Tick...Tock...Tick...Tock...

Time is an interesting thing - the concept of time, the passing of time, being short on time, having too much time.  All very interesting.

I'm becoming more and more aware of my lack of understanding of how much time it really takes to do anything - like chores or crafts.  I'm attempting to estimate how much time something takes to accomplish and then see how close to my estimate I can come.  Sometimes - ok, most of the time :) I'm way off.

I'm not sure where this comes from but I think it has to do with the way my brain is wired.  But that doesn't mean it's a deficiency, it just means different.  So, my plan is to acknowledge it, factor it in to the mix and modify what I do to fit my particular brain :)

So, the other day I was finding something fun to wear and found my really cool "Hippie" necklace 

Then I realized - heyyyy - I have no cool Hippie Earrings to go with this!!  I pouted for half a second then decided to stop whinin' and solve my problem!  I started to make a list of options in my head and decided I wanted to make some.  I was trying to get some errands done so I wanted to get out the door but my girlie side was saying "Earrings! Must have cute Earrings!"  heehee.  So, I realized this could be a good opportunity to work on my time issue.  So, I thought - hm... let's see how long it would take me to make some earrings - I already had all the pieces and parts and tools needed sitting on my work table because I had just made some Wine Bottle Candelabras (See previous post).  So, less than half an hour later (Yea, only half an hour!!), I had myself a pair of Hippie earrings made from an old pair of hoops and some beads from my stash!!!

Half an hour!  Coolness!  If I knew it was only going to take half an hour, I woulda made them long ago!

I think it'll be working on this 'problem'.  Who knows all of the fun things I'll make while practicing estimating time :)

*** Hic ***

I'm at it again :)

I am having a blast - friends are giving me things that they may have otherwise thrown away because they know I'll be able to make something out of nothing!


So.... if life gives me wine bottles...

....make Candlabras!!  :)

Ehhhh.....Watcha Gonna Do....

So, 'funny' story.

I had the privilege of being asked to do Cynthia's wedding cake! She calls me "Aunt Michele" and so do her 2 sisters :) Cynthia is the last of the 3 to get married and I made wedding cakes for all 3! How cool is that?? The wedding was yesterday.

So, Christmas day was baking day. Cynthia wanted champagne cake - oh, my word, it is now one of my new wedding cake flavors. It is just totally yummy! Christmas evening was to be frosting making time. As I went to wash the beaters in preparation, I could only find

one beater......
hmm...
mysterious....

You would think a seasoned cake decorator would have a backup mixer but noooooooo! I called my friend, who I knew was at a friend's house, and asked if they might have a mixer I could borrow.

Nope.

BUT - my friend said - don't worry, I'll handle it, I'll see you in a bit. Sure enough, she showed up and was able to find a pharmacy open that had one lone mixer left on the shelf! Yay! We opened it up, plugged it in and.......

Nothing.

It didn't work.

***sigh***

So, an adventure ensued. She left to go to another pharmacy in the same chain, so she could return the one she had and get another. We decided to hop on our laptops and cell phones to try to find something open, in the area, at 6pm on CHRISTMAS DAY where we might find a mixer!!! Well, she found one, made them plug it in before she bought it and brought it to me.

Aaaalrighty then - back on track for wedding cake production. I started making frosting and...

can you guess..... ??

The brand new mixer STOPPED WORKING AFTER THE FIRST BATCH!!

SERIOUSLY???? REEEEALYYYYYYY????

Well, I was done. I decided to go to bed early, wake up at 5 and be in the Meijer parking lot to buy a mixer. So, that's what I did. I was in the parking lot at 5:40 so I listened to music and relaxed and kept an eagle eye on the door so I could get in ASAP. Sure enough, there was no unlocking the doors until the big hand hit the 12!

I went in and found the mixers. After drooling over the Kitchen Aid stand mixers for just a moment, I moved my way down to the hand mixers. While silently thanking my mom for the gift card, I found a heavy duty mixer - stainless steel, 16 speeds with digital readout for $30 !

THANK YOU MOMMY!!

I brought home my new toy and was in 'Go Mode' knowing I had just a few short hours before the wedding. Luckily, I had helpers that were willing to do whatever I asked of them

THANK YOU JEANNETTE AND KIRSTEN!

I flew out the door at 11:20 which was going to be cutting my set up time pretty short - the wedding was at 2! I still had to go to JoAnn's to possibly find some fabric for under the cake stand. Luckily I found some and it was half off!!

I arrived at the church around 12:45 and fervently started setting up. Shortly before 2, I was still working on the cake when everyone went upstairs for the wedding. I could hear the piano playing and then the muffled tones of the pastor. I finally finished and while I was taking pictures of the finished cake, I heard the applause being given after the first kiss! Moments later, the newly married couple breezed into the reception hall to find everything in perfect order!

Whew!!!

And here is what they found!

Samples for Acquinas College

Hi Acquinas College People! Here are samples of what I'll be bringing to the craft show at the Carriage House.

Fleece Scarves for $5


Flat Glass Marble Magnets - 75cents and $1


Cell Phone holders made from the sleeves of recycled sweaters for $8


Recycled Baskets decorated with recycled sweaters and trim $8 - $25


Thanks for the consideration and I hope to hear from you soon!!

OK, I think I'm on a roll....

Maybe there really IS always a silver lining. :)

My 2 day low grade fever forced me to stop. I had places to go from Monday night through today-

Monday night - Supper with Matthew
Tuesday morning - West Michigan Prayer Center Meeting
Tuesday afternoon - Lunch with the girls from the Tuesday morning meeting
Tuesday evening - attempt to make some things for the craft show Saturday
Wednesday - Kaden Day!!


Wednesday evening - trip to Holland with my best friend
Thursday - work at the office
Thursday night - Supper with Matthew (rescheduled from Monday)

Sheesh!!!

So, while I've been limply laying in my bed, I've had time to think. I realized this is running from one thing to another with never enough time to really do anything just craziness and I have to come up with a plan. I can't just run around like a crazy woman. I need to be a crazy woman with a schedule and a plan :)

I thought about the things I want to do, and the things I need to do and thought about how I could fit the two together. I realized there were scheduled things that I had no choice in, like the Tuesday morning meeting, and other things that I plain need to find time to do like make things for craft shows. So I thought of which days are already full, which ones aren't, what days would be best for what. I opened an excel spreadsheet and made myself a chart and filled it in! Woot! I even scheduled free time :)

Now, I know that actually implementing this will be the hard part but it's kinda cool to have a plan and a tool. It will take time to find out if this is the right tool for the job and if I can learn how to handle the tool.

I printed out a copy - on lavender paper :) - and tacked it to the wall :D
And all because I got a chance to stop and think :D

Oh - and I've decided that I'm going to add a picture of something I've created to each post. Here's the one for this post:

Inattentive ADD surfaces yet again...

I'm feeling like such a schmuck right now. I borrowed a key to the nail file office from the other office worker for the weekend so I could show my family the warehouse sale stuff on Sunday. The agreement was I would put the key in a hiding place when we were done so the other office person could open the door at 9 when she came in to work. Well, we ended up not going to the warehouse yesterday and I totally forgot about returning the key. So I got a call from the OWNER this morning, asking me where I put the key.

It's.....still....in....my...purse.

Ugh.

So, another behavior modification to put in place. Next time (although I don't think I'll do this again any time soon) I'll make a calendar entry in my phone that will make an alarm sound that says "Return key". My cell phone is becoming a good tool to use for remembering things and keeping information organized and in a place I can refer to. I almost always have my phone with me so it's cool that it has a calendar, an alarm and a notepad.

ADD is a challenge but isn't crippling. I just have to find different ways of doing things. It's just a bummer when it's effects cause negative consequences for others. ADD is not an excuse, but it's an explanation. I just have to continue to work at managing it.

Behavior modification is such a big key to Inattentive ADD. So is acknowledging the truth. The truth is, my brain just works differently! So, if I acknowledge this and not lie to myself, things are much more manageable. For instance, it is a lie to think that I will remember where I took my shoes off when I want to put them back on - so I have to put a behavior modification in place and tell myself that I must NOT take my shoes off until I get to the established shoe place!! Speaking truth to myself has really helped with things like this - until I come across something that I haven't acknowledged yet - like what happens if for some reason I don't go to the warehouse so the trigger isn't there that will tell me I have to leave the key so the door can be opened in the morning.

So, I'm 48 and still learning :) I'm glad I still have the capacity to learn!

Coming Soon !!!

Ok, so, I'm now in Holland!! Wooot!! Holland, Michigan, of course :)

There's a new store in town and it's a really cool concept! The store is full of little mini-shops, different than the other consignment shops I've seen - - see ?? - -


That's the view from the front door, here's the view from the cash register -


And here's my little mini shop, at the back of the store!!

And here's the view from in front of my mini shop -




The store is called "Check 4 Fun" and it's on Washington street, just south of 36th, right before Wendy's - or 897 S. Washington suite 50. The owners are great people to work with and are excited to bring this really cool concept to Holland! They'll be opening November 1st and are looking for more crafters to fill up the cubes - but you better hurry before all the spots are filled! Here's their email so you can find out more info:

checkfourfun@gmail.com

Oh! I almost forgot! They have a classroom in the back! I am seriously considering teaching some classes - I'm just not sure what yet. If you have any suggestions, drop me a line and I'll see what I can come up with!