Craft(supply)aholic

I have a problem. I buy craft materials. Lots of them.

I have grand plans. I have good intentions. I have pins of inspiration. I start the project. I work on the project.

And then I don't finish the project.

SERIOUSLY. I have a problem. So. Many. Partially. Finished. Projects.

Just to illustrate my problem I thought it would be a great use of my "Five on Friday" for Oh Hey Friday post to illustrate five of my many many incomplete projects I have floating around.


1) Tassel Garland

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Inspiration: Cupcakes and Cashmere 
Year Project Started: 2013
Supplies bought: Fancy cord. Glue sticks, tissue paper in many many colors
Status: I made a total of three tassels, burned my fingers multiple times on the glue gun and have since used the tissue paper for gift wrap
Want to try it yourself?: Instructions here

2) Deer Paint By Number 

Inspiration: Hey Natalie Jean

Year Project Started: 2014

Supplies Bought: Paint by number kit from Amazon

Status: I've painted approximately a leg of that front deer, but the kit is complicated and makes you mix you own paint to get different shade variations. I clearly need to get an easier kit.

Want to try it yourself?: Save yourself some paint, get an easier kit

3) Orchid Cross Stitch

Inspiration: My grandma. She taught me how to cross stitch and I used to do little tiny projects

Year Project Started: 2007

Supplies Bought: Cross stitch product 

Status: Slowlllllly making progress and not giving up!
Want to try it yourself?: It is therapeutic. Great activity to do when watching TV, I say take it on. You can also self teach yourself this pretty easily.

4) Modern Friendship Bracelets

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Inspiration: Pinterest
Year Project Started: Does buying the supplies count?
Supplies bought: Embroidery thread, beads
Status: Haven't even attempted one.
Want to try it yourself?: Sure, and can I buy one when you complete one?

5) Glass Etched Plates 

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Inspiration: Martha Stewart
Year Project Started: Again, bought supplies, never started
Supplies Bought: Glass Plates, Etching Cream, brushes
Status: I had very good intentions of making my Idaho friends plates with their initial on them with homemade cookies for Christmas. Didn't happen.
Want to try it yourself: I think the only thing that concerned me was having a place where the etching cream wouldn't ruin any fixtures or things like that

Breaking a Rule

I broke one of my cardinal rules.

One that I have learned not to break because the rule is there for my self protection more than anything else.

But I went ahead and broke it, and now I've got to deal with the consequences.

What rule did I break?

Life Rule No. 8: (Not sure what 1-7 are, but I am sure I have them)

Thou shall not, evereth thinkith of home before sheith is on the chariot carrying her homeward.

Such a major major major no no, and yet, I didn't pay attention.

Now I am anxious with a side of spontaneous tears that crop up at really inconvenient times. Sigh.

I know better than to think about the comforts of home. The wonderful dinners with family. The beautiful views of Boise. The lack of pee smell when you walk around downtown. The nice people, who don't act like they are better, more important or smarter than you. The families who aren't in a rush, but are just ambling to enjoy the day. The ease of getting around, and comfort of knowing where everything is. The feeling that everything is ok and as it should be.

I can't wait to drink a cup of coffee looking out at the bluest of skies on a sunny morning. Or to eat a slice of pizza from one of my favorite places. Or to just eat dinner with my parents.

But there is reality. Which means I better get a grip or I am going to be leaking tears embarrassingly for far too many days before I get on that plane.

Homesickness. It is the worst.

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Luckily, I am not far off from being west bound and being back where I belong for a few days. 

p.s. funny how I never have been "homesick" for DC. Should have listened to myself a long time ago to realize this place would never be more than just a "place" to me. 

These Are Some of My Favorite Things

♥ I had no idea Hanes made such cute, simple clothing! Considering I favor solid colored cotton clothing as a work-from-home employee, I could totally get on board. They had an amazing hoodie that I wanted, but sadly it is gone- those dresses/tunics look awfully cozy though!

♥ I discovered Matthew Parker's work at the Del Ray art festival last summer and then went to purchase a Caps print for N. I love his work and would love to own more of his amazing pieces!

♥ Stamps are some of my favorite craft supplies to hoard. A few favorites right now are this versatile one, this cute one, and this scenery one.

♥ If I had a little one right now, these prints would be so adorable for a nursery. 

♥ There are some issues training the pup to stay off the couch. I wonder if this product works?

♥ Still so excited to have this back in my life. 

♥ My type of meditation. 

♥ IKEA is always been a favorite. I love that store. Once they released their paper product line here in the US, I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Their latest items are making me want to go jump in the car right now. I want it. All. All. Of. It.

From Not-So-Much, to Singing Its Praises

A long time ago my sister had splurge on a bottle of Josie Maran Argan Oil and didn't gel with it at all. She gave it to me to try since she hadn't had any success with it and didn't want it to go to waste. The multi-purpose product was quickly utilized on the ends of my long locks as I was instantly convinced it was too heavy to go on my face.

I used to be fearful of anything "oily" or heavy since I was convinced that my skin problems were from being too oily, or too much product. After some heavy research on why my skin was being so problematic I decided to try the one thing I had been avoiding like the plague and started using more intense moisturizers that even had some "oily" components to them.

The one that won out and took my skin from dull, breaking out, and looking cake-y when I was wearing foundation was the Josie Mara Argan Oil. It was a radical difference! Glow-y, dewy, and makeup covered so much more effectively once my skin was appropriately hydrated!

The other upside besides it being crazy effective? One bottle lasted so so so long! So long in fact that I forgot to chalk my newly revitalized skin up to the product and made the poor decision to go with some drug store moisturizes. Within a month my skin was back to its former embarrassing state and I was puzzled as to its downfall. After trying multiple budget friendly option, I picked up another bottle of the magical Argan oil, and voila! My face is slowly recovering.

Don't turn your back on the things that work for your skin because I am convinced they are hard to come by!

I haven't tried any of the other Josie Maran products, but if anyone has please let me know!

What other products do you swear by?
 

No Wallet. No Escape.

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This was months and months and MONTHS ago, but it was pretty dang funny so I figured I should preserve it as a "DC memory" to look back at.

Some close friends had come to DC for a wedding and a baby shower for another set of close friends. For the night of the wedding we got the privilege of watching their wonderful daughter for the evening. They had left to run some errands and see DC sites that they missed and I had set out on a last minute effort to get a baby shower gift. I drove out to Pentagon City mall (yuck- DC malls suck) ran into Nordstrom and efficiently picked out an adorable outfit and blanket. Stepping up to the cash register I reached into my bag and started feeling around.

Like most women I carry a bag large enough that I could pretend to be Mary Poppins without the ruffle collar. It quickly dawned on me, that my bag was much lighter than normal. Low and behold- no wallet.

Panic rose through my body, sweaty hands, racing heart and I mumbled something to the cashier about my wallet being in my car.

But I knew it wasn't.

It was at my apartment. Sitting on my desk.

*face palm emoji*

I took my keys out of my car turned it on and then skidded to an abrupt stop where I uttered some curse words at the realization that I was trapped. I couldn't leave the parking garage! Thanks to DC's shitty parking and overcrowding I guess nowhere thinks letting you have a free 30 minutes in a garage is fair. Short two dollars to escape (I didn't even have enough money in change from my car or bottom of my purse), I called for help.

Meanwhile, our friends had returned back to the apartment and had delivered their child into our hands for the evening, so no way could N come help. Some friends who lived in VA close by offered to come rescue me, but then I still couldn't get the baby gift I had picked out, and I was honestly...embarrassed.

Luckily, I magically had my metro cards on me. So what did I do? I rode 35 minutes back into the city, grabbed my wallet, quickly said "hi" to our babysitting charge and then metroed back out to the mall. To ease the pain, my friends who offered to rescue me went to the mall for their own errands and I got to see them, grab a beer and lament my wasted evening.

Only 257 hours later I got to head home, able to pay for my parking and with a baby gift purchased. Success! Fail.

Oh Hey! Friday!

Holy Moly! I love weekends. I love Fridays, and I LOVE Fridays that come around really fast because a week seems to fly by. 

Since I am trying (trying being the operative word) to get back in this blogging saddle, I figured it would be fun to link up with two of my favorite Idaho bloggers...whom I can only hope I will get to meet once I am on the right side of the U.S. of A. I figured I'd use this to do some "catch-up" and talk about 5 big things that didn't quite get document on this blog over the past year.

1) Wine Tasting in Oregon

Thanks to the BFs work; we made a long weekend out of some travel for one of his projects and got to go wine tasting in the beautiful Dundee area. It was a crazy relaxing day and weekend.

2) Epic Bachelorette Party

One of my nearest and dearest tied tied the knot in April; and to celebrate she threw one heck of a bachelorette party in Phoenix, AZ. Spring training, Whiskey Row, and time at the pool. It was a wonderful long weekend before I got to spend some quality time in Idahome.

3) Monticello

Last fall my parents came out and I checked off some final things on my DC bucket-list (not that I really have one because I just want to get away from this place). We took a nice little road trip and went down to see Monticello- and it ended up being one of my favorite DC experiences. 

4) Indiana Wedding

Two of my really good friends got married to each other this May in Indiana on the beautiful IU campus. It was a lovely wedding; and it was really fun to get to see a little bit of campus as well.

5) New York

While my company isn't in New York; it is close enough that popping in isn't too hard and we actually did this for a team event back in December. It was amazing getting to see the city at Christmas time.

These Are Some of My Favorite Things

♥ "If you’re waiting for the right day, the right time, the right amount of money, the right age of your children to be, the right moment—it will never come. You are going to have to do it knowing you can’t go back. Trust."

♥ We all know I think my state is the most beautiful. But I won't be above it and will fully admit that New Mexico is also pretty freaking beautiful. 

♥ My dream would be to have a space like this where I could create beautiful things and do something creative with myself. 

♥ An easy, beautiful project that I can wait to try on another weekend when it is too hot to do anything but stay in the apartment. 

♥ Sparkles. Unconventional wedding ring that could be a great option for the person who doesn't love a bit stone. 

♥ How common is your birthday?

♥ I want to have an excuse to make a fancy dessert where I can add some of these. 

A Saturday in Boise Dreamin'

The weather has been so nice here in DC ("so nice" being a relative term- but seriously; it is eerily nice this summer!) and there are moments where I even forget I am in this condemned city. Sometimes I even get whiffs (yes, actual smells) that smell just like Idahome and I my brain instantly goes into overdrive planning a day that I quickly realize I can't actually have because I am thousands of shitty miles away from everything good and lovely. But IF I were able to have that lovely day that is in my head, it'd go a something bit like this:

I'd wake up in my lovely little bungalow home, where I could pad to my kitchen and start working on coffee and making some crepes. Meanwhile; I'd let Stanley out in the backyard where he would go like under his favorite big tree and enjoy the fresh air. After breakfast and a shower; we'd head down to the Roosevelt Market; just a short walk away, maybe pick up a smoothie, or additional cup of coffee.

We'd then load up into our bright red Subaru and head to Boise Farmers Market to pick up some fresh fruits and veggies, homemade pasta, and wine from the local vineyards.

After dropping the food goods at home, Stanley would request a walk down the Boise River, so we would go meander for a few miles to get his energy out. Once he was good and tired; he would go home for a nice long nap and I would meet up with some friends for drinks and dinner at this wonderful establishment for some of my favorite beer.

All I can say is...sign. me. up.

Three Favorite Candles

I love having a few things around the apartment to make it feel a bit more feminine and "homey" and two of my favorites are candles and flowers. Both scented items- which with a new puppy who tends to smell like a salmon some days (its amazing how dirty they can get in the city!), helps mitigate some of the dog smells. While I understand that the expensive candles like dyptyque and other high end candles burn long and having some amazing scents- I am bit more about the affordable and somewhat long lasting candles. Here are three of my favorites:

1) Anemone by Illume (purchased via Furbish)

Illume doesn't carry the exact candle I bought two of (since I loved the smell and ceramic container so much) but the new enameled tumbler is beautiful and I can't wait to get my hands on it! This candle has quite a lengthy burning time and the scent is glorious and really permeates a room. A bit earthly but still light and reminds me of something I'd smell in a very soothing spa. One of my more expensive candles, but the size and burning time make it worth it.

2) White Tea by Lit and Co.

I've written about this candle and Lit & Co. before, but I can't get enough. I just can't. I have to ration my candles since I purchase in bulk and then drag them back to DC with me. And yes, while I know I can order online and have it shipped- I love the experience of going into their amazing downtown store when I am home and smelling things for myself before purchasing. My ultimate favorite still is the White Tea Scent. It is light, airy and makes your room smell refreshed and inviting. It isn't overpowering either; so I feel like it is something you could burn with guests over without the risk of turning off some one's nose. For the price, these are amazing candles. Other recommended scents: abalone, cabin in the woods, garden rose, and cotton tree. 

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3) Pink Magnolia for Target ( by Illume)

Target. I mean. Target. There are always great things at Target and the candle isle is no exception. They have tons of great scents, but this one seems to win me over. Light, floral, and in a wonderful jar that when you are done with, can be turned into a lovely vase for roses and flowers. I've turned many a friends onto this scent because for the price (and with a coupon!) is so affordable and so lovely as an everyday candle. This one burns a little bit faster- but for the price point, you can't complain.

Does anyone have any favorite candles/scents I have to try? I am always looking for a new favorite and seasonal options!

Simple Summer Dinner

Between the pup, busy work schedules and the unbearable heat that DC makes the norm, cooking isn't always high on the priority list. Any meal that is quick, simple, and requires minimal heat in the kitchen is high on the appeal list these days. To make this slightly more realistic to accomplish I luckily have an amazing little market that always carries some of the best local and fresh food.

A few nights ago I had some avocados on hand and with a quick trip to pickup some salami and cheese; an epic dinner was created.

The World Must Be Upside Down: DC Weather Edition

Seriously. The world must be upside down. Or pigs are flying. Or global warming is wonky.

Regardless, this summer weather makes. Absolutely. No. Sense.

I've been in DC 8 years (uggghhh. Shoot me now.) and I've NEVER had an enjoyable summer here. Let's me be clear...I've never had a truly enjoyable ANY season here, but summer is the worst! And last summer when I was on my DC Sabbatical I only heard about "How amazing the weather was in DC!" and I rolled my eyes, laughed, and said under my breath "Lies! All Lies!". But here I am...admitting that maybe just maybe, it wasn't that bad and this summer has been...dare I say almost pleasant.

Proof is in the pudding:

mmmmm pudding. But seriously, what is this craziness? It is usually so hot in July my shins are sweating and I refuse to go anywhere. I won't complain. I'll try to somewhat enjoy it I don't really enjoy anything in DC, but I'll pretend. For my final months in DC...I guess I'll take it. Personally, I think DC is trying to play nice so I don't leave, but I hate to tell it that my mind is already made up and set in stone. But A for effort DC. A for effort.

Letters to DC: Let's Just Keep you All in DC

Dear DC Woman Who Can't Order A Simple Coffee,

Congratulations. You sufficiently made a barista realize how rude and self important you are, and ALSO succeed in displaying to the very crowded Newark airport Starbucks store, that you are someone that we all hope misses her flight.

It is amazing to me that you think yelling is an appropriate version of communication. Also, bravo on having an insanely complicated Starbucks order, that actually isn't that complicated, but the way you say it, makes it complicated. Nice work. So by all means, considering you are the one who basically gave them the wrong order, please feel free to yell and slam your hand on the bar at the woman preparing your drink..it makes you OH so important and OH so special.

Yes, I did roll my eyes at you. But I figured it was fair game, since you clearly play by the rules that you are the only one who matters in this world, so I figured I'd play along.

Oh, also. That outfit makes you look like a stuffy government employee who is wasting tax payer dollars by being inefficient, so good work- you dress that part well I am sure.

Another bravo was on your amazing ability to look "busy". Having your earphones in like you would while you are on a call, but then showing the world you were really playing candy crush....*slow clap*.

Sadly, I was the poor soul who had to sit next to you on the flight. So I actually got to witness you "busy & important" self yell and the flight attendant as well. You were so spot on of being the DC jerk, that I almost laughed....until you dropped the f-bomb. Classssssy.

At least you were flying back to DC, perhaps you should just stay there. Be corralled by all the other similar people and please don't leave the area, so as to not infect the rest of the world with your abysmal behavior. K? Thanks!

Self Importantly Yours,

Andrea

Getting back to Getting Crafty

I've been in a creative wasteland for...weeks...Months....YEARS! Ok.ok.ok. not years, but it feels like it. When you hate where you live, you tend to not do a lot of things. Which is funny...when I first moved to DC (and hated it even then!) I threw myself into crafts, blogging, cooking, baking, sewing, etc.. Just about anything to distract me from the fact that I hated my surroundings and the decision I had made to move across the country. Well...fast forward six miserable DC years...now I've just resorted to glasses of wine, TiVo and a puppy to distract myself from the awful aspects of my geographical location.

But, the streak had to break. I've been feeling off. Robbing a part of myself that is natural...and just me. So I conned a friend into going to a paint-your-own-pottery studio this weekend. Naturally, I picked the day where there were flash flood warnings and there was so much water pouring from the sky, it was virtually impossible to stay dry. Nonetheless, we had an amazing time and created some wonderful pieces.

I used to do this all the time growing up for birthday parties and "mommy and me time" back in the day, but I'd forgotten how relaxing and therapeutic it was to just paint, overthink colors and develop a crick in your neck from crouching over your masterpiece. It was lovely. It made me feel better. It made me realize how tired I am of sacrificing myself for some awful place. (If you haven't picked up on it...my days are number here in DC).

We spent the afternoon at Paint This! in Old Town; and it was perfect. It was cute, stocked with so many options of pottery pieces and colors I could have stayed for days. The prices were amazing...an entire afternoon of entertainment...less than $30!

We created some pretty amazing masterpieces if I do say so myself!

I was inspired by this and this for my bowls.

Ashley painstakingly did every single one of those polka dots on hers!

I'll definitely be back for some more craft therapy!