Flamingo Headbands?!

Hello all! It’s back to some craftiness for this gal. This coming Saturday I’ll be in a craftshow with my FSIL. I honestly don’t have many details about it, except that it’s a PTO fundraiser, 12 hours scrapbook crop and craft show (I will not be staying 12 hours!). Here’s the school’s site if any of you are from the Richmond/McHenry, IL area and want to stop by Nippersink Middle School to say hi!

Ok to my actual point…this past Christmas I made my future niece and nephews (5 in total and I can’t even begin to say how excited I am to have nieces and nephews!) feather stuff and they LOVED it! In the words of Emma who is 6 “Did you make these from a flamingo?!” I made the girls (very girly pinks and purples) headbands and hair clips and the boy a simple feather charm on a leather cord. I never in a million years thought that they’d like them as much as they did….surprisingly they were so easy to make! Normally when I’m using natural feathers like pheasant I spend hours picking out “matching” feathers and feathers that are up to my quality standards. This was completely different. With all those fluffy neon-dyed feathers, I didn’t have to spend the time sifting through bags and bags to find nice ones. These might be just what I need to boost my sales a bit.

Over all I thought they turned out so cute and the girls have been wearing them pretty often and they’ve stood up to their wearing. With my FSILs encouragement I made a ton for this upcoming craft show. I’ve even had an order for a headband/hair clips. My hopes it that these sell at the PTO Craftshow and who knows, maybe they’ll sell well online. Right now I don’t have any pictures taken but I’ll be sure to post some from the show.

Wish me luck!

Oh Dear…

I’m going to be a Mrs in less than a year! (5 months be exact)

So where have I been the past few weeks? Besides drowning in work, job hunt and crafting for custom orders, I also go engaged. Still, over a week later, seems so foreign for me to stay. Not that it’s a bad thing, just very very different. I knew from the time I met the Woodsman I’d marry him, I just never thought about when. 14 months later, here we are, planning a late-July wedding, and I couldn’t be happier.

It’s going to be my mission not to over read, over think and over do being a bride. I’ve been to weddings where everything was dictated by Bridezilla. From our hair, to our tan lines…I, will not do that. I’m generally a pretty easy going gal and well the Woodsman is even more chill than I am. So far, it’s working. We had visions of casual grandeur about our wedding. It’s pretty ironic actually. We wanted a backyard wedding (courtesy of the Woodsman’s parent’s land), with a tent, paper lanterns and a pig roast. Oh, how reality hit and things change quickly. From the get-go we were asked a million questions about everything and didn’t have an answer for them at all. Neither of us are planners and that’s been our main obstacle. We agreed that no matter what, this wasn’t going to be a stress fest and we were going to stay flexible with everything. After all, it’s just one day…

Once the budget and approximate number was set there was no way we could afford our “casual” backyard bbq wedding, unless we cut the guest list down to 75 people. Both coming from large families, and being one of the youngest on each side there was no way that was possible. Our perfect solution came from my FFIL, his golf club wasn’t too far, could host an outdoor ceremony and give us a discount if we booked with them. Without typing all the details we ended up booking with them and now our wedding is a month sooner. It’ll be an outdoor ceremony and cocktails and a nice big, bright space on a golf course . We’re saving a ton and although it isn’t what we had originally envisioned, it’s no longer a planning nightmare and we’re both happy.

Flexibility, my friends (and fellow brides)…is key.

Although we’re only a few weeks into the planning process, we’re only 5 months away from the big day. If things go like they have been, I think we’ll be fine. I have lots of other crafty stuff, including my dress being handmade by mom my on board for this blog. Lots of exciting things to come, it’s all the good stuff I’ve been waiting for…

Cheers,

FT

(Isn't that pic at the top hilarious...that's totally something I'd say!)

Next Number Please...

For the exception of a few miserable years, I’ve always had long hair. The miserable years I am referring to is when I was about 6, I was forced to cut it. Long story short (hehe ironic), it was so long and curly and I’d fight every time it would need to get brushed (some things never change) so I was ordered to cut it…SHORT, by my Dad. Of course, having no say in the matter, it got cut…short. At first I didn’t mind it much, but then a neighborhood kid came up behind me and asked my brother “who’s that boy?”. Granted it was the really strange drooley, awkward staring, set his house on fire because he was a pyro kid, but nonetheless I was so freaked out that I said my hair must be what defines me and is who I am…Fast forward to years later (about 20) and here I am, still with long hair and about to write about stuff that has nothing to do with getting a haircut. Yep, nothing to do with hair or a haircut…I guess I just needed a good intro to whatever it is I’m trying to say so I here it goes.

Here we are into the 2^nd month of the New Year and I’m just as confused and tired as ever. I, like everyone else wishes that the next year will be “their” year. Whatever that means, right? So far, this year has been more days of applying for a new job and no response (job search is going into month 6), working for a person who has lots of bad karma coming to them and me still not knowing what I really want to do or where things are going. Well, I still have long hair but let’s just say that I feel a little lost.

Does the whole figuring out who you are just magically happen? Do you just fall into your place? The reason that I ask is because I’m still a first time adult and time’s flying by and it’s kinda freaking me out. Ok, yes possible quarter life crisis but I’m pretty sure I did that around 22. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happier than I’ve ever been and I have to credit my Woodsman, family and best friends for that but the rest of things are in chaos. Is that part of life…when one thing FINALLY happens (love and happiness) does everything get out of sorts? I am so thankful and fortunate for my personal life but the rest of stuff just seems like a big deli counter and I’m waiting for my number to be called so I can order my potato salad.

The Woodsman keeps telling me that I need to really figure out exactly what I want and it’ll happen. What I don’t understand is how I’m supposed to get there when I don’t know where to even start. I’m really not being picky; I just want something better (decent job, to have a family, not worry about money so much…the usual). I think with his thinking is that I’ll have to start small like. So I guess the whole point of this isn’t to say I’ve come to some big conclusion and I’ve figured out exactly what I should be doing or saying. It’s just to say this is where I am. Even though my hair hasn’t changed (and of course nothing physical should define you as a person), the rest of my being and me has. My hope is that it gets a little clearer…soon.