Heat and Hope

Seems like this summer is going by fast.  Mia just turned 7 and she is soo grown up.  S is waiting to find out if he may purchase a short sale home a few blocks away from my house.  An adorable 30's or 40's place that is perfect for our family.  Whiskers is laying next to me, its already hot and his quick pulse shows on the sides of his belly.  I think it's suppose to be over 95 degrees today.

This weekend we are having a yard sale.  I have been gathering some of my unused craft supplies for sale as well.  I have also been making things to sell, hopefully they will.  It's going to be a yard sale/Jamie's first craft sale. 

People don't really know this about me but I feel like sharing.  I don't think I really have many readers anyway, ;).  I have lingering, awful anxiety and depression..the Dr's like to call it all kinds of names, PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, bi-polar...all I know is I wake in the morning and go through my days with fear and sadness.  I have taken lots of different types of meds, I started a new one last week, and cross my fingers, knock on wood, it seems to be helping.  I'm not as scared as I usually am, not very much shortness of breath, today I even feel hopeful.  And I feel full of love again!  I heard S's car coming down the street yesterday and leapt up, ready to jump into his arms.  I cried out a silly sound and did just that!  I wanted to take care of him, show him I am okay, because I am okay.  I brought him water and turned on the fan.  I just feel as if everything really is going to be alright.  And that, my friends, is a truly wonderful feeling.

It's been a while but I have been busy, sort of

So the mind of a creative can get hectic at times, as any of you fellow crafty friends probably know.  I have been off work, haven't started looking for a new one yet but have been busy busy busy trying to get my etsy biz running.  I just have so many ideas!  They just tumble around in my mind, most just stay there, some take flight.  Take these:

 

Security envelopes.  Lots of them.  I know you are thinking, "Jamie, have you lost it??"  No, I really haven't!  I have seen so many cool and innovative projects on the ol' www that use these humble patterns, I just want to use them too!  Ya know?  I just need to figure out how I'm gonna do it, ya know?  Anyway, let's look at some cute pics of Mia, these are from last month, Valentine's day.  I surprised her with a trail of Hershey's Hugs going from her room to the dining room table, which led to her handmade valentines, a heart necklace that I made her, a new dog stuffy (she loves dog stuffys!) and a heart rubber ducky because you know, WHO CAN RESIST, RIGHT? and some CANDY!

 I even got up too early with her to snap some pics, she seemed mighty happy with her loot.

Then she wanted to "show" the camera what she got as well as a couple valentines she made and one she got from grandma; the roses in the back were for me from my other love, S *sigh*

Ahh, I just love this girl!

I love Lamp. And Cabinet.

S surprised me this weekend with a few goodies!!  S is my fiance/hubby, yeah right, I wish! boyfriend named Scott, but I refer to him as "S" around these parts.  I had admired this amazing vintage lamp that he scored at a thrift shop, it's perfect for doing tasks with your hands, when you need bright directional light..anyway, I came home from work yesterday and he surprised me with one of my very own!  It's a tad smaller but I think it's perfect.  Score, it was only $3.99 too!  I know, your thinking, "he told you the price, it's a gift!?"  That's how we roll, S and I LOVE a bargain so that added to the excitement to know it was a total score!  Anyway I snapped a few pics of my writing desk and craft area today to share.

So this is another vintage score that I found on good old Craig's.  My wicker desk. I am going to sand and paint it when the weather warms up.  It's a little messy right now because I'm in the process of rearranging and organizing all of my arts and craft supplies.  The bulletin board is where I showcase Mia's amazing drawings, paintings and notes.  I switch them out periodically and then just stow them in a filing box, labeled "Mia's Art" with the year, for safe keeping.

The mason jars atop the desk house my pens, some paintbrushes, highlighters, scissors, hole punches and some other odds and ends that get used frequently.  That Swingline stapler was my grandmother's, she left it here for me.  I use it everyday!!  I adore it.  A little bit of Mia's glitter glue there and a ladybug bottle of bubbles, as well.

Ah, yes, and lamp.  Isn't it perfect!  I can't wait to use it, just need to find the right size bulb.  It takes a smaller size, than your average lamp.

He also surprised me with this darling, 1940's glass cabinet!  I can't wait to start arranging my goods in it.

Ahhh it makes me swoon, isn't she pretty??  And it come with the original key, and it works!  You can see it in the top picture, hanging on a little hook, heh.  There was a large picture hanging there, that we had move to make room for this big girl.  I'm going to store pretty things in it, baskets or wire baskets full of my pretty-type craft supplies.

I already started my "Organize for 2011" project last week.  I found this other neat cabinet myself that will house the bulk of it.  It's a cool old, metal, Dr's office cabinet.

That framed poster next to it is the one that we moved to make room for the the other cabinet.  the wire basket on top is home to my ribbons for now.  And do you see that little weird plastic box that is plugged into that socket?  That's my doorbell!  It's electronic, heh.  My home was built around the 1930's, so the original doorbell doesn't work I guess, when I moved in, it had this electronic one hooked up.  Here are a few shots of inside the cabinet and the finished organizing I have done so far...

glue, adhesives, glitter and cards

tissue paper and paper gift bags

basket of finished, packaged etsy products

Oops, forgot to take a picture of the second shelf, that container houses my stamp collection and ink pads.

I think it's coming together rather nicely!

I still have a little way to go, though.  

Ack!  Messy stuff, need to organize stat!

I'll leave you for now with something pretty, to get that pile above out of your head..

Close up of some of my ribbon stash