My head is spinning...somewhat scattered thoughts

I have had a lot on my mind lately. Last week was a bit of a crappy one and ended with me shelling out $400 on new wheel bearings for my car. Needless to say I was upset because I hadn't really planned on such a large expense and just about broke down in tears at the shop.

This was just my luck last week.... I was run thin on sleep, thanks to my brain being in overdrive and my bladder as well, and hadn't made it through a full night with out waking up from nightmares or having to pee.  This obviously did not help my emotional state and made me a bit on the edgy side.

With plans to drive 4 hours to see friends I haven't seen in years my car of course decided enough was enough and I had to take it to the shop hoping it would only take 2 hours or so. My guesstimated 2 hours was of course wrong and I was stranded at the shop for 3.5 almost 4 hours.

Regardless of my edgy mood my amazing boyfriend still talked with me and made me feel twenty times better. I was especially thankful for him when he called me back while I was stranded at the shop for 3 hours. He isn't the super romantic, shower me with gifts, mushy type boyfriend which is perfect for me because those things can make me suuuppppeeerrrr awkward. Yet, he's really good at being there for me and having those make you smile,  I will remember this forever, I love you moments that mean so much more.

Which pulls me into my next thought. Anybody that knows me knows I cannot sit for 3.5hours and not talk to anybody thanks to my ADHD. So of course I decided to make friends with the girl behind the counter who just turned 21 and was also bored sitting behind the counter on a warm sunny Saturday. The combination of both our desires to be else where with that of normal stranger chit chat got us on the subject of my long distance relationship.

When she heard that I lived in MA and my boyfriend lived in WI she was fairly shocked as most people are when we tell them. Her questions and responses where for the most part similar to what everyone else asks "Isn't that hard?", "I can't stand going a couple days without seeing my boyfriend?", "How do you make it work?", "Do you get to see each other often?", " I don't think I could do it." and of course "How did you meet?"...

Answering these questions has become a well rehearsed speech. Yes its hard. Yes we miss each other all the time, but we see each other every month alternating who travels. I have gotten used to the strange looks and those who doubt the true strength of our relationship, but to those haters I have to let you in on a little secret.

My boyfriend and I may not get to see each other that often but I can bet we talk more than your average couple who lives in the same zip code. When I say talk I don't mean everyday ramble but honest conversation. For many months our conversations was the fertilizer to our relationship. Instead of developing a relationship based on physical characteristics it grew out of an emotional connection forged by phone calls, texting and facebook messages.

I recently read an article online that I agree with 100%. It listed 10 reasons why long distance relationships CAN work and are amazing. My personal favorite reason is number 10."A long-distance romance allows you to strengthen your commitment to your partner ... or not. It's a great way to figure out how much you mean to each other." This reason is so true. As a couple we don't really fight, like gloves off in the ring, but when we bicker it always comes back to I am mad because I miss you. Being away from each other is almost painful and only too often there are those moments when you reach over to hold a hand or try to snuggle up next to them and they aren't there.

I will be honest. It sucks and its really hard and I wouldn't do it for anybody else. I know that we can make it work because we are amazing together and I would be completely lost without him.

Inspirations #2: Wedding Season

Its wedding season!  And for many of  this give us a reason to dress up, go out with friends or family that are celebrating their big day and enjoy it with them. Often it is a chance to see family again that you haven't seen in years.

Weddings...that simple word evokes so many different emotions to different people. It means marriage, dancing, commitment, socializing, settling down, drinking, a family, friends and of course love...To me, weddings are about two people coming together as one with all the support of their family and friends. I think no wedding should ever be generic. It should always reflect the bride and grooms past, present and future.

For example when my friends were married two July's ago they served pie instead of cake because they were making pie together when they realized they liked each other. They are outdoor people which is hobby that I shared with them and for their wedding they had their wedding in the Adirondacks. It was a gorgeous wedding and it really spoke to their adorable relationship. They are very close friends of mine and I was honored to be part of their big day! (Side-note: These two are beaming of love and joy. They make the most amazing couple and being around them puts you in such a good mood! I wish them all the best for the rest of their life!)  I do have pictures but will only share them with their permission.

I really believe that these small little touches are what makes a wedding your own. I really feel like a personalize wedding really pulls the guests into a couples relationship and makes the whole celebration mean that much more. I may not be married myself but I can't help but assist in planning and enjoy my friends weddings. :)

Weddings always bodes well for good times between good drinks, good food and good music.

My favorite things about weddings:

-The look of the Groom when he sees the bride coming down the isle one of my favorite sites and videos Sandbox Love shows this in gorgeous videography.

-The adorable little flower girl and ring bearer.

-The first kiss.

-The first dance.

-Toasts that open little windows into the cute secrets that the bride and groom share.

-Father-Daughter dance.

-Seeing everyone that doesn't know each other or get along having good times as one.

-All the dancing!!!

In case you haven't figured it out I am a little wedding crazy! I have many many wedding magazines tucked away on my kindle, Martha being my favorite of course.

Luckily my amazing man thinks its cute and not terrifying. He says "I like it. It means you are a planner and when/if the day comes I won't have to worry about a thing!". I think he's a keeper because  I wouldn't want a guy to steal my chance to be completely creative! :) <3

Creative Crafty #4: UWP May Graduation

My amazing boyfriend graduated college just a couple weeks ago. I am so proud of him! (Did I mention he has a job already!)  I, of course,was there for the occasion. It gave me a chance to meet his parents and they are such nice people.

In preparation for the festivities, (drinking)  leading up to the ceremony and after, I put out a spread for him, his friends and family and also made him a card.

For the card, I found this amazing tutorial on the blog Mega Crafty that included a downloadable pattern. The tutorial was easy to follow but I wanted to make it my own. So I used the basic shapes for the structure for my cap and instead of printing out the doc on card stock. I used the blue from University of Wisconsin-Platteville's colors and made a white tassel.

In such of graduation ideas for my boyfriends graduation  food ideas I googled for cute themed ideas and came across this cute tutorial on the website Taste of Home. They are chocolate Ghirardelli squares that are filled with caramel on a Rolo or a Reese Peanut Butter Cup with a M&M on top. They turned out super cute but the photo doesn't do it justice. I will try to get better pics of it. 

I also made chocolate dipped strawberries, veggies and dip, cheese and crackers and little mini pigs in blankets. By the time we got back from the graduation ceremony there were no pigs in blankets left and very little other food left. 

The whole time I had a blast and making all the goodies gave me a chance to have some girl time with my friends in Wisconsin. I love every chance I get to see my boyfriend and my friends in Wisconsin. It's my limited chance to get to enjoy the other half of my life. I can't wait to go back. 

Creative Crafty #3: Plant Pets

I love dogs!.... But my current apartment doesn't allow pets. This is a bit frustrating considering that I am finally at a place in my life where I actually have time to train a puppy. In an order to satisfy my need for another living organism in my apartment I decided to get plants. On a trip visiting one of my best friends in CT I found myself at a nursery. This was dangerous for my pocketbook due to the fact that I loved so many of the plants there.

Luckily for the nursery, I also have a large cubical space so I decided to get plants for that as well. We made it a full day adventure. My friend and I had such a good time picking out a variety of succulents to share and arrange into beautiful planters. I also picked up some spiraling grass, a gorgeous purple flowering plant, and a fern. It's noteworthy that I picked the most pathetic fern because I was afraid nobody would bring it home.

After our trip to the nursery we went to Lowe's and Walmart looking for cute inexpensive planters for our new additions. Once again my ADHD kicked in and I was distracted by even more plants and ended up buying bamboo and a tropical tree that stands about 5 feet tall.

My new additions to my home and office have been put in place and doing well. I have been traveling quite a bit to visit family and my boyfriend and the plants have weathered my neglect well.  The addition of living organisms to my functional spaces has brighten my mood and made going to work even more pleasant. 

Inspirations #1: Martha

Every project that I start is inspired or influenced by someone or something. I have been fortunate to be surrounded by so many creative people. My family, friends, teachers and even coworkers have been a driving force in my creativity. I have found having such a lovely group of people around me all the time makes it easy to toss ideas around and make each project a little different as well as encouragement in trying new mediums, processes and skills.

 One of these people being a old coworker of mine who first introduced me to the idea of blogging, the full use of Etsy and how simply charming up-cycled items could really be. Her blog The Mad Recycler  pulls you into her curiouser and curiouser world where she up-cycles everything from bed springs to beer cans into beautiful wreaths and flowers. I love how she transforms "garbage" into gorgeous decorative items.

Another influential crafter in my life is my cousin. She was the one that really talked me into starting my blog... look what she's done now. HAHA! Her and I often throw ideas back and forth and I feed off of her ideas and try to make them my own. Her blog, Only Human, is also a craft blog for the most part. As she works through projects she posts them and says a bit about them. Both of us were fortunate to grow up with motivated and creative mothers which really helped to encourage us along the way.

I am very grateful for my mother who taught me how to make something out of nothing. Learning to make crafts out of garage sale finds and worn out clothing helped me see the true value in a handmade project. my mother taught me many life lesson that have helped make me strong and independent. Having such an awesome support system has helped encourage me to hold on to my creative side even while I pursued my mechanical engineering degree. I have finished my schooling and now work full time. Finally, I have free time to return to my loves such as sewing, painting, and all other types of crafting.


Martha Stewart Show

Not to be forgotten, Martha Stewart is a great source of a lot of my ideas. As a graduation present to myself this past December a friend and I when to be in the audience for a taping of the Martha Stewart show in NYC. The set is absolutely jaw dropping. The way it looks on TV does not do it justice!  It seemed like every inch of the stage was cover in a thin layer of star dust that made it sparkle and shine. I felt like a child again seeing all of the beautiful bells and trinkets that decorated everywhere.

I had hoped for a picture with Martha but unfortunately we were not allowed. She did stay out for a question and answer period after the taping of the show to answer anybody's questions. The pictures to follow are ones that I managed to take before and after the show taping.

Tasty Bakes #1: Congratulations Graduates!

May means green grass, flowering trees and for many that have weathered years of undergraduate and graduate courses it symbolizes the end of semester or the end of their college experiences. The excitement of finishing school unfortunately is outweighed by the stress and anxiety of the last projects, presentations and finals.  I graduated in December but had the opportunity to enjoy in the festivities with my actual class of 2011 last May.

In 1 week my boyfriend will be completing his undergraduate career and I will be visiting. I am so proud and excited for him!!! We both endured a Mechanical Engineering curriculum but at different institutions. I know how demanding and work intensive the course load is even though my program was a semester shorter. Understanding how tough those last few weeks are I decided to send him decorated sugar cookies in his school colors as well chocolate chip cookies. What better way to make it through finals than with comfort food!

I had some left over cookies and in an effort not consume them all myself I decided to send them to one of my best friend who also lives in WI. She's my Bro-mance and over the past few months we really have been each others support system through some tough times. She also deals with children day in and day out as a teacher. So of course she deserves cookies. :) 

I am looking forward to his graduation but mostly getting to hug my boyfriend. It has been 5 weeks since I last saw him and I miss him dearly!  My trips are getting more like going home as my life develops in WI. I have friends who I need to see while I am there as well as spending time with my boyfriend.

This trip is extra special as well because I am meeting the parents!!! I have to admit I am excited and nervous. I am sure any one could relate. Looking forward to next week!!!

Also, to my cousin who received her Masters and all of my friends who will be graduating from my Alma mater next week, I wish you the best in your adventures to come! I wish I could be there to enjoy the infamous senior week festivities but I am sure you will have a beer or a hundred in my honor!!! :)  Keeping my fingers crossed that our life paths will mingle and I will see you all again.

"Shoot for the moon.  Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars."

  ~Les Brown~

~ Congratulations Clarkson University and University Wisconsin- Platteville Graduates of 2012!!!!~