3 posts tagged “after”

I cut and paste a few Surveys according to my liking.  Nothing like a bunch of "nope" answers to a survey.  I realize this is totally off topic from crafting.  But my tagline does read "collection of hobbies".  Answering questions about myself qualifies as a hobby. 

Where did you ring in 2007?
I believe I was in bed with my eyes barely open waiting for that clock to strike midnight so I could turn off the TV and go nighty-night.

What was your status by Valentine’s Day?
I hate Valentines Day.  Let me just say that.  And I am going on 7 years with my main squeeze, so it is not like that is coming from some bitter single person.  It is a stupid, commercial "Holiday" that just makes it impossible to get a table at any decent restaurant in town during the weekend before, and after.  LAME.  Anyhow, this year, lets see.  It was a Wednesday this year, so I was doing- NOTHING.  Which is fine by me. 

How did you earn your keep?
I have had the same 2 jobs this year-all year.  Kind of a first.  Desk Jockey at a trucking company and part time clerk at Collage.

Did you ever have to go to the hospital?
Yes.  I had a lump removed from just above my spine (Between spine and skin).  Not as scary as it sounds.  But I am a new fan of Valium and Reiki. 

Where did you go on vacation?
I went to NorCal coast- Redwood Forest, Crater Lake, SoCal this fall to see the Pogues.   

What did you purchase that was over $500?
Nothing.  

Did you know anybody who got married?
Azure and Ken; Ezra and Megan; Suzanne and Nathan

Did you know anybody who passed away?
nobody I know this year.

Have you ran into anybody you graduated high school with?
Azure.  But that is not really “running into” her.  They were all planned visits!

Did you move anywhere?
Nope.  I have lived in the same house for almost 6 years.  That is a first in my entire life.

What sporting events did you go to?
I actually don’t think I… Oh yea, Matt’s softball games.  

What concerts did you go to?
The Pogues, Ben Folds, Sharon Jones, Crowded House, Jim Gaffigan, 80’s tribute night (lots of little shows like that).

Are you registered to vote?
Hell yes. 

If so, did you do your patriotic duty on Nov. 7?
Ug, no.  I let the ball drop. 

Where do you live now?
PDX

Describe your birthday:
It was the Big 3-0.  I wonder if I rang it in right.  I had a good time, but not on a grand scale.  I guess I don’t really require grand to bring in another year or to commemorate my birth.  Who cares.  The one who should celebrate is my Mom.

What’s something you learned about yourself?
That I kind of thrive on negative things.  I like to worry unnecessarily.  I like to think about the bad things.  It feels real.  This is kind of a wake up call for me, because I thought I was not like this.  But I am. 

What pop culture event will you remember 2007 by?
Well, Matt came in and annouced Britney Spears had shaved her head.  Because of that I started reading Perezhilton which moved into thesuperficial and dlisted.  It actually has been a blessing because I no longer feel a need to buy US weekly or People! 

How would you rate this year with a scale from 1 (crappy) to 10 (amazing)?
This year has kind of been complacent and a bit mediocre.  So I give it a high 6.  It was not bad.  But I just want more change and there wasn’t any. 

Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don’t think I made any resolutions.  I am going to for 2008 though. 

What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
A purpose.  Focus.  Goals- maybe even achieve them!!

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Taking the Living Intuition class with Suzanne.  This opened up a lot for me. 

What was your biggest failure?
Being stuck in a rut.

Did you suffer illness or injury?
No illnesses.  I had acupuncture last year (January 2006) for that very purpose.  Check it out if your immune system is shot!!

What was the best thing you bought?
class tuition for Living Intuition, new cons,

Where did most of your money go?
crap as usual.

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Getting back into the creative swing of things. 

Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? happier; stability, better understanding of myself.
ii. thinner or fatter? fatter; see above. 
iii. richer or poorer? richer; I guess.  That word is used very loosely.

What do you wish you'd done less of?
Worrying about money

What was your favorite TV program?
Chuck was a breakout hit for me.  Journey Man is good.

What was the best book you read?
I actually got into Neil Gaiman this year.

What were your greatest musical discoveries?
Brandi Carlile, surprisingly.  I thought I would not like it, too mellow and folksy.  Actually VERY good.

What was your favorite film of this year?
Stardust

Who was the best new person you met?
Kristin and Beth!  I bet they don’t know that!

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007:
Things are not always what they seem.  A person does not have to be like you for you to  love them.

Before

I do not have panoramic capabilities on my camera, however cool it might be.  So while at the Grand Tetons last year with the family, I took a series of 3 shots to get the same effect.  I had them kind of stacked to display it.  But to find a frame that fit the stacked picture was hard to find.  I was at Michaels earlier this week to pick up some jewelry making stuff and saw this frame/print in the clearance aisle for only $5, for good reason I might add.  It is just OK, kind of a corny country print.  But the frame was just the right size! 

So on Thursday, my day to work at the shop, I was determined to find a nice sheet of backing paper.  Collage has lots of big pieces of cool paper to choose from.  So, I picked a piece of dark papyrus and mounted the photos on it, and what do you know, I went from geek to chic!

After tetons

I think I am gonna take the print sans frame to Goodwill or something.  Seems a shame to just recycle it!

cowboy boots

I am very proud of these!  I pull them out on special occasions, like when I am dressing as Patsy Cline for the 58 millionth time for Halloween or when I know a lot of artsy folks will be in attendance, such as conventions and such. 

These boots were white.  I needed cowboy boots for the above mentioned costume.  This was before cowboy boots came en vogue and could be purchased at Nordstroms and Payless. So I headed out to Gresham, the east side suburb of Portland.  I first stopped at Culpepper's, but that was a joke.  They had expensive stuff fit for a rodeo queen.  And Patsy was a Honky Tonk Angel, no rodeo queen, everyone knows that.  Plus, I am not rich.  Not yet anyway.  But I digress.  So I headed to Coastal's, which is a ranch/farm feed store.  Low and behold in their clerance department (would I be anywhere else?!?) there was a pair of white womens Durangos for only $30.  This was the lowest price I had seen for boots that were not totally hideous. 

White durangos

I picked them up in a heartbeat.  It wasn't until after Halloween when faced with the knowledge that I would not be wearing these boots anywhere else besides costume parties, that I might want to alter them.  I had originally just thought of painting them a solid color, like Hot Pink.  But I never found any paint or dye suitable for wearable leather.  Then while working at Collage, I realized that we carried a paint called Lumiere by Jacquard that would totally do the trick!  So I sat down in front of my TV and while watching Adam & Steve on DVD, I painted up my boots.  Was I nervous?  A little.  But when I thought about it, I had not worn the boots for two years because they were so plain and drab.  So what did I have to lose? 

You will notice that within this collection, there are little boot earings.  I saw these charms at Collage that were just plain silver.  Since I already had the paint, I just did a miniature version of the boots and attached earing hooks via jump rings to the charms.  Voila, I have matching earings and boots! 

Cowboy boot earings

Basically, what can be learned from this project is, never settle!  If something does not totally satisfy you, MAKE it satisfy you!  *I am talking about crafts namely.  Not human relationships!*

Mama and baby boots