Category: work

I have a crush.

I’m wildly, passionately, unabashedly in love with The Crafty Chica.

There. I said it.

I came across her book, The Crafty Chica Collection, at my library. (my local library roooocks. I am a huge fan of the library.) As a New Mexico girl, it sang to me.

I’ve been possessed by it since. I also have two more of her books checked out, and one on hold.

And when I say possessed, I mean full on OCD, freak out, dropping cash at Michaels, dreaming about it at night, spending free time all over the glue gun, buy me some glitter, rhinestones!, possessed. I’m into it.

And bless The Cute Boy™, he’s rather supportive of the craftiness. He even scored crafty-perfect Xmas gifts. God, I love that man. The Feline thinks she needs to sleep in the craft box. It’s a tug-o-war. I’m not sure that as The Human that I’m winning.

So, since I’m gonna own it, publicly admit my crush, here are some photos of my stuff inspired by the Chica. This is what I’ve put together on my time off from work. (have I mentioned that not working for two weeks is utterly the best? Sleep. Whatta concept!)

This is a small photo of, yes, me. Little me. This was just a “let’s see what I can do with this spare piece of cardboard and some glitter glue”. It’s not perfect, yet I like it:

And here is the piece I’m working on now. I’ve always been all in love with Dia de los Muertos images and art and so the Crafty Chica gave me some ideas and some how-tos and I’m off to the races. I made all the clay beads. I’ve had dreams about making this and it’s coming together really well.

It’s not a lot to show for my time off so far, but lots of things are in motion. This is MUCH more fun than work!

Photos by Karen Fayeth and crafty art by Karen Fayeth too.

What are ya doin’ New Year’s Eve?

Does anyone have any good ideas? I’ve been crazy into the holiday spirit but have to say I’m a bit worn down.

I’d be happy to stay at home and watch the ball drop in Times Square, but I’m getting the vibe The Cute Boy™ wants to do something more substantial, but not so substantial as to need a black tie.

I’m iffy. The more I’m away from work the more I’m starting to feel like myself. We’ve had quite the full social calendar all this month and I’m pooped. Here’s one of those “opposites attract” aspects of The Cute Boy™ and me. Me being born under the sign of Taurus, I am happy to enjoy a few evenings at home. When not working my tookus off at work, staying at home, reading a book, all of that works fine with some occasional social dates peppered in to keep it fun.

The Cute Boy™ on the other hand, likes to run (Gemini that he is). He’s got a lot more friends than I do and likes to make sure each get some time in any given month. He’s happiest with a calendar packed full of events.

It’s a push-pull dynamic that we usually seem to manage, actually. But right now, I’m getting a bit of my stubborn Taurus the Bull up. I hate to admit it, but I’m burned out from work. Burned out on people. Just teetering on the edge of full flame out and that scares me. The more I get a chance to catch up on my sleep, the more I realize how near the edge I was.

I don’t wanna do nuttin’!

That being said…I guess if we can come up with a good idea that is going out but not TOO out…I’m up for it.

And that’s what they call compromise. From what I’ve heard, it’s what keeps a relationship going…….

Image via.

Guilt.

I have it.

What is it, exactly, about the holidays that makes guilt so possible?

True, I’m an easily guilted child. A fact my folks used to great advantage when raising me. And yet, the month of December seems to be the guilt month, no doubt.

Owing to my Catholic upbringing (I’m no longer practicing), guilt was sort of woven into my early life. And in the good Catholic tradition, confession is good for the soul…

I feel guilty that my mom is alone for the holidays. I mean, she’s not *really* alone, my aunt and uncle are nearby and look after her, but since my dad passed, she’s had a tough time of it. I shouldn’t feel guilty. My folks weren’t very people oriented, so they had few friends. In my mom’s waning years, she doesn’t have that many people to rely on and she’s honestly burned a few bridges with her children. She keeps wanting me to move closer to her. I just can’t (for many reasons). And years of hard mental work have told me that taking care of myself is important (and isn’t selfish). And so despite the fact that it’s the right thing for me to be here and live my life, I still feel guilty.

I feel guilty that I’ve been so involved in work and trying to finish up that I haven’t paid enough attention to my home life. The Cute Boy™ and The Feline are fine, they love me, support me, are happy I made it through. I guess I want to be all things to all people (and pets). I tend to take on all this guilt when I can’t be “perfect”. Ugh, what’s with that?

I feel guilty that I’ve eaten too many holiday cookies. :)

I feel guilty that I got my Christmas cards out late. I know, not a crime, but damnit! How hard is it to send out a few cards? (Hard enough when you are working too much and are exhausted….there goes that perfectionist thing again.)

I feel guilty that my job is a decent job and pays reasonably well but I actually don’t like it and want more than anything to flee. I should be more grateful for everything that place has done for me, and yet I just cringe going in there every day. I’ll spend the next two weeks pondering this one. I’ve reached critical mass. Time to you-know-what or get off the pot about this topic.

And of course, I feel guilty that I haven’t managed to update my blog most of this past week and so here it is, 7:40am on my first day off and I’m writing up a guilt post.

Good lord my brain is a complex place.

So as of this moment, I grant myself absolution. I don’t even have to do an act of contrition, I’m pretty contrite already.

My penance is to love myself a little more today. To ease up a bit. To hug my man and cat a bit more and to enjoy the hell out of my Christmas holidays.

Now I shall go out and make it so.

I did it.

I survived this hell week. As predicted, there was that “last minute gotta get it done end of year oh my god” contract that, surprisingly, was accomplished. Earlier in the week I’d said “no way”, and yet, it was done.

I wish I felt proud about such things. I used to. No more.

Anyhoo, I made it through.

And now. Two weeks. No work.

It’s too much to contemplate. I’m going to savor each and every one of my sixteen days sans work.

Today the holiday ham was ordered. Presents are wrapped. Egg nog in the fridge. The Cute Boy™ in the house.

Bring on the holidays! I’m ready!

Photo by Karen Fayeth

Uh oh.

Guess what I got up to this weekend?

I let the hellidays come up and grab me.

I indulged in a long time family tradition…using old and new implements.

I emailed my mom and got the family “secret” sugar cookie recipe. And I made ’em. Oh yes, I made ’em. Had to buy my own set of cutters, and they aren’t as good as the decades old ones my mom is still clinging to.

But she did finally give up her old Kitchenaid mixer.

I’ve been baking treats out of that thing since I was probably 6 or 7. My mom made tortillas every Saturday (after Mass) in that same mixer. It looks a little worse for the wear, and is, for god’s sake, 1970’s avocado green, but it still works like a charm. I love how a new generation of young women have discovered what I knew all along. A Kitchenaid mixer makes short work of any baking project. It’s amazing.

And in keeping with tradition, I managed to burn one batch. The first one. Crispy. But I covered them in frosting anyway and will look the other direction when someone grabs one of the “well done” cookies. Hee.

Oh and father of The Cute Boy™ gave us his old train set, thus fulfilling one of my long time wishes, to have a train around my tree.

It’s all good. This is the first time in a long time that I’m happy at the holidays. I think I owe most of that to the loving holiday excitement of The Cute Boy™.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!!

Now, I just have to endure five more hellish days of work to get my two glorious weeks OFF.

I can make it. With a belly full of cookies and a head full of carols, oh yes, I will make it…………….