Drive in movie, Indiana Dunes, birthday and ice cream cake, BBQ for a friend, stir fry, home decor, chalkboard paint, and sidewalk chalk, fall leaves, Sandwich Fair, new couch, settling in, open house, thrifting, Jonamac and a big chair photograph, sweaters, mailart, meeting goals, Last Fling, Renegade, walking in Illinois Prairie, road trip to enjoy the fall scenery
A quick note, as it’s been weighing on my conscience that it’s halfway through the year and I haven’t posted about my yearly lists yet. I didn’t put together a list this year because I wanted to take time to finish the things on my previous lists. I’d rather work away at items that are important, rather pile on more obligations to the point that it is no longer enjoyable. That being said, earlier this week I was thrilled to cross off an item from last year’s to-do list. I went to the drive-in movies for the first time in my life. After driving past the Cascade Drive in (West Chicago) over 10 years ago now, I’ve known that was the drive-in I wanted to attend.
Talking to people beforehand about the drive-in, I gathered that it was fun enough, but nothing amazing. I tried not to build myself up as much as one can, when they’ve been wishing to go to the Drive-In their entire life. Honestly, I’ve wanted to go for so long, but it had to be with just the right person, and for the right movie and at the right time of the season, etc. Matt and I have been together now for 10 years, so I think it was finally safe to say he was the right person, lol.
Like I said, this item was on my to-do list from last year. I added myself to the Cascade Drive-In movie theatre email list and for over a year they’ve been sending me the movies they are playing each week. Last year, without fail, when a movie that I’d finally want to see came to the drive-in, it would turn out that I had already seen it in the regular theater weeks before. So this year, I told myself not to rush into the theaters to see everything and save it for the drive-in. When it came down to it, I finally said if I wait for the perfect day and the perfect movie, it will never happen so when I saw the new X Men movie was playing I thought it would be good enough.
I think most drive-ins are usually double headers and this one was no different. Bridesmaids was the second movie, and although I wanted to see it, we ended up going on Wednesday, and we both had to work in the morning. We left it up to how we felt at the time to leave after the first movie or stay for the second feature. Also the movie theater was over an hour’s drive away from us.
Keeping low expectations of the experience worked out because immediately driving in I knew it was going to be awesome and even better than imagined. The lot was all gravel so you didn’t have to worry about mosquitos. They had the posts with speakers attached and before the movie began they were playing classic hits from the 50s. Both Matt and I really enjoyed that. The theater really made their best effort to make it like it had been back in the day. You could listen from your speaker on the post, put the speaker in your car or just tune to 88.5 on your radio and listen that way. We played the movie through our radio and had our windows open so we could hear from all the other speakers in the theater and it was almost like stereo coming from all directions.
We got there about 20 minutes before the first show was supposed to begin (8:30 p.m.) and there were a few cars there before us. By the the time the movie began we heard an employee’s walkie-talkie announce that there were 110 vehicles and I saw more cars still pull in after that. So, they did decently for a midweek showing. That day had been unusually hot, but by the evening it was so nice out. We were able to have the windows down and sunroof open and there was a cool breeze. If we go again I’ll try and remember to bring a blanket and pillows.
They had a snack shop where you could buy all sorts of goodies, and they didn’t seem too expensive either. Popcorn for a dollar! Who’s heard of that at a movie in the last 50 years? But beforehand, heading to the movies Matt and I picked up some sandwiches to bring with us. It’s a perk you can’t enjoy at the regular movies. You can also bring your pets and lawn chairs. There were several groups laying in truck beds or SUVs to watch the movie. Before the movie began I even saw people that brought a baseball and mitts to play catch. They also had picnic tables in a grassy area and permanent BBQ grills for anyone to use.
Probably because it wasn’t dark enough yet, the movie (or rather commercials) began about 20 minutes late. But once again to my enjoyment, they played all of these old classic commercials from long ago advertising things they carry in the snack shop. It filled in even more than in this picture above, but they kept all the cars in certain rows. I’m not sure, but I’d guess they could probably pack over a thousand cars in there. I can imagine how full it would be on a Friday or Saturday night.
Here is a picture I snapped of the moon as it was getting darker. By the end of the movie the wind had REALLY picked up and it had been so hot and dry the last few days that dust from the gravel started picking up. A couple times I got stuff in my eyes, and that’s not good for this contact lens wearing girl. X Men was good and it ended a bit after 11, even though Bridesmaids was supposed to start at 10:30. We were more than content with our experience, so we decided we were fine leaving early. Good thing too because a few minutes after we left the sky opened up and rained and poured the whole way home.
I had such a good time and I’m so glad that it was just Matt and I, but I’d definitely want to go again. I think it would be fun to get a group of people in multiple vehicles. Also, I think they open up a full 2.5 hours before the movies begin so you really could make an evening of it with BBQing and everything.
In the last week Matt and I have been doing some rearranging. We moved our “living room” which was previously in the finished basement, up to the actual living room area. The office, which was previously in the “living room” is now in the finished basement. Matt’s brother and sister-in-law were so kind to give us their 61″ HDTV and there was no way we were carrying that down the stairs, so instead we just did a switch-a-roo. The reason they gave us their amazing HDTV was because they decided to upgrade to a 3D-HDTV! and it is amazing! I’ve never been too keen for 3D movies, but they had us watch a 3D Imax movie about the bottom of the ocean and it was the first time ever where I felt like things were actually coming out of the screen at me.
Then this weekend we carved pumpkins with our friends Tom and Nikki. It’s something we do every year. I only have Matt and my pumpkins pictured here because the full group shot is on my other camera and I left that in my best friend’s car. My pumpkin is on the left. Usually I always carve the same pumpkin ever year, but this year I was inspired by this link from Martha Stewart via The Dainty Squid.
Last week this painting arrived in the mail. It was actually a painting I made and sent out for a top secret project. I loved the finished product so much, and I was so afraid that it would end up getting lost or tossed and just unappreciated, so I was thrilled to have it back in my possession. It’s based on a collage that I shared earlier this year.
And lastly, today I made this Etsy treasury.
Please click on over and view it. I love all the pieces I featured and think they deserve some attention :)
A while ago I did a post where I listed a bunch of cool things that I had received recently and I completely forgot to mention this book. Today I finally broke it out and used it for my thing-a-day.
In December my sister and I went to the One-of-a-Kind show in Chicago where I purchased the above book. It’s a beautiful green leather covered, mini handbound/stitched book with an assortment of encyclopedia pages mixed with quality drawing papers. I’m in love with the book from GreenTrikePress. Check out her shop, seriously, her books are gorgeous and amazingly constructed. When my sister saw these books she said to me “here is a seller after your own heart”. I was beyond thrilled because I had actually been working on making more books like this. I just love that the pages are filled with a variety of pages. I’ve decided to fill the pages with collage and mixed media work.
Here is the first page, that I did today.
2009 was a good year to me! I can honestly say I felt happier overall last year than I have in a long time. It was so wonderful in fact that I (in a very twisted manner) have entered 2010 with a bit of caution that all the things that made 2009 great will come crashing down on me. I’m a subscriber to the Law of Attraction and that I create what comes to me and I felt like last year I saw a glimmer of the possibilities in action. Conversely, I should know then that having any negative thoughts and fears of losing what I have is a sure way of starting off a bad year.
Last year I was so inspired to create a list of things I wanted to accomplish in 2009 and I think it made for a wonderful year. With the success of last year I have been working on 2010s list and will be share it as the next parts to this blog post. (I don’t think I posted last years list till February 1st, 2009)
I wasn’t able to complete all items off the 2009 list but I am perfectly fine with that. I think I got more accomplished than normal because of the list and plan on just adding the remaining items to 2010’s list. I’m so proud of all the things that I was able to cross off and had such a fun time doing it. This is going to be a long enough post as it is, so to save space you can revisit those items by clicking on this link.
Some highlights from last year (not on the list):
ETSY
Early on in the year I realized I had been selling items in my Etsy shop more steadily than before. I’ve been on Etsy since 2005. I didn’t list or sell any items until a year later. I read often in the Etsy forums where people are so frustrated that they aren’t experiencing immediate success and are frustrated that they haven’t had a sale in a whole month. Since being on Etsy I’ve taken more of the “slow and steady wins the race” route. I’d rather sell the things that are meaningful to me and stay true to my vision and style, rather than just making what sells (skulls, owls, twilight, etc.) I’d rather continue to build momentum to eventually become a lasting power, than strike hot and fizzle quickly. This year I was so thrilled to see results toward progress. In early Etsy years I stated that I’d like to grow slowly where I’d eventually sell an item a week, then a couple items a week, then an item a day, until I reach multiple sales a day. Without aiming for 2009 to be the year that I sell an item a week it happened. I was delighted to notice in the spring that my sales were averaged out to be slightly ahead of 1 sale a week. Ecstatically the ball kept rolling all year round. There were a few times where weeks and weeks would pass by without any sales and I’d think my luck had run out, but then things would turn around again and I’d make up for the lost time. My first year (2006) I had 6 sales, in 2007 I had 10 sales, in 2008 I had 42, and in 2009 I had 77 sales. I also went over 100 sales finally. I don’t know if anyone could know just how proud I am of this. Since I was little I have dreamed of being able to sell the little things I create and it wasn’t until Etsy came around that I finally had an outlet for that. I will be forever grateful to Etsy for being in my life. Forever grateful.
Weight Loss
Technically this item wasn’t on my list, but by adding sparkpeople and trying to get down to a certain dress size to the list, it was there in a round about way. New year’s resolutions of losing weight are stupid to me, so I just put it on my list hoping that I would be inspired when the time was right. That was in May. Since then I have been transformed and am thrilled with my progress. It is something I’ve struggled with probably since puberty. I know I am much healthier and can feel it with every motion o f my body. But honestly more important, losing the weight has built up my self confidence and allowed me to feel comfortable being me. I feel like I can do more things that I want to do in life because I’m not feeling as bad about myself or saying I’ll do this or that once I’ve lost the weight. I also feel comfortable meeting new people and being around others in general. I still have a way to go, but I am just so happy with how far I went with this in 2009. I’ve been setting up rewards for mini goals along the way and hopefully this spring I will reach the goal where I will buy myself some nice tall boots. Can’t wait!
Car Accident
This is something I would never add to the list but it was a huge event this year. In June while riding my bike home from work, I was hit by an SUV that was pulling out of a parking lot and wasn’t paying attention for pedestrians. My bike was crushed and I only suffered a severe sprain after I was thrown out into the street. It put a damper on getting around this summer as I was limited physically and wasn’t able to cross off running c25k because of it. It put me into an emotional state for a month or two, where I’d cry at a drop of a hat and become so overwhelmed with fear I’d start physically shaking. As bad as all of those things sound I AM BEYOND GRATEFUL and that it could have been so much worse. Even writing this, I’m beginning to cry again. The honest truth is my life could have ended that day. I have several very close friends who are going through some life threatening health issues. It could be a very dark time. But talking with my mom one day helped me to keep it in perspective. No one knows when it will be their time, so it is best to live our life to the fullest and make the most of every day. I can be so cliche and I’ve heard that saying probably dozens of times throughout my life, but last year it really left an impact. Early 2009 a great mentor of mine died too young, but while he lived he made a great impact on me and many others. His life messages were to help others and TREASURE LIFE, in fact that was what his license plates said (TRSRLFE). I feel making a yearly list I’m on the right path. I still have lazy and unproductive days but in general I feel much better and hope that I can continue to live this way through 2010 and beyond.
A few other highlights of things that happened this year, but were not on the 2009 list.
I worked my full time job only 4 days a week and had Fridays off all year long. Matt got a new car and I got rid of my old beater and we’ve been a one car household. I sent off my second series of Art-o-mat paintings, and created this pretty sweet promo video. I published my very first zine. I was able to find a source and make these resin jewelry pieces like I’d been envisioning for years. Got a Polaroid Pogo and love it! Matt and I went to go see the This American Life live broadcast. Made an art doll (scary) and sold my first handspun yarns. Sadly I think I only did Found Art Tuesday twice all year. Bishop ate my enemy (styrofoam) and had to have emergency surgery. I made some altered art shoes and then they were featured on AOL. I finally had a garden again, since last I lived with my parents. It was a container garden but I had SO MUCH JOY from it. Went to a family reunion. Was published in Underground Art School magazine. Made homemade pizza. Attended my cousin’s Ah-Mazing wedding. My brother and sister-in-law are expecting their first child and I will be an Aunt this March for the first time. I wrote a few articles for the Hello Craft blog. I took a ceramics class and was so inspired. Held my fourth gingerbread house making party. Went sledding and laughed so hard I think I breathed in snow and froze my lungs. I lost my wallet and kept my cool about it, surprisingly. Made new penpals and pfeffernusse cookies. Our friends Tom and Nikki, and Matt and I went ice skating in Chicago. It was something I’d wanted to do probably since high school (and really should have been on my 2009 list) when I first learned about Skate on State. Since then the Millennium Park has been built and they erect an ice skating rink there in the winter so we went there. It started out a rainy miserable day, but when we finally got out on the ice it began snowing and became an amazing and magical day/evening.
As I put together that list it’s surprising how much I’d probably forget if it weren’t for this blog. This week I’ve been in a kind of funk, where I didn’t feel very energetic, inspired or driven. I hate that feeling. Lazy. But yesterday and today I’ve been composing this post and it alone has really inspired me. I am reinvigorated just looking back at all that I accomplished last year and I’m again so excited for the new year. I apologize for such a looooong post (without one picture, yikes). I’m sure no one even got this far in the post, but that’s okay because it’s really just for me anyway. I’ll be sharing my to-do list for 2010 shortly (in the coming week).
The end of the year is less than a week away. I still have a few things on my 2009 list that I would like to accomplish, but one that I MUST. That item is to shut off my computer for one week. The timing is perfect as I’m on vacation from work next week and won’t have the temptation while I’m there. I have so many things that I’d like to do while I’m on vacation and although it will be hard to avoid my addiction (email, twitter, flickr, facebook, etc.) it will give me much added time to do these things. At midnight tonight I will shut off my computers (desktop and laptop) and they will remain off for one week.
um, as for the picture above. I got my haircut and when trying to think of how to design my away message, well, let’s just say you never know where inspiration will strike.
Have a wonderful last week of 2009! and I’ll be back soon :D
1. My bright red down winter coat.
2. My Life As A Paperdoll photoset on flickr, by Virginhoney
3. Good Time rings by Yellowgoat on Etsy.
4. Keeping super busy and feeling very productive.
5. Christine Miller Mason’s “5 things” posts.
www.flickr.com
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