As much as I have looked forward to moving, the prospect of putting B in a new school was nerve-wracking at best. ACE was a complete unknown - we assumed he would be going to the larger Red Bank Elementary, but it turned out we were zoned for this tiny little school tucked back into a subdivision that half the people in Hamilton County had never heard of. Before the summer was out, we'd had a few people tell us B would do well there, but still - I didn't know a darn thing about it.
Tonight we went to meet his teacher, and a lot of my concerns were laid to rest. This school year will be much different than his previous ones. JES always kept the same class with the same teacher all day long. This time, he'll spend his day with all three teachers. Instead of kids being lumped together without respect to ability, they will be divided into groups according to how well they do. I think this is ideal for Braeden. Based on last year's scores, I anticipate him being put into the higher level classes. The kid needs to be challenged, and I think this setup is ideal for that.
Other things I liked: each teacher is doing the same subject all day long. This means she can concentrate on one thing instead of struggling with a zillion different subjects. Also, AR awards are given out every ten points, and an emphasis is placed on them that I hope will encourage B to read more.
Best of all (don't laugh at me) ....
He can take peanut butter to school!!!
Yeah. JES didn't allow it, and I have the pickiest kid in the world - one who won't eat much of anything, but loves peanut butter. Packing lunches him for him at JES was frustrating and expensive, because about the only thing he'd eat was pizza lunchables. Now the pizza can be a treat, and I will feel better sending him a healthier natural PB & honey on wheat, anyway.
So all in all, I'm feeling pretty good about this. I still don't like that he has a dress code (ridiculous in elementary, if you ask me), but I can tolerate that so long as I think he's getting what he needs.
Yep. I'm feeling pretty thankful (and relieved) tonight.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Thursday, August 4, 2011
From drab to (sort-of) fab!
I've been on a repurposing kick lately. Remember this? (Of course you do; it's only one post down! lol)
Yuck, right?
So are you ready to see the final product? It ain't perfect, but I learned some things, and I still think it was a huge improvement!
After peeling off the "decoupage" - which actually turned out to be a huge cheap sticker - I was left with a lot of ooky glue on the edges. I sanded at it for all I was worth, but it didn't quite come off. I originally wanted to do a checkerboard design, but then I decided to try my hand at a harlequin pattern instead.
In the process, I learned a few things:
1) I will never do a large-scale harlequin pattern. It is a tremendous pain in the rear to get it lined up right. As you can see, one of my corner diamonds is a little wonky.
2) I finished it off with a satin Krylon finish, but it created this weird dust-like stuff that had to be wiped off after each coat. Not sure if I'll use that again or not.
3) For small projects like this, good old Scotch tape is wonderful for marking off edges! It lays down easily, removes easily without messing up the paint, and I didn't have one bit of bleed. Obviously, it won't work on a rough surface, but for a small project with a smooth surface, I do believe it is better than masking tape.
This took a while, but I'm pleased with the result. Now it's off to work on the weird grape/olive thing. :)
Yuck, right?
So are you ready to see the final product? It ain't perfect, but I learned some things, and I still think it was a huge improvement!
After peeling off the "decoupage" - which actually turned out to be a huge cheap sticker - I was left with a lot of ooky glue on the edges. I sanded at it for all I was worth, but it didn't quite come off. I originally wanted to do a checkerboard design, but then I decided to try my hand at a harlequin pattern instead.
In the process, I learned a few things:
1) I will never do a large-scale harlequin pattern. It is a tremendous pain in the rear to get it lined up right. As you can see, one of my corner diamonds is a little wonky.
2) I finished it off with a satin Krylon finish, but it created this weird dust-like stuff that had to be wiped off after each coat. Not sure if I'll use that again or not.
3) For small projects like this, good old Scotch tape is wonderful for marking off edges! It lays down easily, removes easily without messing up the paint, and I didn't have one bit of bleed. Obviously, it won't work on a rough surface, but for a small project with a smooth surface, I do believe it is better than masking tape.
This took a while, but I'm pleased with the result. Now it's off to work on the weird grape/olive thing. :)
Thursday, July 28, 2011
What I OUGHT to be doing...
I really should be cleaning up the house. And working on a paper. And a project (both for school). And studying. And stuff like that.
So why have I spent a large chunk of the last couple of days dreaming about ways to redesign, repurpose, and reuse?
Seriously.... when the proverbial bee gets in my bonnet, I get in big trouble. I tend to have a rather obsessive personality anyway, and since my creativity has been more than a little stifled the last few months (24, to be exact), I'm practically bursting at the seams to make... something.
Actually, I have all sorts of brilliant plans, hopefully that don't involve destroying anything. For instance...
My hutch. It was an anonymous gift to us shortly after we were married, and the sturdiest piece of furniture I own that Dad didn't build. I've used it for dishes, Christmas decorations, books, and DVDs. I'm pretty sure the thing is indestructible. I actually really like it, but it's sadly dated and since I didn't know what to do with when we moved, it wound up in this sad corner in the basement.
I have a major storage problem in this house, and because of that, my scrapbook stuff is crammed under my bed and in any spare closet space I can find (which believe me, isn't much). The biggest issue facing me right now is my collection of scrapbook. It's too hot to put them in the attic, too humid to put them in the basement, and there's no room to put them anywhere else. Because most of my albums are 12x12, a standard cheapo shelf from Wal-Mart simply ain't gonna cut it.
But I had one of those lightbulb moments that I love so much. Why not rip out the shelf in the bottom of the hutch and put the books in there? Sure enough, after careful measuring, it's a safe bet that they will fit (Assuming, of course, that I can get that shelf out. It's going to require taking the back off the hutch, which admittedly makes me rather nervous.) Anyway, if I can make that part work, then I'm refinishing the entire thing in jet black. I think it will look pretty cool that way - definitely an update from the dark 70s-style wood staining.
Not only that, but I have ran into another issue here - it's dang near impossible to hang up anything. There is paneling under a layer of something (plaster? something else?), and I think the paneling has petrified. I may never get anything hung up in here. Having the shelves on the hutch available will let me display my photos, so I can still get a personal touch without killing myself trying to make holes in the wall.
Moving on...
I found this wicked-cool blog, Better After, with a bazillion ideas for repurposing and refinishing all manner of items, from the common kitchen re-do to turning old clarinets into lamps. (Yeah, someone actually did that, and I am so stealing the idea!!!) Anyway, it got the wheels turning, so today I found myself at Goodwill just hunting for something to fix up. First I found this disgusting, decoupaged tray with crackle paint. Seriously? Somebody just combined the two craft techniques I hate the most into one item! Ew!
Gag me now. Sanding off the decoupage is going to be a pain in the neck, but I am considering adding either a harlequin or checkerboard pattern in the bottom and painting the sides black - using the paint I bought for my "art"work. (ahem. Please don't send the art police after me for presuming to call that thing I did "art.")
As bad as that is, this is worse:
Um, what are those things? They sort of look like olives with the pimentos already stuffed in, but I'm pretty sure they don't grow that way in the wild... But the shape is usable, and I need something on my dresser to catch stray keys, jewelry, and the like. The problem is that I'm really tempted to paint an Autobot logo on the side, and that might look a little goofy. :)
Although, Jeff did give me the green light to spruce things up a little bit with my own funky touch...
Mwahahahahahaha!!!!
So why have I spent a large chunk of the last couple of days dreaming about ways to redesign, repurpose, and reuse?
Seriously.... when the proverbial bee gets in my bonnet, I get in big trouble. I tend to have a rather obsessive personality anyway, and since my creativity has been more than a little stifled the last few months (24, to be exact), I'm practically bursting at the seams to make... something.
Actually, I have all sorts of brilliant plans, hopefully that don't involve destroying anything. For instance...
My hutch. It was an anonymous gift to us shortly after we were married, and the sturdiest piece of furniture I own that Dad didn't build. I've used it for dishes, Christmas decorations, books, and DVDs. I'm pretty sure the thing is indestructible. I actually really like it, but it's sadly dated and since I didn't know what to do with when we moved, it wound up in this sad corner in the basement.
I have a major storage problem in this house, and because of that, my scrapbook stuff is crammed under my bed and in any spare closet space I can find (which believe me, isn't much). The biggest issue facing me right now is my collection of scrapbook. It's too hot to put them in the attic, too humid to put them in the basement, and there's no room to put them anywhere else. Because most of my albums are 12x12, a standard cheapo shelf from Wal-Mart simply ain't gonna cut it.
But I had one of those lightbulb moments that I love so much. Why not rip out the shelf in the bottom of the hutch and put the books in there? Sure enough, after careful measuring, it's a safe bet that they will fit (Assuming, of course, that I can get that shelf out. It's going to require taking the back off the hutch, which admittedly makes me rather nervous.) Anyway, if I can make that part work, then I'm refinishing the entire thing in jet black. I think it will look pretty cool that way - definitely an update from the dark 70s-style wood staining.
Not only that, but I have ran into another issue here - it's dang near impossible to hang up anything. There is paneling under a layer of something (plaster? something else?), and I think the paneling has petrified. I may never get anything hung up in here. Having the shelves on the hutch available will let me display my photos, so I can still get a personal touch without killing myself trying to make holes in the wall.
Moving on...
I found this wicked-cool blog, Better After, with a bazillion ideas for repurposing and refinishing all manner of items, from the common kitchen re-do to turning old clarinets into lamps. (Yeah, someone actually did that, and I am so stealing the idea!!!) Anyway, it got the wheels turning, so today I found myself at Goodwill just hunting for something to fix up. First I found this disgusting, decoupaged tray with crackle paint. Seriously? Somebody just combined the two craft techniques I hate the most into one item! Ew!
Gag me now. Sanding off the decoupage is going to be a pain in the neck, but I am considering adding either a harlequin or checkerboard pattern in the bottom and painting the sides black - using the paint I bought for my "art"work. (ahem. Please don't send the art police after me for presuming to call that thing I did "art.")
As bad as that is, this is worse:
Um, what are those things? They sort of look like olives with the pimentos already stuffed in, but I'm pretty sure they don't grow that way in the wild... But the shape is usable, and I need something on my dresser to catch stray keys, jewelry, and the like. The problem is that I'm really tempted to paint an Autobot logo on the side, and that might look a little goofy. :)
Although, Jeff did give me the green light to spruce things up a little bit with my own funky touch...
Mwahahahahahaha!!!!
Monday, July 18, 2011
Ah, Creativity
I am, and forever will be, a creative soul. Over the years it has taken different forms; sometimes I dabble in this and that, and sometimes I settle on a particular "art". Scrapbooking and photography seem to be the mainstays, but music, drawing, writing, and many other outlets have been also be tested. If there is anything that I have learned, it is that I truly need time to create - it doesn't matter what I am creating, just that I am creating. The most unfortunate side effect of nursing school is that I have little time to indulge my artist side (well, that - and the fact that most nursing students are hypochondriacs... but that's another post for another day). With the move this summer, I've had no time for such things, and sadly, no room, either. All of my scrapbooking supplies are piled in closets or shoved under the bed, likely to stay there until we move again. Thank goodness for digital scrapbooking! Today I was perusing one of my favorite sites, http://www.art.com/, and came across so much inspiration that I simply had to scrapbook something. In less than 15 minutes, this is what I had:
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Ugly, huh? The owners of the house didn't want to take down the TV mount, thinking we'd want to use it. This is true, except that we don't have a flat-panel TV, and won't have one anytime soon. Other than the mount (and the rubbermaid containers in the corner full of scrapbooks awaiting a shelf), the living room looks pretty good. Jeff tasked me with figuring out something to hang over it until we get a TV. I decided I'd rather make my own art instead of buying something, so off I went to art.com in search of inspiration. Keeping in mind that I'm no painter, I figured abstract would be my best bet - if it looked messy, I could just tell everyone it was supposed to look that way! :)
I found several pieces I liked. This one was my favorite, but I wasn't sure I could duplicate it:
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But the colors were wrong, and so was the orientation. I needed a wide painting, not a skinny one. Even so, I figured I could work with it, so off I went to Michaels in search of paint and canvas. The living room is that taupe-y brown color, but the dining room is a delicious brick red, and I wanted to bring that red into the living room. After a couple of hours, and a little advice from my friend, Aimee, here is what I wound up with:
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Oh, it felt so good to scrap!!!
Now, on to the reason I was seeking inspiration... this:
Ugly, huh? The owners of the house didn't want to take down the TV mount, thinking we'd want to use it. This is true, except that we don't have a flat-panel TV, and won't have one anytime soon. Other than the mount (and the rubbermaid containers in the corner full of scrapbooks awaiting a shelf), the living room looks pretty good. Jeff tasked me with figuring out something to hang over it until we get a TV. I decided I'd rather make my own art instead of buying something, so off I went to art.com in search of inspiration. Keeping in mind that I'm no painter, I figured abstract would be my best bet - if it looked messy, I could just tell everyone it was supposed to look that way! :)
I found several pieces I liked. This one was my favorite, but I wasn't sure I could duplicate it:
Green Petals by Jan Weiss
Then there were classics like Jackson Pollack and Piet Mondrian prints, but neither of those were the right style to fit in the living room.
Finally, I found this, and loved it:
Oxygen Stems
But the colors were wrong, and so was the orientation. I needed a wide painting, not a skinny one. Even so, I figured I could work with it, so off I went to Michaels in search of paint and canvas. The living room is that taupe-y brown color, but the dining room is a delicious brick red, and I wanted to bring that red into the living room. After a couple of hours, and a little advice from my friend, Aimee, here is what I wound up with:
It's far from perfect, but I think it will work. I am a little more confident now in my artistic abilities - or at least my ability to fake artistic abilities - and I'm already plotting future art pieces for the house. Canvases are great, because they are so lightweight that hanging them is ridiculously easy.
And finally, for no reason other than because I want to share, here is a picture of my sweet cat, Fritz, chilling in one of his favorite spots:
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Tomorrow...
We load up the UHaul tomorrow afternoon.
I'm going to miss this little house.
When we moved here a little over two years ago, I was thrilled beyond belief. Even though it's a little smaller than our first house, it is infinitely nicer. Being away from the parsonage (and the church building next to it) was such a relief. I didn't feel like my life was on display for the whole world anymore. The relief was tremendous. Probably more important was that the move represented a turning point in our lives - not just a change in address, but a change in our relationship as well. It seems like big events have always come every other year for us for some reason.
I've loved this little place, and I'm about it leave it all behind. We'll have even more anonymity in Chattanooga - it always amuses me to hear people call it a "small town" - try living in Jasper, Tennessee! If people don't know your business, they'll make something up! I relish the thought of people not feeling a need to use me a fodder for the rumor mill.
While I am going to miss Grannie & Peepop something terribly, there isn't much else here that I will miss, save the house itself. (The crazy neighbors? Not so much.) I'm looking forward to being so much closer to everything - Olive Garden? Less than ten minutes from my house. Sam's? Fifteen-minute drive. School? Instead of leaving myself an hour and a half (just in case traffic is bad), I can be there in ten minutes. Oh, and I won't be shelling out $800 in gas every month, either. What a relief! I'm excited about being near movie theaters, funky grocery stores, and whichever hospital I wind up working at. I'm looking forward to making new friends and being closer to my girlfriends from school.
And I'm really looking forward to the search for our own home - hopefully in the next couple of years or so. I'm stoked about the idea of having my house, that I can decorate the way I want. Very cool prospect, indeed.
I'm going to miss this little house.
When we moved here a little over two years ago, I was thrilled beyond belief. Even though it's a little smaller than our first house, it is infinitely nicer. Being away from the parsonage (and the church building next to it) was such a relief. I didn't feel like my life was on display for the whole world anymore. The relief was tremendous. Probably more important was that the move represented a turning point in our lives - not just a change in address, but a change in our relationship as well. It seems like big events have always come every other year for us for some reason.
I've loved this little place, and I'm about it leave it all behind. We'll have even more anonymity in Chattanooga - it always amuses me to hear people call it a "small town" - try living in Jasper, Tennessee! If people don't know your business, they'll make something up! I relish the thought of people not feeling a need to use me a fodder for the rumor mill.
While I am going to miss Grannie & Peepop something terribly, there isn't much else here that I will miss, save the house itself. (The crazy neighbors? Not so much.) I'm looking forward to being so much closer to everything - Olive Garden? Less than ten minutes from my house. Sam's? Fifteen-minute drive. School? Instead of leaving myself an hour and a half (just in case traffic is bad), I can be there in ten minutes. Oh, and I won't be shelling out $800 in gas every month, either. What a relief! I'm excited about being near movie theaters, funky grocery stores, and whichever hospital I wind up working at. I'm looking forward to making new friends and being closer to my girlfriends from school.
And I'm really looking forward to the search for our own home - hopefully in the next couple of years or so. I'm stoked about the idea of having my house, that I can decorate the way I want. Very cool prospect, indeed.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Stuff Box, Tape, Repeat
There is one constant in packing - the more you pack, the more you have left to pack! I think stuff seems to multiply itself. Weird how that works!
Still, progress is being made. Most of my scrapbook stuff is boxed or secured in its current container. The couch has been relegated to a sad spot on the patio, awaited a trip to the dump, because even though it still looks okay, the springs are completely shot. There is no hope, and Jeff doesn't want to move it. The kitchen is almost done, except for those few dishes that I simply must leave available. Even Braeden's room is mostly packed, although none of the boxes are sealed because we keep finding things to go in them...
What a chore this is, and yet I can't help thinking how blessed I am to have a houseful of things that I don't really need. I have been graciously allowed a lot of things that let me express my creativity, and for that I am so thankful. Sure, it's a pain to deal with dusty old boxes (and the sneezing that inevitably results), but each time I seal a box, I have to smile and say a quick prayer of thanks for my many, many, many material blessings.
Still, progress is being made. Most of my scrapbook stuff is boxed or secured in its current container. The couch has been relegated to a sad spot on the patio, awaited a trip to the dump, because even though it still looks okay, the springs are completely shot. There is no hope, and Jeff doesn't want to move it. The kitchen is almost done, except for those few dishes that I simply must leave available. Even Braeden's room is mostly packed, although none of the boxes are sealed because we keep finding things to go in them...
What a chore this is, and yet I can't help thinking how blessed I am to have a houseful of things that I don't really need. I have been graciously allowed a lot of things that let me express my creativity, and for that I am so thankful. Sure, it's a pain to deal with dusty old boxes (and the sneezing that inevitably results), but each time I seal a box, I have to smile and say a quick prayer of thanks for my many, many, many material blessings.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Moving Makes Me Sneeze
It really is unbelievable how much dust can accumulate in places that you wouldn't expect to see dust at all. For instance - how exactly does dust get underneath a stack of books laying flat on a bookshelf? Amazing. And every time I pack a box, I start sneezing. I'm actually considering digging out my N95 respirator mask (from nursing school) to keep the dust out of my nose and mouth. Lemme tell ya - that is a mark of desperation on my part!
So much to do, so little time. It's strange, though - I don't really dislike packing. There's a certain element of organization in the process that I find to be cathartic. Yeah, I know. I'm weird. In a month from now, we should be somewhat settled in our new place (Can't say "home" because we're just renting. Someday, though, we really will have a home we can call our own.) Then I'll have one more month and it will be time to start my last semester of school. It's so cliche, but my, how time flies!
So much to do, so little time. It's strange, though - I don't really dislike packing. There's a certain element of organization in the process that I find to be cathartic. Yeah, I know. I'm weird. In a month from now, we should be somewhat settled in our new place (Can't say "home" because we're just renting. Someday, though, we really will have a home we can call our own.) Then I'll have one more month and it will be time to start my last semester of school. It's so cliche, but my, how time flies!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
The Need to Feel Wanted
Have you ever just felt unnecessary? That your presence in a situation was no more than a waste of good air? Or worse - that you wanted to be necessary and relevant and wanted - but you were decidedly unwanted?
I'm struggling with that right now. I have a helping spirit - I crave the opportunity to work and help others. It's a large part of the reason I chose to suffer the torment of nursing school - so I had a good excuse to be there for somebody.
And yet... it seems like I am never quite wanted. Or like I don't know exactly where I fit. I feel like I have so much to offer, but nobody is interested. I volunteer, I beg, and I plead - please let me help! - but the pleas fall on deaf ears, it seems. Somebody else is already doing it. I have all the help I need. There's nothing for you to do. Okay, you can help - but then we're going to take it all away from you first chance we get. On second thought, never mind. We don't need you. We don't want you.
Unecessary.
I went in last week for my clinical evaluation, and my instructor told me something that surprised me. She says I have "great leadership potential" but that intimidate some of my classmates.
Huh?
Me? Intimidating? I just don't see that in myself. Most of the time I'm scared to death, and I just forge ahead to try to get the job done without showing everyone else how afraid I really am.
Intimidating? Is it because I talk a lot? Is it because I answer questions? Is it because I jump in when I see a need? Or do I come across as a bossy, loud, obnoxious know-it-all? (That is certainly not my intention.)
I'm trying to examine myself, to see if that's really true, and if it is - why? Is it something I can change? Is it something I should change?
And perhaps more importantly, is it the reason no one wants me?
(Note: These are not rhetorical questions. I've got my big-girl panties on. Fire away at will if you see something in me that I don't see in myself.)
I'm struggling with that right now. I have a helping spirit - I crave the opportunity to work and help others. It's a large part of the reason I chose to suffer the torment of nursing school - so I had a good excuse to be there for somebody.
And yet... it seems like I am never quite wanted. Or like I don't know exactly where I fit. I feel like I have so much to offer, but nobody is interested. I volunteer, I beg, and I plead - please let me help! - but the pleas fall on deaf ears, it seems. Somebody else is already doing it. I have all the help I need. There's nothing for you to do. Okay, you can help - but then we're going to take it all away from you first chance we get. On second thought, never mind. We don't need you. We don't want you.
Unecessary.
I went in last week for my clinical evaluation, and my instructor told me something that surprised me. She says I have "great leadership potential" but that intimidate some of my classmates.
Huh?
Me? Intimidating? I just don't see that in myself. Most of the time I'm scared to death, and I just forge ahead to try to get the job done without showing everyone else how afraid I really am.
Intimidating? Is it because I talk a lot? Is it because I answer questions? Is it because I jump in when I see a need? Or do I come across as a bossy, loud, obnoxious know-it-all? (That is certainly not my intention.)
I'm trying to examine myself, to see if that's really true, and if it is - why? Is it something I can change? Is it something I should change?
And perhaps more importantly, is it the reason no one wants me?
(Note: These are not rhetorical questions. I've got my big-girl panties on. Fire away at will if you see something in me that I don't see in myself.)
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Instruments for Sale!
I can't tell you how much I hate to do this, but it must be done... There's no room in the new house for the piano, and I can't play my clarinet anymore, thanks to a root canal on my front tooth.
So....
Would you be interested in buying a 3-pedal Baldwin upright piano? It is about 20 years old. My parents bought it for me new when I was 13. It's in very good condition, although there are some external scuffs and a couple of water stains where coke cans (or something like it) were left on it for too long. The keys are all intact. One of them sticks slightly, but it's not a significant problem and could easily be fixed. It hasn't been tuned in many years, but there is no internal damage to it whatsoever. I will try to post a picture soon, but right now I can't get to it for all the boxes in the way!
Also for sale: a Yamaha wooden Bb clarinet, Model YCL72CS. This is a professional clarinet. I purchased it new in 1990. It is in excellent condition. Keys are silver plated, with very little sign of wear or tarnishing. There are no cracks in the wood, and the corks are completely intact. The pads are also in great condition; none of them stick and all are intact. It was never played outside; only indoors for concert season. I have two mouthpieces; the Yamaha one it came with and also a Vandoren 11.1 mouthpiece. Also included are Mitchell Lurie reeds, an extra ligature, and a hard-back case. It is a beautiful instrument.
I am willing to negotiate prices on both items. If you are interested, email me at mandalee65 at yahoo dot com.
These are two of my most treasured items; I would love very much for them to go to someone who will cherish them as much as I did.
So....
Would you be interested in buying a 3-pedal Baldwin upright piano? It is about 20 years old. My parents bought it for me new when I was 13. It's in very good condition, although there are some external scuffs and a couple of water stains where coke cans (or something like it) were left on it for too long. The keys are all intact. One of them sticks slightly, but it's not a significant problem and could easily be fixed. It hasn't been tuned in many years, but there is no internal damage to it whatsoever. I will try to post a picture soon, but right now I can't get to it for all the boxes in the way!
Also for sale: a Yamaha wooden Bb clarinet, Model YCL72CS. This is a professional clarinet. I purchased it new in 1990. It is in excellent condition. Keys are silver plated, with very little sign of wear or tarnishing. There are no cracks in the wood, and the corks are completely intact. The pads are also in great condition; none of them stick and all are intact. It was never played outside; only indoors for concert season. I have two mouthpieces; the Yamaha one it came with and also a Vandoren 11.1 mouthpiece. Also included are Mitchell Lurie reeds, an extra ligature, and a hard-back case. It is a beautiful instrument.
I am willing to negotiate prices on both items. If you are interested, email me at mandalee65 at yahoo dot com.
These are two of my most treasured items; I would love very much for them to go to someone who will cherish them as much as I did.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Utter Disappointment
Words don't adequately express how much is sucks to work your butt off, sacrificing any personal free time you might have otherwise had, just to get an A... and come up two points short.
Yeah. My final grade for the semester was 89.79. I have been up and down for two weeks, thinking I would have an A, then thinking I'd lost it.
Nothing like setting a goal and then utterly failing. Because the GPA doesn't show how close I was...
Frickin' sucks.
Yeah. My final grade for the semester was 89.79. I have been up and down for two weeks, thinking I would have an A, then thinking I'd lost it.
Nothing like setting a goal and then utterly failing. Because the GPA doesn't show how close I was...
Frickin' sucks.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Cricut Cartridge Storage: Solved
A couple of days ago I posted about my limited-space-in-new-home dilemma. I can now mark off one item from the to-do list. Using the idea I got from YouTube, this is what I came up with:
First, the case. I originally thought it was a briefcase (I remember Dad having a similar one when I was a kid.) Turns out it was actually a cheap toolbox. I was at Lowe's looking for something and came across it by accident. It cost $21, plus tax, of course.
Inside is a flat thingie that I suppose was supposed to hold tools. I didn't want all these pockets, so I took a seam ripper to them. It looks ugly, so I used the other side, which was blank to start with.
I took round Velcro pieces and lined them up on the insert. I put the sticky side on the cartridge so that the fuzzy stuff wouldn't fall out into the Cricut and possibly mess it up. Here is the insert, mid-process.
I have 22 carts - not a lot, but more than some people, I suppose. (Mom probably has twice that many.) Anyway, as you can see, I still have room for five more on this side before I have to flip it over.
Here's the inside - not only do I have plenty of room for all the booklets, I also put in my tool kit and the paperwork that came with the Cricut. Niiiice. Even if I fill up the insert with cartridges, I won't run out of room for the booklets. Of course, some of that is because I have a lot of Solutions/Lite carts, which don't have booklets, but still. Somebody suggested tearing out all the pages from the booklet that were in languages I didn't need, and that helped considerably, especially with the older booklets.
Cool, huh? My next task is figuring out how to store my Sizzix & Cuttlebug stuff. That's going to be trickier, since the sizes are not uniform. Any thoughts?
First, the case. I originally thought it was a briefcase (I remember Dad having a similar one when I was a kid.) Turns out it was actually a cheap toolbox. I was at Lowe's looking for something and came across it by accident. It cost $21, plus tax, of course.
Inside is a flat thingie that I suppose was supposed to hold tools. I didn't want all these pockets, so I took a seam ripper to them. It looks ugly, so I used the other side, which was blank to start with.
I took round Velcro pieces and lined them up on the insert. I put the sticky side on the cartridge so that the fuzzy stuff wouldn't fall out into the Cricut and possibly mess it up. Here is the insert, mid-process.
I have 22 carts - not a lot, but more than some people, I suppose. (Mom probably has twice that many.) Anyway, as you can see, I still have room for five more on this side before I have to flip it over.
Here's the inside - not only do I have plenty of room for all the booklets, I also put in my tool kit and the paperwork that came with the Cricut. Niiiice. Even if I fill up the insert with cartridges, I won't run out of room for the booklets. Of course, some of that is because I have a lot of Solutions/Lite carts, which don't have booklets, but still. Somebody suggested tearing out all the pages from the booklet that were in languages I didn't need, and that helped considerably, especially with the older booklets.
Cool, huh? My next task is figuring out how to store my Sizzix & Cuttlebug stuff. That's going to be trickier, since the sizes are not uniform. Any thoughts?
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Pending Storage Problem
Although I am looking forward to our move, the house we are moving into is much smaller than my current one - two tiny bedrooms, a tiny bathroom, a tiny living room, and a tiny dining room. (Thankfully, the kitchen is about the same size as what I have, otherwise I'd be in serious trouble!)
All these tiny rooms mean I will have to do some serious downsizing. I'm actually heading straight into panic mode, because I've always had an office/scraproom. Always. I've got tons of stuff - dozens of stamps, a Cuttlebug and a Sizzix Big Shot, four different plastic paper storage drawers, a big Cricut and several cartridges, and miscellaneous tools, embellishments, and idea books. Then there's my PC and laptop, two different printers, and a scanner. Oh, and my textbooks. I have no idea what to do with it all! I've invested far too much money into the die-cutters to get rid of them. I can weed out the paper and a lot of the embellishments, but that's about it.
To further complicate matters, Jeff thinks I should put it all in the basement - which is not insulated and will require at least one dehumidifier because it leaks on one side. I'm very hesitant to put my stuff down there, particularly the paper and electronics.
So... I need storage ideas - and cheap ones. Jeff doesn't want to look at it, whatever I wind up doing with it, so it's gotta store easily, neatly, and unobstrusively.
I found another possibilty on YouTube. I love this idea, because the cartridges are completely out of sight.
Anybody have another suggestion? I figure I will focus on one problem at a time, starting with the most expensive stuff. lol
Help? Please....
All these tiny rooms mean I will have to do some serious downsizing. I'm actually heading straight into panic mode, because I've always had an office/scraproom. Always. I've got tons of stuff - dozens of stamps, a Cuttlebug and a Sizzix Big Shot, four different plastic paper storage drawers, a big Cricut and several cartridges, and miscellaneous tools, embellishments, and idea books. Then there's my PC and laptop, two different printers, and a scanner. Oh, and my textbooks. I have no idea what to do with it all! I've invested far too much money into the die-cutters to get rid of them. I can weed out the paper and a lot of the embellishments, but that's about it.
To further complicate matters, Jeff thinks I should put it all in the basement - which is not insulated and will require at least one dehumidifier because it leaks on one side. I'm very hesitant to put my stuff down there, particularly the paper and electronics.
So... I need storage ideas - and cheap ones. Jeff doesn't want to look at it, whatever I wind up doing with it, so it's gotta store easily, neatly, and unobstrusively.
For the Cricut, I'm considering this really cool setup from a fellow Cricut junkie. It was originally intended for ribbon, but works beautifully for Cricut cartridges. And who would have thought of using plastic canvas to make dividers? Brilliant, I tell you!
I found another possibilty on YouTube. I love this idea, because the cartridges are completely out of sight.
Anybody have another suggestion? I figure I will focus on one problem at a time, starting with the most expensive stuff. lol
Help? Please....
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Movin'
God is pretty incredible. He has a knack for answering prayers 1) in a completely unexpected way; and 2) sometimes even before you knew you needed to pray for it!
Case in point: Friday we found out that we have two months to get out of our rent house, because the owners want to sell. It had been a pretty rotten week for me, and that was not exactly welcome news. We really had hoped to wait until I graduated to move - sometime in January. When Jeff called to tell me the news, I just sat there, kinda numb.
Five minutes later, he called me back. A friend/coworker of his had offered to let us rent her house back at the first of the year. She's getting married and heading to Nashville in a few months. We turned it down, because we weren't ready to move yet. The last we heard, she had several other possible renters.
Jeff called her right after he broke the news to me... and guess what? She still didn't have a renter, and was actually relieved that we still wanted it! Seriously, how awesome is that? Within hours of being told we had to move, we had a place to move to. Absolutely amazing. It was as if God was just holding it for us.
Oh, and did I mention the house is in Chattanooga? Yeah. We are getting out of Marion County. Finally.
Woot!
Case in point: Friday we found out that we have two months to get out of our rent house, because the owners want to sell. It had been a pretty rotten week for me, and that was not exactly welcome news. We really had hoped to wait until I graduated to move - sometime in January. When Jeff called to tell me the news, I just sat there, kinda numb.
Five minutes later, he called me back. A friend/coworker of his had offered to let us rent her house back at the first of the year. She's getting married and heading to Nashville in a few months. We turned it down, because we weren't ready to move yet. The last we heard, she had several other possible renters.
Jeff called her right after he broke the news to me... and guess what? She still didn't have a renter, and was actually relieved that we still wanted it! Seriously, how awesome is that? Within hours of being told we had to move, we had a place to move to. Absolutely amazing. It was as if God was just holding it for us.
Oh, and did I mention the house is in Chattanooga? Yeah. We are getting out of Marion County. Finally.
Woot!
Friday, April 1, 2011
Rattled
I'm utterly exhausted - emotionally, physically, mentally. Too much is coming at me at once.
If you are the praying type, I would appreciate it greatly if you'd offer up one for me.
If you are the praying type, I would appreciate it greatly if you'd offer up one for me.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Letting Go
In my lifetime, I have let go of many things... dreams, people, beliefs... but perhaps nothing so important letting go of as the things that have hurt me.
There's another word for that letting-go: it's forgiveness.
I've learned many valuable lessons about forgiveness in the last few years. First and foremost, no human can possibly forgive of his/her own accord. Without help from God, it just isn't happening. I've learned to pray to God to teach me how to forgive, and it was one of the best prayers that He answered. I also learned that bitterness and forgiveness are incompatible - the two won't coexist. You have one, or you have the other, but you never have both.
I have forgiven much; in many ways, I have forgiven more than I ever dreamed I would have to. But now I'm at a crossroads of sorts, and I realized today that I have more to forgive, more to let go.
(I know I am being unbearably vague here, so I apologize, but in the interest of not hurting others, ambiguity is going to have to suffice. Moving on...)
I have been holding in a great deal of hurt. It wasn't coming from any one person in particular (rather a large group of people), but it was more of an accumulation of years of keeping my mouth shut when I wanted - needed - to speak, of being brushed aside by others when I desperately needed a friend, of bearing the knowledge that I or my family was the source of someone's gossip session, of years of frustration over a situation that I just couldn't change. I was talking to a group of friends today, and it dawned on me that I am painfully bitter. Though I learned the lesson of forgiveness in a very real way a few years ago, I hadn't applied to other areas of my life, and the bitterness was eating away at my soul.
So I am making the decision today to let go. I still love the people involved (although I don't think the feeling is necessarily mutual, and that's okay), but it is time to let it all go. I choose to forgive. I choose not to wallow in the past, but to forge my way into the future without being weighed down by the hurt from a situation I couldn't improve. No more excuses. No more complaining. No more bitterness.
God is good. He has blessed me richly, starting with His forgiveness for me. How much more should I forgive others! I don't want to blindly pass His blessings because I am so focused on my own hurts.
I am letting go... and moving on.
There's another word for that letting-go: it's forgiveness.
I've learned many valuable lessons about forgiveness in the last few years. First and foremost, no human can possibly forgive of his/her own accord. Without help from God, it just isn't happening. I've learned to pray to God to teach me how to forgive, and it was one of the best prayers that He answered. I also learned that bitterness and forgiveness are incompatible - the two won't coexist. You have one, or you have the other, but you never have both.
I have forgiven much; in many ways, I have forgiven more than I ever dreamed I would have to. But now I'm at a crossroads of sorts, and I realized today that I have more to forgive, more to let go.
(I know I am being unbearably vague here, so I apologize, but in the interest of not hurting others, ambiguity is going to have to suffice. Moving on...)
I have been holding in a great deal of hurt. It wasn't coming from any one person in particular (rather a large group of people), but it was more of an accumulation of years of keeping my mouth shut when I wanted - needed - to speak, of being brushed aside by others when I desperately needed a friend, of bearing the knowledge that I or my family was the source of someone's gossip session, of years of frustration over a situation that I just couldn't change. I was talking to a group of friends today, and it dawned on me that I am painfully bitter. Though I learned the lesson of forgiveness in a very real way a few years ago, I hadn't applied to other areas of my life, and the bitterness was eating away at my soul.
So I am making the decision today to let go. I still love the people involved (although I don't think the feeling is necessarily mutual, and that's okay), but it is time to let it all go. I choose to forgive. I choose not to wallow in the past, but to forge my way into the future without being weighed down by the hurt from a situation I couldn't improve. No more excuses. No more complaining. No more bitterness.
God is good. He has blessed me richly, starting with His forgiveness for me. How much more should I forgive others! I don't want to blindly pass His blessings because I am so focused on my own hurts.
I am letting go... and moving on.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Stuff, and other assorted random thoughts
First, I am going to shamelessly plug my recipe blog. If you are one of my handful of followers here, and you also happen to enjoy cooking, check out Real Food - Real Folks. My updates are somewhat sporadic, I admit, but there is still lots of good stuff that that I feel somewhat guilty about keeping to myself. :)
Second, Braeden and I are on the way to recovery. He has, as usual, ran ahead of me down the road a bit, but I'm better, too. My biggest frustration now is my ears - I still feel like I have permenent earplugs and I am more than ready to be able to hear again!
Third, life is good. I feel exceptionally blessed right now, and thankful to God for all He's done for me.
Fourth, unfortunately, a blessed feeling does not get the studying done... and I have a test this week. So bye for now. Have a blessed week!
Second, Braeden and I are on the way to recovery. He has, as usual, ran ahead of me down the road a bit, but I'm better, too. My biggest frustration now is my ears - I still feel like I have permenent earplugs and I am more than ready to be able to hear again!
Third, life is good. I feel exceptionally blessed right now, and thankful to God for all He's done for me.
Fourth, unfortunately, a blessed feeling does not get the studying done... and I have a test this week. So bye for now. Have a blessed week!
Thursday, March 17, 2011
"You'll please God with your attempts to show the respect that your husband, His beloved son, deserves - not because he does everything perfectly to deserve such reverence, but because he is divinely and uniquely created in his heavenly Father's image."
- Shannon Ethridge, Every Woman's Marriage: Igniting the Joy and Passion You Both Desire
- Shannon Ethridge, Every Woman's Marriage: Igniting the Joy and Passion You Both Desire
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
What a Day...
I get sinus infections from overblown allergy reactions at least 4 times a year - sometimes more. Usually it starts with icky nasal drip, and within a week has progressed to a full-blown, green snot, chest congestion, sinus headache mess. I generally try to avoid antibiotics because I get these infections so often that I don't want to become desensitized to the antibiotics; it's only when I am really desperate that I resort to going to the doctor for meds.
Today I got desperate.
I'm not the only one who is sick. Braeden has progressed with the same thing I have at about the same time. The reason I gave in and took us both to the walk-in clinic today is because in the wee hours of the morning, I woke to find two things: 1) Braeden was standing by my bed, bawling his eyes out because his ears hurt; and 2) I had no idea how long he'd been standing there, because my good ear hurt so much I could barely hear a thing. It took me several minutes to realize that Braeden hadn't had a bad dream; he had a raging earache. We spent the next two hours medicating with ibuprofen and heat pads to no avail. I eventually told him to play video games at 3:30am in a desperate attempt to distract him from the pain. That lasted about 30 minutes, then he came back with me. Finally I hit him with a heavy dose of Benadryl, which blessedly knocked him out.
By the time I woke up, both of my ears felt like someone had jammed plugs into them, and pain was radiating from my ears to my jaw to my neck. It hurt to chew, it hurt to stand up, it hurt to hiccup, and it hurt to blow my nose. Incidentally, I was also so incredibly congested that I could barely breathe through my mouth; thank goodness I have a prescription inhaler, or I'd have been in trouble.
So off to the doctor we went. At clinic #1, we waited 15 minutes because the desk lady was ignoring us, only to find out it's not a walk-in clinic until 4pm. So we drove halfway across to the county to the only other walk-in clinic available, where we waited three hours for a doc to tell us what I already knew - that we both had raging ear infections and I had a sinus infection to go with it.
I got in the car to leave... and it wouldn't start. No surprise there; it always does this to me at the worst possible time. I have to turn off all the electronics in the car, turn the key over as if I was starting it, and wait for ten minutes for the security system to reboot. It is a total and complete pain in butt. After the allotted ten minutes was up, I started the car, put it in gear - and it promptly died. Guess what? It wouldn't start again. So I got to wait another ten minutes, with a cranky kid in the background begging for something to eat or drink (by this point it was 1pm and neither of us had anything except a few sips of my coffee).
I finally get the car going and we head to Wal-Mart with the prescription. I dropped off the script and took B to Taco Bell. We came back to for the meds, only to find that 1) they still weren't ready; and 2) one of the scripts for B was out of stock.
By this point I was ready to throw something. My ears were hurting so much I was almost in tears. We went home with 2 of the 3 meds. Then I had to work for a couple of hours... I missed school tonight because Jeff is working and by the time I got finished with work, I wasn't going to make it anyway. I logged into eLearn to find that my last test score went from a B to a C because they dropped questions I got right.
Seriously... I'm halfway expecting the house to burn down. Given the day I've had, that would be about right.
However, I am also struggling to be more content and thankul, so after this (very long) ranting post, here is what I am thankful for:
1) my eardrum was not ruptured. Hopefully I won't experience any permanent damage (I've already lost a good bit of hearing and can't afford to lose more)
2) we were able to get antibiotics for me and B. The one I have to go back for is just a prescription combo med for B.
3) The car did eventually start
4) I got a nap and felt a little better
5) I also had to have a steroid shot, and now my jaw and neck don't hurt.
6) Being at home tonight instead of in school means I have time to work on my clinical stuff from Monday that has to be turned in
7) I have friends from school who are sending me notes and audio from class tonight.
8) I have Grannie & Peepop! They were ready to come all the way down the mountain just to bring B some food at the doctor's office (didn't, though, because we couldn't have food in there.)
Maybe tomorrow will be better, eh?
Today I got desperate.
I'm not the only one who is sick. Braeden has progressed with the same thing I have at about the same time. The reason I gave in and took us both to the walk-in clinic today is because in the wee hours of the morning, I woke to find two things: 1) Braeden was standing by my bed, bawling his eyes out because his ears hurt; and 2) I had no idea how long he'd been standing there, because my good ear hurt so much I could barely hear a thing. It took me several minutes to realize that Braeden hadn't had a bad dream; he had a raging earache. We spent the next two hours medicating with ibuprofen and heat pads to no avail. I eventually told him to play video games at 3:30am in a desperate attempt to distract him from the pain. That lasted about 30 minutes, then he came back with me. Finally I hit him with a heavy dose of Benadryl, which blessedly knocked him out.
By the time I woke up, both of my ears felt like someone had jammed plugs into them, and pain was radiating from my ears to my jaw to my neck. It hurt to chew, it hurt to stand up, it hurt to hiccup, and it hurt to blow my nose. Incidentally, I was also so incredibly congested that I could barely breathe through my mouth; thank goodness I have a prescription inhaler, or I'd have been in trouble.
So off to the doctor we went. At clinic #1, we waited 15 minutes because the desk lady was ignoring us, only to find out it's not a walk-in clinic until 4pm. So we drove halfway across to the county to the only other walk-in clinic available, where we waited three hours for a doc to tell us what I already knew - that we both had raging ear infections and I had a sinus infection to go with it.
I got in the car to leave... and it wouldn't start. No surprise there; it always does this to me at the worst possible time. I have to turn off all the electronics in the car, turn the key over as if I was starting it, and wait for ten minutes for the security system to reboot. It is a total and complete pain in butt. After the allotted ten minutes was up, I started the car, put it in gear - and it promptly died. Guess what? It wouldn't start again. So I got to wait another ten minutes, with a cranky kid in the background begging for something to eat or drink (by this point it was 1pm and neither of us had anything except a few sips of my coffee).
I finally get the car going and we head to Wal-Mart with the prescription. I dropped off the script and took B to Taco Bell. We came back to for the meds, only to find that 1) they still weren't ready; and 2) one of the scripts for B was out of stock.
By this point I was ready to throw something. My ears were hurting so much I was almost in tears. We went home with 2 of the 3 meds. Then I had to work for a couple of hours... I missed school tonight because Jeff is working and by the time I got finished with work, I wasn't going to make it anyway. I logged into eLearn to find that my last test score went from a B to a C because they dropped questions I got right.
Seriously... I'm halfway expecting the house to burn down. Given the day I've had, that would be about right.
However, I am also struggling to be more content and thankul, so after this (very long) ranting post, here is what I am thankful for:
1) my eardrum was not ruptured. Hopefully I won't experience any permanent damage (I've already lost a good bit of hearing and can't afford to lose more)
2) we were able to get antibiotics for me and B. The one I have to go back for is just a prescription combo med for B.
3) The car did eventually start
4) I got a nap and felt a little better
5) I also had to have a steroid shot, and now my jaw and neck don't hurt.
6) Being at home tonight instead of in school means I have time to work on my clinical stuff from Monday that has to be turned in
7) I have friends from school who are sending me notes and audio from class tonight.
8) I have Grannie & Peepop! They were ready to come all the way down the mountain just to bring B some food at the doctor's office (didn't, though, because we couldn't have food in there.)
Maybe tomorrow will be better, eh?
Sunday, March 6, 2011
What if?
What if... what if everything you ever believed, everything important that you ever held to be true - what if it all suddenly turned out to be wrong?
What would you do? How would you react? Would it leave you devastated, or would you be glad to "see the light?"
What would you do? How would you react? Would it leave you devastated, or would you be glad to "see the light?"
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