I Long To Make Art... or Craft Something!

(image from elodiemusic.com)


Drama, mayhem and everyday crap!  Drama is having a 17 year old with an 18 year old boyfriend who has unimaginable drama in his home life, which of course, spills over into ours.  Then the mayhem of murder in a small town, a shooting in the same town, guns in school where my child is and strep throat that turns into pink eye.  Then pile that on to my new job, mounting bills from being unemployed, moving (still unpacking and sorting, by the way) and selling/attempting to sell stuff while downsizing.  I'm not sure why I'm so tired... ha!



(image from The Animated Woman)


So why am I sitting here smiling?  No, I didn't lose my marbles.   I just feel incredibly blessed to have a job, even if it's seasonal, have a child who is more than I could have wished for, a roof over my head (even if I'm not sure how to pay the rent), a vehicle to drive (even though it needs a tune-up and new tires), a loving family and wonderful friends.


Now, if I could just find time to get back to creating...

From Thrifty Decor Chick - How To Make Your Own Printables!

One of my very favorite bloggers, Thrifty Decor Chick, has a super awesome post right now about how to make your very own printables!  It is the best tutorial!  It walks you completely through each step with great photos of the process.  Stop by her blog and check it out!  Not just because she has an amazing blog, but she is truly a very nice person.  I got to meet her at the Goodwill Shop and Hop in 2010.... gosh!  Has it really been that long?

Hey Girl

I was already a fan of Ryan Gosling, but since I started seeing these pop up on Pinterest, I'm in love.  They crack me up!









There are a bunch more, but I want to leave you with my favorite!

Sad End of Week and eBay

I've had a crazy mid-end of the week.  Training for a new job... at this point, it's seasonal, but I'm hoping it turns into something more.  I've also made a mad dash to the old roommate's house to pick up the last of my stuff.  Has to be out by tomorrow, and I'm still not done!  Getting Lumpkin's license tomorrow, finally... and sadly, found out about the death of her Great Aunt during a home invasion.  The police are investigating and we don't know any details yet.


I'm still listing items on eBay.   Some items are handmade or embellished by me and the others are just items that I'm parting with while trying to make room in the new place.   Gotta find some quick cash for gas money next week, not to mention gas for Lumpkin's car and lunch money for the both of us.  It will be nice to have a steady paycheck again.  

Oh, and I almost forgot.  Someone brought a gun to Lumpkin's school yesterday.  (There's also an article about that, but I prefer not to identify her school.)  I didn't find out about it until yesterday evening.  Thankfully, there was not intention to harm anyone but himself, and he was talked out of it.


Hold your loved ones a little tighter, and don't forget to tell them you love them.  You never know when the last time is that you will see them.

Just Put It On The List

I'm noticing a trend with me.  I've developed an ever-growing list of things I want to make... just as soon as I 
A.  Have the time.
B.  Have the extra money.
C.  Finish the 200 other projects I want to do.


So, I thought I'd share a few that I've found today and/or recently.



Handmade Holiday Flannel Scarf



Sweater Flowers




Frozen Cherry Margarita






Scrap Curtains





Woven Rag Rug


These are just a few on the long list.  And, not necessarily in this order!  I could go for the drink right now!  wink, wink!

Colorful Clothespin Magnets

This isn't a new craft.  It's all over blogland and I've actually made them before.  I guess I just forgot how time consuming it is.  I've noticed that others don't always do more than one step to decorate clothespins, but I like for the whole thing to look good.  I painted them first, then cut out the scrapbook paper and mod-podged them on.  Once dry, I added the magnets.

I made this latest group just before Christmas for my eBay store.  I made between 100-150.  I used some magnetic strip I had in my craft stash, but I prefer the stronger single magnets.  I have quite a few left, so I will probably put some in my etsy shop too.

Baby's Got Back

Let's jump into the WayBack Machine and travel to 1992.  "OMG Becky, look at her butt.  It is so big."  Mind you, in 1992, I was a much smaller version of myself.  I always think of the song "Baby Got Back" any time that part of the anatomy is brought up.  I've noticed that I live my life in song lyrics, but that's a post for another day.  Due to the fact that I'm a whole lotta woman these days, I read this article about dressing for your body type (see link below) and found it interesting.  I don't usually talk about fashion on Lumpkin and Me, but I'm getting ready to start a new job that doesn't require scrubs and I needed some pointers on wardrobe.

The Rules Of Plus Size Style