The Best Gift of All is Time

Am I the only one who feels like there just aren't enough hours in the day anymore? No matter how focussed I am on getting all the drudgery around here completed, turning off the computer so as to completely avoid all time-sucking distractions, it just seems like there's always one more thing to do before I can move onto anything fun.

Well, yesterday, I decided it was the season of giving. And what I wanted to give myself was a new apron (I know how uninspired and pathetic that sounds). I've been wearing the same filthy, homemade denim apron in the kitchen for about 5 years now. When I put it on, the Captain never misses the opportunity to make fun of me. The thing is a little too short (or so the Captain says--this doesn't actually bother me since I rarely slop soy sauce on my legs while cooking), and it's covered in all manner of things that never came out in the wash. I realize that's the point of an apron, but for a while now I've felt it was time for a new one. And then, in an unexpected turn of events that found Firstborn swinging Spiderman-style from my hanging apron and suddenly landing with a crash on the floor, apron left securely hanging, but apron-strings still firmly grasped in his hands, the need for a new one became a little more urgent (thanks, Firstborn!).

So, instead of folding my 40th load of laundry yesterday, I dropped everything and headed downstairs to my craft area for a little fun with the sewing machine. As I've mentioned before, crafters seem to end up with a lot of stuff. And, as such, I have a couple of tubs of fabric that need to be used up. As it turned out, once I'd picked the polka-dot fabric that would protect my clothes from the inevitable circles of grease that always seem to mysteriously land on my stomach, regardless of what I'm making, the whole project didn't even take me an hour to complete. And, as with all successful sewing projects, I now feel I'm on a bit of a roll. I've caught the bug, so to speak.

I have some lovely, bright crepe-backed satin downstairs that my mom sent me some time back to make some dressy tops for the Captain's various formal events. I did make a couple but I didn't use up all the fabric. So today, I'm in the mood to make something a little festive. Something dressier than my usual t-shirt, but that can be worn with jeans or pants to a casual holiday party. Something a little like this, or maybe this. I've already gone through the ridiculous number of patterns I own and I have some ideas, so I'll let you all know how it turns out.

If this one ends up being a success, there's a good chance I'll spend the rest of the week in the zone, sewing and crafting to my little heart's content. Then, on Friday night, I'll realize I'm less than 24 hours away from the Captain's triumphant return home, and the craze of scrubbing and sweeping will begin. I will have come full-circle and be right back where I started, needing just a few more hours in my day to get me through.

But until then, let the sewing frenzy begin.