Where's all the new stuff?

Since I've been coping with alot of stress in the last two months my shops have no doubt suffered a low blow.

It's hard to spin out creative ideas when you're mentally exhausted, but I have been attempting to keep myself immersed in some part of crafting....mainly cleaning. My room really needed some elbow grease.

This is just a small fraction of something I'd been meaning to do for a while, cut leftover felt bits into stuffing scraps.



The past few nights I've also been purging my fat quarter stash (for a yard sale in August)of stuff I've not used in over a year and it's freeing up space! Yay! What you can't see are the 4 other tubs of felt, fabric, and other organized chaos sitting about my tables and floors. I feel quite proud that other than buying new scissors at the beginning of the year I've not bought any supplies in 2 months. It feels refreshing and nice. I proved to myself that I really do have everything I need right now. I think May/June will be my breaking point and I'll need to order/buy some things by then, but I'll have gone near 6 months at that point ^_^

At some point I will show off a cleaned craft room, heck I might even have shelves on the wall by then :lol:

A Belated Valentine's Post

My grandma gave me a really cool present. Though it makes me feel a bit odd that she's starting to give more stuff away. It's a little reminder that each day is a little closer to an end. I know that's sad, but it's how I feel about it. In any case I'm glad that she's very thoughtful in what she's giving me.

I didn't notice this when I was last in her sewing room, but it used to be my great-great grandmother's sewing chest of sorts. The laquer is chipping badly, but I cleaned it up and used a good wood oil on it to restore it a little. I kind of like the used look on it.



I don't think it's an antique as I can't find any markings on it, however it's old enough. She didn't clean it out when she gave it to me either so it was like digging thru a mini treasure trove of memories which were good and sad at the same time. Good because it showed me how alike we are, but sad because there were things she'd made for my grandpa years ago when her arthritis wasn't so bad.



There were others too. I'm going to buy a few little frames for them and put them up on my walls.



They feel more special to me than the desk itself. It's a piece of grandma and grandpa that I can always have nearby.

Tum & Gun

Tumus and Guinness that is.

It's time to get myself out of the "self-pity" gutter and move on so on that note, I hope you had a good day whatever you're doing :)

Lemons

It's rough right now in Tumus-land. Not to keep posting the inner workings of my personal life but doing so kind of sheds alot of light on what's going on.

I got a memo on Monday at the "9-5" stating we'd be working 6-7 days a week now with close to 10 hours shifts. This statement struck me dumb, literally. I felt like I'd been slapped square across my cheek and then punched in the gut. After my stupor passed I got up and left my desk for a while to cool off. To say I was livid or "pissed off" would be an understatment. I swear to you I would've packed up my desk right then if I knew I could still somehow support myself and Chris sans unemployment.
The way our budget will work once I'm laid off will rely on that unemployment check until either Etsy or I find a steady source of income.
So I'm kind of stuck in a private hell of sorts. I mean there SHOULD be laws against this very thing. You can't just lay off 150 people and then tell them, oh by the way you'll now be working every single day from here until the time you leave. It's just...baffling.
I have words for it but they are not appropriate in ANY form.

This post took me all week to sort out because I'm still angry about it. There's no law stating company's are doing something illegal when they twist your arm to work 7 days a week at an insane pace. Even with all the OT pay I'll be pulling in I won't see much of that because of how it will be taxed. In other words I might not see that actual OT money until I file my taxes NEXT year. Alot of good that does me now.

Maybe all this chaos is preparing me for working hard on Tumus and Pinpinn once I have time again but that's about all the positive I can find in it. Frankly the most I've been able to do is clean back in my craft room. There is something somewhat therapeutic about organizing fabric and felt. I think it's the colors and the fact that it's quiet and peaceful. And probably the beer nearby.

Because I've been near dead, mentally and sometimes physically, when I arrive home each night the most I can do is read, sit blankly in front of the TV or clean for short periods. Even Chris says I'm too quiet most nights now.

It's funny how work can just sap your will to live. I truly and sincerely hate this company with all my heart.
How the hell am I supposed to make lemonade out of this?