2009 most significants :-)

2009’s Most Significant…




1. Most Significant Blessing—Another year! Ummm no, let me think. God has put a lot of people in my path this year with wisdom. Some of these people didn't/don't even live by the things they say, but they said some things that truly touched my heart...So I am going with people. This year people around me have been my most significant blessing.



2. Most Significant Trial—My granddad had a lot of health issues this year and it worried me an incredible amount. I spent a lot of time praying and crying out to God for him.



3. Most Significant Lesson—In the end everyone can fail, just because they are human...I can't depend on them to make me better, or blame them for getting in my way...I have to depend on God for strength, and work to get where I want to go.



4. Most Significant Life Change—I'm home all the time now that I'm out of school. In a way I hate it, and in a way I don't want to change it.


5. Most Significant Purchase or Acquisition—It's definitely my laptop; I bought it about a week ago :-) and I'm loving every minute of it.



6. Most Significant Regret or Personal Failure—Not being more of a witness in college. People knew I was a Christian, but I didn't get a single person to church with me, and I think I just didn't try hard enough.



7. Most Significant Accomplishment—Again, finishing school, earning my Associates Degree.



8. Most Significant New or Improved Relationship—This is a hard one: Ayesha and Hannah. Hannah is a friend that I've known for years, we used to be penpals when I was like 8-12 or something...We started talking again this year and it was like nothing changed! We have only grown closer and now we're planning a visit, either I got to Kentucky, or she'll come to Georgia. Ayesha is about ten years older than me (give or take) and has been in my church a really long time, but for some reason this year we have spent more time together. She does my hair whenever I ask, and that's really a job; she truly has no idea how much I appreciate her.


9. Most Significant Event or Trip—I'll have to go with either the single's conference in Virginia (which was truly phenomenal), or my trip to MS for my birthday in March--it was total awesomeness. I guess I benefitted from each of them in different ways, but I definitely enjoyed both of them tremendously.


10. Most Significant Memory—Getting ready for the BBT...I got home from school and immediately started finishing up my dresses. I stayed up all night, a lot of tears, memory verse quotation, and of course praying went on that night. I don't think I'll ever forget that. It showed me that I can do a lot more than I give myself credit for a lot of times. The next night when I went to sleep I didn't wait until my head hit the pillow. There were  a lot of these actually, my sister Sarah and friends winning the singing competition (second place,) our family all getting together for Thanksgiving and fourth of July, I have so much to be thankful for.

weight loss? Noooo

I am working on my weight, I weigh...yeah right, like I'm really gonna tell you. Anyway, lets just say that since my accident a year and a half ago, and the steroids, and the sudden appetite surge when I couldn't smell anymore (look it up) I just can't say I like my size anymore. For awhile I was really exercising, I had an exercise buddy who I went running and walking two miles with every day but she didn't have time anymore. I miss the companionship and I miss the good feeling exercising gives to me...soo I'm not only going to start exercising, I'm also going to start changing my eating habits a little. I won't get all into it, but these changes are so necessary and I think I'm even ready to make them. I was supposed to have someone to keep my accountable, but she has forgotten to check on me. It's all on you me! I can do this.

"all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

Elisabeth

He has put a song in my heart

Lately I have been going through personal things that have caused me to be a little down. As a young adult I suppose that things I think are a big deal are really a lot smaller than I consider them to be right now...years down the road they will seem like just little speed bumps. Well, to get to the point, music speaks to everyone, it's only a matter of which music each person prefers. I recently started listening to a song "You Are God" by the Katinas...and it lifts my spirits each time I listen to it. I couldn't figure out why. I normally listen to music that either tells about how you'll come through the valleys a better person, or that God will work it all out, or that God notices when we cry. "You Are God" is a song that tells about the characteristics of God...I realized just today that maybe that's it! When we focus on God in our need and all that He is rather than what we are and our problems, and insecurities, that's when we are most happy. It's not about us, it's about how God can work through us!
If being a Christian wasn't about what He can do through us it wouldn't be called Christianity! To some it may seem silly for me to be so happy to have rediscovered this, but for me it totally clicked :). I knew all that, but it had been so long since I'd really thought about it. It's because of who God is that we can trust him with our futures...and I am smiling!

Maybe people want what I have.

Time to get back on track again! Whenever something is bothering me I always have a hard time keeping focused (going beyond the focusing problem I already have) and really, I need to overcome that. Right now I'm thinking about Christmas. Can I have anything in my shop (etsy) that will sell soon enough that it may sell for Christmas? I'm not sure about the whole advertising thing, but I do know a few things:
1. People like cute and unique things
2. People like to know that something will make them feel good and be useful before they spend money on it
3. People want to be in style.

I can make cute and unique (even though that's in abundance on etsy,) the things I make can be useful and make people feel good, and I can make things that are stylish. Actually having taken trend forecasting classes I know a little about what should be screaming for attention this and next seasons!! Sooo what am I waiting for? I should possibly start to shamelessly ask my facebook friends if they'd like to buy a bag for Christmas for anyone that they know, especially that's in college, or if they're in college themselves they can even have a custom bag made in their favorite colors!! Let me get to it, once I get an idea I can run off of the excitement it gives me for at least a day :)

south carolina

Our trip to South Carolina was phenomenal! We left around two o'clock in the afternoon on Saturday and reached there at dinner time. Pastor Butler and his family took us to eat at Cracker Barrel after which we went to the hotel. The hotel was a Holiday Inn Express...Becky and I picked our bed (closest to the window and air conditioner) and everyone settled in to watch tv. While Jackie was in the shower we turned off all the lights, turned off the tv, and opened and closed the door so she'd think we had left-and hid. Her lil voice saying "Is anyone there? This isn't funnny!" was just too hilarious. Almost as funny as when Sarah jumped out and scared her.
Sunday morning we got to sleep in because we were within walking distance of the church and the service wasn't until eleven o'clock. We sang sooo many songs lol. We enjoyed it. The sermon was about what a church is supposed to be like, out of the book of Acts. After Sunday service they filled up our tank and took us to eat at O' Charley's. I have to say that my food was the best, and the strawberry lemonade was off the HOOK! I must've gotten four refills lol.
Pastor Butler gave us a generous love offering, and we headed for home. The ride home was uneventful and we reached home around 8 pm on Sunday.
Now I just need to get back to sewing. I'm a little short on time :) pretty soon we'll be heading for MS. A week and a day! I can't wait to see my sister. I love Thanksgiving!

Elisabeth

I'm the oldest! Just listen!

I would like to know what the point of being the oldest is if I don't get a say...
When I started college is when it really became relevant; my younger sister and I both enrolled in the same school...her to become a certified MA and me to get an Associates Degree in Fashion Design. She went and took her driving test before me, and was therefore always driving. She decided pretty much everything from where to eat, to what time she would get me to school. When she finished school except for a couple classes and our classes weren't at the same time I never got to school on time. My teachers started to see me getting to school late and moved me down on the teachers pet list :). My fellow students always thought she was older when we met, and told me to stop getting bossed around lol...I rarely told her or even acknowledged it with more than an embarrassed smile. I figured she was the dominate personality, and from what I saw it was so much more trouble to fight it than to just go along, half of the time she doesn't even realize she's doing it!

Sooo maybe I let it go too far. Today we are supposed to go to another state to sing at a church opening and we have to choose songs. She decided we would sing a very long choir song that really doesn't sound right acapella because it's fairly monotone, the timing is "different", and there are several key changes that we haven't even mastered with the piano let alone without. When I tell her I don't like it the first time (last night) she says I'm being lazy and not trying, and when I tell her again today she asks everyone elses opinions and says we should sing it anyway...then eventually when I keep at it she gets upset, says that I'm just not trying, and we won't sing it...

As one of my new years resolutions perhaps I will try to become more of a go-getter. Who should take me seriously if they know that I'll end up going along with something (and just complain) even if I completely disagree? I've come to where the only time I won't eventually go along with something is when it's morally wrong, and therefore I get sent on personal errands for my sisters and the rest of my family daily. No one is taking me seriously, because I don't demand to be. I don't want to be unhelpful, just maybe a little more focused...?

I am praying that we have safe travels to our destination, and have fun getting there. This is not the first, nor will it be the last time that our personalities will clash, but I don't want it to get in the way of us being a blessing.

Elisabeth

Yes, I finished SOMETHING!

Today I started on a project, it's a little clutch (purse) made of denim and lace, which I haven't taken a picture of. I didn't use a pattern, but it turned out really really well. I want to keep it. I can't say how good this makes me feel so most people (unless they're really into something creative) won't get it. I have a discipline problem, and along with that a big distraction problem. After I cut out the fabric for the clutch it took me at least another thirty minutes just to get started because I kept getting distracted. I can't seem to focus on one thing and am always hopping from one thing to the next even during conversations! It's starting to annoy me that I can't get my mind to stop going, usually when I go to bed, I don't go so much because my body is tired but because my mind is...but since I realize that'll sound stupid I don't say so :) ...surely this is something that can be fixed.
On other subjects...
I have a facebook page, but lately it hasn't been letting me post pictures...so I'll just have to put the pictures from the singles retreat I went to last month on here!

Ebony, me, Kayla, Carissa, and Courtney

Marie and me

The whole group of us.

extraordinary? Nah...

Is it okay to sometimes feel like all the wonderfully exciting things happen to other people? Check out the discriptive word "wonderfully" in the last sentence. I've had plenty of exciting things happen to me, especially things like, ummm, things that weren't good, but sometimes ya' just want one of those once in a lifetime chance things to happen. I want to be extraordinary at a lot of things. I'm good, and sometimes even great, but not especially extraordinary. Should I go out and make that happen? Maybe I should, and maybe I will...for as my quote of the day says: "You cannot plough a field by turning it over in your mind." Sooo lemme stop turning things over in my mind and start doing them. Starting now.
Bye!

clean room most exciting development? Not good :)

I have been so lazy about posting, it's highly doubtful anyone pays attention to my blog anyway, but I should really keep up just to work on my own personal discipline (it's definitely a muscle that I need to exercise more often.)
I cleaned my room in a major way two days ago, and the bleak cleanliness of it makes it seem so roomy...even with my two dressers, bookshelf, two chairs, sewing machine and bed all in here! I have a lot going on emotionally lately, and it's sometimes hard to concentrate on anything outside of just thinking. I'm glad that I have cleared some of the outside clutter so that I can work on the inner clutter a little.
A friend of mine, Hannah, is very sick. She has a severe case of mono. Sadly, while most cases are "mild" and last a little while then go away, her's has caused so many complications that she's in the hospital and not doing well at all. I'm hoping that everyone who hears (or reads) will keep her in their prayers.
As for my creative side...it's still there, just not thriving well. One would think that stress would scream for an outlet and anything creative would help, but I'm working on a church website for my dad right now and trying my best to keep some time for things like my Sunday school class and job hunting.

rain, work, and creativity

Today I am at work (yes I know, I don't have a job, and it's bad work ethic to update blogs at work.) I protest! I'm at LiviRae lingerie (which was my internship site), Molly and Cynthia were nice enough to allow me to work on Saturdays if I want. Normally their Saturdays are incredibly busy, but due to the rain this one has not been at all...I did have plenty of other things to do though, and my day passed really quickly! Now it's ten minutes until closing and there are no customers so I took the chance to update, I don't ever seem to get that done when I get home.
Yesterday I cleaned at my Grandmother's house and she asked if I could start coming once per week to file and stuff for her along with my normal bi-weekly cleaning I do with my sisters! :) Now I'll have a little extra change until I get a job!
I will be heading home in the rain soon so I'm a little worried, but I'll breathe a quick prayer and try to take my time. I got so many ideas today and feel truly inspired...maybe I'll jump on my sewing machine before the weekend is over if I get a chance. I'm kinda bloated and just wanna sleep and maybe read or sketch...but that's not how you make money, is it?
I started on a messenger back which, if I ever finish, should look really good. It's made of brown khaki and denim fabric. I needa finish it because it looks good and it's only halfway finished!

Elisabeth

Just get to it already

Lately I've been slacking...okay, so this whole week I have been slacking. I don't feel bad about it for once because I was slacking only on the creative side of things, and I had a good reason! My school somehow managed to let me graduate without putting all the money I owed under loans...sooo I've been worrying how I'm going to pay that off without a job, and just so that I wouldn't only be worrying, I applied for a few jobs too. You would think I was applying for the FBI with some of the ridiculous assessment tests they have out there that take about an hour all told!
When I get really frustrated usually I can at least do some illustrations, but lately I haven't been able to find any pencils, so I went kinda crazy and bought twenty-four mechanical pencils...I don't suppose I'll be running out of those any time soon! Right after I bought them I came home and did two illustrations back to back. I was happy with both of them. I'm working on my teen girl sketches, they're pretty good I think. I'm going to add my latest sketches to etsy as soon as I can find enough light that won't add a glare but will be bright enough where I don't have to use flash...It rained all day so that won't be happening today. Nothing could take my joy away today, I'm so blessed, and even though I've beeeen blessed today I'm noticing it more. I visited my happy place-the library-and checked out some books!

Finished project number 1 right on time!

I finished my tote last night and I really like it. I listed it on etsy to hopefully at least get some views, but I'm going to add a button to the pocket, I just think it would add a little something...and of course I love buttons. The lining ended up being really neat, the bag would've definitely been a little boring without that and the pink thread accents...

In the works...

I love my old sewing machine. I bought it from my school because they didn't want it anymore. Fifty dollars. It's pretty ancient and weighs about a ton because it's made of iron, but this baby can go! It's industrial and requires oil :). Overall she's pretty low maintenance and is awesome to work with. Downside: Only straight-stitching can be done on this machine.

I'm making this bag out of an old denim skirt my mom gave me. It was rather huge, but a nice soffft thin kinda jean. I guess I could say it's repurposed and reconstructed :) The thread looks white, but it's actually pink. There is a pocket on the outside, about the right size for my cellphone...I mean, if I were keeping it. I am putting a thin floral cotton lining on the inside. I was going to put a pocket or a divider inside too, but I really wanted to get it done really fast because it I don't my drive will completely disapppear. When I have more things listed then I can do those little things I think.

getting to it

Today I'm going to let my creativity flow. I've found that when I force it, or I don't have any inspiration, I can't draw or create very well. I hate that. Today though, I'm going to make something new for etsy. I want to be able to list something new every day. I'm not like those people that can list four and five things a day but I can try for one right? I'm going to work on a bag. Two straps, a pocked on the outside, and maybe one on the inside. I'm going to try a few things different from the last two or three I made.
I'm also going to work on getting some business cards made, it's time I learned how to represent myself. Since I just finished college and have no job, I have noooo excuses for not getting anything done. It's my time!

Elisabeth

"Hey mama? I lost Janice!"

I am now packing for my first trip since I finished college...I wish I weren't such a procrastinator. We leave tonight around, or a little after midnight. I'm excited, but definitely am not looking forward to being squished up in the car. Sarah Julia and I have agreed to all drive four hours (or about that many), Virginia is in the general vicinity of twelve long hours away. I'm trusting God to make this a great trip.
Today when I went to buy some extra last minute things for the trip, I took Janice with me. I almost sweated out my new straight hairstyle. It was HOT and I dropped Janice off three doors down from Citi Trends at Goodwill to shop and told her I'd pick her up. When I came out of Citi Trends about thirty minutes later I couldn't find her in goodwill. I asked the cashier after looking frantically through the store and she said she'd just cashed her out. Sooo I walked outside, Janice walks slow so I thought I'd see her strolling along. No such luck. I went to the furniture store next door, back to citi trends, to it's fashion...and then back to goodwill and back to citi trends and by this time I'm getting really aggravated. I finally just went into goodwill and gave the lady my number and told her if/when Janice came back in to just call me. She agreed. As I walked to the car Janice called out my name. She had been in Freds (the opposite direction, store next door to citi trends). She said she saw my car and "just figured" I was in Freds and did a whole shopping trip in there then visited Citi Trends, then finally came back to goodwill. I told mom I'm going to put a sign on her that says "If I'm not with someone please call (insert number)". This is like the second or third time I've lost her and she's more than twice my age...She's going to make me old before my time.

Elisabeth

life has been going on

Internship has been keeping me busy and the only thing keeping me just as busy is school! I'm finally finishing up so it's okay that it's taking up all my time. I found a gift for my teachers (my favorites anyway) and hopefully they'll like it. I got some peach preserves from a friend who is an excellent cook and basic magician when it comes to any food he touches and I'm going to put them in a bag with a nice little ribbon and hope they like that kinda thing. Originally I had planned to make bags for them, but then after I realized the end of the quarter is upon us and I have NO time to make them!
Right now I'm incredibly happy for no other reason than that I'm alive and I have been so blessed with a great family and supportive friends. I'm going to miss my college friends, but maybe once in awhile we can get together. I want to take some group pics at our last class.

Fourth of July

Right now I am sitting in my Mississippi-dwelling sister and brother-in-laws house waiting for some cookies I just put in the oven to finish up. We (my family and I) arrived at around about 4 am on Friday morning. I've actually been enjoying myself and yesterday I did pretty much nothing! John came over for awhile and hung out, and we did played some volleyball outside, just he, my younger sister Sarah, and me. This morning we got up early and headed to the beach to fish. We had a good time, except I didn't catch any fish...I came really close to catching a crab though, the weather was beautiful and windy.
I have to be back at my internship on Monday morning and on Wednesday back at school, but I'm sure I'll look back and smile about this little "break" I had from it all.
My internship is still going well. I will start bra fitting soon and I can't wait...I think. I'm a little nervous about the whole thing, because I don't want to do it wrong, but everyone is already accusing me of only wanting to talk about my internship site so yeah...I might as well get even more into it! I desperately need to tweak my etsy page, and I'm sure everyone else is of the same opinion, but eventually I'll find the time. I'm concentrating on making great grades once again for my last quarter.

Elisabeth

Illustrating and sewing bags

Someone just requested a sketch and wanted to know the price. Since it's going to be 24x36 I said $45.00 and they agreed! My sisters were telling me to say more than that, but I'm not quite secure enough in other people liking my work to raise it too high. Hmmm, maybe I should post some more things on etsy. I have some ideas really running around in my head especially for bags. Right now it's at idea level, I'm becoming inspired by things I see every day and I pulled out my sketchpad today because I just couldn't take it any longer. After my last quarter ended I completely stopped sketching! It's been like 3 weeks!
Miss Molly, the owner of the shop i'm interning at is great. She told me that if there is something I make I can see if it'll sell at the shop. I think if I made some really big bright bags they'd sell as beach bags. Who doesn't want to go to the beach? I saw two styles of bags that I really want to try, not the same types of fabrics, but the general look.

Elisabeth

whew...

Hi World! We just finished up our 6th annual youth and family fellowship Friday evening. It was very hectic and stress-inducing but it was still a lot of fun. I got to hang out with friends a lot and to me that's a big deal. I dont think a lot of people have most of their friends in other states or at least hours away. Oh I miss everyone so much! The preaching was exceptional. The message about being a dreamer and following your dreams really stuck out for me, as well as the one about faith and the message about taking one step at a time...I'm at a transitional time especially where college and career are concerned which is nerve-wracking. I'm starting my internship and my last quarter of school! *AAGHH*
Anyway, speaking of college and/or career someone asked about a very large sketch and what price it would be. it gave me hope. These things happen when I'm least expecting them.
I'm praising the Lord for such a wonderful week...I'm beginning to appreciate my family and friends and all my blessings soo sooo much more than I ever did.

Elisabeth

my walk at the end!

My taffeta skirt and shirt with lace sleeves looked really good on my model. I think my gold dress was the biggest hit though...I don't exactly know what to do with it now. I'm so sentimental I might keep it.

The BBT-fashion show-finally came and went. I was ready! My dresses looked great IMO and I really had a great time. My dress wasn't new, and I didn't design or sew it up but I thought I looked pretty good anyway. I'm almost done with college (only two classes and internship left) and now I'm ready to start making a profit on my designs. I think I'm too timid with my advertising, I know I can do it but I'm afraid that people will think I'm not as good as I should be.

I can make gifts-my first bags

Making something for a friends special day is great because they know that you took time out of your busy (or otherwise schedule) just to create something for them. Doesn't that mean that they mean a lot to you? I made this bag for a friend's birthday, I woke up that morning and started cutting out the pieces and was done fairly fast for it to be my first time. I used part of a shirt and some soft caramel-colored fabric I've had for a long time and kept meaning to make a skirt out of. I plan to make more bags in the future, and have actually already cut out some beautiful dark blue satiny fabric to make a bag out of for a friend who just had a baby. I've been really busy with school but now I hopefully will have a little time and I'm ready!! I start my internship the first week of June, I hope I really like it.

I DID IT!!!!

Yes, I actually visited the internship site that I wanted today, and I'm going to be interning there in June and July! I'm so excited that I almost wished it were right now. Darn it, I wish I could just be outta this quarter of school. The only class I'm really getting to enjoy is illustration 3 and I'm not so happy with it either rightn now because we were given an impossible deadline. I have weekends that are unavoidable. We have to go to Grampy's to clean, and witnessing on Saturday, and then to church most of the day on Sunday, it doesn't leave much time for homework. Strangely, people assume that because I don't work I have all of the time in the world-including some of my family.
Anyway, just had to put the good news on here.
I'm working on putting some bags on etsy, what's really cool is that I whipped one up for a friends birthday without using a pattern and now I need to really perfect the skill. I used a piece of another garment to give it a cute look, and almost everyone I showed it to wanted it (but then so did I lol)

Yesterday was the meet and greet at college with a lot of internship sites. It was a lot of fun. As soon as I saw the owner of livirae lingerie I got excited and went 'there she is!' in a whisper to Samantha. I talked with her and she told me how busy it was about her traveling and even said that if I haf money I can travel with her where she goes! Its a very big deal to me and I'm praying that after my internship perhaps I'll get hired. If not I'll be happy that I learned a lot. That is the purpose after all!
Elisabeth

sketches and etsy

I added this sketch to etsy hoping to sell it. I'm not sure if it will, or even if the suggestion/demand that I sell them for more from fellow artists is a good one, but it feels like they're right. I've had so many people say that five then seven dollars was too little to pay for an original sketch that could possibly get reproduced that I changed the price to about double that. So far at the original price I've sold about 6 sketches, but those were all custom sketches. One I'm working on now is of a ladies' bridal gown; I hope I can do it justice. While in the etsy chat room asking advice I was told to try selling illustrations that are finished also. Here's to trying; I'll never know unless I try.

A friend of mine recently had a baby and although he has been given everything, I want to perhaps make a baby bag that'll be cute and serviceable. I hope I find the time. I've really enjoyed using the mobile post option they have available here, now most of my posts are from my phone.

Elisabeth

The weeks are flying by and the biggest thngs on my mind rite now are the bauder black tie (bbt) my internship, and making money on etsy. I need to improve sales in a major way. I called the lady at the site I want to intern at-thats abt an hour away-and she said that she was thinking abt how the distance is making me think twice and that I could possibly spend the night when I am feeling too tired after "work" to drive an hour home. If that doesn't make it sound likely that I will b interning there I don't know what does. I'm hoping that since I'll b trained by them I may be the perfect candidate for a job ther after my internship is finished. I know they need more people and if I work hard and learn quickly there is no telling! Nothings impossible w/God

I finished my avant garde piece. it actually turnd out really well and *gasp* wonder of wonders I enjoyed it! My sister actually found my hairy winged fairy creepy. I am wondering what I am going to do with all this artwork...

I haf an avant garde piece due for class tomoro at 3:15. I'm not sure why fur is so difficult for me, but it is and its a requirement for this project. I'm doin a butterfly or fairy with fur wings. I'm goin to work on it aftr getting home tomoro.
Wondr of wonders!! Mrs. Hopper asked me if I wanted to do anothr dress for the show and I said yes. Please don't ask me why aftr the grief of the first two...anyway itl b a challenge naturally but let's hope I'm up to it. Its due saturday.

I DID IT!!

I suppose pictures will be arriving soon, but I am currently going to have my two dresses modeled at the bauder black tie event (obviously hosted by bauder college.) After much determination and very little sleep I made it! It's weird because I am such a frustrated person when sleep deprived, but when I stayed up all night-drinking coke, and coffee, eating popsicles and listening to the radio to keep me up-I had no one to cry to! Naturally I did cry, but it felt so pointless at 5:30 am when dad was leaving for work and I was still up and was sure I wasn't going to be finished in time. My dad gave me a hug and told me it'd be alright but to me there was nothing worse than staying (missing sleep!) for something and it not even being used for it's main purpose. Anyway, though it may sound like I only cried and ate that whole night :) it did pay off. I talked to John that morning before he left for work and he told me that it would all work for the best whether or not it got it (since when was this guy so wise?) Unfortunately he constantly told me after that he had told me so, I have no idea what he would've said. I'm amazed by the amount of friends that said they wanted to come...I'm excited, it's gonna be a big night for me, and even though I won't be the best there, I'll know I worked hard with very little time and money and that makes me happy.
Right now I'm trying to figure out how to network. I'd love to get a job in industry, but I'm being realistic, that's hard right now. I'm seriously considering my options with the internships available and I just don't know. There's a lingerie shop that I'd love to work at simply because I needneedneed the experience, and because it sounds like fun...but what I had mainly planned/hoped was bridal or formalwear. I guess we'll see. I'm still praying about it right now.

Elisabeth

It's Monday and I'm not finished with my first dress! This will not work, it will not work at all! I'm planning to sew the skirt onto the bodice today and really put time into it so it'll be finished by Tuesday hopefully, and then I can start on my other dress on Wednesday at the latest! I CAN DO THIS...I hope.

omg...

Since my last blog a few things have happened. Okay. A lot has.
Here's a summary:
My birthday (March 25) I'm officially legal!
2. A trip to MS. Actually this happened right before my birthday. I got so many presents and bought myself sum too cute skirts.
3. If I can make patterns for and sew up three dresses I will be able to be in the Bauder Black Tie event!! More about that later on.
4. A whole new quarter in school, hopefully the one before my last. I should be done in august if I work hard.
5. I've been invited to Phi Theta Kappa again! I think this time I'll join.

Okay about the dresses that I must make, I have started them already. I'm almost done with the pattern for the first dress and it actually wasn't so hard. but we'll see how it looks when I sew it up. I'm doing something dangerous, and on-the-edge, I'm going to sew up the thing without making a muslin pattern first! I know...but I don't have time! Less than two weeks for two outfits! I know that others may not be intermediate at this like I am and need all that time, but I definitely do...especially with all my other classes. My teachers all told me to prepare not to sleep when they found out that I have the classes I do. I have so many projects begging for attention that I really shouldn't be on here but I needed to get rid of sum stress.
Hopefully I will have a more common presence on etsy and I can really start to sell my stuff. I'm also thinking of making bags for the youth and family meeting we're having, like for prizes. We'll see. Sarah wants the computer.

Elisabeth

The youth and family meeting is on our tails. We're not having it at camp this time, and I'm looking forward to it being close by while at the same time wishing we had dorms again this year. It could be fun at times even though parents left their kids unattended like we were paid babysitters.
I am completely ready to have my whole school project for commercial design done. My first garment is nearly completed and I really need to work on it this weekend. I also have a shirt pattern to finish making, as well as the fabric for that shirt and some pants to buy. I was going to go today (and still may) but I'm getting lazy the longer I'm at home. My mom went to run errands and so I have no car to go in.
I'm selling my first set of sketches. The customer is buying five of them (I'm so excited,) I'm on etsy as a seller and in a way really didn't think I was going to sell any sketches. The finished products are really good actually. She told me what she wanted each dress to look like and the colors and I just basically provided the actual sketch as well as a little bit of input when asked.
Right now I'm trying to get my schedule done for the coming quarter. I should be done with school around August. I am definitely looking forward to that. I enjoy college but we don't geta summer break and only a week between quarters it bears down on you a lot when it's nonstop.

Elisabeth

School is wearing me down. I have almost finished a sample dress in muslin with a lining made from an original (yes, I made it kinda original) pattern. Whew, I'm really just wishing that this were all a bad dream. Unfortunately when one of my professors told me I'd be having nightmares where she was asking me about my homework, she was correct. I'm trying to learn to use my time wisely, but with other people living in the same house it's increasingly difficult. I put up a sign on my door that said "SEWING! DO NOT DISTURB!" and my seven and ten-year-old sisters stood at the door and I could hear them whispering:

Nece: She put up a SIIIIGN?!

Monnie: I guess. It says "do not dis-turb." What's "disturb" mean?

Nece: I don't know! Knock!

This is of course when I swing the door open and say "WHAT?!" in my most dangerous voice. And Monnie shrinks a little and says "Um, well, what does disturb mean?"

"It means leave me alone don't knock on my door don't come near my door!!" I said very quickly (no commas.)

Monnie looked at me a minute, I suppose judging exactly how upset I would get if she opened her mouth again. Then, "Well, I had something to ask you!"

I realize now that I was wasting time, but I asked first "Is it important?" The answer was yes. "Okay," I said "what is it?"

"Can I have a piece of the cake downstairs?"

I'm ashamed to say that I blew up. In actuality I listened for a brief moment to my sewing machine humming in the background, studied Monnie's eyes a second, glanced at my ceiling, all while the good and evil argued in my head about whether to throw her down the stairs. To this day I have no idea which one won, but I yelled "That's NOT important! I'M BUSY! Where is momma? Do you have any idea how much work I have to do? Do you want me to get an F?

Monnie stood uncertain for all of three minutes while I deep breathed, with the look on her face only she gets, something between complete calm, unease, mental debate, and indecisiveness. Now that I think about it she was probably trying to decide which question to answer first. Her decision was a dumb one.

"Momma is in Sarah's room..." she said in her little voice (it's so cute when I'm not mad.)

"Well," I said with the calmness that comes before and after storms, and directly before a hurricane "why don't you ask her ok?"

Isn't it strange that all this time Nece was conveniently located somewhere else, and unfair that they both pranced downstairs to cake while Monnie was the brave one? This is my life, and it's not at all funny while it's happening, only afterwards. Monnie knocked on my door about four more times that day in case you're wondering if I traumatized her :)

Lizzi

Church in the news, not good.

Our church was seen on tv by several people this morning, and that's how we got a call from our [rental house] tenant about Decatur Baptist Church being on fire! AJC.com has it too (http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/dekalb/stories/2009/01/29/churchfire.html) and even though I haven't seen it for myself since the news cameras obviously weren't allowed to the back of the building where the fire was, we heard an update from papa saying that there was damage on the deck but not much on the inside of the building as far as he could tell. I'm just so thankful about that. I kept wondering about whether the piano burned up, and things like that.
Today I watched a movie, studied my patternmaking book a little, ate lunch, and just chilled. It's nice to be able to do that once in awhile. I worked on my sketches and have made a minimal change to their (the models or croques) legs that makes them look much better!

Elisabeth

my weekend

So far I am not really stressing about this quarter's classes, but I think the real workload is yet to come. One professor told us to get three ring binders and said we're going to have (obviously extensive) notebook checks to see if we have all five categories: handouts, notes, inspiration, homework, and calendar with dates of test & quizzes as well as how much time we spent studying each day/week. *Sigh* just thinking about all that organization stressed me out. I had to kinda do a mental pep talk.
Friday night we were over the Beasley's. We half-heartedly practiced a few songs for the ensemble we have at church, and then we ate like ravenous beasts, and played dictionary. It was hilarious! The only other time I played it was with boring (slightly unimaginative) people and we didn't wonder about what elephantiasis might've meant, or laughed over one definition given for rathskeller: "a rat that works in a bank, also known as a teller". Jackie will NEVER live that one down.
Today at In Town Baptist I taught class and was slightly disappointed about how the girls sometimes don't even care to pretend they're listening. They prefer my class over my dads because it's less technical and less formal, but really would rather just goof off wherever they are. Is maturity taught or just acquired with age? I'm pretty sure that I wasn't quite that bad at their age (lol but it was only 5-6 years ago, so who knows.) There were about seven teenage boys and the girls wanted to spend class time discussing who liked whom and who was going to rush in to sit by the favored boy. All in all my day was pretty nice...the week was fairly decent :) I meet new friends on etsy all the time, and find some really talented people-and have bought from a couple.

Elisabeth

I went to the doctor today and they said that I have Chronic some long word which basically means chronic itches. I have been told that it's very several different allergies working at once. Sometimes I just say, "why me?!" But like Pastor said in his sermon on Sunday, why not me? I go for allergy testing some time this month. In a way I've had it with doctor visits because I really didn't find out anything I didn't know already. I knew that I needed allergy testing. I knew that I didn't know what was causing the welts and itching. I knew that steroids wouldn't help, and I knew that allergy meds do. Now the doctor has prescribed me allergy medicine. It's funny in a way.
I'm on etsy all the time now, I've met several new friends and even bought some soap by camsoaps (shout-out!) which is vanilla. I can't smell it, Momma loves the smell of it. I've found a lot of encouragement from fellow etsians from about how to advertise all the way to how to take the best pictures possible. I have yet to create a banner or fill up my shop, but I'm working on it. School starts back tomorrow and I have some hard classes. Looks like it's going to be mostly work and no play this quarter *sigh*.