Cute tote and wallet

It's been at least a week since I posted anything...I just cannot get into thinking of a post for this week!  It's been one of those weeks!  Cold temperatures are back...I'm used to it being in the 80s at least by now!  Gets me down!  Plus, I just cannot seem to find a job up here.  I'm passionate about mammography but this week, I started applying to other kinds of jobs.  Most still in healthcare, but not xray/mammo.  Hopefully something will pan out.  I have been working hard on my Etsy store...I have a show coming up May 12 in Wrightstown, NJ.  Fingers crossed that I do well!  I'm also considering doing a little photography...I LOVE doing it and have done pics for friends in the past.  It's still in the maybe file for now. 

But, I do have something that lifted my spirits!  I decided I wanted to make a bag.  So, I bought five patterns (that's right! 5!)...I always say, "Go BIG or go home!"  And my bag is BIG as well!  It was originally supposed to be a diaper bag.  But it was such a cute pattern, I decided it would be great as a carry all.  I have never sewn a bag, so I did have a couple of snags, but the pattern was very well written.  I got all the way through AND decided to try the wallet pattern!  So I ended up with a tote and matching wallet!  Yay!  And I'm hooked!  Btw, the pattern came from Aivilo Charlotte Designs http://www.etsy.com/shop/aivilocharlotte.  Check her out!

Date night

This weekend we actually had DATE NIGHT!  We have not been together for the past THREE anniversaries, so we wanted to make up for it.  We took our kid to a friend's house where he played video games for 6 hours (he probably didn't even realize he wasn't at home anymore!).  We went to the Capital Grille in Cherry Hill, NJ.  If you've never been to one, they are AWESOME!  Great, upscale steakhouse.  But very expensive.  Lucky for us, we received a gift card from family!  The food was amazing...I was going to take a picture, but I got so excited and ate it ALL before I remembered.  I figured a picture of my empty plate wouldn't have quite the impact...Did I mention it was EXPENSIVE?  We got two steaks, an order of cream corn with bacon, a ceasar salad and french onion soup that we split.  My hubs got a glass of wine and I had a coke.  $166.00.  Really.  Thank goodness our gift card was for a hundred bucks!  But it was so good!  And we were doing three anniversaries in this one, so...

On another note, I bought these super cute, super high red heels to go with a zebra print dress I had...what a perfect opportunity to wear it!  Well...the shoes were fine when I bought them, fine when I put them on, but after sweating into my shoes for a while (gross, I know) my feet were sliding down into a puddle into the front of the shoe!  There was at least a half inch in the back of the shoe.  They were flopping on and off like flip flops when I walked!  So, we went to the mall and my dear hubs bought me a cute pair of jeans from the Buckle AND a new pair of black wedges that were so much better than my red high heels...but I'll still wear them (I just need those things you put in the shoes to keep your feet comfortable and in place!)...

Paper Rose Bangle

So, I had an idea for something a little different...I LOVE the rolled fabric roses that folks are making now. They look good on everything!  I use a huge swath of paper towel when I paint to dry my brush, wipe off excess paint, etc.  I cut it into strips that I then folded over in half long ways.  I proceeded to roll and twist them into roses.  I ended up with a large one and two smaller ones.  I had a bangle bracelet that was covered in pink thread.  I wrapped it with pink tulle all the way around, then attached the flowers with glue.  Super chunky, but super cute!  And so different!  I love it!

TheArtsySister

I've been busy the past few days in my studio...I've been feeling really inspired lately.  I've made some jewelry, finished 3 paintings, and worked on some photos.  I don't know if it is because spring (summer) is rushing in...it feels good though!  I've been looking at some shows here in Jersey to (maybe) participate in this summer.  I went ahead and got my Fed tax ID number and the Jersey one today just in case!  Yay!  I've been working really hard on Etsy...getting involved in teams, posting new listings, and making treasuries.  I would LOVE to actually sell the things I make...one day!  For now, I am perfectly happy with my jewelry on MY body and my paintings hanging in MY studio!  Because selling or not, I would still make it all...

Parenting in the World of Technology

I think all parents wonder about their parenting abilities at some point in their children's lives.  I think about it constantly.  Am I bad parent if I give him this?  If I don't do this?  Will he have life long problems if we talk about this too early or too late?  I know my child is spoiled...he's the only one I'll ever have.  So, what happened is partly my fault.  I'm the one who gave a 9 year old an iPhone and expected him to act responsibly.  Which he has done well until today.  It's easy to forget that he's only 9.  He's so mature...my husband says he has an old soul.  But today, he acted like the kid he is.  What happened, you may be asking...We woke up to about 15 emails from iTunes...confirmation emails of purchases made on our account.  To the tune of $1400.  Yes...14 HUNDRED.  Our child was purchasing in app money, having NO idea he was using real money to do it.  We thought we were being responsible by turning off in app purchasing on his phone, never realizing that when you update the phone it resets all of those things.  You have to redo it every time!  I have to give a shout out to Steve at iTunes support.  He was awesome and helped us out immensely.  Apple is reversing the charges (after gentle chiding about parental controls).  We dodged a bullet with that one...but this is a public service announcement!  Your child may not have an iPhone, but does he have an iPod?  Anything with Apple apps/iTunes...check it out!  Be aware!  We learned our lesson...an expensive one!

I absolutely love dandelions.  I know, I know.  It's a weed...it messes up a beautiful lawn.  But they are so pretty!  Fluffy and yellow and...sunshiney!  I can't help but feel good when I see one.  And apparently they LOVE New Jersey!  They are everywhere.  They carpet our yard, front and back...on Easter, it  was difficult to distinguish between the flower and yellow eggs!  They look like spring.  And I need the reminder up here!

Comfort Food

It's been one of those days today.  We've recently (in the past 3 months) moved to New Jersey.  My husband came home from a year long remote overseas, we moved, then he immediately went to Alabama for six weeks.  Sigh.  And, just so you know, it's HARD to find work in my field in New Jersey.  Today, I found out I didn't get another job I interviewed for, even though they liked me and will keep me in mind for future positions.  Which is definitely a positive.  But still not a job.  My child is not feeling well.  My kid that is NEVER sick is sick.  Well, not sick, but some major allergies.  And on spring break, no less!  So, I decided we needed comfort food!  Chicken cheese spaghetti it is!  Total comfort food, total kid food!  Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:
8 oz uncooked spaghetti
2 cups shredded cheese (plus some extra to cover the top of casserole)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can/package chicken
1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste

Cook spaghetti according to directions on package.  Meanwhile in a large bowl, mix other ingredients together.  When spaghetti is done, drain and mix with other ingredients.  Pour mixture into a casserole dish (I use an 8x8 but it gets super full...).  Cover with shredded cheese.  Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes.  Let cool then enjoy!

So, I'm jumping on the blog bandwagon...seems like the cool thing to do.  Or not...for me, it seems like a good thing to do for my creative self, for my missing-home-like-crazy self, for my military-wife self, and for my mommy self.  I feel like I am so many things, I'm doing so many things, and so many things are always going on in our world.  I'm going to use this blog to just be a day to day account of what's going on in this Georgia girl, Jersey wife's life!