My Week in Pictures

I've had a full busy week this week. Not busy as in I've worked 12 hours a day or saved a life or served the underprivileged or anything like that. But busy as in I fixed one thing then broke two more. I know, it's exhausting being me. I don't know how I do it either.

Here's a pictorial review of my week:

I covered the tops of my button jars with scrapbook paper that matches the color of the buttons inside. Because I wanted to, that's why.

I started decorating some of the old bottles I picked up at Trader's Village. I bought them for next to nothing from a couple of gangsta looking black guys who had a store full of frilly white girl antiques. They were practically giving the stuff away so naturally I assumed it was stolen. I was okay with that and bought all I could carry.

Broke the lid to my apple shaped jar that holds all my ribbon scraps. Then broke a chunk out of Grandma Mable's sugar bowl. My box full of broken stuff to use in a mosaic some day is really filling up.

Bought a box of vintage lace on eBay. Didn't really know why I bought it until later in the week.

Once again thought about the DIY version of this Marjorie Skouras chandelier.

Read through the tutorial online, gathered some supplies, then abandoned them. I decided I need more beads before I can even get started.

Finally repaired and hung this most awesome old mirror I bought at an antique store months ago. The bottom swirlie is broken off and a small piece of the top swirlie is missing.

I sanded the broken part at the bottom to round it off and make it (hopefully) look like it's that way on purpose. Then I matched the finish as best I could. This was difficult because the mirror has gold leafing with a natural patina on it. All I had was craft paint.

Sanded the broken piece at the top and once again matched the finish as best I could. I think it blends well...from a distance.

Took a look at my stash of cards, letters, pictures, home videos, and other memorabilia that needs to be sorted and organized. Somehow. It was too daunting so I pulled out my wedding album so I could scan a few pictures.

This is what I found when I opened the box. The cover of the album was sticky, gooey and practically oozing off.

After further investigation I learned that all of the albums like this from the 80s are destined for the same fate since the (now bankrupt) company that made them used a PVC based material for the cover which breaks down over time. I feel sure it probably gave me cancer too.

I completely removed the oozing cancerous cover, sanded off all traces of it and the glue that held it, then fashioned a new and less toxic cover for my 24 year old wedding pictures.

I used a piece of the leftover fabric that I used to cover my dining room chairs. When I get ready to embellish it I will need that big box of lace I got off eBay earlier in the week. See? Sometimes Karma likes me.

I also did some spring cleaning in the family room but I'm not going to show you what I found under my couch. Let's just say it took me 2 days to recover.

Today I made a shopping list (mostly for Amazon) as a result of my other efforts this week:

1. A lamp kit - Because I want my Marjorie Skouras knock-off chandelier to actually work. Not just sit there and do nothing like the one in the DIY tutorial.

2. A blu-ray player - Because I got rid of the dead surround sound system we had that included a dead DVD player.

3. Discsox sleeves - Because this is the storage system I've decided to use for all of our DVDs, CDs and video games. However I am only buying the sleeves and not the stupid trays that they fit in because the trays are pricey and ugly.  I'm pretty sure I can find something cheap and cute that will hold the sleeves just as well.

4. A car console - Because Jayson has somehow managed to completely tear apart the one that's in his car. Hinges broke, the lid came off and there's foam stuffing coming out of the arm rest. This is what happens if you're like us and drive your cars for 10+ years or until they fall apart around you.

5. Yes! Paste - Because I used up nearly a whole jar when I covered my wedding album. And besides, there was a little mold on the side of the jar so I'm pretty sure it had exceeded its nonexistent freshness date. I just removed the mold and used the rest, just like you would if it was a hunk of good cheese.

Tonight Jayson is taking me to see Blue Like Jazz. I can hardly wait! Most Christian movies are so incredibly cheesy and poorly made that I'm embarrassed for them. There are maybe one or two exceptions but for the most part I find them just this side of awful. Of course the message is always good but I get seriously embarrassed for them in their delivery of that message and I would never consider taking a non-Christian friend to see them. I'm hoping Blue Like Jazz will be different. When Steve Taylor, the director, called me he assured me this would be a different kind of Christian movie and would be something my non-Christian friends could enjoy without feeling like they're being persuaded to join Amway.

Did you see how I did that? Did you see how I so casually brought up the fact that a movie director called me? I'm just THAT cool.

Okay, not really. I made a small donation to save the movie when it was in danger of being scrapped due to a lack of funding. I did that because I absolutely loved the book and I hoped the message in the book would reach even more people if it was on the big screen. Steve Taylor, Don Miller and I think Marshall Allman made a vow to call and personally thank each of the 4000+ backers who saved the movie. I was one of them. They made good on their vow.

They have also vowed to personally call each person who sees the movie then posts a review online and tweets about it. That's right. I will be posting a review and waiting patiently for my phone call so that I can tell all my Facebook friends that Donald Miller is my BFF. I'm pretty sure he'll back me up since there may come a day when he'll need another 25 bucks from me.