Feeling the positive

I have been struggling with the thought of leaving my current neighborhood. I really love the area, location, walkability and it is so bike friendly. The urban vibe sings to me along with the lifestyle. I already know I cant afford the area any longer and have been hanging on hoping it would work out. I have been looking online and paying attention to neighborhoods when I'm out and about. I think I am ready to face the fact that a new place wont be as close to downtown as I would like but it is only until the boys are on their own. That is the thought that came into my head today. I actually get a stab in my heart when I think I wont be here but it is time to get serious. A big part of my reluctance to leave the neighborhood I love is this is were I moved to on my own. My independence was started here and it is hard for me to leave. I came to the positive conclusion today that I will move. In fact, since I made up my mind to be aggressive I have felt empowered with positive! I am ready to wage the good hunt!



My mom and I are going out tomorrow looking at some pockets of apartments her way. I don't want to be in Beaverton but for the space needed I am looking close in. I will also look not too far out SW. Nick would like to be close to his friends so I will look in case he lives with me again. That is still up in the air. Tomorrow is scouting, note taking, photos and possible looking in and getting info from Managers. Saturday will be appointments for others to see but Sunday is mine.

I want to think about all I have seen and sew. If Wil is not going to his Dad's for dinner I will make a ham and pie. The pie is fresh frozen so it wont be too hard to cook. The main focus will be some sewing time. I just have not had the time! I'm excited to finish what I have started. Wil asked that we don't move til the end of the school year. If I find something good I gotta go with it! I'm looking forward to other sewing projects that will come from moving. What a geek. I love it.

Do I have enough creativity to around?

I seem to be on a very creative path the last couple weeks. I started sewing, decorated an apartment (other than mine), came up with and followed through with my first couple sewing projects and now . . . . . .

My mom has enjoyed walking my visiting auntie (She She) through her first painting she decided I would learn too. What? Can I just remind everyone I don't draw? I have not attempted oil painting since I was 8 years old and sucked! Really, I still have the evidence to prove it. There was too much pressure with all the awesome creative women of the family I was surrounded by. My Grandmother (pops ma) , my mom and my aunt by marriage to my pops brother. They were all awesome artists, teachers and had shows that were well attended and sold. I am the only left handed person in the family ever. I was never quite allowed to forget that. It has always made me do the simplest things differently. When I was a kid I was always moving and doing - not much for sitting still.

Last Tuesday (my day off) my mom sat me down in front of a blank canvas and a picture on a greeting card. She said this (as a painting) would go well with something she was painting for me. At first I'm all like I don't know how to draw and really I don't know how to draw . . . how do you even start? My mom told me I did know how and explained to me how you look at the canvas and the piece you are drawing from. You turn it into four equal sections and start. After starting and erasing four times I got the hang of it. I surprised myself. Mom had me trace the image from the canvas and on Tuesday we are going to start on the background colors! I was excited and wanted to start right away but mom said we need to talk about technique and color mixing, texture and some other stuff. I will take pictures and post them if my phone camera takes good ones.

I figure that since I'm not performing at Comedy Sportz anymore or being a "Diva" for derby I must be channeling all that creativity through my DIY craftiness. I am enjoying all the diversity of the crafty. It makes a Diva smile.

OMG I can sew!

I have had so much fun with my first sewing project! I must have soaked in a lot of sewing smarts from watching and listening to my mom all those years. From the moment I chose to buy a machine through the first project it has just made sense! I must say it is like second nature! I want to do some straight forward projects this summer and have fun getting to know my machine. I hope this fall to take a sewing class. Then I can really get into it.

Like Mother like Son

Wil and I walked down today to take the Census 2010 test to become Census takers. I did it the last Census but had not really considered it until I got my work schedule for April. I went to the site and was surprised to find they pay $15.25 an hour! I thought the test would be easy and for the most part it was. You only have 30 minutes to complete a government worded test. There were people there that have taken the test multiple times and had not passed!? (a Masters in English) You had to get 70% or more. I finished my test as she said "time". Wil waited the 20 minutes for our test results while I walked to the store. We both passed and both had the score 93%. stay tuned . . . .

My kid is funny

Yesterday I was telling Wil ideas I have for Brian's apartment. He did the usual guy thing with shrugs and "whatevers" until I said I would love to put up a chandelier in our place instead of our ceiling fan. He said that would be so redneck! *wha?* I asked him what he meant and he said "Our apartment building is one step up from a trailer park!" I was driving at the time (waiting to turn into a parking lot) and was laughing so hard! Kids say the darn-est things.

sewing fun and Cadets

I have been practicing on my sewing machine but had to stop sewing fun for Nick's visit. He had a four day leave that ended Tuesday night at 17:00. I drove him back to school along with my parents and Auntie She She. She arrived from California the evening before. I'm not sure my car could handle the drive so I borrowed my parents car - along with my parents. (Whenever my parents do something I say it's a Geezer adventure) We were supposed to leave my house at 10:15 to allow extra travel time because of the possible snow in the mountian passes. All parties were late arriving to my house so we left closer to 11. We hit Sandy by 12noon but had to stop at Joe's for doughnuts. It was almost 1pm when we got going again! Did I mention we had to drive back home after Nick got dropped off? Once we left Sandy (full of doughnuts) we seemed to be on track. The snow in the passes was pretty and soon mom, Nick and She She were asleep. I could swear we were on a Twilight Zone road though. The more we drove it seemed we were not getting any closer! We finally got into Bend around 4pm. Nick needed to eat and finish his homework. By the time we had him back at school we had to drive back . . . . .

the inner decorator is peeking out!

I am very excited about a side project. A friend of Wil's got an apartment and wants me to decorate it! He has some furniture but needs some shelving/storage and art. Anyone that knows me knows I am all over this. I have had fun looking at paint chips, old Better Homes and Garden magazines, watching HGTV (wait, I always do that), browsing CraigsList for cool stuff and a trip to IKEA to get a sense of likes of the "client". I am enjoying the possibilities I'm thinking up!

Since it's a small space I want any furniture I pick to have more than one function. As an example the "desk" I'm wanting to use is a stainless table on wheels. He can study wherever he wants but it can double up with his exisiting dining table as needed. The legs are adjustable for his height as well. (he is 6'5'') If he is preparing a meal and needs extra counter space he can roll the (emtpy) table over to the kitchen and "bam" instant work space! I knew all that HGTV viewing time would come in handy!

Brian's mom is so excited about me decorating his space she wants me to do her place next. She has great rugs in muted earth tones but no color on the walls. I think the only piece of art (above the fireplace) belongs to Brian and he is taking it with him. I have some wonderful colors in mind but want to hear what Mary likes and get a color inspiration from things in her house/wardrobe.

Hold on to your hats!

I bought an inexpensive sewing machine at my mom's approval. I am learning to sew! I have it set up on my desk in my bedroom where my laptop usually lives. I practiced this morning and feel I am ready for my first project! If you have fabric from projects you have abandon send it my way!