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chrysillaSo the weekend happened, and I stayed inside my building from Friday night thru Monday morning. I went to the laundry room Sunday evening, and that was it. But after last week was much nicer, this week the highs will be in the mid 90s, and my migraines are already coming back. Blegh.
My stomach's also been extra grouchy since dinner break. Could be the heat, could be the herbal tummy supplement I tried this weekend at half dose, and it didn't really do anything. Except stop me from going to bed on time on Friday b/c I didn't remember it was a stimulant until after I took it. Durh.
Because of laundry craziness, I'm wearing slacks to work for the first time in ... weeks? Months? And they're a bit tight. Not sure if this is b/c I'm gaining more weight, my tummy's all upset and inflamed, or if I'm just not used to them anymore. I was my heaviest weight evar around this time last year, so maybe something about summer just makes me heavier. And then I lost 10 of those lbs again by September when I stopped eating wheat for 8 weeks, *shrugs* I just hope I don't have to buy more clothes, b/c urgh shopping :-P
This week I got a bit angsty over the dramas of my past, and it was just weird and sudden. Combo of current events and suggestions, and probably that weird herbal supplement I tried just made me temporarily crazy. Luckily I'm already in therapy, so it was nice talking about it today and trying to figure it out. Aside from that I'd been more anxious and phobic this weekend, and b/c I'd been doing better I'd forgotten my 'anxiety hiccup' practices & Sedona stuff for most of it. Whups. Back on track now. Mostly I blame the summer.
I'm almost done with the sewing parts of my DCon costume. But I ran out of white thread right before I started hemming the ginormous skirt on Saturday nite so ... meh. I had worked on it about four hours all together, and I had no trouble just packing it in. Considered cutting fabric for a new project on Sunday, but I also needed to order new rotary cutter blades, so decided to put that off until I had them. Also b/c I haven't decided which thing Ima do next. Doom or Regency? Or leave everything wrapped up until I finish the jewelry and accessories for my DCon costume?
So far the accessories include the belt with buckle (probably a slide-on rather than functioning), the 'backwards tiara' instead of Delenn's head-bone, a brooch that the character wears, and maybe a little clockwork something.
As it turns out, I suck at making tiaras, backwards or otherwise. Am still researching tho. I think before I was thinking too big, b/c the costume piece on screen *is* a lot bigger, but this is a reimagining of a character-costume design instead of true exact cosplay. So Ima take advantage of that. Maybe work wire around a narrow headband, b/c then I can get a similar organic-but-angular shape as the inspiration piece, but making it metal works well for Steampunk. Or I could just make it a crown of flowers that mostly rests in the back (tho my fake flowers source is M&J, so EXPENSIVE :-P). I've seen similar projects to both of these in elvish-costumes. And with a daintier, tighter-fitting piece I can just french braid my hair underneath. Or maybe just a top braid, and leave the rest loose, the comb needs something to catch in.
For the belt buckle, not sure if I'm going with wire, polymer clay, or both. Stuff-on-a-flat-background or open work. But I'm collecting a lot of interesting polymer clay tutorials on pinterest, so I'm working out some idears. That's also where the tiara ideas/tutorials are going. I forgot how useful it could be for stuff like that. But it looks like I'll be stopping by Blick at some point in August. For things.
Have not really even started thinking about the brooch. Could also be a wire/clay combo, but its shaped like a pen with at least one crystal point (one end or both ends, can't remember) and I *do* have crystal points already. Just not sure about the 'body'.
Went through my skirt-drawer and found more worn out pieces that I don't like wearing anymore. And some costumey things that don't need to live in my dresser. They are all sitting in a laundry basket until I can figure out what to do with them. Meanwhile, now my normie shirts get more space, and I discovered items I forgot I had. I may own too many shirts.
To dry out three weeks of laundry I had to put all my newly-sewn items in the closet to make room. Sho much laundry. But in the summer I wear more hang-to-dry delicates than sturdy go-ahead-drier-burn-me-bro clothes, so maybe its just the seasonal shift making it look like more stuff. Either way, I have enough clothes, and will be replacing five worn-to-hell skirts with ONLY two new ones. And recycling the old ones into costume crinolines & petticoats.
I looked up things-to-do with old tshirts, b/c I like the designs on them but some are just worn out or too small to wear, even for bed. But I don't need more pillows or shopping/carry bags, I don't really want a quilt (and I'm worried that if I start quilting- NEW OBSESSION :-P), and while the tshirt ballgowns were cool, I don't know where I'd ever wear one of those. So far the quilt looks like the best option, but meh.
Researched my options for making one new broomhandle skirt, and copying a long knit skirt that the gap stopped making (ugh, normie stores). I do have one hippie skirt that is less than a year old (I think?), so if things get too hectic I can always buy another one from the same Holy Clothing store. However, their skirts are heavier fabric than I'm looking for, and like the gap tend to price from $40 to $50. Took out the skirts I wanted to copy, worked out more or less how much fabric I'd need for each (two skirts, that's it, argh), and ordered some swatches off fabric.com. Based on the fabrics that I *think* will turn out well, making a lighter broomhandle skirt might be cheaper than HC, but the gap skirt may be about the same price either way. But then, the gap stopped making them. So whatevs.
Also ordered swatches for the dress that will go under my Regency coat, on which I have not actually decided on a pattern anyway. Meh, might as well order swatches. And I ordered a wide-gauge crochet hook, so I can turn some of my scraps collection into useful household items. Or at least that's the plan.
Ordered the rotary cutters from Joann.com, which were on sale and thus even cheaper than on fabric.com. But b/c of coupons with 'free shiping at $X' I ordered a bunch of other things too. But only after I spent most of Sunday playing with wire and trying to figure out how to make the shinies for the DCon costume, so at least everything I ordered already has an intended purpose, and not just "OOOOSHINYMINENAO!"
And I ordered more thread of course, this time of cotton. So many sewing guides say to only use cotton thread, but all of the threads I've used so far are polyester, so I'm not sure if this will cause future problems.
Unfortunately, I've now maxed my 'extras' budget for July, so no more orders of *anything* until August. And I managed to do that before being fully half way through the month. I am not sure I like this pattern- plan a purchase for the next month, spend everything by the half way point, rinse repeat. Yes, all of the things have purposes, but I'm starting to not like spending my $$. Luckily, I have plenty of sewing & crafting to do now that I have no $$ to go out and do things. Not that I'm apparently healthy enough to go out in July. That's how I can afford to make costumes, I'm too sick & tired to attend costumed events :-P
B/c I couldn't fall asleep on Friday night, I spent a while unF-ing my beads workbench area, and organizing and labeling containers. Thus I was able to spend most of Sunday comfortably playing with wire, both tried and true methods to make a few pairs of earrings, and some more experimental stuff to try out for the Dcon project. Monday morning I went through my seed-beading supplies and ... Ima need more soon. But again I think I can hold off until August. Set up four bracelet projects, that should tide me over. May do photos this weekend if I remember. And maybe I'll properly cut and hem the background fabrics I like to use now, so the process is a bit more streamlined, before I break out another full sewing project.
Not that I've even finished uploading the pictures/items from the last bunch of photos I took to Etsy. Or made any blog posts for the ones that are up. Ooops. At least I'm a better artisan than I am a promoter. Ironically, selling more shinies would help with the financial stress. Assuming I can remember how when its 95 degrees and humid outside. Durh.
Today I went over some of the data from my food-journal, to work out how much $$ I *could* be spending on groceries in a month. Now that I'm eating more rice again, it doesn't look like sticking to my groceries budget should be so hard. Hopefully I'll write up a more comprehensive plan sometime this month, but for now I'm just going to buy the minimum groceries and otherwise work thru my backlog of canned proteins and frozen fruits. Will probably have to re-figure things when it stops being stupidly hot outside, and when its too cold to eat frozen things.
I *should* be able to keep things down to $200 on food and $100 on "inedible necessary things", but for some reason its troublesome. Possibly b/c of my relatively new Costco membership, b/c buying in bulk may save $$ in the long run but really skews my budgeting. Might start shopping there only once a month, but I'm not sure if I can fit a month's worth of bulk-groceries in my shopping cart, so maybe twice a month. Also, fewer CC visits means fewer temptations to buy extra bulk items.
While looking things over, I also realized that I HATE how much cooking/food has taken over my life. From having to cook so many things from scratch, to the fact that some foods make me super sick, just F#$% all of it. Food is really not something I enjoy that much anymore, its something to be paranoid and stressed out about, and even if it turns out well it doesn't *last* like jewelry or other craft projects. Its just the thing I need to eat to keep living, or some close approximation to living.
And there's nothing inherently wrong with me just buying gf/df chicken sausages at Costco for all of my lunches until the end of summer, b/c F#$% cooking in the summer. Somehow the paleo/foodie mentality just clawed its way into my brain, but in the end I'm really not that good at cooking anyway, and anything that sucks more of my fatigued energy reserves isn't actually that good for me. So at least for the rest of the summer, no weird'n'crazy experimental cooking. I'll bake the banana bread b/c its a familiar staple, and the sausages b/c they take 20 mins, and that's it.
This also means that I don't need to buy a slow cooker this season, yaaay less shopping & less stuff. May reconsider in the autumn, b/c I'm still not totally comfy with leaving my stovetop burning for 3+ hours at a time. Or up to 10 hours for stock. However, while I've still not been able to find gluten free beef stock, I don't think the foodie police will arrest me for using gf chicken stock instead. And I can get that, organic, at CC now. So :-P My dutch oven still works, and not all stews take 3+ hours.
Furthermore, since I've given up on soy avoidance (for now) because I don't want to replace $100 of vitamins and supplements, Ima go back to using normal CHEAP mayo and (dairy free) chocolate. At the stores right around the block from me, instead of having to detour on my way home for fancy stuff. Meh.
In December I'm going to reconsider trying paleo again (or some other grain free diet), *IF* my digestive system has recovered enough to try low/fibrous carbs again. But for now, F#$% all of it. I'll stick to being gluten and dairy free, and avoid sweet potatoes and dates b/c they HURT me, otherwise its fair game. Tho I'll continue food journaling in case of other foods-that-hurt.
I guess its finally super humid now, b/c the newer, prettier drip pan under my a/c is finally seeing some action. And so far it seems to be working like I'd hoped: lower but wider container = more surface area = more evaporation so it doesn't overflow and make me have to deal with the creepy next-door neighbor. Yaaay.
As for this week's social plans, I'm going out with a friend on Thursday to trade tarot services for dinner. Yay! Hopefully my tarot skillz won't suck due to heat-induced brainfog and migraines, but we can always reschedule for another time if I get full-on sick. Other than that, no plans. I hope to have the brainpower for bits of sewing and jewelry work, but if today is any indication I don't have much hope.
<3 Chrysilla
My stomach's also been extra grouchy since dinner break. Could be the heat, could be the herbal tummy supplement I tried this weekend at half dose, and it didn't really do anything. Except stop me from going to bed on time on Friday b/c I didn't remember it was a stimulant until after I took it. Durh.
Because of laundry craziness, I'm wearing slacks to work for the first time in ... weeks? Months? And they're a bit tight. Not sure if this is b/c I'm gaining more weight, my tummy's all upset and inflamed, or if I'm just not used to them anymore. I was my heaviest weight evar around this time last year, so maybe something about summer just makes me heavier. And then I lost 10 of those lbs again by September when I stopped eating wheat for 8 weeks, *shrugs* I just hope I don't have to buy more clothes, b/c urgh shopping :-P
This week I got a bit angsty over the dramas of my past, and it was just weird and sudden. Combo of current events and suggestions, and probably that weird herbal supplement I tried just made me temporarily crazy. Luckily I'm already in therapy, so it was nice talking about it today and trying to figure it out. Aside from that I'd been more anxious and phobic this weekend, and b/c I'd been doing better I'd forgotten my 'anxiety hiccup' practices & Sedona stuff for most of it. Whups. Back on track now. Mostly I blame the summer.
I'm almost done with the sewing parts of my DCon costume. But I ran out of white thread right before I started hemming the ginormous skirt on Saturday nite so ... meh. I had worked on it about four hours all together, and I had no trouble just packing it in. Considered cutting fabric for a new project on Sunday, but I also needed to order new rotary cutter blades, so decided to put that off until I had them. Also b/c I haven't decided which thing Ima do next. Doom or Regency? Or leave everything wrapped up until I finish the jewelry and accessories for my DCon costume?
So far the accessories include the belt with buckle (probably a slide-on rather than functioning), the 'backwards tiara' instead of Delenn's head-bone, a brooch that the character wears, and maybe a little clockwork something.
As it turns out, I suck at making tiaras, backwards or otherwise. Am still researching tho. I think before I was thinking too big, b/c the costume piece on screen *is* a lot bigger, but this is a reimagining of a character-costume design instead of true exact cosplay. So Ima take advantage of that. Maybe work wire around a narrow headband, b/c then I can get a similar organic-but-angular shape as the inspiration piece, but making it metal works well for Steampunk. Or I could just make it a crown of flowers that mostly rests in the back (tho my fake flowers source is M&J, so EXPENSIVE :-P). I've seen similar projects to both of these in elvish-costumes. And with a daintier, tighter-fitting piece I can just french braid my hair underneath. Or maybe just a top braid, and leave the rest loose, the comb needs something to catch in.
For the belt buckle, not sure if I'm going with wire, polymer clay, or both. Stuff-on-a-flat-background or open work. But I'm collecting a lot of interesting polymer clay tutorials on pinterest, so I'm working out some idears. That's also where the tiara ideas/tutorials are going. I forgot how useful it could be for stuff like that. But it looks like I'll be stopping by Blick at some point in August. For things.
Have not really even started thinking about the brooch. Could also be a wire/clay combo, but its shaped like a pen with at least one crystal point (one end or both ends, can't remember) and I *do* have crystal points already. Just not sure about the 'body'.
Went through my skirt-drawer and found more worn out pieces that I don't like wearing anymore. And some costumey things that don't need to live in my dresser. They are all sitting in a laundry basket until I can figure out what to do with them. Meanwhile, now my normie shirts get more space, and I discovered items I forgot I had. I may own too many shirts.
To dry out three weeks of laundry I had to put all my newly-sewn items in the closet to make room. Sho much laundry. But in the summer I wear more hang-to-dry delicates than sturdy go-ahead-drier-burn-me-bro clothes, so maybe its just the seasonal shift making it look like more stuff. Either way, I have enough clothes, and will be replacing five worn-to-hell skirts with ONLY two new ones. And recycling the old ones into costume crinolines & petticoats.
I looked up things-to-do with old tshirts, b/c I like the designs on them but some are just worn out or too small to wear, even for bed. But I don't need more pillows or shopping/carry bags, I don't really want a quilt (and I'm worried that if I start quilting- NEW OBSESSION :-P), and while the tshirt ballgowns were cool, I don't know where I'd ever wear one of those. So far the quilt looks like the best option, but meh.
Researched my options for making one new broomhandle skirt, and copying a long knit skirt that the gap stopped making (ugh, normie stores). I do have one hippie skirt that is less than a year old (I think?), so if things get too hectic I can always buy another one from the same Holy Clothing store. However, their skirts are heavier fabric than I'm looking for, and like the gap tend to price from $40 to $50. Took out the skirts I wanted to copy, worked out more or less how much fabric I'd need for each (two skirts, that's it, argh), and ordered some swatches off fabric.com. Based on the fabrics that I *think* will turn out well, making a lighter broomhandle skirt might be cheaper than HC, but the gap skirt may be about the same price either way. But then, the gap stopped making them. So whatevs.
Also ordered swatches for the dress that will go under my Regency coat, on which I have not actually decided on a pattern anyway. Meh, might as well order swatches. And I ordered a wide-gauge crochet hook, so I can turn some of my scraps collection into useful household items. Or at least that's the plan.
Ordered the rotary cutters from Joann.com, which were on sale and thus even cheaper than on fabric.com. But b/c of coupons with 'free shiping at $X' I ordered a bunch of other things too. But only after I spent most of Sunday playing with wire and trying to figure out how to make the shinies for the DCon costume, so at least everything I ordered already has an intended purpose, and not just "OOOOSHINYMINENAO!"
And I ordered more thread of course, this time of cotton. So many sewing guides say to only use cotton thread, but all of the threads I've used so far are polyester, so I'm not sure if this will cause future problems.
Unfortunately, I've now maxed my 'extras' budget for July, so no more orders of *anything* until August. And I managed to do that before being fully half way through the month. I am not sure I like this pattern- plan a purchase for the next month, spend everything by the half way point, rinse repeat. Yes, all of the things have purposes, but I'm starting to not like spending my $$. Luckily, I have plenty of sewing & crafting to do now that I have no $$ to go out and do things. Not that I'm apparently healthy enough to go out in July. That's how I can afford to make costumes, I'm too sick & tired to attend costumed events :-P
B/c I couldn't fall asleep on Friday night, I spent a while unF-ing my beads workbench area, and organizing and labeling containers. Thus I was able to spend most of Sunday comfortably playing with wire, both tried and true methods to make a few pairs of earrings, and some more experimental stuff to try out for the Dcon project. Monday morning I went through my seed-beading supplies and ... Ima need more soon. But again I think I can hold off until August. Set up four bracelet projects, that should tide me over. May do photos this weekend if I remember. And maybe I'll properly cut and hem the background fabrics I like to use now, so the process is a bit more streamlined, before I break out another full sewing project.
Not that I've even finished uploading the pictures/items from the last bunch of photos I took to Etsy. Or made any blog posts for the ones that are up. Ooops. At least I'm a better artisan than I am a promoter. Ironically, selling more shinies would help with the financial stress. Assuming I can remember how when its 95 degrees and humid outside. Durh.
Today I went over some of the data from my food-journal, to work out how much $$ I *could* be spending on groceries in a month. Now that I'm eating more rice again, it doesn't look like sticking to my groceries budget should be so hard. Hopefully I'll write up a more comprehensive plan sometime this month, but for now I'm just going to buy the minimum groceries and otherwise work thru my backlog of canned proteins and frozen fruits. Will probably have to re-figure things when it stops being stupidly hot outside, and when its too cold to eat frozen things.
I *should* be able to keep things down to $200 on food and $100 on "inedible necessary things", but for some reason its troublesome. Possibly b/c of my relatively new Costco membership, b/c buying in bulk may save $$ in the long run but really skews my budgeting. Might start shopping there only once a month, but I'm not sure if I can fit a month's worth of bulk-groceries in my shopping cart, so maybe twice a month. Also, fewer CC visits means fewer temptations to buy extra bulk items.
While looking things over, I also realized that I HATE how much cooking/food has taken over my life. From having to cook so many things from scratch, to the fact that some foods make me super sick, just F#$% all of it. Food is really not something I enjoy that much anymore, its something to be paranoid and stressed out about, and even if it turns out well it doesn't *last* like jewelry or other craft projects. Its just the thing I need to eat to keep living, or some close approximation to living.
And there's nothing inherently wrong with me just buying gf/df chicken sausages at Costco for all of my lunches until the end of summer, b/c F#$% cooking in the summer. Somehow the paleo/foodie mentality just clawed its way into my brain, but in the end I'm really not that good at cooking anyway, and anything that sucks more of my fatigued energy reserves isn't actually that good for me. So at least for the rest of the summer, no weird'n'crazy experimental cooking. I'll bake the banana bread b/c its a familiar staple, and the sausages b/c they take 20 mins, and that's it.
This also means that I don't need to buy a slow cooker this season, yaaay less shopping & less stuff. May reconsider in the autumn, b/c I'm still not totally comfy with leaving my stovetop burning for 3+ hours at a time. Or up to 10 hours for stock. However, while I've still not been able to find gluten free beef stock, I don't think the foodie police will arrest me for using gf chicken stock instead. And I can get that, organic, at CC now. So :-P My dutch oven still works, and not all stews take 3+ hours.
Furthermore, since I've given up on soy avoidance (for now) because I don't want to replace $100 of vitamins and supplements, Ima go back to using normal CHEAP mayo and (dairy free) chocolate. At the stores right around the block from me, instead of having to detour on my way home for fancy stuff. Meh.
In December I'm going to reconsider trying paleo again (or some other grain free diet), *IF* my digestive system has recovered enough to try low/fibrous carbs again. But for now, F#$% all of it. I'll stick to being gluten and dairy free, and avoid sweet potatoes and dates b/c they HURT me, otherwise its fair game. Tho I'll continue food journaling in case of other foods-that-hurt.
I guess its finally super humid now, b/c the newer, prettier drip pan under my a/c is finally seeing some action. And so far it seems to be working like I'd hoped: lower but wider container = more surface area = more evaporation so it doesn't overflow and make me have to deal with the creepy next-door neighbor. Yaaay.
As for this week's social plans, I'm going out with a friend on Thursday to trade tarot services for dinner. Yay! Hopefully my tarot skillz won't suck due to heat-induced brainfog and migraines, but we can always reschedule for another time if I get full-on sick. Other than that, no plans. I hope to have the brainpower for bits of sewing and jewelry work, but if today is any indication I don't have much hope.
<3 Chrysilla