A Ba(n)ker's Dozen

And then the banker (that would be me) found a great idea online. While poking around, the following page appeared on my PC: Day Zero, the 101 Things to do in 1001 Days Project.

Hmmm...okay, sounds interesting sez me so off I am to check it out. The gist being that you have to create a list of 101 things to do in 1001 days and the things you do can't be candy-ass things...each thing has to involve some genuine effort by the participant. Okay, no problem. I can come up with tons of things to do that require thought and effort. The site then informs me that 1001 days is 2.75 years. The procrastinator in me thinks this sounds totally do-able. All that time, one little (ha) list. Again, no problem.

My first clue that something was wrong with this idea arrived when I ran out of ideas at #22. Sure, I could probably invest some real time (as if I have any of that) and maybe stretch it to 5o. Still, I was intrigued and thought this idea worth pursuing.

That was until my friend, Lucy, after hearing me out on this grandiose plan, pointed out the obvious: "So 101 things in 1001 days....that's like 1 thing every 9 days."

Aw, hell.
Yep, this banker sucks at math.

What was that I said about it not being a problem? Yeah, right.
NOT. GONNA. HAPPEN.
Completely doomed.

So, in the spirit of 2008 (yeah, I know we haven't made it to Christmas yet and here I'm talking about *gasp* next year) I am annoying you with what I hope to accomplish in the coming year. Since I can count to 13 handily enough, I whittled my list down to the following things:

1. Participate in Spring Fest Crafts Festival
2. Finish the bathroom remodeling project (started this one 4 years ago)
3. Open an Etsy shop
4. Learn how to knit
5. Finish all WIPs listed on my blog (uh, well 6 of them anyway)
6. Learn how to make candles
7. Clean out the attic
8. Turn unused basement room into a storeroom (involves major gutting & remodeling)
9. Visit Newfoundland (where 2 of my grandparents were born, already planned for August)
10. Expand, remodel & reorganize (again) my craft space
11. Plant a row of forsythia bushes (at least 6) along the edge of driveway
12. Build a storage cabinet for the garage
13. Clean out my storage unit (stuff in there I haven't seen in 16 years...that is SCARY!)

A nice ba(n)ker's dozen. 1 thing every 28 days. I feel like I can relax now!! After all, I don't have to get crackin' for another 26 days. ;)

(Taking bets on exactly how many of these things will actually happen. Be mindful, I am a professional procrastinator.)

Summertime...and a New Creative Obsession!

Hmmmm....orange & yellow. Now where might I have found the inspiration for this color scheme in a floral arrangement? The wise swap mavens over at Sweet Goodness Swaps had the right idea...seems that orange & yellow ARE the hot colors for this summer. Although I'm sitting out this time during their Summer swap, I'll be eagerly watching from the sidelines to see all the lovely creations and goodies!



And...I had another sale!!! Yippee!!!! You might remember the Morning Glory Madness arrangement that I made during my floral classes in February. All these sales...well, all 3 of them anyway... are encouraging. I'm thrilled that people like my arrangements enough to buy them. At the very least, it helps motivate me to create and keeps the dream of my own little shop, "Imaginary Fronds", alive and well. I've been looking around for other things to create, other than florals, to add to the appeal and allure of that future shop. Which brings me to my next creative obsession..............


Jewelry making! My Mom pointed out a beading magazine in the store a few weeks back and the next thing you know, I am HOOKED. Lucy even caught me red-handed at Michael's stuffing my shopping basket with beads and all kinds of supplies to start myself down the path of jewelry making. Here's a picture of my first creation which is not entirely finished. I wasn't smart enough to buy 2 of the same toggle (and it was sold out when I went back) so the necklace remains unfinished until the store restocks the toggle.


So far, I have learned 4 things about making jewelry. First off, don't string your beads too tight. I wound up having to re-string the bracelet.

Secondly, Michael's charges way too much for their beading supplies (duh!) and I now have several catalogs with far more economical prices on their way to me.

Third...as I mentioned earlier....make sure you buy enough stuff to finish a project unless you want to be disappointed.

And last, but not least, be sure to lay out your jewelry perfectly before photographing it! You can't see all the danglies in this picture but you get the idea :)

It is my own design, crafted from turquoise beads, 2 different colors of Swarovski bicone crystals and sterling silver beads and findings. Please, please, please give me feedback on this set!

Time to get a Wiggle on!

It's high time I snapped out of my post-holiday daze....or as Mom used to tell me when I was a wee bairn, "Time's a-wastin', time to get a wiggle on!" (that still makes me giggle to myself when I think of it)

The Pink & Brown Swap is on! I've been out hunting goodies & visiting my swap partner's blog--Claire at Little Lovelies. What a cute blog! She describes herself as an equal opportunity crafter! Love it...sounds like me, I will try any craft if I think it looks interesting :)

This swap is exactly the kind of nudge I needed to get back to crafting. I have far too many WIPs and planned projects that I have yet to start! (and I know I'm not alone in that area...thanks to all of you confessed procrastinators for assuaging my guilt!) And it also looks like I have a floral arrangement customer as a result of the 2 Christmas floral raffles I did for my Mom's club! One of the ladies has asked that I come to her home to talk about a large Spring arrangement for her dining room! YAY! I've really been looking forward to creating Spring arrangements.

Okay, enough blogging...I must go get a wiggle on!

Escape from the Project from Hell!

Three weeks ago, I promised pictures of the Project from Hell when it was completed. I estimated it would take me a week. So much for my estimating capabilities!!! Anyway, it's as finished as it's ever going to be (unless I win the lotto in which case I will have a custom built studio added on to the house and a hired helper to keep it all neat and clean!! ) Since there's always a project (or 4) in process, it will never stay 100% organized.

Let's take a tour of the "studio!"

Starting on the left is the rolling organizer which contains all my scrapbooking supplies. I have buckets mounted on 2 walls to hold floral stems...2 buckets on this wall, 4 on the other with additional containers below them on a chest (see "Project from Hell, Part Deux"). My etagere and shelves are overflowing with a variety of floral containers. I am not allowed to buy any more containers until I use some of the others! Please be sure to remind my evil other self of that rule if you see her anywhere near container retailers ;)

The rolling cart in the photo on the right stores all my painting supplies.

And here's a shot of the gigantic craft table which doesn't look nearly as gigantic with stuff stacked on it. It's bigger than it looks and I have plenty of space for my 90 gazillion projects. Maybe now I will get something done once in awhile??? LOL

(Lucy, I know you're laughing with me, not at me, right? :)

Runs with Scissors

(stay inside the lines...the lines are our friends...yeah, right! MU-WA-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!)

After being recently admonished about any further forays into Michaels, my evil other self set out to find a way to get more stuff without visiting my usual haunts!

Result? Having chewed through my restraints, I ventured into a local quilting store (The Whole Nine Yards) and came home with a new project. Mind you, I don't quilt. I barely sew. Well, I can sew...but can I sew well? Yes, but only when the sewing machine cooperates and doesn't jam up after the first 4 inches or so. I am famous for jamming the machine and haven't a clue how it happens.

Anyway....look at the ADORABLE kitty fabric I found and a pattern for a zippered tote-style handbag!!! The fabric in the upper right (which is actually a burnt orange color) is the base fabric for the bag...the beige fabric with kitty motif is the liner...the blue stripey stuff will be the handles...and the big kitties will end up pieced on the outside of the bag as the pockets. (am I a loony, or what?? as if i'll ever find time to make this...)

In other news, the crafting area is almost completely tidied and ready for use. I rechristened it "the Studio" in the hope that it might inspire me to use it more often. I've been so wrapped up in my organizational projects that I have ignored the fun stuff. One step at a time I guess...we have to walk before we can run....and I wanna run WITH scissors!

Project from Hell, Part Deux

I am mostly embarrassed to post this photo. But here it is...Exhibit A...in which you can see what an awful mess I have for a crafting space. The bad part is that this is a 50% improvement from a few weeks ago.

On the left, you can sort of pick out my shelves for my floral containers. In the corner is my gigantic new craft table which is currently buried in stuff I am trying to organize. On the right is approximately 60% of my floral stems, all neatly organized! (At last!!!!)
In the foreground, well.... let's not discuss the foreground. I should have the mess sorted out in the next week or so and will post a picture of the completed craft area!

I am sad to report that the couch has disappeared from view again. I am assured (by the voices in my head) that it is only temporary and that the couch will rematerialize once it finishes its vacation on Jupiter.

Project from Hell

We've all had those "projects from Hell." Well, I'm embroiled in one right now...creating my new crafting space. For normal people, this would involve setting up a work table, organizing some craft caddies or drawer space and, after a few hours, those normal people would be able to sit down and start creating wonderful things. I, being the ultimate procrastinator, have let crap pile up for eons, to the point where I couldn't find anything, let alone find a space to work. Thus, I find myself in Hell.

I am lucky enough to have a huge refinished basement rec room, half of which is supposed to be my home theater (surround sound, large couch, big pillow) to relax in. Needless to say, I haven't seen the couch in at least a year because it has been covered with craft supplies. The other half is my craft area which has been so messy that I cart my supplies upstairs to the kitchen or family room to work on whatever I'm creating. Of course, that means I have to cart them back downstairs again when done for the day. Otherwise the whole house would be one big messy craft area and we can't have that! It's been a big hassle to do anything.

Today I found the couch and confirmed its existence. Now the couch probably doesn't care but I was terribly excited that I made that much progress. I still have a way to go but at least I have forward motion and a small sense of accomplishment. Perhaps I'm only half in Hell now! And maybe in a week (or two) I'll be able to start working on my crafts on a regular basis :)

Inner Child at Play!

Paint fascinates me. And it's cheap therapy! The best part is that it lets my inner child come out to play..... something that I should let happen more often!

At right is a Halloween bird house that I made for my Mom several years ago. She likes it so much that it is on permanent display year round on top of a bookcase in the family room!

It's hard to see in this photo but the yellow background is actually crackled and the roof is a dark teal stipple on a black background. This project was truly created from the ground up... I had to make the bird house myself in order to get the lop-sided roof effect. Luckily, I'm not shy about breaking out the power tools!




On the left is a picture of my current work in progress, the Farmer's Market Harvest Plate. Much remains to be done, but at least it is starting to look like something! The light gray areas will be 3 ears of corn and a gray tabby cat.

I'm about to get started on contouring the pumpkins. Lucy will understand when I say I hope they don't turn out looking like tomatoes!