moxie farm

2012.

2012-01-02T17:58:00.010-06:00

it's time for a post about intentions. some people call them resolutions. i prefer intentions. less pressure, ya know?

so. 2012. the final year on the mayan calendar. i'm pretty convinced the mayans just thought it would be funny to mess with our heads.
yes. i'm going on record saying i don't think the world is going to end this year.
and no - marty mcfly did not influence this decision.

onward...

h.stew's intentions for 2012:

1) mindfulness.
yes. this is sort of vague.
(the easier to stick with, my dear...)
but it's important. for the past several months i've found myself getting crazybiggiantballofstressed over silly things like work and dirty dishes.
i plan to concentrate on taking deep breaths and reminding myself that the world isn't going to end if the bathroom is dirty or if a student thinks i'm the wicked witch of the west.

2) running.
running makes me happy. sometimes i forget this and read in bed instead of going for a run.
(other times the windchill is -10 and i just plain wuss out.)
the bro, future s-i-l, and i have a plan to do 12 races in 2012 - so i really need to keep my mileage up.

3) career.
i don't like my job. i don't hate it (ok, some days i hate it), but it's definitely not a career.
i think i've finally figured out my career path. it will involve a couple more years of education. in the next few weeks i'll be conducting a feasibility study. if the results are positive, i'll divulge some more details.

4) food.
compared to most americans, i'm already pretty thoughtful about my food choices. i at least consider things like eating locally and sustainably (even if i don't always buy local/sustainable/organic) - but i want to make this more of a priority. if i want to continue to live a healthy, productive life i need to pay closer attention to what i'm putting in my body.

5) use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.
(see also: anticonsumerism)
...a depression-era mantra that i wish never would have fallen out of the collective consciousness.
as conscientious as i try to be, i will admit that i occasionally buy a new outfit to cheer myself up after a crummy day (just one new skirt won't hurt anyone...) and throw out the nearly-gone tube of cinnamon toothpaste because i'm really excited about the new mint toothpaste (and it goes better with my mint mouthwash). but it makes me feel so good when i do things like making cloth napkins out of repurposed fabric (bought at a thrift store) and giving them as christmas gifts.
i am saving the earth in so many ways!

yep. a total of 5 intentions. for anyone who knows me, this shouldn't come as a big surprise. and actually - speaking of those of you who know me - i'd appreciate it if you'd keep me on track. remind me if you see me doing something that goes against my intentions. also, let me know if you catch me doing something that you see on this list.
positive reinforcement, right?

false advertising.

2011-01-06T20:44:00.008-06:00

i love - love - that my last post (from 10 months ago, mind you) was titled "triumphant return?"
the question mark at the end is really the kicker. obviously my hopes were high, but my expectations low.

somehow the fact that i have a blog came up in conversation recently and i felt sort of sad that i had to footnote it with a "but i haven't written anything in almost a year." so here i am. posting something.

i chopped my hair off again. whee!

and now, a list of things i am currently in love with:

- leggings. i know, i swore i wouldn't get into 'em, but they're just so comfortable...
- 5:30am workouts. for real, i love this.
- my new haircut! (duh)
- honey flavored greek yogurt.
- warm beverages.

the end.

triumphant return?

2010-03-07T14:30:00.012-06:00

hello, dear blog readers.
i figured it was about time i get around to posting some "after" pictures of the house. some areas are still "in-progress," including leslie's room - which i didn't dare photograph, for fear that i may lose a limb if she found out.

so, without further ado, the afters:

first, what will eventually be the craft room/office. right now it's more of a hideaway for unfinished projects.
next, my room. i was pleasantly suprised by the fact that i could fit my bed, dresser, and shelves in there and still have room to walk.
another view of my room.
the bathroom. i love the spa-like blue leslie chose for the walls.

the view as you come upstairs.
dining area. notice the superawesome glass & wrought iron buffet that leslie scored from ikea for $60!
the kitchen.
the living room.
other side of the living room. can you believe those floors were covered with nasty carpet?! they're beautiful!

ok. end of tour. for now. once spring comes, i'll try to update with some pictures of gardens/planters. right now it's just nasty, brown, and melty outside.

let's see. what else?

oh! shampoolessness! i haven't used a drop of shampoo in nearly two months and i couldn't be happier with my hair. it's shiny and manageable - i haven't had to change anything about the way i style it.
so please, i challenge you, give the no-poo lifestyle a try! and let me know what you think!

i start my new job tomorrow. i'm excited to start something new and i'm relieved to know that i'll start getting regular paychecks in a few weeks. i'm also well aware of the fact that it's going to be a major adjustment for me. instead of just being a full-time student, i'm now a full-time student, full-time employee, and a mentor (oh yes, my other exciting news! i finally got matched with a Little through big brothers big sisters!).
fortunately, this week is spring break for school, so i can sort of ease myself into my new circumstances.

ok. speaking of school, i've been procrastinating long enough on my homework.
so. easily. distracted.

we're in!

2010-01-31T22:00:00.005-06:00

i write to you, dear blog readers, from my new bedroom.
(yay!)
i officially moved into the new house yesterday (my poor sore muscles will tell you all about it).
leslie's still in the process of moving stuff, but i'll post photos once we're mostly settled.

now i just need to find a job...

oh, also, nearly two weeks shampoo-sober and i continue to be pleased. i believe my hair has actually gotten shinier (i didn't think that was possible).
i'ma give it a full month before i start actively trying to convert everyone i know, though. beware...

shampoolessness: day 9.

2010-01-27T17:42:00.004-06:00

yes, folks, i'm still diggin' the no-poo lifestyle.
i was concerned yesterday, as my hair felt (and looked) a little on the greasy side. it wasn't so much so that i didn't want to go out in public, though, and i'm sure no one else even noticed. but i was definitely a little anxious about how it would behave today.

the answer:
perfectly.

maybe i didn't use enough (or maybe too much?) baking soda yesterday? maybe it was because i went without the baking soda on monday? i have no idea. all i know is that my hair is totally back to normal today, perhaps even a little softer than it has been.

i'm excited to hear that i may have already inspired someone to go shampooless (hi, joy!).
also, when i told my friend adam i stopped using shampoo, he gave me a high five (evidently he's been 'pooless for awhile).

so, three cheers for baking soda - quite possibly the world's most versatile compound.

how is it almost feburary already?

2010-01-24T22:12:00.004-06:00

all systems are go for a move into the new house this week. cable/internet is being installed tomorrow afternoon and carpet installation is scheduled for mid-week. now let's just hope the weather cooperates.
i'll post photos once we're mostly settled in.

it's winter carnival time here in the twin cities, and yesterday three friends and i carried snowflakes in the grande day parade.

thanks to the matching hats i made, we were moved to the top of the lineup (the coordinator decided she wanted the "cute matching hat girls" to walk at the front of the parade). the weather was pretty miserable (around 35 degrees and raining), so we were happy to oblige (and get out of the rain as quickly as possible). it was a great experience and we've decided to make it an annual tradition.

the no-poo thing is still going well. i keep waiting for my hair to get greasy or start misbehaving, but (happily) it just isn't happening.
the power of baking soda...

i continue to plug away with my job search (nearly 4 months now...). i feel like i've gotta be closing in on something soon . . . right?
but hey, let's be honest - do i really want something getting in the way of my sunny in philly habit? c'mon now...

shampoolessness: day 3.

2010-01-21T16:47:00.003-06:00

yes, i'm wearing a bandana on my head right now.
but only because i spent most of the day outside in the wind.
(ok, it was more like a breeze. whatever.)

in any case, i'm still pleased with the results of this whole no-poo thing. my hair looked damn cute this morning. i even had a bit of fun flippy action going on behind my ears - without product! normally, my productless hair could win a "most like a dead person's hair" contest.

the only thing i'm even kind of missing is shampoo smell. but i think i'll get over it.

shampoolessness: day 1.

2010-01-19T13:39:00.002-06:00

well, kids, so far so good.
my hair feels pretty much just like it always has. i was a little concerned that i'd have product build-up issues (yes, i'm addicted to my hair putty and hairspray), but it felt totally clean when i got out of the shower.

i just did a baking soda "wash," no apple cider vinegar "conditioner." i think i'll stick with that regimen for the next several days, so i can see how my hair adapts to the change.
if i decide to adopt this long-term, though, i think i'll have to find an old herb/spice jar with a shaker lid for the baking soda - something better suited for shower-time than my yellow cardboard box.

messy messy messy.

no-poo.

2010-01-18T23:03:00.004-06:00

i am a bad, bad blogger.

one would think that the whole "unemployed" thing would leave me with heaps of time to write witty blogs, but i've been keeping myself surprisingly busy. and now that classes have started, i've got schoolwork to add to my pile of fun.
...not that i'm complaining.

as some of you may already know (if you know me but at all), i've got a lil bit of tree-hugging hippie in me. i've been making my own deodorant for about a year (baking soda and cornstarch applied with a cotton ball to an armpit sprayed with peppermint water - sometimes i refer to this as "baking armpit brownies"), i've always got reusable shopping bags with me, i bake from scratch, and i've been called a recyling-nazi.
lately, though, i've been inspired by others in the blogosphere (particularly amy karol at angry chicken) to do even more to sock it to the man. in one of those one-thing-lead(links)-to-another kind of deals, i ended up finding a great article about going without shampoo (instead using baking soda to cleanse and apple cider vinegar to detangle), which is something i've been considering for awhile.

so.
i'm going to start tomorrow. no shampoo. i'll try to keep you posted on the results.
...and if i dig it, you can betchur arse i'll be trying to convert each and every one of you.

routine.

2010-01-04T09:23:00.005-06:00

wake up. check email. pee. brush, floss, mouthwash. take vitamins. make coffee. (empty/load dishwasher, if necessary.) eat yogurt. drink coffee while cruising internet job postings. work out.

i've been feeling "off" (as in "out of step" rather than "not on") the past couple of weeks, and only this morning did i realize why:

i haven't been following my morning routine (see above).

lots of things have been getting in the way of it (holiday activities, dogsitting, interviews, ...hangovers), and it never occurred to me that skipping parts of it would have some sort of detrimental effect.

but just now, as i started sipping my coffee, i feel like i clicked back into place.

is that lame?

i finally have a celebrity look-alike! sort of...

2009-11-22T01:55:00.005-06:00

ok. so tonight i was told (by a drunk woman) that i look just like folk singer michelle shocked.
i'd never heard of her (have you? should i have heard of her?).

so, as a reference, this is me:

and this is michelle shocked:

honestly, i saw only a vague resemblance. but then i found this picture:

and decided i guess maybe the drunk lady was right.

i've never had a celebrity look alike before (nevermind that i didn't know who she was until tonight). it's really rather exciting, don't you think?

work in progress.

2009-11-20T15:44:00.010-06:00

we knew it was going to look worse before it looked better...

believe it or not, we're getting (relatively) close to completion. most of the nasty stuff (ceiling scraping and painting, sanding, patching walls, etc) is done and we're going crazy with the paint now. practically every surface in the place needs paint, so it's a pretty major undertaking - but it shouldn't take too long.
(i talk as if i've been doing all of the work. in reality, i've really only done my own room. les and her folks have kicked out the rest.)
i'm going to guess we'll officially move in the first week in december.
here's to hoping that this crazy alaskan cold front doesn't hit until after we're in...

she lives a life of leisure.

2009-11-13T10:47:00.002-06:00

i think i'm enjoying this unemployment thing a little too much.
in fact, i've gotten myself into a very comfortable routine and i'm almost dreading the day i find a job.
great attitude, right?

here's an example of my typical day:

- wake up. usually around 9:30.

- make coffee. ah, coffee. the elixir of life.

- drink coffee while cruising the job ads.

- work out. depending on the day, this will involve some combination of a bike ride, a jog with my brother, yoga, resistance bands, and pushups.

- shower and ready myself for "the day." (by now it's somewhere between 1pm and 2pm. yes, i'm aware this is when most people only have a few hours left til the end of their day.)

- work on some sort of craft project (i've mostly finished my christmas gifts, so now i'm working on items to decorate my walls at the new house.)
OR
(if i'm lacking in the inspiration department) surf my favorite art/craft/style blogs. this almost always piques my creativity.

at this point, it's usually quittin' time for my employed comrades and i'm all set to support them with a few drinks at happy hour.
(oh yeah, that's right, my abstinence from alcohol lasted all of 10 days. i only had 2 beers, though. moderation. i'm learning.)

i can't really wrap my head around the notion of waking up to an alarm clock again. or having to eat lunch at the same time every day. or actually knowing what day it is. so i'm going to keep enjoying this while it lasts.
...and you kids can keep poking fun at me.

yes, please.

2009-11-04T19:09:00.002-06:00

wondering what to get me for christmas? this headband from thief and bandit would be swell.

change.

2009-11-03T13:40:00.003-06:00

i really don't like who i am when i'm drunk.
at all.
i have no respect for that version of myself.

since i can't seem to grasp the concept of moderation, i've decided i'm going to take a break from alcohol. i don't know that this will be a permanent change, but it's something that needs to happen right now.

support will be appreciated.

kthx.

new digs. the befores.

2009-11-02T17:36:00.005-06:00

leslie closed on the house on friday! yay!
there are some cosmetic issues that need to be addressed (carpet, paint) before we move, but we're hoping to be in there by thanksgiving.

before i post the "before" pictures, i want to give you an idea of the layout (because i didn't really understand it until i was actually there and you, friendly blog readers, don't have that opportunity). my drawings are not even close to scale, but it'll give you a general idea.

first of all, it's a 2-story, split-entry townhouse.

the road runs in front of the garage, and then you walk through the courtyard to actually get into the house.

that's the courtyard. rather overgrown at the moment, but les plans to put a patio set and a grill out here.
that's the dining room. don't worry, the awful scratchy chef curtains were just about the first thing to go.
the kitchen. (which i just now noticed i forgot to label on my floor plan. hopefully you're sharp enough to figure that out.)
the other side of the kitchen.
the living room. hidden under that nasty carpet are some beautiful hardwood floors. yay!
the other end of the living room.
and the back yard. again, a little overgrown, but we'll pretty it up. :)
the layout of the lower level. i think i labeled everything on this one...
that's leslie's room. she has a view of the overgrown courtyard.
the bathroom. yes, that's ceramic tile. that and the pergo in the kitchen are the only floors we don't need to mess with.
my room. nice paint job, eh?
the craft room/office. yay for spare bedrooms!

so that's it. i hope you enjoyed your tour. stay tuned for "afters."

felt!

2009-10-29T17:37:00.004-05:00

i really like working with felt. it's very forgiving, it doesn't fray, and it makes awfully cute ornaments.

i'm also planning to make something like this for my window at the new house (though i'll be doing it in addition to regular drapes).

it's just a bunch of stitched-together circles of felt - how easy is that?! (the link contains a tutorial in case you're interested)

diy 4tw.

halloween.

2009-10-29T13:14:00.004-05:00

i love halloween. i have for as long as i can remember. i mean, what's not to like about pretending to be someone else for a night?

this year's costume was inspired by the tv show mad men. i'm not dressing up as any character in particular, but just sort of feeding off of the mad men vibe.
today i did a practice hair/makeup session (good thing, since i discovered i desperately need to color my hair), soliciting opinions from someone who lived through the 60s (hi, mom!) in order to make myself as authentic-looking as possible.

i'm pretty pleased with the results.

i considered posting pictures, but i decided i'd rather have it be a surprise.
now i just need to remember my camera on saturday...

autumn: a photo essay.

2009-10-27T14:48:00.009-05:00

nummers.

2009-10-27T12:08:00.002-05:00

this, my friends, is what delicious looks like.

she fancies herself a domestic goddess.

2009-10-27T10:36:00.010-05:00

judging by my history, one might think i enjoy job hunting.
i've been at it for a month now and i'm growing weary.
not having income is sort of stressful.

i have been making good use of all of my free time, though.
i finished an afghan i've been working on for months...

... and repurposed some old pillowcases into cloth napkins.

we're doing a coffee sort of theme in the kitchen, so i created a coffee mug stamp and printed it on the corner of each napkin. (you can tell that's a coffee mug, right?)
i used acrylic paint with some textile medium. hopefully the stamp stays put through repeated washings...

i'm baking sticky buns (i was inspired by sara of streaks on the china) and they're starting to smell gorram fantastic, so i'm heading down to the kitchen to drool while they finish baking.
om nom nom.

why i heart the internets.

2009-10-26T22:55:00.002-05:00

i just spent over an hour copying and pasting posts from my old blog to this one because THERE IS NO EASIER WAY.
seriously.
i spent 2 hours prior to the copying/pasting trying to find some simple solution, to no avail.

why'd i switch?
i dunno. this one seems more streamlined, i guess.

in any case, i'll be blogging here from now on.
tired now. maybe an update tomorrow.
g'night, kids.

it seems she's really a midwestern girl.

2009-10-01T19:51:00.000-05:00

i've been back in MN for about 5 days, but somehow it feels as if i never left. except, you know, my friends bought houses and their kids got bigger. but other than that, things are pretty much just as i left them.
i take some comfort in that.

because of the relocation, i'm back on the job hunt. i've got an interview set up with an assisted living facility on monday morning. could be a fun gig and i imagine the hours will work with my school schedule.

cross your fingers for me, eh?

(really random) thoughts for thursday.

2009-09-10T14:51:00.000-05:00

i'm feeling the need to bake again - but my growing waistline is indicating that might not be the best idea. i'll just have to quell that urge for a couple of weeks . . . and then i'll whip up another batch of cupcakes for tiffany and sabrina's birthday party.

i finally got around to cleaning/oiling my sewing machine (thanks, mom!). this should have been done awhile ago, as my friend jennifer had placed an order - and the fabric had been sitting around (waiting to become a drawstring backpack) for over a week.

drawstring backpack.

(sorry for the crummy photo)

now that i've finished that project, i think i'm going to dive into a puzzle i've been meaning to work on for... oh... a few years.

puzzle.

actually i *did* finish this puzzle once - i even glued it together and was planning to frame it - but it ended up getting lost during one of my moves. sadness.
when i finish it this time, i'll be getting it up on the wall post haste.

earlier this week it felt like fall was in the air, but i see the forecast high for tomorrow is 91. indian summer? let's hope not. i'm ready for a little scarf action.

madwoman.

2009-09-06T19:43:00.000-05:00

it's official.
i am completely, utterly, hopelessly addicted to the show 'mad men.'

this is a perfect example of why i tend to stay away from television. when i find something i like, i don't just casually watch it - i obsess over it, and the rest of my life gets shoved to the back burner.

dirty clothes? what dirty clothes?
who needs a shower anyway?

this show is particularly dangerous to me, as it takes place in the 1960s, my favorite decade, the decade i'm certain i was meant to have been born into (i was misplaced in the 80s, you see. silly, confused storks...).

manhattan in the 60s. all that glamour plus a delicious undercurrent of radical social change.
i want to go to there. please.

create.

2009-08-23T20:25:00.000-05:00

i wear this necklace every day. the charm was designed by one of my best friends (hi, molly!) who told me "create" is the word she thinks of when she thinks of me.

i'm at my best when i'm making something. it doesn't matter if it's a greeting card, a handbag, a bookshelf or a pot of soup. when i'm engaging the creative parts of my brain, i feel clear-headed and absolutely content (at least until the glue gun decides not to cooperate or my bobbin thread runs out in the middle of my longest seam).
i enjoy every step of the creative process: thinking up a design/recipe/etc, creating it, and then watching people's reactions to the finished product.

apparently i need to remind myself that a creative heather is a happy heather.
i've been neglecting that part of myself since i've been back in portland - and i've been in a funk because of it.
today, fortunately, i recognized this blunder - and spent the afternoon making 3 dozen red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.

cupcake!

maybe it doesn't seem like much, but i feel certain that i've gotten myself 'back in the game' and i'll be creating things left and right from here on in...
...happy heather...

no pressure.

2009-08-17T22:40:00.000-05:00

sometimes blogging starts to feel like a chore. so i stop.
today i decided i'd like to start again. without pressuring myself to be superontop of it.

we'll see.

i made it back to portland. starbuck ran like a champ and kept me cool and comfortable for all 1800 miles of our journey (or as comfortable as one can be when crammed into a smallish car with nearly everything one owns).

i've been here for nearly a month and i'm feeling mostly settled. i've yet to pick up any real furniture ('cept for the sofa sleeper i inheirited from the former occupant of my room), so i'm still kind of living out of boxes - but i've got beautiful plans for a craft/sewing table (a door laid across sawhorses, maybe?) and shelves (i'm leaning towards cinder blocks and boards) for odds and ends and a curtain to cover the gaping expanse that is my closet . . . among other things. i'm ~~obsessively~~ attentively watching craigslist and freecycle for items i can score on the cheap (or free!). good for my wallet and my green-karma (keeping things out of the waste stream 4tw!).

school doesn't start until the end of september (this quarter system will take some getting used to), but two charming gentlemen (sam, 4 and ben, 1 1/2) have been keeping me relatively busy. i'm so enjoying working with children again and i'm looking forward to coming up with activities and projects to keep us busy when the weather gets cool and gray.

done.

2009-06-02T18:23:00.000-05:00

i need to get the frak out of this place.

i'm losing my patience with damn near everyone.

the end.

wonderment.

2009-05-29T16:51:00.000-05:00

i will never cease to be amazed at the human body's ability to heal itself.

this past monday i spent 11 hours working in the back yard, mainly ripping up sod and shoveling pea gravel. pretty labor-intensive stuff. by the end i was the picture of exhaustion and when i woke up on tuesday i could barely walk and absolutely could not bend over.

yesterday i got an IUD (wikipedia's crash course, for the uninitiated). i've heard horror stories about the pain these t-shaped lil buggers can cause, and yesterday i was definitely feeling the presence of my new "friend."

today - 4 days after landscaping the crap outta the yard and 1 day after having a chunk of plastic and metal shoved into my uterus - i'm feeling...
...perfectly normal.

how is that even possible? i literally felt like i needed a cane to move around on tuesday - and yesterday i was popping extra-strength tylenol like candy - but today i'm feeling great.

happy weekend!

whee!

2009-05-20T13:57:00.000-05:00

i need to take a moment to toot my horn:

i got a 4.0 this semster!

if that doesn't prove that i'm finally dedicated to this schooling stuff, i don't know what does. :)

oof-da.

2009-05-19T18:11:00.000-05:00

ok, seriously? there is no reason for it to be this hot outside in MAY (or ever, in my book). according to the weatherdude on the news, this is the hottest day we've had since july 2007.
what the hell?!

i started a new workout regime today (in addition to the hundred pushups program - i'm currently on week 3) and i'm feeling absolutely unequivocally spent.
i really want to try to get my arms (and the rest of me - but mostly my arms) into some sort of presentable form this summer, though, so i'm gonna keep plugging away until they either look nice or fall off.
let's cross our fingers for the former, eh?

exactly 2 months from today i will be in portland. i leave mn in 51 days. jason gets back in 2 weeks. i'm a college graduate (kind of).

i think i need to go to bed.

another one bites the dust.

2009-05-10T18:32:00.000-05:00

another busy weekend. got lots accomplished, though, and that's certainly a good feeling. the parents and i spent about 6 hours yesterday working in the yard. the gardens are looking awesome; i'm disappointed that i won't be around to really enjoy the vegetable booty.

i also picked up some fun new tools/supplies for crafting, including some carving tools (which i intend to use for stampmaking). a few months back i got a great book

Printing by Hand: A Modern Guide to Printing with Handmade Stamps, Stencils, and Silk Screens

Lena Corwin

and i've been wanting to try making my own stamps ever since. now i just need to decide on a medium...

in other news, i officially graduate from ihcc this week. i've already completed three of my four classes - i've got a final to take tomorrow and then i'm done. so far i'm on my way to a 4.0. i do so enjoy making a grand exit...
psu is on the quarter system - so i won't start until the end of september.

no classes for 4 1/2 months + working part time = lots of time for crafting and biking and reading for pleasure and hiking and all manner things that make me wildly happy

whee!

aren't weekends supposed to be relaxing?

2009-05-03T14:44:00.000-05:00

yowza.
my weekend has been packed full of activity. as a result, i'm exhausted. seems like these "days of rest" don't usually end up being very restful - particularly in the summer.

yesterday ma and i were out the door early and headed to the aurapalooza at the midtown global market. we had planned on spending a few hours there (at least hanging out until lunchtime, so we could enjoy some of the delicious food items available at the market), but the event was pretty lame. the tables were set up in such a way that we attendees were in a sort of perpetual gridlock; they'd given no thought to maintaining the flow of foot traffic. the display tables were poorly arranged and looked unprofessional. basically, it seemed more like a new-age garage sale than the mega-event the website had described.
ma and i were woefully underwhelmed and we were back in the car within about 20 minutes.

our next stop was the craftstravaganza, essentially a giant craft show in the fine arts building at the fairgrounds, sponsored by crafty planet, a great little craft store in ne mpls. while it wasn't quite as big as i had anticipated, i enjoyed my time there. i left with a brain full of inspiration and some super-cute fabrics.

the living green expo in the grandstand at the fairgrounds was today's activity. we got there pretty early and made our way over to our friend tara's booth (barefoot books), tooled around the rest of the expo for a couple of hours, ate some lunch in the sunshine, and took in a couple of hour-long seminars (one on rain gardens and one on composting). good friends, good food, good info - and perfect weather. by about 3pm, though, we were both getting sleepy, so we headed back home to nap...
...and by nap i mean do everything *but* nap. for whatever reason, intentional napping is an art i've never really mastered. i only nod off at inopportune times. it's a curse, really, because i really enjoy afternoon naps - and after the weekend i've had, i could use one.

and now that it's nearly may...

2009-04-30T18:13:00.000-05:00

nearly 1/4 of 2009 has gone by since i last wrote.
i've thought about writing. many times, even. i just never really got around to it.
in my defense, i've been busy with school and whatnot, but now that that's winding down (two finals to go and then i'm done til september!), i am pledging to be more consistent with my blogging.

yup.

i've been helping MA with quite a bit of gardening in the past few weeks. it's so rare that we actually get a "spring" in minnesota that i've felt compelled to take advantage of every temperate day.
i've also been biking quite a bit. this makes me long for portland, the land of 10,000 bicycles.

so.
how about those new year's intentions?

- much as i'd like to be working on craft projects every day, a not-so-steady income and a recent $900 payment to the IRS have left me with little discretionary income. i've been crafting with what i've got, but most of my recent inspirations have been relegated to the "idea book."

- as for intentions 2-5, i give myself a b+. i've been working hard at being more self-aware and really considering the impact i'm having on both the people around me and the environment. as a result, i'm happier than i ever have been.

- i did read some books on personal finance. and i do feel like i have a grasp on what i'll do when i have money to save . . . it just might be a year or 5 before that happens. don't worry, i've accepted that i won't get to retire until i'm 80. :)

so i guess, overall, i've followed through pretty well.
*pats self on back*

for now, though, i'm tired and desiring a bath (not so eco-conscious, but a girl needs a few luxuries!).

day 10.

2009-01-10T15:49:00.000-06:00

already 10 days into 2009.
oh how the time flies...

so far i feel like i'm doing pretty well with the "intentions."
i had the craft itch somethin' fierce today, so i focused on intention #1 (devote more time to craft projects) and got started on a few projects and completed two others.

bicycle card

i love making custom greeting cards. this one will be a birthday card - but i'm not going to say for whom (in case the birthday person reads this before the card is received).

the other project i finished was this bulletin board (sorry for the blurry photo)

poppy bulletin board

the board itself i've actually had completed for awhile - today's task was the fabric-covered button-tacks. eventually it'll get a string of rick-rack so it can actually hang from the wall.

intention #6 (learning more about personal finance) has become almost an obsession. i've already read two books on the subject and have two left. i'm finding it really interesting, to be honest (don't worry. i'm not going to change my major again.).

in other news...

i've had a couple of interviews in the past week - and i've got another scheduled for tuesday afternoon. let's hope somebody decides to hire me soon or i'm gonna have to start selling my organs on the black market.
healthy kidney, anyone...?

spring semester starts on monday. i'm taking 8 credits, 7 of which are online. just gotta get thru this semester and then...
...DUN DA DA DA!...
i graduate!
and move back to portland to work on the bachelor's degree.

i'm running the freeze yer gizzard blizzard 10k next saturday. i haven't been outside of the twin cities in many moons, so i'm looking forward to the road trip - and to the run. let's all cross our fingers for "warm" weather, eh? ;)

new year's "intentions."

2009-01-01T17:08:00.000-06:00

i've always been a big fan of new year's resolutions, but i never really liked the term "resolution." i was reading a blog the other day and the author mentioned her new year's "intentions." i like that much better.
that said, these are some of the things i intend to do in 2009:

1) devote more time to craft projects

yay crafts!

the other day i made these new wall hangings to go over my bed. i've been doing lots of little sewing and art projects - i'm even trying to learn how to tat!

2) ground every morning

staying centered

my grounding ritual isn't extensive - just a calmly seated pose and a few deep, thoughtful breaths - but i find it helps me immensely. my state of mind stays more balanced and even.

3) eat locally and organic as often as possible

for your health!

this is something that's been important to me for a long time but that i've been less than diligent about. yeah, it's tough to eat locally in MN in the winter - fresh produce would be rather difficult to come by - but i'm going to put some real effort into it. i want to know where my food has come from and what happened to it along the way. eating local and organic is better for your own, personal health and for the health of the planet.

4) be more socially conscious

enact change

we've turned a major page (in so many ways) by electing barack obama as the next president of the united states. his campaign (or, the term i prefer, "movement") drew the attention of an enormous amount of previously apathetic individuals (myself included). he's gotten people interested in the issues that are important to society as a whole. change is coming and i want to be a part of it.

5) reduce and resue in addition to recycling - and encourage others to follow suit

focus on the other two "r's", too.

don't get me wrong, i'm glad recycling has become natural to most people. but i think the other two r's don't get enough attention. reuseable shopping bags are all the rage and i'm thrilled about that. but there are so many other ways to reduce and reuse. i've been using my old/junk mail as scratch paper (it's great for phone messages and the grocery list). only after *both* sides have been used do i put it in the recycling bin. i keep some old socks in the trunk of my car to use when i check my oil dipstick. these are easy things to do.
take a few minutes. sit down and think about simple ways you can reduce your consumption and reuse what you already have. every little bit makes a difference.

6) learn more about personal finance

$$$

i don't really feel like i'm alone in saying that i am totally clueless when in comes to personal finance. now that we're in the midst of a global financial crisis (and i'm quickly approaching 30), i think it's the perfect time to become better informed (apparently a lot of people are feeling this way. most of the popular personal finance books in the dakota county library system have multiple standing requests.).
for the past year, i've been doing a really good job digging myself out of debt. once i'm free of all that credit debt and i get into a "real" job, i want to know what i should be doing in order to have a secure future. no time to learn like the present, eh?

...so, what are *your* intentions for the new year?...

save handmade toys!

2008-12-18T14:27:00.000-06:00

in case you haven't heard about it, the consumer products safety improvement act, while supposedly having the best interest of consumers (and, more importantly, their children) in mind, is (at best) ill-conceived. It will, in effect, put small and independent business that make and sell goods for children out of business since they'll be unable to afford the thousands of dollars to get each product they sell tested by a third-party lab - just to prove that toys that never had a single toxic chemical in them still don't have a single toxic chemical in them.

and the big, overseas toy companies - the ones who've been (albeit unintentionally) poisoning children? they'll have no trouble footing the bill - and, therefore, they'll remain in business.

so read up.
if this bothers you as much as it bothers me, please take 5 minutes and send a message to your senator and/or congressperson. if you click the button (above) it'll take you to a fantastic website that has links for you to find out who to contact and a sample letter all ready for you. all you have to do is click, copy, and paste to show your support.

handmade for the holidays. (and every day!)

2008-12-13T12:29:00.000-06:00

i believe buying handmade gifts (or making your own!) is probably the greatest idea ever.
i mean, let's think about it:

what means more to you?

- a scarf crocheted specifically for you
OR
- an old navy gift card

- a hand-beaded necklace in your favorite colors
OR
- a new dvd

you get the picture. there's joy on both the giving end and the receiving end.

so the next time you're trying to find the perfect gift for someone special, consider checking out sites like etsy or indie fixx that support independent designers, artists, and crafters (as opposed to mega-conglomo-corporations).

c'mon get happy.

2008-09-09T19:22:00.000-05:00

as today was a less-than-stellar day, i'm going to end it by writing about things that make me happy.

..watching myles (who will be a year old on the 26th) carefully inspect his wooden toy trucks..
..the fact that i'm finally losing weight..
..being under the covers when the air around me is cool..
..cracking my neck and/or back..
..watching ghost hunters and eating popcorn on wednesday nights..
..feeling like i've got my life on the right track - finally..

i encourage you to do a similar exercise when your day doesn't go exactly how you want it to. sort of in the same vein as "don't go to bed angry", don't go to bed troubled by the events of the day. think about some happy things and remember that tomorrow is an opportunity to start anew.

(end homily)

loving the late start.

2008-09-08T07:42:00.000-05:00

i don't have to be in to work today until 10am.
i got to sleep in (i woke up without an alarm!), have a leisurely shower and breakfast, and now i still have 20 minutes to kill before i need to hit the road.
what a wonderful way to start off the work-week!

i've been seriously digging the autumn-like weather we've been having the past week or so. i find it highly amusing that the weather changed over labor day weekend - as if mother nature understood that that was the traditionally accepted "end of summer" weekend.
few things please me more than pulling out my fall/winter clothes. i found myself actually embracing my jackets, sweatshirts, and sweaters as i readied them for the onset of cooler weather.
BRING ON THE CHILL!

i don't know if anyone noticed, but over the past several months i'd put on quite a bit of weight - for no easily identifiable reason. i hadn't really changed my eating or exercise habits too dramatically - in fact i think i'd been working out *more* than usual.
a couple of weeks ago i got fed up and decided to implement several different strategies, hoping one (or all) would help me get rid of the 20+ pounds i'd packed on.

strategy one:
new exercise strategies.
i read a few articles and part of a book (the rest was rather boring) and determined that, based on my natural body shape, running is just about the worst thing i can do. fast walking is good. short burst of running are acceptable. jumping rope is ideal.
yes, that's right, jumping rope.
also, i needed to modify the way i lift weights - namely keeping my reps high and my weights low.

strategy two:
eliminate supplements.
while i'm not certain this will help, i have a sneaking suspicion that one (or more) of my myraid supplements might be part of the problem. so, i've stopped taking my ashwagandha, omega-3 fish oil, and eveing primrose oil. those are the three supplements that i'd added most recently (within the past year), so they're the most likely suspects.

strategy three:
tapping.
in my wellness group, we've often discussed the merits of EFT - the emotional freedom technique. if you have time, please read through the information on their website. if you have any questions, please ask me - as i think this is a very beneficial technique.
anywho, i've started trying to "tap the fat away." even if it doesn't end up working, i'm certainly not doing any harm - and i'm only spending about 3 minutes/day on it, so why not, right?

ok. i've gotta scoot to work now. happy monday!!

new and improved.

2008-08-17T15:45:00.000-05:00

i decided to jazz up my hair a little bit...

Red!

it was the first time i'd undertaken a major haircolor operation without molly's supervision. fortunately, i'm pleased with the results.
i've promised bennett and nolan that i'll do orange for halloween, so be prepared for updates.

school starts in a little over a week.
i found a binder made of 100% recycled materials (at office max, of all places) and i think i may actually be more excited about that than anything else.

jason and i are going to winona next saturday.
i haven't been down there in over a year and i'm rather looking forward to seeing some old friends...
...and also cheap drinks. :)

cheers!

she's baaack.

2008-07-21T16:45:00.000-05:00

as i mentioned before...
...not so good with the consistency thing.

updates:

.the marathon (or at least me running it) is no more. i was having issues with my feet and with boredom (and the dew point).
i think, perhaps, a triathalon will be a better fit for me. more variety.
but we'll wait a year or two to figure that out.

.i'm now a nanny. for about 45 hours every week i hang out with bennett, nolan, and myles.

the boys

this isn't a great photo of them (as myles looks chubby, which he's not, and nolan's face is all mangled from falling off the diving board), but, thus far, it's the only one i have with all three of them in it...

.school starts in just over a month. i'm pretty sure i officially qualify as a 'non-trad' now, and i'm finding that highly amusing.
also, i got my hair cut on saturday. while the stylist and i were chatting, we realized we're taking a class together on tuesday nights. random, but it'll be nice to see a somewhat familiar face.

.i (finally) bought a bicycle! no photos to share yet, but i'm thrilled that i don't have to keep using my brother's bike.

i really do have good intentions as far as keeping up with this blog is concerned.
keep me on my toes, eh kids?

frack humidity.

2008-06-08T12:10:00.000-05:00

dew points in the 60s are not conducive to pleasant running.
i pretty much thought i was going to die after my 6-miler this weekend.

since it's doubtful that the humidity is going to go down during the course of the summer (this is why we all love MN, right?), i've decided i'll just do my long runs in the middle of the night.
seriously.
i'll wake up at 3am or so, go for my run, shower, and go back to bed.
at least until the dew points start dropping (maybe in september?).

marathon training: week one.

2008-06-05T10:21:00.000-05:00

in case you haven't been made aware of it already, i'm training for the twin cities marathon.

i've decided i'm going to try to track my progress on here.
cuz, you know, i'm sure it'll be super-stimulating for you non-runners...

in any case, i officially started training this week.
today is day 4.
i'm following hal higdon's novice marathon training program.
week one consists of 3 mile runs tuesday, wednesday, and thursday and a long run of 6 miles on saturday.

prior to this, i'd been doing 3 mile runs on tuesdays and thursdays and longish runs on saturdays (5-6 miles).
you'd think adding just one more 3-miler wouldn't be that big of a deal.
well, it has been.
yesterday i was hobbling around with seriously stiff legs and sore knees.

to be fair, though, i feel there are a few factors contributing to my discomfort:

a) i desperately need new running shoes. i haven't been able to afford them yet. i'm hoping i'll have a couple new pairs by mid-june.

b) for the week+ i was in alaska, i barely ate. and i only ran once. so not only did my training get off track, my energy stores got pretty depleted.
since i've been back in MN, i've been trying my hardest to consume as many high-quality carbohydrates as possible. it's not fun (i'm not a big carb fan), but i know it's a necessary component of my training.
blech.

c) my body is used to getting a recovery day between runs. yeah, 3 miles isn't much to "recover" from, but it makes a difference. a couple of weeks from now i'm sure i'll be accustomed to it. for now, though, owch.

overall, i'm really excited to embark on what will undoubtedly be quite a journey.
i need to prove to myself that i can committ to something.
hopefully you'll be willing to stick with me through the blisters and the lost toenails and occasionally give me some words of encouragement...

...and a massage. a massage would be great.

also.

2008-06-02T18:52:00.000-05:00

yes, the rumors are true. i'm back in MN.

no, robin and i aren't quarreling.

yes, i'm happy to be here.

no, i don't really feel like talking about why i'm back.

that is all. :)

the mary tyler moore folks had it right...

2008-06-02T18:47:00.000-05:00

..my new theme song.

who can turn the world on with her smile?
who can take a nothing day, and suddenly make it all seem worthwhile?
well it's you girl, and you should know it.
with each glance and every little movement you show it.

love is all around, no need to waste it.
you can have a town, why don't you take it?
you're gonna make it after all.
you're gonna make it after all.

how will you make it on your own?
this world is awfully big, girl, this time you're all alone.
but it's time you started living.
it's time you let someone else do some giving.

love is all around, no need to waste it.
you can have a town, why don't you take it?
you're gonna make it after all.
you're gonna make it after all.

(-paul williams)

appetizer.

2008-05-22T13:01:00.000-05:00

as i'm sitting in the airport here in anchorage (waiting for my flight to fairbanks), i decided i'd give ya'll a little taste of the last frontier.

the following photos were taken from the plane...

near whitehorse (yukon territories)

more mountains.

quirks.

2008-05-09T20:41:00.000-05:00

it's an awful tendency i have...

i get really interested in something and go hog wild with it for a certain amount of time.
and then i stop.
very suddenly.

such is the case with my blog.

the biggest update:
i'm moving to alaska for the summer...
...and i leave in less than two weeks.
therefore, i won't have much time to blog between now and then (lots to do!).

however.

i hope to have oodles of adventures (and photos) to share while i'm up there.

...just don't hold your breath.

hoping for a window.

2008-03-13T15:33:00.000-05:00

it's been an interesting couple of weeks here in stew-land.

two weeks ago (so... february 28) i started feeling like i was getting the flu.
i spent the weekend with a 102+ degree fever.
on monday, it was determined that i'd probably started with the flu and ended up with a sinus infection and mild case of pneumonia.
through the wonders of antibiotics (thank goodness some of them are still effective), i was feeling pretty ok by last friday (march 7).

monday (march 10) i went back to work.
at about 10am my boss asked me into his office...
...and proceeded to "let me go."
it seems they wanted someone willing to "provide more of a committment to the company."
now, this is the same guy who told me the week before "go ahead and stay home for the rest of the week - i don't want you to push yourself too hard."
and why in the world did they wait until 10am (i'd been at work since 8am) to tell me i was gettin' the boot?

wtf, mate?!

truth be told, i wasn't super-crazy about the job anyway, so, though this is a setback, i think it'll work out for the best.
i've already got two interviews set up.
i don't want to jinx anything, so that's all i'm gonna say for now.
feel free to wish me good luck, though. ;)

yowza.

2008-03-09T20:20:00.000-05:00

now that i'm finally alive again...

here is a picture of my new ride.

subie!

and here is my latest crafty endeavor.

bulletin board

complete with fabric-covered tacks!

tacks

more to come...

a new path.

2008-02-24T20:05:00.000-06:00

today was one of those gloomy days.
not the weather - no, the weather was beautiful.
it was my mood that was gray and dreary.

and mainly, it had to do with my debt.
...the enormous mountain of debt that i can't seem to escape.
as i was sitting in the bath tonight, i realized that that's what i've been running from all these years.
i've been desperately trying to flee my loans and credit cards and, in the process, have only exaccerbated the problem.
it's reached the point where i feel completely out of control.
the debt is running my life. dictating what i need to do next. and i hate it.

so.
in order to whittle it down, i've made a very difficult decision:

i'm going to continue to live with my parents.
i'm putting my apartment plans on hold ... indefinitely.

i need to do this.
it won't be easy.
but the next time i move, it's going to be because i truly want to - not because i'm hell-bent on evasion.

in two hours, i will officially be 27 years old.
27 and living with my parents.
and i'm gonna be ok with that.

wondershears.

2008-02-22T21:00:00.000-06:00

today i decided my bangs were getting too long.
i also decided it's silly to pay someone to trim them.
i mean, c'mon, how hard can it be?

i know what you're thinking right now.
oh, boy.
i bet she botched those suckers up BAD.

well, ha! i didn't!
i'm actually quite pleased with how they turned out.
so, without further ado...

bangs

(sorry for the scary no-makeup look, but i neglected to take a photo til after i'd washed my face.)

not bad for a girl working with a pair of orange-handled fiskars, eh? ;)

the one where heather goes on and on about her neti pot.

2008-02-16T16:31:00.000-06:00

oh, neti pot.
how i love thee.

(in case you are unfamiliar, our trusty friend wikipedia offers an overview.)

when my mom first began singing the neti praises i thought she was nuts.
"you want me to stick a tiny teapot nozzle up my nose and pour water in there? and then watch it come out the other nostril? gross!"
but the more i thought about it, the better it sounded.

think about all the gunk you inhale during the day: smoke, car exhaust, a whole host of allergens, etc...
revolting, eh?
but send that warm saline solution through your sinuses and it all gets swept away.

the proof is in the pudding (mucus?), right?
well, get this:
i haven't had a cold this winter.
not one.

sure, my good health could be attributed to numerous factors, but i firmly believe sir neti plays a vital role.

and for a girl who hasn't had health insurance since 2004, i'll take help where e'er i can.
(i shudder when i think back to the "honk and hork" 6-week sinus infection of 2005. pre-neti life is terrifying.)

a running missive.

2008-02-16T09:30:00.000-06:00

most days i really enjoy running.
i look forward to lacing up my shoes and spending some time in the great outdoors (if you consider the sidewalks of the grove 'the great outdoors'...).
other days it takes every bit of motivation i can muster to get myself out the door.

today was of the latter variety.

i got up at 8:30, feeling lazy and sluggish and the thought of running 4 miles made me want to curl back up in bed. consequently, it took me until nearly 10 o'clock to convince myself to go.
but, as is always the case, i got about 1/2 mile in and i wondered why i had been dreading it so.
in fact, it ended up being one of my best runs in awhile (in part because the city finally got around to plowing the sidewalks).

4 miles and 20 minutes of yoga later, i'm energized and clear-headed - rather than grumpy and lethargic like i would have been had i given into my earlier lack of energy.

so three cheers for running (and sunshine, for that matter - i'm enjoying the hell outta that)!

what a yarn.

2008-02-15T11:54:00.000-06:00

(note: please excuse the self-portraits!)

i decided i wasn't too pleased with the neckie i made awhile back.
it was too large. sort of cumbersome. and definitely not as cute as i'd intended it to be.
so, i gave black neckie a new life as black shrug...

black shrug

and created green neckie...

green neckie

whose size and shape are more to my liking.i'm not sure how much use black shrug will get, as i feel it emphasizes the width of my already-too-broad shoulders and/or makes me look a bit like an evil queen.
but who knows, maybe i'll dig being an evil queen.
if i start offering you shiny, red apples you damn well better RUN, foo.

i know, i know, only boring people get bored...

2008-02-15T10:27:00.000-06:00

...but the boredom is creeping in.

with the exception of a few days of helping at ma stew's daycare, i have not had a "workday" since january 3.
that is a LOT of free time.

the first several days i was still in portland and had lots of packing and cleaning (and crying) to do.
i kept myself relatively busy.

when i got back to MN on january 8, things were still hoppin'.
lots of people to visit and some unpacking to do - and the really fun part:

applying for jobs!
-that got old rather quickly (refer here).

i spent many hours doing data entry for robin's website (currently under construction, but check back for updates!).
-but now i've done pretty much all i can there...

i've cleaned my bathroom, done countless dishes, run dozens of miles, and spent my few remaining pennies on thrift-store clothes...

now what?

on the up and up, though, i've become a sudoku master, read several delicious books, pored over numerous design blogs (my new digs'll be dazzling!) and found creative inspiration.
now i just need some income.

and speaking of income...
for those of you who are at all familiar with my "5" obsession, you will understand how thrilled i am to be turning a new page in my life
(which is really what this feels like. it isn't just "a new job." but more on that some other time when i get the details better sorted)
on the 25th of the month.
not only that, it's the *best* 25th.
it's my birthday.
and how appropriate is that?

the wait is finally over!

2008-02-08T09:27:00.000-06:00

i've just accepted a position as a dispatcher with a printer/copier sales and service company!!

it's exactly what i'd been hoping i'd find:

-a relatively small (but growing) company
-great pay and benefits
-located in minneapolis (yeah, the commute will be a bugger while i'm still in inver grove, but once i'm in uptown, it'll be marvelous!)

i can't think of a better way to start off the weekend!
(well, winning the lottery would probably rank higher, but this is pretty damn great!)

ok.
that is all. :)

for hire.

2008-01-22T20:02:00.000-06:00

i'm growing quite weary of this whole job search thing.
it's quite frustrating.
and it hasn't even been 3 weeks...

BUT!
i'm staying positive.
it just means the job i'm destined to have isn't quite ready for me yet.
...right?

also, on a totally unrelated note:
why can't the city of inver grove heights plow the damn sidewalks?!
i nearly busted my ankle on hidden chunks of ice/snow while out running this evening.

kthx.

ten interesting things about me.

2008-01-19T17:41:00.000-06:00

1. i cross my big toes over my second toes either a) when i need comfort or b) when i'm feeling comfortable.
so, yeah, most of the time.
i find it's more socially acceptable than carrying my blankie around with me.

2. in the past six years, i haven't lived in any one place longer than 10 ten months. last year i moved across the country twice in 7 months.

3. i regularly eat air-popped popcorn for dinner.

4. i met my best friend, robin, on the internet. yay hotornot.com !

5. i somewhat accidently stumbled into a scotch tasting last year and have since become hooked on the stuff. my favorite? compass box's "asyla." mmmm....

6. i'm a vegetarian (just for you, brian!) - and, on a related note, i refuse to kill bugs.
even if they are big and scary and they're in my house.
i try to trap them and then set them free outside.
which, yes, may prove to be a death sentence, but i can't be the one who actually, physically kills them.

7. i hate touching anything the texture of chalk.
so, chalk (duh.), terra cotta pots, conversation hearts (or any related candy), etc.
if forced to touch said objects, i've been known to make very strange noises and, on occasion, vomit.

8. i used to weigh 70 lbs more than i do right now.

9. i have seen every episode of both LOST and grey's anatomy.

10. my favorite constellation is the pleiades.

Pleiades

as it turns out, i have a pattern of moles on my right arm that look remarkably like the stars (if you do a bit of rotating)

Pleiades freckles

things that make me happy. this week.

2008-01-17T13:28:00.000-06:00

..hot cocoa with a splash of vanilla vodka..

..new fuzzy sweatpants..

..warm toes..

..running in snowy, 10 degree weather..

..fishnet stockings..

..reminders of how small the world really is..

..my newly-made neckie (like a scarf only way cooler)..

neckie