Getch-yer Craft On. I did.

I spent my weekend being crafty. Normally, I get super bored half way through a project, and I throw it in a I'll-finish-this-later pile (that only keeps growing, never decreasing). This time, however, I finished THREE projects in as many days. I was so proud. And now, without further ado (uh, I just spent the last 10 minutes trying to figure out how to spell that word, and then I gave up. So if it's wrong, forgive me)...

Numero Uno: A skirt made from a button up shirt

 Cool, huh? And I made it in one night! Want to know something funny? I sewed this bad boy up on the ground. As in, I set my sewing machine and ironing board on the floor. It required some pretty creative sitting on my part, but I got it done. And it's awesome. Here is a link to the tutorial. Although, I didn't really use the tutorial, I just kind of made it up. If any of you out there want to know how I did it, please let me know, and I will try to explain.

Alrighty, numero dos? A knitted head band.

I did indeed knit this all by myself! It took one prototype, and lots of stitching, unstitching, and counting stitches. LOTS of counting stitches. I think that is generally a pretty safe bet when you pick up knitting, though. Count on counting stitches. Every stitch. Every single little stitch. Yeah. Here is the link for this tutorial and here is a link to a knitting abbreviations guide. Because when I found this pattern, I had NO idea what K1 P2 and YO meant. If I ever make it again, I will definitely not make it as big. It kind of overwhelms my head...

And finally, numero tres = page corner bookmarks

Aren't they super cute?! I think so. Here's the tutorial. Just be careful when you make these, and be sure the glue is all dry before you use them. I know, sounds stupid... but, I used my blue monster one before it was completely dry... and it ate the corner of my book. Also, the tutorial says they made them 2.5 inches, and I made mine 2. I think they are wonderful.

PS: Just in case anyone is wondering what books I'm using these lovely book marks in...

Read them all. Except my journal. Which is super cute. And you can buy one at Barnes & Noble. (which is now one of my favorite stores). Kbye.

Puh-uhhh-blished.

Getting something published may or may not be on my bucket list, and if it wasn't before, it is now. Regardless. I came home from work today to find this lovely book on my bed. Signed. By the author. With a note to me. Because she published my poem in her book. And also, an entire chapter about my dad. Who just so happens to be the subject of my poem. See how all this fits together? The book is called The Organ Donor Experience. I have posted several times about organ donation (well, twice if you count the poem. that just got published). So I'm not going to say a whole bunch about organ donation (which I think is awesome). I will just give links to my previous posts (if you are interested). So, here is Advocate For Life, and here is Kidney Shaped Cuff Links (that's my poem that just got published). I'm really excited about this (if you couldn't tell...).

And here's some proof. Don't worry, I made all the pictures large so you could see it! Now, go buy the book, and read the book. And read my poem. Chapter 19 = Chad: Kidney Shaped Cuff Links. Page 95. I'll definitely be posting more about this book... after I read it.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

Say it with a Sean Connery accent, it sounds better. Not that it doesn't sound good with an American accent (I just had to look up Sean Connery to make sure he wasn't American - how embarrassing). Doesn't it sound intriguing? The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, by Michelle Hodkin. Well, I thought it sounded intriguing, which is why I bought it (in hardback!) from Barnes and Noble (I had never even heard of it before) approximately (by approximately, I mean exactly) 5 days ago. And finished it in a matter of hours. It was indeed intriguing. And suspenseful. And romantic. (When I blog stalk people, and I come across book reviews they posted, I skip them. So no worries, this is all I'm saying on the matter of Mara Dyer). Here's one link, and two links; go look it up. It's awesome. (A word of caution - there is some pretty horrible language at times (now I feel guilty for admitting that I liked it...))

I work at a school called Spectrum Academy. It's an autistic charter school in North Salt Lake. I love it. The kids are all so awesome. I was working in a third grade classroom today, and a bunch of the kids pulled out these things called "speed stackers". Basically, it's a set of like, 9 cups (that was a total guess) and you stack them and unstack them. And you see who can do it the fastest. So naturally, when I got home today, I looked up speed stacking on Youtube. Seriously, who knew stacking cups could be so cool?

Also, check out this lovely blog. I have kind of fallen in love with it... A lot. Andalsopinterest.
Now, go to this blog and check out what I did this weekend (while in Logan, the city that holds my heart (weird, I know)).

Here we go kids (and Valery)...

It doesn't have a title. But I wrote it while working at Camp Loll this summer. And I like it.

The dense forest beckons,
like a whisper on the walls of heartland.
Captured souls not begging for release,
but for infinity, for endlessness;
for truth and beauty among the stars.
And they dance across the tree tops
as the sun sets over their place of capture,
their place of longing and desire,
of forbidden and untouched beauty.
And they believe in love,
for a land of such majesty
could not have been created without it.

Photo credit given to Nathan Triplett. Yeah. He really took this. At Camp Loll.
I didn't find it on google images or anything. He is a stud. Check him out here:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Mangalover20

**Also, "walls of heartland" comes from the Greenday song "Last of the American Girls". I must give credit where credit is due. I just taught 5th graders about plagiarism. It's against the law.