Round up, of sorts

The weekend had some amazing highlights: stargazing in the early morning hours at Shell Point, Decent Pizza dinner and socially conscious (intermingled with not-so-nice-in-public conversation, of course*) conversation. Much needed sleep on Sunday, as well.  

My work day has consisted of really obnoxious things like trying to find hemp and bamboo papers for heavy printing, being told a job is ready to go but not as originally estimated (which makes it not ready to go), and proofs that don't match what was originally sent. Oh and people complaining about things that were produced in too little time. Well as the new sign in my office reads: "Lack of planning on your part, doesn't constitute an emergency on my part". I'm going home tonight with three things that are getting done no matter how late I stay up: 1) Going for a run 2)finding a workspace in the craft room 3) packaging/finishing the three swap things that I need to have ready to go to the post office tomorrow. I plan on using my lunch time and maybe a little after-hours time tomorrow to work on the designs for the nonconventional it's-a-boy party, spoonflower, and ponoko. I should make myself an organizer of some fashion that i'd actually use. I had the most adorable one that just ended up being a scrap paper holder. 

I'm struggling with my moods and it's wearing me out. I'm not really sure how to proceed or how to sort that out. Can I take a break from me? 

It's finally 5:30 and despite the unfinished to-do list for today, I'm heading out. I'm a little burnt out on this corporate thing. 

*"I do sperm, just not to the face." "I'm bleeding from the vagina; can we hold hands?" 

*grimace* I have an awful song stuck in my head!

I overslept today, as I'm prone to do on the weekends. It's not a huge deal, just a bit bothersome. I've received some great swaps lately. It's so much fun to enjoy checking the mail again, LOL. My hardcore push for organization has fallen by the wayside due to an overwhelmingly exhausting week at work. My body's drained and my brain is kaput. I've been learning to embroider by hand and thus neglecting my quilting efforts, but I'll get back to them soon.

Hopefully I'll get back to this post later this evening, the puppy is whinning to go out.

personal

I am so blindingly upset and overwhelmed right now I could just
collapse.

possibly the coolest wallpaper

AMAZING!

Whim. *edited this afternoon*

I tend to keep a running list of projects, ideas, and methods that grab my interest. It's getting a little long right now, but a blog that i read posted a friendly reminder that xmas is actually quickly approaching. I'm sure we've all felt the time crunch, especially if you try to go handmade for the holidays. Did anyone else sign the handmade pledge?!?! I've been big on handmade holidays for several years now. Granted, my first attempts were most often deemed paper-weights as I wasn't very good at making usable gifts, but they were handmade and creative and crafty. Almost every xmas present last christmas was handmade and my mom often gave me opportunities to accent her not-so-homemade (gasp! shame! horror!) gifts with handmade accents, accessories, wrapping, or a gift tag (at the very least). Anyways, back to the point! I'm getting some great ideas for holiday gifts or everyday gifts. I'd like to offer some kits in the store as well as really pushing the P2P marketing to bring in a few extra bucks.

*and now for something entirely different*
Sometimes, it's great working for a place that is so open and out. At times, as with any subject, there's these little things that happen that are hard to handle and make me wince. While I'm appreciative that people are being open and non-judgemental, I'm not so sure that they realize that they're still passing judgement and even being a bit closed minded within that. Don't get me wrong, I love that by working here I've held on to a decent bit of my non-straight identity that I fought, worked, and struggled to create. And i can recognize that these itty-bitty irks are even sometimes comical, but i still get that studio-audience "ohhhh" and feel a little snag in my breath at occasional comments. "But he's not a ... i mean he's not interested right?" "But you, you don't look like you're, like a ..." At least they have the sense to stammer, right?


alright, now i'm totally distracted and work's getting too overwhelming.

---

The time stamp is off when I post from this computer .. how weird! I've got tons of windows open on my computer and haven't had time to read through or look at most of them so I thought i'd post them here to share/remember:
Whip up
Wee Wonderfuls
The Long Thread's Make it Monday
Neither Hip nor Funky
Paper and Stitch
How about Orange and one of her Flickr sets
Super Eggplant Simple Bags
Basic Green Box
Soft Pretzels!!!!
DigN'Swap
Craftzine
Window Art
Tiny Happy
Sew Mama Sew
The Charm Lady
Midnightbluadorn
Midnightbluart ACEO

There are a couple things that I really need to complete ASAP:
1. ACEO for swap
2. another matchbox for a swap
3. Photo editing!!!!

@^&%$*(#&$()%*

i forgot word stamps have to be backwards.

Post shoot diatribe

So despite being very far from what I had started to envision for the photoshoot and despite the severly lower number of models, the photoshoot turned out amazing. Nearly 300 photos and really very few that are completely useless (mildly mindblowing). I got to play stylistically with some elements that I'd probably like more time and less humidity to revisit. I've uploaded the unedited, original photos to my picassa. Have a look if you feel like it, but keep in mind I was practically shooting blind for a bit due to sun and there's some serious croping left to be done (read: be nice, please). Thanks to my amazingly beautiful models, there's very little touchup work or reshooting that needs to be done. (YOU GUYS ARE SOOOOOOO AMAZING!!!) I forget how relaxing photography and photo-editing are for me ... good thing since I've probably got a good 3 or 4 hours to go for this project. I'm never a big fan of the Etsy has you upload items, but it's very standardized and makes it hard to forget any part of the process; it just gets a bit tiresome sometimes. Anyways, back to the computer. Back to too many thoughts, songs that are too loud, and too much to do (forget parallel structure).

An early morning view...

Ignore me, take in the sky out the window, the intricate silhouettes, and the beautiful blue out there. (Sorry for the lack-luster photo it's taken from the camera on my spiffy new work computer)

I'm running out of patience for this job. A little training and a little compassion apparently are too much to ask.

Hectic Morning *edited in the afternoon*

As hectic as the first day back to work after a long weekend is, I have been stealing a few seconds intermittently to check up on blogs and follow seemingly obscure links to new readings. I thought I'd clear my brain out for a bit and share some. I like to share what I read. I think the interaction and sharing capabilities of the internet make it such an amazing medium for me. Somewhere along the way a teacher (I'm thinking it was 10th grade english and I'm almost almost certain it was Graffam) talked about talking "to" someone versus talking "with" someone. Not that that's either here or there, but it's sort of a base philosophy of mine. Sometimes it's good to remind yourself that not everyone around you operates with the exact same set of basic assumptions, premises, ideals, etc. (Although, some would argue that the world makes that very obvious, I think it makes it easier to be tolerant, get along, and interact with people if you actually "know" that and don't just hear it.) Okay so before it gets anymore obscure for this morning (or before it's no longer morning [geeze!]) here's what I've been reading this morning:

We were talking about this Sunday night and into the early hours of monday morning and maybe it's just those darn hormones but wow this amazing blog seriously stirs up some maternal instincts. Beautiful writing and absolutely stunning photographs!

Aprons! Okay so this really is for Erin and Oz, but everyone can appreciate the subtle sexiness of aprons. Thanks angry chicken!


SWAPS!!! Many of you know that my newest addiction is swapping. There's a good variety of them out there. Who doesn't love snail mail? I'm mailing out my movie swap this afternoon. I hope to finish up my "My Favorite Things" swap package tonight and get it in the mail in the next two days. (hope you're excited Anne!!) Finished my matchbooks for a matchbox swap
via Swap-bot. (This one looks exciting ... if you can see it without an acct) Slowly trudging through my 100 positive affirmations swap, but there's time. Also doing an xmas cookie swap.

Wow, some serious ADD (or mania, ya know could be either) just kicked in at the same time that like 15 bazillion things needed to get done and I'm going to have to revisit this post later because i just made a to-do-list that included lists that I needed to make.

Well, looks like this is going to have to be a three-edit post. So much for blogging at work *sigh*. Ahem. anyways.
More links before i try to work:
Lightbulb Greenhouse
Indecision
Recycling Contest
Tara Books
badbuttons.com

Some favs from Etsy:
Kelliedrawspictures
littlepurls
carmencita878
hippyofdoomshoes

okay okay work now and later: swap-bot, etsy convos, headache meds (hopefully), cupcake photos, craftroom organization, photoshoot invite, organization, simplicity, and publicity, to name a few. As well as calling for a haircut, the bank, and mom back.


3rd edit:
Hue Test ( I didn't do so hot)

I really don't feel well. Made it home, but not to any sort of relaxation or releif. The animals are even being okay for a puppy and a cat, but I can't settle my thoughts and I can't seem to calm down. I feel sort of sick too, but stress can do that, of course. Didn't return any calls, but i'm really not in a patient, extroverted mood. Really want to get in the back room and organize and get to work on projects, but I'm procrastinating. I'm watching this show about this amazing family. I miss my family but I completely dread the stress of even calling mom back. Ugh.

I got an amazing matchbox in the mail!!!!!!