My iPhone is a Brit

I've changed the grammar to British English and it's very amusing (to me, anyway.)  My list of "Favourites" wasn't such a surprise.  Autocorrects from color to colour also not so surprising. Yesterday's surprise--sending a text that said my apartment had a strange "odour".  Who knew?

I splurged a tiny splurge yesterday and ordered Saltwater Sandals. I've been debating this purchase for a while, and bit the moderately priced bullet yesterday.  Woo hoo!

Yesterday was the first real beach day of the summer.  The two of us had gone once, in late spring, but it wasn't all that warm.  It was in the mid 70s yesterday, but was so windy we packed it up after 2 hours to avoid getting further sandblasted and spent the rest of the afternoon with our feet in a 7 year old's wading pool. Not too shabby.

Going to try a new run today at Tennant Lake Park...haven't been there yet but we bought the state park pass this year, so I'm going to get my money's worth!  We'll see how it goes.

Later today, we're going to go see a Bellingham United game. It's cheap, it's sunny, we're going to give it a shot.  It could be mediocre at best. But again, it's sunny!

Best Wednesday Ever

And it's only 10:30.  Woke up late, drank coffee from my chair in the sun in the backyard, getting ready to go for a hike.  Waaaay better than my usual Wednesdays.

Here's some tidbits of life lately.  Enjoy as you like.

Was texted this picture this morning of my parents "cleaning" their shed. These were all in it. Yes, this is a normal sized, garden-variety shed.  Oh, parents.

Getting up early has its perks.

Sometimes it really blows to live near the Canadian border.  One of those times definitely is getting gas on the way to work.

]

A triple.  Score.

Summer has officially begun.  Heck yes.

Went to peek in an awesome house.  Discovered it was occupied.  Oops!

One of the annoyances of working in a small town = tractors on my commute.  Turns 10 minutes into 20 minutes for a trip to work.  

There's this old dog.  And her bone that looks like a stogey. I like her.

There's this trim cat.  And his trim belly. I like him, too.

Katie

So, I never really buy myself anything extravegant.  And by extravegant, I mean over $20 and not from Target. But I wanted a Keurig. Oh, boy, did I want one.  I pined away for one.  I window shopped and Amazon browsed, and finally decided to use the rest of my Amazon bday gift card and do it.  DO IT ALREADY! So I did.

She is purty.  The Cap has dubbed her Katie.  Katie Keurig.  She is cute. She makes me coffee.  I think I'll keep her around.

My How Things Have Changed

A year ago today, I was stressed and busy and worried and sad.  My how things have changed.  A lot has transpired since then, and since I last wrote anything, but it is all for the best.  I moved out of my house, into my own apartment, in a new town, and got a new job and a divorce.  Big changes for a little girl.  On a personal note, it was the hardest decision I ever made and at the same time, surprisingly, the simplest.  I have never been so sure about any decision I have made. Today, despite being unsure on the job front and not really crazy about where I live, I have never been happier. I'm not sure anyone has. Awwww.

Also, there's this boy. He's a keeper.  The end.

It is a dreary Tuesday morning here in Portable 1, from wherest I am joining you.  I am currently in week 2 of a 2 week sub job and the teacher for whom I am subbing is so uber organized, I find I have little to do during the prep half hour before school.  I LOVE organization (I suppose everyone does, but I really like it, like I like it like it. I might love it.) and have been taking note (and some iPhone pictures) of her organization.

I start a new job Monday. I will be working a leave replacement in the district office of a school district closer to my apartment, which will end in August. Perfect for summer, if by perfect you mean I will be working 8 to 5 all summer.  I can't complain. I need the work something fierce.

I have recently been feeling very naked on the hands due to the exit of a certain piece of jewelry about 7 months ago.  I was looking at every little shop I passed for something kitschy and fun, but to no avail.  A very sweet boy I happened to know witnessed this search and bought me this little delight:

and you guessed it...

How adorable is that? I totally love it. I am waiting very anxiously for it to arrive. It is from lovinganvil on etsy. Very cute stuff.

Movin' on Up

I have moved up. Literally up in distance from ground and up latitudinally.  Up in accommodations? No. But such is life. Unpacking I don't mind.  Finding a place for everything, I absolutely do mind.  Any creative storage ideas are much appreciated. I have two closets.  Almost 1,000 square feet of apartment space and two closets.   And on piddly substitute pay, not much I can do about it.  I will post photos when things here do not look like a tornado hit a Goodwill.

Almost Famous

Babble  is a blog for new moms and the like.  As I am not a new (or old) mom, it's not really my bag, but have seen it mentioned on other blogs that I do peruse.  However, this changed last week when a nice woman on Etsy contacted me to let me know she mentioned my State Love onesie in her babble column! Hot dog!

Check. Me. Out.

Oh, yeah.

Also, I've moved.  I am not living the single life in my Liz Lemon apartment.  It is a disaster area.  Moving a 1,200 square foot house into a 900 square foot apartment seems easy enough. Nope. Not easy.  My 2nd shower is now a closet.  I can find nothing.  But it is good. It will be good. It is for the best.

Happy Thursday.

Etsytastic!

State Love onesies are posted and live!  So far, they have lots of views and two people have added them to their "favorite" list, but no buys.  UGH!

Go look at my things, people.  Buy them. Put them on cute, chubby babies.  

www.etsy.com/shop/yerlie

First Furniture Project

Last week, I took an old metal folding chair I had in the garage and used it as a guinea pig for my furniture updating ambitions.  It ended up being about $10 (plus the cost of my new shiny staple gun, which I don't count because I'll use it again and again). 

My old blue folding chair from my computer desk in college.

Walmart special, circa 2000.

Complete with my initials in Sharpie.  

First step, unscrewing upholstered pads from back and seat. 

Fabric and pad are stapled on. Easily removed! (Notice the holes were the screws attach it to chair? Yep, didn't think those through later on.)

Same on seat.  

Chair without pads.

Spray paint of choice, Rustoleum Textured Metallic in black. Has little flecks of silver in it.  More interesting than regular black? Yes.  Do the little flecks of silver clog the spray nozzle? Absolutely.

First light coat.  Notice uneven spraying? Thanks, clogged nozzle. Followed up with infinity more coats.  Used almost two whole cans of spray paint.  Why do I never just go ahead and buy two cans? I always run out!

  

A girl's new best friend.  Stanley Heavy Duty Staple gun. The husband only had the scary plug in kind that also works as a nail gun. Way too complicated for me.  I like the basics. I used the small "tack" staples so they won't poke through the cushion.

I got one yard of upholstery fabric.  I used a 50% off coupon. Good deals all around!  

I chose a lime-ish green print with white swirls.  Lime green is clearly my new favorite these days.

I

I reused the same chair pads.  Center the pad and wood face down on the fabric and then just stretch and staple around the edges as you go.  Remember those little holes? I stapled over them and had to redo it.  To be safe, I trimmed the fabric AFTER I stapled to make sure I had enough.  The corners were a bit tricky, but folding and stapling a little bit at a time ended up with a pleated corner, and it worked really well. 

Finished chair back (first time...when I accidentally stapled over the screw holes)

Did the same thing to the seat.  Matchy matchy!

Test drive, cat style.

Used same screws to reattach back and seat to chair.

Ta da!!!! Much better!!

 BEFORE:

AFTER:

Reupholstering

Attempting first, small reupholstering project as we speak.  We'll see how this goes!

Unfortunate Boots Update

After receiving no shipping notification for over a week, Target cancelled my order.  I WANT BOOTS!

I did it.

I bought boots.  They have yet to ship.  Nothing fancy, $50 Target boots. I hope they turn out well.  Oh, heavens, do I want to love wearing boots.


I would post pics but Target.com is not picture friendly.  


Speaking of Target, I was at Target in Seattle the other day on my date with myself (yes, date with myself), and was shopping with the Seattle Storm. They were there with some teen girls from the boys and girls club, being filmed shopping with them, interviewing, and otherwise making me feel tiny.  For the first time in my life, I felt short.  So that is what that feels like. Hmm.

Once Upon A Time, I Went to the Fair

It was not a glorious fair.  But fun, nonetheless. Here are things I noticed/learned/observed, in no particular order:

1: There are a lot of oddly shaped people out there.  And I really mean shaped.  All kids of shapes and sizes.  Good people watching at the fair.

2: Mullets are alive and well.

3: $1 will buy you about 3 oz of fair wine. 

4: Children cannot go in the wine garden. Even babies who clearly cannot walk, talk, or grasp anything with any real efficiency. 

5: You will get carded even while holding said baby.  "Just because you have a baby doesn't mean you are 21!

6: People say the wrong things while carding you. People who should know better.  Example:

            -Man at wine booth about to put foot in mouth: "I better see your ID.

           

- I show man my ID.

-Mean man at wine booth after looking at me, then checking my age: "Wow,

  you're young!"

-Me about to school wine man on proper ID etiquette: "That is not what you 

   are  supposed to say.  How about, 'wow, you sure don't look 30!"

-Wine insulter: "That's what I said!"

-Spring Chicken Me disagrees.  He did NOT say that.

7: Funnel cakes fulfilled all my hopes and dreams for first funnel cake 

      experience.

8: Piglets are cute.

9: Horses still scare the living bejeeze out of me.

10: Babies at fairs are cute, even when they eat a leaf and throw up.  Still cute!

11: When did the fair get so expensive?

12:  It's fun to fake a birthday at Red Robin, especially when it's a 6-year-old’s    

        idea. 

Behold

Yesterday, in the room I now call my "workshop" (because I want to sound like Santa) I discovered that I can make the most adorable little creation ever. 


Behold:

Yes, my heart belongs to Idaho.  And so could a baby's, thanks to my cute little onesie.

Or, perhaps you are Puget Sound Transplant like myself?  Never fear! There's a onesie for that!

And folks, these can be in any state!  With a heart (or a star if you are opposed to hearts or are star-inclined) in any location!  The madness!

Tomorrow, I will venture to my first golf lesson.  I am nervous for two reasons:

1. I am terrible and go golfing mainly for the accessories and sunshine.

2. Teachers never like me.  Yes, I'm a teacher. And teachers never like me.

We'll see how it goes.  Yikes.

Soy Loco Por Los Cornballs!

Because I do not have a TV in my office/craftroom/sewing room/workshop/studio, I have been watching episodes of Arrested Development while I do my thing.  True, I've seen each episode at least 542 times, and true, I know them all by heart, but this show was truly fantastic.  Plus, I already watched all two seasons of Modern Family (which I was reluctant to watch despite numerous recommendations and totally loved.)

Currently, my overweight and kind of mean feline is working on retrieving the head of a fake flower out from under the bookshelf in said room.  He's been working on this since yesterday morning.  I fear it will not happen for you, buddy.  Admit defeat.

I'm getting my hurr did at 11:00 today. Hot diggity damn. About flippin' time.

Yesterday was Beach Day, Part Deux.  While a bit of a drive from my suburbia, sunshine is rare this summer and the opportunity to hang out with cute nuggets...well, I can't turn that down!

Earlier in the week, my car, Pamela, and I ventured down south to visit the kingdom of delight, Ikea, with my friend Lindsay.  The drive down included a fantastic string of satellite radio songs, totally redeeming my faith in satellite radio.  Then we found myriad fantastic finds, had a humorous/not very productive mall trip, lunch, and a less-than-excellent movie (but with a great movie date!)

Here is some delightful photographic evidence of our day.

Good start, XM.  Good start.

Nicely done, XM.

And they just keep comin'!

Six-year-old me thanks you, XM.

9th grade me says yesssss.

Ikea haul.

Ikea anticipated my outfit choices and designed a mock kitchen, accordingly. Oh, that Ikea. 

Adorable wee jars for my hoozits and whatsits galore.

 Tried to load my before pics, but they all are coming out sideways. Don't have the energy to figure it out right now.

 Shelves on north wall with new organizational doodads.

New fancy monitor my Daddy helped me pick out.

 Southwest corner of room.  Painted the walls two-tone green last summer. Finally have a reason to look at them!  White boards are magnetic. Photo is of my dad and grandfather in the mountains in Idaho. Used to be in living room but matches green room so well!

Thanks, Lindsay for the fun print!

Let's Get This Shop On The Road

I have been slow to update my Etsy shop, but I promise it is on the way.  Yesterday, I discovered my TV was not functioning properly and was not playing any sound. I promptly turned it off, went into the room which I will no longer call my office and now call my "Studio", and got to crackin' on some fine baby gear.

Here is a photographic tour of events.

Big pile of washed fat quarters. Not the most fun part.

Ironing. So much ironing.

Faithful helper. 

The "Happy Camper".  Thanks for the creative "consultation", Lindsay!

Take that, cupcake!

Had to run out for more supplies.  

Saw this at intersection.  

Really?

 (In case you cannot read it, the window clearly states "RIP Grampa".)

Joann promptly closed at 6 pm this Sunday evening.  I arrived at 6:03.

This left me no choice but to go to my neighborhood Super Walmart, which I loathe. 

 No other craft section in my small suburb.

This is how I feel about Walmart.

Luckily I had this kicky number to help me through the drive through the massive, endless expanse of parking lot, which as usual includes a plethora of Walmart Walkers.  See folks, people in Walmart parking lots walk out in front of cars in a way that exists in no other place in all the land.

Line was pathetically long at every checkstand. I just need some Heat and Bond, people!!  All I need is clear quilting thread!

My 10-year-old self really wanted this CD from the $5 bin. My 30-year-old self wanted the $5.

After about 10 minutes, the line had dwindled down to "just" this.  

I decided to double check onesie prices at my local Navy Exchange, which the "usuals" refer to as the NEX, but I am never a usual and refer to it as the Nexchange.  I checked the hours on the door and was delighted at 6:54 to discover they did not close until 2000 (military store, military time on the door, my friends).  So imagine my surprise when oogling the tiny pieces of garment, when a voice "reminded" me that my local NEX was closing in 5 minutes.  Fridge!!  So I grabbed me some itty bitty onesies, and hightailed it out of there.  Of course, I had time to visit my dreamboat of a camera.  

Hello there, pretty lady.  Can I buy you a fish sandwich?