Craft Hope

I found this website a few months ago. I always wanted to make the current project but never actually made the time to do so. But when I saw the new project, making stockings for Christmas in Dixie, I knew that this was the project I wanted to participate in. I have a little more free time now and making stockings seem like a fairly basic project. I also have a lot of scrap fabric that I could use on a worthwhile project instead of just some random creation. I also really love the freedom that Craft Hope gives with their projects. I think that working on this project (even if I only make 3 stockings) will be a great use of my free time in these next few weeks. 
I just need to go through my fabric that's all packed up and decide what (if any) additional pieces I need to get. Good thing I'm going fabric shopping with my mom this afternoon :)

(via craft hope project 14)

Pinterest

Pinterest is possibly (or most definitely) the most addictive thing to ever happen in my life. I have quite a few boards so I thought I would share some pins...today I'll pick some of my favorite pins from my "Awesome Art" Board

I'm sure I'll be showing more of my favorites from other boards in the (very near) future!

all images (and more awesome art) can be found here

Ch-Ch-Changes...

      On Saturday August 13, I will graduate with my Master's in Accounting. And honestly, I have never been more terrified of anything (except those few days where graduation was uncertain...). Graduating last May with my undergrad was a pretty anti-climatic experience. I already knew that I would be attending grad school and extending my college experience another year. But now, there's no more school to be had and it's time to really move on. And it's that very idea of moving on that really scares me. Being the great planner that I am, I of course had a plan of what I would be doing after graduation. However I'm pretty sure that this plan is going to require a little bit of alteration, seeing as how I don't have a a job (anywhere) or someone waiting to propose. So yup, it kind of feels like I'm back at square one...or starting on plan E.
     I had never planned on attending grad school. I went to my advisor (who i might have also wanted to marry...but that's another story) and he suggested a masters in accounting. I researched it a little bit and talked with my parents. They were (honestly) thrilled about this idea and since the program was only a year, they fully supported me attending. To be really honest, I only went to talk to my advisor because I didn't have any job prospects but even more importantly, I wasn't anywhere close to being engaged. And (as seriously strange as this may sound) I had always known that I would graduate college and be engaged soon after. Since that obviously wasn't going to happen, I decided I just wouldn't leave college. Enter the idea of grad school. I am truly glad that I ended up in the masters program. I was able to make some great friends and have some "real" college experiences. I also got to be around as other friends got pregnant and had babies. Overall, I had a fantastic 4 years in undergrad and an amazing fifth year to end with (a national championship would have been a nice cherry on top...).
     Now I'm back to not having a job or any real direction. Not having a plan is a very uncomfortable feeling for me. Graduate school gave me a more specific career path than I had with just my undergrad degree. And I'm really okay with that career path and grateful that everyone around me seems so sure that I'll find a great job soon. But I'm obviously freaked out about not having a job and graduating so soon. And I'm pretty sure that this feeling is only compounded by the fact that I'm no where near engaged. Finding a job is something that I know will happen eventually (even if it takes a month or two longer than everyone thinks it will). It's the whole "finding the one" thing that I am whole lot less confident about. And to be really honest, it's something I want more than finding a great job. (but let's not tell my dad that one) I know that eventually both things will happen...if they are meant too. And this whole "if it's meant to happen" idea is a pretty tough pill to swallow somedays (and that's probably another post too).
    So now I'm back to feeling just a little freaked out about all of my life changes. I know that everything will work out exactly how God has planned for it too. And I truly believe that it's in his plans for me to have a good job (finally make use of my degrees) and to be married someday. I know that I'm only 22 (soon-to-be 23) so most people look at me and think I really shouldn't be concerned about never getting married. But hey, I can't help how I feel.
    While it may seem like I am dreading graduation, I'm actually kind of excited too...but still terrified, don't get me wrong. I'm excited to find a job and have my own place and be a real "grown-up." And in all the days leading up to company meet & greets and interviews, I have the opportunity to spend some quality time with some pretty cute babies. I also have some serious studying to do and some leisure reading that I'm quite excited about. So yeah I might be really scared but I have faith that I'm not going to be that child with two degrees who still lives in their parent's basement when they are 30...mainly because there is no basement at my parent's house :)

post secret...

in honor of post secret sunday's i thought i'd share a few recent posts that i relate to the most...

[promise they are not all super depressing...really...but i like knowing i'm not alone with this thought]

[honestly i never got anyone kicked out of church camp...but somedays i'm pretty sure i was one sarcastic comment away from being kicked out of the youth group...]

[ever since reading this i'm super nice whenever i buy fabric in hopes that i get extra]

[reading post secret does make me realize how truly lucky and blessed i am]

[legit fear of mine...glad i'm not alone]

[it's the secrets like this one that remind me why i really am so happy with the choices i've made...and why i would tell my 13 year old self that while it's not always easy to be different and take the so-called "uncool" route, I wouldn't change a thing :)]

[unanswered prayers = blessing in disguise]

[my worst fears in the grand scheme of life really are not that bad...must remember this]

[makes me happy...and realize that i'm really not all that strange]

[picture freaks me out but i love the message...and the idea that someone out there is looking for me too]

[i do this all the time...and i have an irrational fear that high school was/will be the best time of my life...]

and i saved the best for last: 

[i don't attend a private university and i'm certainly not graduating cum laude but i will (hopefully...one day) have two degrees and this picture is me...exactly me]

**all of these images are from http://www.postsecret.com/

Scheduled Blog Posts...scheduled life

I had a blog post scheduled to post earlier this afternoon, right about the time I finished my last final ever in college. Now I'm not so sure that it will be my last college exam. In fact the more I think about it, the more upset I get and I'm pretty confident now that I will not be graduating next Saturday. And honestly I don't really know how this happened...and to ME of all people.


I can't believe that I'm sitting here typing this on a Friday night. This might be the most random-y post ever but I need to get this out. I just had a breakdown of the most epic proportion. I'm really not even sure how to explain all of my feelings but I think it's super important that I get them out. I also really need to disclose that I probably have the worlds greatest parents ever. They definitely just talked me through this breakdown and I would still be a hot mess (well a bigger one than I currently am) if it wasn't for them.


The fact that I'm pretty sure that I won't be graduating on Saturday only makes me feel like the biggest failure ever...and you know a huge disappointment too. It also makes me super aware of the fact that now not only am I am not graduating with a job (which would be revoked when I don't graduate so hey maybe that's the blessing here) but I won't actually be graduating at all. I can honestly say that I feel like my grad school experience can be summed up as a year of where I really felt like a failure and like by best effort wasn't nearly good enough. I spent many Thursday and Friday nights studying while it felt like everyone else was going out. I don't understand how some people just seem to have it all. These people who seem to "have it all", I mean I know that they don't and that everyone has problems and no one is perfect or has the perfect life. I guess what I'm trying to say is why do people who engage in "reckless behavior" (because i can't think of a better term...) seem to get rewarded. I mean it's not really all that easy to be the one to say no and the one who it's comfortable with the "reckless behavior." And I'm really not this prude of a person...at least I really really hope I'm not.


And on top of this whole no degree, no job current life situation of mine, I also feel like I'm pretty alone. Part of this really ties into the whole, I kind of have standards part of my life. And I really don't mean that in this judgmental way, because I really do like to have fun. But I'm just not doing certain things, and I guess at the end of the day I'd rather be typing this super depressing blog post and checking twitter obsessively than waking up tomorrow and hating myself. The alone factor also comes from the whole not currently dating anyone and having no prospects. And then I go back to the whole what kind of successful guy is really going to want to date someone who can't graduate. (It's like the never ending version of depression...I'm really going to try to stop mentioning the whole graduation thing.) The whole not dating anyone makes me wonder if I'm ever going to find anyone, cause I was suppose to find this person in college...and I even went a year longer and here we are, nothing. Except I know that it's going to take a really special guy (as if I didn't already know this because I'm a little crazy) because I'm not the kind of girl that's going home with you when the bar closes. And honestly that puts me at a major disadvantage (another grad school lesson I've learned....).


And with this whole alone idea is the idea that I feel really left behind by everyone. And again, this is definitely a feeling that I'm not accustom to at all. I feel like everyone around me is just moving on with life, and in exactly the way they wanted....and i'm just stuck here. And I know that's also a super depressing thought. I'm just on a role with this post.


I've joked quite a bit this year about not even wanting to be an accountant...maybe this is God's way of telling me that I shouldn't be one. But if I start with this whole line of thinking I'll go down the road of trying to justify this...and trying to figure out what God's plan might be. And, let's face it, I'm obviously really stellar at knowing his plan. (now would probably be a good time to mention i'm really quite sarcastic)


I think I just need to publish this post and then take my dad's advice and watch something funny on t.v. and try not to worry about this. Because I have a test on Tuesday that I need to study for...and I can't let this whole graduating thing ruin that too. And that fact is yeah I may feel like the world's biggest failure but the fact that my parents were willing to get in the car right this minute to come and take me home kind of makes the me luckies girl ever. So I'll be okay without that degree because I'm pretty awesome anyways...or at least my parents think so.


(definitely didn't proof this AT ALL so if it's incoherent sorry...but i don't really think anyone reads this so hey this can just be a note to remind myself of the no-editing fact when I'm reading this later...)


(and i really want my header to be centered but i can't make that happen...and i really don't have the time to try and figure out how to make that happen thanks to the above-mentioned exam on tuesday...but trust me that it bothers me WAY more than it could ever bother you...)

Untitled...

Last summer I had some a lot more free time than this summer so I did some reading. I ordered a variety of books from Amazon and one of them was No Sex in the City. I only ended up buying this one because it was a suggested buy based on some of my other books. Anyways, my favorite chapter in the book is Girls Gone Crazy? I have not really looked at this book but last night I decided to get it out and reread some parts I had previously marked. This led me to some parts that I wanted to write about here because they were a great reminder to me and I want to remember that. The Girls Gone Crazy? chapter focuses on reasons that the author has heard as to why she is still single and her explanations as to why she doesn't accept those reasons. 


1) Your standards are too high: I liked how she argues that men justify their behavior by the fact that women have lowered their standards and not raised them. I've never actually had anyone tell me that my standards were too high but I've also never seriously discussed them with someone. I mean I talked about them when I was in the eighth grade but they have kind of evolved since then and I'm pretty sure they are a little better and appropriate now. But I think that writing them at such a young (?) age was a great thing to encourage. 


2) You are too intimidating: I have to admit that this could quite possibly be one of the things I related to most in this book. I've actually been told this on more than one occasion by few people. I've been a part of a college group at my home church the past few summers. This is where I first heard someone tell me this. It was funny at first. But then I realized that it was kind of true. This college group was made up of a lot of guys (and girls) who weren't really in school. They were all working, mainly with someone who also attended church (and is the person who told me that I'm intimidating...ha). And I think that this was part of the problem. I was in college and in love with it. I knew what I wanted to do with my life (funny to think about that now...) and wasn't apologetic for appearing to have it all together. After a devo one night, I remember talking to the older adult who was working with the group and that's when he told me that I was intimidating. At first I was kind of shocked, but then the more I thought about it the more I accepted it and realized how true it was. I never really considered this to be an issue and I still don't really. I guess I just feel like there are certain things on my list that would cancel out the "intimidation factor." I think my favorite part about the book was how the author completely wrote off the intimidation factor to say that maybe she does intimidate guys but that the right one won't feel that way. 


3) He'll come when you least expect it: I think this might be the section that I laughed most while reading. The author compares this idea to waiting for a trip to Disney. Whether she thought about the trip or not, each day was still 24 hours long no matter what. 


She lists other reasons but these were the three that I liked and related to the best. While rereading this chapter last night, I was really glad that I had marked these three reasons. I like to go back and reread things that I have previously highlighted/flagged and try and figure out why I thought it was so important when I first read it. It was easy for me to realize why I thought this would be a good reminder, something to flip to easily when I need a reminder. Or when I'm trying to avoid schoolwork. So really this post is really just a combination of both. 

THE Baby Shower

On March 5, I threw a baby shower for Cindy, Jackson & Riggs. It was a lot of fun and I love how everything turned out. I evidently need to consider a career change. This was the entry table with The Giving Tree for all the guests to sign.

This was the wish area where guests wrote advice, wishes and/or dreams for Jackson & Riggs. There were clothespins to attach the paper to the ribbon frame. I had a bunch of open-back frames that I spray painted over Christmas break. I then printed out directions for the wish area and attached them to the frame. I put ribbon in the frame by using a staple gun, which was lots of fun.

Banner at the gift area. I took a piece of navy twine and used clothespins to attach the letters. I just printed out the letters on my home printer and attached them to colored card stock. It was a very simple project but I really wanted to have their names displayed at the shower.

This was the candy area. I had bags for guests to make their own bags of candy that Cindy had been craving during her pregnancy. We had sour patch kids and sweet tarts. I sorted them by color prior to the shower. My grandmother had given me a box of mason jars so I used those to hold the candy. There are also pinwheels laying on the table to pull the candy table in with the food table.

This was the food table. While I know that Cindy doesn't really like the glass kitchen table, it is perfect for hosting events with. We had all sorts of yummy foods like hummus, fruit, cubed cheeses, raw veggies and dip, and raspberry preserves with cream cheese. All of the food was labeled with coordinating place cards. I made pinwheels using card stock, spray painted pencils and pushpins. I placed the pinwheels in IKEA glasses along with either purple rice, split peas or orange beans. 

The forks were in the green bucket. I had wrapped forks in yellow napkins and attached either a tissue paper pom-pom or a miniature pinwheel. 

We had mock champagne to drink. I used this recipe as a starting point but I didn't make a ginger ale ice ring and added frozen strawberries instead. 

An overhead stop of the shower, along with the pretty curtains that Cindy made. 

Gift time. This green basket is from me. I had a bunch of random baby items and books inside. It was only an introduction to my real gifts. These are onesies that say "I bite" and have alligators on them. I am  terrified of alligators/crocodiles and when I saw these onesies I knew I had to get them for Riggs and Jackson. 

And time for the real gifts from me. I made floor quilts for both Riggs and Jackson. Riggs' quilt is pictures above. I had never quilted anything before but I really, really loved doing it. I fell in love with both of the quilts and almost didn't want to give them up.

Jackson's quilt, which is really bright and super fun.

Cindy and I with the quilts. I really can't wait to see Jackson and Riggs' on their quilts (or really meet them in general). I used this tutorial for the quilts. I really loved every aspect of making the quilts, from picking out the fun, very non-traditional colors and patterns to actually doing the free-motion quilting. 

  Here is an up-close view of the free-motion quilting. 

I loved every minute of this baby shower, from planning all the little details to seeing Cindy open the quilts. Now, all I have to do with my free time is study, study, study. And anticipate the arrival of Riggs and Jackson!

Quick Update

I have another post to come very soon about a very special baby shower that I threw a few weeks ago. But these are a few pictures from a baby shower gift that I made in early December. I obviously need to blog more often. I wanted to be sure and post these since I thought it was pretty proud of how cute the mini buckets turned out. I just found small buckets in the dollar section at Target and then painted them (many times) to cover the original Star Wars print. I then free-handed the letters on the buckets. 

I then sprayed the pots with a clear acrylic spray. The red polka dot print is on a cloth diaper and blue gingham print pants were made using this pattern. It was super easy and a great pattern to follow. 

For the name tag, I found a cute clipart picture from google images and then edited it using picnik, which is an awesome free editing program. 

This is probably one of the easiest things that I do for baby gifts. I took a basic receiving blanket and monogrammed the name on one of the corners. I love the personal touch it gives the gift and it takes me literally 2 minutes to do.

Recently...

So I've been a little busy with grad school and life recently but I'm back in the crafty groove now...and making some Christmas presents has had a little to do with that (more on that in another post)...and decorating my apartment little by little...

to

[to hold my embroidery thread]

[earring holder]

and lots of pretty (washed) fabric...ready to sew with!

Aside from school work and life, I've also been busy sewing gifts for baby showers...with lots more to come in the near future. I didn't get (or I forgot) to take pictures of my first gift but here's the second one. It's the only girl one I've got to do so it was fun.

All ready to go!

Goals, Lists and Life

So the first week of graduate school is over and I came away with a very intriguing assignment. I'm not sure that my professor expected for this assignment to cause me the problems that it did but oh well. The assignment is to list our one and five year goals. While there are some given goals, I feel like I have two lists of five year goals: those that are appropriate for grad school and then my real goals. My real goal list came somewhat easily to me. Of course there is some overlap between my two lists but not a lot. It was also mentioned that we would discuss our goals in class. I think this might be the part that bothers me the most. I'm not ashamed of my five year goals and those that really know me can totally understand them. I'm just not so sure that a female-dominate graduate level class can fully appreciate where I would like to be in five years. So here are my real five year goals...

*I'd want to be married to a man who is the spiritual leader of our family (and probably at least a few years older than me...but hey who knows)

*I want to have kids (this of course hinges on the marriage factor...and depends on how long I have actually been married)

*I want to have a job I love-if it's possible for me to be home with my kids I really want to be doing that. It's strange to write that because for 18 years I never wanted to stay home with my kids...but after one semester at college I realize that it's actually what I REALLY want...and yes I'm in grad school now...

*I want to be established in the community...a homeowner in a good community with a good school district and a church that I love

*I want to be involved at a church that I love-one that challenges me and makes me think but that also encourages me and provides me with great Christian fellowship

*I want to be a good influence on those around me-especially younger girls from church...I want to be involved in their lives 

*I want to maintain a good relationship with my brother (and his maybe wife?!?)

*I want to have relationships in which I am truly held accountable and can be open. I obviously want to have such a relationship with my would-be husband but I also want/need this with a Christian female friend or two

*I want to be able to look back and see how God has changed me and been active in my life in the past five years. I want to be able to acknowledge and recognize why things happened and see how God was moving daily in my life. 

I could continue but I feel like these goals really encompass what I would like to see in myself in five years. Of course writing out these goals makes me think about how much of my future is based on getting married. It's not explicit from just reading these goals (I hope/think) but it's pretty obvious in my mind. The thing about goals is that most of my past goals have all been things that I can accomplish on my own. I mean it might take some hard work and lots of time but I can get it done. That is certainly not the case with marriage.


 I have a few female friends who are single and this topic has been popular with us recently. One friend, who has a similar church background, said something to me that made me think. We were talking about lists and things we were looking for in guys. I have pretty much determined that I'm much more likely to meet a guy who is compatible with my list at church. Does this freak the crap out of me...of course. My friend then talked about her list but ended it by saying that she is confident that she could meet him anywhere. I'm not saying that I doubt God's ability for me to meet this guy, I'm just taking a realistic approach (and trying to limit my constant thoughts about possibly meeting him)... And now this post is starting to relate a lot to my previous one. I guess the main thing I got from this conversation with my friend is that I'm not looking for this guy in every situation...and to be quite honest I'm okay with that. I know that the type of faith I'm "looking for" in a guy won't just come in someone who has been to church a few times in his life, among other things. 


This is getting kind of hard to explain so I think I'll just go the way of saying that I'm trying really hard not to be judgmental with all of this...and that it does (somewhat) relate to my five year goals because by having the detailed and specific list that I have, it's (I believe) realistic to think that I'll be married and have kid(s) in five years. I really don't see myself dating someone for very long. I mean obviously this is all up to God...but I'm kind of sure that I know what I want. And it's not like I just created this list overnight. It's been an on-going process of mine for over 10 years...and yes that means I started this list in middle school but hey I'm just ahead of the curve. The list is certainly not what it was back then but by the same token all of the really important things have remained. I know that obviously when (if??) I get married is all up to God's plan for me, but I have to admit, it makes these five year goals difficult to write. 

It would obviously be easier if I just knew...would not everything be easier if we just knew...

But I can plan...naturally all of my planning can be in vain but still, I can plan. And while I plan I can work on other goals and reach some goals I was unaware that I even had. More importantly, I can focus on school and my relationship with God. Those are actually the two main areas of all of my one year goals. I want to journal more and focus on my relationship with God. I am kind of floating right now in that area. I am at church and I like it but I miss the fellowship & encouragement that I've associated with church in the past. It's a really weird place to be in and I have some decisions to make. I'm worried that I'll make a decision based purely on where I feel I have the greatest chance to meet a guy. Totally not right but that doesn't make me consider it any less. 


I should probably get back to writing my goals and rereading my assignments but this somehow seemed much more important. I realize that this has been a somewhat random post but it helps me to see it all written out. And hopefully one day I'll be able to look back at this and see how God has been active in my life since this post...