Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Obsession... Oh My!

I used to be obsessed.  I mean, knock-down drag out in love.  You know how some girls are all "Team Edward!" "Team Jacob!" "Team Anything Hot and Popular!!!"  Yeah, well, when I was 10 I was like "Team I Freaking Love Books!" and "Team What Is Twilight?" and "Team I Love The Wizard of Oz!"

Yep, the Wizard of Oz.  I was into guys made of metal before Iron Man made them cool.  I liked green people before the Hulk made them awesome.  I liked people without brains before Bella made them... oh wait, no, she didn't really give anything a good name.  Anyways, while other kids shuddered at the sight of a flying monkey I was like "ermergerd rubyr slerperrrs!"  And not because I was particularly fond of shoes.

I had this calendar with pictures from the movie and my mom and I cut it up and laminated it and then hung them all over my room and painted the walls and furniture to match.  I had a Glinda bank, a Wizard of Oz clock, and Oz themed fabric.  I collected all the books and movies.  Wait - books and movies?  Plural?  Oh yeah - it didn't stop with The Wizard of Oz.  You've got Ozma of Oz, Rinkitink in Oz, The Road to Oz and a whole host of others.  Plus the books other authors wrote when L. Frank Baum died - including some by his illustrator and also his son.

I like to think I've gotten out of the Oz obsession phase and have moved on to other things like Harry Potter and Doctor Who.  But I admit I still like it.  In fact, just naming off some of those old books really makes me want to re-read them.  However, perhaps the reason I know the phase is over is because I found The Wizard of Oz shoved under my bed a few days ago and it looked so sad and lonely I just couldn't bear to shove it back under... so I cut it up and made it into some cards.








Okay, I left you guys some room to gasp and freak out for a moment.  I promise you I love books.  And I promise I still love the Wizard of Oz.  But I hate books that just sit under my bed so lonely.  Plus, it's not like it was my only copy!  And, I also figured some of the pages would feel much more loved when they were in the hands of a soldier overseas.  I used the pages to decorate the front of AnyHero Mail, that is, letters of encouragement for our American hero's.  The cards will then be donated to Operation Write Home which will mail them to hero's who don't get much mail.

Wizard of Oz brown

Wizard of Oz pink
 
Wizard of Oz red
 
This card-making technique is so easy and... I don't know, I guess I just love books even if they are cut up into pieces.  I'm sort of hooked and can't stop making them!  I think half of my motivation to write letters is just to make these cards at this point.  Seriously, I freaking love making these cards!  And the quotes are sometimes so perfect and... shoot.

I'm obsessed.

Again.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Whew!

I think the title describes it all.  Whew is right!  It's been a crazy semester at college.  I don't ever actually remember breathing, but I must have since I'm still here.  I don't think I remember sleeping either.  Maybe I did.  I definitely ate though - some of my best friendships were formed through food.  That is, if bacon can even be classified as simply a food... I'm thinking it deserves a title closer to Life-Giving-Substance-That-Tastes-Like-Heaven-In-A-Frying-Pan.  So yes, I definitely remember eating bacon.  And baking cookies.  And making crepes.  Not sure about the vegetables though... I think I probably ate them at some point.  Hm.

So, yeah, a crazy semester in which breathing, sleeping, and eating healthy was forsaken!  But, really, what else are college memories made of?  I certainly did homework somewhere in there and did amazing in all my classes (that's not bragging if the grades back me up haha), but I won't be telling my kids about that great afternoon I spent working on an English paper.  Although I might tell them about the time I spent an hour in a "study group" for history which deteriorated to making voices like Yoda and Tinkerbell.  Yeah, I think they might enjoy that one... especially if I include the sound effects.

You know what else I didn't do a lot of in college?  Crafting.  Seriously, I've missed my ATG tape gun.  A lot.  That's probably something really weird for a college kid to miss... I mean, imagine the conversations that could take place:
RANDOM ADULT FRIEND OF PARENTS: So what do you like best about being home?
ME: ...I get to use my tape gun?
ADULT: I think the stress got to her.
But, in all seriousness, I really have enjoyed crafting again.  And taking some time to write letters!  I'm still making cards to donate to Operation Write Home, and I'm still writing letters to heroes to send to OWH.  I wrote a bunch through my year at college and now it's time to mail them off.  I probably should have done that more regularly throughout the school year but... well, like I said, breathing, sleeping, healthy eating wasn't happening, let alone mailing off packages.

To start the summer crafting marathon off right, I've posted a picture of one of the cards I made recently!  Rather simple design, which I like, and the teal blue color is one of my most absolute favorites in the world.  I mean, if I had to choose a favorite color that would probably be it.  But I'd feel bad for all the pretty colors I left out.

Anyways - I can't promise to post here regularly throughout the summer.  Promises, promises... easily made, not so easily kept.  But, I am in a writing and a crafting mood, so I figure posting may kill two birds with one stone (although I really don't advocate killing birds and my aim is so bad I would probably end up hitting some rabid animal hiding in the bush which would come out to chase me.  Oh, and I don't run, so I guess I'm doomed.  Yeah, let's stay away from killing birds with stones.  The consequences could be terrible.)

So - happy summer, happy crafting, happy eating-sleeping-breathing on a semi-regular basis!

teal and yellow origami flower