refashion

Yesterday I took this:

and this:

and made this:

And while I was at it, I took some regular boot-cut jeans and turned them into this:

(I also added the flower to the shoes a while ago.)

I ask you, when did this turn into a craft blog?

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9 to 5

So those of you who have been anxiously holding their breath for the last 8 days (if you're not dead by now), will be glad to hear that I got the job! Thanks for your prayers. I've been working for the past four days and it has been wonderful so far. In case you haven't picked up on the hints I've dropped for the last year, I kind of hated my last job (and by that I mean I wanted to set it on fire). You'll be happy to hear that I LOVE my new job! Oddly, my duties aren't really any different than they were before. I'm still managing an office, making sure we have supplies, answering the phones, drafting documents for various things, handling random projects, going over my boss's calendar with him, etc. But I feel totally different about it! Let me just list the good things this job has that the old one did not:

-a beautiful and professional office

-autonomy to keep one's own hours

-a laid-back atmosphere

-free drinks and snacks in the break room

-a Magleby's in the same building!

-beautiful views

-a parking lot

-real phones that transfer and have individual voicemail

-and most importantly, a great group of people to work with

That last one means that I enjoy performing my duties and I no longer resent every second spent at my desk. I look forward to going to work every day. The day doesn't drag on, etc. etc. etc.

If you've never had a job you despised, you may not understand what a huge blessing this is to me. I'm still marveling at this miracle. I'm absolutely positive, for more than one reason, that I have this job because my Heavenly Father gave it to me. I'm unbelievably grateful. 

I hope you all have great jobs you love, too. If not, remember that everything has an end, and someday you will walk out of that wretched place, never look back, and walk into something great. It certainly happened to me!

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waiting by the phone

So I was laid off from my job almost three weeks ago. As uncomfortable as it is to be subsisting on less than half of what our household income used to be (and trust me, it was never anything to write home about), the joy of not having to deal with that job anymore is totally worth it. I think I may have clinched a new job today, a perfect one, so I'm crossing my fingers for that phone call tomorrow. If you wanted to pray for that with me, I certainly would appreciate it.

In more creative news, I've been wanting to make some changes to some old clothes that aren't giving me the kick they used to. So I hit up the fabric store during their holiday sale on Monday and took my trusty needle and thread to some old tops. Here are the results:

I'm pretty pleased, what do you think?

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embarrass me

Last night, as I was dreaming (do I post too much about dreaming? It's hard not to, as I have strange and memorable dreams every single night. It's like a movie playing all night long just for me), I was at a bookstore and I knocked over an entire shelf of books. I was humiliated. When I woke up, I started thinking about feeling humiliated and realized that I only feel such a way in dreams. Most things in real life, while certainly embarrassing at times, don't actually make me feel like crawling under a rock and dying.

For instance, my most embarrassing moments (that I can remember), I feel totally comfortable writing about on my blog. Like the time in high school that I wore black basketball shorts for the Spirit Bowl (senior pride!) and at the end of the assembly, while the entire school was shuffling itself slowly out of the gym and back to class, I got pantsed by two friends of mine as a joke that went slightly wrong. I sat down quickly, following my pants, and gasped a little. And then it was over, I went back to class, and who cares.

The next one was freshman year and after getting out of the shower at my dorm, I had dressed and walked back to my bedroom. For some reason I don't recall, I left my pile of dirty clothes on the floor outside the door in the hallway, planning to come back to deal with it later. To my dismay, however, before I could deal with it a young man whom I may or may not have had a small crush on walked past it and my dirty underwear was on top! Such tragedy. Although later I demanded that he forget ever seeing such an image and he already had.

(Why do my most embarrassing moments all involve people seeing my underwear?)

Anything else that most people would consider embarrassing, I can't even remember. I know I've fallen in public multiple times, walked around with something hanging out my nose, things in my teeth, etc. etc. etc. Eh, everybody does those things. I'm perfectly comfortable with myself, I know Sam loves me for exactly the person I am, occasional bad breath and all (thanks babe!).

Good thing I have these dreams so I can experience the true mortification of knocking over a bookshelf in public.

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sew, sew

Great news. I got a sewing machine this week! It's about 30 years old and it was my grandma's, but it works, and what more does one need in a sewing machine, really?

To celebrate, I made this outfit:

I made the ruffly tee using this tutorial and the skirt using this one.

Just a warning, if you're going to be spending time with children, do not wear this outfit. Elastic waistbands do not mix with a 3 year old sliding on and off your lap.

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Commute

Out on the road you may notice that there are drivers. And then there are drivers. I have finally come to accept myself as the latter.

This realization has come through a year of driving daily on the freeway at rush hour. I hate that commute. I hate how long it takes. I hate the patches of standing traffic.

But.... I love driving it.

I don't look forward to it. I don't relish the thought of more time on the freeway. I wish I worked closer to home. But when I'm out there in the middle of it, feeling the rush, it is decidedly exhilarating.

There are many types of drivers. Those who hug the far right and drive a few miles under the speed limit. They don't bother me. To each his own. There are those who stick to the middle and follow the speed of the car in front of them. Great for them. There are those who plant themselves in the fast lane and choose an arbitrary speed that has nothing to do with the speed limit or the flow of traffic and don't move for anyone, regardless of the line of cars behind them or the law that says one must move to the right if someone else wants to pass. These drivers cause me the most grief. There are those drivers who zip around everyone at unholy speeds, passing much too close, and endangering all. I shake my head at them.

And then there are those who know. Those to whom driving is a challenge. A challenge to get home as quickly as possible (without breaking the law or endangering lives). It's all about analyzing, betting on lanes, waiting for the moment when it all opens up and you're free and clear. It enthralls me.

But if I never had to drive anywhere again, that'd be nice too.

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Wary

I think I have committed a crime.

Although, I can't say for sure what crime. It must have been serious, though, because cops have been following me for the past week. Cops from many different districts. There apparently is a state-wide APB.

So far, the tactic has been intimidation only. Last Tuesday, within 5 minutes, six different undercover cops passed me with their lights flashing. On Thursday, six more cops surrounded my workplace and blocked off the street for a half hour. Today, I drove to work in the midst of a line of nine cops, no lights, shrouded in mist. They just silently drove with me until I got off the freeway.

I'm just waiting for the take-down. It could come from anywhere, at anytime.

I'm on high alert.

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come what may

Tonight is dedicated to romance.

Reminiscing about first dates, kisses, expressions of love.

Continuously honoring covenants.

One year of deeper satisfaction, joy, and love than I can adequately express.

If forever is anything like this, I think I may be the luckiest girl in the world.

I love you Sam. Happy anniversary.

image via rozzie m

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thoughts on a year

Well, well, 2009. We have at last reached the end.

We've struggled with some things, you and I (like that awful place at which I spend too much time) and we've had some beautiful moments too (a wedding comes to mind).

Mostly, you taught me many lessons (like how great it is to always be yourself with your love, or that just keeping eleven 7-year-olds in the same room for 40 minutes is something to be proud of).

And thanks to you, there is much to look forward to in the coming year (like maybe a craft business, and perhaps a baby, and hopefully the ability to keep eleven 4-year-olds in the same room for 40 minutes).

So fade out tonight, 2009. I'm off to face 2010. And man, am I going to rock it.

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Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men

Merry Christmas! Have a warm and cozy Christmas with your loved ones and remember your blessings. I know I will.

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