Unemployed Summer...

"Summer is the time when one sheds one's tensions with one's clothes, and the right kind of day is jeweled balm for the battered spirit. A few of those days and you can become drunk with the belief that all's right with the world."

-Ada Louise Huxtable

Being unemployed in the summer is good for just a few things... namely, reading best-selling novels and lazing in the pool. Have the apartment pool to myself this afternoon, which is awesome. Means I can float all around and not have to worry about bumping into people or getting my paperback splashed.

Where, oh where have I been?

"How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives."

-Annie Dillard, The Writing Life

I bet that you thought once school was out, I'd be around here more often. Tricked you! It seems I've been around the world and back in the last couple of weeks (even if only in my head!) And, been without internet for several days at a time here and there.

First off, we've been trying to get our house ready to go on the market. Which, in this economy, means get ready to get screwed! Rob and I have been back and forth a million and one times, but hopefully progress will be made soon. Fingers crossed. Selling a house in a recession sucks!

And, because our house will soon belong to someone else, we needed to find a new place to live. An apartment hunting trip was in order. And, then the day we returned from vacation, Rob rushed up to Spartanburg to move in before his first day of work on the 11th.

I am bouncing back and forth between Georgia and South Carolina for a few weeks, but we were able to move most of our necessities for the next couple of months, so I'm making SC my home base from now on. The only thing we're really missing is a real bed and a sofa, but we're making do.

Oh, vacation... did I mention vacation?!? We spent Fourth of July week at Yosemite National Park with my mom's side of the family. It was a wonderful week, full of hiking, good food, connecting with family, and several adventures we had not planned on. Rob's and my knees are still hurting from the 40+ miles we walked, hiked, and climbed during the week. We've got a ton of photos and great memories. Can't wait for the next trip!

As for the job search... ug! Upstate South Carolina is not the graphic design hub that I had hoped. In two months of research, I've found a grand total of five jobs that I'm qualified for, and I've applied for them all. In fact, some of them seem like a perfect fit for my interests, experience, and career goals... I just wish that they'd call back!

I did have an interview last week, but despite psyching myself up for it all day, I got in a fender bender in a parking lot not 45 minutes before my originally scheduled time. So, despite the fact that I had gone to the library to get my new library card and become an official resident, I got the added benefit of meeting the South Carolina Highway Patrol. Unfortunately there was a witness who said it was my fault--we backed into each other and couldn't really tell who had pulled out first. Good thing I have "accident forgiveness" on my auto insurance!!

Despite the fact that my last teaching paycheck arrives this week, we're taking the opportunity to celebrate one last week of being "dual income-no kids." We splurged on big ticket items like a microwave, a new bra, and dry erase markers. Woohoo! These are exciting times!

Caught the craft bug...

"When I don't have any ideas, I pick up fabric and start working with it and something happens."

-Geoffrey Beene

Not knowing exactly where my sewing machine is going to be stored for the next couple of months (we're apartment hunting this weekend... wish us luck!), I decided I better go ahead and get it all of the craftiness out of my system.

I've been on the lookout for a new summer purse that goes with everything. I haven't found quite what I wanted, so I decided to try one of my own based one of my favorite bags (which is looking a little rough these days!). I filled several pages of a little notebook with sketches, layouts, and steps, hoping to minimize the mistakes. Besides having to rework the lining of the bag, it turned out pretty stinkin' cute!

If you're curious about the fabric... the print is "Ellie" by Michael Miller Fabric and the solid is just khaki-colored Duck from Hobby Lobby.

And, then once I had a cute purse... I needed some matching accessories. So, today I created a luggage handle wrap for our upcoming trip and a sunglasses case to protect my new shades.

 

Maybe someday I'll create tutorials for them. But this time, the process constantly evolved as I was working.

Aunt Jana Camp Crafts...

"For me, the best work is passionate, fresh, well designed and well executed - the perfect balance of art and craft."

-Judy Villett

It's taken a couple of days to unwind and clean up after the boys left on Saturday; however, I did want to do a quick craft wrap-up from "Aunt Jana Camp" last week. Although most of the activities we engaged in throughout the week involved toy cars, the Wii, or the swimming pool, Thursday was designated as "craft day"--with somewhat of a snake theme.

We used watercolors to paint snake coloring pages which I printed from HelloKids.com.

We used freezer paper stencils to make snake t-shirts, using this process from Say Yes to Hoboken.

We also bought neckties from the thrift store and turned them into stuffed snakes, like this tutorial from Skip to My Lou.

We drew and colored a drag strip/mud hole for the matchbox cars to drive.

And, last but not least, we created a "Welcome home from your trip!" banner to hang from the balcony.

Needless to say, Thursday was a busy day!

Photo Challenge: Day 30

"Hope is that thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops... at all."

-Emily Dickinson

Day 30 (06/17/11): A photo of whatever you please.

Can you believe that this challenge is over? Can you believe that I posted 30 times in 30 days? Can you believe that I actually finished something that I started?

The end of May and the beginning of June brought lots of changes, some endings and some beginnings. It brought visits from family and friends, some planned long in advance and some more spontaneous. It brought both crazy days and relaxing days. But, with this photo challenge always in the back of my mind, it always brought inspiration.

I finish up the month today on my 27th birthday--no longer in my early twenties. I sit here without a full-time job, without knowing where we're going to live a month from now, without knowing what surprises the next year will bring. But, today, I'm okay with that. Maybe I won't be tomorrow... but today I am.

I'm finishing up a crazy but fun week with my nephews, and my fingers are crossed that Rob is able to make the first flight out of LAX today. I'm ready to see him. I'm ready to kick off this new year in style!