I did a thing...

Gross.  That is the word for today.  Gross.  I always swore I would never live in the mid-west for a reason.  That reason is humidity. I loathe humidity.  I despise feeling like my clothing will be perpetually damp.  My hair becomes uncontrollable, hello ponytails. I can't stand opening the door and feeling like you are trying to breathe in a heavy deep mist.  

Sadly, the humidity has decided to return the past few days.  I am sitting here trying to catch my breath, my glasses are foggy from the dampness of my skin, and I am contemplating shaving my head.  These are not my favorite days.  

Well, frankly other than my gardens, summer is simply not my favorite season.  In the least. 

All the chaos and rains of the early week put me behind on my outdoor tasks.  Meaning that darn grass that we have been nurturing since having to take down our tree had an extra 3 days of rain and sunshine mix.  Meaning not only was it horrible to mow because of the humidity keeping it damp, it's grown probably a good inch higher in those few days.  My thirty minutes of yard work rapidly expanded to more than an hour.  Granted it was only 78°, completely in my comfort range, until you factor in humidity. 

Okay... completely done whining about humidity... maybe... I am fairly positive today is going to be a completely inside kind of day.  Actually, I know it is. I have a bushel of tomatoes waiting to be canned and tons of inside projects to get busy on. 

feel ya mom... 

So about getting busy... I did a thing yesterday.  I officially committed to Waste Knot, Want Knot and signed up for my first ever two day event.  Thankfully, I have almost two months, because to say I am not ready is a massive understatement.  In fact I have nothing made. 

I have decided to build this dream on a premise of upcycling, repurposing and finishing treasures that got abandoned along the way.  Every time I wander through antique stores and flea markets I am drawn to those items that someone put many hours into.  Those old quilts and quilt blocks, the unfinished and abandoned.  I treasure finding beautiful needlework that has been damaged or worn.  My brain immediately shifts into high gear, I want to salvage that for the original makers memory.  I want it to be useful and functional once more. 

Mom is wearing us out... she's crazy

When I see the remains of our consumer driven society, I always want to explore ways to find more uses for all of it. Tatter clothing?  Okay. Picture frames?  Old trays and furniture?  Old ceiling fan blades? Sure why not? The entire premise is that everything can be made into something beautiful and useful again and again.  You just have to look past the lumps, the bumps, the things of the past and change it into something new and give it a life again (hmmm... sounds familiar).

If you've read my blog for awhile (first off... serious kudos to you) you know that I flit.  I am worse than a bird looking for worms.  I don't have one medium that is a deep burning all consuming passion, I have many.  And I bounce between them.  If you come to my house, you will see that most of the furnishings are upcycled thrift store finds.  Shoot some of it is from Hubs' dumpster dives as he puts it. 

For a few weeks now I've felt an overwhelming need to dive in.  I mean the name popped in my head while I was blow drying my hair and definitely not thinking about working on anything, well... except straightening out my hair against the humidity. Yet there is was, spelling and all... Insane.

For months I have been deeply engrossed in finishing things.  In salvaging treasures.  So much so that some of the projects I have wanted to do have been shuffled to the back corner for another time. As I have been focused on these tasks, more ways to do more things alone the same vein bubbled up. I am finding myself almost consumed with it.  

one of Great Gramma's blocks

So yesterday, I took the leap.  I paid the money and I made a commitment.  My sister was a driving force even though she might not realize it.  As I was toying with the idea and trying to talk myself out of it.  I'd asked if she wanted to help me fill a space, at first she declined.  Understandably so.  She's super talented, but she is also stupid busy!  She works crazy hours, she is one of the most dedicated grandparents I have ever met and she is always doing something to make life easier for someone else.  I mean seriously... where was she going to find the time.  

Score one for talking myself out of committing. 

this guy is always walking in sunshine 💙

Then slowly, but surely, I started receiving text messages.  Maybe she would be able to.  She and her Hubs were free without any commitments both weekends, so we could pick either one.  She started sending me pictures of her ideas... 

One thing led to another, and I found myself filling out the application yesterday.  It's a done deal now. 

So this morning after I start the tomato sauce simmering I will officially start on my newest project. I am refusing to allow myself to talk myself out of this (I know... I know... I am super good at talking myself out of things).  I am working hard on silencing that inner "I can't" voice.  I am learning that it isn't an I can't issue, it's an "I'm afraid of failure" issue.  Time to focus on Philippians 4:13.

Okay, as comfy as this chair is, it's time to start on those tomatoes, because they are not jumping into the roaster on their own. Trust me I've waited a couple of days to test it... not happening. 

love and prayers...