| There are so many wonderful, unique hand crafted items out there. Here are some examples of really interesting and exciting things to create from many different materials: Knitwear is my dear friend Laurie's passion. She has a love and an amazing talent to go along with it. I am awed by her abilities and the beautiful things she creates from what looks to me to be a pile of messy yarn. Next we have some spectacular examples of what you can do with simple paper. Yes, that's right. Paper. Not always thought of as a real art form, but as you can see, paper is a versatile and amazing media from which you can make almost anything. And, since there is no way I can show an example of every possible craft out there, I end with a beautiful beaded necklace. So why am I showing you these beautiful, unique pieces and what does it have to do with being truly frugal? Glad you asked. You know my goal-debt free in '15. (Which now seems highly unlikely with the 15 and a half thousand dollar bill we received in the mail a couple weeks ago-but I digress...) And my determination to create on a very limited budget. This has gone along quite well, until I ran out of everything all at the same time. So what to do about this? I did a couple of things: I organized my work room, so I know everything I have. How much I have, what I don't have, what I need to buy now, what can wait, what I never need to buy again, and what I can sell/trade/dump. Then I made a list of everything I do actually need. Since I'm making art journals currently, I need adhesives, tape, paper, and unfortunately, markers. Mine are all at least 15 years old and even after the how to re-use dried out markers I found on-line there was just no saving them. Then I was fortunate enough to get a house cleaning job that paid well, and worked my butt off. It killed my arms-took several days to bring them back to minimum function-but the money was so worth it! Armed with my detailed list, I marched down to Hobby Lobby. They had very little on my list, surprisingly. They did have some 12 x 12 paper packs, normally $20 for half price. I did buy two. Off to Micheal's. I walked in the door, with my BFF and shopping partner Laurie, and the clouds parted, the sun shown down from heaven and angels sang. There in the center aisle was a huge display of 12 x 12 scrapbook papers-both prints and card stock-all on sale for $5.00 each! Yes, my lovelies, that's 5 bucks each for 180 sheets of patterned papers, cardstock in variegated colors (buy the blue pack, it's all different shades of blue), and the 40 sheet designer packs, the small 6 x 6 printed packs were $3.00 each. The double sided tape was buy one, get 2 free. The artist papers (sketch, watercolor, drawing, etc.) were all buy one, get two free. The clays, jewelry making materials, tools, storage boxes and containers, paints, brushes, gel mediums, gesso, floral making materials, colored pencils, charcoals, acrylics, oils, watercolors, sketch books, easels, miniature making materials, everything you can imagine-all half price or buy one get two free! And best of all... The MARKERS were half price!!!! Can you believe this? Of course you can't. This absolutely never happens! So what did I do with my windfall of money from house cleaning? I cleaned up, that's what I did! I bought 4 12 x 12's of variegated card stock, 8 12 x 12 packs of printed papers, 5 6 x 6 specialty packs, water color brushes, acrylic brushes, a large sketch book, a large water color pad, a huge mixed media book, Spectrum Noir Core Essentials markers, Artist Loft Dual Tip Markers, a huge set of gel pens, a collection of colored pencils, double sided tape-which I'm now out of already!, a different brand of matte finish sealer (thought I'd give it a try for half price), six 12 x 12 clear plastic storage containers, and 7 cardboard photo storage boxes. Oh, and a book. I think I can honestly say I've never been so focused on exactly what I needed rather than what I wanted. I had a list, knew what I was making and what was required and went for it. Of course, I had no idea Micheal's was having a huge sale that day. That was just divine intervention. And that I was able to purchase all that stuff for way cheap was pretty astonishing too. (I think there was an additional percentage off my entire purchase at the end there, too. Not sure what it was though.) I am thrilled with my new stuff, have been using it like crazy and will be going back to the store today to buy more adhesive and plain cream card stock. I have used it all up! Being truly frugal also means spending money on the things you need, for the best prices you can find. My Micheal's trip was just that. I bought what I needed, at the best prices I could ever find, with money I had put away for that purpose. I spent nothing from the budget, I spent money allocated for that purpose. And because I was able to find card stock and patterned papers for $5 when they are normally $20 bucks each, I was able to stock up on lots of commonly used essentials. Now, I have to get back to work making altered art to sell at the Art Fair. But first I have to run to town and pick up more adhesive... | | | |
0 Comments
Pronounced Aid-a-mommay Scrumptious and oh, so good for you! I blanched them, tossed them lightly in melted butter and then sprinkled sea salt on them.
You eat them by taking your teeth and pulling upward on the shell, popping the beans into your mouth as you go. You discard the thick pod of the soy bean itself. You only eat the beans inside the pod. This may now be my new favorite snack! Yummy and fun to eat too. What more could I ask for? Our community has lost a young man to depression. He took his own life. Since I have been very open about my own struggle with depression people have asked me what depression feels like and why a young man would take his own life because of this illness.
I understand completely why the young man took his own life. Those of us who suffer from this illness know all to well what those depths of despair feel like. The real problem here is understanding. There is not a whole lot of understanding about this illness from those people living with the depressed person. This post is for you. Depression is not a choice we make. We do not decide one day we will be depressed. For the vast majority of us it is a chemical imbalance in our brain. Our brain needs Serotonin, and reaches for it. We don't have the amount of Serotonin needed. Our brain reaches again, still not enough, brain reaches, not enough, brain reaches, and on and on and on it goes. Each time the brain reaches for this chemical and it's not there, the depression gets a bit worse. And the more depressed a person gets, the more Serotonin the brain needs to pull it out of the depression, so it reaches more and more for the chemical it does not have...And you see where the spiral occurs. So we have a brain reaching for a chemical it needs to function properly, and that chemical is not there. The brain cannot long function correctly without the proper fuel it needs. And depression will begin to present itself in a variety of ways: Some people become short tempered and frustrated. They feel lousy and any little thing that is out of the norm will set them off, because it takes extra effort and brain power-which is all being used just to maintain their normal everyday activities. Others will become very emotional, weepy, sad. Again, the chemical missing from their brain is causing all sorts of problems and this is only the beginning. Still others will feel physically ill. This is what I had. I thought I was actually dieing from some horrible disease. My body ached terribly, my headaches were ferocious, I couldn't seem to understand what people were saying to me-unable to concentrate-I couldn't eat, yet gained weight, was tired all the time but couldn't sleep...I felt like I was hit by a bus. I remember looking in the mirror for bruises on my body, because everything hurt and I thought I had fallen down the steps or something... The pit of despair is a deep one, and the symptoms will only increase as time goes on. The misery and anguish is often compounded by the realization there is nothing to be miserable about. You say things to yourself like: Pull yourself together! Good grief, there's nothing wrong with your life! Why can't you just get yourself together? There is a lot of self loathing going on. Then if family starts saying these same things, the spiral downward becomes a plummet. Soon you begin feeling like you are drowning in a suffocating mass of anguish. It covers you, clings to you, every movement you make is weighted down by this thick, heavy mass of misery and hopelessness. You struggle to throw it off, but you can barely move beneath it. You can't find your way out. You can see your loved ones on the other side of this thick gray wall and you can't reach them. You're desperate, alone in this prison of misery, you can't find the way out, and you're afraid. Then the thoughts start coming. My family would be better off without me. I'm just a burden to them. They would be so much happier if I wasn't here causing all these problems...They don't need me, they don't want me, they don't love me-they just put up with me...And those thoughts keep coming, over and over and over. Like a song that's stuck in your head. Until it's not a song, it becomes truth. And you know with absolute certainty that these things are true. Now, you are utterly miserable, you feel horrible, you are not thinking clearly, your thoughts are disjointed and mixed up, you begin to think things that are not true are absolute truth, you are lonely and scared. Is it such a leap for someone in this mind set to think everyone they love would be better off without them in their life? It's not such a leap is it? The important point here is this: If you think you may be suffering from depression-go immediately to your doctor and explain what is going on. There are very effective treatments for depression now and no one should suffer from this very treatable illness. Depression can be deadly. Let's not lose any one else to this wretched disease. If you have a family member or loved one you think is suffering from depression, please do everything you can to get them help. Remember, they are not thinking clearly. They are thinking through a thick blanket of misery and suffering. Once that blanket of misery is removed and they climb out of the pit, they will be the person they are really meant to be-not the person caught in the horror of depression. Most people with depression want desperately to be well. They are trying their best to be healthy, regular people. Until their depression is addressed and dealt with, they will never be able to be like healthy, regular people. But there is hope and there is the wonder of happiness and joy in life. Really. I promise. Just make the appointment. Get to the doctor. See a therapist. Work on the issues that are causing you the pain and deal with that stuff. Then move on and enjoy your life! Hang in there, my darling. I'm proof depression can be dealt with and life can be good following the depths of despair. You can do it too. I have all kinds of faith in you! I have organized, cleaned and de-cluttered my work room. It was a Herculean effort, I must say. What a nightmare! I had no idea such a small room could hold so much stuff. What a mess! Here are some photos, so you can enjoy the nightmare too. We start partway through the process, as I forgot to take pictures at the beginning when I first started. These are actually a few days into the sorting and dumping stage of the game... I went through everything. I separated the crafts into separated totes, made sure everything that was needed to make that craft was included, scissors, thread, adhesives, whatever in necessary to complete that project is in the storage container. This way I can pull out what I want to work on, jump right to it, then pack it all back up until the next time I'm in the mood for that. I bought several pair of scissors and put some in each tote. Here are some more pictures as the days progressed: Well, there is the tour of my newly cleaned and organized workroom. My paint area is not in this room, so all that stuff-along with my miniature workshop-is in the large room on the other side of the stairwell. The two large bookcases have a third one which will go in between them. And they will be covered with a cloth of some sort to give me a solid area for my eyes to rest. Right now the room is quite chaotic looking in these pictures. It is not that bad in person. However, I would like a bit less stuff on display and more solid color. This gives my brain space to visualize my work without all the distractions of a million colors bombarding me.
Our son had a malformed jaw. It was very small compared to the upper jaw. He had a huge overbite, large enough for me to stick two fingers between his lower and upper jaw. It was causing tremendous pressure on the "hinge" part of the jaw, causing severe headaches. This was an ongoing problem from a very young age (3 years or even younger). As he grew, the lower jaw did not. We brought him into the doctor, who sent us to an oral surgeon. He knew immediately our son needed surgery, but the insurance company said we had to try braces first.
We went the braces route. After years in braces, our orthodontist said he had done all he could. Which was a remarkable improvement from when our son walked into the building. But I could still put one finger with room to spare between the upper and lower jaw. There was a substantial gap and the headaches were horrible. We were told to find an oral surgeon. After making sure this is covered by our insurance, I did that. We went to U of M hospital in Ann Arbor. A wonderful hospital, wonderful doctors and terrific nursing staff. I truly cannot say enough great things about them. It was the Motts Childrens Hospital part of the complex. I highly recommend them for any medical needs your kids may have. Absolutely the best. So a year goes by, our son is doing great and life is good. His headaches are gone and he cannot believe how much better he feels. His braces have finally come off and he looks good too. An added bonus. Monday I get the mail. My husband opens it when he gets home from work. Inside is a bill from U of M hospital for my son's doctors costs. Our insurance has deemed this a medically unnecessary surgery and the bill is ours to pay. $15,411.00 Yes. That is fifteen thousand four hundred and eleven dollars. Due the 24th of April. Pardon my french but: Where the f*** am I supposed to get fifteen thousand dollars?!? I have been shaking like a leaf and haven't slept a wink since he opened that letter. I spoke with the hospital, and they have graciously allowed us to make payments of 644.00 a month for the next 24 months to pay it off. Which we cannot pay either. Every time I try to phone the insurance company, I start to cry and have actually vomited. I will contact them, but I can't do it right now. How can they do this to us? After a year? With no warning? No hint they would not pay this? No letter suggesting they were considering not paying it, nothing at all. This is absolute bullshit. Every time there's light at the end of the tunnel it's always a damn train. |
|