Life In Color

Free Association Wednesday

                                                                   Russia

This ones for you mom. Just comment on the first thing that popped into your head when you saw that word. If you need help see the first Free Association Wednesday.

                                                                    Russia

Hello, we are one year old today

So Life in Color is one year old today. How to celebrate? A little history first? Ok.
I had just started reading blogs, and Bj said to me, "hey you have good stories, you should do this, I'll help you set it up." So I decided to give it a try, thanks Beeg! I've loved having a blog from the very fist post. I especially love it now that I am looking back on the year. I decided on "Life in Color" because it had been my senior show title and I always loved it. I really think that is how my life is. So in the last year:

-I've opened a business, and watched it grow, sweating and crying and loving it.
-Moved back home.
-Turned 25, a quarter of a century people.
-Taken more pictures than any other year of my life.
-Gained 5 pounds :(
-Put 9,975.2 miles on my car
-Had two grandparents die
-Saw my best friend get married (and many other people as well)
-Went to Vegas, Seattle, Alaska, Palm Springs, San Fransisco, Halfway, and the Tri-Cities
-I've got over a dozen bouquets from Bj, but no ring
-Best of all I've reconnected with old friends and made great new ones.

Sometimes I feel a little down when I think things aren't going my way. I feel like maybe I'm a bit of a looser living at home. I wish Ribbon Jar was doing better, even though it is doing well. Then I look at the blog. It's weird, but just now looking back over the year I can't feel bad about where I am. I feel like I've done so much and am so lucky that it's silly to be upset that things aren't perfect. Because I don't think they ever will be, that's what makes life interesting. No, a year ago I wouldn't have guessed I'd be here. I think I would have said, "I'll be engaged, and a everyone will love Ribbon Jar so much that Oprah will want me on her show."  But then I always have dreamed big. And I wouldn't have said that I would live for the comments and interaction on the blog, but I am so glad I have it. I love comments, living and working at home can be a bit solitary, so they are always welcome! So I guess I'll stick around for another year, see what happens, what do you think?

P.S. I wanted to do something for the anniversaries. I've never been that big on them, however. So I thought a game might be fun. Who wants to guess when my car will roll over to 200,000 miles? If you do post your answer. Winner will get a stellar package I promise you. I'll start collecting things for it now. And I suppose you could guess that my car will die before it gets there, but I only have 2160 miles to go, so that might be a bit mean.

The hack that won't die...

Or, why I haven't been posting so frequently. See I've been sick with this lousy cough/throat combo thing for ten days now, and it's really starting to drain me. I finally went to the doctor today (and can not wait to get the bill for my three minuet visit, yes!) and got an inhaler prescribed. I've never snorted/smoked/inhaled anything before so I was quite nervous about it. Even though I am not coughing right now because of the singulair ("I can go where I wanna go and be where I wanna be") I still don't like the whole idea/experience of using it. It feels weird. I also have to take Mucinex, which really grosses me out because of their nasty little mucus people commercials. Anyways I got on to post because I wanted to share some fun stuff. I did manage to get to the beach with Sciarrino, yes coughing the whole time. We went to a bunch a thrift stores, a few antique stores, a yarn shop, and some fabric shops. My finds:

We stumbled upon this little yarn shop in Pacific City and I couldn't resist their awesome sale. I really want to knit up a sweater, and I really didn't want to buy a few here and there balls so I decided to take the plunge and get 15 balls of Debbie Bliss Casmerino Aran (that I raved about here) for when inspiration hits. I hope the 15 balls will make a sweater, that seemed right to me. Speaking of sweaters, check this out:

Old mohair sweater that is so so awesome. It is lined, so it's not really itchy, and it fits perfectly (I especially love that it's so long). I think this is going to be great over a sun dress in the summer! I can't wait to wear it, I only have to knit one little part in the back to fix, but it really looks pretty good. My favorite thing:

Love this pillow, in fact, I got a set. Usually older white things = yucky, but these looks so so awesome!!!! I squealed when I realized there were two. But look at the picture more closely and you will see something else cool. My mom painted my room while I was away for the day! Two shades of purple, it's yummy, and so NOT peach, and for that I am thankful. :) I can't wait to make up a new quilt for my bed. All greens and white I think. One more set of finds:

Some great pillowcases and zippers, which are 7" (and were 10 cents each), perfect because I finally followed that tutorial everyone was talking about and made a zippered pouch:

This is actually my second one. The measurements of the tutorial didn't suit me perfectly. I was looking more for one like Sara made me for the backtack swap. I like that the fabric comes right to the edge of the zipper on hers. So I just changed the dimensions a bit. But Sara, how is yours so  perfect? Seriously, it's amazing. I'm still in love with that gift months later. Anyway I did that last night after spending most of the day at an icky auction. My mom and I are hooked on Cash in the Attic, and so we thought we go find our own treasures at an auction in town. Well it was a huge warehouse of a place, filled to the gills with stuff. I mean, so much stuff (and I was too scared to take a picture, it was quite a rough group). In fact, you only got to see some items at the beginning, then more were revealed as things were bought and pulled away. My brother got a neon beer sign and two chairs, but I lost on the only thing I wanted, an old piano stool I thought would be good with my spinning wheel. Well don't freak out but I have indeed decided to take up another hobby. I've rented a wheel and my first lesson is tomorrow!

Word to the wise...

Only take this on if you are serious:

Because while washing, drying, pressing, de-threading, and folding your fabric stash may not seem like a big project, trust me it will be. See those drawers back there? Some how all this fit in one. So I thought, hey no big deal. I'll wash it all so it will be already to use. I've decided that from now on I'm going to be a wash before I quilt person due to a few shrinkage issues in previous projects. So the thing is I really didn't think I had that much fabric, I didn't. I mean it fit in one drawer. So I do, and I realized that one washer load in, after unfolding and shaking all the fabric out. Then after the loads were washed I had to clip them all apart before putting them into the dryer because they frayed like crazy. Then after I dried them they were one big mess, more fraying. So I had to cut them, and then iron them, and then fold them.

But you know what? I am really happy that I did it. All of these pretty things are ready to use for anything! And I am going to be hunting for some vintage stuff this weekend, so I can wash that and add it to this. My new room color is going to be purple (thank you mom and god for not painting it peach), so I'm thinking an all green quilt. I don't know. One thing I do know? This time when I design a quilt, I'll factor in seam allowances. Opps!

Prettyness

Okay I had this idea for flowers like this for my special technique for hall of fame. But since I decided not to enter this year I am going to share my idea with the world. Well, the ribbon loving world. In case you didn't get my newsletter (!!! shame!!!!) my mom and I made up these adorable little dresses. I sat during a dizzy spell this morning (seriously all the cold medicine in this house is whacked I tell you, whacked) and made up a bunch of these out of satin, then sewed them on.  I think I've said before how nobody really order lots of satin. Well okay people order satin, but usually in big bunches, like for weddings, and stuff. But I don't get many orders that have a few yards here and there because I think people think it looks boring. But I'm here to tell you IT IS NOT. And these super easy flowers are a perfect example. And my super high quality satin, is still really inexpensive. I'm really not just trying to just do an ad here for Ribbon Jar (click the link, click it!), I just want people to see the coolness. Do you see it?

Okay here is the original idea:

Oh, see that paisley, they no longer make it, oh no! And while I'm sharing... here is the only other layout I completed for the contest:

I love this one. I still love this layout, even if things are a little up in the air with us. See this is why I need to scrap more frequently, because things change! Man, what stamp set are the 23 from, that's an awesome font, have to go search that out.

Free Association Wednesday

                                                                 monkey    

Have I been doing these to long? The first one I thought of we already did (slime)! Anyway comment on the first thing that popped into your little (or big) head when you read that! Need help? See the first free association Wednesday.

                                                                 monkey