I like my New Job

So at the end of February I was given my walkin' papers by, hmm, wonder if I am allowed to mention that multi billion dollar corporation's name ....the one that owns the one I was employed by back in January 2001.... now that I no longer am employed by them...?(still shake in my boots over that kinda stuff, which is RIDICULOUS)


I was literally shaking all over that night. It was a blow. Yea, it was a part time job, but hell I worked there for 11 years! I spent a huge portion of the last decade at that place. I did not realize how much it meant to me, how much it defined who I was, or at least what I was doing.

Alas, it happened. I was layed off. U N E M P L O Y E D. I was a part of a downsize. 40-50 of us were let go that day and evening. We were all going to increase the 9% unemployment rate in our state of PA at the time.

With an anxiety filled core, I stammered. I walked out to my car in the cool rain on literally shaking legs. I sat in my car, in the parking lot, cried, took a blurry picture of the damn place, sent a text to the husband letting him know I was a jobless wreck, set my ipod to a specific song and I drove home listening to it. (below)




I applied for Unemployment immediately. Also, I drank a beer. I worried, and, of course, I turned to facebook to spew my woe into the universe. Where else do we turn for forty comments of positive reinforcement and digital ((hugs)) when we are feeling the funk of what life throws us? Thank goodness for that. That same night a good friend, former co-worker and classmate whom I reconnected with on facebook through my crafty biz alerted me of a position that was exactly positively a dream job for me. I updated and sent my resume the next day. LITERALLY. I was not playing around.

Fast forward through my interview, awaiting my clearances, numerous anxiety filled days and irritating hold times with the unemployment office....BOOOOring....

I am a now a Learning Support Aide at an elementary school. I have worked at this new job for 3 weeks. It's going so well. I work more hours now, but I am home in the evenings with my family. I honestly crash at 8:30pm many weeknights now. NO clue how you full time Moms do it. seriously.

Here's what I love about this job, NOT working for a corporation has an entirely different feel to it. It feels positive, it feels well oiled. It feels calm even in it's stressful moments. I can rest assured that we are all there for the same greater good. More importantly, to me, that good has ZERO to do with profit margins. I don't feel like a number. Let me tell you, that feels really good. I won't lie, I don't make as much money at this job, but how I feel about what I am doing is so much more valuable. Immensely more rewarding. In the long run even if budget cuts would eliminate what I do, It would be less of a shaky walk to my car knowing that the time I spent there was filled with growth that I would never have seen or felt being a number.

You know what else I've noticed? I am becoming a better Mom. I am yelling less. I am less irritable. I feel more patient. I am more focused. I am more driven.
yahoo!

I know I can't wait for this drive to get me to a place where I seek higher education. I need to do it. I know this, but, I still feel scared. Scared of the cost. It feels like a gamble to go to college at my age. I mean, some of my peers are starting to PAY to send their children to college! I just worry about putting that financial burden on my family. Does anyone else struggle with this? It seems ironic that lack of profit margins in my career are making me so fulfilled, yet I am afraid of the financial burden if I go to school to educate myself to make a full time career out of this new job I like.

Oh universe, I know I shouldn't ask this of you, but would you mind kicking my butt in the exactly right direction just one more little time? pretty please?

Neighborhood

Remember I mentioned I was doing this February Photo-A-Day Challenge? I did it, each and every day. If you are on Instagram you can see each one. I am PeachyTuesday on there.

Anyhoo...I did it and I figured I'd do it again. So March has begun and I have posted. Today, the subject was "Your Neighborhood" I walked outside into mine, and used the Hipstamatic app to shoot. I switched film & lenses and had a good ole time. I came back with a ton of photos that were making me happy. Husband asks "How far did you WALK?" I said not even a block...you know how I like to get up close...and I do. Here's a sampling. I haven't posted one for today because I seriously cannot. decide....maybe this post will help with that.

This sidewalk chalk has made it though months of rain. love it.

oh Cherry Blossoms You will line my street and be pretty, but you smell so gross.

brick sidewalks, you are so slippy in winter but you look so cool.

love how all the road patching looks here.

I think this is almost my Favorite...

Ava says this one looks like Lasers.

City Living. Old dirty Bus Route street bricks.

If you want to see more of my March Photo A Day photos follow me on Instagram or eventually they'll wind up in this Set on my Flickr Page. Have a Peachy Day!

Read Across America

Here's the deal, It's Read Across America Week? month? I don't know exactly...but my girl's school has something going each day for it. Wednesday is "Wear a Shirt you can Read" day...they were going to wear some screen printed glitter barfed thing I am sure. I preferred to use the reading genre...so Keith mixed some Textile paint medium with some acrylic craft paint and we used stencils to make our words.

Our girls both love to read, We have read to them nightly since they were newborns. We still read to them nightly and they also read silently before going to sleep, for about 30 minutes depending on the day. I never read much as a kid, and don't now (I know not good) I am proud that I have helped to change that pattern to head in a more positive direction for my own children.

but...its not all wonderful parenting triumphs in this post...In full disclosure, Ruby had a what I'll term a "9 year old breakdown" over it all...there were tears, much arguing, calling this shirt painting idea 'Stupid!' but alas, she loves her coral "Today's Reader Tomorrow's Leader" shirt now (oh thank you for that Pinterest I'd link to it but apparently Pinterest is experiencing technical difficulties at the moment). Good grief this age...9....is seriously challenging to *this momma* And her Dad too, for that matter. Seriously challenging.

Here are the pictures...Oh, yea I had to make one of my tanks all wordy too...my lil homage to an Anti-Flag tune that the whole family loves. and that Peace Sign, was a total oopsy, I was in the midst of arguing with the aforementioned 9 year old and painted an "H" instead of an "O" so I did the "O" over top of it, still looked like janky crap, so I made it into a peace sign. And you never woulda known...but just like when I used hydrogenated pre-made icing on my cupcakes I must disclose this sort of thing. It's who I am.


This is the tune to be exact. I actually have a video of them playing it, from June, but this one is better than mine. I love that these guys play teeny small venues like this one (and the one from my video) as well as huge gagillion people stadiums and such, all over the world.

So, there you have it punk rock and Read Across America all on one super quick blog post. Gotta love how my mind works....

February Photo A Day Challenge

I have seen many-a-photo challenge pass me by...Now that I've got an iphone I have no excuse not to do one. It's seriously fun. You should try it! Here is my first Photo A Day Challenge. I took a quick screen shot of it on my phone so I have my list of what each day's challenge is. Day one was

My View:

My View at 10:00pm last night, the huz geeking on computer, me, watching Don Draper

 If you are already doing this photo challenge please share your instagram/twitter handle so I can see what you come up with. My first two were, um, well quickies..... nothing award winning in the least, but, the important part is that it's fun. Quick fun. I post all places it needs posted via instagram. (I am PeachyTuesday on there if you'd like to follow)

Today's subject was "Words". I chose this Avail CD I had been listening to in the car. Words, not just because there are some printed on the CD, but because  the lyrics on this, hell, ALL Avail CDs are the best. They uplift, they Promote, They throw positivity all around you and then they scream it in your face (in a good way). I need those kinda words right about now! And, here they were...

Avail, 4am Friday CD upon my jeans in the car.

I encourage you to try it out too. Avail, and a photo a day challenge...Most definitely if you have a phone that takes & posts pictures with a few clicks. It takes a miniscule bit of time and you are doing a fun little project for yourself. It made me feel like I accomplished something semi-creative today, despite having a mostly awful day.

meh, I'll take any excuse to take a picture.

Have a Peachy Evening!

Free Printable Valentine's! 2012

Hello again, I haven't been around for awhile but I had to make some moments available to post this awesome valentine that the husband designed this year. It's printable easily for you here:
Valentines 2012

Valentine as for absolutely FREE! Have the little ones color them, or color them yourself! I did...

Happy Valentine's To every one! Have a Peachy Day...and share this with all the land;)

New Hair Accessory Shapes for 2012

New Scale Shape, large size

New Bow Shaped Clip Listed Here

I've been working hard the past few weeks making and making lots of hair things to replenish from my wonderful Holiday Season. I thank each and every person for helping support my business this year. I am elated that so many people like to wear my hair doo dads.

I wanted to do a few new shapes this year, so I drew them up and started making accessories using my new patterns just a few weeks ago. I thought I'd share them here so you can see what's to come.

No worries I am still using the old shapes too, haven't decided to retire any *just yet*

Find this little Gem here

Heart-new 2012 Shape This one can be found here

A new Sitting Bird. On Etsy & local shops soon.

I loved this Vintage Fabric bow So Much, I had to keep it!

I call this one the "Scale" shape, there are two sizes. This is the smaller size. This headband can be found at My Aunt Debbie

Larger Fan Shape This, too is at My Aunt Debbie

Goofy Moon Shape

ha! the story behind this moony shape...so I wanted to do a "mermaid tail" and it just looked, well, like crap/weird/ugly...it morphed into this. What do you think?

And one Final Bow...just because it's so girlie and pretty and stuff. (perfect for Valentine's Day)

You can see more New 2012 Hair accessories I've made on my Flickr Page Here.

Have a Peachy Day!

What it's All About...and a Merry Christmas Eve Eve to Every-ONE.

First off, I love calling the day before the day before Christmas, Christmas Eve Eve. My husband does NOT like it. Mr. Grumpy pants says it's dumb. Over the years it has become annoyingly cute of me to abuse it's use. At least that's what I tell myself. (sticking tongue out)

Today the husband had off work so I got to smear the Eve Eve business all over his face, all day long. And he helped me out since I needed to do a hugemongo grocery shopping trip and forgot since the kids are off school I need to watch the neighbor boy too. I can't handle boys in the grocery store. Well, I never tried it, actually, but I picture it like my girls at the grocery store, but even worse, so, I just say I couldn't. So Husband took them all to the Asian Market down town and I Grocery Shopped  Forrey's Country Store and Giant.

So after the girls had asked us a tozillion times (yes I just made that word up, tons+zillions) and the neighbor boy was picked up we allowed them to pick ONE present from Mommy & Daddy to open. That choosing process to WAY way waaaaaaay longer than we expected. Now that they are older and smarter so much thought goes into the early present opening choice.

not all those were theirs to choose from, some are for my niece;) look how excited they are....

us relaxing a bit while we wait. and. wait. for them to make the choice

So they chose. Ruby chose to open what wound up being a present I had purchased back in July! It's a book, with step by step instructions for fashion design drawing. And the coolest part is that the book was written and illustrated by a PA artist! Fashion  Design Workshop by Stephanie Corfee can be found on Amazon. It is such a cool, cool book! Ruby was absolutely thrilled with it. She said "This is EXACTLY what I wanted!" Isn't that what every parent loves to hear? I am sure every parent would agree watching your kiddos open their presents and seeing that wonder in their eye is totally the best part...which leads me to Ava...

She chose to open a similar sized box as Ruby. Inside was a Cupcake shaped activity & sticker book. I had actually purchased it for my niece, but Ava fell so hard in love with it that I switched some book gifts around and surprised her with it instead. It turns out that just last week she was crying in Target (don't we all love being that parent at Target?) because she wanted to buy the book but we wouldn't allow her to spend her money on it before Christmas. We exited the store when those tears and cries began. She grumped the whole way home. Now look at her!....lil stinker....(p.s. I had already decided to give it to her pre-tears at Target, it was even wrapped prior to that occurring)

She was completely elated.

So there you have it, what it's all about... giving that special gift that was well thought out and so fondly received. Ruby (now, 3 hours later) is still talking about, drawing using, and reading her new book. She sits aside me now with it as I type. And both of them, were near silent with their new books while I made dinner -sans interruption- tonight. Christmas Bonus for Momma!

So, Have a Merry Christmas Eve Eve (night...)
And a Happy Christmas EVE (tomorrow)

And a Happy Holiday all the way Around!