The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary can speak. Hans Hofman
First and foremost, A want to give a huge THANK YOU to all of you with your comments and emails who helped me with all my problems and daily annoyances!! UNzip a file! Who would have guessed? Certainly not me! Stronger needles! Yep, that's exactly where I went wrong. I was using small needles. Cute little pictures on the sidebar.....I'm calling Heather!! You all are so awesome and filled with knowledge that evidently I don't possess! Thanks so much again! I can't wait to sew on paper.....unzip files.... and call Heather....
Loving that seam binding?!?! Where do you think I got it? Of course, my home away from home Paper Tales. They have tons and of course I bought tons. But don't worry I left some for you. There are more colors to come. Check it out on their blog! They ship across the country.......So anyway, I went in a week ago yesterday after my blood work. It's the same MO every time I go in there: A little energy (+) creative overload (x) Michelle, Julie and I talking nonstop (the square root of) the discovery of new seam binding (divided by my first adventure out in 6 days) = Crazy, nut job, crafting fool who makes all kinds of empty promises for new crafting ideas to bring in the next week.
It goes exactly like this...... I blab on and on to Michelle and Julie how I'm going to make all these craft kits, bring in these new banners I've been wanting to work on, I'm going to organize the backroom of the store for her and, hey, I'll even clean off my desk and make some jewelry too! I'm like the flighty interior designer with plans in hand who knocks out walls and shelves in a day and then says "I'll call you next week!"...... Except next week only brings the question "has anyone heard from Karin?" Lucky for me, Michelle knows me way too well and doesn't even bat an eye at all my proclamations of what I'm going to do, planning on doing, thinking about doing, might be doing....... She just smiles at me and sends me on my way with my supplies and new seam binding knowing full well she won't see me for another week while Julie waves from behind the desk. Sniff, sniff...I love my Paper Tale friends (you too Diane!!!I I keep missing you on my good days!!)
Which leads me to my first topic of conversation......my always exciting stories on exhaustion. Yes, I know, you continually ask yourself how a person can weave endless amounts of intrigue, suspense and espionage from a story that consists little more than a snoring head, pillow and a blanket. But, as you can see my journalism degree is really paying off exponentially these days.
So anyway, this week was brutal. After two sleeping pills around 10 pm Wednesday night, I could not get to sleep. No amount of reading, watching bad tv, fooling around on the computer playing mahjong titans and counting vintage wallpapered sheep could lull me to dreamland. So frustrating.
By 4:30 am, I decided that I was staying up for good. If I were to sleep during the day I would inevitably screw the rest of my sleep schedule for the week and be sleeping throughout the day and then up again at night. At that point, I went into a frenzied mode of cleaning my studio space, returning emails, gathering tax info, and working on some tag kits. I'm such a genius. This plan is foolproof.
Well, as it turned out, not only did I sleep all day; but I slept all night as well. I effectively screwed everything up. Thursday night, I crawled into bed by 7:00 pm and was asleep by 7:01. After 15 hours of sleep, I woke up to eat something and then went back down at 3:00 pm and slept all the way through until 7:00 pm, effectively missing out on the dinner reservations we had that night. However, Cosme and the boys ended up attending the opening of the restaurant called the Brigantine that he and his company have been working on non stop for the past few weeks. Oh, and of course, the chef recognized him and served up some scrumptious appetizers and a dessert for the boys.....while I slept on the couch. He did bring me back a crab cake for me though. It made me happy.
And that is how it continued both Saturday and Sunday. My genius plan and I would get up late, stagger around house, go back to sleep. Luckily, my friend Annette took the boys all day Saturday and Cosme took them out all day Sunday so I could sleep in peace. Today I was thinking it over and after doing some historical research of the past two weeks, I've decided that I need to stop running straight out of the gate on Thursday. Two weeks ago it was Carlos' field trip and then last week the all nighter. As Dr. Phil would say, back when he normal...or semi normal...."how's that working for ya."
Well, obviously it's not. So in preparation of this week, today after treatment, I only took a small nap, relaxed after treatment and didn't drink any coffee in the late afternoon (which could have possibly, sort of, maybe caused the wide eyed insomnia on last week). I will be logging off here in a few to go to bed. I will sleep in tomorrow. And, most importantly I will be staying home resting, crafting, playing with the boys in order to not tax my body for the week. I will do the same on Friday. Once again, I'm such a genius. This plan is foolproof.
So on to another topic.....The above quote is something I've been wanting to write about for a while. I saw it on Kari's blog (I think...please correct me if I'm wrong.). It so relevant to my life right now and it has been my impetus for clearing out all the unnecessary in my life in order for all the important things to come to the forefront. Remember how this......
Turned to this.....
And, then unfortunately this again during my tag frenzy.....
But then a little bit better after my clean up on Thursday......
I don't have pictures of it but I completely cleaned up my jewelry space that was covered with a mountain of paper, craft supplies and other non jewelry paraphernalia that kept me away from doing even a simple pair of earrings I cleared it out last night and decided that beads I no longer use or have outgrown, I am going to give away to friends, donate or use in kits. That way all I have left is what I love to create new designs. Hence, the pictures above of some pieces I made after the boys went to bed last night. Jewelry is good for me right now because it's the gift of immediate gratification coupled with accomplishment. That makes me feel good and a bit productive.
I'll write more about this later. I have to turn off the lights and go to bed......Talk to you soon! Karin
