A long absence

I’ve been away from here a long time. Too long. My life has been a study in controlled chaos. Between going on 2 trips, getting a new job, getting subpoenaed, testifying in court, having a spat with a good friend, teaching 14 year-old boys who gave up on themselves long ago, and working 12 hours a day, I’ve had not time to be crafty and I haven’t had any time to post.

I just now read Floresita’s and Hanna’s comments. I have to admit I was surprised to see them. Sometimes I tend to feel a little secluded in my corner of the world, but it’s really good to know other people are making stuff and doing things that make them happy and that I can make stuff that other people appreciate. Thanks guys!

Here are some photos from my 2 week trip to Wright’s Lake near Tahoe. These pictures do not do the place justice.

A new obsession

This Japanese Stuff called Decole .

Birds and cats

Lately I’ve rediscovered the joy of making stuff. Usually I make stuff that is ugly that no one would ever appreciate, including myself. But it isn’t the product I’m working for, it’s just the act of working I like.
I read something recently that discussed the social differences among humans. This article stated that people who are very social get “recharged” being around other people, while the socially retarded, such as yours truly, are “recharged” by being by alone. This idea was pretty eye-opening for me as I have constantly struggled with being social my entire life. It’s not that I’m totally autistic, but I become totally exhausted being around people (with only a few exceptions). But when I’m at home spending hours making something I will most likely give to the Goodwill, I’m totally energized.
Here are a few things that will most likely be given away soon:
An apron for this month’s Tie One On


















And a cat from my new Japanese craft book

Life Douche

I was going to write about my recent robbery, but I just don't have the energy. I will tell you this: It really wasn't all that bad. I'm not saying it was fun and that I would recommend getting your purse stolen from some drunk dude and then almost get hit by his car, but it hasn't been horrible and it will make for a good story to tell. That is until my identity and car are stolen and my house gets broken into because he has my keys, address and SSN.
I guess what I mean is that it's really easy to report your cards stolen and get a new phone (I got mine the day after I reported it, days before my credit cards). And I was rushed, actually rushed, at the DMV by a very friendly woman when I went to get a new license.
Of course, I had to deal with a lot of bullshit like having to put out a fraud alert, but really all this crap has just help me get the ball rolling on a bunch of other stuff. I guess I figure if I’ve got my ass in gear to get my life in order regarding this situation I might as well get a lot of other crap sorted out. I want to get everything in order and get rid of any unnecessary stuff. My brother calls this a Life Douche. How great is that? Getting rid of festering nastiness, but this time the stuff is coming out of your life and not your vagina.

He's so happy

Made

I finally finished something. All of my projects are floating in limbo (I swear my camera bag will never get done), so it's nice to finish something. Better yet something I like. I’ve been really inspired by some of the blogs I’ve come across lately (see my links to see the work of some crafting super-geniuses). I am constantly in awe of what these women produce. This smock was inspired by Angry Chicken. It was intended to be something incredibly ugly to sit around the house in, but I like it so much I might wear it out. I used freezer paper for the stencils and fabric screen-printing ink. Brilliant!

Family fun time

It's pretty rare for me to dig up something from my family's past that I've never seen before. I found these when looking for a game to bring to my classroom. I love how Bob had to clarify that he was our dad and that my sister had to make sure that everyone understood that she won and that the cat came in second place.