Life and Olive the Above

After a very long and cold winter, even a few days ago chattering in the cold weather, this weekend brought with it plenty of hot sun and I could not have been happier!

I thought I would display a couple shots I took last night while at a fondue party a friend of ours hosted. I am working on getting a great night time shot for an on-line assignment and these were my first two attempts. They are 13 Seconds long with a slow flash.

Well for me winter has always been a season of hot drinks and plenty of projects. School hasn’t always allowed for the former luxury but I have always managed regardless.

I occasionally go through some of my favourite websites seeing if any updates have occurred since my last visit (yes, I know about RSS feeds…) and this one always strikes me because of the beautiful mug and although I’m not a huge fan of Chai, I have always enjoyed brewing my own blend of spices to create a tasty cup. It’s been a long while since I did this last and I feel inspired!

(Inspired by Cookbook Catchall)

Another project I’ve got my eye on is a clutch. I’ve always had a thing for accessories and all the better if I can make it myself. I’ve got a load of great fabric just waiting to be used and this may well be one of those. I found it on Craftster.org a great place to get a little life back in the sewing room or wherever it is you create.

Today, April 17th, 2008, I ran my sewing machine needle over a metal portion of a zipper. In so doing, I have significantly altered its precious timing and it will no longer join fabric in a way that sewing machines should. Although this is likely quite fixable, I’m still lamenting that I cannot finish my weekender bag today and thus, will not be able to take it with me to Victoria tonight. I fear it will cost me a lot to get it fixed because it’s so old and I can only see that as a salesmens perfect opportunity to jack up the price. Oh Singer, I love you.

Photographed is someone else’s Singer 15-91. I couldn’t get myself to go into the back room to photograph mine as I’d probably end up sulking and feeling oh so sad and that just wouldn’t help the problem.

I swear I take on too many projects, but you’d have a difficult time to try and stop me! Soap making, photography and even sewing, they’re all in my repertoire and here are some photos Steve took for me one day of people using my slings. One day we’ll set up a studio and get official looking photos but until then, I’m focusing more on the bath and body care products and slings are mainly just for those who know me and know how much I adore them for all the benefits the kids enjoy but also how fashionable they are.

It’s still just the first week of three months without a job. It’s strange how in this process I come to realize how much I placed my worth in how well I could manage on my own, making my own money, and although not making a lot, I brought something home at the end of the day and it brings it own ideas about where we are in the world. For me, it’s quite easy knowing who I am in the work force, I work hard, I’m dedicated and I can lead but now I’m forced to figure out who I really am, who I am when I don’t have a job and I can’t provide for myself. This dependance is foreign, sure we grow up this way but once we’ve been doing it ourselves for this long, it’s difficult to feel it’s “okay”.

Since Thursday however, I have managed to tackle a sewing project that I wanted to try, but to be plain, I never really thought I could pull it off very well. I proved myself wrong when at long last I replaced my favourite hoodie, not by buying a new one, nor by replacing the zipper, but by making a whole new one from scratch, with jus the details I’d wanted, long, cozy, aubergine purple and with a high zippered neck to keep me warm.

Voila! I did it, and it doesn’t exactly look homemade, needless to say, I’ve been thrilled with how it turned out, and how cozy it is…. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t worn it every day since I made it (if not the whole day, at least in part). Also during the holidays I made myself a new bag, and all who know me know I just love accessories and I couldn’t resist to make this gem of a bag.

Hopefully it’s a sign of my creative self crawling back out of hibernation and many things will follow, if only I can figure out how to pay for it!

In other news I’m trying to keep things up with Etsy, trying to keep my shop full and stocked (thought I’m still far from it) and hopefully that will help me to keep myself afloat for awhile while I head back to school*.

*Today was my first day back in class and to my delight I actually got into every class that I wanted in the schedule that I wanted despite being waitlisted for 2/3 of them.