I am a Total Slacker

I admit it. I can't help it.

I was working on my A to Z project over last summer and into the fall months. I had it all planned out, what I needed to work on and when in order to get it done by April. But then it happened ... my day job took over. I had zero motivation to do anything when I got home. So ALL of my projects fell off the priority list. Needless to say, I am not participating in the A to Z again this year. I tried to think of something else I could write about last minute but I am a planner. Without a plan posts would not get written. I am sad, but my mood will improve with all of the blogs (new and old) to check out each day.  I can't wait to see what everyone else is doing! :)

I do have lots of updates on my A to Z list from last year, and want to replace the finished items with other tasks that are unfinished as part of celebrating the A to Z month of April. I will post a new list later on in the month.

Have a good April!

TTFN ... Cat

Finished!

Corporate Cats is now complete!!  YAY!

June 6, 2015

I have another cat WIP that I might pull out to replace this one.  I also have to work on the baby quilt and my crochet projects.  Boy am I glad school is almost done!!  Including teacher workdays, I have 4 more school days.  Then I have 2 full months to spend working on WIPs.  :-)

Have a happy Wednesday!

TTFN
Cat

Cheating?

In 2012, I participated in the Blogging From A to Z Challenge.  I loved it and planned to do it again the following year.  But then life happens ... as always.  This year I considered participating again, but decided to wait a year and prepare myself for this amazing challenge.  I spent the month of  April visiting other A to Z blogs, browsing topics/themes, and hopefully finding a few new blogs to add to my daily reads.  I was totally inspired by a couple crafty bloggers who were completing cross-stitch A-Z samplers.  This is what I will do next year ... YAY!  I found a kit I totally love, opened the package to look at the chart, and immediately began to panic.  "There is no way that I can do a letter a day ... this thing is HUGE!"  (and very detailed.)  I thought maybe a letter every week (or two) would be a good estimate, did some quick calculating, and decided that I better start now.  So that's what I did.

Is this cheating?

In order to make myself feel like I'm not cheating, I will actually do the writing of the blog post on the day that each letter is due.  I'm just getting the pics ready ahead of time.  :)

Also, my A to Z List is coming along.  I moved a couple things around, but the overall theme is still in tact.  A lot of the stuff in this list will be completed over the summer (school is out in two weeks ... YAY again!)  Here is the updated version:

1. complete A to Z cross-stitch
2. try to Blog more
3. Create new lesson plans (for new class)
4. Donate clothes
5. Eat healthier
6. clean out File-cabinet and Flash-drive
7. Get away with hubby for a weekend
8. Hand quilt leaf wall hanging
9. Improve my Interactive notebooks
10. Just relax
11. get new Kitchen appliances (we actually got a new dishwasher ... now for a stove!)
12. play Less games and watch Less tv
13. finish Menu board
14. complete Notebook/planner
15. Organize recipes
16. finish crocheting my Poncho
17. complete the Quilt for my bed
18. Read more
19. make a decision about Scentsy
20. work on "This Cat Does Math" - my second blog
21. Update current lesson plans
22. Visit some A to Z blogs (April)
23. Work on school stuff - Worksheets and Website
24. eXercise more
25. for next school Year, stock up on school supplies
26. plan a visit with my Zoey

TTFN!

Cat

My Lonely Rose

We have a rose bush in front of our house. My mother has claimed to "kill" this bush many times, and we really don't take care of it, but every year it surprises us by coming back to life and gives us just a little pop of color. My one bloom looks so out of place on a brown, bare bush ... but it is very pretty!  It makes me smile every time I pull into the driveway.

It is in sort of a weird spot though (which does explain the many encounters the bush has had with a lawn mower.)  Hubby and I are thinking of trying to re-locate it to a different spot.  In my mind, this is just another way of trying to "kill" the plant again ... but just maybe it will persevere through this new ordeal.  I don't know that I will though.  I'm not a gardening sort of person.  Anyone know how to replant a rose bush without bleeding to death?

TTFN,
Cat
   

A to Z List Update #1

Before spring break ended, I did manage to complete one of my 'A to Z' things-to-do.

        #4 Donate clothes

I spent a few hours last Sunday and cleaned out the closet and dresser, and managed to come up with a big trash bag filled with clothes to get rid of.  I even broke down and got rid of 3 pairs of shoes!  This is seriously huge!  YAY for me!  The bag is currently in my car with a second bag that was filled over the winter.  I have to go through one more thing before I take the bags to Good Will.

I probably would have done more over spring break, but I became totally obsessed with working on my cross-stitch.  I'm still working on it, but not so much now that I'm back to work.

Progress as of 4/11/15

I have lots more done ... just haven't updated a pic yet.  Left cat is complete except some outlining; middle cat has a face; but I had to rip out right cat's dark gray feet and light gray face fur.

I began this project many, many years ago.  It was a kit that I found in a Big Lots.  I don't know why but I started this kit using 3 strands for all the stitches instead of 2, and therefore ran out of a bunch of thread.  The right cat will be a different color gray (not much different, but still different.)  I must have also misplaced some thread because I had to go in my stash for the orange to do the middle cat.

Not that I don't have enough to do, I have also started two baby quilts.  Looks like Corporate Cats may be put on the back burner for a while.  One of the baby quilts needs to be done by May 9th for the shower.  AARGH!

TTFN
Cat 

Spring Break and Crafty Progress

I am so thankful for Spring Break.  About this time every year I get so tired ... tired of getting up so early, tired of the way my classes are going, tired of thinking about the list of school work I need to get done.  I always have big catch-up plans for the week of Spring Break.  I'm going to get things done!

Friday around lunchtime, as I'm beginning to think about packing things up, I sniffle.  Then sneeze.  Then blow my nose.  Then sniffle again.  UGH!

So for the past 4 days, I have been doped up on cold meds!  Today was the first day I felt like doing anything, and actually got out of the pj's and went to the grocery store.   But in between the nose-blows I did manage to pull out a UFO from long ago and start working on it.  Yay for me!

Corporate Cats by Sugarplum Express - This is what it's going to look like.

And this is what I have done as of this morning. 

Over the past couple days I completed the dark gray of the left cat tail.  And today (not shown in the pic) I have been working on the gold tail and feet of the middle cat.  This UFO is not on my A to Z goal list, but it is easy to work on.  I will be working on my list later this week!  :)

TTFN
Cat 

Missing the "A to Z"

It has been months (okay ... well over a year) since I have blogged about anything.  I have truly missed it even though I was never that regular about posts.  I keep reading from my blog roll, and think often about sitting and writing, and then I go do one of the many other things that is in need of doing.  With all of the 'A to Z' prepping go on over the last month, I really did consider doing the 'A to Z' this year ... but I have decided to wait until next year.

Instead I have made an "A to Z" list of goals for me to work on for the rest of this year.  I am a HUGE procrastinator.  I don't want to be, I just am.  I have my hands in many projects, so some tend to get pushed to the side (unfortunately like blogging).  Well no more!!  I plan to keep updating my progress here as a way to keep myself accountable.   We'll see what happens.

1. make Appointments
2. complete Birdhouse cross-stitch
3. Create new lesson plans (new style)
4. Donate clothes
5. Eat healthier
6. clean out File-cabinet and Flash-drive
7. Get away with hubby for a weekend
8. Hand quilt leaf wall hanging
9. Improve my Interactive notebooks
10. Just relax
11. get new Kitchen appliances (this might not happen this year ... fingers crossed!)
12. play Less games and watch Less tv
13. finish Menu board
14. complete Notebook/planner
15. Organize recipes
16. finish crocheting my Poncho
17. complete the Quilt for my bed
18. Read more
19. make a decision about Scentsy
20. work on "This Cat Does Math" - my second blog
21. Update this blog at least once a week
22. Visit some A to Z blogs (April)
23. Work on school stuff - Worksheets and Website
24. eXercise more
25. for next school Year, stock up on school supplies
26. plan a visit with my Zoey

Okay ... a few of these are a stretch, but I have a place to start from anyway.  I'm feeling motivated already.  :)

For those of you doing the 'A to Z', good luck!  I may stop by and take a peek!

TTFN
Cat

Bloglovin Beginnings

I am getting a bit overwhelmed with all of the blogs I'm following and am looking into Bloglovin.  We'll see how it works out!

Follow">http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/5666261/?claim=7gpmfqka46d">Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Best Intentions

I really do have the best intentions when it comes to my blog.  I love blogging ... but add it to everything else I want to do with my very limited afternoons and weekends and, well, my blog is what gets left behind.  I'm still here!  I still think about writing!  Something worth reading will appear here ... soon!

 

Direct Sales: Fun or Frustration?

After many years of debating on whether to join the ranks of direct sellers, I finally decided to give it a go.  I chose Scentsy because 1) I LOVE the product, 2) the start-up kit was only $99, and 3) it didn't seem to be around as much as some of the other companies.  I just moved to northern PA and I thought this would be a great way to meet people and make some money at the same time.  I will admit that I did not do as much research as I should have (i.e. company policies, compensation plans, etc.).  I figured that if I loved the product, that would be enough for me to get some parties, make some sales, and have some fun.  Boy was I wrong!

No one told me that until I get that solid customer base, I will have to come so far out of my comfort zone to get people interested.  I have never done this before.  I'm not a salesperson ... I don't have that 'I can walk up to anyone anywhere and start talking about anything' personality.  When I signed up, I was under the impression I was going to have some help getting this business off the ground.  Boy was I wrong again!

My sponsor was a friend of mine who lived 600 miles away at the time.  And while we called each other from time to time, she really didn't have much insight for me ... she was pretty much in the same boat.  I NEVER heard from my director!  Everything I have done for my business I picked up on my own, scouring the web for ideas and helpful hints, lovingly borrowing anything I can from other Scentsy consultants.

So it has been three years this month since I joined Scentsy.  I really do love the product and see total potential in my business.  And even though I never meant for Scentsy to replace my full-time income, it is just so discouraging to not have it grow the way I saw it in my mind.  I thought for sure by now I would have my own team, and treat them so much better than I was.  I know they are out there somewhere!

I hope I didn't scare anyone away from a direct-sale opportunity.  I love my business, I just haven't found a way to may it work for me ... yet!  If you are considering starting your own direct sales business, just make sure you do your homework.  Research everything you possibly can about the prospective companies and pick the best one for you.  After all this, I would choose Scentsy again ... but I would have definitely asked a lot more questions first.

TTFN ... Cat

HI

Okay ... 14 months is quite a long time!  I have been through a lot of changes and finally feel settled enough to start writing again.  I don't want to overwhelm myself (happens all the time) so I'm just giving a glimpse into my life over the past year. 

First, the hubs and I moved back to NC last year.  I missed my family, and wanted to be near my son and granddaughter.  Zoey is getting so big ... I can't believe it's been over a year since she was born.  Soon she will be big enough to go on shopping trips with Grandma!  :)

Second, I'm still selling Scentsy.  I'm going to have to rant and rave more about this later.  Let's just say that I LOVE Scentsy, but trying to get a new customer base in NC is proving to be quite challenging!

Lastly, I'm back to teaching.  So, those of you who don't know me, I taught high school math for 10 years before choosing to move to PA to be with my love.  I did not pursue getting my PA teaching certificate ... decided it was a good time to take a break.  With the opportunity to move back to NC and needing a job, I chose to go back into teaching.  This last year was difficult after 2 years off, but I made it though and I am hoping this year is going to be much better.

So, there you have it, in a nutshell.  I have truly missed blogging, even though I didn't do it with any amount of consistency.  And I thought about all the A-to-Z ers back in April.  It is definitely on my mind to do that challenge again ... maybe next year?

TTFN ... Cat 

Random Review: "Sinister Sprinkles" by Jessica Beck

Okay all, I have just found goodreads.com and this is my first attempt to review a book there and copy it to my blog!  I'm so excited ... Yay! 

Sinister Sprinkles by Jessica Beck

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

ABOUT:  Susanne Hart is a donut shop owner who is constantly finding herself in the middle of a murder investigation.  In Sinister Sprinkles, Darlene Higgins was found dead in front of the courthouse in the middle of the Christmas carnival.  Why is Susanne a suspect?  Darlene just happens to be the woman that Susanne's ex-husband had an affair with, and essentially caused the divorce!

LIKES: Just like the others in the series, this is a very light, easy read. I like the setting of this series, and the characters have good personalities. The book itself didn't require much thinking, and I was (somewhat) surprised when I found out "who done it".

NOT SO MUCH: I wish the author would tie up some of the loose ends that are made throughout the book. Also, she tends to reference things later that didn't happen within previous pages. Maybe some of this will come together in later books? It's just frustrating wanting to know what happened to so-in-so, etc.

OVERALL: Overall, it was okay. I will continue to read the series because of how easy they are.

And just a side note ... the fact that the book contains recipes (for donuts and other yummies) is a good thing and a bad thing.  It gives it that something different, but I was reading this in the middle of a week long detox!  I would have killed for a donut ... who am I kidding, I was ready to eat the book!  LOL! 

View all my reviews

Where have I been?

Did you even notice I was gone?  I noticed.  With the A to Z Challenge forcing me to log on to my blog every day for an entire month, I have felt lost without it.  But I promised myself while I was on vacation that I wasn't going to touch a computer ... and I didn't.  It was totally worth it!

I was in NC all last week visiting family, and meeting my new granddaughter!  Yes, that's right ... I'm a grandma!  Zoey Marie was born on Tuesday, May 1st at 11:05 pm and weighed 8 lb 1 oz.  The stubborn little thing made us wait all day, but it was so worth it.  She is so adorable.  I am so proud of Lizz (and Tyler too) who did a wonderful job delivering.  They are going to be super parents!

So, now that I'm back home (and missing my baby, and his baby like crazy), I can't wait to get back to blogging and catching up on my fellow A to Zer's.  Hope everyone has had a wonderful first week of May!

TTFN ... Cat

Zany "Z"

1. Zoos - I especially like the tigers!
2. Zoinks, Zowie, and any other words said by the Scooby Doo gang as they run from Zombies  :-)
3. Zipline - although I have never been, I really want to go ... and just the thought makes me giddy with excitement!
4. Zingers - yellow or chocolate, but not the pink coconut ones.  Yuck!
5. ZZ Top - I like the song "La Grange" because of the beginning ... ah huh huh huh.
6. and last, but definitely not least ... my new granddaughter will be named Zoey!  She is due today, so we are all on pins and needles waiting for that phone call!  :)  What a great way to end the A-Z Challenge!

FYI ... for all my other A-Z posts, I added a pic or video here, just for fun.  I also wrote most of the post in advance.  Well, I was really hoping for a pic of Zoey, and I waited until now to write this with that hope in mind.  Oh well!

I hope everyone doing the challenge had as much fun as I did.  Now back to the real world.

TTFN ... Cat

Yay for "Y"

1. Yellow Roses - always been my fav color for any flower, it is so bright and cheerful
2. Yard Sales
3. Yo-yo's - I was never much good at the yo-yo, but I still tried and had fun doing it.
4. Yarn, Yards of Material, and other fun crafty stuff!
5. YouTube - I have found so much fun stuff ... if I let myself, I could be truly addicted.
6. "You Dropped a Bomb on Me" by The Gap Band - another one of those songs that makes me wanna shake my booty!

Picture take from here.

Aren't they gorgeous?  Are you a fan of nature?

TTFN ... Cat

Xenophobic "X"

Okay ... X?  Really?  I knew that this is where my challenge would stumble a bit.  To come up with just X words would be no problem, but things that make me smile?  So, let's just say that some of the things on this list are a bit of a stretch!  :)

1. XM Radio - I had a free three months when I bought my new car.  I wasn't going to pay to keep it (I mean after all I just got a new car payment), but I loved it while it lasted.
2. Xylophone - Did you know that the prefix xyl means wood?  Xylophones were originally made of wood bars.  Learning something new is always a good thing.
3. Xerox machines
4. XBOX 360 - love my Lego games, and the Kinect is awesome too.
5. Xanadu - I love movie musicals and knew that Xanadu would definitely be on my 'X' list!

 

What would have been on your 'X' list?

TTFN ... Cat

Welcoming "W"

1. Wonderful Friends - old and new!
2. Wine
3. Waffles
4. Walks on the Beach with Hubby
5. Wipeout - I can't believe the people on this show don't get seriously hurt, but it's so funny!
6. Wildlife - seen out my back door ... love seeing the deer, turkeys, and groundhogs.  I could sit and watch them for hours.
7. WKRP in Cincinnati - one of my fav sitcoms from 'back in the day' ... many episodes made me smile.
8. Waldameer Park - small amusement park in Erie, right on the lake ... has given me some great memories.  Below is a picture of the Whacky Shack, a dark ride created in 1970 by the master of all dark rides, Bill Tracy.  For anyone going to Waldameer, the Whacky Shack is a must!

 

Are you a dark ride enthusiast?  If so, check out www.dafe.org, the website for the dark ride and funhouse enthusiasts.  In all my digging around, I also found out that Waldameer has a blog! 

TTFN ... Cat

Vivacious "V"

1. Vacations - who doesn't love to get away
2. Vegetables Fresh from the Garden
3. Vermillion - love it ... sounds so much more regal than 'red'!
4. Velcro
5. Vanilla Milkshakes - Yes, I'm one of those crazy people who, when given a million different flavors, will choose vanilla!  Mmmm!
6. Variety Shows - I didn't appreciate them when I was younger, but if I see sketches from the Carol Burnett Show now, I'm rolling!

My cat, just the other day, had me laughing so hard my stomach hurt and I had tears streaming down my face.  What makes you laugh like that?

TTFN ... Cat

Ultra "U"

1. User-Friendly Instructions
2. Upside-down Cake - pineapple ... mmm
3. Unbirthdays - from Disney's Alice in Wonderland ... the Mad Hatter was having an "Unbirthday" tea party!  How fun!!
4. Useful Tips
5. Used Books
6. Underoos - I want to say I had the Wonder Woman ones, but it could have been my sister.  Does anyone know if they make them for adults?  LOL!

I love old Saturday morning commercials!  Is there a commercial that stands out in your memory?

TTFN ... Cat

Tantalizing "T"

1. Tyler - my wonderful son
2. Theater Popcorn
3. Thoughts of Retirement - The thoughts make me happy.  Knowing that I still have so far to go ... not so much!
4. Taco Salad
5. Tiaras - deep down I am a princess
6. Target - or as some say ... Tar-jay
7. Tigger - fun, fun, fun, fun, fun

 

Although I spend most of my shopping time in Walmart, I am a fan of Target.  I know if I had a Super Target by me, I would grocery shop there instead.  Which do you prefer?

TTFN ... Cat