Librocubicularist- January 2017

This time of year is always slow for me, things at work aren't as busy and my hours end up being cut way back. Yet somehow I never seem to get anything done. I had three full days off last week and it seems like I accomplished nothing but doing laundry. Granted, it was a giant pile of laundry but that doesn't really make it feel any more productive. I think that the combination of needing time alone to recover from the bustle of the holidays and daydreaming about things that I hope to accomplish in the new year prevent any actual forward momentum.

However, I've noticed one area where I seem to excel during this season and that's reading. It's a combination of having time to finish everything I started reading at Christmas but was too busy to actually complete and, as mentioned before the need for quiet, introverted time.

Sticky Fingers: DIY Duct Tape Projects - Easy to Pick Up, Hard to Put Down by Sophie Maletsky

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I checked this out because I was curious about all the duct tape stuff and I've never made any. This book has a fairly extensive section about basic techniques such as make strips and fabric, also various types of closures you can add. Then there are a ton of different projects you can make. As someone in my late 30's I doubt that I'm going to start carrying a purse made of duct tape but some of them are kind of cute. I'd be most likely to use the instruction for smaller things like flowers for the end of a pen or a desk organizer. However, even though I'm not super interested in the projects I still think that this book is well done and the instructions seem good and easy to follow so if you're interested in making your own tape creations it's definitely worth a look.


Cat Castles: 20 Cardboard Habitats You Can Build Yourself by Carin Oliver

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is a great little book about building cat houses from cardboard. It covers everything from regular cat towers and scratchers to rockets and pirate ships, and even an actual castle for your kitties. Everything looks fairly easy to build and really sturdy. The only thing I question is how well they'd hold up to my nearly 20-pound cat, particularly those with multiple levels. Overall I really feel like they would hold up well and last a reasonable amount of time compared to the time they take to build. That being said I probably won't be making on anytime soon, mostly because I feel like my dog would try to eat the box and wreck everything... He really is why the poor cats can't have nice things...but he seems to be at least starting to grow out that phase.


Artist's Journal Workshop: Creating Your Life in Words and Pictures by Cathy Johnson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The first couple of chapters deal with figuring out what you want out of a journal: what do hope to get out of keeping one?, how often will you write/draw in it?, what will you write about, etc. This section also contains ideas about what format or book style you might like and supplies to try out. There are examples of journal pages provided to show different results using each material.
The second section deals with different types of journals you can keep from nature or travel journals to integrated journals where everything mixes together. There are numerous examples and ideas of what kinds of thing to include for each type.
The final section is all about tying everything together. It provides tips for keeping yourself motivated and evaluating what's working for you and what's not.
The whole book is filled with examples of pages created by a variety of artists, which I think is really helpful in an introductory book like this because it showcases multiple styles. It can be easy to feel defeated by a new project sometimes if your results don't match up with what's pictured and I think seeing multiple people's take on a project can relieve some of the pressure leave you freer to experiment with your own ideas. There is also a fairly extensive resources section at the back that includes information about all the artist who contributed and where to see more of their work as well as listing other books about journaling. The final bit to mention is that this book has extra content available online where you can download PDFs of extended interviews with some of the contributing artists.


World of Warcraft: The Official Cookbook by Chelsea Monroe-Cassel

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Nearly everything in this book looks delicious (not a big fan of seafood in general). While I did play Warcraft for a little while it wasn't long enough for any of the foods to make a big impression on me. My husband, however, has played almost continually for a very long time and he vouches for the fact that they are accurate, at least as far a possible for 'imaginary' foods.

I guess that I haven't been completely ignoring my crafting goals. In the last few weeks, I've been looking for tips for sewing with knits since I have two separate projects I'd like to make with knit fabric but have never sewn with it before. I've also looked up what exactly a capsule wardrobe is even though I don't REALLY need to know. I have plans to make a mini vacation wardrobe so that I can feel like I'll look good in pictures without having to stress over what to wear each day. I just was curious to know the actual definition before I claim to have created one. So now I know and I'm working on figuring out what I have that works together and what I want to sew. I know that part of what I want is to sew the DC Bombshells version of the Wonder Woman costume. I doubt that I'd wear it as the whole thing together on vacation but the shorts could be cute with a tank top or one of my Wonder Woman tees. At least there are some things in the planning stage if no actual physical progress on anything yet.

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Well, not has really been going on around here. I have been reading about pets and working with our puppy, Gil, to try and get him all trained up. The more I read about dogs and live with one for the first time ever, the more I realize that we're never really going to be finished training him but he's well on the way to knowing some important basic commands. We were really excited last week because he managed to go eight whole days without having an accident in the house but then both Saturday and Sunday he peed in the house. We have to keep reminding ourselves that he's only a baby. At three months old he's so big and does so well with training some days it's easy to forget.

He'll be disappointed when he gets to big to fit on that shelf.

One of the books I've read is Be the Dog: Secrets of the Natural Dog Owner by Steve Duno. It is about learning to work with your dog better by understanding how dogs think and working with their natural instincts. For me, the most interesting part is the section that lists different things you can do to enrich your dog's environment and keep him entertained. I've been having to keep a close eye on Gil both because he isn't fully housetrained and because he keeps finding things to get into that he shouldn't and I'm looking forward to a time when he can keep himself safely occupied and I can get more crafting and other things done. With this in mind, we bought him a Kong toy over the weekend and have started feeding him part of his dinner inside it. It isn't much but it does give us a few extra minutes.



We used some of that extra time to complete some super important chores this weekend. First, we finished our taxes. Then we had to replace our front door knob. For a while now it's been kind of sticking making it awkward to open but at the end of the week, it decided it didn't want to close without jiggling the handle either and that's a big problem. . . especially when you are running in and out with a puppy several times a day. I'm sure everyone who visits will be happy to see it now opens much more smoothly but we have the added chore of getting keys made. It came with two but we need some spares to leave with friends in case of emergency. Next, we mowed the yard. Well, mostly, it's not completely done but enough to give Gil an open space without giant clumps to trip over.

Because our cats want their pictures taken too.

Also, on a somewhat random note, I've always wanted to host a Christmas cookie exchange party but am usually too busy/ tired from work but now, I think a puppy and cat treat exchange party could be just as fun and not dependent on a certain time of year. Who's in?

Growing Project List

My list of projects to work on was already out of control but our pets have decided it's time to pile on more. Our To Do List for the upcoming weekend already included the usual grocery shopping and cleaning but then we noticed that the lawn needs mowing so we added that. Then I saw one of our cat's get his claws stuck in something and we thought we really should give everyone a trim.

Also, while we know we won't be able to complete them for a while, we were planning to do some preliminary work for building a cat tower. Right now we just have a small tower by the couch. Sometimes two of them share it but it's really only built for one (especially when that one is our 20 lb cat Baldur). We think we should build something they can all share, maybe in the dining room where there's a nice morning sunbeam. I've even made a list of ideas to create a Zelda themed cat tower. Other pet projects we are considering include cat shelves in other rooms of the house, a litter box screen of some sort to keep the dog out of it, and building a half door for our office so the cats can get in but the dog can't. We've been keeping the office closed because it's not been puppy proofed at all but one of the litter boxes is in there and the door seems like an easy fix.

Then throughout the week, the animals have added projects to the list. First, we noticed that we have a broken drawer in the kitchen that Gil's started getting into and that it won't be long before he can reach the counter. Then Curry figured out how to open the closet where we keep their food so that has to be fixed. Finally, the cat's have torn up the carpet under our bedroom door so much that sometimes it won't open because the carpet is pushed up in the way.

In almost an afterthought we also decided we need to think up some kind of storage plan for all of the new pet toys and treats and leashes and such we have cluttering things up at the moment. Hopefully we can all find some time to relax together as well but it sounds like its going to be a long and not so relaxing weekend.

Becoming More Pet Friendly

It has been almost a month since we adopted our puppy, Gil. Between taking him for walks to work off some of his excess puppy energy, taking him out for bathroom breaks, training, and generally trying to keep out of stuff I'm beginning to feel like I'll never time to do anything non-dog related ever again. I know that things will get easier as he grows up and learns more commands but also at the same time more difficult because he's going to get SO much bigger.

For the most part, he's well behaved, he's just been trying my patience this week. He very quickly figured out that ringing the bell means he gets to go outside and has started ringing it whenever he's bored and wants to go out to play. We are trying to bring him back in right away if acts like he just wants to play so he learns that it's only for the bathroom but it's rough. Sometimes he'll ring it as soon as you come back inside before you can even get the leash back off.

We have also had a little trouble with the cats this week. Even though we have been feeding them on separate sides of a gate I think having him around is making the cats rush. A couple of times Curry has thrown up from eating too quickly. While everyone seems to be getting along ok we think we need to build the cats a larger cat tower or some other places where they can feel safe from the puppy. I'm trying to think about the best place as well as possibilities for making something geeky and awesome like the cat condos below.

We also need to find a way to block the litter box off from Gil. We have a top entry box in the office but Baldur doesn't like to use it so the other box is just a regular covered litter box and Gil has been getting into it. I already wanted to put a counter of some sort in that space for folding laundry so maybe we can build a cabinet to hide the box there.

There will definitly be more pet related projects happening around our house. I hope to get some regular non-pet focused things done but right now, working towards a well mannered and well behaved dog that we can easily take camping or just out to the drive-in with us is top priority.

Sick and Tired

So.... I'm sorry to say that I'm still sick. Not in a really sick need to stay home from work and focus on getting better way, but in a just have a cold and my nose hurts from blowing it too much and I'm too tired to do much besides read after I get off work kind of way.

Needless to say I accomplished nothing this weekend. I have several projects that I wanted to work on including more stitching and organizing our laundry room but, you know, stuff happens. Also since I spent a lot of time reading I found a character I'd like to cosplay (If I could ever find the time and money to go to a convention to cosplay at that is.) Atlanna, the mother of Arthur Curry/ Aquaman from the New 52 looks really badass. I also like that she's mostly covered up so I wouldn't feel too awkward about the fact that I'm getting pudgy around the middle.

Let's see, what else is going on with us? My husband is super unhappy because he has to report for jury duty today. We are starting to make plans for our 2nd annual Pi day party. At this point mostly work on the guest list so we know how many invites and favors we need to make.... and thinking about what kind of favors we want to make.

Not much else to talk about other than I took a bunch of cool cloud pictures yesterday while my husband aired his tires at the gas station.

New Year's Thoughts

Generally speaking if I feel like I need to make a change in my life I implement it asap instead of waiting around for something like new year's resolutions. However, New Years is still a good time to stop and think about what worked and what didn't from the previous year. 

This has been a pretty good year for us. We actually had a Valentine's Day celebration when it's usually just another day. We went camping and had the big Pi Day party in the spring. We had a great anniversary and I got lots of cool projects done. 

Going forward I want try and go out more, both with my husband and with friends. We went out to a couple of museums and movies and it was great. We have some regular game nights with friends but it would be nice to spend more time with them as well. We also keep meaning to send out Christmas cards but never seem to have addresses so I'm starting right now to make sure we have them for next year. It's the beginning of trying to keep in touch with some of our out of town friends. Although it doesn't involve going out I also want to get back into playing video games. It's actually been a while since I've played much. I'm already off to a good start because we bought Civilization: Beyond Earth during this year's Steam sale. I also want to try and finish a variety of half completed games that I've started over the years.

My second focus is to work on getting our house organized and fixed up. We have some repairs that need to be made as well as general lawn work that needs done. Our house could also use a very general decluttering and reorganizing, starting with my craft supplies. I've mentioned before that I have craft supplies spread out through at least  three separate rooms in the house. My first goal is to get everything organized and into one space. Which will hopeful help with my final resolution for the year.

While I haven't always had inspiration or time for projects this year I have really enjoyed the ones I have completed. I also feel like I've pushed myself to improve some of my crafting skills. Even though it feels like it took forever to finish I'm really proud of the Star Wars dress I made. It had all sorts of things that I had never done before. I actually took time to alter the pattern slightly for better fit, I used boning for the first time, and sewed with tulle for the first time among other things. I'd really like to continue to challenge myself and improve. Maybe take a class and learn new things. I already have a project in mind that will let me try out some bookbinding techniques that I've never tried before.

All in all I'm excited about the upcoming year.

Note to Self- Progress is Progress

I have to admit that I've been a bit uninspired lately. Not about my Star Wars projects (I'm super excited to get those done) but about what comes next. I have lots of ideas but not alway the follow through needed to turn them into reality and that can be frustrating. So I'm taking a moment to remind myself that sometimes the attempt can be just as valuable as success. That the process of creating can be meaningful even if the finished product doesn't turn out exactly as planned. The simple act of trying means you can learn from your mistakes and create something better next time. Hopefully I can refocus and keep creating. As I was driving home from work I was thinking about my lack of inspiration and the fact that it's been awhile since I shared a cloud photo so I took this one before I walked inside. I'm trying to see inspiration in the everyday.

However I do finally have a finished product to show. My dress is done and ready to go.

Closeup of Bodice

I am still working on a tulle underskirt to help give the dress more shape but right now its still just a pile of tulle.

I also started working on the facinator but I'm not entirely sure I'll have time to finish it for the premiere. If not I'll still try to get it done and post pictures after the fact. At the moment all I have is a styrofoam ball that I covered with several layers of gesso. It will be painted to make a Death Star and I hope the gesso will help keep the paint even.

Going forward we have a pretty busy weekend ahead of us. I need to finish the petticoat and hat for Star Wars. We plan to re-watch the original Star Wars trilogy and get the rest of our Christmas decorations up. So far we haven't had any trouble with Curry and the tree but I'm sure that will change when it has shiny bits. At the moment he mostly sees it as a good spot to launch sneak attacks.

Prepared to Pounce

Merry Sithmas

I had fully intended to have my Star Wars dress finished and ready to show off. However, I came to a point where I needed to thread the straps through a gap left open in a previous step only to realize that I had accidently sewn the space shut. . .  For about the fourth time. That particular portion of the dress has several layers and its seems like every time I added on I had to go back and redo it because of that gap accidently getting closed. They have been reopened and all I need to do is stitch the straps in place and hem the skirt. It will take me a bit because they are supposed to be hand sewn, to help hide the stitching, and I'm not great at that kind of work.

I've been so wrapped up in trying to finish all the things I want to have for the Force Awakens that I've spaced out on Christmas. I don't mean to say I forgot about it. Christmas is my favorite holiday and I was disappointed that we couldn't get our tree last weekend. But I haven't given any thought to what I might be giving as gifts or when I'm going to find time to shop for said gifts. I suddenly realized that I have just three weeks to do everything . . . make the tulle skirt and hat I wanted to go with my dress, decorate for Christmas, shop and wrap all our gifts, and also read the next Star Wars novel that I have from the library. We are also rewatching the Star Wars movies, prequels this weekend and the original trilogy next.

We did get our tree up yesterday but no decorations yet. We had a bit of a problem when we brought it in because we realized that part of our stand was broken so we had to go back out and purchase a new one. Our tree last year was absolutely beautiful, very full and tall. This year we decided to get something smaller because we aren't sure how Curry will react. We've had wonderful luck with our cats so far in that mostly they just want to sit under the tree and look up at the branches and lights. Curry is much more rambunctious and we hope to minimize the damage in case he decides to climb it and topple everything. It's still a good looking tree, just tall enough for our ceilings and nice and full, just not as wide as last years.

Crafting Roadblocks

Unfortunately I don't have much to show for last week. It seems like the world is conspiring against me. This week leading up to Halloween meant that my job was super busy and crowded with people working on last minute costumes so I just worn out by the end of the day.

Then while driving to get my husband's tooth pulled we noticed that my car is acting a bit off so we have to take it to get looked at. I know that one doesn't relate very closely to craft projects but it boils down to lack of money for craft supplies and also the fact that stress and worry doesn't make you very productive.

We also didn't to a lot of chores and cleaning that we generally do over the weekend because we were busy celebrating our anniversary so this week has been a lot of playing catchup on laundry and other cleaning.

To top it all off I am currently searching for pieces of projects that I've misplaced. I cannot find the embroidery designs that I transferred for the quilt and I can't find a piece of fabric that I know I bought for a dress I was going to make.

But I do have this picture of Curry being adorable in a basket so.... I guess things aren't all bad. Here's to hoping I have better luck this week.

My Crafting To Do List

This weekend ended up being much busier than expected. My birthday was great but we did a lot more walking than usual so my legs got achy. I got some really good pictures at the Arboretum that you can see in this post. My favorites are the raptor stagecoach robbery at the train garden and the shots up at the trees. I was kind of hoping we could see some nice fall colors but for the most part it was still really green.

                           

                                              

Our lunch was awesome and we had a great afternoon at the Nelson-Atkins and enjoyed a great concert by the Kansas City Community Orchestra. Then I worked in the morning Friday. We ran some errands Saturday morning and I worked Saturday night. I also went into work for a few hours early Sunday morning even though it's usually my day off to help with a big project... So with the weekend all taken up with work and errands I didn't get to any of the craft work I had planned.

Turkey Sandwich

Chicken Z-man

What did I intend to work on? Well I found just the right fabric to finish my Erza hair bow and I bought needles with a larger eye so I can attach them with wire. I intended to finally get around to transferring my critter quilt designs to fabric so I could start embroidery. I also finally found (well my Mom found really) the fabric I was going to use for the back of our shadow box (I think I mentioned it in this post). However I work WAY more hours than normal this week so I'm not sure I'll be able to get any of it done. (besides the fact that I also need to mow our lawn) I'm not entirely sure when I'll be able to get back on track because I know that from now until New Years I'll only be working more not less.

An Unproductive Weekend

This weekend has been absolutely the least productive weekend ever. I was hoping to have a quiet, relaxing, if short weekend with my husband. Finish some projects on Friday, get some inspiration from reading and maybe some time outside.

What I actually got was this:

Friday was almost completely unproductive. I felt entirely unmotivated. I've been trying to walk for at least 10 minutes a day and I barely made myself do that. The only other thing I accomplished was to wash a few dishes. I really couldn't understand why I was feeling so unenergetic...

Until I woke up Saturday morning feeling super achy and able to feel the gunk in my sinuses shifting around. I guess since it seems like it's been raining constantly for the past week, and part of what I'm allergic to is mold I shouldn't have been surprised. I ended up calling in to work and spent more than half the day sleeping. I suppose I did get a little reading done in between but it wasn't very relaxing.

Yesterday was better. After all the allergy medication and sleep on Saturday I still slept until after 10am. We had very few errands to run and took a short walk together before lunch. After lunch we had time to relax and I was medicated enough to be fairly comfortable. I took a couple of nice cloud pictures for my collection started after reading The Cloud Collector's Handbook a few weeks ago. (I'll post a review at the end of the month.)

Sunday Clouds

I'm feeling enough better to have renewed hopes for productivity moving forward. Here's a list of what I'd like to get done this week.

1. Laundry- right now we have two baskets of unfolded clean laundry that need taking care of. Luckily not to much dirty laundry.

2. Dishes- It feels like we always need to do dishes and clean up our kitchen. At the moment things are actually close to being clean and it would be a great feeling to knock out the last bit.

3. Finish the mini-blind to roman shade makeover I started in April.

4. Add straps to my Ironman Sundress

5. Work on/ complete a project to display some of our lego mini-figures

Friday 15th

Thursday 14th