (I can't wait!!)

this will not be interesting

When I started this blog I was working on my thesis. So many years ago - weird! I needed some sort of concrete way of tracking my progress and motivating myself to keep going. I feel like I blogged my thesis progress for maybe a few months before I told a few close, trusted friends so they could track my progress as well.

Well, I'm in that place again. Well, honestly, not nearly as bad, but still I feel stuck. I am scheduled to take the National Counseling Exam on July 10th. If I pass I can become Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Washington state. Which doesn't mean a whole lot, except it would open up a lot more job opportunities, earning potential, and would allow me to go into private practice if I ever wanted to go down that road. The issue that I'm facing is that I really am so sick of studying. So sick of it. I keep telling myself that I only need to stay focused for a week and a half more but right now that seems like a real long time.

I'm going to go on a short walk. Then I am going to come back. Then I will focus.

New Favorite

This gem has joined the ranks of one of my favorite books. I gobbled it up in just a few days and am sad that it ended so quickly and I had to say goodbye to characters I just grew to love. The writing is incredibly charming and witty. I found myself giggling to myself all the time and having to go back to lines to share them with friends. Cassie can attest to my fits of giggles when trying to share one particularly cute/funny passage. The story is told through a series of letters between several characters, each with a distinct voice and dripping with personality - you just get into their magical little world and I loved it there. And it doesn't hurt that the main characters name is Juliet.

So, let me give thanks where thanks is due - Nathaniel's mom recommended this book to me. And thank goodness for that. Nathaniel - you better send your mom this link. And send her my warmest regards.