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jennsmidlifecrisis

jennsmidlifecrisis

Tag Archives: crafts

Dear Quarantine Diary – Week 39

30 Friday Sep 2022

Posted by jennsmidlifecrisis in Foolishness

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

crafts, dear diary, family, humour, sewing


Dear Diary – I headed out Friday morning for a craft sale in my home town. Youngest Son had a PA Day and decided to join me. He was the one who commented on a passing company van:

“Well those drivers have gotta be close to a hundred. Good for them that they’re still driving.”

“How do you know that?” I queried.

“The back of the van says ‘Over 100 years of experience onboard'”.

A few minutes before that I had noticed the overhead electronic sign with a picture of a school bus. It also said, “Watch for children”.

“There are children on the highway?” I thought, “I’m driving 100km/hr and there are children?!?!”

I suddenly had horrid visions of carnage and burning vehicles as they swerved and ploughed into each other, trying to avoid the children playing tag gleefully across the highway after their brightly painted daycare van inexplicably overturned.

Friday night my Dad and I tried setting up the new picnic shelter…under stars. It was cold, cold enough to see our breath. And the grass was wet. I called Youngest son to come out and help. He had worn flip-flops. That seemed about right.

The sun was winking at us over the crest of the valley ridge as we stumbled from our warm beds, eyes still puffy with sleep, to get ready for our big day. Dad and I piled into his truck, with Mom to follow in the car. It was the only way to get everything safely to the Market Square.

I worked with a vendor on the Market Square for 3 summers, braving full day sun and steamy temperatures. We used to soak our feet in buckets of cold water and snack on slushies to try to stay cool. I suffered heat stroke at least once every year.

There were no steamy temperatures this time, though the sun was shining. It didn’t take long to set up my stuff and we settled in for a long day.

It’s hard to put yourself out there. You don’t know what would appeal to someone, and you’ve put your creativity on display. Pricing items is the biggest challenge. You don’t want to undervalue what you’ve made, but there are also expenses to be met. Inevitably, you will be judged for what you’re asking, and some people don’t mind telling you with snorts of derision before they walk away.

All day we were surrounded by the sound of popping balloons and consequently, unhappy children, as well as the intoxicating smell of churros.

The churros were delicious…and popular!

Besides dancing to avoid the persistent hornets, we watched people. Amongst the senior couples and tired parents with gaggles of small children, one dog mamma stood out, probably because she had 3 chihuahuas in a covered stroller and one strapped to her chest in a baby carrier. They were all perfectly happy. There was also a woman in a bright, matching floral outfit, which was truly a wonder to behold. And then there were the witches…

They were a friendly group of gals also enjoying the sights and sounds of the Scarecrow Festival. One even invited Mom and I to join their coven. Actually, they perform and are open to new “sisters”.

It’s the thought that counts.

I had one lady looking for adult bibs and another looking for a tea cozy. Sorry ladies.

Through the afternoon, the wind picked up. Auntie M was visiting when a wind gust flipped a row of totes into a pile and crashed my easel of mini totes. No harm was done. Shortly after we restored order, Mom arrived with lunch for me. Except she left the house without my sandwich …but remembered tea, which was the more important thing any way. She kindly dashed down the street and returned with a pumpkin danish!

So. Much. Butter. Sooo good!

Dad arrived later with my tomato sandwich. I ate it too! Sitting works up an appetite!

As the final hour ticked by, all 3 of us had aching feet and were ready for nap. With only 2 chairs, Mom and Dad improvised…

I sold one wristlet, one mini tote, and one set of 2 bowl cozies. Two out of three of those items are Christmas gifts! Everything else is heading home with me again. I’m going to need bigger closets.

Be brave enough to suck at something new.

Unknown

Dear Diary – I seriously thought he had forgotten, and it wouldn’t be the first time.

It would be raining by the time Youngest Son headed home from school, and since I had to pick up a prescription at the drug store right across from the school, I offered to drive him home. But he had to meet me at the drug store!

I made sure I wasn’t late and I parked right by the door so he’d see the car if I was still inside. It was almost 15 minutes after period 3 let out by the time I got my prescription. It’s a 5 minutes walk for Youngest Son so I thought he’d be waiting outside.

He was not.

I rolled my eyes and drove home using his route, but I didn’t see him. I sighed and hobbled into the house yelling. I was met with silence. So I left a note on the door – “Call me. I can’t find you!! Mom”. Then, mumbling under my breath, I drove to the drug store near the house because it wouldn’t surprise me that he got “confused” and went to the wrong place. I wandered through the store, but no kid.

It wasn’t until I got back in the car that I realized…I was an hour too early.

I went home and sipped tea until it was time to head to the drug store…again. It was just starting to rain.

He didn’t show.

After 15 minutes, I drove home along his route, and found him more than halfway home.

He didn’t forget.

He was heading to the drug store near the house.

He seemed very confused as to the location of the drug store near the school…you know, the one we go to all the time! So I drove to the drug store a third time. He “remembered” it by the time we got there.

Maybe next time, he can walk in the rain.

Dear Diary – I started taking that medication I picked up on Monday. Last time I was terribly ill but we weren’t sure if it was the medication or something else.

By the next day, I felt like a wind-up doll winding down and I couldn’t get warm. By Tuesday evening, I was a shivering, aching, head-splitting, heart-pounding, sweating mass of misery. It was the death flu all over again!

I called my rheumatologist Wednesday morning and his assistant assured me it wasn’t the medication.

The internet said it could be!

The Dr. agreed I should stop, and ridiculously slowly I am starting to recover from the “Death Flu”. I saw my ankle bone for the first time this year but I’m not sure it was worth the agony. Nap time!

Dear nap…I’m sorry I was such a jerk to you when I was a kid.

Unknown

Wordless Wednesday: For the Birds

10 Wednesday Mar 2021

Posted by jennsmidlifecrisis in Photography

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

birds, crafts, papercrafts, photography, Wordless Wednesday


Happy Wednesday!

Capture Your 365 (February 2-February 9)

12 Wednesday Feb 2014

Posted by jennsmidlifecrisis in Photography

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Capture your 365 project, crafts, family, memories, photography, winter


And so begins another month! I had more fun doing these prompts and most of them do not even require an explanation…just the first one because it’s special! 🙂

February 3: Soft

Teddy BearMy Abominable Bear

Meet my Abominable Bear. My Dad made him. A million years ago, my Dad, a professional firefighter, sewed teddy bears and sold them in the local hobby shop. He didn’t make this one for me…I just stole adopted him over time…and up until a few weeks ago, he was unfinished (the stuffing was literally coming out his bum). I was jealous. My friend’s Dad had commissioned a special bear for her one Christmas, but my Dad didn’t make one for me. Years later, I regret being jealous. My friend still has her bear (his name is Edward), but she lost her Dad. I know she would give anything, even Edward, just to have a few minutes with him. My Dad hasn’t made a bear in years, so Abominable, made of extra special fur so he’s super FLUFFY, is the last one. In my opinion, he’s the best one! Thanks Dad for fixing his bum – just for me!

February 6: Shadows

Shadows on Snow

“Cool morning shadows sadly shift across the floor,

Each time we say goodbye it’s harder than before

Even after all the pain of parting still we find,

That we must mourn the death of the dreams we leave behind.”

 – Michael Card, A Fragile Stone: The Emotional Life of Simon Peter

February 7: Old School

Old Photo ScrapbookMy great-great grandparents and their children

“A photograph is a most important document, and there is nothing more damning to go down to posterity than a silly, foolish smile caught and fixed forever.” –Mark Twain

February 8: Hand Tinted

watercolour scrapbook

“After a thousand watercolors you will find you have fallen in love with paper and paint.” -Rex Brandt

February 9:  A Little Heart

Chalk Heart on Brick Wall

Every Love Story is Beautiful…

To learn more about Capture Your 365, click here.

Paper Plate Shakers-Diabolical

10 Wednesday Jul 2013

Posted by jennsmidlifecrisis in Faith, Foolishness

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

children, crafts, humour


 Supplies needed:

Thick paper plates…stacks of them!
Hand-held hole punch (the spongier the better. If it can’t punch paper, it’s perfect! )
Masking tape (preferably the type that sticks for 10 minutes and then slowly starts to peel)
Markers or pens (it’s more fun when it causes frustration because it doesn’t have any ink, or threatens to ooze all over your hard work)
Oven Mitts (oven mitts??)

We’re making shakers today! Volunteers already prepared 40 shakers – but I needed close to 20 more. I had volunteers trying to help today, in between classes, but only 1 out of 6 handheld punch almost punched holes. So I packed up the plates and the tape, and headed home for a fun-filled afternoon.

 14 shakers = 28 paper plates. 14 holes per plate = 392 holes

 Steps:

1. Punch approximately 14 holes along the edge of one plate.

2. Label one hole with a symbol, on the inside of the plate with the leaky pen.
3. Lay the plate with the holes over top of another plate, eating surfaces together.

Plate3

4. Trace the holes.
5. Label the hole that coordinates with the first plate.

6. Punch holes in the second plate on your inky marks.

7. Tape the plates together with the holes matching.

 Sounds simple, right? These steps represent a couple of hours of trial and error (mostly error)

 By the time I had completed 3 shakers, the palm of my hand was bruising. I couldn’t squeeze the punch by the end of the first plate so I had to rest the punch on the table and push down with my full weight – that usually worked. Usually. That’s where the oven mitts came in.

Plate4

Personally, I thought it was brilliant! By the time I finished 5 shakers, I had worked up a great sweat…and I decided to hit the showers! By the time I finished 10 shakers, it was time to break out the ice pack…and call in reinforcements. Hubby finished the remaining 4 shakers…in less than 5 minutes. I should have called him in sooner and saved myself a lot of some time!

Once the shakers were packed away, all I had to do was cut 58 strings for the kids to sew them together, attach a piece of tape to one end…

DSCN0516

…and decorate my own shaker! I had no idea that this would be such a diabolical kids’ craft. I can hardly wait to make toilet paper binoculars tomorrow…it requires holes as well…

My New Business Plan

07 Friday Jun 2013

Posted by jennsmidlifecrisis in Family, Foolishness

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

crafts, family, humour, shopping


The disclaimer came on the T.V. last night: “Mature subject matter. Viewer discretion is advised” and I said (out loud), “I don’t want mature subject matter. I want immature subject matter”.  Maybe you had to be there…

Otherwise, I’ve been scratching my head all night trying to think of something clever to write about for a Fun Friday, but my head isn’t cooperating. There was a glimmer of hope around 3 a.m. but I didn’t write it down and it’s long gone.

The other thing that’s been occupying my rapidly dwindling brain cells is my business. I am a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator. Every quarter, I am required to sell a minimum amount of product (which is no small venture) and usually I just squeak through. This quarter it’s more like grinding to a halt. In a few weeks I may be hanging up my Stampin’ Up! apron, but I will still be an avid crafter…

I whipped this up last night....please be suitably impressed...

I whipped this up last night….please be suitably impressed…

But there’s still some good news! One of my goals was to get one of my creations published in the bi-monthly magazine. I received my demonstrator magazine for May/June, I glanced through one article of answers to a question posed a few months ago. I was reading the first answer, thinking “cool, I do that too! Oh look, there’s another Jennifer with the same last night…wait a minute – that’s me!” I failed to recognize my own answer, but thrilled that I actually sounded somewhat intelligent! OK, so a craft creation wasn’t published but my writing was (does that count as “published writer? Probably not!)

There’s no school today. Little Guy’s play date was cancelled. His Xbox privileges have been reinstated (after the latest mirror smear incident) It’s raining. Neither one of us wants to get dressed. So-

Photo: Sadly, too true....  ;)

My business may be bombing so I’m going shopping!! 🙂

Happy Weekend!

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