Musical Jewelry Box

This little box has stolen my heart. Working on it has been tedious, and I didn't do as great a job as I would have liked, but I love it nonetheless.

It was more work than the night stand I did!

This thing was a LOT bigger than my little blue box...but it wasn't nearly as tedious to revamp... Holy Cow! 

My upcoming projects include:

 a little dry-erase to-do board

a filing cabinet

a chair

Those are the projects in the foreseeable future. Who knows how it'll actually go! I might run into another little darling box that I can't pass up. 

Finished Lamp

Remember that lamp I acquired a while back? The funny gold and wood one? I finished it. finally. It took MONTHS. Jk, it took about two weekends. It spent the rest of the time in the shed (sad face).

Anyway, here is the finished product!

Just a reminder of how far this lamp has come: 

Lets look at these side by side, ol' school way (meaning I don't want to get photoshop out and create a single image of the before and after side by side) 

Also, I made them small. Deal with it. 

Isn't it awesome? I sure as heck think it is. I plan on finishing my other chair, the mirror and whatever else comes my way. =) 

P.S. I ate it really good roller skating yesterday...two sprained wrists...magical. #yolo

I made this

And I'm proud of it. Just thought I would share. =)
 EDIT: I also made these. Photo and Sculpture credit goes to Frank McEntire.

EDIT: Also this...I made this.

Latest Project - "Fan Stand"

I recently finished a new little project! I always feel so accomplished when I do that.

My latest little project was turning a childhood chair into a stand for my small fan. I have one of those little desk fans in my room, and to keep it off the floor, I set it on a broken chair that I had as a kid. It was the ugliest little thing. It had been left outside all winter and it was a mess. The back had broken off, the finish was all chipped, and the seat had warped. I like my fan sitting on it, so I decided it needed a make-over.

Before I even thought to take pictures, I sawed off the rest of the back that hadn't snapped off. Here is the beginning after it was sawed off.

 I sanded it, and cleaned it as best as I could. I also tightened all the screws on the sides, it was incredibly wobbly. (More wobbly than time...for all you doctor who fans out there...)

 Before painting it, I sprayed it with a white base. Brian suggested that, so that the colors stand out more. (Thanks, Bri) I hadn't thought of that. I'm glad he suggested it. It did help the colors stand out more.

To pick colors, I looked at my antique chair. I got every possible paint sample card from Home Depot, and then laid them out on my chair. I came up with a set of colors that matches the upholstery really quite well. Then I went to Hobby Lobby and picked craft paint to match. That was trickier, since craft paint doesn't come in nearly as many shades as Behr paint or Martha Stewart paint. I also am new to this whole painting thing, so mixing colors is a little tricky for me. I try to stick with out-of-the bottle colors.

I chose green and brown. This is how that turned out:

 While that was drying, I decided to practice painting little flowers. I wanted to put a design on the stand, but I'm not terribly artistic. I haven't practiced enough for that. So I practiced something simple on a piece of paper.

I made a decision on where the flowers would go. And went at it. The vines were done by Brian, and with his help. I'm actually not too great at painting leaves... The flowers I rocked though! All of the colors are straight from my chair, so it'll match that when it's done. Not that they will ever be in the same room, but you never know!

Here is my finished product!

I also sprayed it with a clear protector. I don't want it to chip. I'm really excited for how it turned out. It's cute, and simple, and my first project of this type. It was good practice.

That's all for now. I'm still working on my antique chair. I had to glue the bottom before I could cover the springs, so that's where that is. I'm sure it's dry by now, but I just don't have time...yet.

10 days til graduation!!

Cazier

I just watched this documentary (because that is what I do at work) about love and finding "the one" and everything that goes into that. It was really interesting.

One thing that the documentary mentioned, that all documentaries about love mention, is that you marry someone like your opposite gender parent. So I would marry someone like my dad.

I never knew my dad growing up, so I've always thought that that isn't true for me. How could I marry someone I didn't know?

I'm a firm believer in nature & nurture. Meaning, neither nature nor nurture can be the entire reason we are the way we are. I may be attracted to people like my dad because of genetics, but a lot of the reason I picked Nathan has to do with nurture.

I know, I just said I didn't know my dad. And that's still true. (I did not jump into the TARDIS and relive my childhood differently in between paragraphs here.) I did know, however, another dad.

I spent a lot of my childhood days at the Cazier's house down the road. First thing in the morning (or afternoon, I am not a morning person), I would go to play with Rachel. I stayed there all day and well into the night. They were like family to me. Sometimes, I would wonder what it would be like if I was a Cazier. I wanted so badly to have parents like Rachel did.

Brother and Sister Cazier's relationship ultimately affected how I view relationships now. It's an implicit memory tucked away. To me, their relationship was a happily ever after that I wanted. I still want it.

I picture my family being a lot like theirs. I picture my kids getting along for the most part. I picture them all watching TV together, or playing games. I picture them knowing they're loved.

I remember the first time I ever really saw/heard them verbally communicate that they loved each other, I was in shock. In my eyes, their love was all totally unspoken but fully understood. Hearing them say it to each other made me realize how very much they all love each other.

To me, that is happily ever after.

So Thank you Caziers. For rocking my world from the beginning.

Field Trip in the Rain

A week or so ago, B asked me if I could take work off and go on his first grade field trip with him. The field trip was walking up Provo Canyon and playing games at the park.I gave my hours away at work. I did my homework. I got snacks, water bottles, and hats ready. We were so set.

Yesterday rolled around, and I got sick. I left my Avid class early. I facebooked into work sick (it's the new thing, no one "calls into work" anymore...), I stayed home and watched TV until my legs practically fell off. I was really miserable. Part of me wanted to just sleep until Sunday, but the whole reason I relaxed all day was so I could get better for today.

This morning, I woke feeling somewhat sick, but I was not about to let B down. I checked the weather, 70 degrees for the high. Peeked out my window. Went upstairs for food. B came out of his room and with every step he took, he threw up. Leaving a trail of vomit down the hallway, he collapsed down on the bathroom floor and cried.

B tends to get really excited about things. For the past few days he has been chattering on about the field trip and our group, and the lunches, and the games. He was beyond excited. That's what I figured caused his sudden onset of sickness. But C has been home sick for a few days, I was sick, D has been sick, Grandma just got over being sick (not like any of this is news, we all get sick easily). I decided we would chance it, and if he didn't feel better, I'd just have someone come pick him up or I would carry him. (Thankfully he is still smaller than me, for now.)

B and I got to school, we got our school lunches, talked to the lunch ladies who remembered me... which amazed me because I barely remember going to school there. We got into our groups and we set out. My group consisted of B, Slade, and Mercer. (For some reason, naming your children "John", "David", or "Ben" is now ridiculous and no one does it...) We had a pretty good little group. Three boys, who were nothing alike, at all.

We had B who gets along with everyone, and loves to learn. We had Mercer who loves to go to concerts, wear skinny jeans and pretend to smoke with his lollipop stick (yes, he called them lollipops). We had Slade who is your classic little nerd, he told me about his parent's honda, and how he wished he had brought his favorite stuffed animal with us. All little first graders are essentially the same. If you just listen to whatever they have to say, they'll always do what you ask. It works on K, on C, on B and especially on D. Just let them talk it out and they'll stay out of trouble. That's the approach I took.

For the mile or so it is from their school to the canyon, I listened to all three of them talk at the same time about bombs, and power ups, and race cars, and dump trucks, and teddy bears, and legos. It was a long mile... =)

We got to the canyon and it started getting windy. I mean, it's always windy in the canyon, but I think if I had been wearing a flowy shirt, I would have taken flight. It was bad. B and Slade had jackets, and I had mine in my arms. Mercer didn't have one. We were walking into a storm (because that's the best place to walk...), so I didn't want to put my jacket on and leave Mercer cold. The boys didn't wear their jackets in the canyon.

We were five minutes from the park, and the wind picked up fiercely. Sticks the size of small trees were blowing at us, dirt was everywhere, and the river spray was soaking us through the trees. The boys enjoyed this. They pretended they were warriors and masters of elements and they caught sticks tumbling across the road and made lots of sound effect noises. I just tried not to let them blow away or get dirt in any of our eyes.

We made it to the park and the clouds opened up and just dumped is all out on us. I gave Mercer my white jacket, zipped B's up, and helped Slade turn his the right direction. Then we ran to a pavilion to keep warm.

It was REALLY cold. We had about 75 children and about 20-25 adults. Something like that. Most kids had brought jackets, but some were in shorts, t-shirts and sandals. I had already given my jacket to Mercer. Every adult brought a jacket. We know when to bring jackets. Kids don't. Some of the moms called their husbands for jackets for themselves. One lady called her husband for towels, blankets and jackets. She kept giving me jackets, so I kept giving them to cold kids. Right before lunch, Grandma and Ashley brought me three more jackets. I was so excited. I put one on (I only had a cami and a light shirt over it). I took the other two and gave them to kids who passed them around to get warm. Some of the little girls started crying because they were hungry and cold. So the lady with blankets huddle them together and I pulled out my grapes and gave them to her and a few other kids who were cold and hungry.

I eventually ended up without any jackets, but the kids were warm during the downpour.

Lunch time came and we passed the lunches out to the kids. Someone forgot some lunches. Slade was without a lunch. So I gave him mine. He gave me back the graham crackers...thoughtful...

 He was fed. That was good.

I was cold and hungry, but I got some hot chocolate. It was soooo warm. Some mother brought up a bunch of it. I was about to drink mine when out of the corner of my eye I saw a little boy spill his. He slipped and lost his cup. So I gave him mine. He would have had to wait in the back of the line for another one. He was excited to not have to wait for a new cup.

I standing in the cold, shivering my butt off, when one of the mothers, wearing two jackets came up. She said "Aren't you cold? I'm freezing and I have two jackets. I'm thinking about asking my husband to bring me a third." In that moment, I wanted to smack her and say "Hello! Earth to mother! There are three little kids huddle together under a towel who would kill for a jacket!" But I didn't.

We decided to have a bus come and get us rather than try to walk back down. The bus came and we were all excited. (except I got car sick on the bus...I don't like school buses.)

We got back to the class, and I gathered all my jackets back up. I now have to bleach them and scrub the mud out of the sleeves. haha.

In the class, B took off his socks and shoes to let his feet warm up. His shoes had holes in them and his socks got all wet (He didn't bother to mention it during the downpour...of course). I sat down, and swapped him socks. Well really I just gave him mine, there was no way in heck I was going to wear a boys dirty wet socks. Ew.

I walked around without socks in my shoes, which isn't a big deal to most people, but that was the most gross thing ever. My feet don't go into shoes sans socks. But this was important, I didn't want B to get sick.

As I was gathering everything, the other mothers were so astounded that I was willing to give up my jackets and go cold for some kids I didn't know, or trade my socks to my nephew. I was more amazed that they didn't feel at all bad for wearing two jackets while kids went cold, or share their lunches when the kids got hungry. I knew I was headed home to a warm bed and dry clothes. I was fine. I've survived the death hike (another story for another time).

Anyway, It was an awesome day, and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat...except with rainboots, an umbrella, and gloves to share. It was really cold.

When I got home, soaked, my hair in messy curls everywhere, my make up smeared, D says "Mugie, you're all wet! Didn't you bring an u-bell-a? Next time bring one." (D can't say umbrella to save his life. Ask him sometime. It's funny,)

That's my day so far. Now I'm gonna cuddle in bed, pretend to not exist and watch Switched at Birth.

Enjoy this picture:(or not)

I think this is what Grandma pictured me wearing (or not wearing) when I told her I gave all my jackets away. I promise, I was not this naked. I had a shirt, skinny jeans and my converse. I was fully clothed, cold, but warmer than them I bet!

"Bean Sack"

In case you didn't know, I have a little brother (D). When he was a baby, we called him "bean sack." When you picked him up, he was limp and felt like a bean sack. Now we just call him "Beaner." As a baby, D was incredibly quiet. He mostly just sat there with big eyes and stared at the world.

He hasn't gotten much bigger, but he's gotten older. And as he's grown, he's developed quite the personality and attitude.

He would not sit for my picture unless he got a cheeto. The most noticeable part of the photo is the giant bruise on D's head. He's not real coordinated, so his head almost always has a bruise on it.

Like all kids, the thing he looks forward to most is receiving gifts. He has been anticipating Christmas since last Christmas, and he's reminded us all week that his birthday is coming up. He told us he wants lots of presents and cake.

Derek's third Birthday

D is such a stinker though. He is a hoarder, and can always be found carrying a bucket, or purse full of junk. To him it isn't junk. Each little toy, each bead, each rock, each seed, each dust mite that he is carrying has a purpose and he uses them. He knows where each little thing is and he will know if it goes missing. Why he does that, I have no idea. I don't know where in the world he got that.

Most things he does and says can be traced back to someone in the house. Not only does he collect little "junk," he collects traits and phrases from people.

C loves to play video games (or watch others play really), and when he messes up, he whines and says "Freakin...." He does that whenever he's upset too. D was playing with a Sega Game Gear (yes, we own one still) in the corner of the living room. I was sitting there doing my incredibly boring homework in silence when I hear "Ugh...freakin!" I look over and D is pouting. Two seconds later, he did it again "Ugh! Freakin!" I asked him what was wrong, apparently he was messing up on his game.

D is a sucker for "tewt" things. If he thinks it's cute, then he's all over it. He loves shiny things, especially necklaces. He also loves to have his nails painted. Unfortunately, he has people who love to paint his nails! So his nails are always painted. One fine Sunday, Bishop Brooks from our neighborhood was telling D that next time he needs to say "No No, Morgan, No nail polish!" I wasn't there when he was told that, but later I asked D about it and he said "Oh yea! No! No nail polish, Mugie!" I showed him my neat nails that I had just painted and asked if he liked them. He said "Oh yes! I do! I love those!" then he thought about it a second and said "No, No Mugie! No polish!"

D is really sarcastic all the time. (Yes, that was my contribution to his life.)

Nathan is D's favorite person. He always asks me when "faithen" will be home. He loves trying to wrestle Nathan. He also loves bossing Nathan around. My favorite time is once when Nathan and I were laying on the carpet in the livingroom and D had to make a choice: go to the store with Grandma or stay home with us. He thought about it and said "Mugie, Faithen, stay here. Sleep!" Then he rethought it and yelled to Grandma "No, I'm gonna stay here and play with my horsey!" He then wanted Nathan to be his horse.

Someday, unfortunately, D is going to grow up. I can't wait to remind him of the days when he wore nail polish, wore girl panties around his neck, and choked on noodles. Thankfully, he's still small enough that I can pin him and keep him down for a good tickling.

Happy Birthday this week, Beaner!