Today's craftiness

So, I have managed to work on my crafts over the last week, BUT not necessarily finish anything.  I am close on something I did a few days ago.  Just need to sew on some snaps for that one. 

But today I managed to crank out this tissue holder for my niece's car.  She loves Hello Kitty.  And who doesn't like having Kleenex on hand just in case.  I modified the dimensions from this tutorial.  It was for a small pack to carry in a purse and I wanted one for my car.  This is the third one I've made.

I'm gonna count this as crafty...

Okay, so I didn't do anything new today, but I did wash and press the cross stitch I finished yesterday.  I also got it into a frame.  So...here it is!  What do you think?  Besides the fact that my french knots need help!

Now that's just sad....pathetic even!

I can't believe its been over a year since my last post!  I guess it will be a belated New Year's resolution to update it more often (even though no one actually reads this.  HA!). 

A comment about my last post.  I am sad to say that we only ended up taking the girls to one mission, and of course it was the one that we had already been to.  That said a month or so later we took our nephew to Mission San Fernando.  So, we have been to all the close missions now.

Yesterday was my last day of school for this semester.  I was only taking two classes this round, but the semester seemed to last an eternity (probably because I was taking history and we covered so many years in so little time).  I am delighted to be finished. 

Today is the first of my 47 day summer vacation.  Only 47 days because I am actually taking a 3rd session summer school class this year.  Which means that I am back at school on July 2nd and will go straight thru until December.  I hate not having a break between the summer and fall semesters, but I'll get over it.

Hopefully I will finish out my Associates degree and graduate next May.  Then on to "real" college.  I say it that way because my current school is ten minutes from my house and terribly convenient.  The college I want to transfer to is (while really still local in the sense that it's in Los Angeles County like me) far away!  In no traffic it would take me 1 1/2 hours to drive there.  I looked into using public transportation and time wise would be like me driving to Las Vegas to go to school everyday.  Yikes.  So, I might actually have to rent a room or do a dorm or something...which seems very "real" college-like to me.  Scary!

During my 47 day summer vacation my plan/goal is to craft everyday.  I don't know that I will actually get anything finished each day, but to at least work on something. 

Right now I have some new fabric washing so I can get some sewing done.  I have quite a few small projects to do, so that should keep me busy for the next couple of days. 

Today I am also going to wash a cross stitch I finished yesterday between finals.  I get a lot of interesting looks from people when I am just sitting on the ground outside class stitching away.  I was delighted last semester when a young guy from my Political Science class started talking to me about it and was actually a stitcher himself. 

Okay, these things won't craft them selves.  Better get to it.  As part of my challenge to myself I will also try to post a photo everyday of my projects.  We'll see how this goes.  Wish me luck.

So much for planning...

Okay, well, Megan is actually coming over again today. Sign language is a much tougher course this semester. We are going to do homework today. At least one unit...maybe two.

Two weekends ago we drove up to Grass Valley, CA with Joe's sister Donna. We went to the memorial service for their Aunt Noreen. It was a nice service. It was very good to see the family.

Soon we will be heading to Oregon to see my sister Gail. It will be good to visit with her. She just bought her first house and she has a huge honey-do list for us.

I did do some beading recently. Made a few earrings and a couple of necklaces. Of course I gave away to pairs of earrings without taking photos first. I'll have to do better.

Speaking of photos. I dropped the photography class. Turns out that my lungs don't appreciate the dark room. Ended up with pleurisy after the demonstration. Yikes...did that suck. So...digital photography it is!

Okay...have to go get ready for Megan to come over. I'll try to post some photos soon. I did sew a new school bag that turned out quite well actually.

A somewhat clean house...

Thank God for visitors. Otherwise I don't know if I would ever get off my butt to clean house. Okay...that's not true...well, maybe about dusting. Today my friend Megan came over to do a little Sign Language homework. I don't know how prepared I feel, but at least we did it.

This semester I am being a bit of a bum. I am only taking TWO classes! In addition to Sign Language I am also taking a photography class.

Yesterday I developed my first roll of film. I've been shooting in AUTO mode for so long that using my light meter manually is really a challenge for me. I know I forgot to adjust it for at least a few of the photos on the roll. But, since I will only need to print two I should be okay.

The developing process was fairly cut and dry (actually very wet) but it just seemed to take FOREVER! We got out of class a full hour after it officially ended. But now I know for next time.

Joe and I are, in theory, in economy mode. No BIG trips this year. Just some weekend getaways. We've already had two this year. We drove up to Big Sur/Cambria the weekend before school started and down to San Diego last weekend. On the way back from San Diego we stopped at Mission San Luis Rey de Francia in Oceanside. I lived down in North County for six years driving by the mission quite frequently, but I had never been.

A few years ago Joe and I decided to go to a mission or two. There are 21 in California. Mission San Luis Rey was the 15th one we've visited. We tried to take our nieces/nephews & grand-nieces/grand-nephews when they hit 4th grade for their California Mission projects, but somehow we've missed a few. Next weekend we will be taking two of our nieces to Northern California to visit THREE missions. Two of which Joe and I haven't been to yet. I think it's funny that we are willing to drive for hours and hours to get to them now, but we still haven't been to Mission San Fernando which is less than 40 miles from us.

Back to topic...economy mode. I am going to try to only use crafts and materials that I already own. I am going to try to craft at least one new thing per week. We'll see if this happens or not....but that's my plan. I am also going to try to read more. I have so many books that I've bought and haven't read yet.

Anyway...I guess I should go be productive for a change. I also have to eventually get ready for school tonight.

I love the cold weather...

I feel like such a schmuck not writing lately. This school thing is starting to feel like 'work'! It's not too bad on days like today where I am just there from 9-11 (although its really from 7-11 because of my lack of a car to drive and that's when my ride goes). It's Tuesdays and Thursdays when I am there from 7-5. Three classes. Two of which are the previously mentioned art classes. Ugh.

Today I'm off to my sign language class and I'm going to be late if I don't get going soon. I'll try to post something good on here soon.

I started writing this post several versions ago...just realized that the title is totally random by the time this version was written. So, here goes: It's going to rain for the third day. I love it! I love that I don't have to be in the unbearable heat! I love that I get to break out my sweaters (today's is a grey turtleneck)! I love that I can wear hats for the sake of wearing a hat...not to cover my pale self from the sun (todays is a grey/white/blue plaid that I bought in Ireland last year)! I love that it's starting to feel Christmas-y...yes, I realize that I still have to get thru Halloween and Thanksgiving first (but I don't decorate for either of those and there is a limited selection of music for those two)! Hence, I have officially started listening to Christmas music this week! Yay!

Okay...have to go to school!

Back to School...

Okay, so it's been three weeks since I went back to school for the fall semester. School has actually been going pretty good with the exception of my photography class. I dropped that class last week after camera problems forced me to. Oh, well...there's always next semester.

I am really enjoying both of my art classes. So far we have just been following along with our tutorials so they have been pretty easy to do. And the programs are so amazing! Soon though I must actually start being creative. Oh, no! I have to make a banner ad this week. Not sure what my subject will be or anything. I must really think about it.

Right now we are home waiting for our new washer and dryer to get delivered. Our dryer had been possessed for the last few YEARS where the timer actually would run backwards. It would still shut itself off, but sometimes it would go forward, sometimes backwards...whatever it wanted. We tried have Sears come fix it, but even they were stumped when two new timers did the same thing.

So last week the dryer ran for several hours. Knowing this I suggested that we look into pricing some new ones because of the Labor Day holiday sales. He agreed we could look. Seriously, an hour later I went to do laundry and the washer started leaking! So, that night we did in fact buy a new set. They should be here in a few minutes. Hopefully we like them!