Just a quick update

I've hit a plateau in progress- Hello, dirty dishes.  I've been skipping doing yoga but now that I'm not even cleaning that's not cool.  Just sitting here with a small glass of Port.

I paid the bills this morning and did the grocery shopping so I'm not too worried.  Productivity of any kind deserves reward.

The last couple of days were spent finally uploading pics and listing new items on Etsy

This one's just for fun.  Modeling at a show for Faith from Rockstar Rehab

Random Pics

Meow, Meow and Good Morning!

Falcon

 Even though it's the weekend, I'm about to go up into the loft and continue cleaning and organizing.  I really wish I had a before pic of the studio but imagine a room with a spot to sit with the diameter of 3 ft on the floor surrounded by boxes of fabric, bottles of bullet shells, and months worth of sewing and jewelry projects laid out.  I would sew and bead on the floor despite there being a few tables in the room seated in a cross legged position as that was all there was room for.

Here's a couple necklaces my husband wore to a show made from recycled hardware:

Here he is playing:

 I have way more of these rosary pieces than I realized and now that I have all my religious charms and pendants together I can't wait to do even more with them.  I already made a few cool ones but I have no way of posting the pics til i find those chargers.  i may just buy a third.

I love this quilted runner/shawl/meditation cloth I had made a few years ago and right now i use it as a table cloth for my coffee table so that the wood underneath is protected from cats knocking down glasses of water, incense dropping ash everywhere, and all our dinners.  Luckily its all cotton and has been through the wash many times since sometimes the cats like to sleep on it.

And that is all.  Just taking a moment to post some random pics.

Early Spring Cleaning

Week 2 of major Clean Up

In keeping with my resolutions and in an effort to completely de-clutter my home, studio, and mind I am leaving no box of random mess untouched.  It started with cleaning out the fridge- throwing away empty containers and leftovers that (how can i admit this) have been there for months, wiping down every shelf and putting all items in jars or steel canisters.  Then I tackled my dreaded to do list.  I have realized that the things I put off are actually never as bad as I perceive them to be and so instead of wasting time putting it off it feels better and its better for the situation to deal with things in a timely manner.  Making small goals helps.  I achieve two goals a day that before seemed too daunting when on such a long list and then I give myself a break by not worrying about anything else.  Tomorrow is another day to be productive and doing too much at once still causes a lot of stress and can tire you out too quickly.

Although I've gotten rid of a lot of things (especially when I moved here to NC from Cleveland) some items I know I should toss yet can't.  Will I really need every paper I wrote in high school and college and all the rough drafts?  Some voice in my head says, Yes.  Even business cards from people I will never meet again and stores that have long closed- what do i need them for?  But slowly I go through and each time I do I find I can toss a little more.

There are small setbacks that I try not to dwell on, like The Avalanche.  After much work organizing every scrap of art paper, rick rack, ribbon, paint, and so on into their own little boxes and using my childhood Tetris skills, I got them all on a shelf about up to my head.  Going through a box packed in haste a year ago I noticed a slight twisting of the shelf and quickly set it straight.  As I left to get something heavy (a coffee can of bullets) to hold it better CRASH!!!  The boxes tumbled to the ground spilling their contents everywhere.  I gave myself the smallest moment to be pissed and feel helpless, took a break for some tea, then redid all that work again.

While I've been cleaning, I've been thinking about a logo and finally getting nice business cards instead of these tags I've been using that I accidently ordered 20,000 of.  2011 and specifically the age of 31 will be full of progress, development, and many changes.  More regular yoga and meditation, even fewer prescription and OTC drugs, another amazing garden, professionalism in my work, and a general focus on myself.  I'm feeling exceptionally optimistic and am enjoying each day and its labor.

The cleaning itself Im sure has a couple more weeks to go but for such a thorough job and the effect it will have on my life it's definitely worth it.  Plus, I've lost two battery chargers that I'm determined to find (though theyve been missing for a couple months) so that I can put up pics again and list all the new things I've made.   In the meantime, I will leave you with a couple images I have here on my computer that serve as inspiration.

I can hardly imagine what it will be like to be able to find anything and everything!

I found shark's teeth, arrow heads, coral beads, vintage corduroy.... All items I wasn't using because everything is such a mess.  The effort will be so worth it.  Plus, I'm looking forward to practicing yoga in the studio in the mornings since it has some great lighting and i'd like to impart peace and inspiration to this room.

Here's another pic from my decor ideas folder that keeps me inspired to clean, purge, and decorate.  A little bit of paint and fabric can completely change a place

Winter Wonderland

Though this area doesn't usually get snow, we weren't the exception to last weekend's storm system:

Having recently lived in the US Tundra (cleveland), I was well prepared with this awesome snowsuit:

I was also well prepared to pelt my husband with my awesome bucket of war balls:

Then we used the bottle caps from our beers for eyes when making this guy here:

but now its melting away and temps will be in the 60s this weekend.  There's much to be done- preparing the shops for 2011, getting a good system going, and all the usual resolutions.

Watching episodes of hoarders has got me wanting to do a big clean of the condo- new year, new organization!

Here I am wearing my wonderful, recycled, Yoga Shrug from Rockstar Rehab.  After a 9 hr drive, K.t. and I went to Faith's studio where, amongst an army of industrial sewing machines and a work table that makes you insanely jealous yet wet at the same time, we participated in an evening of candlelit yoga.  It was so relaxing and I think I might adopt the practice.  Though I'd have to start eating less at night or waking up earlier to do it.  

We then took a lovely drive to the local mart for wine which paired well with all the amazing food she had prepared!  After detecting a hint of garlic in the kitchen we were presented with a Vegan Feast.  Hummus, pita, couscous, vegan burgers,  luscious sweet snap peas....

She then gifted me the shrug that I had been using during our practice:

Kt is also wearing an angora recycled sweater neck warmer I made.

A great time was had by all at the Red Giant show.  Cleveland was covered in snow yet the entire front row was made up of our closest friends.  They played songs from the new album, Dysfunctional Majesty.

 Then there were lots of people dressed as Santas so I took a pic with a couple of them:

Hello, strangers, I'm Drunk!

Fun Fun Times.  And now I have a lot of stuff to clean up after our weekend adventure as well as last minute Christmas gifts yet to be made!

Recycled Sweater

I have a really nice, chunky, wool sweater that's a darker beige than this shawl shown:

and it's so big it makes me look about 6 sizes larger though the sleeves are 7 inches too short.  It has lovely vintage wooden buttons that I will save for something.  I was trying to imagine what I would turn it into and in the past used felted wool sweaters for purses, scarves, arm/leg warmers and neck warmers. But i never used a large bulk of the sweater and with such a nice pattern I want to use as much of it as possible on the one piece.  After searching for maybe hours on etsy and ebay looking for the perfect shaw one night, I realized I could have spent that time MAKING one.  I really like this one knitted by reunasilmukka.  

I can't believe I have not come across a tutorial to turn a sweater into a shawl yet!  i figure cut up the sides, cut open the arms, sew each arm edge to a bodice edge and maybe leave an opening for arms.  I ll keep looking but may just use the bottom half to make the above.

I'll take my time before making that first cut though.  In the mean time I'll straighten up the studio; it literally looks like an episode of hoarders in here.

The darkness of the morning

A cloud made its way in today.  Maybe through the cracks around the door that let in a bit of light and cold air; it condensed on its way through then expanded back to its dark form.  Slowly meandering down the hall and through the kitchen I was completely unaware of its presence as I lay in bed cuddling a kitty and wondering how to do my hair today.  Yet by the time I lifted my head off the pillow it had made its way to me and I instantly entered the fog of despair.  Lightning bolts of doubt and worthlessness shocked me to the core and I was electrocuted into a paralytic state.  Many things will come and go into our lives but our sense of worth and purpose is like the air to our soul.  For an hour or more I was suffocating on this putrid air that was filling my lungs.  Every negative comment I've ever gotten immediately took attendance in my mind as the lyric "Dear God, I hate myself" cycled through my mind.  Alone, one can easily become lost and fighting our way out of this phenomenon becomes tedious and confusing.  While we're down, an army of negativity takes advantage by sending in line after line of dark soldiers.

What rescued me?   As my mind went to places it rarely dwells, I knew I needed to turn around and run though left with little strength I simply reached out my hand...  to someone on the other side of the spiritual quick sand that was rapidly engulfing me.  With loving and encouraging words they guided me through and as heavy as this blackness sat on my heart, I almost immediately felt my soul freed.

I believe in yin for yang, angels for demons and that though we were made in a holy image with great talents and gifts to fulfill our purpose and serve those around us- there are forces in the universe  that would act in contradiction to this.  I believe some people have dark souls but that many of our enemies are unseen.

I made a ton of last minute Christmas cards- all out of recycled materials but cannot find the plug for the battery recharger since my batteries (and backup batteries) are dead.  Sometimes it feels like something is hiding things from me- some otherworldly game of hide and seek using the things I would very much like to use.  I also can't find any hole punchers though I own three and one is the giant three-hole kind.

Since I can't add anything new, here's a pic of my husband.  At least I know I'll always have him as a fan!