Making Some Headway

Today I restrung a too-tight bracelet, and created a long strand of a bunch of dissimilar beads. They *do* look nice together if I may say so myself!

Tonight the laundry list of things to do is:

Return yarn to JoAnn that is yucky and evil and horrid. (the yarn, not the Jo Ann)
Paint windows in bedroom.
Finish making up baby gift for church friend.
Send a happy package to my grandma in the nursing home.

Let's see if I get it all done!

The Problem With Things

Right when I buy something, I should look at it and think, "Am I willing to house this item for the next 10 years, regardless of how cheap it is right now?"

Every time I get into a certain craft, I end up buying numerous supplies for that craft. Then, one of two things happens. I either decide I'm not all that into the craft after all, and the stuff languishes, or I really get into the craft, but don't want to use those particular materials.

When I got into beads 10 years ago, I spent hours making up necklaces and bracelets and earrings, and even more time trolling bead stores and looking for new acquistions. After some time, I built up quite a large collection of beads. And I am having difficulty USING those beads. In some cases, I simply love them so much I need to figure out the PERFECT use for them. In other cases, I really don't love them that much, but I am convinced that they will be lovely in the proper setting.

So I make things, and they almost never turn out the way I want them. Too long, too short, too stiff, too whatever. So I end up taking them apart, and then I've just wasted time and not used up any beads.

I often think of making up a bunch of things and selling them, but I tried at a craft fair a few years ago and didn't sell a single piece. Compared to other people's things they just don't look as professional and beautiful. Besides, if I'm interested in selling it, it must be one of those things I don't much like myself, and so how do I think anyone else will particularly like it?

I also thought of making up Christmas gifts for everyone; but I have a limited number of female gift recipients on my list. And I don't want to give away a bunch of beads I don't want as gifts; I want my gifts to be lovely and I want to be proud to give them.

And so I end up with things that are too good to throw out, not good enough to give as gifts, and just generally uninspiring. :-P

In a way I wish that I could go back and unbuy those things. Then I wouldn't be stressed that I'm wasting money by throwing out good things that I just don't want. I wish I could send my cautious-consumer self back in time and go "Dumbass, you're going to be hauling that bead around for the next 15 years. Don't buy it!"

I am just a bad blogger

This is *awful*! I *swear* I posted to my blog just a few weeks ago....and I log in and CRAP, it's been 2 months? Well, here go the updates:

House:
Dining room furniture in place and beautiful. I keep walking by the room and going....heyyyyy, whose grown-up living room is this?

Living room furniture is ordered, of course we could not find anything in STOCK to appease our terribly high standards so we had to custom order something and now we have to wait :-P It sure beats buying something I don't like though, so I'm trying to just suck it up.

Gray is GONE! We spent an entire day, three of us, painting the family room and I was sore for days afterward but oh boy the feeling of no more icky yucky gray hanging around!

Window treatments. I had no idea what buying window treatments for a picture window would be. Yowza. And I bought *off the shelf* treatments and *inexpensive* hardware. Came in at just under $600 for 2 rods, extenders for the rods, double brackets, 8 panels, 6 valance panels, and 8 packages of drapery rings. Hoo boy. It looks *beautiful* though and I keep looking at it just because I *love* looking at it!

And to atone for my picture window shopping orgy, I managed to outfit the family room windows adorably for a mere $25/window.

Knitting:

Trying to keep to 1 project at a time. Really trying. 2 at the max; 1 complex and one easy. Just finished a white cotton-blend cardigan that is so pretty I can't wait to wear it (but need to find something to wear under it first!). I had to do a little creative stuff with the sleeves as I ran out of yarn. Salvaged, discontinued yarn :-) So what I had was just *it*. I ended up making the sleeves elbow length and with a gentle flare at the elbows, giving it a very feminine, almost Colonial look.

Next project will be one of the following:
1) A blanket coat made with a shaded boucle yarn in shades of blue.
2) A turquoise & brown variegated eternity shawl.
3) A yellow baby sweater for a church friend who is having a baby.