Work smarter, not harder

Life has been overwhelming me. With the combination of graduate school, working 3 at different places, and living I find myself exhausted and anxious on a regular basis. Not that it isn't worth it, though. I'm working towards my teaching certification and Masters in Instruction and Curriculum which is a passion that drives me forward. Also, my work is giving me experiences in many teaching/learning environments--everything from place-based education to a variety of classroom setups to the strategies of assessment and result driven goals.  I just need to remember to keep a solid head on my shoulders.

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In amongst it all, I was able to go thrifting with the my lovely Hope. We stopped in at Marketplace 3301 a few months back. I always enjoy looking through bits and bobs, especially antiques. In our meandering I found this:

Yeah, it is a bit rough. The fabric had a coarse, burlap-like weave and was wearing. The entire surface was covered in paint splatters of all colors. It did not have much going for it in its current state.

I saw potential though.






For the most part it was easy to take apart. First remove the steps--unscrew, unscrew, unscrew. Now take off the seat--unscrew, unscrew,unscrew. Finally, the back---huh?

It appeared to be magically attached. I could see the screws going into the back from supports on the chair, but could not imagine how to get them out. I searched the internet. I took in help from a skilled tradesman. No luck.

It turns out, and I'm not going to get into the blackhole physics of this, but the screws in the back of the chair slide into the upright supports to appear as though there are no screws at all. What clever construction.




I then reupholstered the seat and back with lovely new cotton fabrics and vinyl for durability, spray painted all of the surfaces in a coordinating color, and assembled it all back together.
Ta-da!

I'm still not sure if I should be terribly concerned that I did not use all of the original screws, but I've been sitting high and mighty in my revamped chair.

(It's hard to tell, but the seat fabric is a faux bois, false wood grain, to go with the floral seat back. So lovely.)

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So even while it took me over a month to put together a project that should only take a weekend, I am pleased to find pockets of time for creative energies.

I still need to take time to evaluate how I am spending my energies so that I do not burn out or stress excessively, but I am surrounded by support from my family (sending extra love and appreciation to my mom), Jon with his wit and keep-cool-attitude, and my friends for their advice and laughter. XOXO

Some people are so poor, all they have is money.

Life has a way of circling back around it seems. It is never short of transitions, possibilities for growth, and the joys and anxieties of the unknown.

I have been blessed to experience many kinds of love.

This year I have been blessed to live in a house with close friends, the Girls' House with an always open door. I have not experienced such a sisterhood, something so akin to family. The friendships were formed quickly and with much love. These friendships will last a lifetime. These friendships are beautiful and whole. I love you Hope and Christa.


This year I have been blessed to find a man that I truly care about, that I love. While I enjoyed my romps prior, being with him has been truly wonderful. Our humor, our quiet nights reading together, our adventures have all drawn together to create a treasured relationship and welcome addition to my future.




This year I have been blessed to experience loss. A dear friend and kindred spirit has experienced pain, yet come to find peace. Her sparks of creativity, humor, and joy ignited flames in everyone around her. I am happy to have her flame live on in me. I love you Sarah.  

This year I have been blessed to realize that I want to teach. My AmeriCorps position at the Audubon Conservation Education Center has been so enriching. I have built connections with the people, the community, the land. From this term I have made the choice to go back for my teaching license and Masters in Elementary Education.

This year I have been blessed to experience transitions. Transitions cause a rise in anxiety and a continual state of mulling and considering in me. Marked change without much for me to control.

The Girls' House is in a new state with people coming and going. It feels different. Its not entirely the same and so slightly uncomfortable to me. I'm not sure where I stand in it yet, being as there may only be a few months left here. It has left me with varying levels of investment and questions. I attempt to answer my questions with a job search. My AmeriCorps term ends in August creating room in September for school and work. So I consider and search. 

It is as though when presented with too many opportunities and options, I become overwhelmed. This year with my transitions I want to carry grace and openness. I want to leave and questions and fear to make room for openness and hard work.
This year is far from over. This just seems to be a place of great transition,of a marked change. Time for reflection gives me the confidence to move forward with a better sense of control, of direction. My blessings are great and I intend to flourish from them.

Fall Daze

The air is becoming crisp. It is lovely. It has such a distinct difference between the freezing temperatures of winter and so it makes for an ideal transition. Besides, who doesn't love the sound of crinkling leaves that carpet the sidewalks and the prospect of candlelit pumpkins flickering at doorsteps?

I am becoming adjusted to my life without my grandma. It's entirely different,yet still very much the same. I miss her greatly, but luckily I have many bits and bobs of her around me; I have the quilt we made together on my bed and other small mementos in my room that keep her near. I can say that I am truly grateful for the heartache of my previous summer because it prepared me to fully love my grandmother with every fiber I have and also gave me the perspective to know how to deal with the emptiness that has followed.

Oh dear, I didn't quite mean to make this such a weighty post after my extended break, but I think it was just weighing on me more than I realized...

In a more positive direction, I have been exploring many new jobs and activities to fill my time. I am tutoring some of the students at the college and have applied at a few local places to add some hours. But, the most exciting of all is my attempts at making connections with people in the writing community. It is so daunting that I do not even know where to begin, but I believe these conversations will be fruitful. I am looking for something which will replenish me and writing seems to be the most fulfilling.

Cheers,
Mattie Jo

It's night o'clock. Let's go to bed...

Thank goodness I was interested in crafting up a few more wreaths because this movie, How Do You Know, isn't all that great. I love Paul Rudd (I mean look at that adorable grin!), but he's just not cutting it here. So I have been consuming this movie time by wrapping straw form wreaths with ribbon. It's so enjoyable and I love knowing that the people I am giving them to will have a lovely reminder of special I think they are because of the value they bring to my life :)

This one is black and yellow with a few buttons and a bit of tulle on the right. I love the mix of flora, polka dot, and stripes for interest!

This one is a classic black and white combo with a cute yellow bow (it actually looks like a tape measure) and a few black buttons. So lovely!

Have an enjoyable Thursday evening and wake up to your Friday with a spectacular outlook on the weekend ahead of you, dolly!

Accept what you can't change and change what you can't accept

Well, well, well dolly it has certainly been a long time since my last post. Many things have happened. I've been slaving over papers--gah thank goodness that 25 page fucker is out of the way and so are the 5 and 10 page ones also due this week. Imagine my pretty that Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday you have multiple pages of your brilliant thoughts and writing due to turn in. It's been driving me crazy! So now I have this abundance of creative energy that is no longer being re-channeled into research writing.

Also, Grandma Bev is back home after a three week stay in the hospital back in January. I have been staying with her ever since. Its a bit of an emotional roller coaster as each day is filled with finding the positive, but I feel blessed to be able to spend time with her. She taught me how to sew <3

Speaking of fabric, I bought a kindle as my graduation-with-cum-laude gift (I graduate in 17 days!!!! with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature with a minor in Environmental Studies). So I bought some fabric to make a cover/case to hold my wonderful treat (I'll post pictures in a bit). Also, I picked up some ribbon, a straw wreath form and tulle circles to make a spring-summer wreath. Take a look!

Bunnies are of the family Leporidae

Does anyone ever consider that there may not be enough cute,fluffy bunnies in the world? (How adorable are these bunnies?!)

I know, I know there is a carrying capacity for the number of bunnies which can inhabit a particular biome while at the same time meeting all physical and nutritional needs.Besides, with the increase of bunnies there would also be an increase in predators; the prey-predator relationship follows one another closely.

Either way though, who wouldn't want a large population of bunnies to happily hop along meadows? Don't identify yourself; I would only have a pouty face as a response (Interestingly enough the succession to a meadow goes something like this: from pond to marsh, to meadow as the area fills with more sediment and vegetation). I suppose though the increase in such adorableness could potentially lead to something disastrous as well. Could you imagine the public uproar from the overwhelming power of such sweet,fluffy faces? (I know I could possibly overdose on such an experience)

Gah I am sitting her at Off the Leaf to get my internet connection and not only am I sitting next to a guy also named Mattie (awkward), but he keeps throwing his phone into the sink while his friend drums on the table. Could this get any more ridiculously annoying? Oh god now he's chair-dancing. Could I throw my lip-burning tea in his face to make it stop? (From out of the corner of my eye it doesn't look like the scars from geyser-hot liquid would be too detrimental).

Well there was no definite reason for this blog post other than I have finally gotten my replacement laptop after my previous one (along with my iPod, books, and purse sans wallet and important identification) was stolen from my car after a trip (a lovely, lovely skiing trip) to Missoula. So that's a little something to celebrate!

Enjoy your weekend, lovely!  

 

These are NOT cute bunnies, but would probably be the most likely result of too many bunnies populating the world with their cuteness. 

The pancakes were lovely by the way

Hello dolly. It has certainly been a while since I have last posted anything. (Don't worry my leg has sufficiently healed since my last fall) Now that my finals are out of the way though I feel like I have a bit of breathing room. Plus the excitement of Christmas has passed so I am no longer rushing about trying to find gifts, wrap gifts, and creatively tag gifts for my wonderful family and friends.

Finals went well. Nothing too out of the ordinary there--essays, essays,essays. As a special treat after a Shakespeare final Laura, Abi, and myself went to brunch at Stellas. We then found a rather phallic Santa figurine (which we, of course, had to position for a set up complete with spilled creamer). The pancakes were lovely be the way.

Then that Sunday the Lit Girls gathered for drinks and festivities. We dressed up and all looked stunning! I heart them all so very much!
 
Then, then on Christmas Eve-eve I gathered with Caitlin, Beth and Jessica for an awesome manicure, lunch and gift exchange. It was delightful (and Beth has the most beautiful red hair!) Soon we are planning a crafternoon. I can't wait! Oh they are so presh!

I have also been dying to dye my hair. I tried a week or so back, but ended up purchasing my own hair color. (Talk about feeling lame when I realized the mistake). Finally I have the dark brown I have been dreaming of for a few weeks now! I'm thoroughly (in my misspelling of the word I came up with thug holy. I think I'll use that in the future) enjoying the color change :) (Oh plus I bought the yellow dress I'm wearing for the super steal of $7, but it was an ugly yellow. So I, with the magic of Rit, made it even more sunshiny than before!)

I hope you had the merriest of holidays and that Santa treated you well!
I'm going to start some embroidering now.(I'm so excited to try it out finally)
Love, Mattie