8.21.2012

Pinterest Post #1

When we moved back to California, I wanted to decorate our new apartment but we didn't have a lot of money, moving is expensive! So, I turned to Pinterest. I know I'm a little late to the game when it comes to Pinterest, but I have to say that I rather like it. It's like a visual bookmarks list where I can go and see pictures of the projects I've saved in my crafts folder of my favorites list. And, I can see projects other people have done and get inspiration from them. 

So far, one of my favorite projects I've completed was pretty simple, just inserting different fabrics into embrodery hoops and hanging them on the wall. So graphic, yet so simple! Plus the fabric hoops were only $5 at a thrift store and the fabric I already had, so great wall art for only $5! (Sorry for the not so good picture. I couldn't get a good one without blurring the picture. The light in the living room is not really good.)




They take up a lot of the wall without making it too crowded or too busy. Also, to hang them, you just need a small hole in the wall so the damage to the wall is minimal. This makes this treatment perfect for renters. I got the idea from this post which shows gluing the fabric to the embroidery hoop. I wanted to be able to change out the fabric if I wanted, so I skipped that step.

8.20.2012

An Update

A kind reader posted the other day on here on my post about my mom wondering if everything was okay with me since I hadn't posted in months. I realized that I had dropped a bomb here about my mom having cancer and then never updated. For that I apologize! A lot has happened in the past few months in a kind of whirlwind fashion that has kind of usurped my blogging.

First, let me say that my mom is cancer free now! :) She had her surgery and the doctors didn't find any other cells beyond the tumor site so she didn't have to go through chemo therapy or any other cancer treatments. She still has to go for more-than-regular check-ups for a few years, then regular check-ups for the rest of her life. But, no more cancer!!

Second order of business is that I moved back to California! Since P is on the road, I pretty much had to move by myself. I did have help more toward the end of the move, and my mom came and helped drive the Uhaul back to CA, but I pretty much packed up the entire house myself. I had to go through all our stuff, decide what to get rid of, what to pack and what to toss. We went from a four bedroom townhouse to a two bedroom apartment, so we had to make some serious decisions and ended up getting rid of SO much! Seriously, I think the stuff I ended up getting rid of could have filled our single car garage to the brim. I can't believe we had been hanging on to all of it, and moved it, twice! I had a thrift store come twice, made three MORE runs to another thrift store/clothing drop off bin, made one dump run and even snuck some more trash into bins in local business. Shhhhh! The hardest part was going through and getting rid of the books I have read or will never read since I love books, but, it was all worth it. Actually, the hardest part was moving my heavier-than-sin sewing table down the stairs, by myself, but I digress.

Anyway, we got a cute little apartment that ended up being only five minutes away from my parents and am looking for a teaching job. None of the school districts I am close to posted open positions this summer, so I am set up as a substitute for now. I've applied for any and every position that WAS posted though, like for tutors and independent study teachers. I've had a few interviews but so far, nothing but subbing positions. *le sigh*

BUT! I'm in an area that I love again, finally! I can even see the beach from my dining room window. :) See?


See that blue in the background? Well, the tiny strip of darker blue along the roof lines way in the back there is the OCEAN! lol Here's a better picture my husband took:


This one was taken from our balcony. You can see the strip of dark blue ocean! there in the background and some sand dunes there on the left. I'm hoping that we are done moving. I mean, I feel I have only one more move left in me and that's into a house. I don't know when that will be, but hopefully in the next few years and hopefully it will be in this area. I just know that I'm not going back to Arizona. I'm going to try my hardest to get a job in my field in this area! I really hope things will work out. I'm just ready to put down roots finally, start a family, finally have some history in one place, you know? Ah, to be settled finally!

In other news, I took today off to take the car in to get an oil change, tire rotation and to have the alignment looked at. It's never been the same since I ran into a snow bank months ago and I'm kind of worried that it's getting worse. So, I'd better get going - even though the cats are trying to entice me with their cute and fuzzy warmness to stay on the couch with my quilt watching Buffy all afternoon.  =^_^=  I am planning a series of blog posts about the apartment and some projects I'm working on, so until then!