New contacts?

I have an eye doctor appointment in 29 minutes. With a little luck I'll be getting at least 6 months worth of contacts. For the past year or so I've been wearing the same ones. No lectures please, I know it's gross. I'm in my glasses now, I don't think I'll even bring my contacts to the doctor. Less evidence, right?

Wish me luck on not getting a lecture!

Things are looking up.

I have an interview on Monday. It's for a temp company that already has a job lined up to start in the new year. There's another job that I want more that I've submitted my resume to. I called that place today and got the office manager's voice mail. I'm going to try them again on Monday afternoon if I don't hear from them earlier in the day. It might be a teeny bit annoying, but it shows that I'm persistent.

Please wish me luck, I think I'm going to exchange some christmas gifts this weekend for some new work type clothes to get some good karma rolling for the job thing.

Very Etsy Christmas

This Christmas I took the buy handmade pledge and stuck to it for all but one gift.  Sadly though, I don't have a family that would get too behind that idea.  Instead of giving up though, I stuck to my guns and just told my family that everything I wanted was in my Etsy favorites.  

That insistence and some very generous red roomies made an extremely amazing Christmas that was not only handmade, but Etsy made!

Get ready for some pictures, 'cause I'm totally sharing! In the order of receipt.

 
EnigmaChck is my new favorite! I would have never bought that brooch for myself, but I'm loving it.


I can't believe that isn't a custom necklace!

From my Grandparents (who think that my mom picked them all out).

I finally have a Sojourn!


Maybe now I'll have a semi-clean car!
(I figure you don't need to see the refil bags too.)


Yay, my last wallet was amazing, but the materials were not wallet materials, so it was coming apart. Sad Face for that, but Happy face for this one!


From my mom, picked out from my favorites.

Two of my walls are the color of the grass. It's gonna look awesome in a white frame on one of them!


Oh so happy with Xiane. Wonderful woman knew it was coming to me and sent some fun extras from her other shop.


Yay for a second piece of redpanda!
Since I have small wrists I actually altered it so it's a couple thinks smaller, but only because I knew that if I screwed it up it would make her laugh if I needed to send it to her for fixing!


That's not all that I got, but you guys don't want to see the lame mass produced stuff. I will be getting pictures of these items on me, or in the car and such soon!

I must say that it's difficult to get two amazing necklaces and then not know which to wear! For now I'm not 100% happy with the chain I have for the pendant, so I'm wearing the radish a lot. I've taken to brushing off the questions with a quick "It's a nickname." but I admit that most people want more than that. I guess Rob has just let me be more of a woman of mystery. (Too bad the one I'd like to stay a little mysterious with knows the real story already. But that's another entry!)

I said I'd be back tonight.

I need to actually get a mailing list going for my shop.  a few people signed up on Decemeber 1 at a show and I haven't even said thank you for signing up yet!



I'm hoping that this post will remind me to do so tomorrow night when I get home.

I probably won't though.  Tomorrow I'm hoping to visit a salon that's looking for a part time receptionist.  It'd be really nice to get a part time job that will pay bills and then force me to work on my Etsy for other stuff.  Plus, it seems like a fun salon with a younger group of stylists, so maybe I'd be able to find some new customers in the form of salon clients!

Cross your fingers for me!

Until then, enjoy the silly random pictures of things I need to add to my Etsy shop.

New Job Today

So it's my first day at this new placement and I really hope that some of the people don't show up for the nexy couple days and the assignment gets extended.  It is amazingly easy work, but there's lots of it and I'm not having to sit around and twiddle my thumbs for any reason.  Well, the hour that Mike took for orientation and training included a bit of thumb twiddling, as he explained things multiple times.  If I'd been paying attention the the whole things I'm sure it would have only congused me since the first demonstration was entirely adequate.

I'm actually writing this on my break on the back of the time sheet that he gave me this morning.  It's a faxed copy of the ones I get from the temp agency and have at home, so I don't mind "ruining" it.  

I took my lunch almost as late as I could.  We have half an hour and I could have waited one more half hour before going if I wanted to, but I was at a perfect stopping point in my work.  I hope that by waiting the second part of the day goes by quickly.  I've worked 5 of my 8 hours for the day, 4 of which I was actually working and not being trained, so I'm thinking that the last 3 shouldn't be too bad.

I had my iPod on for probably 45 minutes this morning, but the last half of the battery died really  quickly so I've just been listening to my surrounding.  It's not terrible, but I can't wait to charge benjamin back up tonight so he'll be fully functional tomorrow.

Eep, I have more to say but no more time to say it!  Hand writing can be fun, but it definitely takes way more time than typing.


Fifteen minute break now and I'm sure I've got way more to say than the time to say it in!

I really like that there is lots of recycling going on here.  There's even a compost bucket under the sink if I'm going to believe the sign asking for more contributions to it.  (I haven't actually investigated this personally, but maybe I will tomorrow.)

There's a computer in the break room and it intrigues me.  Mostly because this is the longest I've been without Etsy Forums while awake and without other entertainment sing I went to Vegas, but also because I think typing all this would be a far greater use of my small amount of time.

I'm running out of paper, so I'm going to have a quick snack!



There may be more to come later today.  If not, I noticed somethings to write about while on my lunch tomorrow as well!

Roberta Smith

Ok, so i know that this is a little silly and i need to leave for work in just over 5 hours, but i needed to post this.

I love Roberta Smith.

Please tell me that you know who this wonderful woman is.



She is 100 years old.  She is happy.

I would really like to beable to say both of those things.  If not both I'll definitely go with the second.

New Job

I start a new job tomorrow.  It's a new placement with the same temp agency I've been with since late June.  

I'm kind of excited about it.  It's the first time that I've been told that I can definitely wear jeans with a nice shirt.  I like this because my jeans are actually much nicer than my "work pants" because I wear them more often and will invest more money in them.  I also just like the look of a nice shirt with jeans more than with "work pants."  I guess to me it says that a person can be professional yet completely approachable.  I don't really believe that you can't be 100% professional in the worst of outfits anyway.

I have to drive at least half an hour to this job, but it's much better than nothing and hopefully it will last more than the 1-2 weeks that they think it will.  I'm hoping that my track record with temporary placements will help with that.  The first assignment I went on with this company was supposed to be 2 weeks and I was there for four months, so cross your fingers for me!


I must say that I'm rather proud that I'm actually posting again today.  Hopefully I will post tomorrow on how the first day went.  I don't think that I'll be at a computer during the day, or I'd attempt to write from there.  I probably don't need to be trying to get online on the first day of a new job anyway.  Maybe I can bring my iPod though.  that would make what is very possibly going to be rather boring a little less so I think.  

I'll let you know soon!

New Year's

So, it's getting close to that time again.  time to make resolutions that we have every intention of, but know that we won't actually keep.

I'm hoping that this year i might actually keep up with them though.  Which is why I'm starting on them now.  I don't have too many so it's not at all impossible, but I don't remember being too successful with any resolutions, so wish me luck!

If I do make it through you will see a lot more updates here.  I've been told that blogs are a grand marketing tool for Etsy, and I like to be able to voice my opinion on random topics.  Those two things lead me to believe that I should be updating this on the hour!

I don't think that will happen, but maybe we'll go for at least twice a week.  That doesn't sound too bad.  

I would also like to keep up better with my flickr account. I will do that with new Etsy items as well as my second try at Project 365.

Next yeat is a leap year though, so I guess I'll actually be taking pictures of myself every day for 366 days.  Also, that page says just a pictue a day, my pictures will hopefully be self portraits.  Or maybe I'll do a couple and also do something like my food or surroundings or something.  Suggestions are suggested.

back in the swing of things

ok, so i might not be doing amazingly with this updating thing, but 5 days isn't terribly long between them.

i finally got internet into my bedroom at home, so i should be able to post more often again. lots of new stuff to get up on etsy as well.

even with that new connection, i'm not actually updating from there. i'm at the boy's house, so i should make this the end and hope for more tomorrow!

just keeping up with posting. no time to actually say anything, but definitely time to post.

buy handmade!

craft fair yesterday.  



i loce my displays, but they work better on smaller tables than i had.  i had no idea that it would be a full cafeteria table.  now i know to ask when they say that they will be provided.

Cookie Lee was there, which was a bit disappointing, i really don't understand why people like their stuff.

One girl kept bringing her friends over to show them my newest necklace which is designed to be played with while you wear it, and eventually got her dad and his wallet to the table as well.  even before she bought it though i was on cloud nine because of the 5 people she showed it off to.

the booth behind me was another girl from etsy.  she sells really cute handmade boxes with hershey's nuggets in them.  each nugget has a letter that she's printed out and they spell just about anything you want.  i think i'm going to get my mom and my brother's girlfriend them for stocking stuffers.  i might even be nice and get a "sister" one for sandy.  I know that she would like that.

i didn't really sell much, but i did learn that i need to ask more questions and that i don't want to do shows that will allow booths of The Pampered Chef and the like.  IndieSacramento should be good.

i don't want to over do with with a huge post, so i'll let this be and try for more tomorrow!

wow.  almost 4 months without a post.  i'm actually a little impressed.

except that it took me three attempts to type the number 4.  i'm in the dark, but since i thought my finger was still on the 3 when i got it wrong the first time, i figured i'd be good the second time around.  not so much.

so, onto an update that has something to do with something i guess.

eh, i'll wait til tomorrow when i feel like uploading pictures.

go me!

i've had quite a productive day today.

i went and picked up a shirt for lily, and then i stopped at the bead store to get more ear wires. i might actually have a pack of ear wires already, but that's ok. i'm sure i will eventually make 144 pairs of earrings, so it's cool.

i'm about to clean out my car, because alicia julia and i are going to see incubus in south lake tahoe today! we're leaving early, and one of the lovely ladies is going to drive stanleigh home so i can dose off a bit. since i have to be at work at 8 tomorrow, i'm very grateful for this!

i still have some stuff to post from thursday at work, maybe that will happen tomorrow night.

great day

tonight was a great night. i got to see a bunch of people that i haven't seen in way too long, and i will get to see most of them again on saturday. and guess what, the ones i get to see again, are the ones i like! i'm excited. brittney and liz the most. i got to sit by them tonight and much fun ensued. i don't even know if that sentence made sense, but it would have tonight. i might get drunk with them on saturday even! i know they would all like that. and i'm sure i could crash at kim's.

oh, i need to go take my 365 pic for the day. i look cute.

ok, i don't look cute on the couch with or without a flash, but at the kitchen table without a flash i'm totally adorable.

i got highway flirted with tonight. it was crazy, i was in the 2nd lane from the left, and he was in the fast lane. i was intentionally staying behind someone else who was going fast enough to keep me happy, but slow enough that he wasn't horribly over the speed limit. the flirty guy dove past me, and then slowed down enough so that i came back up next to him. obvious, no? i loved it. i could tell just enough with the sun in my eyes that he was at least cute enough to keep flirting with. but then i needed to get over a bit to take my exit, and since i got out from behind my pace guy, i sped up. so did mr. flirt. i loved it. so while i was singing still alone (new favorite song btw) i glanced over, still totally dancing along, like i've been doing the whole time (i think i forgot to mention that) and smiled. the sun was totally behind him, and i could only tell that he was looking back from the profile. then i needed to exit, so i waved out the open window, and just smiled even more.

it was fun.

i also have an update on the road sign! while it still has the same message, it is now turned so it is facing the road so one can only see it when right beside it. i don't think i explained it well, but i hope you understand. i still have no idea what is happening from 10:00 pm to 5:00 am, but i assume that this is their attempt to make the message disappear as much as possible without actually removing the sign, or taking the message off and leaving it blank. i don't know why they didn't just remove the sign completely though, when they took the time to move it and all.

ok, that's my actual post for now. hopefully i'll have more soon!

moving

for those of you who don't know, i've been planning to move.  here's a bit on the thought process.



ok, so i've taken a few days in the file room to kind of think about the whole moving thing. I've got not one, but a few prospects open to me, which actually kind of complicates things, or at least it complicates the decistion making process. there is one option specifically that i've kind of been playing around with, but at the same time i've kind of left it on the back burner. Something crossed my mind today that really changed that.

I realized today that i'm still not actually accepyed, or even really applied to any schools. while it may be really awesome for me to go to one near where i've been playing with moving to, what if they don't accept me? or what if i'd rather go to another school that does?

because of this, i realized that i can't sign a year, or even a a six month lease even as early as august because of the overlap with school schedules. that one option that i've been kind of unfair to though, as far as i know would not require me to sign a contract. i would of course keep my roommakes in that situation very well informed of any of my plans for another possible move.

i feel silly admitting this, but it's also the situation that would probably give me some really interesting stories to tell later, or maybe even put on film? i know that it would be wrong to base my decision solely on that, but the fact that there is character in the place does appeal to me.

tonight i made 20 pairs of earrings.

the most difficult aspect of doing this was not using the same colors every time.

look out, 'cause i'll be posting a bunch of them now!

work

excerpt from a letter i wrote to a friend while working a reception position on thursday june 7.

3:08 pm
so, when i say that i'm going to file for 45 minutes, i should probably not rush through the rest of my filing & get it done in only 40. Though the rush of phone calls did help some. my hands are now dry & the girl who is normally here has some lotion and some burt's bees hand stuff. I'm totally gonna try if out! let's see if i can make that last 5 minutes.
-3:12
-3:17
ok, so i made it last that long, but even going relatively slow it really only takes 3 minute to use Bath & Body Works Mango Mandarin Anti-Bacterial hand lotion, burt's bees hand salve and burt's bees lemon butter cuticle creme. Dang, it takes almost as long to write as it does to use. This isn't a completely accurate test though, for a couple reasons.
1. I'm using someone else's product, do I applied in smaller portions.
2. I already knew what the Bath & Body Works was like, so I didn't use much of that, plus she's running low and I didn't want to be the reason she runs out.
3. I have absolutely no idea what hand salve actually is, or the appropriate amount or way to apply it. To me, it just kind of seems like a thicker lip balm type substance that smells like some generic aromatherapy product.

now, this salve is in a .3 oz container, so there is really no much room on the pachaging here to tell me what to do with it or what it does. There is room for the ingredients though. I know this because they have included them. there seem to be a lot of oils in here. five actually. wow. five oils in 11 total ingredient there are also 3 extracts.

fascinating, no?

hmm, they make sure to note that this product was "not tested on animals." yet they use beeswax in the product. i guess that's why vegans aren't exactly fans of burt's bees.

they've also included their website on the packaging, I guess one could go there to find out more about the purpose & use of the hand salve.

I've moved on to the lemon butter cuticle creme now. first off, i have to say that i love the smell. (it was kind of a negative for the salve but it kicks ass for the creme.) It's like lemon pledge with sugar. this probably sounds rather odd, but if there is ever some form of lemon pledge desert, i will smell exactly like this creme.

what's with the name though? is it because it's not an actual cream, but more of a balm? why not just call it a blam then? Or do they have enough balms already maybe? Maybe it would be too easy to confuse it with a lip product. So many questions brought on by one little word.

more interesting to me than that word is actually another group of words on the back of the tin. somehow, on the same size tin as the salve they have managed to fit a brief description & directions for the creme. This seems odd, especially since the creme had 8 ingredients, certainly not enough of a difference to allow for room for a description!

I've got the two side by side now & all is becoming clear. It is not a different size font as would be a logical guess, but there actually is more room for the print on the creme. Both tins thave the labeling printed on them, but the creme goes right to the edge, while the salve is made to look as though it is a sticker placed on the tin. This gives a small perimeter to the area of print on the salve tin, and reduces the useable space.

i bet you never though that 2 burt's bees products could captivate me for so long. Oh, and i didn't even get into the common ingredients (there are 6) ot the possible problem that burt's bees may have if cell phones are in fact killing off bees.

Considering the conversation that [my brother] & I had about cell phones & bees, this could have been a much longer letter if i went on to that topic.

Sewing

I'm greatly enjoying sewing. I've found a class I would like to take this fall titles beginning sewing! That, coupled with my intermediate editing class should prove for a very interesting semester.


But back to the sewing!

I've been getting into making book purses. I have lots of ideas, and I'm happy with what I've done so far, but will not be charging the amount that I hope to in the future, as there are small flaws in the ones that I've done so far.

I really like that I'm figuring things out, and learning new tricks. I should probably be writing some of them down though. They don't really do me any good if I figure something out and know just how to remedy a glitch, only to forget it before I get to that point in the next purse.

trying.

so i'm still not so great with the blogging. i'm getting into some new crafts though, so i'm hoping to also start writing about them. once i actually get into the practice of updating regularly, i will see about some sort of audience.  ok, so audience does not at all seem like the right word, but it's the best i could think of!

cicada studio

i hate the bugs, but i love the seller!

when i had a family reunion in ohio one summer in high school i was first introduced to the annoying creadtures called cicadas. they are insects that annoy me to no end, and i was very glad to leave and not deal with them again. though i swear for weeks afterward i still heard the cicada song in my ears.

fast forward several years and you'll find me on the etsy forums chatting away. there's one name that brings back that odd humming to my ears. fortunately, i tend to read what a person has said before actually reading who wrote it (or i just look at the avatar which is much quicker than reading those pesky user names) because she's kind of awesome and i ended up checking out what is a very fun etsy shop!



lots of fun zodiac stuff! it makes me wish i had somewhere to put one of those Framed Zodiac Glyphs. Seriously, only $20? That's amazing! and the shipping is pretty cheap considering what's being shipped! please go check out her shop and pass the link along to anyone you know who likes all that stuff!

she's also got another website with a bunch more stuff.  she just keeps on amazing me!

did i mention she's also a mother?