56 years in 365 days

There is nothing more eye-opening at 6:30 in the morning than a hot 'cuppa joe'... unless it's a huge banner spanning the back door proclaiming your age in black and white. Just another reminder from my darling dear daughter that today I am another year old. I need to remind her that pay backs are a bitch!

My son needs the same lesson. He found an iPhone App that allows him to scan old photos and upload to his facebook. Let's just say that I didn't look my best 24 years ago... not even 'for the day'. Of course he was only 6 months old and adorable. I was an over tired wife and mother of  3 kids. Trust me when I say I plan to retaliate some day when he least expects it. Life can be cruel... or fun, it all depends on your view.

When asked what I wanted for my birthday I replied... "organizational things to clean up my craft craziness".  Both girls followed my wishes and bought me bins and shelves to fill with colorful beads, fabrics and paper. My upcoming Labor Day weekend will have me 'laboring' over how to clean and organize my 'studio' space. However... while looking around the room I quickly realized that I have an over abundance of 'treasures'. 56 years worth of collecting (Okay, okay... hoarding) simply doesn't fit in a few bins and shelves... so the decision has been made to DESTASH!  For those of you not 'in the know'... destash means to downsize the amount of craft supplies hiding in every drawer, under furniture, crammed in closets, and flattened out between the mattress and box springs by selling it to some other unsuspecting  fool.... uh, I mean to say... talented crafter.

My plan requires daily attention. Each day I will do 2 things. First, I will upload one item (or group of similar items) for sale on Etsy and/or Craigslist in hopes that someone will decide they can't live without the item and buy it to add to their stash. Secondly... since I have a lot of beads, fabric and jewelry supplies I plan to design and create a piece of body adornment each day and put it up for sale. One day it might be a bracelet, next day a felted flower pin. It will depend on what side of the bed I get up on that day. I will date and number each piece for 365 days until my next birthday. Now here's the kicker... the one rule I have to live by is that I can't purchase any other supplies for these projects. I MUST USE WHAT I HAVE ON HAND.

I will post a photo of the item I made each day along with the item I have decided to DESTASH on this blog so you can follow along with me. If you want anything you see... just let me know. The jewelry items will be on my Etsy site and in the bookstore. Since each item will be dated wouldn't it be great to purchase the item I make on your birthday, anniversary or other special day??? Hint, hint.

Does anyone out there know what else is special about today? The date is the name of a hit TV show... 90210.

Check out my blog tomorrow to see what I decide to make.

Karma

Call it Karma... a co-inky dink... devine intervention... or just plain surprise... but I believe deep down in my soul that if you are a good person and do good things, then good things will happen to you. However... I also believe you have to help it along. Sitting in a dark room all by yourself not making contact with the outside world will not help you get what you want... well, unless you WANT to be in a dark room all by yourself.

Sometimes I seem to stick my neck out just a bit too far. Yesterday was one of those days. I read an article in New York magazine about Barnes & Noble founder Len Riggio and his arch nemesis Ron Burkle. Author Andrew Rice asks the question in big bold letters if they are the only people in America who still want to own a mega-bookstore. I couldn't wait to go on the website and answer... " I do! I do!" I'm comment #10.

It is very rare that I comment on an article on the web. I will comment on someone's facebook wall. I might leave a comment on someone's blog... but I don't comment on articles. One reason is that if I wait long enough someone else will leave a comment exactly like the one I would have, so why bother? Who reads those comments anyway??? What's the purpose? Despite my misgivings I was compelled to leave a comment this time. Type, type, type... send. Done. I sat back and let my mind wander (we creative types do that a lot... at least that's what I keep telling myself). I wondered what it would be like if Mr. Riggio (or more likely a staff member) invited me for a meeting to discuss the book industry and the direction it is heading. I have a few creative ideas... but surely Mr. Riggio has a highly paid staff to think of the same things... right? Right?

Back to Karma... I put my thoughts and 'energy' out in to the world. Maybe Mr. Riggio will pick up on it, maybe not... but he'll never know it's out there if I didn't at least cast the first stone.

So... in honor of Karma... I have made a line of bracelets to wear and show off that you 'believe'. Besides... they are just too pretty NOT to wear. Below is a picture... they are available at my bookstore... Chicklet Books and my etsy store at www.uniqueandnovel.etsy.com Wear them to remind yourself to PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE. What goes around really does come around... as long as you do your part to help.

These wrap bracelets are made using 100% silk that has been expertly hand dyed in luxurious colors. The Karma ring is 24K Antique Gold bonded to solid copper. A real quality piece. I scoured the market for these particular items and put them together myself. Only the best would do! Feel free to leave a comment, suggestion, or question.

Now... go out there and do good things!!!

What was I thinking????

Just when I started to feel that I had all my ducks in a row... WHAM... a goose waddled in and caused chaos. Here I was... going through life thinking that I had hit rock bottom and was working my way back up to a respectable level. My bills were getting paid and I was quite pleased with myself. I was working on my quilt, weeding my front yard, mucking out the disaster known as my house and feeling good about the new life that was just ahead.

Last Sunday a friend called saying 2 tickets to see Rufus Wainwright just fell in his lap and wondered if I wanted to go along. Not having a clue who Rufus whatever his name was I answered emphatically, "YES". So now I had to step up the pace for the day and get moving faster to finish all of my errands so I could go to the concert. I jumped in my car to go food shopping and.... NOTHING. My car wouldn't start. The battery worked fine... but then there was just this sad little 'click'. No cranking of the engine... no roar. Uh-Oh. This doesn't sound good.

As it ended up... my friend was able to come get me and we made it to the concert in time. 

BUT... my car was dead and I had no money or credit cards to my name. I can't live without my car. Seriously. I feel it is a part of my body. It is my 'safe space'. My car and I have done so much together. It reliably got me to the hospital 3 times a week to visit my husband who was over an hour away from me... for 4 years. My car got me safely from New Jersey to Kentucky so I could work at least twice a month for 3 years. It makes sure I get to my mom's at the Jersey Shore whenever she needs me. It has been my office, my kitchen, and my bed many times. The heater has also been my hair dryer!!! (Did you know that if you turn your car heater on full blast the front of your hair will be dry in 15 minutes.  Hmmmm... maybe someone should design a car with a fan in the headrest so the back can get dry too.)

Emergency!!!! Emergency!!!! Someone call AAA!!! Get a mechanic quick! We have a patient in CARdiac arrest!

As I nervously waited in the dealer showroom I ran through my head all of the possibilities ... and wondered how I would pay for this. I looked up with concern in my eyes as the mechanic came in to break the bad news. My car needed a new starter. "How much will it cost?" I asked sadly. "About $600", he replied. GASP!!! Where oh where will I get $600 I wondered. 

At this point I decided to call my daughter and ask to use her credit card. THAT moment was really ROCKBOTTOM. I'm the MOM! I'm the one to run to when you need help... it's not supposed to be the other way around. All in all I am happy that my children are well adjusted, doing well, happy and such... and I am glad I can fall back on them and know we are family and are here for each other when needed the most. But seriously... it was one of the worst moments in my life.

Happy ending... the car is recovered. I have my wheels back... now I just have to figure out how to pay my daughter back :-)

I really, really, really, hope that THIS was as far down as I have to go. I can still see the daylight... so It's not  so far down. Right?