Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Tutorial: How To Make Your Own Awesome Duvet Cover
Just over 2 years ago, Jesse asked me to marry him. Romance, excitement, and an adventurous spirit characterized our lives and relationship. One of the tasks before us was to complete a wedding gift registry. As we cataloged our possessions and listed the things we were likely to need, I balked at the high price and uninspired design of the bed coverings available where we were registering. I used to sew, you know, and just knew I could create something much better for a fraction of the price. This is our current duvet cover:
I thought you, too, might want to know how to throw together something for your own bedroom, so I’ve created a tutorial:
1) Do some calculations to determine dimensions of your bedspread, and yardage needed to create a cover (don’t forget to allow for the front and back!).
2) Keep your eye out for the ‘perfect’ fabric.
3) Avoid distant, inconvenient fabric stores and order online – it’ll be delivered to your door in mere days.
4) When it arrives, realize you hate it and send it back for a full refund minus shipping and handling.
5) See perfect fabric (in person) and buy it immediately!
6) Wash and dry fabric to pre-shrink it.
7) Fold and store in a closet for 16-18 months. Allow your unprotected comforter to yellow during this time.
8) In a fit of inspiration and frustration, finally pull out the fabric, ironing board, sewing machine and supplies, and coffee. Set aside about 3 hours, or about 75% of the time needed to complete the project.
9) Start to iron the fabric and realize the fold lines and wrinkles have been galvanized by neglect and won’t come out without another wash/dry cycle.
10) Ignore this fact and haphazardly measure and cut anyway.
11) Construct the duvet cover with ever increasing stress, anger, and fear that you’ve ruined everything. Make your sister Kerri* help you through this time, listen to her when she tells you just to keep plowing ahead without being anal about measurements, straight lines, consistent border sizes, etc.
12) Realize with great relief and satisfaction that, due to the inexact and fluffy nature of bedding, your hack job worked out fine and no one will ever know what shoddy work went into it.
*It helps if your sister Kerri also knows how to sew, will do half of the sewing/cutting for you, and has been through this cycle of stress and frustration herself a few times.
I thought you, too, might want to know how to throw together something for your own bedroom, so I’ve created a tutorial:
1) Do some calculations to determine dimensions of your bedspread, and yardage needed to create a cover (don’t forget to allow for the front and back!).
2) Keep your eye out for the ‘perfect’ fabric.
3) Avoid distant, inconvenient fabric stores and order online – it’ll be delivered to your door in mere days.
4) When it arrives, realize you hate it and send it back for a full refund minus shipping and handling.
5) See perfect fabric (in person) and buy it immediately!
6) Wash and dry fabric to pre-shrink it.
7) Fold and store in a closet for 16-18 months. Allow your unprotected comforter to yellow during this time.
8) In a fit of inspiration and frustration, finally pull out the fabric, ironing board, sewing machine and supplies, and coffee. Set aside about 3 hours, or about 75% of the time needed to complete the project.
9) Start to iron the fabric and realize the fold lines and wrinkles have been galvanized by neglect and won’t come out without another wash/dry cycle.
10) Ignore this fact and haphazardly measure and cut anyway.
11) Construct the duvet cover with ever increasing stress, anger, and fear that you’ve ruined everything. Make your sister Kerri* help you through this time, listen to her when she tells you just to keep plowing ahead without being anal about measurements, straight lines, consistent border sizes, etc.
12) Realize with great relief and satisfaction that, due to the inexact and fluffy nature of bedding, your hack job worked out fine and no one will ever know what shoddy work went into it.
*It helps if your sister Kerri also knows how to sew, will do half of the sewing/cutting for you, and has been through this cycle of stress and frustration herself a few times.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
A Few Weeks Ago, I Turned Old
Even though 30 is a fairly significant milestone, it wasn't very traumatic for me, and was actually one of my favorite birthdays ever.
Jesse surprised me with a night away together without the baby (thank you Tim and Sara!) at an indoor water park! Although it was fairly kid-oriented, we had a wonderful time resting and playing together. And the big waterslides (not pictured) were awesome!
Then Tim and Lindsay (my brother and his girlfriend) came into town as a complete surprise, and we did some glow-in-the-dark mini-golfing. The next day we had a pretty big party with an eclectic group of friends and family. Overall, it was a good 3-4 day extravaganza of celebration that couldn't have been more fun. It was so fun, in fact, that I'm considering turning 30 again next year.
Jesse surprised me with a night away together without the baby (thank you Tim and Sara!) at an indoor water park! Although it was fairly kid-oriented, we had a wonderful time resting and playing together. And the big waterslides (not pictured) were awesome!
Then Tim and Lindsay (my brother and his girlfriend) came into town as a complete surprise, and we did some glow-in-the-dark mini-golfing. The next day we had a pretty big party with an eclectic group of friends and family. Overall, it was a good 3-4 day extravaganza of celebration that couldn't have been more fun. It was so fun, in fact, that I'm considering turning 30 again next year.
Crock Potting Expert (Conclusive Evidence That My Life Is Exceptionally Boring)
Sara and I have been splitting cooking duties for a while now. We each take 2 or 3 nights per week, and we're able to eat at home almost always while only doing 1/2 the work! This has been one of the best benefits of our house-sharing living situation so far.
Before we moved in here, I hardly ever did any cooking at all. I wasn't inspired or confident, and it just seemed like too much effort to spend 2 hours preparing dinner for just the two of us, when half the time it didn't turn out tasting very good. But so much has changed! I started out slow, with 1 or 2 nights per week, and gradually gained more skill and knowledge as I practiced.
I wouldn't exactly say I get excited about cooking now, but I definitely don't dread it anymore. Some days I do put in 1.5-2 hours, but most of the time I can get dinner done much more quickly - mainly by being more familiar with the steps involved in certain recipes.
My favorite time-saving tool by far is the crock pot. This may sound just incredibly lame, but these things excite me now. Using the crock pot doesn't mean stew every night, by any means. It's just so nice to be able to spend only 20 minutes in the morning chopping and assembling ingredients, and having the main portion of dinner prep all finished. It's great to have only a few small things left to do around dinner time when I'm more tired and Miette is crankier.
Plus, it really frees up my afternoons for spot-cleaning spit-up, reading blogs, and occasionally showering or cleaning the toilet. Huzzah!
Before we moved in here, I hardly ever did any cooking at all. I wasn't inspired or confident, and it just seemed like too much effort to spend 2 hours preparing dinner for just the two of us, when half the time it didn't turn out tasting very good. But so much has changed! I started out slow, with 1 or 2 nights per week, and gradually gained more skill and knowledge as I practiced.
I wouldn't exactly say I get excited about cooking now, but I definitely don't dread it anymore. Some days I do put in 1.5-2 hours, but most of the time I can get dinner done much more quickly - mainly by being more familiar with the steps involved in certain recipes.
My favorite time-saving tool by far is the crock pot. This may sound just incredibly lame, but these things excite me now. Using the crock pot doesn't mean stew every night, by any means. It's just so nice to be able to spend only 20 minutes in the morning chopping and assembling ingredients, and having the main portion of dinner prep all finished. It's great to have only a few small things left to do around dinner time when I'm more tired and Miette is crankier.
Plus, it really frees up my afternoons for spot-cleaning spit-up, reading blogs, and occasionally showering or cleaning the toilet. Huzzah!
From Russia With Love
A few days ago I got a package in the mail. My friend Ashley sent it all the way from St. Petersburg! Back at the post office in Russia the clerk had insisted that the parcel be sent fastened only with twine - no tape. Shockingly, everything arrived intact and unharmed (and still only folded together without tape), although the twine was replaced by a rubber band.
Here's what was inside:
And this super cute and well-crafted doll from Finland.
Here's what was inside:
Adorable mittens hand knit by a Russian babushka (grandmother)!
And this super cute and well-crafted doll from Finland.
I love these dolls and can't wait for Miette to get to an age where
she will be able to actually play with it, not just gum it.
she will be able to actually play with it, not just gum it.
Thank you, Ashley!
I'm A Mom Now
I just realized I put a piece of toast in the toaster for breakfast two hours ago. It's still there.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Saturday Song Suggestion
If you need a little pick-me-up this weekend to accompany your lawn mowing or basement cleaning or hiking or what have you, I recommend 'Girl Named Tennessee' by NeedToBreathe.
It's fun - kind of jazzy and very danceable. You're welcome.
It's fun - kind of jazzy and very danceable. You're welcome.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Bonding With Grandpa
This week when we were up in Seattle, the family got together at my grandmother's condo to celebrate a few birthdays. My grandma asked Kerri to vacuum that afternoon, explaining, "You know how that baby likes to roll around on the floor!"
We had a nice time, and my dad finally got a little break from doing taxes to play with Miette.
I love his face in this first picture:
Later on, my brother's girlfriend took my camera and returned it with this picture of the two of them. She swears he always looks like this...
We had a nice time, and my dad finally got a little break from doing taxes to play with Miette.
I love his face in this first picture:
Later on, my brother's girlfriend took my camera and returned it with this picture of the two of them. She swears he always looks like this...
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
The Worm
The other night before bed I was able to get a little footage of Miette's current mode of transportation. She has just started learning how to stay up and use her arms a little more so this wormy phase is probably almost over. It seems pretty effective, though, and it's entertaining, too!
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
More Questions
Yesterday, I shared some of the things I’ve been wrestling with as Jesse and I face a possible layoff in the coming weeks. Beyond the practical financial stability we might lose, there are some intangible things at stake, too. It is very discouraging, especially for Jesse, to have worked hard to learn his job and develop relationships with students only to potentially have it all dissolve again so quickly.
I wonder: Will Jesse be fully paid for the work he has already done? Or will he get reimbursed for things he has already paid for himself? Whose fault is all of this, will they be punished, and do they care? The people mostly responsible for the budgetary disasters have already resigned or been fired, so why doesn't that feel like enough?
If this job really does end in a few days or weeks, what was the point? Was it just for a few paychecks, or was there a purpose beyond that? Does anyone appreciate the effort he has put in or the actual concern he has for his students – something he carries beyond the 40+ hours of the ‘work week’?
If Jesse’s boss or students don’t appreciate him, does that mean his work is insignificant? And if Jesse doesn’t see the purpose in his time with those students, does that mean the time was actually wasted?
So many questions about justice, meaning, purpose. There aren't answers to most of these yet, but some things are getting clearer as I keep asking. I want justice, and I want explanations. But are most injustices ever truly resolved this side of the grave?
I also want Jesse to be appreciated and able to do meaningful work, but I often look for evidence of those subtleties in the wrong places. In my experience, it doesn’t work very well to rate the value of our lives, or our success in general, by other peoples’ outward reactions to our efforts.
I wonder why I keep thinking it will.
I wonder: Will Jesse be fully paid for the work he has already done? Or will he get reimbursed for things he has already paid for himself? Whose fault is all of this, will they be punished, and do they care? The people mostly responsible for the budgetary disasters have already resigned or been fired, so why doesn't that feel like enough?
If this job really does end in a few days or weeks, what was the point? Was it just for a few paychecks, or was there a purpose beyond that? Does anyone appreciate the effort he has put in or the actual concern he has for his students – something he carries beyond the 40+ hours of the ‘work week’?
If Jesse’s boss or students don’t appreciate him, does that mean his work is insignificant? And if Jesse doesn’t see the purpose in his time with those students, does that mean the time was actually wasted?
So many questions about justice, meaning, purpose. There aren't answers to most of these yet, but some things are getting clearer as I keep asking. I want justice, and I want explanations. But are most injustices ever truly resolved this side of the grave?
I also want Jesse to be appreciated and able to do meaningful work, but I often look for evidence of those subtleties in the wrong places. In my experience, it doesn’t work very well to rate the value of our lives, or our success in general, by other peoples’ outward reactions to our efforts.
I wonder why I keep thinking it will.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Grateful, Patient, Full of Faith
Spring break is here! Jesse has been working full time (plus his 1/3 time job at the church) for more than two months now, and this week off is a welcome change of pace. Unfortunately, the school he works for is really struggling. Having already accepted a hefty pay cut, we don’t know if he will have a job to go back to after the time off. As you might imagine, this kind of thing really puts a damper on our vacation week.
Financially, we’re fortunate to have more options than many people these days. He can always go back to substitute teaching, and I could even go back to my job if necessary. Still, I am disappointed that what seemed like a secure – if short – contract through July might be broken, and I believe that is a legitimate feeling. But is it legitimate to think that he somehow deserves a steady and reliable job in general?
I tend to think that by choosing to be a public school teacher, Jesse has given up a lot of financial opportunity and opted for limited earning potential in exchange for the chance to feel good about making a difference in the community, and reasonable job security. I assume that because he will never make as much money as an investment banker or engineer, he deserves to be protected from the volatility of uncertain economic times.
Somewhere along the way my moderate store of somewhat narrowly explored idealism has morphed into a sense of entitlement.
Do I also think that we deserve to always have the opportunity to work (substitute teaching, waiting tables, etc.) if we want to? And that we deserve to have our parents’ basements to move into if we really go broke? I suppose we probably deserve to have a certain number of sunny days per year and also clean drinking water and a healthy baby. I’m positive that we deserve to have our 7 month old sleep through the night every night. And I require at least one really good latte each week. At what point do the various blessings and hopes in my life jump categories and become rights and expectations?
I may be upset that things are unstable, but it’s good for me to be reminded that my hope and security can’t be found in Jesse’s job – this week or next year or ever. And it’s important to see a little more clearly how easy it is for me to take the things I do have for granted.
Financially, we’re fortunate to have more options than many people these days. He can always go back to substitute teaching, and I could even go back to my job if necessary. Still, I am disappointed that what seemed like a secure – if short – contract through July might be broken, and I believe that is a legitimate feeling. But is it legitimate to think that he somehow deserves a steady and reliable job in general?
I tend to think that by choosing to be a public school teacher, Jesse has given up a lot of financial opportunity and opted for limited earning potential in exchange for the chance to feel good about making a difference in the community, and reasonable job security. I assume that because he will never make as much money as an investment banker or engineer, he deserves to be protected from the volatility of uncertain economic times.
Somewhere along the way my moderate store of somewhat narrowly explored idealism has morphed into a sense of entitlement.
Do I also think that we deserve to always have the opportunity to work (substitute teaching, waiting tables, etc.) if we want to? And that we deserve to have our parents’ basements to move into if we really go broke? I suppose we probably deserve to have a certain number of sunny days per year and also clean drinking water and a healthy baby. I’m positive that we deserve to have our 7 month old sleep through the night every night. And I require at least one really good latte each week. At what point do the various blessings and hopes in my life jump categories and become rights and expectations?
I may be upset that things are unstable, but it’s good for me to be reminded that my hope and security can’t be found in Jesse’s job – this week or next year or ever. And it’s important to see a little more clearly how easy it is for me to take the things I do have for granted.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
Someone's Singing 'The Old, Rugged Cross' in Church on Sunday
Otherwise, I might have been offended when Jesse took Miette out of the bedroom this morning saying, "Let's let this old, rugged Mommy get some sleep now, ok?"
After Summitting Our Local Volcano
Yesterday Sara and I took the babies on a walk to the top of Mt. Tabor. Definitely a workout, but a very pleasant way to exercise when it is so nice out! Although I'm pretty sure I started wheezing about 1/4 of the way up.
Being prone to delusions of grandeur, I think I may have verbally committed to getting to the top every day it's not too rainy, from now through the summer.
Let's count this as Day 1 of failing to do that.
Being prone to delusions of grandeur, I think I may have verbally committed to getting to the top every day it's not too rainy, from now through the summer.
Let's count this as Day 1 of failing to do that.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Greed, Stupidity, Insidious Marketing Techniques & Curiousity
Those of you who are my friends on Facebook received an unfortunate spam-like message from me a few days ago. But it wasn’t spam. I sent it on purpose, because I am a total retard.
To all of you: I'm really sorry about that.
Captivated by a similar message from one of my friends in my inbox, I took the bait and sold my friends list to the Best Buy devil. I saw the promise of “A $1000 Best Buy gift card to the first 20,000 fans!!!” and figured I hadn’t much to lose socially in the Facebook department, anyway.
So first I clicked the button signing myself up to be a fan.
And then I clicked the button that sent a message to everyone I’m connected with on Facebook.
And then I clicked the button that was supposed to take me to my prize.
But there were still a few easy, quick steps to take before getting my prize! My $1000 PRIZE!!! Some of those easy, quick steps were several pages of forms and questionnaires. A few more of those easy, quick steps were to simply choose 2, out of a long list of offers, to complete! I easily and quickly found two alleged ‘free trial’ offers to complete so I would only be out a total of $4.95 before getting MY $1000 GIFT CARD! FREE MONEY! But then my heart sank, as the next easy, quick step was to complete only 9 of the next list of offers. I was running out of time, and credulity.
As raging alarms sounded Abort! Abort! Abort! I quickly canceled my free trials. I called up OnLingo and told them not to send me the French Language lessons, after all.
The nice gentleman there refunded my shipping and handling fee and made sure I understood in detail all of the amazing offers that were available to me that I was knowingly (and foolishly?) turning down. Within 5 minutes I received a text message about a $200 WalMart gift voucher waiting for me (another good thing I passed up), and a call from Eric at DebtSolutionsUSA, who was disappointed to learn that I only have school loan debt, which apparently they have no solutions for. Over the weekend our credit card was frozen due to my own suspicious activity.
I’m considering grounding myself from the internet indefinitely. And yet, there’s still a little part of me that truly believes I would have gotten that gift card in the end, it just wasn’t worth the $100-200 spent on various offers for loads of worthless crap that stood in the way. I guess I’ll never know.
To all of you: I'm really sorry about that.
Captivated by a similar message from one of my friends in my inbox, I took the bait and sold my friends list to the Best Buy devil. I saw the promise of “A $1000 Best Buy gift card to the first 20,000 fans!!!” and figured I hadn’t much to lose socially in the Facebook department, anyway.
So first I clicked the button signing myself up to be a fan.
And then I clicked the button that sent a message to everyone I’m connected with on Facebook.
And then I clicked the button that was supposed to take me to my prize.
But there were still a few easy, quick steps to take before getting my prize! My $1000 PRIZE!!! Some of those easy, quick steps were several pages of forms and questionnaires. A few more of those easy, quick steps were to simply choose 2, out of a long list of offers, to complete! I easily and quickly found two alleged ‘free trial’ offers to complete so I would only be out a total of $4.95 before getting MY $1000 GIFT CARD! FREE MONEY! But then my heart sank, as the next easy, quick step was to complete only 9 of the next list of offers. I was running out of time, and credulity.
As raging alarms sounded Abort! Abort! Abort! I quickly canceled my free trials. I called up OnLingo and told them not to send me the French Language lessons, after all.
The nice gentleman there refunded my shipping and handling fee and made sure I understood in detail all of the amazing offers that were available to me that I was knowingly (and foolishly?) turning down. Within 5 minutes I received a text message about a $200 WalMart gift voucher waiting for me (another good thing I passed up), and a call from Eric at DebtSolutionsUSA, who was disappointed to learn that I only have school loan debt, which apparently they have no solutions for. Over the weekend our credit card was frozen due to my own suspicious activity.
I’m considering grounding myself from the internet indefinitely. And yet, there’s still a little part of me that truly believes I would have gotten that gift card in the end, it just wasn’t worth the $100-200 spent on various offers for loads of worthless crap that stood in the way. I guess I’ll never know.
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