Friday... A Regular Post?

I stalk blogs. I just do. I want to be a better blogger and so I stalk people who blog to see what they do that I might be able to do something similar. But in my own way because I don't think it would be nice to blatantly copy someone, unless it's a really really good idea.

So, maybe, just maybe I might start doing a weekly tip post on Fridays. Maybe.

We're gonna give it a try okay?

I have a hobby of sorts. It spawns from the same motivation that David Bach gives in his book, "Smart Women Finish Rich". Every woman has a right to be educated about finances. That way if she never gets married, or is somehow left single later in life, she does not flounder financially. She knows what's what, how to manage money, what a retirement account is, how to make investments, and how to calculate things like mortgages and how much to save.

My little tidbit for today? Well, a lot of financial advice things that I've seen in the past say that you should try to be saving at least 10% of your income in some sort of retirement fund. However, for women, you should be saving 12-15% of your income. Why?

Because, on average women live longer than men by 5 years. So if as a woman, you are saving 10%, for the last five of years of your life, what are you living on? Not much, that's for sure.

So, how do we go about saving this money? Well, we can get into that over the next few weeks, I guess. Rally, women! We can be financially educated!

The Yarn Haven

Y'know, the best part of my week? It's not walking into the Kindergarten classroom to be greeted by 2 Captain Americas, Snow White, a ballerina, Sleeping Beauty, a pirate, and a Civil War soldier. It's not preschoolers showing my 'magic tricks'. Although those are some great things that happen.

Nope, it's going to Knit Night at the Yarn Haven, and just enjoying the ladies while we all knit away.

Oh, the Possibilities

Now that I'm finally settled in my new place, I have things unpacked, and ready to go. The sewing machine is out and waiting. The knitting basket is in it's rightful place next to the couch. And the stashes are tucked neatly away in the closets.

I cannot wait to get sewing! I've been wanting to learn to make some quilts, which is a pretty big deal. If you're from my childhood neighborhood, you know what a high standard was set by the likes of Linda Hansen. One day, perhaps in my dreams, I will be near her level of artistry.

I've got a pretty decent amount of fabric ready to go. I also have a book with some simple quilt patterns on it. But the quilting thing that I am most excited about is the Jimmy Beans Wool "Mystery Sew Red Sew Along" found on their blog. They're doing it as a campaign to raise awareness for heart disease, thus the red colored theme. (You'll have to scroll a bit to get to the post... sorry for that.)

Now, yes I am aware that Jimmy Beans Wool is a yarn shop. But they've recently started carrying fabrics and are all sorts of excited about fabric[y things such as quilting. They've already posted the first block, and it's simple enough for me to get. Although they've said some of the blocks are kind of 'advanced', I'm hoping my clothing construction skills will help me out with this wonderful endeavor.

I've already got some simple 9 patch squares in red and white, so I'll stick to that theme for the rest of the blocks. I'll be sure to keep you guys up to date and post pictures of the finished product when May rolls around!

And feel free to join in the fun!

Utah and Tennessee

Sometimes it's the simplest little things that make me homesick for Utah. Well not homesick really, just kind of wishing that Tennessee was a little more Utah-ish.

For example, you know those little pullouts that they have for the buses in Utah? The curb goes in a bit so the bus doesn't block traffic when it gets to a stop?

I wish they had those here.

In which we reach September

So, I've obviously been neglecting my blog. A lot, my life got busy enough for me to not even think about blogging.

As for the goal for the year, the knitting one,  well, it's only about 30% done.

 However, another goal for the year (see that tab at the top labeled "books"?) I'm way ahead. Unbelievably so, and it's great. I've never kept track of what I've read before and it's pretty neat to see how much I've done.

Of course, I was the type of child who thought it would be fun to have a 'read-a-thon' with my friends during summer break. I often pull out a quilt and lie in the yard with a good book. I just love reading.

I would post some pictures of what I've been knitting lately, but alas, they are all gifts and not to be seen until the recipient gets them. Some will have to wait until December. But, armed with finally being settled in my new town, and wanting to start selling again, I should hopefully get at least 50% of the goal done by the end of the year. I think I will at least....

Quilts or no?

 For those of you who know me, you know that over the past few years I've gone back and forth on running my own business.
I love crafty junk like sewing and knitting, but it can get expensive. And if you don't have people to give this stuff to, it starts to pile up.

Now, I've recently picked up and permanently moved across the country from my parents, so I no longer have the room to store things because I no longer have a Sewing Lair.

I did ship some things to myself however, and now am trying to get some more income generated in my life. Because I'm now a 'starving graduate school student'.
Almost literally.

So here's my question for you all. I have here a quilt front, it's only one of a couple that I have, and I quite enjoyed making it.
But will I be able to sell it if it's not a 'finished' quilt? Or would people buy it as just the quilt front?

Please give me your feedback so I can move forward on getting this business up and running again!

I'm Back (at least I hope I am)

I'm back.

I hope.

I finally buckled down and decided it would probably be a good idea to write a blog post every now and then in my down time. What little down time I have.

And I'm in the final stages of settling in the new place, so I figured I might as well get started blogging and incorporate it into my routine. Because setting up a routine and schedule is going to be major in me being successful in life for the next 5 years.

Why you ask?

I started GRAD SCHOOL this last week.

Deep breath, I'm in grad school. I am getting a PhD. It's going to be really hard, but worth it. I can do hard things. I really really can do hard things.

Some of the positives of this is that I've got a wonderful job working with my favorite people in the whole world, little children! And I'm making new friends and creating a new 'family' away from family. Plus, I get to explore a new city and find cool places to eat, shop, and hang out at.

It's going to be an adventure.