It's all about me...
 

:biggthump

The meditation thread got me thinking about how we all need to focus on our own needs more and sometimes that is hard. I thought it might be nice to have a thread where we could report what we did or how we focused on something for ourselves rather than being 'other oriented'. We could post daily or whenever we feel the urge. Also, things that help us relax or anything we want to share that will help others concentrate on them.

I'll start on the next post.

Kari

Spent an hour last night ironing and watching a tv show, then mindlessly browsed the web.

I did the video on the meditation thread that was suggested. That made me sleepy and I wanted to rev up a little so turned on YouTube for some exercise videos. I like to try new ones on YouTube. I tried one but then realized that automatically the one after it comes up so I did that one too! I exercised to a 30 min. one and then a 45 min. one! Awesome, as the only exercise I got yesterday was walking around at an Arts/Crafts fair. The first one was a little too hard for me but I followed the modified version. Probably won't do it again but it was fine. The second one was the 3 mile walking one with Leslie Sansone so it was low key but still good.

Also, wanted to suggest this YouTube (I love YouTube!) video for relaxation. I found it when I was trying to get my daycare babies to relax and nap. I found it was relaxing me big time.

★ 8 HOURS ★ Lullabies for Babies to Sleep - Music for Babies - Baby Songs - Baby Lullaby Bedtime - YouTube

I don't care for the graphics so I just minimize it and listen. Try it lying down and it is sooo peaceful.

Kari

There are people out there who iron? Just joking! Well kind of. I only iron in an emergency situation (like if all the clothes are dirty and the only thing to wear is really wrinkly). :lmao

I love to browse the web too!!

Kari

Thank you Kari !!


This is one of my favorite things to do. I love crafts, and ever since the relapse Ive been making things. Almost always have project of some kind going on. Helps keep my mind off things when I feel stressed plus I fell like when I bring out my creative side I automatically become more focused on myself, and it makes me feel confident and capable. "look I made this". I like going to the flea market, craft fairs with my mom or my girlfriends get lost looking at the old and new.

:lmao My ironing skills could use some work

Not into crafts, but I do find my creative side in programming. I've started learning iOS and think this is a hobby that'll keep me busy for years.

I like to look at all the crafts others do. My daughter (who I went with) does abstract painting and I especially liked looking at the artwork and all of it really. I tried the abstract painting myself because she says it calms her. She paints from her emotions and things like that but I just get frustrated cause it isn't coming out right. :headbange She said you have to get used to it and it takes a while to separate that "it isn't coming out right" feeling to just going with whatever you feel. I'll probably give it another shot.

I have just learned the hot glue gun and made some wreaths around the holidays. I've also made some flower crowns (actually headbands with flowers hot glued on them). I am really just a beginner crafter and only do it occasionally but I was so proud to get that "Look, I made this" feeling like you say when I did it. With the wreaths I got all the supplies at the dollar store too. I hotglued stuff on those already made grapevine wreaths they have. Turned out beautifully!

What kinds of things have you made?

Kari

Technology stuff changes constantly right? By the time you get it figured out then there is more. Maybe like an ongoing puzzle. An interactive puzzle?

Watch out shes got gun !! :lmao

The first project I started was too big for my state of mind but it kept me busy. There is blood, sweat, and tears in it. I had been wanting to make a capiz shell chandelier for a few years but never had a place to hang it. I looked at buying some already made but some of them get real pricey. I would always think with some time I could figure out how to make one exactly like I want, to fit the space I finally decided on. Im not sure if I can post the link, but its from a DIY site called Pig and Paint and they had great instructions. I had to design my own frame. Wandered around the Lowes store many days looking for the right thing to make the frame. Had all those sales guys coming up to me "do you need some help" ?? I need lots of help, your getting into trouble asking !! It took me almost the whole time he was in rehab to make this shade because I had to order the shells and string them up. At first I ordered shells and they didnt have holes in them and I tried to put holes in them !! :lmao Then I reordered shells with holes !! The whole thing was sometimes heartbreaking, other times miraculous. Im a little dramatic!!

I had my mom help me with some sewing projects, and tackled learning how to use a new sewing machine. I made pillows for the couch, and some things for the pets. I started with the pets but they are never to know their stuff was the "experiment". They love it even if its not got perfect corners and the trim is a little uneven. I also worked on photos, printing off a lot of digital ones and organizing them with captions. I started doing a scrap book type and did finish one but it was getting a "little girlish" with all kinds of things I went crazy buying at the craft store. Ive hopped around with my projects. I want to make a spring wreath to go on our front door next. Im looking for inspiration with the flowers and colors right now.

Yep, and pays well too. :c011:

Haha, yeah that gun is fun. Ya just wanna go around hot gluing things, lol.

I didn't know what a capiz shell chandelier was so Googled it. Now I know what it is but just didn't know what they were called. Wow, that was one ambitious project!

Kari

Seems like a hobby I should take up then!! :)

Kari

What a great thread!

I am just awful at crafts for the most part. My mother & grandmother could knit, sew, stitch, glue, manufacture just about anything in the realm of crafts. For years they made their own dolls.... I am a huge disappointment, lol. My dad did a lot of woodworking but I was just more dangerous with bigger, more powerful tools. :lmao

I did however, inherit the baking gene from my great-grandparents & spent years working in bakeries learning about cake decorating, etc. On the weekends, DD & I frequently make desserts of all kinds... themed birthday cakes, little bite-sized filled creme cupcakes, tiny fruit pies, etc. Last year we re-created Willy Wonka's chocolate waterfall as her birthday cake. SO MUCH FUN!


For me though, I love my spa time. I have been known to get up early on winter mornings & dive straight in & watch the sun rise while I soak on my back deck before starting my day.

As silly as it sounds, I also inherited a very old dollhouse a couple of years ago & while it is a project that both DD & I work on, it's really mine. I turned it into a fairy house & I often take a mental time-out just rerranging the furniture or decorations, especially when I've gotten new pieces. RAH is helping me set up to re-side & re-roof the house, but I'm taking my time to decide what I want since, like I said, I'm not naturally talented with that kind of crafty stuff. I know I am going to recycle old blinds into siding, and I am toying with the idea of hot-gluing a mosaic of glass, shells & faux jewels on the roof like a pixie version of roof tile. SO MUCH FUN!

Oh my gosh, your fairy house sounds like so much fun!

Actually the thought of it brightened my day because I've been feeling a little sorry for myself today. But enough of that... I saw a children's project where they turned little wooden birdhouses into fairy houses. Well not inside, just the outsides of them.

Oh and you don't have to be good at something to enjoy it. I suck at knitting, abstract art (seems impossible, huh?) :lmao, and a few other things but who cares? My family history in arts/crafts sounds the same as yours. My mom and dad were good at a lot of things too.

My daughter does abstract art and finally people are starting to ask her to buy some of it. She didn't do it for that reason though but it keeps stacking up so she has to do 'something' with it eventually, haha. She heard a famous artist say that the first 200 paintings are cr*p. In other words, practice and don't expect to be great at first. One author took 10 years to write a book. I do a little writing. I'm not as into it as some. I figure it might take 20 years or maybe I'll just ditch it and make a fairy house. Sounds more fun!

Kari

Berlin - Take My Breathe Away theme from Top Gun with Lyrics - YouTube

Okay, a little eye candy! Enjoy!!!

Kari

This sounds beautiful.

I enjoy PINTEREST… I have boards for home décor, recipes, fashion, kid stuff, vacation idea.. to name a few… I love to sort through it, edit, and add more. I find it really relaxing and it taps into my creativity also. No matter how much time I have 20 minutes or a couple of hours I can go there and come away feeling ‘happy’ because its really representative of me.

Oh yeah, I like PINTEREST too. I used to spend a lot of time there but just go there occasionally now.

One of my boards is called "Eye Candy" where I have pictures of hunks plus a few cute babies.

If you like to look at home decor you should check out a site called houzz.com. It is kind of like pinterest but all things home decor. You can see zillions of whole rooms or just categories like lamps, flooring, etc. Then you can keep all of the pictures you like in your Ideabook and make notes. It is very, very cool. We redid our bathroom about a year ago and I got some great ideas. I stumbled on it by accident when we were doing our bathroom.

Kari

Well... since my husband reads here from time to time.. I don't think I will admit to having an "eye candy" board on PINTEREST.... self preservation and all... but I will say... we have been watching a lot of the news about the missing jetliner... and he got a little suspicious because I kept turning to the channel that had the cute Australian guy standing there doing all the explaining...

I will look for the site houzz.. It sounds exactly like something I would enjoy. Thank You.

Karisue we are in the process of buying a new house. I can't wait to remodel....will have to check it out! Thanks!

Allfor I love Pinterest! I have all sorts of pins too! They have so many awesome ideas.....the recipes are fun to try! It's a smorgasbord of me!