New Year, New You - Organizing - Part 1

Happy New Year, everyone! Thanks so much for stopping by my little blog. I've realized lately that I don't communicate very well how much I appreciate everyone stopping by and taking the time to comment (or just lurking and enjoying my photos and stories...that's cool too). But, comments are my favorite, so if you're shy and not sure if you should comment or not, here's me saying, bring it on! I love to read all the comments people leave...it's one of my favorite things to pop into my email inbox, which is where I see them first since my comments are moderated.

With that said, it's a new year, and time for a new you, if you so choose to re-invent or update yourself, of course. I'm a very goal-driven person, so I love the start of the new year because it gives me an excuse to create new goals for myself. As a Type-A perfectionist, I'm always on the look-out for ways to improve myself, my habits, my home, my life, and I see the new year as a great time to really dig into any new improvement ideas.

So, what are your New Year's Resolutions for '08? Mine are:
1. Pay off my business credit card
2. Get better control over my finances
3. Get organized
4. Especially, organize craft room
5. Stay organized (i.e. pick up after myself to maintain organization)
6. Start a monthly date night with my SO
7. Stop procrastinating

That's it for now...short list, I know. There are many more things I could improve, but these are the areas I'd like to focus on: finances & organization. I was reading an article on MarthaStewart.com about organization tips and 6 things to do everyday (can't seem to locate the article...sorry!) to help yourself stay organized and at some point while I was perusing all of these informative and useful artcles, I remembered a glimmer "old me." Has anyone else had a similar experience? It's like, the older you get, the more personalities you collect, or something.

I remember being a quiet, shy, organized-to-a-fault little girl before going college, where I decided to reinvent myself. I didn't want to be a loner any more...I wanted to be more courageous...more the kind of girl who wasn't afraid to say how she felt or be friends with the "cool kids" or have the drive to go after the things I really wanted. And, sometime just before college, I realized that when I went to school, I would hardly know anyone there. Only a handful of people from my high school were going to the same college as me. I realized that people treat you the way you act and that if I acted like the girl I wanted to be, that they would treat me like her, and I would, in a way, become her. When I got to college, I didn't think about what I would do in a given situation, but what she would do. Maybe not so much what "she" would do, but I tried to think about what I wanted to do without worrying about what other people would think and what I would do if I weren't so painfully shy. Eventually, I became a very social, very outgoing person. I joined a sorority, went out with friends, and had lots and lots of fun. In addition to becoming more outgoing, I learned to not be so controlling and I learned to relax and not be so freakin' anal about stuff. I learned how to get along with people and be more easy-going. Things weren't as easy to control in group situations as they had been in my own little world before college...and I learned that this was ok.

But, more recently, I've also learned that "old me" wasn't so terrible as I thought she was. And, one thing I'd like to get back from who I used to be is the side of me who was so organized. I've gotten, dare I say, too lax in my lifestyle and with my home, which is slowly turning into the perfect candidate for the Clean Sweep team. So, starting this year, I'm going to work on getting organized and staying that way. I'm going to make a better effort to clean up after myself and put things back where they belong rather than leaving them laying (sp?) about. I want to be organized with my lifestyle too and stop procrastinating about that form I was supposed to mail in or that friend I was supposed to email. I'm tired of putting off until tomorrow what I can do today. I've noticed that I've been saying, "I don't have time" for this or that, but the truth is I do have time...I've just been doing something else. I was just reading about this whole "choosing" of time on someone else's blog recently, and for the life of me, I can't remember which blog...so if it's yours...shoot me a comment so others can read your story on this whole "choosing" of time - your post was great!

Anywho, wow, that post was waaaaay longer than I thought it would be so sorry for rambling on...I've been doing that a lot lately! Back to the New Year's stuff. I spent the first day of the New Year hitting up the organizational store. I spent a whole $100 - way more than I intended to spend - but I think I got some good stuff to get myself started on organizing. The truth is, I actually love to organize, but it's expensive and time-consuming! But, enough excuses! I've made money in my budget for organization goods for this month, at least. This is the year! I'm going to get organized, and I'm going to start with my kitchen:


Ok, ok, it doesn't look that different, but I couldn't resist the lid/baking pan holder (to the left) or the pan separator (to the right) - both on the top shelf of the photo. I would have put more baking pans in the pan holder, but the shelf is too short and not adjustable...it still holds the lids nicely, though. The pan separator is pretty cool, too, though, helping my non-stick pans to retain their non-stick surface - should be easier to get to them this way, too! See how the three pans and the one pot are separated so you don't have to unstack them to get to the bottom one in pink? Well, now you see why I started with the kichen...that was pretty easy.

Ugh...now to the craft room...that should be "fun"...lol

The Accidental Goodbye

Well, it's finally here...tomorrow is my last day on my uptown project. I've been working at the bank since Valentine's Day now...a relatively long project for a consultant, but with the end of the year comes the end of my assignment. I'm not sure if you've every consulted before (or maybe just job-hopped), but it's kinda weird going from project to project sometimes. If you stay long enough, explore your surroundings, and take the time to talk to people, you can get really, well, cozy. You make friends, find your favorite places to eat and places to shop.

I'll definitely miss the convenience of working uptown. There's a whole world out there hidden within those tall structures and behind high glass windows that you would never know about unless you worked in that environment. Tunnels and covered bridges span from building to building and you start creating paths that wind you in and out of buildings, unwittingly crossing several city blocks in one trip while you check out the little boutiques, shops, over-priced convenience stores, and cafes. It's kind of funny...walking down these long, over-crowded halls...there is just so much inside these buildings that you can't even see from the outside. From the outside, you think, hey, there's an office building. I guess bank people work there. Inside, the bank people are scurrying from their desk to grab some fast food, choosing from Einstein, Sbarro's, Chick-Fil-A, and Salsaritas all in one hallway, so they can scurry back to their desk and get back to work, all the while not caring one bit about what street they're technically on or what's going on outside.

Yes, they "scurry". You start to notice...there are the "scurriers", the "Sunday walkers", and the "loungers". I guess you can say I'm a scurrier (is that a word?) because I like to walk quickly. I get frustrated walking behing the slow "Sunday walkers" even when I'm not in a rush...isn't that silly? I get this feeling like if I don't get around the slow people I'll be stuck walking down that hall forever! Walking these uptown halls can be like driving down a multi-lane highway. You have to wait for a "lane" to open up to pass. Sometimes the halls are so full with people walking this way and that way that you just can't quite squeeze through, so you have to wait patiently taking slower-than-normal steps until you can make a move. Ahh...the silly quirks of a work environment. I guess I'll miss that whole everything-you-could-possibly-need-within-five-minutes-of-walking convenience.

I'll even miss our strangely efficient elevators. Instead of up/down buttons, like normal elevators, ours have a touch-screen panel where you choose your floor and the system tells you which elevator to take. You hit the button for the 7th floor, the panel directs you to elevator #4, you hop on elevator #4 and you're off and to your floor in a matter of seconds! No waiting for the floors below you (well, sometimes the system will couple them)...it's quite nice, actually. Not hard to get used to, but hard to get not-used to, if that makes sense. I went to my consultant company's office recently, pushed the up button outside the elevator, got on the elevator and stood there. Our elevators are extremely slow, so it took me a minute to realize that it had not gotten slower, but in fact, wasn't moving at all! Heehee...oopsie! Good thing no one saw that!

I'll miss the constant hustle and bustle around the trade floor. I'll even miss the super dressy dress code. (Button-down shirts and dress pants aren't that bad, afterall) And, I know I'll miss the people. Isn't it sad to say goodbye to people that you know you very well may never see again? I don't like "goodbyes" and I don't like "nevers." They're so finite. A good friend told me once that he always said "Later" to his friends instead of "Goodbye" because "Later" means he'll see them again and "Goodbye" is forever. I've tried to avoid the word "Goodbye" ever since and when I accidentally tell a friend "Goodbye", it makes me nervous...like, what if I never see them again? Sometimes, I'll even follow up the accidental "Goodbye" with a "Later"...you know...just for good measure.

I'll miss my comfy window seat with the great view of the sunset. Here's one I snapped yesterday. The sun was just peeking from behind a gigantic blue curtain of clouds and there was an amazing golden peach spreading through the sky.

I mean, how lucky, out of a building of thousands of people, am I to get a window seat? I was talking to a woman on my floor the other day about how I was leaving and she should try to take my seat when I go, since it's a good spot. She said she'd been asking for a window seat for years but hadn't gotten one yet. Years? What? The conversation made me want to go to my desk, pack it up, and hoard it somehow to keep it safe. What if my company sends me back? Where might they put me? Eek!

Today, I started packing my desk. That's the worst part of moving...whether it's jobs or houses. The packing up, the goodbyes or "laters" you share with friends, the finality of it all.

And yet, with an end comes a new beginning, right? I'm scared and curious and hopeful of where my company will send me next. I hope not too far, yet at the same time, I don't know if "far" wouldn't be good? You never know what's out there for you until you stumble upon it, you know? Cross your fingers it's somewhere good. Till next time...Later!

Chicken Vesuvio and Tree Trimming

Thanks to the wonderful Sarah of Misadventures of Mama and Jack, I decided to take a trip to Kmart to check out the Martha Stewart holiday decoration collection. You have to understand, going to Kmart isn't a simple 10 minute drive down the street, it's more like a 30 minute drive to the other side of town...and it's near a mall, which is always "fun" this time of year. Martha is usually so dependable for chic decorations, but you never know just what a store will be sold out of or not carry. The whole way over, I was keeping my fingers crossed that my trip would not be a lost cause. I have to say, the Kmart was not the most organized place I'd ever been. I couldn't figure out where the holiday decorations were and couldn't find anyone working there to help me. I just walked in circles in complete confusion. Can you tell I don't frequent the Kmart much? Nothing wrong w/ Kmart...I'm just too lazy and too busy to go so far for stuff I can get closer to home. I finally had to ask someone at the checkout (while they're were checking someone else out) where the holiday decorations were. Turns out they were in the Garden section...no wonder I didn't see them when I was circling the store. Anywho, by the time I finally made it to the decorations, I was slightly irritated, but that all just melted away when I took one look at the beautiful Martha Stewart ornaments and trim. Every doubt I'd had when I was driving over, fighting the mall traffic, and feeling completely lost in Kmart instantly disappeared as I started oohing and ahing over all the lovely decorations. I found way too many things I liked and bought far too many ornaments for my tree. By the time I got back from my shopping spree, it was nearly time for dinner. I made one of my favorite Everyday Italian recipes - Chicken Vesuvio


This is a super yummy dish with a light yet tasty flavor. The dish contains chicken, potatoes, artichoke hearts and the sauce is made with white wine, chicken broth, and butter



I've made this dish a couple times and must offer up that I usually only make this with two bone-in chicken breasts, though I keep the liquid ingrediants the same. Also, be sure to watch this dish as it's cooking because the high heat usually burns my chicken and 10 minutes for both the chicken and potato cooking times is too long.



Anywho, I had a lovely evening of enjoying delicious food, sipping wine, and trimming my tree. I think these new ormanents will go great with my sparkly snowomen



And look! My Christmas present came early this year and already unwrapped!

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree...

Although I don't have a house yet (though I desperately want one), I am so thankful to have my own little apartment and the money to be able to get my own Christmas tree. I got a tree a couple years ago, but I feel like I'm in this transition phase of life, between living and home and living on my own, where my home is where my parents live, but it's also where I live. It's kinda tough spreading out like this and being unsure about what is what, but what I do know is that both places are my home, so I should be happy to have them both! Anywho, there's this weird period of time between graduating high school and getting a few years into your career (maybe it's just me) where you are so extremely broke, you're living in whatever is cheapest and eating whatever is cheapest and you don't have the time, space or money to worry about things like Christmas trees because you can barely take care of yourself and furnish your tiny space. Now, a few years into my career, I think I'm worrying too much about my Christmas tree...but I suppose that is just the way of the perfectionist.

My SO and I went Christmas tree shopping Tuesday night...after much bugging on my end. I think I asked for nearly a straight week, every night, to go Christmas tree shopping, but see! It worked!


We hit up a local Christmas tree vendor who has been selling at this same spot for nearly 50 years!



They were so prepared, with tons of wreaths and bows and even Christmas tree stands (thank goodness b/c we tried Tar-jay first and they were sold out!)



See! I told you they had tons of wreaths and bows



A nice man (possibly the owner, but we didn't ask) helped us pick out our tree. He walked us around to a few of the many spots of their setup with the mini trees (we don't have space for much else), and he helped pull out this tree for us to check out. We decided it would be ours and asked him to help take the temp wooden stand off the bottom, which is what he's doing in this photo. He was really so kind and helpful...I love supporting these types of businesses - local (I think they're local) businesses comprised of hard-working every day people with genuine hearts. I only met this man for 15ish minutes, but sometimes people have a look in their face and a way that lets you know...you know? I hope we can visit them again next year...hopefully for a tree for a house!

Bailey Playing

I know he's not supposed to be on the bed and all...

...but I mistook him for one of my cuddly stuffed animals and he just accidentally ended up here...yeaaaa...that's right...

Pretty Puppy Tarts

We took Bailey to a local canine cafe today to get him a special treat. This place has the cutest gourmet doggie sorbets, puppy petit fours, puppy tarts, and more.



Bailey picks his treat out...



...and we take it home so he can enjoy it

We also got some puppy training treats that the cafe bakes on site. They have a bakery downstairs of the shop and bake healthy dog treats with organic goods and other special ingrediants. The puppy training treats are especially healthy b/c they're so tiny, we'll be able to give Bailey lots of them while potty training him and working on other training tricks.

Something tells me we'll be back there soon!

Bailey Visits the Vet

We took our little trooper to his first vet visit today, and he did great! Luckily, I got a good recommendation on the vet clinic and everyone who worked there was super sweet to Bailey. They definitely did a great job of making him as comfortable as possibly while do his vaccines and other checkups. Thanks guys!



Waiting for the vet



Uh-oh...check-up time! I'm scared!



All done! Yay! Do I get a treat now?

The Good, The Bad, and the...Well, No Ugly Here

Here are a couple videos I took of our new corgi puppy this morning:

The Good

Just walking around - he doesn't like going down curbs just yet, but his legs will get bigger and it will be easier for him to get down. I think it's so cute how he walks with those short little legs of his!

The Bad

Chewing his leash - he doesn't know what "No" means yet, but we're working on it. We're also thinking of putting something on the leash to keep him from chewing it. Someone told me earlier today to soak it in tobasco sauce (not sure about that one) or that there may be a spray you can put on it. Maybe the spray is the same stuff they use to keep kids from sucking their thumb or biting their nails?

Anywho, we may have the good and the bad, but there's no ugly here!


NOTE: Movie image source not known - if you're the owner and object to it's use, please email me at shopaholicd at gmail dot com and I'll take it down.

Me Day? Not So Much...

Ok, so I know I promised that I would take a "Me Day" today since it's a bank holiday so I could work on that quilt kit, but how can you say no to these eyes?



So, yes, to answer the question you may be thinking, we got a Corgi puppy today! He's a Pembroke Welsh Corgi and he's absolutely adorable!

Ok, here's the scoop:
I've been trying to talk my SO into getting a dog for awhile now. My German Shepherd (RIP Teddy) died a couple years ago, but my SO has a dog at home, so it's been a tougher decision for him. Fiiiiiinally, this weekend, he told me that he was thinking about getting me a dog for Christmas. Good thing I'd been researching puppies for a few months now. Since we live in an apartment right now, we have to keep the dog's size under 30 lbs. So, I'd been looking into

Shiba Inus

and Corgis


Both are medium sized dogs that I would feel relatively safe walking around by myself (yea, I'm paranoid...especially about being mugged, and yes...even in my neighborhood). Both are smart and have good temperments. Both have a lot of qualities my SO and I were looking for in a dog. We also considered rescuing or adopting a dog and while it breaks my heart that we didn't get one, we feel like our new puppy sorta picked us. We visited a couple pet stores this weekend and saw a couple puppies we liked, but nothing that jumped out at us. But, today, when we found out there was a pet store 30 minutes away that was selling one puppy of each breed we were interested in, we knew we had to check it out. We were actually planning on visiting a couple shelters today, but they only do adoptions on weekends and we had already missed the Saturday boat. I'm still brainstorming other ways I can help out a pet organiziation, but back to the story...we got to the store this afternoon and immediately looked for the Corgi. He was in a circular bin that had an open top, so I leaned over to get a better look and the little Corgi puppy reached up and kissed my nose....Awww...it was a sign...it had to be, right? We asked to play with the puppy and instantly felt a connection. He was so bubbly and friendly and soft and cuddly...after roughly 20 minutes of play time, we knew he was coming home with us. We even got him on a Veteran's Day sale...who knew they did holiday sales for dogs? Anywho, to make a long story short, we and our new puppy picked each other out today and the rest will be history. Now, we just have to figure out a great name...we're thinking maybe Bailey or Duke, but we're not sure. We looked through a couple Welsh Names web sites, but nothing else has really jumped out at us. I'm sure we'll figure something out soon...can't wait!

NOTE: Shiba Inu and last Corgi photo found on the web - if you're the owner and object to its use, please email me at shopaholicd at gmail dot com and I'll take it down.

Pumpkin Picking in the Patch

A little late, but pumpkins are still in till Thanksgiving, right?



We actually went to this pumpkin patch a week or so ago.



Pumpkins, pumpkins, everywhere!



They even had a couple big containers of water so you could wash the dirt off before putting the pumpkin in your car.



All picked out and ready to go home!

Another Busy Weekend!

No sitting around and relaxing for me this weekend. I knew going into it that it would be quite action-packed. Hmm...maybe "action" isn't the right word, but I knew that my plate was pretty full. First, I went to a birthday party for a friend at a local bar where she was collecting new toys or donations for a newly opened hospital. But, I couldn't stay out late b/c I had to go to a jewelry/gift show for wholesale buyers with a friend who also makes jewelry Saturday morning. I was disappointed to see that there was pretty much only wholesale goods for resellers b/c I was there to get wholesale jewelry supplies. I ended up still spending a pretty penny on new bead strands as there was one booth with a relatively good selection, so I'll have lots to work on in the next few weeks (if not longer). It was probably a good thing that there were only a couple vendors with beads, b/c I had something special lined up at 11:30am Saturday. Something I've been dying to try for what seems like the longest time - a fused glass class (to make pendants). Here are some photos:


The instructor uses a special cutter to score the top of a sheet of glass



Then, the black clamp tool is used to completely break off the scored section into two pieces



I quickly picked out my colors - the turquoise was an obvious choice for me



Here are some of the pendants I designed in raw form. These still need to be fused together in a special kiln at a mere 1400 degrees farenheit. Hmmm...I made a bit of a mess, no?



I'd show the finished product, but the pendants go in the cool kiln, which is then heated up in a slow process. Overall, it takes a few hours to completely heat up, fuse and cool back down. I won't be able to pick my pendants up for a couple days since the instructor needs to bring me some bails so I can make these babies into wearable art.



The instructor said we could take a peek at the pendants about an hour or so after she put the first batch in. To kill time, I grabbed a quick bite to eat at a local market - very funky...I should have taken pictures, but was too timid to ask and didn't want to offend anyone by just whipping my camera out. Anywho, see that Famous Pumpkin Roll? It was quite tasty...I knew when it said famous, it'd be worth trying...they were right.



As you can see, the sandwich was quite yummy, too. I had chicken salad on marbled rye. After lunch, it was back to the bead store to peak at my new creation...which is beautiful (I suppose nearly all artists say that of their own work when they're super proud). Can't wait to pick it up...even if it will take a couple days.

No problem for me as I had lots more to do Saturday. Next, I made a quick trip to Salvation Army to do some thrifting

I found this vintage-y floral bowl - quite used - but that makes it easier to actually use it, an interesting plate, a gravy bowl (maybe?), some yellow gingham fabric, and a couple baskets.

Then, it was back to the house to clean before we went to a charity BBQ dinner for a friend who passed away a couple years ago. They had a golf tournament, the dinner, and a silent auction to raise money for scholarships that have been set up in her name. I donated a necklace/earring set with Swarovski crystals for the silent auction. The event was at a golf course, and all around were signs of fall.



Then, it was to the bar to hang out with some of my SO's friends to watch some games. Then, a tennis lesson Sunday morning. Phew! I'm exhausted! Can't wait to see my pendants, though...yay!

Mini Donuts...Mmmmm...

Homer Simpson would be in big trouble if he worked anywhere near where I work. I recently found out that a man sets up a mini donut stand just a couple blocks from where I work every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (except today b/c it was raining...I checked). My mini donut craving will have to wait over the weekend. But in the meantime, here are some photos from my most recent visit:


The cart comes with a sort of dough holder, which when a certain button (or lever?) is pushed, creates these perfect hoops, which start bubbling away as soon as they hit the hot oil below.



They follow a path of hot oil, while gently being flipped - to brown both sides, of course.



Then, once they're done cooking, they are flipped into a metal bin where the excess oil drips off and they cool down just a tad



See? There are some cooling right now. Want him to make you a bag?



Top them off with powdered or cinnamon sugar...shake around to coat...



...there! Perfectly sugary sweet little mini donuts that simply melt in your mouth.



Want one?

I'm a Craft Pioneer!

At least that's what the girl running the Etsy Crafting Patch Market craft show told me. When I signed up for the Etsy sponsored event, I knew it was the first one of it's kind in NC. What I didn't realize was that the event I participated in on Saturday was the first Etsy craft show EVER! Can you believe that? I'm honored...seriously!

The show didn't have the traffic I was hoping for, but I had a blast and met a lot of super cool crafters. Everyone there was so nice and it was like everyone was part of a little family. People were helping each other set up their booths, gabbed all day, swapped goodies, and even helped each other take their booth displays down (even when they had a 6 hour drive to make directly after the show - thanks Michelle and hubby :) ).

One of the highlights of the day was my booth display. I didn't win any awards, but in a way I won a personal victory. It's taken me a really long time to get my booth looking in a way that I'm actually happy with, so I'm super proud to share these photos - there has been a lot of hard work and heart put into getting the booth this way:



To my left, I had the lovely Michelle and hubby with AsianCharm (click) and to my right, I had two super friendly girls with Microwave Girl (click)

I also got a fab organic shirt from Ahpeele (click)

Thanks to Angelica and everyone who helped put this together. I hope to be accepted to the Market for '08 - I'll definitely be applying! Hey to all my new Etsy friends - it was so nice meeting all of you and I hope to see you around the craft scene.

Long Weekend Work

We had a relatively relaxing weekend, this past weekend. I wish I could have spent more time crafting or making jewelry today since I had Columbus Day off. I love being at home during the day, watching the craft shows on TV, and making stuff (jewelry, crafts, whatever). I don't get enough days at home, and it stinks b/c when I finally have one, I usually have to run errands I normally can't do b/c of traffic or not having enough time. I think I spent about 3 hours at Target today, but I guess that's what happens when you don't go for months at a time.

Anywho, we had a pretty good weekend. We visited my honey's mommy and got to hang out with his dog (I think it's funny how she sleeps almost like a human - my SO says that she copied him by the way she hangs her arm off the side of the bed. I know...he's crazy! lol...jk)


I figured out that there's a bead store about 3 miles away from his mom's house and hit it up twice, yes twice, to get lots of fun beads for some upcoming shows. I think I spent a total of 4 hours in that store. Wow - do I have my work cut out for me? Look at all those beads! This is after I spent nearly the whole weekend beading with my new beads!


I even had some time to make some nice snacks. This is one of my favorites. It's a baguette, sliced somewhat thin (about 1/2 thick), drizzled with olive oil and toasted under the broiler. Served with a soft cheese, this is simply yummy. You seriously have to drizzle the bread w/ olive oil - it makes a huge difference in taste that I hadn't expected the first time I made it:


I actually did manage to get a couple fun Martha Stewart crafting project done and I can't wait to share them with you later this week!