Back to living on air... AGAIN!!

I tried... I really did. I took a job with Michael's Arts and Crafts... but no sooner did I start to settle in... I quit. I have major trouble working for a large corporation apparently. I was a good worker... you can put me on the cash register, restocking team, even full time in the custom framing department. I excelled in all of those positions... but I wasn't happy. Panic attacks set in as I left for work at 4:45am. I breathed through them... and MADE myself get passed them... but it only lasted a few hours. I can't continue to work at a place that gives me panic attacks and stress. It's not healthy.

In retrospect... I would probably still be working there if they hadn't scheduled me to work this Saturday, all day. In the few months I have been there I have never been scheduled to work a Saturday. Since I became 'full time' it is expected that I could be scheduled any 35 hours a week that suited the company. I made plans for this Saturday. Nothing that couldn't be changed, this time. I can't deal with the fact that Michael's 'owns' me and my schedule has to revolve around theirs. I know, I know, with so many people out of a job I should be happy to have any job at all. I get it. Besides, it's not like I have a life or anything. However, I can't get passed the panic attacks. This whole thing comes as a shock to me since I normally have no problems at all working 24/7.

I never used to be like that. I guess it's just all the garbage I've gone through these past years that make me like this. Or maybe it's that the trial is coming up. Or maybe because my birthday is friday. Whatever it is... I can't handle it, so I'm back to scraping enough money together every month to pay my bills and eat. Always a challenge.

Now that I'm back to being really dirt poor again... when did nail polish become so expensive?? I decided to buy some pink polish for my fingers and toes today, to cheer me up... but I couldn't justify the cost. $8.49???? Oh my!!! Certainly NOT in my budget!! Currently I am saving up to get a tooth fixed, so every penny counts! When you are on a shoe string budget it is such a shocker to see what you used to so frivolously spend your cash on. So tonight I will file my nails, apply oil to my cuticles and be happy with the 'au naturale' look. Pink piggies are no big deal.

So... what am I going to do now? I'm designing and sewing QUILTS!!! My first design is called Bye-Bye Boogie Man. As soon as I finish writing the directions the finished quilt, patterns and fabric kit will all be available on my etsy site. Look for it in about a week.

Bye Bye Boogie Man Quilt
on machine ready to be quilted

I'm still making charms... I just haven't had the time to photograph them and post (I'll have all the time in the world now). Not to mention a few surprises I have up my sleeve. So keep posted as I resume blogging!!!

Thank you to everyone inquiring about my safety the past few days. Irene came and went. Left me with a basement full of water and tons of debris littering my yard. I was lucky. Some of my neighbors had trees go down, docks destroyed, and boats swamped. See... being poor has it's advantages... I didn't have any of those things to worry about. My sump pump went in to action once the power came back on... and pumped out 3 to 4 feet of water in one day. This weekend I will pull everything out of the basement and wash it, dry it, or throw it out... then everything will be back to normal. At least in this house. Many of the surrounding areas still are without power... basements are still flooded... boardwalks destroyed. Michael's has been closed since Irene hit as has many stores since power has yet to be restored. We are all safe and dry. Thanks for asking!

And my book??? Whatever happened to my book plans??? To be honest I haven't written a word since I moved to this new house. If I had to guess... I think I didn't write because it made me sad... and I wanted to be happy in this new house. Well... things have changed a bit. Happiness isn't all it's cracked up to be... or rather, happiness is an illusion and I got caught up in it. So... I'll be back to writing on a daily basis... especially during the upcoming trial!

Keep safe! Be happy!

Deb

Crazy House = Crazy Life!!!

"Bark, Bark"!
"Ruff, Ruff"!
"Bark"!
"Grrrrr...."!
"Whine"!
"Sigh".

Those are the sounds in my house beginning at 6:30am. Three dogs... yes, THREE... and none of them are mine. Yet, that's MY sigh at the end.

Stephanie and Curt (Middle child and husband) have left for their fabulous trip to Thailand, leaving me to care for Emma (their beloved little princess doggie), Kai (Curt's colorful beta fish), 2 plants (barely alive as it is) and a few odds and ends to tidy up for Kreative Events.

Throw in Lauren's (Oldest child) 2 dogs, Chase (PERFECT name for him as he runs away every chance he gets) and Darla (who's afraid of her own shadow)... and things get a little crazy around here. Lauren's boyfriend, Kevin is home from the military for a spell... so she is spending 'face time' with him for a few days... again leaving me in charge.

Stir in my Mom, living in the next town needing my attention... and add a dash of starting a part time job at Michael's... and you have the perfect recipe for a crazy house.

It's funny how things come back to haunt you. I did a great job and raised 3 wonderful kids... now I have 3 crazy dogs to take care of. Somehow I don't really see a difference :-)

Charm Update

I have been busy making a Charm A Day... but have not had the time it takes to photograph and upload in about a week. Sorry about that... but I hope to catch up this week.

I have started my new part time job at Michael's. A slow and rocky beginning is finally turning into a fun job. The first 4 days found me up front training on the register. Ho-hum! B-O-R-I-N-G. My trainer commented the 2nd day that she was very impressed with how quickly I picked up the register. She was being so sweet and kind... I didn't have the heart to tell her I ran my own stores and have been running a register since before she was born. I simply smiled, said Thank You... and added that I'm not new to retail :-) She has NO CLUE on my back ground... or she would have expected more from me.

After the 4th day I was trying to remember why I thought working in a corporate world was something I wanted to do. I don't believe in some of their practices and rules... or the fact that cashiers should be answering phones when a 'live' customer is in front of them deserving your full attention. So... I voiced my concerns... and to my total disbelief and pleasure... concessions were made... and now I am happy. Especially happier now that I'm learning more of the 'biz' from the sales floor point of view. I reminded myself that I need to keep an open mind while training. If... after weeks of training... I still don't like the job, THEN I can leave. At least I will know I gave it a fair shot.

As far as charms go... I have been playing with polymer clay. Learning how to condition the clay, and make 'canes'. I can't wait to show you what I've made. This week I hope to play around with resin a bit... and see where that leads. So far I have used resin to make my Tillie Charms... but now I'm expanding in to molds.

Fourth of July I wore a necklace I made that morning with my idea of fireworks... AND in the middle of all of this I sewed new outdoor cushions for a friend so used that fabric to make a charm. All of this will be posted soon... I promise!

Keep charming!

Deb

Day 8 - Bead Soup

I spent the day working at my daughter's house, helping her assemble wedding invitations for her business Kreative Event Services. She designs and prints the most fantastic invitations for any occasion. I didn't get home until after dinner... and then went to the movies with my other daughter. I guess you could say it was 'mother/daughter' day.

It was late when I walked through the front door at the end of my very long day... but I still had to make my Charm A Day. I looked through my stash of supplies... but no creative bolt struck me. Then I remembered a bag that was up in my bedroom... filled with beads that 'got away' during my move last October. By 'got away' I mean SPILLED all over the place!! I scooped them up off the floor, dumped them all in a bag, and then completely forgot about them... until tonight. THAT is what you call BEAD SOUP... a big mish mash of beads that don't really go together, but you don't have the patience to separate.

I reached in the bag, pulled a few out, and made 2 dangles (2 daughters... 2 dangles). I'm sure they don't look like much to you... not as creative as some of my other beauties... simply easy dangles. However, to me they look like the beginning of a wonderful bracelet. One that would not have entered my mind had the original vials not broken when I moved. How appropriate that I moved in October... and the beads are mostly black, orange, yellow, and green. Hmmmm... freaky huh?

Eureka! The Bead Soup bag also held my good jewelry tools that my friend Andrea gave me a few years ago (Hi Andrea!). I had been looking for them, to no avail... so went out and purchased a small travel set. It will be nice using GOOD chain nose pliers that actually GRIP when you need them to. Now... if I could only find one of the two pair of crimpers that I KNOW are here somewhere!!!

Have a charming day!

Day 7 - Suede Flower

It's 10:45pm and I haven't made my charm for today. Instead I am participating in the weekly online chat session with the art charm group... again soaking up their creativity and kindness.

The conversation headed in the direction of shopping at thrift stores, estate sales, and garage sales for unique items to use in crafting. I was reminded of the fabulous HOT PINK suede skirt I picked up for $2 at a local thrift shop... knowing for certain that I would find a use for the fabric. Not to mention the skirt was a size 4!!! Maybe, just maybe my right leg would fit in a size 4... maybe.  


So for today's charm, I ran upstairs, grabbed the skirt and began cutting. I reached in to one of my many jars of old buttons ( a goodwill find) for the center of the flower and tied it all together with some embroidery floss (purchased from a garage sale). Added a bead and a jump ring... and I had myself a charm!

In the interest of full disclosure I should mention that this is a 'repeat' charm. I made others for my flower swap... however THIS ONE was made this evening. The photo doesn't do the colors justice. The flower is HOT PINK, the top button is turquoise, and the thread is orange. Very bold and striking.

Have a charming day!

Deb

Day 6 - Sunshine? Ship's Wheel?

For the past 6 days you have been following my Charm A Day challenge. Your emails have been so inspiring!!! Thank you! However, I'd like to tell you about how I got started. 

One day I was killing time at my local Jo-Ann's store. The cover of this book caught my attention.

So I bought it. For those of you who know me, you are in shock... right??? As a bookstore owner I can order any book, any time at wholesale. Why would I pay full price? Why??? Because I wanted to read this book NOW... not in a week... NOW! 

I drooled over each and every page and picture.  The authors, Peggy Kryzewski and Christine Hansen are charm goddesses! According to this book there were Art Charm SWAPS going on behind my back. All these wonderful little bundles of goodness were being shipped all over the world and I wasn't getting any!! So I grabbed my computer and started searching for Swaps. I landed on a new group forming on Yahoo... so I joined. It was weeks later that I found out the moderators were the very same authors I drooled over. Surprise!!!

I'm hooked! I love making and receiving charms. To check out where I get my inspiration... go to Peggy's blog: http://artandsoultoo.blogspot.com

and Christine's: http://www.christinehansen.com/

Better yet... JOIN US! Check us out at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ArtCharms/

On to Day 6...

It's been raining all day today. HUGE thunderstorms. Dark, dreary, muggy day. BUT... sunshine filled my heart and soul when I saw my reservations came through for a trip to Florida in November (Thank you Catherine and Dan for your timeshare). As I was making today's charm I was thinking... Sun, funky sun. My hands made a ship's wheel instead. Funny how I planned a totally different charm than what actually emerged. Art has a way of doing that :-)

I hope your days are just as challenging.

Thanks for looking!

Deb

Day 5 Flower Charm

It's day 5 of making a Charm A Day... and I haven't even begun to sweat. In honor of my new job at Michael's a friend bought me flowers... well actually a plant with flowers on it. So... my charm today is a flower made of buttons, beads, and wire. It looks much better in real life, but you get the idea.