a new leaf (kinda)

Obviously I have been very bad at updating this guy. I have now commited to actually keeping it updated though. I have some fun new projects started and some fun new ideas to share with the world. Including but not limited to: quilting, refinishing furniture, my new bike of awesomeness, a pattern I've written for pincushions a/o awesome pillows, and much much more!

Right now though, I'm currently working on purging my life of all the extra crap I've accumulated and getting the stuff I'm keeping in some sort of order. Right now everything is everywhere. It is time to downsize! And speaking of downsizing I'm also working on changing my living and eating habits to loose a few lbs. It's time to stop putting off getting healty and just start doing it. I'll keep you posted on my progress. Right now I come in at 5'4"-5" (ish) and about 195 lbs. Hardly a little girl. The goal is to loose about 15-20 lbs in the next two months. Yes that's 2.5 lbs a week, but I think with just a few small adjustments to my lifestyle it can be done!

I really am excited about purging my closets. All that clothing I never wear anymore, or only wear every once in a blue moon is going. There really is no reason to hang onto it. and then maybe I'll treat myself to a small shopping day. It has been a while after all. (but not too much till I get skinny again).

So I'll be finishing projects and working on myself. being productive and letting you know about it all. I'd like to post ups and downs and ins and outs. I figure that if I know I have to report to "someone" (even if that someone is the never neverland of the WWW) then it'll help keep me in line. That's all for now. I'll try to post at least once a week (if not more often)

Life in progress

Well, looks like graduation is only 6 weeks away. I find that I'm more terrified than excited a/o relieved. I'm done. It's like I have the stamp on me now that says you are competent (enough), now, go make your way in the world. Except I'm not sure I'm really ready to "go get em." Heck, I don't know which 'ems I want to get! It's all a little overwhelming and slightly scary and I just don't know what to do with myself.

On a lighter note though! I'm loving my sewing class. I'm so inspired to sew all the time. I'm picking up ideas everywhere and I just want to sit at the machine all day zipping along. I think tonight and tomorrow I'm going to get my quilt pieces finished so I can put the top together on Thursday (or Wed night if I'm done by then). I'm pretty dang excited to see it all together. There will be pictures posted on here at some point. I also have a few sketches that need to get put up. That'll be up later today. So that's that. More explanation to follow when there are visuals. :)

dominoes without the fuss and other goodness

http://www.drawminos.com/index.html?id=33195
All the fun of dominoes without having to worry about accidentally hitting one. It's a fun little time waster.

seriously...MIT and origami, what could be better than that? This link is worth the few seconds of your life it'll take to look at it. Awesome stuff.
http://www.influks.com/post862.html

All photos done with acrobats, mirrors and wires, but not computer manipulation. It's some pretty sweet stuff. Some people have experienced a bit of vertigo looking at it though.
http://www.hemmy.net/2008/04/19/the-impossible-art-of-li-wei/

And I found all these things at VSL(dot)com. VSL meaning Very Short List. Champion for the obscure! They send you daily e-mails of cools stuff. No strings attached.

Tis the season for awesome rubber footwear :)

Chooka Women's Tiny Whale Rainboot (49.95)
SOOOOOoooo cute, and check out that serious grip on the bottom and adjustable top for us thick-calved.

Western Chief Women's Frog Rain Boot (29.95)

These also come as cows, cats, dogs, lady bugs and bees. Frogs are still the best though. Those handles are priceless, and they eyes just make me grin. I swear if I wore these, every time I looked down at my feet I would laugh.

Anyway, I think it's about time I get some Galoshes. Or someone else can get them for me *wink wink* (size ten) *nudge nudge* (endless.com) *poke poke*

Time wasting was never so fashionable!

Found this awesome website called: http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/home. Pretty much the most awesome thing ever. You can browse through thousands of articles of clothing and accessories and mix and match them into outfits all your own. Save them and move on, or link directly to the retailer and purchase your outfit. It's pretty much funtastic. I can't afford any of it of course, but it's still fun to dream. ;)

I did the outfit above myself sometimes I think I'd have a very bohemian style if I had the money and the right body type. (by the way, that sweet octopus necklace is from modcloth.com for 15 bucks, just in case you were at a loss as to what to get me for Christmas....)

Hand Painted Kashmiri Bangles

Love the color, and the pattern and everything about them. They are from Smithsonian store and way too expensive (for me anyway, National Geographic has something similar but they don't look as good ). BUT! read the discription:

These wooden bracelets are sheathed in hand painted papier-mâché adorned with nature-inspired motifs rendered by artisans using native pigments. Color assortments are pre-selected and will vary. 8"; Set of 6.

GOSH! how cool would it be to make personalized ones?! Then I can have whatever I want on mine. Plus it'd make an awesome gift. Now I just need to find the bracelets for the base (for cheap). I could even paint the paper myself if I couldn't find what I wanted. Neat huh?

Richard Lawson 9-Volt Lights

So clever I'm surprised no one has come up with this before. I totally love how it shows off the power source and makes it and intigral part of the aesthetic. So HONEST! love it. It's an LED light so there won't be any problem with heat or small hands burning themselves on accident. Or big clumsy hands burning themselves easier. Plus no fire hazzard.

Mathos manufactures them and they should be available in white by now. The first ones came out in red and blue. What a fantastic decoration idea.