Prom Dress Shopping

Luckily, we only had to go to one store! We found the dress.... It has been ordered! Due to arrive the end of March!

Yart

Another week gone already!

Competitions, tournaments, practice, family visits and my vendor show!

First here is a picture of my set up for the vendor show! I'm thrilled beyond belief at how good it went. I didn't sell anything or get any sales, but I did get a lot of email addresses. Also there were several women that showed interest in having a show! So now everyone is in the system and will get 1 email a month with the monthly special. I'm hoping that will entice a few more into having a show!

I like the way the display looks, but I think I need to have more color for the next time I do something like this! I do love the pink bag, its one of our newest items, it has 7 pockets and it comes in several colors! There was quite a bit of interest in it!

I finally got to see my brother... It has been since before Thanksgiving when we saw him last. He has been super busy with his new job and position. He is now a general contractor, who subcontracts... I think I got that right... LOL! Anyways, like I said super busy. It was good to see him... I wish the visit could have been longer but he had to get home to his family and I had to feed mine!

Picky is doing really well in the competitions. The tournament we were in 2nd place going into the elimination  / semi final rounds. We got eliminated in the first round. I did win a bowling ball though, so Picky is very happy, especially since she needed a new ball! We were told that this is an aggressive ball. I guess it's going to go down the lane, yelling and scare all the pins down! LOL! I know to funny!

Last week I started to tie the ends into the moss stitch blanket... Nope not done yet, I just wanted to get a head start on it.... It's coming along nicely. One day I might actually find the time to finish it up! I can see myself right before Spring breaks finishing.... Who ever said winter is the down time season must never have had kids... LOL!

This week is going to be crazy busy also! Grim has a doctors appoints as do I. We have more competitions, practices and tournaments. I need to take Band monster to put her prom dress in layaway, because they only allow one dress / style per school, so I need make sure she gets the dress she wants and that no one else will have it for the two schools proms she will be attending. Yeah, senior year! I will say this much DISNEY has come out with a line of prom dresses they are to die for! The into the Woods collections is stunning!

I had to make a cup of tea this morning with my honey lemon mixture in it.... I'm starting to feel just a little run down. Plus, being around all these people the last two weeks has just racked my system. It's snowing right now and I have the flamboyant afghan on my lap that I really really need to tie the ends into! Well, I guess I should be off to do that!

Take care this week.... I don't know when I'll be back but you can bet I'll have a ton to say!

Yart

Where did the Weekend Go?

I guess that's a great question that needs some history! Doesn't it always though....

Monday after bowling practice I was told in an off handed way that there was to be a bowling fundraiser on Sunday. Ok, I didn't think anything more of it as I figured I would be told more details over the week. What I didn't count on was what the week was to hold.

Tuesday and Wednesday, Grim and I had deposition prep, we did that for almost 8 hours. Then Thursday Grim was to give his deposition but it was tossed on me to give mine as well. Once we get home, the monsters are already at the bowling alley practicing. We get there and I am almost immediately hit with this fundraiser by one of the other mom's......

Do you want to do this, that and another thing.... The mom was like I have been asking questions but I get no answers.... So I make the split second decision to go talk to the coach and ask if he wants a bowling booster? He of course says yes as he has been trying to do all this on his own.... Because all he gets is questions and little to no help. So I tell him not to worry I will take care of everything.

In the morning I talk to the athletic director and get the details to the booster.... It had been set up but no one had wanted to run it?!? At least until I came along. So then, we had a competition on Friday night. I bought 50/50 tickets.... Just as they are about to draw the number I say out loud that if I win I will buy material to make the frayed fleece scarves in the school colors. Yep, guess who won! After the competition I ended up at Joann Fabrics to get the material. I bought 6 yards of two colors and ended up getting 11 scarves... ( I think next time I will measure differently to get more out of the material.)

These aren't our colors but I found the picture and the directions for them here at Make & Takes

Saturday, Picky monster and I get up early, dress nicely and hit the streets looking for donations so that we can host a raffle. The business's that we went to were all so very generous. I was astounded by it. Unfortunately, I only had about 2 hours to do this.... But I was able to get over $200 worth of donations.

For the bake sale I made Easy Lemon Bars here at Just Being Me

We had a ton of baked goods brought in by the moms and donations for the raffles also!

With the bowling, raffles, bake sale, scarves and 50/50 we are off to a really good start to being able to pay for everything we need this year!

In 3 days I pulled a fundraiser out of thin air. I am so proud of myself.... the old me would never have attempted anything like this. I guess 2013 is my year after all!

Yart

Almighty Dollar

My grandmother did quite a few things like this to get by. My grandfather died at the age of 52, leaving my gram to raise the remaining 3 children with no pension or money of any kind. Now mind you I was little only 6 when he passed and my gram never worked a full time job?!? She sold Avon. She went to bingo.... The woman was so very lucky... she also played the lotto 49... there to she was lucky... .Not big lucky but enough to cover expenses. She use to take the boys out on the back road to look for bottles in the ditches to get the return money. I use to sit with my grandmother and we would cut out any and all coupons we could find. She would use quite a bit as she still had 3 of the 6 children still living at home. She use to go to yard sales and find great items that she was able to re-sell or barter for things she needed. She would host several yard sales a year. It wasn't uncommon to have an antique dealer come by the house to see what she had to offer. One of her most valued finds were the Royal Daltons (mind you this was before they lost their quality). One of the things that use to amaze me was she was always on the look out for books. When we would go north on our summer trips, she would take these books and sell them up there. The reason this was neat was that is what paid for the trip. There was no Amazon or any other direct shipper. She was the one of the main suppliers of reading material for that area. The property that gram lived on was almost 2 acres. She leased out the back part of the land to one of the area farmers. I think she made enough to cover the taxes. Great deal for both of them.... She also got to glean what ever was left out in the field.

The reason for all this talking my gram up is she was able to make it without very much. Honestly, I didn't realize that money was ever tight for her. She always had food, heat, & her and I always went on trips together. It hit me today, I don't want to walk in her shoes.... but it wouldn't hurt to start taking some plays out of her book. I'm tired of always paying for this or that. Always being accountable to someone else, just because I have bills to pay. Being at the whim of taxes, gas stations, grocery stores, natural gas companies, & the list goes on. 

Years ago I started on a path to a more sustainable life. Somewhere along the way I fell off the path. I'm not saying that I started buy diamonds and furs... LOL! But I seem to have lost sight of the end goal. You know where we want to be 5, 10 years done the line... Because to be honest we are at that point.... 5 - 10 years ago we had goal and dreams that should be in place right now and they aren't. Time to evaluate what is really important and figure out how to get there before another decade slips by. As I do things I will be posting them.

The first thing that needs to happen is that I need to sell the little car. Its only just over a year old and its costing us way to much. We thought when we bought it that it would be good on gas, cheaper payment. Well, that's true, what we didn't know was how much the insurance was going to be for the little car. Lets just say it is almost as much for it as I pay for full coverage on my suv and no-fault on the truck. Not a good thing. Once that's sold then I can use that money towards the next goal. But this one has to be done first. So I'm off to advertise it in the paper! Wish me luck!!!

Yart

Scrap-ghans!

Sorry the pictures went sideways and I'm not sure how to make them straight... So lets just go with its a neck stretching exercise! You know new year, new you and all that rut!

I just wanted to give an update on what is happening with the scrap-ghans!

As you can see I'm going to be tying ends in for forever!

As you can see I'm still plugging along as I find time. But this next one, now that the monsters are back in school I will be making more squares. I have time sitting in the parking lot waiting to drop off or pick up.

Lots of pretty colors! This is all the scrap yarn I had left from all the blankets I did over the year.

As you can see I have quite a few made. They take up the entire table with a stack at the end. I even have another one almost finished that should have been included. Once I have the size I want I will be using what I have left to make a groovy-ghan!

Yart

Got Creative

This is my newest idea.... I got the ready made material from Joann's and sewed in the seam. I figure that as I loose weight I can just keep taking it in and it won't look stupid. I know most of my clothes will still fit as I loose as most are too tight right now. But I wanted something new and instead of spending lots of money that I don't have I got this material at 60% off and got a cute little skirt. And I also found a couple other fabrics at are so cute for summer... But those will have to wait till more money falls into my lap... LOL! Isn't that always the way though!

Speaking of weight... I'm down 2 pounds. This fitbit is keeping me accountable... I hope that it keeps doing its job and keeps my motivated. The last couple days I have been able to do the 10k steps and the 10 floors.  The family just laughs but they get out of my way... Yep, I have been doing laps inside the house. Yes, I have a treadmill but that hurts my foot to walk on and the basement is cold.... really cold!

I'm off to work on my steps, so then I can get some crochet done... I have 3 more blankets in the wings and a pillow!

Yart

My family knows me

My nephew knows me so well. This is what he got me for Christmas. It is 100% Alpaca. It is 3 ply and 250 yards. The Alpaca's name is Reba, just in case I want to go and get more I know which one to get... LOL!

My girls got me a set of crochet hooks.... You know you can never have to many. I like it because it goes from D-K and it has a nice carry case that I can add to also.

My mom got me the first 4 seasons to the Big Bang Theory. I have only been watching the re-runs since last March. I had never seen it before we were stuck in a hotel and that was the only thing on. I love the show and Sheldon! I love that I can see it from the beginning. So far I've only gotten to disk 2 of season 1. Maybe this weekend I can get time to watch more of it.

I'm still plugging away with the moss stitch blanket. We didn't get any snow, so no sledding for the monsters. And I found out today that my order from Thirty-one has shipped. I can't wait to see the new line of products. Yeah! 

I'll be back with more later!

Yart

A New Year, Already?!?

I can't believe that I haven't posted since last year.... LOL! I know it never gets old...

So how were the holidays for everyone? Good I hope. We were very low keyed this year. We didn't even have a house full. All of our single friends became attached this year so that was nice. We didn't rush to get things done... if they weren't done then they stayed undone until after. I think I like that way better then rushing to get things done and end up missing out.

Each member of the family got a new afghan. Of course I don't have pictures.... that would be silly. But I will get them up before the week is over. We will be taking the tree down today. I shut the lights off two days ago and the thing just looks sad... so away it goes!

I took the monsters sledding for the first time. I know, I know.... This should have done long ago but lots of excuses why it never happened.... That has been rectified! They are now hooked and watching the weather for more snow! They have gone twice now.... the second time we would have been out longer but Picky ran Mouthy over. Not on purpose, it was definitely and accident. Needless to say, that trip was cut short.

I got a fitbit for Christmas.... It is an all seeing, all knowing electronic device that measures, steps, distance, flights of stairs, calories, has a stop watch feature and even knows how I sleep. Freaky, I know! But its a challenge to actually get the steps in for the day as is the stairs. Next week I start on the Jamie Easton 12 workout program... I even have a workout buddy! ;o) spiffy I know! I'm hoping to be done 30 pounds by the end of March, shouldn't be to hard to lose 2 pounds a week. I can hope!!!

Here is a picture of my newest addition!

It's almost 3 feet long and wide enough for a Queen size bed. I still have lots of work to do on it. I just wanted to show off the progress. Hard to believe that this is the same yarn that made this blanket.

I think I'm going to start a flicker account. Tumblr is ok but I think flicker might be better so I can post collages!

Anyways, lots of plans for the new year!

Grim will be having his surgery at the end of the month. This will bring a great many difficulties as he will be immobilized for the first 4 weeks after the surgery. He will be off work for a total of 16 weeks. So he will like a one legged man in a butt kicking contest. So for January I will be cleaning and getting everything ready for this as I don't think I will have much time to do after.

I am so excited and I can't believe I waited this long in the post to share. I got an opportunity to attend/host at a Tradeshow! What this means is I will have a table set up with all my Thirty-one products and there are going to be over 500 women in attendance! I'm hoping for 10% to be interested in the product enough to want to have shows. Especially, since we have some fabulous deals for the next 3 months. Could you imagine 50 shows in the next 3 months! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! How cool would that be!

So much more to share, so little time! I will be back later to post more!!

Yart