To Read, in the Event of Engagement

If ever I'm in the position of planning a wedding, there are some things I want to remember.

In the grand scheme of marriage, the wedding is really the least interesting :). Keep it fun, keep it casual, don't get stressed.

Speaking of stressed, I think the worst thing would be to have the day be surrounded by stress. Who wants to look back on their wedding day and remember how stressful it was. Keep it fun, keep it casual, don't get stressed.

Trying to please everyone will leave someone disappointed, it's inevitable. Be careful to not constantly have that person be you. Respectfully let others be disappointed too. Keep it fun, keep it casual, don't get stressed.

Break the mold. Who says your public commitment has to look like everyone expects it to? Those people don't need to be invited and/or they can be disappointed. You do not have to spend a lot of money on "wedding things" that you don't even want or need. Keep it fun, keep it casual, don't get stressed.

Speaking of money. Don't try to save money by "delegating" the costs to family and friends. By this is I mean, don't ask people to do things for free, don't ask them if they would bring 12 veggie trays but oh hey do it with their own money, generally just don't ask people to spend money on you and if they offer to spend money on you be hella grateful because that person is a lovely person.

Keep it fun, keep it casual, don't get stressed.

As an extra, maybe try to not make a date until you have collected all/most of the things that you need to spend money on. You know, like set a moderate monthly wedding budget and slowly collect the goods, THEN set the date so that there isn't a deadline and you end up spending more money than is wise to. But who am I kidding, I'm a procrastinator, I'll leave everything to the last minute whether I wait to set a date or not :P

Sewing, Day Who Even Cares Anymore?

So I was reading back through old blog posts...

Once upon a time, I was posting progress pictures as I created a purse. (I'm not going to bother linking them, you should be able to find them by the Craft Addict linkything a the bottom of this post.)

Once upon a more recent time (but really, still over a year ago), I made a Random Things post (Random Things linkything in the side bar) where I promised I would make THIS post "soon"...

Yep.

Hilarious part is that that purse is already broken and has been for a long time... I tried, I really did, to design a strap that wouldn't be the first thing to fail... still the first thing to fail.

But still, a promise is a promise :P

Now I just have to figure out what's happening in all of these pictures...

Seriously though... what's happening in these pictures??

Well!  I am 100% making this up as I go. Hold on.

Possible Step One:
Start working (HEY NEW CRAFT ROOM IN NEW HOUSE!!)
Realize picture taking is a thing you want to be doing, take picture of messy craft room.
As you can see the thus-far-completed portion of the purse is sitting on the chair, and if I am recalling correctly I had to iron ALL of the OTHER PIECES because I just shoved them in something during the move... Please refer to the post where I cut out all of the pieces for some perspective on how many pieces there were.  I think I stood at that iron for like an hour :P

Oh hey look! A progress picture of the ironing!

What do you think this picture is supposed to be about?

Possible Step Two:

Realize that the top of your bag is floppy, and floppy just won't do!

Make the decision to add structure to the lining pieces.

Side Note: Quilting those together took FOREVER. I remember that. It sucked.

Possible Step Three:

Sew the inside pocket things onto the front and back linings.

Look! This one has a secret pocket! Such a sneaky pocket.

Possible Step Four:

Sew the sides and bottom of the lining into a long strip.

I think I maybe also added pockets on the side panels... you can maybe see that in this picture... maybe you can't... I don't know,,,

Possible Step Five:

Basically stop taking pictures... apparently.

Sew the front and back lining pieces on to the side-bottom-side strip... leave a hole for turning later.

Stuff the completed purse part (aka the outside) inside the lining.  Line up the top edge for sewing next.

Take a picture that looks really weird and confusing and most just reminds future you that the quilting took FOREVER and sucked :P

Sew the top of the lining to the top of the bag. Think to yourself, "Hey! For once, I didn't make it have so many layers that the sewing machine nearly couldn't handle it! Go me!"

Turn everything right side out and sew the turning hole in the lining closed.

Realize you need to top stitch the top part so that everything lays nicely. Think to yourself, "Crap, I hope the sewing machine can handle this... I shouldn't have gotten cocky."

Possible Step Six:

Success!!!!  Be finished!!!

TAKE PICTURES!

Closed.

Open. Pockets!

Inside. Pockets!!

Front of Inside. Pockets!!!

Outside, Back. ZIPPERED POCKET!!

The end.  I think there's a picture buried in the archives somewhere of the strap being broken. Not actually the strap, but the piece of light grey cotton material holding the strap on to the main body of the purse. Turns out the metal things I used there had sharp edges that slowly, but surely sawed through the flimsy pieces of cotton that were the only thing keeping the strap attached to the purse. 

'Twas a shame.

Dear Love, About Boxing Day...

I haven't blogged in months.

This is mostly because I've been struggling with a lot of anxiety in this time and had the (decidedly disabling) thought that if I blogged at all, I should write about anxiety...

Turns out that it is kind of anxiety inducing to write about anxiety.

So I'm cutting myself free of that for now and I'm sure I'll write about it eventually, just not when it's a "should" write about that, but instead a "want to" write about that.

I'm going to write instead about something very currently important.

Dear Love,

I need to talk to you about Boxing Day.

Yes, December 26th. It's on a Saturday this year.

(It's not important that it's on a Saturday, I was just pointing it out because I'm nervous.)

So here the thing... Boxing Day is a big deal for my mom's side of the family; it's a big family reunion and all that jazz.

And, well, I was kinda hoping you would be able to come this year.

BUT that probably won't happen (let's face it, the window of time is a little unrealistically small even with it months away), so that sucks.

My extended family is made of great people, but still this annual reunion is always a bit of a sour reminder of my singleness.

I'm the youngest one there (besides the kids of the next generation) so it's not entirely unreasonable that I am one of the only two single people remaining, but still there's always at least one haha-so-funny cousin that elbows the two of us and says "So... *waggling eyebrows* Who's next?? EhEh?"

Ha ha.

But more than the thought of yet another year arm-candy-less (I've handled that fine enough before now), it sucks in particular that you will (probably) miss THIS year.

...I will not cry.

Seriously, this is upsetting enough on it's own, you poor-timing-ed jerk!!

For every year I can remember, this gathering has been in one place -- my aunt and uncle's farm house.

I love this house and the way that the whole family fits in it and all the memories that have been made there and how they fill my heart to the brim!!  I want you to see it so badly!!

But... This is probably the last year that I will have the opportunity to show it to you... Dang it, now I am crying.

It sucks that I, not only (probably) have to show up single again, but I will maybe never have the chance to be in that house with you possibly... ever...

It was a milestone -- bringing the boyfriend to that reunion at that house -- that I never even thought to imagine not hitting.

I think that's why it sucks so much.

It's sad when you realize you've taken something for granted, but it's especially sad to realize you've realized it too late.

...I wish it wasn't nearly, probably too late.

There's still time, but not very much of it... I believe in us, but even that seems like a stretch, doesn't it?  Who knows, maybe I'll be surprised.

We'll see.

Love, Em.