Another Hobby

Well, after over a year I have finally taken my Christmas present out of its original packaging and am putting it to good use...I am learning to sew! For a while, I've been wanting to learn, so much that for Christmas of 2009, I asked for a sewing machine. Because my parents love me mucho, they granted my request - however, I haven't even put it to use until last weekend, when I took it out of the box for the FIRST time ever.
To start out...I don't really have a space to sew, so I made the trek to the big city to find a folding sewing table. At Heirloom Creations I found the perfect table:

I was originally recommended to not try something too challenging - instead make napkins or something of the sort. It was a good idea but I feared if I was making something that I wouldn't really use...I'd lose interest quite quickly. So while I was at Heirloom Creations I looked around for good kits for beginners.

I found this perfect little wallet kit. It came with pre-cut fabric and the directions - which may as well have been in Latin, but it was all provided. Kindly, Krystal (friend from church) volunteered to help get me started in my new sewing hobby. I brought my machine and fabric and kits over to her house and we let it fly. After much chatting and only having to use my seam ripper once, I had produced a cute little wallet.

With the fabric provided with the kit being okay but not completely to my liking (a little too much pink and "floral"), I had gone and purchased some new prints. Then tonight, feeling brave and crafty, I attempted to make another wallet - and it worked! I didn't use the seam ripper this time, but I did stab myself with a pin...all these lil lessons and tricks that I'll continue to learn as I continue to sew.

Maybe next time I'll even mix different prints - I'm thinking a solid and a print...getting crazy now!

The Light in the Darkness

Well, I had my EEG and the results came back normal, so good news all-in-all. My previous post was all about my list and explaining what I was going to do during my sleep deprivation time frame. However, I came to one main conclusion.... While I had plenty of things to do, it is very hard to get motivation to do ANYTHING at 1 in the morning.

I was shocked but pleasantly surprised to see that some of my friends are online long into the night. One of them even stayed up until 4!!!! Crazy and insane, but helped me stay awake and kept me company. I did get all my presents wrapped (even ran out of tape but improvised with my UPS packing tape). With chatting with friends and talking online the wrapping took a little longer than planned, but honestly from 1-4 in the morning...what else is there to do. Slow and steady wins the race...

Come about 4, I decided it was time to work on my brother and sister-in-law's present. I had already gotten them a present that they can use on their door step at their new house. I also was trying to be a little crafty. They had sent me a picture of them running together, which I then cropped them out and put them into a prettier background. Once that was all arranged, I traced the picture then retraced it with carbon paper beneath onto a piece of wood.
Here is what I had gotten done by 6:

...To...

About 6 my hands were not as rested and steady as needed to complete the background, so I let my tools cool as I finished a little present for my dear cousin's girl that I can't wait to give her.

Finally about 7 I was done with my projects, at least those I had the motivation to do and was ready to shower. Ready just in time for papa to come pick me up and drive me to my appointment. Luckily for me, north of us got hit pretty hard with quite a bit of snow and bitter cold so his work crews got called off and he didn't have to drive up there and was able to chauffeur me around for the morning.

Much to my happiness, the appointment only lasted a half hour, we stopped at a few stores then ate breakfast at Perkins. The rest of the day: All Mine to lay down, sleep, relax and yeah...not have to use my already very tired brain...