Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Snow!

It started snowing some time early this morning, and hasn't really let up yet.  One of my neighbors said that her kids measured nine inches in their yard, and I'm not at all surprised.  I'm grateful for the snow, but I wish I could justify new tires...living on severance and paying for a trip to Japan means that I don't feel like I can justify an expense like that until I have a job.  Interview on Thursday!  Keep your fingers crossed!

Yesterday I didn't get a lot done because I was watching my niece and nephew in the morning and then went to Temple Square with their family in the evening.  By the time I got home, it was too late to get anything started.  This morning, I was out of bed by 7:15 (yay me!) and in the sewing room by 8.

I cut out all of Laresa's costume, stabilized the stretch velvet she chose for one of the bodice panels, and cut strips of iridescent organza for embellishment while I watched "When Harry Met Sally."  Then I dug my Christmas boxes out of my dad's shed so I could decorate a table for a church Christmas party.  I got home at 9, after helping clean up and deliver extra food to neighbors who need it, and then I put all the dishes in the dishwasher and packed my Christmas things and the music box I used back into their boxes.  I'll try to remember to get the pictures off my phone, because my table turned out really pretty!

Tomorrow:
Watch my baby nephew
Sew
See my chiropractor so I can keep sewing (I jacked up my back and it hurts to walk, which is always fun)
Put Christmas boxes back in the shed

My goal tomorrow is to have Laresa's costume put together, if not totally finished with the trim, and have mine cut out.  Mine is much less complicated:  I have to make a bustle from two panels of fabric, some bloomers (to wear over leggings), and a bolero.  I just need to brave the icy roads to see if JoAnn has black sequin trim and decide if I want a skirt or just the bloomers and bustle.

It's going to get really cold out here for the weekend; I just hope they can keep the roads pretty clear.  I'd wanted (BADLY) to see "White Christmas" on the big screen in Draper tomorrow, but with my back like this and the weather (and being behind on sewing) I'm not going to make it, which makes me sad.  Maybe Cinemark will do their classic series again next year.

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Well hey...

A year and a half since I've posted here.  Thank goodness I'm not one of those craft blogger ladies who have monetized!  Yikes.

Anyhoo, since I missed NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) in November, I told my two favorite friends that I'd post every day in December.  And I almost missed today because I forgot!

Yeesh.

I've been unemployed since August, and you'd THINK I'd have a lot of projects done, but no.  Let me tell you a story about lack of confidence, illness, malaise, and general...well, let's just call it "enjoying my time of very few obligations," because it sounds better than laziness. :)

Quite honestly, I'm pretty sure I've been battling some mild residual depression from the last several months at my most recent job, so motivation has been hard to come by.  Also, I don't use this blog to impress anyone or to make money or to post tutorials, so it's easy to let it slide.  (Ok, I SORT OF use it to impress people...like how I made 6 pies for Thanksgiving and they all turned out really good except the lemon meringue got a tiny bit watery and the cherry custard pie didn't have quite the flavor it would have had I used the Grand Marnier it called for or some kind of reasonable substitute...but that's beside the point.)

I have a major project that needs to be done by Friday:  masquerade costumes for me and my sister.  Her company throws a massive Christmas party every year, and this year's theme is a masquerade.  They've even hired a great band and one of the best DJs in the state, and rented a local (new) convention center, so you know they mean business.  If they mean business, so do we.  I mean, we could have rented some pretty great costumes at the theater near our house, but NO.  We had to design and make our own.  Really, they shouldn't be too tricky to do--mine involves very minimal sewing, and hers is an easy pattern--but we waited to get the fabric on sale and it took me forever to decide my costume, so he we are, less than a week away, and nothing has even been cut out.

I'm going to pound out as much as I can tomorrow before going to Temple Square to see the Christmas lights, and Tuesday hope to be done with at least one costume before I have to set up and decorate a table for a church Christmas party.

Wish me luck...I could use it.