Lazy and Rejected

Sometimes I think I am a lazy crafter. I mean, I certainly don't feel lazy, but if I think about it too much, I start to believe that I am. For instance, I see some other people who seem to create a clothing item every day. I just can't do that. I have to spread it out over several days or I crash and burn. Part of this may be due to the fact that I am a pretty slow sew-er. Whenever I sew a seam, I have to kind of slide my chair back from my desk, cock my head, and look at it for a minute. Granted, this probably sound pretty comical, but it's to ensure that I haven't done something completely absent-minded, like I tend to do.

A few days ago I put in a bid for the first time ever on an Alchemy request on Etsy. It got denied, and it made me feel like complete crap. I know that it shouldn't have, but it did. I'm thinking that I probably won't being putting in bids again in Alchemy since I obviously can't handle simple rejection like a grown woman.







Speaking of rejection, I got a letter in the mail on Friday getting rejected from a scholarship I applied for. Oh yay. The form for the scholarship had very little criteria to fill out. Basically, they asked you your GPA and household income. The form said that scholarship decisions would be based upon these two things. GPA's of 3.5 and higher would be considered first as well as "financial need." Well, I guess since I have a GPA of 3.466 and *almost* have gotten to the point where our household doesn't live below the Poverty Line any more, it means that I don't take school seriously and that I have plenty of money. I like how the letter says, "I encourage you to pursue additional financing options available through our Office of Student Financial Services." For those of you haven't been to college lately, this means "I will point you in the direction of banks that will provide you with student loans which you will be paying off for 15 years after you graduate."

Sorry to be such a complainer, my friends. Morale is low today.

Edited to add: What I neglected to mention in my self-pity laden entry is that, in case you were wondering, Brendan and I and the rest of his family were not affected by the tornados that came through Oklahoma this weekend that left six people dead and 150 people injured across the state. For that, I am extremely grateful.

Ring Ring

Well, it's hard to go back to blogging about every day things after my previous post, but I feel that I need to express some hardcore gratitude.

A few weeks a go I entered a giveaway on Amanda's blog, and I won! I got to pick any ring I wanted from Allu Ring! Well, I spoke with Lori, the artist, and asked her if I could get a ring similar to this one, but with a few modifications. She was incredibly kind and indulged me. A few days later, it was in my mailbox!

This ring really is incredibly gorgeous, and the construction is a lot sturdier than some other rings that I have purchased. I definitely have a new favorite place to buy rings now. Thanks, Lori! :)

Burma Cyclone Relief

After hearing about the cyclone that hit Burma, and watching the death toll rise to 100,000 lives, my heart sank. In an effort to help those who were able to survive, 100 percent of all jewelry sales in my shop (minus shipping) will go to relief for the victims of the cyclone that hit Burma. I will be donating to www.avaaz.org, who will send the money directly to the Burmese monks, since the Burmese government can not be trusted to handle donations with integrity.

"The cyclone that ripped through Burma left tens of thousands dead and a million homeless--a natural disaster made much worse by the failure of the military junta to warn or evacuate its people.

Now, the government has slowed the urgent process of providing humanitarian relief--so Avaaz is raising funds for the International Burmese Monks Organization, which will transmit funds directly to monasteries in affected areas.

In many of the worst-hit areas, the monasteries are the only source of shelter and food for Burma's poorest people. They have been on the front lines of the aid effort since the storm struck. Other forms of aid could be delayed, diverted or manipulated by the Burmese government--but the monks are the most trusted and reliable institution in the country."
-www.AVAAZ.org



If any of you are donating to the cause through your shop, or know of any shops that are, please let me know. I will be keeping a running list here for people to check in with.

I know times are rough economically here in the US, so any money you can put toward the cause is honorable.

Shops donating to Burma Cyclone relief:

• Banana Pants Clothes

• Lars and Addie

Stop and Smell the Roses

Recently I ordered some dried lavender, roses, chamomile, and calendula from a fellow Etsy seller. Well, when I got them, they all smelled so amazing that I immediately got inspired to make sachets. I love the way they turned out, and they've made my sewing room smell amazing. Plus, at only $3.50 each, they'd make a great cost-effective gift! Yay for that! I definitely know the trials of trying to give thoughtful gifts on a tiny budget - it is no easy feat.


I also whipped up another little patchwork wallet/pouch yesterday. I love "autumn" colors, and I don't think they ever go out of season, even in spring. I tend to incorporate them year-round.


I really need to get myself in gear and get some skirts finished up, but I keep getting distracted by other things I want to make. Crossing my fingers that I stop procrastinating and finish 'em up this weekend. :)

Mother's Day?

I definitely didn't get done all that I had hoped to get done this weekend. My plan was to finish up 2 different skirts that I have been working on, get them photographed, and listed in the shop. Well, none of that happened. I ended up cleaning my apartment and making my mom something for mother's day instead.

I had the hardest time trying to decide what to make for her. She really is hard to shop for or make things for. She's not really one of those people that likes super specific things. I mean, it's not like I can say "mom is crazy for yellow, daisies, kittens, and anything French, so I can find her something with one of those themes." I ended up making her one of my patchwork wallets/pouches from some of my favorite fabric remnants that I had lying around.



I need to get it mailed out to her tomorrow so it can get to Indiana by Mother's Day. Now I have to figure out what we can get for Brendan's mom - eep! At least she just lives across town, so I've got the entire week to figure it out. :)

Made in the USA

In a time of such economic struggle for a country that is so flawed, but remains so beloved to me, I have been putting a lot more effort in to buying products made in the United States. Though it is virtually impossible for every single product I buy to be made in the US, I am putting in my best effort. For example: if I am at the store and debating between two fabrics that I like equally, I check the label. Is one made (or at least printed) in the United States? If so, I purchase that one over one made elsewhere.

I have also been buying handmade in the United States whenever possible (thanks, Etsy!). I see so many things I love on Etsy, but they're made overseas. I think to myself - is there an alternative to this that I can buy that is made by someone from my own country? The answer is almost always "yes." Of course, this is definitely not to say that there is anything wrong with buying handmade things from overseas. I have just made a promise to myself that in my personal life, I'm going to try to buy things made in the United States whenever possible, and I encourage others to try to do the same when they can. I know that buying things made in the US often means spending more money and that times are already hard.


Another idea to help keep money invested in my local economy is to start shopping at the local Farmer's Market whenever possible. During the school year, my classes interfered with the one that they held here on Wednesdays. However, it is now summer time (for us college kids), and I am free to head on over there every week! This week will be my first week to go, and I'm so excited. I was looking at their website, and there are so many neat things to buy there. For example: buffalo meat! Yes, buffalo meat! I have never had it before, but Brendan says it's amazing. It also has about 1/4 of the fat of beef, or so I understand. Besides being excited about buffalo meat, it's strawberry season! Man, there's really few things better than garden-grown fresh strawberries.

The thing that got me thinking of all of this is the arrival of our economic stimulus check next week. Unfortunately, most of the money has to go toward putting deposits down on our new apartment, utilities, etc for our upcoming move. I'm sure that most people are going to be using it to pay off their piled-up bills, so how much it will actually "stimulate" the economy is yet to be seen. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that things will start looking up soon for this beloved country of mine.


Buffalo photo courtesy of Lonesome Prairie Bison - Morrison, OK

Smashing

Tuesday night my love and I went to the store to buy beer and ice cream (I had just taken my last final, so we got treats, hehe). When we got to the store, I grabbed a cart because we needed cat food too, which I didn't feel like hauling to the other side of the store on my shoulder or something when we went to get said ice cream and beer. Well, the fold-out part in the front of the cart was stuck, so I kind of slid my hand down the side of it to pull it down. Apparently my well-meaning man didn't see that I had placed my hand there, and slammed his fist down on it to get it to go down. I could see him starting to do it, so I went to pull my hand away, but my middle finger got stuck and smashed...hard. It took some skin off and now I have a big, swollen middle finger. This has made sewing pretty uncomfortable, but still do-able, so I am relieved and grateful that it's not broken.

In celebration of being done with school for the semester, I put all of my jewelry and hand-appliqued T's on sale in my shop. I also still have one dress left, which I marked way down - $29 is a steal!

I've got lots of things in the works that I hope to get listed in my shop over the weekend or the beginning of next week. :)