Hear Me Roar

No "Twisted Tuesday" post today. I am going to rant and rave about being frustrated and under appreciated instead. Feel free to skip along to the next blog in your que should you want to avoid the whining. There. You have been warned.

The image above has abso-stinkin'-lutely nothing to do with this post. I thought it's purpose and the soft calming colors might sooth my nerves a bit though. So, think of it as just a bit of visual therapy. My Mom requested I crochet her a sweater like mine for Mother's Day. It won't be a surprise, she even picked the color, and it is going to be a mad dash to finish it by next weekend.

Anywho... I really must have woken up on the wrong side of bed today. Oh how I wish I had the option to go back to bed and try waking up again. It really started yesterday with nothing going the way I had set in my head that it would. Things that I thought would be worked on, weren't. Call that I thought I would make didn't get to be dialed. Practices lasted longer than usual, so dinner wasn't eaten together. I forgot to return a movie, so I was in the grocery store late making sure I didn't have to pay an extra 99 cents. But ya know, it wasn't so bad, I adapted. It is what I do. Life happens and move on. There is always the next day to get things done.

Now it is the next day and already, I know what I want to have happen today isn't going to happen! Grrrr... and no one in this house seems to understand that I have *stuff* going on too. The kids are taking New York State tests today, so I woke up at the crack of dawn to make them a special big breakfast... what did I end up with? Half a slice of cold bacon and a sink over flowing with dishes. It was also mentioned how someone has had the same white tee-shirt on for about 7 days because he doesn't want to go in the basement and get a clean on out of the dryer. And apparently, Mom, there are no matching socks in the house.... and can I get over to an estate sale to buy a Weber grill for friend at work... and, Mom, where is my winter coat (because OH yeah, it is snowing)... and, Mom, can you wash my game shorts and jersey... and... and... and... and... It is enough to make my head explode! Plus, four people took showers so all I have now is cold water for my shower!! Let's not even mention the current state of cleanliness in the house either. We wouldn't want to rile "Carrie" up too. (This after we had a Job Jar Day last week!)

Okay... deep breath... look at soothing image... relax and adapt. I had my rant now it is time to move on. Dishes are in the dishwasher, laundry is sorted and ready for folding, everyone has cleared out of the house and it is quiet, blog is written, and I can get a shower in a half hour when the water is warm again. The day will turn around.

And... as my Dad says "at least I am not a rock at the bottom of a lake." Oh you haven't heard that one before? Yep, it is what my Dad says about life. You could be a rock at the bottom of a lake that waits a hundred years to wash up to shore. Then once at the shore, you could have the biggest highlight of your life be that a kid picks you up. As the kid tosses you in his hand, you hope and you pray that he is good at skipping rocks... but then, you find he isn't... and you are right back at the bottom of the lake.

Color Causing Crap

Slowing but surely over the past several days, I have felt the start of a funk moving in. I know exactly what the problem is too. It's color. You know me and color... it is an epic love-hate relationship. I adore color... color is my favorite... I could drink it for breakfast... it just makes me so happy, except when it doesn't work the way I have in mind.

I have two very specific color combos on the brain right now. I have hit a brick wall with both of them.

First up is what I am going to call the "Purple Passion" combination. Purple is one of my favorite colors and I feel like I have been neglecting it lately. Fall is at our doorsteps and what better way to usher in this new cooler season then with a rich and regal royal purple. I envision royal purple with a deep amethyst and I want those accented with RED... and FUCHSIA! I can see it all so clearly in my head. It is so pretty. But after 2 1/2 hours of torching on Monday with those exact colors, I had all of four crap beads. Grr.

Next up it is the "Retro Combo" that is causing me issue. I am seeing in my mind's eye a true turquoise with persimmon-y red and deep chocolate brown. I want big loopy florals and swirls of swirlie-ness. (I am even working on piecing a quilt together with these colors... photos coming soon.) But dang heck.... another 2 hours of torching and I have like 6 beads this time around. The florals aren't floral enough... the swirls not swirly... and the whole thing is lookin' really western for some cotton pickin' reason.

I am trying to combat my color frustration with new glass. I found a CiM color called Sangre that is supposed to be the most lipstick perfect red glass around. I decided to grab a few rods of a few other CiM colors too while I was at it and I have my fingers crossed that when it arrives, I won't waste as much as I have wasted in the past two days of other colors. (I mean, I literally have about 20 beads, cracked and trashed on my desk for one reason or another... that is a lot of glass.)

With further dissection of the impending funk... I think I have too much going on at the moment so I am finding it difficult to focus on one thing. I met last week's deadline but have another looming come October 1st, I have behind the things stuff that I can't talk about (this may be the only thing keeping a full blown funk at bay, I can't wait to tell you about it), I have house projects, kids' stuff, and then these few precious hours to work with crappy fruitless efforts. It is enough to make any artist belly up with a pint of Ben & Jerry's Chubby Hubby and just down it all!

I don't know. Maybe this mini rant/temper tantrum will clear my mind. I'll sit down, make a list and prioritize. I'll decide what is a must get done and what is a mustn't. And if all else fails, I'll take a deep breathe and fall back on my old color stand by.... "When in doubt, pull all the colors out".