Stepping up in the World!

I don't know about where you live, but western MD felt like a sauna today. I normally don't complain about the heat, but when I stepped outside it was instant sweat and difficult to breath all that hot moist air. When I lived in Moscow for a winter, I took part in a traditional Bonya where I was wrapped head to toe in wet sheets because the sauna was so hot it could fry your hair. They gave us cold beers to drink and a bucket of water to throw on the stones. Never before in my life did I ever experience the sensation of every pore in my body opening up at once. They left you in to bake for about 10 minutes before they rushed you out and herded the group to a pool that had an icy surface. In you went. P.A.I.N.F.U.L! for the first 5 times. Afterwards my muscles felt like Jello and I took a 4 hour nap and woke up refreshed and invigorated! My skin looked amazing too. The whole treatment was so torturous that even the blackheads didn't want to stick around. :)

Moving on.... there was a big event in our household a few weekends ago. Jeff and I got a big kid bed! We graduated from a lifetime of metal frames and dry wall headboards to this beauty-


Now we need the side table to match, but they will have to wait. I don't think we will be buying new, so I need to thrift something that looks better than the Wal-mart clearance hallway table we have been using for years.

Here's a view at the other end. My mom found that print in the trash and gave it to me. I had it all throughout college and once I got my first job I spent the money and had it framed. It's huge! The frame matches the new bed perfectly and I think I'll get some new winter sheets to match the blues. The dresser was given to me by my grandmother. It was her first bedroom suit when she first got married in 1955. I really dislike the finish, so when we get a garage it will be refinished to match everything else. But I love the clean lines of it. I see it's inner beauty. It just needs a make-over.


I have been creating lately, but items on a smaller scale. I have got together with a fellow blogger for a personal swap, so I have been busy with that. I can't show any pictures because that would ruin the surprise.

Speaking of stepping up in the world, I will be taking a new job in a few weeks. Many of you probably don't know this, but when we moved to MD I didn't have a career job lined up. It's been 11 months (I still cringe!) but I was offered a great job yesterday. I was very picky about what I wanted and with the new area we moved into, it took more time that I could ever imagine. I can be thankful that during my unemployment we were provided for. We had a budget and made it work.

There will be some big changes being made in the next 2 months. New job, training out of state, a move to a new apartment within my sales territory, and all that contact information stuff. New phone (for work), new address, new vehicle registrations (since we will be hoping over the border to PA), and all that jazz.

I have already made plans to keep creative during my out of state training. I will be working on some embroidery projects. I need to get the fabric pre-cut before I travel, but otherwise it should be a nice project to take along for the ride.

Geeze, I don't blog for weeks and here I am yanking your ear off. It's bedtime anyways. If any of you have any good ideas for crafting projects that are airplane and suitcase friendly let me know! I would appreciate it!