In Order

Sleep was cruddy last night, so the cold isn't getting much better, but at least it hasn't gotten any worse. :)

Late last night, I could not settle down just yet and was determined to get many ideas out of my brain. Or at least get them started. What ended up happening was that I finally wrote up the story for my latest Flat Stanley adventure when he came with me to Florida back in May.

I chose which photos created the best tale and finally decided on just using a simple photo album I stocked up on last year. Each page just fits a 4x6 photo so I plan to add the caption directly on top of the photo. I already had the books, it's small enough for little hands, and it's the simplest method to getting this done. That's all ready to be assembled when I have a bit of extra money to put towards that.

Got an email that from my favorite printing company about their semi-annual sale, so I quickly uploaded the finished files from my family's Florida scrapbook in preparation. The sale is next weekend and I was thinking of printing the recently finished digi-album that I made about our kitty, but decided to save that for another time. This means I could have that album completely assembled and finished in my hands in two weeks! Incredibly excited.

Also did some research and prepared an order for a baby shower group gift, but I'll wait to reveal what that is for a little while longer. It's something that's near and dear to my own heart, so I really hope that it helps this dear lady with her bundle of joy.

I tidied up the under-bed storage to not allow for a certain curious kitten to tread into forbidden territory. Apparently, the universe feels that I need all the help I can get in lessons of patience. Practice makes near perfect. Or cat soup. I need to re-organize or at least tidy it more thoroughly soon but I figured getting a solid chunk done at a time is still good enough too.

Carried over some of that organizing mojo to setup more dividers for the few hair products I have along with things like aspirin and bandages in the drawer below my beauty supplies. Yeah, if we were not sharing a communal bathroom, I'd have all of that stuff in medicine cabinets and the like.

Working on the gathering notes for the Garden Tab now and have made the decision to scrap the monthly digi-layouts as a "priority" project. I have decided to try Project Life as soon as I have the luxury too and will include photos from 2011 and 2012.

Okay, I looked back at our album and realized that those tangibly recorded photos only go until the end of 2008. Sigh. Alright! 2009-2012 it is! Right now, I'm more excited and motivated that freaked out, lol. I can't wait to tackle this.

Organizational Kick

Trying to not sleep the weekend away (even though I could probably actually use the rest to stave off this cold) and was very motivated to re-think some storage solutions thanks to those new polishes and another Throwback Pepsi.

When I started the heirloom recipe project a year ago, sometime along the way, I bought one of those photo keeper boxes for FMIL's recipe cards because I didn't think they'd fit in the page protectors or her original box. Well, I was wrong, everything worked out, and I had a lovely little box of good intentions starting to gather dust.

With these new polish colors, I wanted to be able to access any shade I felt like wearing from the collection. Here's what I ended up with after about an hour.

Dividers are reused cardboard from packages halfway covered white paper.

Rainbow ordered OPI with specialties in the back and base/top coats in the front.

Essies in the little boxes the new colors were in yesterday.

The poor white one is outside because I don't want to store anything sideways.

My beauty drawer re-organzied yet again but with more cardboard dividers.Everything was in a great spot before, but kept sliding around if I picked up something to use. Plus, I wanted to use as little cups as possible since they tapered and wasted space.

 

Top left to right: Perfume for special occasions, hand cream, nail buffer, cotton swabs, makeup sponge, lip balm, the Essies with manicure supplies, sharpeners, and my Urban Decay eye shadow palettes. 

Bottom left to right: Lipsticks, lip liners, eye liners, eyebrow pencils, pressed powder, blushes, eye shadow quads, brushes, mascara, lip gloss (often goes in my purse), eyelash curlers, facial moisturizer, liquid foundation, and deodorant.

I am loving it so far! We'll see how well it works once I actually start to use it, lol. Trying to think of a good accessible but hidden away spot to keep the new box of polishes. My nails are already a bright fuchsia color with a small white daisy on each ring finger. I'm going to keep my nails pink for most of this month in solidarity with fighting against Breast Cancer. That's definitely my main donation focus this month too.

Friday Fun

We may not have made it to the monthly happy hour this month, but we did manage to have a little fun earlier today during an impromptu farewell party for a co-worker. Sad to see them go, but it was nice to relax and hang out for a short while. I had a throwback Pepsi that gave me my second wind after school.

Did I mention it was Pay Day Friday? Oh yes, I was very overjoyed. Big relief!

I also got a letter from my mom the other day as well as a care package today. Just reaffirms my belief in a deep inexplicable connection between a mother and her child. So many things just sunk into place today and not only took a weight off my shoulders, but refilled my heart and spirit too.

Had forgotten that I asked my mom to keep an eye out for one thing, so that was in the package, but she also included some nice new clothes that I can wear to work. However, the biggest pleasant surprise were in two little boxes that I couldn't figure out what was inside: tons of new nail polishes! Tons of fun new colors that are great for Fall and a solid start to Winter too.


They are so pretty and it just means so much that my mom was able to make the time to pick and choose colors that she thought were good for me/ that I would really like. It's not that I'm obsessed with nail polish, I just love collecting colors and this is just one thing that we've been able to bond over. Plus, I know she always gets great deals on these. :P

I can't remember what I was going to write about today, but after coming home from work and running errands, the package was opened and it all went out the window. The color interpretations are my own. Here are the pictures!

 OPI's "Austin-tatious Turquoise" (Very blue-green with matching glimmer) - "Flashbulb Fuchsia" (magenta with blue base with very subtle matching shimmer) - "Teal All the Cows Come Home" (heavier on the blue with very subtle silver shimmer) -  "Purple With Purpose" (metallic purple)

I viewed these as bright metallics that would add a great pop of color to more neutral outfits of Autumn.

OPI's "On the Same Paige" (solid deep pumpkin orange) -"The 'It' Color" (goldenrod) - "Dating a Royal" (royal blue)

All great solids for Fall!

 

OPI's "I Have A Herring Problem" (this one's confusing, to me it looks like a blue-based gray with fine silver and holographic shimmer but it's described as a bluish sea green) - "My Private Jet" (looks like a dark chocolate brown, but is really a brown-based black with fine brown and silver shimmer) - "Glitzerland" (translucent gold with fine gold glitter) - "Crown Me Already!" (clear base with tons of fine silver glitter, silver glitter, and chunky silver glitter)

It may be a pain to take off, but these will look super good on special occasions!

 Essie's "As Gold As It Gets" (clear base with fine and normal size gold glitter) - "Golden Nugget" (fine dark gold glitter) - "Going Incognito" (dark emerald green)

Again more glitter and a nice modern Autumn solid from my second favorite brand.

I have a few pieces of paper that I painted samples on, but the collection has changed with getting new polishes and giving some colors to friends. I made paint swatch-like cards by "reds", "glitters", "neutrals", and etc. but what I'm really coveting are acrylic nail wheels. Especially since I could use remover to take of the color should something happen to the actual bottle. Maybe some day.

My Plans vs. Your Plans

Sometimes the best laid plans don't work out at all, but I guess the road to hell is paved with good intentions. :P

However, regardless of how this mild cold makes me feel so tired, I wanted to share some great news today! My hours at work have been doubled. Saying it like that makes it sound like a whole lot, but mind you, I've only been paid for maybe a fifth of the time I spend there working on something for someone.

My friends are too kind and their nice words (they literally sang my praises at one point, it was hilarious) mean so much to me. It renews my determination to work my butt off.

The increased time means increased pressure in my mind about doing a good job and right by the kids, but I'm determined to do all that I can and learn as much as possible. It's like... a paid internship, lol. Yeah, I think that's a good way of looking at it.

In other news, today's date was cute (10-11-12) and I was constantly hearing very different opinions and views of the VP debates, the Titans vs Steelers game, and the Yankees game. I just sigh and went to lay down- will catch up on all of the news once my mind is out of this under the weather fog.

Speaking of weather, it's been consistently fairly cool and I love it. Some sprinkling today. I think this weekend, the SO and I will treat ourselves to a dinner out, mostly so there are no dishes to do, there are tons of yummy food, and I can dress up a little as a confidence booster. It's the little things. ^_^

Tasks vs. Projects

It never ceases to amaze me how one action could be merely a task to one person but a massive project to another.

I run into it often at school with the many helpful projects I take on but others end up viewing them as mere tasks coming from me. It's a good and bad thing. Always super flattered and happy just to get the praise and gratitude.

People insist on trying to get me gifts to return the favor in their own way, but the matter is that we all have different strengths. I'm grateful and satisfied to be able to help these great people do what really matters- be with and teach the kids.

On the other hand, sometimes people are unappreciative and start being selfish about it, but by that time- I just stop offering my help. Simple as that. I don't have to pour my hours into people who try to take advantage of all my hard work. Or, if I do, it's for the kids and most definitely not you because we're here for them with being the future of our species and all.

Another big incident that I saw this with was the reactions to my squealing a little bit on FB about how I was done with my holiday cards. Well, done making them. You know what I mean, lol. I felt I had to clarify that in the status later on. It's not like I do this with any other project.

This has just become such a special personal tradition for me (and sorta with my sweetheart) and when all else kinda sucks for several weeks or a few months in a row, I know that I can at least do this one project in a way that I know I can get it done in time to spread a little joy to the people I care about.

Really wish I made more time for writing handwritten letters more and I have totally lapsed in birthday cards, but at least I still have these cards.

Sorry if I seem a bit hazy in my thinking. I think I'm developing a head cold from the little buggers at school.

Smile

Today was picture day and I ended up subbing again. It was very active but by far the best that we've had in recent memory. Very proud of and happy for the kids handling it so well amidst the chaos of returning to school after a week long break.

It was overall a pretty darn good day. Especially once you considered all of the circumstances and ways it could have gone wrong. Still found plenty of reasons to keep a smile up for the kids. Really do believe the research that basically says smiling a lot eventually "tricks" your brain into thinking that you're happy until you start to actually feel that way.

Tried relaxing a bit when we got home by hanging out with the SO and playing some video games. I've been on a playing kick for the past few days. I couldn't even finish a section of the game before I gave up and told him to take his turn. Ended up that I was much more exhausted than initially thought and took an unexpected nap mid-observation. Was not aware of falling asleep, let alone for how long, and everyone just let me rest.

A piece of good personal news is that the Christmas cards are finally done! I made more than enough but as time goes on, I have a feeling I'll meet enough new people to give them to. :) A grand total of 80 were put together! Can't wait until I send them out so I can post pictures about them- as per tradition! :P I might add an extra touch once it gets closer to delivery time because I feel that it's missing the new special technique that I've tried out during the past few years. We'll see how crazy life gets around that point.

Fall Love

With Autumn and the beginning of the holiday spirit being ushered in with the month of October (lovers of it are sneaking it in during the last week of September), I've been recently fascinated with watching my favorite beauty gurus from YouTube do seasonally appropriate videos.

First day back at work and I'm tired while my body and mind are confused. So, here are some of the videos I've enjoyed the most lately.