Polymer Clay Creations

Here are pictures of my recent polymer clay creations.  These didn't take too long to make.  I normally would sit down and make a few and then be done for the day.  Not until spring break will I likely devote any more than an hour to crafting these guys =).

First, turtles! 

These little guys were pretty simple to make.  I like the one with the green shell the best, but my daughter wanted one that was pink and purple with a black heart.  (She loves the girly-punk colors). 





Next are a lollipop and a chocolate cheesecake with raspberry filling/raspberry "rose."

I like how the stripes on the lolli turned out.  The raspberry rose on top of the cheesecake just served to make it look less plain.








Next are cupcakes.  I was trying out different styles of cupcakes and figured out that I don't like making the lines on the cups.  I'd rather just paint faces on the cups instead.  I think they look cuter that way (even if they're less realistic).

 The first one (top left) is a red velvet cupcake with vanilla frosting and an Oreo stuck in it. 

The one next to it is a yellow cake with berry frosting.

And the bottom one is double chocolate with a strawberry.

These last ones are my favorites.  I was inspired by the Oreo to make some Oreo-themed desserts. 

The one on the left is an Oreo cake with vanilla drizzle and crumbs sprinkled on top.

The one on the right is kind of like an "Oreo burrito" with vanilla filling wrapped up inside an Oreo shell, chocolate and vanilla whipped cream, and a cherry on top.  (I would eat it without the cherry, if it were real, but I think it looks better with the cherry) ;D

That's all for now!  I'll load more pictures of my creations on another day!

I'm a liar and an addict

So, I lied about leaving this blog...

I thought it would help me focus on writing and school to push my crafting fascination to the back burner, but the more I did that, the crazier I became. 

I have been crafting more than ever, on top of everything else, and I really miss posting on this blog.  I'm still going to keep my writing blog, but now I will also be posting on here again as well. 

Some of my friends at school have suggested I try selling some of my creations, and I would love to do that (if I can manage it on top of school, mommy-hood, and writing).  It sounds daunting, but I seem to be happiest when I have a  lot of creative things to do, and all of the above are creative activities.  Variety serves me best; when I'm done with one activity (or just plain bored with it) I can try something else or even combine a couple of them.  For example, the other day, Munchkin and I played with polymer clay.  I made a bunch of miniatures that I'll be posting pictures of on here within the next few days. 

I've also been crocheting up a storm and even doing a little painting on some cheap-o canvasses that I picked up for a couple of bucks each.  I think I've painted maybe twice in my life before this project, so they aren't spectacular, nor are they incredibly difficult to recreate, but the beauty is in the simplicity (and the 20 minutes it took to make them doesn't hurt either). 

Sewing hasn't been that friendly to me lately, but I'm considering getting back into that as well.  I also gave up jewelry-making and have only kept a minimal amount of supplies for that activity. 

I'll be revamping my YouTube channel to accommodate this blog.  I think that will also help in showcasing different items in the event that I decide to start selling on Etsy.  (I really don't have any expectations for selling my items.  I honestly just enjoy making them and have been giving most of the extras away as gifts.  However, with some of my friends suggesting that I try to sell them, I'm curious to see if anyone else would want them too, because well... that would be cool with me.  I've been eating a lot of Ramen noodles lately ;))

So, to my handful of followers on this blog, stick around if you're still interested in what I've had to say/show so far.

Thank you for reading!
Let me know if you have any suggestions!

Nadia

the end...

... well of this blog anyway.  I just don't feel the need to blog about crafts anymore because I've started to focus more on my writing.  If you are interested, I invite you to follow my writer's blog located here.  I don't have very many posts on it yet, but it's purpose is to document how I feel about writing. 
Writing is my passion, and writing fiction is my dream.  I love to just sit down and write about a whole new world to exist in.  Daydreaming is nice, but I don't know... Something about writing it all down makes it that much closer to being "real." 
So, if you're into young adult fiction that focuses on character development and dialogue, and if you like reading about exotic places where you might find an Immortal being or two (but no vampires... they're everywhere else except in my blog/stories... have you noticed??... I thought they used to be a rarity but now they're all over).  And trust me, I'm not anti-vampire, I just have nothing new to say about them. 
I'm also hoping to connect with other writers out there who are maybe trying to get their feet wet in this whole writing and getting published thing. 
I like to read pretty much anything, just so long as it's not over my head... (reading about cracking computer codes doesn't exactly induce sit-on-the-edge-of-my-seat-syndrome.)
So, sorry to be abandoning this blog, but who knows... maybe in a fit of writer's block I'll come back and crochet a hat or something.  I can't promise I'll blog about it, but yea... check out my writer's blog if you like! =)

Could I focus on my studies for 16 hours???

Lately, I've been a little burnt-out at school... 
So burnt-out that I'm drooling over the upcoming winter break, looking forward to the "cabin fever" that will surely come within 2 days of being at home with snow piling up to my windows.
I'm a little surprised, therefore, at my latest idea...

Take a look at this...

It's a documentary currently being filmed/produced by a young, American film maker in South Korea.  Needless to say, after watching this, I felt rather humbled about my schooling.  I have never studied for 16 hours straight...  But I want to try it to see what it's like.  I'm sure it's awful, so I'm going to wait until winter break to try it out (that way I won't endanger anyone's sanity with my quest).  I'll have to have meals ready for the day... no stopping to cook.  So, there's the plan... Despite my desperate need for a break, I am strongly considering using at least 1 day to do nothing else but study for 16 hours straight.  Honestly, I think I should do more than one day, so I can get a better idea... but we will see.  Right now, I'm having a tough enough time keeping up with my own blog, so this new idea may never see the light of day...

I admire the students in this video.  I can't look at my own school work the same in comparison to what they have to do. 

I can't wait for this documentary to come out =).

If I were on my deathbed...

... and gained a 2nd chance at life, how would I live? 
I'd go ahead and write my novel(s). 
I'd play outside in the rain more. 
I'd sleep late at least 7 times per week... 
I'd go on a vacation...
           Isn't death a 'vacation?' 
          No... It's a detour I don't plan on taking any time soon, and when I'm ready for it, then it will be a vacation.

Since I can't count on cheating death or even bargaining with it, I'll assume I only have one shot at this life and get to writing.  If it's what I really want to do, then I'll do it. 

I've spent so much time trying to do things the "right way" that I've lost my interests, my passions, my dream within the struggle.  I've become more critical of my writings and less free-spirited. 

Why am I putting myself down so much?

I honestly don't know it's all that complicated... I think I'm just stressed.  I've fallen into the assumption that I need my college degree in order to make money, and that if I can't get a career with my degree in-hand, then I'm a failure. 

Ugh...!  This was the one thing I didn't want to learn from college...

I want my degree to compliment my dream, not crush it... 
I want it so I can say:  "Hey... Take me seriously because I earned this piece of paper, would you mind listening to me/reading a story of mine?  According to said piece of paper, I'm educated just enough for you to possibly find my words interesting enough to read while on a road trip, before bed, upon waking, or upon your toilet" (I really don't aspire to be the next toilet-reader novelist, but as long as the pages aren't used as TP, I'm fine...). 

Would it be great to have a job with a steady income?  Yes... and No... I don't want "just any old job."  If I have to struggle to be a writer, and I only make enough to barely get by... I wanna be a writer.  If I have to work another job to put food on the table and only write on the side, I wanna be a writer.  If I become a millionaire due to a lucky lottery ticket, a successful invention, or inheritance (not likely...), and I don't have to work another day in my life... I wanna be a writer. 

Being a writer isn't really a dream...  It's just a big part of who I am. 

But...

My dream is to become a published writer. 

So, that's where it gets a bit tricksy...

From what I understand, it's not the easiest thing in the world to become a published writer.  My ego isn't quite big enough for me to say that I have the next best novel in the world, or even the state of Ohio... (or the suburb in which I reside...) so, I'm fully aware that what I think may be awesome, YOU might not find even the slightest bit entertaining.  But, lack of large ego aside, I'm going to at least offer my writings to you and the rest of the public as a possibility of entertaining enterprise. 

Before I head off to bed... (since I can't sleep late tomorrow, I have to go to bed early tonight... lame...) I'll pretend I'm a good girl and write up some goals:
             1)  Write a blog post tomorrow
             2)  Free-write for 5 minutes tomorrow
             3)  Do my homework
             4)  Read a chapter of some book that I have lying around that I have not bothered reading yet (I have countless examples of unread books scattered in my closet... I swear, I do read... just not lately...)
             5)  Drink 4 glasses of water... because I rarely drink 1 a day... I don't drink anything... I'm a camel.
           
Until morning... which will come too soon...

Munchkin starts Kindergarten soon!

Munchkin is starting Kindergarten!!!  OMG!  I am so excited (she is too)! 

Part of the reason I am so excited is because I decided it was most beneficial for her to enroll in K12.com/OHVA.  Basically, she's going to go to kindergarten online here at home.  Well, technically, she'll do 80% of her lessons through the books/materials the school provides, but we'll be finding out what each lesson is online.  It's technically "homeschooling," because she won't be going to an actual school building to learn, but K12 is accredited through the public school system, so we don't have to register as "homeschoolers." 

Why did I choose this for her?  A family member highly-recommended the program.  Also, I am still in college, and my schedule is going to be a bit full during the days this coming Fall quarter.  The kindergartens in my area are only half-day, and their schedules do not fit in with my schedule.  I could have chosen to wait and have her start kindergarten next year, but I think she's ready.  I don't want to hold her back.  I spoke with her daycare/preschool and have arranged to have her still attend preschool with them (which will work out with my schedule), and then when I pick her up from preschool, I will help her with her Kindergarten lessons. 

When I spoke with K12, they said their attendance policy is based on "hours logged," and since kindergarten hour requirements are half of any other grade, she does not need to log a full school day every day.  Plus, she can log hours in on the weekends as well.  She is more likely to finish Kindergarten early versus not complete it at all. 

Munchkin is excited as well.  We just received her computer today (they loan you one), and she's pumped to be learning Spanish too!.  I've already worked on some things with her over the summer... some worksheets on learning how to write letters and matching different things.  She loves to work on worksheets.  It's really neat to see her this excited about school.  And I'm relieved that she'll still be able to go to the preschool that she's used to and socialize with her friends every day while I'm at my school. 

She has such a busy mind (much like myself...), and I'm sure this will be good for her. 

Long hiatus due to writing more

... Well, and final exams too, but they're over now.  And I think I survived them.  I dunno.  I haven't checked yet ;). 
I've done a few more projects as well.  One is pictured below.  It's a case for my Kindle with Totoro embroidered on the front.  I only have one pic of it for now because the lighting is pretty bad due to the rainy/stormy skies we have going on right now. 
The case is made from an old pair of jeans.  It's the bottom of one of the legs.  I also padded it with some fleece and lined it with pretty flowery, vintage fabric from an old sheet set I'd picked up from the thrift store. 
I sketched the Totoro picture onto a piece of notebook paper and then pinned that to the jeans fabric.  I then embroidered, following the pattern and once that was completed, I removed the paper (ripping it gently away from the embroidery threads). 
The design of the actual case is simple.  It's just an open pouch; a carrying case.  I just wanted something to keep my Kindle from getting scratched when I carry it with me (which is often... I've read about 7 books so far on the Kindle... which is more than I've read in the last few years). 

My biggest project right now is writing my novel.  I've written a lot, but I don't really have it in order.  I have the first chapter done, and sections of the beginning and middle.  My plan is to get it done (sounds simple enough...).  I'd like to finish it by the end of the summer, although the end of July would be preferable.  We shall see.