I'm a horrible slacker and...

I don't post nearly as often as I should. So for whatever reason, I decided to start another blog...

Okay so here's the scoop, I was trying to use this as a crafty blog but then incorporated life's other ordeals. I couldn't find a balance and wasn't liking the format/structure it was taking on. So from here on out this will be a crafty blog. No more talking about losing my job (However, I did get a new one! Orientation is on Tuesday) or other randomness. This is strictly my crafting endeavors, successes and failures. My new blog will be about life's other pleasures. It's home is here.
Oh and I really need to learn how to format my posts better so that they are more pleasing to the eye. Any suggestions, Katie? I think you're the only one who reads this anyway! ;)

On the 11th day of Christmas...

Day 11 from Hellobint
Originally uploaded by imafundork

Hellobint gave to me: knitting goodness. A much needed needle roll with a set of needles, 6 stitch markers and super awesome knitting needle bracelets!

On the 12th day of Christmas...

Hellobint gave to me: A 2009 Calendar complete with pictures of me and my friends. I love it because she doesn't even really know me, but picked out pictures where she thought I looked really happy. All of the pictures are so great and bring back fabulous memories! I haven't taken any pictures yet, but when I do I'll update this.

A Bad Case of the Mondays

Yesterday afternoon, I went into the office to clock out for my break and the machine said, "This code has been deactivated, please see front desk." It was a little strange, but the same thing happened a few weeks ago and on the third try it let me clock out. I tried a second time and I got the same reply so I stuck my head into RA's office. Her reply was, "That's weird. You're still in the system." I told her I'd just keep an eye on the time and make sure I take an hour. When I went to sit down at Mindy's desk, RA called out to me to come see her for a moment.
When I went back into her office, I assumed she wanted to talk to me about the days I had requested off that morning. She started with, "I'm sorry..." I thought, "Darn! I'm not going to get January 2 off! Bummer...no Savannah for New Year's for me." But instead, she finished with, "I have to let you go."
WHAT?! Did I hear that right? Did I really just get fired? What did I do wrong? Nothing, I did nothing wrong. You hear of people getting laid off everyday, but you never expect it to be you. At least, I didn't anyway.
The school has been in financial trouble since shortly after I started working there a year and a half ago. I think I'm now the fifth person to be laid off, with a few others quiting. Two more students got pulled from the school for December and another one was put to part time. And apparently, there are a lot of bills that are past due. The only thing left to do was let someone go. RA chose to let me go, out of our staff of ten, because I was the highest paid assistant. And to think, I often complained about how poorly I was paid...
I'm not that upset about it. Sure, it's come at horrible time. It's not going to be fun being jobless at the holidays. But I wasn't truly happy at the school anyway. This is just God giving me a swift kick in the butt to find something I love. Now, I can chase after a career I would really enjoy. I just have to figure out what exactly that is...

Only I would do something so silly...

I was good when I got home from work; I went straight into the studio and got right to work. I made a pattern for something new (a medium for 12 Days Swap) and sewed it up-two of them actually. I was excited because it seemed to work out perfectly on the first try. But I wanted to hand paint something on each one, and that had to wait until later. I wanted to get more sewing done before watching a little bit of tv. So I worked some more on a large item for 12 Days. I think I'll have that done tomorrow.
Eight o'clock rolled around and I decided to take my tv break. I busted out my paints and parked it on the floor by the coffee table and set out to work. I was so very pleased with my handiwork which was completely freehand when I realized I painted it (both actually) UPSIDE DOWN! Seriously...who does that?! ME! Only me! All I could do was laugh. I honestly think I'm going to send them that way. I may be able to modify them somehow. I don't know how, but I'm going to bring them to work tomorrow and get advice. I fear if I try doing it over, it won't be nearly as cute.

Update:73/78 items complete for hellobint (74 if I send this "oops!")

BAA + Rock

In light of the recent presidential election, I thought I'd post a picture of a young political activist, Charlotte (one of my students). Charlotte's parents took her to see Joe Biden speak just prior to the election. She dressed in full support of her candidate. There's nothing like a little liberal three year old!


I have to say that I found this to be quite the clever shirt.

I need a Mental Health Day

I have felt so incredibly stressed/depressed/bitter lately and I'm not entirely sure why. I'm in a funk where I feel like nothing I do is good enough and that I'm completely inadequate. I hate when I get this way and I never know what to do about it. I'm ready for the next week or so to be over with.
Next Tuesday is our big Thanksgiving luncheon at school, so there is a lot do still for that. Meanwhile, Ruth Anne (my boss) took this week off and a few other teachers are out, so we are short staffed. This always seemed to happen when RA leaves. I have been sick since before Halloween and haven't taken a day off. I just want a day where I can stay in bed and do nothing to hopefully feel better. But that's not going to happen. Thankfully, school is closed next Wednesday through Friday. So if I can make it through the next week, I'll have a five day weekend....hallelujah!
I also can't wait to be done with the 12 Days of Christmas Swap. I definitely bit off more than I could chew with that one. Seventy-eight items- what was I thinking?! I have 67 items done, but the last 11 are killing me. I'm not the best sewer and those items need to be sewn. Then I come to work and Mindy shows me her latest sewn items which could be sold in a boutique. It makes me want to scrap all of the ideas I've had because I don't think they're going to be good enough. I haven't worked on anything in the past few days because I feel if I do it's going to be half-assed. I'm hoping to be in a better mood tomorrow so I can work on Day 2. One of the items is already started and the other is something I've sewn tons of in the past. It is actually the second thing I learned how to sew back when I was a senior in high school. So Bint- if you are reading this, I'm sorry if it's not the best quality, but I am trying.

On a somewhat brighter note, here are some pictures from Halloween with my nephew, Craig.
I was a (punk rock? spider?) fairy and Craig was a lion.

Craig's an indecisive little man (much like his aunt) so he had to have two costumes. He was also a fireman and I love firemen!

I made my tutu (out of tulle and it has about 40-50 spiders throughout it), top (I based it off of the infinity dress, but used ribbon as the straps), bracelet (out of soda tabs) and painted my wand.