Sewing Project

I received a sewing machine recently, but haven't really done much with it so far. When Schuyler's home, I always want to be with him, since we're not together all that much. But last night, Schuyler suggested that we bring my sewing machine table into his office, so he could work on computer stuff and I could sew, and we'd still feel like we were spending time together. Great solution!

The project I'm working on right now is a birthday present for my sister Emily. She bought a table cloth for her dining room table, but when she brought it home and tried it out in her dining room, it didn't seem ideal. So we decided that for her birthday, I will turn that table cloth into several pillows to use in her bedroom. She bought a couple of square-ish soft pillows for me to make pillowcases for, and I bought some cotton stuffing and some black linen to make some smaller pillows with the rest of the cloth. Last night I only got around to one pillow, because ironing the cloth took soooo long! I think next time I'll just cut out my squares that I need, and then iron each one, because this is high-wrinkle material.

So here's what the first pillow looks like.

Here I am squeezing the pillow to show how soft and comfy it is.

Close up of the cool bird print.

Updates to come on this pillow project!

Expectations vs. Reality

Education is important in this country. You go to kindergarten with you're 5 years old, sometimes Pre-K before that. And if you keep going, you're in school for the next 13 years. Then comes college. Four years, if you're lucky. So for the last 17 years of my life, I have been a Student. That has been my official title. I've added a few other sub-titles since entering college, like Part-Time Teacher, and Wife. Those have been good titles. But now, for the first time ever... I am no longer a Student. My life is my own! Or is it...

The reason we go to college is to prepare for our careers. I've spent so much time following my passions, because I believe that's what's really important in life. I completed a double major in Music and Spanish. And yes, I did get the same comments over and over again. "So, what are you gonna do when you graduate?" Or, "How are you gonna make any money??" Valid questions. Questions that I'm still answering, nearly three months after the big graduation ceremony.

What I expected of my life post-grad, and what I've experienced so far haven't quite matched up. I expected to graduate, feel a huge sense of liberation and relief, and start a great job that paid well and fulfilled me as a person. Without going into too much detail, I did have a job lined up that fell through, and I've been scrambling ever since. When you're a kid, the adults tell you that you can do anything you want to do! How wonderful! But when you're an adult, life gets in the way of the things you dreamed about doing. You get an apartment or a house, a car, cell phones, and a myriad of other bills, all demanding payment every month. Suddenly your main job requirement is that your paychecks cover your monthly bills.

This summer I've had my first taste of full-time job searching. It hasn't been my favorite way to spend time, by a long shot. Plus, every employer I meet with acknowledges the fact that this is a terrible time to be a new grad searching for a job. We all know that the economy isn't at its best. But I'm young, and I will prevail. I've gotten a few job leads, and with any luck (and blessings and favor!!) my next post will be about my new job.

What I want from life at this stage is a job that I can feel somewhat proud of doing, that has decent hours and decent pay. I want to come home from work, and enjoy the magic of free time that doesn't involve completing homework assignments. I plan on posting about the things that I end up doing with my free time, like cooking and sewing, which are my main hobbies. (The sewing is a brand new venture, though.)

So here it is - my life post-grad. It's been quite interesting so far, and I'm sure it will stay interesting!