Tuesday, November 20, 2012

I just kinda suck at some stuff, okay?

What oh what have I gotten myself into, folks? Oh lordylordylordy.

So Jessica at Housewifespice  is hosting this snazzy Jesse Tree ornament swap.  And I was all "Sure!  This seems fun!  I like fun things!  Let's do it and it'll be fun!".  But do you know what I forgot?  That I am not creative or artistic or imaginative or, most of the time, even actually interested in having real fun.  I just like the idea of fun.  Or the things that I find fun are not fun in the "enjoyable" sense of the word.  Like, I think spreadsheets are "fun".  And organizing the towel shelves.  And color-coding my closet- ideally with actual codes being involved.  

 Did you just die a little inside?  I'm so sorry.

Not really. 

Anyway, I'm sitting there yesterday, minding the puke, and suddenly some of the other females brave foolish wonderful enough to also volunteer are e-talking about...wait for it...THE FACT THAT SOME OF THEM ARE ALREADY FINISHED WITH THEIR ORNAMENTS.

Shut the front door, females.  You're finished?  We hadn't even started!  We hadn't even decided what we were making.  I mean, there were, like, 9 days left before the deadline.  And do you know what else I like besides spreadsheets and properly folded linens (including sheets.  See what I did there?)? The last minute.  The last minute and I are BFF, yo.

But then...thenthenthen...I remembered that we had just gotten one of these, which my darling husband had driven to work, leaving me with freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee access to my very own motorized vehicle (I'm a big girl now!).  So I hounded folks on the fb page, got a zillion awesome ideas, settled on the easiest one (what can I say?) and hauled my brood to the tantalizing aisles of Hobby Lobby so we could do this thang and maybe NOT wait until the last minute and work and work and work and work and..., well, so far we have this:



Oi, we are straight ghetto.  But we will FINISHED ghetto folk, and that's what really matters, yes?  Please say yes.

Lots of work still to do and apparently (I swear we have tons of time.  Why are we doing this already?) not a lot of time do it in, so I'll stop blabbing.

p.s. Do you know how hard it is to find a simple list of symbols for Mary?  Super hard.  Which is why social media is better than google.  Full stop.

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30 comments :

  1. I'm not exactly sure what those are... But WOOT! for being done! ;)

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    1. They're not done yet! No ma'am- still working our little uncrafty fingers to the bone...

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  2. I'm making felt ornaments this year too. I have no idea why I thought I was capable of this.

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  3. It's funny. I saw the ornament swap and I knew I'd be the one making the glue and glitter covered pine one that everyone would throw away so I stayed clear but those grey thing look legit! You go girl!

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    1. Hahahahahaha! I am laughing so hard at this! Sometimes things are so ugly you just can't throw them away, you know? That's pretty much the level I'm shooting for.

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  4. I joined the same exchange and bought the supplies but haven't even started. You should have heard my inner dialogue in the felt aisle of Michael's. Something along the line of "WTH was I thinking?!?!" while my 3 year old asked me what we were doing as we circled the entire store no fewer than three times and the felt aisle a dozen times more for good measure. - Ingrid

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  5. What??? You're not done yet? Get your fanny moving! Break out the inhumane work conditions and turn that craft table into a sweatshop! It's "no soup for you" until those little children of yours are finished and the box is ready to ship!!!

    OK, seriously, some of us live a lot further from IL than you do and some of us are also compulsive early arrivers because the thought of ever being late is worse than being flayed alive. Now, back to your crafting!

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    1. "the thought of ever being late is worse than being flayed alive"
      That must be like a heavenly grace. Really. I applaud you. We rock the walk in at the Gospel right now...seasons of life...that could use some changing!

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  6. Oh.my.goodness. We would SO be friends if we lived closer to each other. Crafts give me the hives. Other people invite my children over to their houses for craft projects to revive the inner artist in their craft-deprived little homeschool hearts. It's sad. I know. For fun this weekend, while my husband was gone, I cleaned and organized the closet under the stairs. With a storage shelf. And baskets. And (get ready for it......!) LABELS!! Yes - be still your heart. I finally bought my dream toy - a labeler. It's the best thing EVER. Sad, really.

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    1. Labels...I would spend birthday money on them. Really. And sticky notes? Oh my gosh. NERD ALERT! I have like dreams about all the different sticky notes.

      I'm envying the labeler!!

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    2. Oh, Kris and Suzette, you are singing my song! Organizers, Unite!

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  7. Are you making a fleur de lis? I think that's what those shapes look like. It's probably better to make a small plethora of one ornament for a swap like the one you're doing than to insanely decide that you'll just whip up another felt calendar totally forgetting that the last time you did such a craft that you swore you'd never work with felt again.

    I'm with you on finding organizing things to be fun. I live for organization but my kids and husband don't. They just don't know what they're missing out on.

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  8. I've had the same "what was I thinking" thoughts running through my head this week. Especially because we're moving in like 5 days! But actually painting is a bit cathartic for me...so instead of packing I've been painting apples on little wooden disks and painting 6 pieces of furniture! Why not?

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  9. I even went to knitting group at a friends' house tonight in the hopes that I would knock that stuff out and be at the post office today. I completed 2 more anvils. Still have 32 swords and 18 anvils to complete. And instead of crocheting, I cracked stupid jokes and ate my weight in cheese and crackers and various other foods. Dammit...

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  10. LOVING the fleur de lis that I see! Rock. It. Girl.

    Me and last minute? Totally BFF too. It's a shame. I was that on-the-ball kid at one time. And then college happened. And I ain't never looked back since college. Maybe I should. It might make life less crazy hectic. And I might get to mass...on time...with dry hair...and clothes that don't make me "look like a librarian." Yea, quoting my hubby. Gotta love him!

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  11. Those gray things are fleurs de lis, right? Marian symbols!

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    Replies
    1. And in real life they're blue! I'm not THAT ghetto... ;)

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  12. You hauled 5 kids out?
    Never mind crafts, you win, lady. You win.

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    1. Two of them are like free nannies. So....less work for me than you taking out 2 littles and that is a true story!

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  13. absolutely no idea what you were on about at all up there - must be something from your part of the world? but so get the folded laundry thing - that is truly a happy Christmas when the towels are colour coded.

    Love your work;)

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  14. You hauled 5 kids out TO HOBBY LOBBY?!?! That's what you really win for. I haven't been there in, oh, since I had kids. So many breakable sparkly items teetering precariously at toddler level.

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    1. Built in nannies! Built in nannies! My 10 & 11 year old girls are sooooooo helpful. You should totally get some ;)

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  15. Dwija - you drank the Kool-Aid didn't you!??!?!!! - you became one of THEM - the cool moms - oh well, have fun - have a great Thanksgiving, jen

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    1. Nononononono...not cool at all. Slave driver/sweatshop maven perhaps!

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    2. so happy you didn't drink and remain full on dork - p.s. saw the ornaments and have to admit that they are very, very pretty - tell the girls that they did a great job!! - Have a Blessed Thanksgiving, jen

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  16. Dwija, reading you is like learning a little more about myself. I don't like "fun" either! I like organized events! I like a schedule! I like knowing this is the day we wash, this is the day we (avoid) cleaning, this is the day we grocery shop, this is the day we go to church ... constant struggle of wills at our house. Alex just doesn't get it. Why are free-spirited husbands so attractive to uptight-wife-types? Then again, thinking about being married to a male version of my Type-A self gives me the heebie-jeebies!

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  17. Do you and the kids like to make cookies? I think I have the best "recipe" for homemade Christmas ornaments/air fresheners. Take apple sauce (no I don't have any idea of how much ... but let's just say a cup) add ground cinnamon (you can get large containers at Sam's, Costco or bulk foods) until you form a dough. Work dough with hands (until well mixed) and then roll out flat. Cut with cookie cutters and then just let them sit on drying rack until they dry (try setting them up on top of the fridge -- this takes several days) or put them in the oven on like 200 degrees overnight. (Turn them over several times while they dry - they'll be nice and flat then.) Enjoy the lovely, holiday scent while they dry. Makes it smell like you've been slaving away baking! When dry, file off sharp edges with a nail file or smooth sand paper (or don't file them for a rustic/country look.) You can decorate them sparingly with glitter, paint, whatever but just outlining them is best so the scent isn't covered up. They last for years if you pack them away carefully.

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    1. I forgot ... don't forget to put a hole in the top BEFORE DRYING so you can hang them when they are done.

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  18. Ha!
    The 'scared to death of being late' and the 'waiting to the last minute thing' must be a genetic gene... I just finished a post about my own nightmares of the ornaments to Jessica's swap being late.

    Really excited, though, to have your gift on my Jesse tree this year! Looking forward to it, really!!!

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