Knots

This fabric "yarn" has been in a ball of knots for a few months now. It is destined to be a large container basket/ bowl. Its is a bit how I personally feel. My brain feels knotted up, not sure which way to go. I had have had a harder time than I expected. I miss green grass and blue skies. There is nothing quite like home and yes I miss North Carolina. Oregon is a beautiful state and feel fortunate that we are here. I just wish I could feel more comfortable here. I wish I could untangle my brain so that I could relax.

I have kept this yarn near my bed for a couple of months, it was tossed aside when it got tangled while crocheting a basket/ bowl. I got frustrated so there it stayed. I decided to untangle it in hopes that it will help me relax. It took me way longer than I expected and actually ended up cutting it, which equals failure to me when untangling knots.
Iam thinking of this as a metaphor, a soul needs untangling, sometimes it takes way longer than expected and sometimes ties/bonds need to be severed or altered. I wonder if I will have to change or what I need to let go of. All that makes me rather sad. So did completely untangling the knots in the fabric "yarn". When it was done, a part of me wanted to unwind the two large balls and tangle it all back together.

The River

This is the Williamette Rive that runs through Eugene, Oregon.

It is very wide, clean and super blue. It is such a lovely surprise to have in town. It weaves and turns a bit, but basically runs through the middle of town. Autzen Stadium is very close by the river which seems to be a lot of fun on game days. We have actually avoided this part of town and campus on the last few Saturdays because of the games. The weather has been beautiful. Its kind of a shame that I haven't felt like exploring more. I have been crafty and I will up date soon.

Kaffe Cloth Napkins

This might just be my favorite project i've worked on in awhile. 

I have been unemployed since leaving NC two months ago and moving to Eugene, OR. I have moments of thinking that my husbands  income will barely sustain us, then in tears that I left my seeming perfect job in NC, and finally excepting of the time off as a vacation. Recently, I seem to lean more to the fact that this is a much needed vacation. The lack of employment will end and I will be mad that I didn't use my time better.

There have been a few things to hinder my wise use of time. First, I have been sick, my stomach is just not happy at all. Second, within two days of moving into our apartment we decided we wanted to move  into the more accessible part of Eugene. So, when it came to unpacking boxes some boxes were never opened and shoved into the garage. I finally found the desirable Kaffe fabric that always inspires me. How could you not be inspired by all those colors.

And Third, I've spent more time on Pinterest than any person should admit to. Today, I decided to finally make a few things on my "Make this NOW!" board. These napkins were perfect for the Kaffe scraps. So, between bouts in the bed, on the computer sending resumes and Pinterest rabbit trails, I churned out these six lovelies.

 The Kaffe Scraps came from the quilt I made my Mom last year. I had tiny pieces of some and yards of others that I purposely bought too much of. It is hard for me to cut down the bold Kaffe flowers. I enjoyed using the chevron ikat and organic prints to balance the bold flowers. Kaffe's prints all work so well together sometimes there were too many choices. I tried to use the scraps first that could be joined with out cutting or trimming. I also hesitated on cutting any yardage piece, therefore this project probably too me longer than it should have.
 I adore the eggplant shot cotton from Kaffe's line. I am unsure of the precise color name but it is a dark purple warp and orange weft. Which looks different in lighting and perfect solid to compliment all that color from the print side. The current kitchen is rather boring but at least their is a lot of natural light.

I think cotton napkins give a nice pop on the light wood table and they are not so formal that they wouldn't be unpractical for everyday use. Stay tuned for coasters and seat covers from the smaller scraps that I can't let go to waist.

We Made It!

Well after a month to take our time getting across the country, WE MADE IT!
It will take me a bit of time to get set back up to enjoy my crafting and sewing. We just got internet today which is very very exciting! Hubby has been to his new lab a few times and we are feeling like we made a great choice to move to Eugene, It is truly beautiful here and the "folks" are just as nice as southerners!

Here are a few more lovely iphone photos of our cross country trip

Palo Duro Canyon, TX

Great Sand Dunes National Park, CO

Huntsville, UT

Idaho City, ID

Blue Lake, OR

Well if your going for it, Go Big!!

Life's been nuts. We decided to move to Oregon for my husband to obtain a Doctorate in Linguistics. It is paid stipend and grants for four years it also includes health insurance we are very excited. We have been busy since the decision seeing family and friends. We will be moving across the country in two months. I have a lot of stuff and this will be interesting trip. I am nervous about the cost of it all, but once we get there, it is a beautiful spot. This is one of the few pictures on the blog I didnt take myself of crater lake, but soon i will see this for myself.

My day!

My big weekend started off with a big bang! My mom and sister came to Raleigh and we decided to go to Poole's in downtown. It is a super amazing restaurant that has wonderful food and equally amazing cocktails!  This was the best short rib I have ever had in my life. Everyone loved their meal and we had a great time chatting over cocktails.

 

It has become so important to me to make time for family and to enjoy life. We are so happy with all the amazing news that has surrounded us lately. I think I smiled all day because it was filled with relaxation, family, silliness, and yummy food!

The Big Life

I have had a crazy stressful but exciting January... February is shaping up to be the same. I may have failed to mention that I have a very very big birthday this coming weekend. I have plans to try to relax and pamper me. I have been working super hard on my feet and I am getting a massage to treat myself and care for my body. This is something that I realize that I don't do enough of. I don't do much exercise other than yoga or chasing the dog around the yard.

 I would also like to do more for myself beyond exercise. I would like to have regular hair cuts and eat more wholesome food. I feel I have come to a point where I need this in my life.
I also realized recently how much relationships play apart in my health. I carry all stress in my back and shoulders. I have gotten to the point where I have weeded out very negative relationships in my life and worked to surround myself with those who truly love me for who I am. I know life will throw me curve balls, but I also know that I am not going to stand in a batting cage with the pitch machine turned all the way up.
I want to make more time to do the things that make me calm and smile.

We had some dear friends visit us from the mountains for the weekend. We did nothing more than tell jokes, eat great food and watch movies, but by far it was one of the best weekends that I have had in a long time. I am hoping for an even better birthday weekend. I guess I am showing my age, because I want the simpler things in life, that make me smile.