Sorry, I gotta go do that Thing...

At last, the weather here is warming up. You know what that means: the hunt is on. Garage sales, flea markets, and auction barns dance in my head. The prospect of finding that piece of "vintage awesome" is enough to drive me mad. I hear the calls from the beaten-down grass lawns, trodden over by all the hopefuls who came before me. They say, "Oh Carolyn, come and play!"

Well. Here I come.

For the first time ever, I will join the ranks of vintage and craft enthusiasts who line the booths at the Annual Pecatonica "Pec Thing" Flea Market and Craft Show. Together with my trusty partner Sammi-the-bee-Queen, we will craft our way into history with our new joint effort entitled: Propaganda Candy.

Featured items include: pin-on buttons, shrinky dink art, recycled jewelry, and plushies.

I'm so excited!!

Picture Above: Building II at the 2007 Pec Thing (Note: Funny enough, this is actually a picture from the official Pec Thing website of my Grandma Beth's booth)

In other news: spring break 2010 is here and the renovations to the Hay Mow/Art Barn are underway!

More on that later.

Have a wonderful day,

Carolyn

Image from: winnebagocountyfair.com

The computer is not so crafty...

It is doubtful that I will ever exist in a state of total and complete peace with technology. No, if it's not one thing, it's the other. PC not working? Good thing I have my Mac! But, wait, what is this? My Mac isn't recognizing my camera? Could it have anything to do with the fact that I cannot find the correct USB cord for it? How is that possible? It's not like that drawer that houses the multitude of cords and plugs for all our devices is a mess or anything. No...couldn't be that at all.

So, basically, this blog post is utterly boring and lacking in cool-pictures-I-took-specifically-for-the-blog. Mer.

Regardless of my electronic plight, I shall press on. These man-made insufficiencies remind me how fail-able humanity is; it gives me more time to enjoy the stunning glory of springtime weather. Thank God above that it is finally here, my prayers have been answered.

T-shirts! I can comfortably wear t-shirts outside now!

So, while I leave you this pictureless post, the score stands at this:

The One responsible for the weather: 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 points. Those responsible for technological advancements: 0 points.

Carolyn Michelle.

A Monkey in the Midst of Madness

Amid all the insanity going on this week, somehow there was time to enjoy the Sock Monkey Festival at Midway Village. What a way to spend Sunday afternoon: walking with my Grandparents, Tara, and cousin Abbey through rooms full of vintage sock monkeys. Of course what would a sock monkey festival be without sewing my very own sock monkey?

{There would be a picture here, if it weren’t show week for Singsation}

Also, the results are in, Caleb is officially a member of the United States Navy.

!!!

I’ve never been so proud in my life.

The best part of it all is, for Caleb’s job, he will only be gone from me for nine months of schooling because he's a reservist. Then he comes back and will probably be going to school somewhere in close proximity to me because, after he finishes training and schooling, he only has to report to a base once a month for a weekend.

In the midst of this madness, the world is slowly starting to fall into place.

On Being Sick and Reaching Goals

There simply must be some law that ensures that when creative people are home from school, they are totally and completely bored out of their minds and thus are dying to return to school ASAP. If there were such a law, I wish it could be enforced on me. Granted, I should not be in school because I am such a snotty, sneezing mess; however, there must be some was to inflict boredom on myself. Being stuck at home with every form of supply and tool for creative expression available to me is a far cry from punishment. In fact, staying home from school is a great deal of fun, despite the long list of chores Bubba leaves me with and my incredibly explosive sinuses.

I feel guilty knowing that all my friends are having their physical health rewarded with Calculus homework and heat-lamp lunch food while here I sit: still in my PJ’s, doped up on green tea, and crafting like there is no tomorrow, trusty box of Kleenex at my side. Sometimes I wish I could just drop out of school for the sake of art alone. I swear I’d get more art done in twelve days than I have in twelve years.

Disclaimer (in the event that my mother reads this): On the subject of dropping out: I will do nothing of the sort; I’m finishing High School, and I’m going to college. But, at least in college I’ll be studying art all the time.

Even as I write this angst-filled blog post, there are people making significant amounts of progress towards their goals. Right now, Caleb is sitting in a waiting room getting ready to take his ASVAB and MEP tests.

Yes. Caleb is joining the Navy.

Since he was in second grade, he has wanted to be in the military, and now (after much deliberation and questioning) he has finally signed up. Everything is all crazy in my mind with the excitement and fear surrounding his decision. All I can do is wait until Wednesday when he gets the results back and finds out when he ships out. Is there some kind of support group that understands the obsessive “I’m-freaking-out-right-now” crocheting of the proud, yet fearful, girlfriends of future sailors?

There’s one thing I can tell you, I’m going to get so many hats done.

Prayers please.

Carolyn Michelle

photo source: www.collectingpapermemories.com

The Truth About Hats

The Truth About Hats

or

Another Reason to Send Him With a Yarn Sample

The truth about hats is that they are an excellent way to use up the random-and-totally-unmatchable skein of yarn. Hats are infinitely variable in pattern, color, shape, and size. You can whip one up in your morning classes and be wearing it by homeroom at the end of the day. Hats are basically the most practical, instant-gratification project in the history of instant-gratification projects.

The truth about this hat is that it was made with yarn. And not just any yarn, mind you: it was made with yarn that Caleb willingly offered to go to the craft store and picked up for me.

Yes ladies. I am gloating. My man went to the craft store for me.

However, the yarn I sent him off to find was not intended to end up as a hat. I was in desperate need of more yarn for Emma's Backpack and thus attempted to leave home early for Bible Study on the 21st. Keyword, attempted. Since I was late and still in need of yarn from the craft store that would be closed by the time Bible Study was over, my darling Caleb offered to go get the yarn for me. I even brought a scrap of the stuff so that an exact match was possible.

Best laid plans of mice and men: I forgot to give him the piece of yarn.

After describing the brand and color of yarn to him via text message, I had little hope of him finding the right kind. It's a very obscure shade of orange Red Heart that I'm using.

When Caleb arrived to give me a ride home, he proudly presented me with the Michael's bag containing the yarn. I peered inside and was amazed at what I saw:

The exact shade of orange I needed...

...except it was Red Heart Soft, not Super Saver.

Snap.

I smiled and said, "I think this is right! Thank you so much!"

Life lesson applied here: Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. He went into No-Man's-Land for me and that's enough. Besides, this hat is pretty darn fly, right?

That's the truth about hats.