My Life This Week is...

well, what isn't it?

This morning I woke up at 6 to finish grading papers (when do I not have a pile in front of me?) and then I looked at a 2 bedroom apartment in the same complex as mine. Two previous horror stories about looking at apartments: 1) man said "absolutely no pets" and I said "well I'll still look" and hung up and immediately cried and apologized to the kids and called the next morning and said "no thank you, I don't want to waste your time;" and 2) had another appointment this morning to see a property and realized I did not have time enough and called and said "well I think today is poor timing" and the man said "oh that's good, it saves me a trip. I rented that property yesterday, anyhow." Well what!? Why hadn't I been notified mister? I didn't bother asking; it was a win-win either way.

So after looking at this 2 bedroom in my unit I've decided, no, maybe I will simply not move, so I'm going at 3:30 after work (yes, I'm blogging at the office, what do you wanna say about it?) and I'll renew my current lease. BUT I still intend to box a lot of stuff up, go through all my clothes as if I were moving, get the carpets cleaned etc... so that it still feels like starting over.

Because it is.

This summer, after graduation (and Bill Clinton is the keynote, so, wow, and stuff) I will be waiting tables and babysitting. With my fancy degree I will bring soup, salad and breadsticks and thank everyone and wish everyone a good day and dream about some day paying back all my debt. Oh well.

In the Fall I'm going to Berlin, however. Doesn't that just make everything feel super? I'll be there for three months for an internship that I will fill you in on later but, all in all, it's incredible and I couldn't be happier.

There is always so much future to be looking forward to. You just need to see it.

<3
-L

Sometimes Time flies

I haven't written in a long time. Sorry.

I'm in my last semester as a grad student at WVU and working three jobs. While applying for a real job/career post-graduation in early May I've had very little time for being crafty. Christmas I was snowed in and didn't get home until days after I had planned to leave, but we created a makeshift tree from the dressform nicknamed BB and my green apron. One string of holiday lights and we were set - what's more "in the spirit" than this?And it's "green" too! No need to store a big artificial tree or chop one down. It's a space saver (esp. in my small apartment) to think outside the box.Recently I decided that, since I'm going to have to move soon and I don't know where or when, I'd like to complete some of my potential projects that I have lying around. This way I don't end up moving two huge boxes of corks and an empty frame, but instead move a corkboard. It only took two nights and felt very worth it. I had been thinking about it forever, and in a world where I have no idea what's coming next it is nice to have something I could control for once.This isn't the best photo, maybe I'll replace it later, but you can probably tell it's a bit large. I used it to hide a box of guinea pig snacks that is underneath a low lying corner table for a while. It was nice on the floor. I'm trying it out over the sink for now, but since I'll be boxing everything up in a month it's probably best not to make new holes in the wall. I think the dark frame looks nice around those light corks.


Any suggestions for what I ought to do if no jobs come through before my lease it up? I'd love a house boat or a neat Airstream <3

Pretty pleased with myself

I've been busy getting those spongy corks out of the house (they had stock piled... ah) and, with about 70 to a wreath, I made three more after the last post. They don't have bows yet, I might enlist a friend to help me make them pretty. Look at all those regular corks, forlorn in the foreground.

I also made four lamps last week for my mentors. A pretty blue Dellitori (sp?) bottle, a Little Black Dress bottle (which was lovely and had a lovely cork as well), Jim Jim (for a man named Jim, imagine), and a stout Dos Lomos bottle for one that lived in Argentina.
I reuse bags when I can, and the Anthropologie bag was lovely for those of you who shop there.

Finally finished!

How long did this take? Too long, but mainly because I was picky about having too many of the same corks close together. I have about fifty Ecco Domani, Kendall Jackson and Robert Mondavi corks, but I wanted this wreath to have a lot of variety. I think my next wreath will merely have three or four brands repeated and I can finish it a lot quicker. Working at Olive Garden part-time really helps me acquire more corks than humanly possible (if I were drinking my way to a final product) so I end up with a lot of the same ones.

Speaking of, I need to be at the OG in 40 minutes, so I better get moving soon...

All you need are some eyelet screws, heavy hanging wire and time... just drink as many different brands of wine as you dare to acquire multicolored and interestingly designed sponge corks.

Doesn't the bow just look excited? I left enough wire on either end so that I could easily twist them around one another with a pair of small pliers and they naturally made a hook. Here's another image so that you can kind of see the wire twisted at the top. I'm not a great bow maker, however; any suggestions?

:)

It's beginning to be Fall outside

These days I'm writing about Norway, and have been using the slides I purchased last year around this time to help. They're incredible: vacation photos from a couple in the 60's and 70's. They had three magazines from Norway alone, and their images are just lovely. I feel lucky to have found them. I am the type to really care about the unclaimed slides of strangers with gorgeous photos of themselves, in love and traveling.

What are the legal stipulations to publishing these prints? Does anyone know?

AND - I need good holiday gift ideas. Things that are inexpensive but nice, typically homemade or repurposed. Here are a few sites I think are a good start:

I love the napkin rings here -
http://www.curbly.com/ModHomeEcTeacher/posts/5587-sixteen-recycled-handmade-gift-ideas

For those of you who can sew, or like to cook, or know a chef -
http://www.craftstylish.com/item/42826/apron-made-from-repurposed-jeans-skirt-back

Or you can get your own ideas from looking through - http://hottiehomedecor.com/index.html - they repurpose sweaters for the home. Talk about "nesting."

http://myrepurposedlife.blogspot.com/ - She does this one thing with a bowling ball - wow - and a few great sewing machine projects. :)

Let me know what you do when it's time to budget crunch.
Hope you're doing well.

Some Blurbs About Where I Live

It's amazing how much work new pillows can do. I also got a new rug and throw blanket, however, the other Lauren has already spilled various foods on the rug so I won't brag about it too much. The blanket's the softest thing ever invented.This table is a personal favorite. It's completely beat up but lovely and unique. Built from shipping crates and painted black, I think I could figure it out if I spent the time to really try. It pulls apart, so the odd drawers go left and the evens right. See the pull on the left there? Imagine pulling it to the right and two drawers staying on the left column and two moving to the right. Maybe I should have taken more photos?
I'd like to add wheels to the legs so that pulling it apart is easier. Right now it's on carpeting and in such a tiny space I never get in there, but some day (hopefully when I move in May) I'll have more space to utilize it and not just admire. That's when the wheels would be most appreciated.

Everything is cluttered and depressing in this apartment. My wishlist for a future apartment? Hardwood floors, built-in bookshelves, kitchen flooring that's not peeling up, maintenance people that actually fix the ceiling when a pipe in the apt above me bursts, or don't make it difficult for my cable man when he comes out here to rewire their 30 year old cable. The countdown begins. Seven months to finish my thesis, get some publications, find a job, a new place, move.

Framing your board

Back in action! I've been slacking on the blog, but in my defense I am having a VERY busy year. I am currently teaching, waiting tables and attempting to put together a thesis that's worth something.

But with Christmas fast approaching I know I need to get back in touch with my more hands-on creative side, especially since I lack the funds necessary to purchase gifts worth gifting. Previously I've offered suggestions for ways to frame your corkboards, but I don't think I mentioned the cheap and easy way to provide a really "polished" product. That, my friend, is buying an empty frame. Duh. Accessory and home stores often will sell frames for more than half off if the glass from them has been cracked while on display. This is perfect, since you don't want frames with glass. Also, some craft stores will sell empty frames and you can create your own backing pretty cheaply with a lightweight board. I found this beauty at Michael's and I think it's going to be lovely when I find the time to cut the corks to fill it.
Also, if you have a marrow space, or want one that's more dynamic in your space (I always imagine them in kitchens, although mine is on my office desk) create one that's long and skinny. This one's only 2 corks wide and it's 19 long. It'd look really smart above a sink or on an awkward partition wall. AND - it doesn't have a frame, for those of you who want to make the easiest version possible.
Hope you're well and more productive than I am these days.