kidskidskids

First of all let me clear up that I normally enjoy having five excited, energetic ten-and-unders at my house...This time I miscalculated. According to my calendar I wasn't supposed to be bloated and hormonal, and neither was I supposed to be having bad allergy problems or having issues sleeping through the night. I picked up five of my Sunday school kids last night, and brought them to my house after a trip to the library and then to walmart. I had saved the money for the food (you'd be shocked by how much they eat) instead of spending it during the after-xmas sale so I was okay though. We rented two movies, and I turned it on and pulled out the snacks as soon as we got home. Anthony and Chris were here visiting so I sat upstairs talking to them and just did frequent checks on the babysat-by-a-movie kids. Today was altogether chaotic. I have a huge headache-but then I can't actually blame it on them because of my allergies sadly lol. They ate breakfast, and read their bibles and then I went to breakfast (because dad promised to watch them.) When I came back from breakfast they were playing basketball and we went for a walk, and back inside for book reading and cd listening. Lunch was served before they headed outside for more antics only coming inside to play on gameboys and ask for food. Lastly we went to mya's house to play and stayed for quite awhile. There they shamelessly gorged themselves on cupcakes and deer bologna. *Sigh* Soon we leave for church. Class is going to be full of coloring tonight.

Do I look fat?

I don't like to call it a diet...the first three letters spell something fatal. I like to call it a change in eating habits. Either way I've noticed an unattractive weight gain and I have to do something about it. I lost seven pounds because of my accident, and then gained them all back on my steroids, and then my will gave way lol. I've never been the type to going to far for the sake of weight loss, or even care that much, but when my clothes start fitting different I don't like it. Mama promised to go on the Daniel fast with me after the new year, last time I did it for two weeks (skipping weekends) and I lost a dress size.
For Christmas (and :-) Christmas dinner) we are going over to aunt Luana's house. I always enjoy Christmas, and thanks to the sudden drop in the weather to 18 degrees, it feels like it too!

I've been researching for a paper I have to write in English composition I on going green in the fashion industry, or eco-friendly design. I was shocked by how many ways there are to "go green" and how unnoticed they have remained. Lately there is a lot about being green, and all that, but you rarely think about it as being so usable in the fashion industry. One of the biggest things that surprised me was that shopping at thrift stores is considered sort-of eco-friendly. Earth-friendly people tend to frown on throwing away clothes just because you no longer like them. It's a good thing I've always been a thrift store person, being a pack rat anyway, I dislike throwing things away when I think I may be able to use them...unfortunately I rarely am actually able to use them again, but that's beside the point. I just thought I'd share this, I think making some changes in the way we reserve what God has given us whether it's energy or other recyclable resources is a good idea. I believe one big reason it's so overlooked is because it seems like so much work, and no one wants to go through extra stress or worry.
If you want some sources I'll put some on later.
Elisabeth

This is me tired out and looking raggedy on Sunday evening on the couch. Angel is simply a big lap dog at heart, and climbed up on my lap to nap too. I miss my Angel.

Thanksgiving, definitely worth being thankful for.

The things that make us happy normally involve people we love. I had the best Thanksgiving. We spent almost a week at Mary and Richard's house, and as big as our family is, with as crowded as things were, it was still great. Somehow I picked up an allergic reaction to something there starting Thursday, and it created quite an itch. I was shocked when welts started popping up Friday morning. By Saturday I couldn't take it any longer and bought allergy pills. I spent a lot of time with John and Rachel, I think we all got to hang out much more than we expected.
Would you believe I caught fish? Yes, I went fishing. My brother-in-law convinced me, so on Friday morning I went with the family-minus Julia and Sarah-and fished. John came along and he and I bickered back and forth and laughed the whole time. I believe his doubt of my fishing skills drove me to greatness, and I didn't even bait a single hook!
Tuesday Mary took us to a thrift store. The thrift stores are really great there, I found a very nice skirt, and a target brand skirt for Julia (right up her alley definitely.) On Saturday we went to the flea market where I bought a cool Southern girl tee shirt and taught Rae how to eat boiled peanuts. Sunday John, Rae, Peter, and I went to Saki, a hibachi (sp?) grill. The food was delicious and the chef was hilarious. It was my first time (John thought that was something worth making fun of) and it was awesome. By the way I do realize that I have the days out of order, I just wrote this any kinda way.
Depression set in when it was time to come home, but I'm much better now. I have to say that it was worth the missed schoolwork and all. Speaking of which, I missed two classes and am still ahead of everyone on the jacket I'm making. I think everyone is just chillin in the class.

whew...tired

I'm so tired. For some reason I've had a headache allllll day, and it's not going away! While I'm talking about things that won't go away I can't get rid of a weird smell that's been with me all day, and I'm working on aNOTHER project and expecting to be at it at least another hour. I have a hard time paying attention to anything for too long, so I'm taking a short break for the first time in a couple of hours.
I'm ready for bed!! On Monday I leave for MS to see my sister. Momma, the Brats and I am going in the first load and on Tuesday night Sarah will follow with Dad and Julia who both had to work. I'm trying to get this all done so that I can just get a move on to the weekend.

Papa's beard is much whiter now than it was last time he grew it out...I think he looks great-so distinguished.


He had a golf/over the hill themed party.


Papa's birthday party was last night. Sixty years old! I can't believe it! We had a really good time, and Papa obviously enjoyed himself too. I took pictures. It was great seeing Patrick again. He's so funny; he looks and acts a lot like his dad too. I stood up and told some of Papa's pet peeves from when we were little kids, and the celebrities he likes to make fun of...We came up with some pretty hilarious true things from the past and present.
By Monday I'm supposed to have a certain amount of my jacket sewn which probably isn't going to happen. I get started on a big project on Tuesday, and I'm excited about that. If I had money to spend I could really go overboard on it. It's a scrapbook/portolio design project where I have to choose a company I'd like to design for. I picked Priscilla of Boston which is a bridal company. As usual, this coming week will be gone before I know it.

Elisabeth

Life, the election, and "other"

The election left somewhat of a bitter taste in my mouth. Sadly, it wasn't so much about who was elected (because I do trust God to make it all work together for good for us,) but more about the hate passed back and forth by those who were on separate sides. Last election a lot of people who wanted Kerry to win were sure that the Bush side faked votes, but I don't remember them being as upset as everyone is this time. The side for Obama wants to know why you (who voted for McCain) voted for someone who won't take other people's money and give it to you. They also say he thinks too much like Bush (though how they know this when those I've heard say this obviously didn't even CHECK policies.) The side for McCain has gotten on their high seats of righteous indignation and want to know why anyone would vote for someone who is for abortion and infanticide-if I baby lives through an attempted abortion, Obama believes it would undermine abortion laws to do anything other than let the baby die a painful death. Hardly anyone says anything with compassion or reason, it's all "my way or the highway" yelling and screaming. I've found that people are accused of being stupid, and racist for not voting Obama when I believe race is the last reason a person should be voted for, and that if someone stood in line two hours or more and their candidate didn't win they've been punished enough. I for one hope that things don't get worse simple because we now have everyone at each other's throats. I am really just believing that God is in control. I do love to debate, but I like debating facts, and using opinions along with those facts, not throwing around ignorance, and hate language. Could we please not kill each other just so everyone will believe that we've "Come so far"? Whew, glad I got that off my chest.

Jocelyn and the four of us: Sarah, Mary, Julia, and me (Elisabeth). The bride and bridesmaids!

I am so excited that I will be visiting my married sister (as I call her) and my brother and their wonderful little daught-I mean, dog in two weeks. I can hardly believe that Thanksgiving is really sneaking up on us like this! We have all kinds of plans. I never expected to miss my sister this much! We are planning to take pictures of the four of us, send dad and the kids crabbing and fishing, make a huge thanksgiving dinner, play games, watch movies, and obviously SHOP! I'm hoping to sew up something for the colder weather out of all the corduroy I have, but we'll see.


The kids and I started painting the Sunday School class walls, and unfortunately we didn't finish. I think we're supposed to finish tomorrow, but until then we're going to have to meet in another room. I can't think where that'll be!

Elisabeth

Right now I'm just trying not to think about college at all lol. The weekend was busy busy. We decided to have game night at our house this time because last time was at Ayesha's house. Well it starts at 7 so no one will be hungry still, and we can just have snacks so that's one thing we don't have to worry about. Momma (being Momma) has me mopping the floor and then waxing it, and cleaning the kitchen and stuff. I was kinda surprised I wasn't sent to clean up my horrendous room (I'll get back to that.)
Saturday morning we had buskids over again and they were playing uno and singing and stuff. Around 2 o'clock the missionaries came over and Sarah and Julia took them shopping while I babysit lil Donovan and the Brats.
My room for some reason is a horrible horrible mess. I have clothes everywhere separated in darks and lights and pjs. My room looks like a lumpy multicolored rug. *sigh* I'll think about it tomorrow.
My hair is a major mess and it's getting too long for me to handle honestly, and it rarely looks good. It's always pulled into an unkempt curly-or kinky-bun, ponytail, or ball at the back of my head. Someone I met the other day in class pointed at my hair and goes "Wow, you have a lot of hair, how long is it?" It takes tooo too long to do anything with! Who has a suggestion? I would like to cut it, but I like it long when someone else does it. Maybe I can bargain to do someone elses if they'll do mine...

collegeblahblahblah

If it seems like college is all I have to talk about, maybe it's because it is! Things are really going kinda slow right now in school, but I know in a week or two I'll be complaining because everything is due at the same time and I can't keep up. I picked up my pattern for my jacket, and it's cute; it was only a dollar! I also signed up for a Hancock advantage card so I can get discounts and things.
We live smack dab in the middle of clayton and henry county so when I went five minutes down the street and tried to vote they said I had to vote in clayton county voting place which is five minutes the other way. Geez, can we make things simple for those who have important opinions lol?
I have to leave for class now, and evn though it's pretty cold I washed my hair like an idiot because I just couldn't put up with how uncontrollable it was. If I catch pneumonia it's my own fault.
I'm still on Etsy, and now my mom has put her quilts and cross stitch on there to try to sell...

Elisabeth

Step out or stay put?

Okay...I'm half afraid to show this, but here is a small part of my final project for Illustration. Since a new quarter has started we can run and get our old projects. I have a wish, a "kinda-secret-not-so-secret" wish to sketch designs for people who want a dress or other article of clothing custom-made. Many can describe what they want, but can't convey that idea to a seamstress who needs a picture-or a sketch. That's where I could come in! I've sketched a dress for a friend of mine, and for my sister (not that they ever were taken to a seamstress), and they really liked them...I have looked online and seen several sites for sketching your design-in-mind, and a few are actually at a decent price, and a few are just ridiculous. One charged about $200 to sketch an illustration of the customer on her wedding day in her gown. I just don't really know where to go from here. I know that I'm not quite as good as I need to be, but I have to start somewhere, right? I'm really just afraid to step out, my faith here is miniscule.
About school starting on Monday...well it didn't. I went early and printed my schedule only to find that I didn't have classes starting on Monday, so I went back home tired and a bit irritable. On Tuesday I was ready though, bright eyed and bushy-tailed for my first class of the quarter. A couple of my classes don't look inspiring, but the other two are right down my alley. Those classes are trend forecasting, and advanced clothing construction where I make a sports jacket. I have a nice dark brown wool for it, hopefully it's worth wearing when I'm done.

School starts on Monday!

Today is Saturday, I know how it'll go, tomorrow will pass in a blur and I'll be back to school first thing on Monday morning standing in line for books. At least I have my schedule printed out already, and hopefully I'll get to Bauder early so that I can check my quarters grades after I get my books and still be in class on time. I have several classes with Mrs. Hopper-love her to death-so that's good. The other two I've heard might be a strain, but you really never know because classes students have complained I've aced. Sometimes I think they just don't want to study or act like they're in college, but they act like the teacher shouldn't notice that. I would really like to sketch up some clothes for people who want to design their own, but can't sketch and want to take a completed sketch to a seamstress, but there are a lot of websites out to do the same thing. Amazingly for the most part they are kinda pricey. It seems like I wouldn't be able to compete anyway...right?
Last night we (Julia, Sarah, and I) went to the Beasley's house to play some games and hang out. We stayed there kinda late, and didn't get home until 1 am, and then we stayed up until after 4 am lol. That's the latest I've stayed up since my final project more than a week okay.

Lizzi

Nana gave me a portfolio, she said she "hoped" I'd like it. I said "Are you kidding? This is awesome!" I already have one but it's nowhere near as cool.


Here's a pencil sketch (in-class assignment) of how to do ruffles. Since I didn't go over it with my micron it didn't show up so well.

etsy shmetsy. Can I resist? Never!

OH MY GOODNESS!! I'm trying to forgive someone I know for introducing me to etsy.com. It's the home of vintage and homemade. It's like heaven! You can buy things or sell them, and all homemade or vintage. I've been browsing on there every day since she showed it to me, and believe (with good reason) that it's forming an addiction! Today alone I've sat with my already-formed addiction-a book-in my lap, and etsy pulled up on the computer, and looked and looked for a couple hours. I think it's drained the energy from my eyeballs. One addiction is all I can take! I'm a very weak person, I stayed up until 2 am last night finishing a book I was reading while fussing in my mind at the main character for not realizing her mother had lied to her all her life. *sigh* I can already see my break disappearing.
I'm going to demand that we have a game night on Friday. It's going to be the last day of my break, and I wanna beat brother Ron at spades. Besides, we're s'posed to be going to visit Mary in November and her mother-in-law is a pro, I've gotta practice!

it's break and I have no clue what to do

Today I had one class to take before I have my (almost) week break. As a guy I know at school says "I secretly live" for these breaks between quarters. By the time they come around I have really met as many deadlines as I can...I like the fact that I change classes too, it keeps things interesting. I was offered a hundred dollars by one of my fellow students at college today when I said I had found a dress form-he said fifty at first and after a resounding no raised the amount to a hundred lol. NOT A CHANCE BUSTER!
I think I should sew over my break, but really I don't really feel like arguing with fritzy the sewing machine so if she acts up once that's it. It's my break after all. I want to do something exciting this week, but I can't think of a thing. I did rack up on books from the library. My new author to "read up on" is Angela Hunt. I really like what I've read so far. Maybe I'll lose weight. I still haven't lost those pounds I gained from the steroids (for my head injury) so I could get started!
Any suggestions, lemme know.

A dress form!

I am veryvery happy that I have found a DRESS FORM!! This is like my dream come true, I didn't think I'd be able to get one anytime soon because of the cost (around $200-$300). I found one today at the children's home sale however, for only FIFTEEN DOLLARS! One of the best things is that it's adjustable, and I can change the waist hips and bust size to match the size of the person I am making the dress or garment for. I also found a good bit of fabric for winter clothes; most of the material was the winter variety, like corduroy and wool. I feel so blessed right now.
I was thinking of naming her but a friend didn't like that idea.

I have no idea why I looked so dead that day, I think it had something to do with staying up so late. Draping is going to be the way we make our clothes in collections...I loved draping class.

It's so sad that I had a blog, but I can't remember what it was named, or what the email address for it was. I am in college for Fashion Design right now, about to start a new quarter and have classes like Trend Forecasting and Advanced Clothing Construction. I'm getting good grades, but still have that lil fear deep down that I may not be good enough, or may forget what I know once I'm out of school...
It's time for my final projects and tests in all my classes. In Illustration I have to draw 26 walking figures, design garments for each of them, choose the category of clothing (formalwear, active wear, sportswear, etc) and have fabric swatches and render the fabric on the garments I've designed, the fabrics must be similar, no knits and weaves together or anything, and I have to do flats for each garment. It's a lot, but I think I can get it done in time. I hope so at least. Illustration is just really time-consuming.
I'm off on Wednesdays and Fridays from college right now because of the way I scheduled my classes, and I help Monnie and Nece with school on those days.
All in all, I'm not too too busy (don't ask me on days with lots of homework,) but I'm busy enough not to have too much extra time on my hands.