DIY Tuesday - Sweater Boots!

Back during December, I was stalking some boots at DSW. They looked like a sweater, very cute, cute little buttons, you know, perfect. When I finally got some Christmas money, it was time for the boots! I drove excitedly over to DSW, walked down the right aisle, and...

No boots.

Kyle heard about my boot debacle (not because I complained about them, of course), and when he came across a link for some DIY boots, he passed it on. I ran to the store, got some clearance shoes, dug around for Kyle's old sweaters, got the glue gun, and went to work!

The cheap starter shoes

Removing the bling on the top
Kyle's old sweaterGluing the sleeves onto the shoe

Flip it over...

Sew on a cuff (made from the bottom of the sweater)

Add a cute button, and...
Boots!

Several of yall have commented on them and requested an interest in their own pair of boots, so here's your chance! I'll make them for you for $20 (covering my time and materials). I just need to know your shoe size and your color preference!

Updates to the Situation

Thanks to all of you who have been so supportive. It was such a hard decision to make, even if it was the right one, and it's something I'm still dealing with. Some days are good, some are bad. I need a little time to grieve. I know that doesn't make sense to some, but I just need some time.

On the job front, thank you everyone who has messaged or called me with jobs and ideas and suggestions! I have some possible positive job things going on that I truly believe are God led, but I can't talk about them yet. Yall will just have to be patient and keep praying. I can say that Kyle and I are really excited about these possibilities. :)

We are still trying to figure out the whole car thing. My MK car will get picked up sometime this week, so I'm still needing some temporary transportation. I have started my car fund, and even though it's starting slowly, my accompanying work these next few months should really help to build that up quickly!

Thanks everyone for your hugs and prayers. Keep 'em comin.

What I'm dealing with...

This is kind of embarrassing, but I'm writing it out to the blog world and facebook world because I don't really know what to do, and this is the biggest network of people I know. So, I'm falling on my sword, letting myself be embarrassed in hopes that it will help me move on faster and get some help.

In the past I have been the Mary Kay Diva. While I still am a Diva with my own sales, my unit kinda fell apart the past couple of months, and on January 1st, I lost my status as director. On Saturday I got a letter stating that I no longer had enough consultants on my team to maintain car status and that they would be coming to pick up my car.

I'm still licking my wounds on this one, but after a lot of prayer and talking with Kyle, our Pastor, and some close church friends, I've made a few decisions. One, I will continue with Mary Kay, but on a dialed back basis, as in, I will still do a party if someone wants one, but mostly I'm just going to take care of my customers and keep getting my personal discount. I still believe in this company and I love doing this, but right now it's best for my family if I take a step back.

Two, I need to find another source of income. For years I've been patching together a career with various things, and I'm not necessarily opposed to that, but it's time to bring it together. I'm a musician. It's what I'm good at. I need to be doing what I'm good at. Here's the tricky part - musicians don't get paid all that well. I absolutely love my job at St. Peter, and don't intend on leaving, so I've got to find some 20 odd hours during the week to do something musical that I'm good at. During the school year I can sub, but my heart isn't in that. I love the accompanying work that I do, but again, it's only during certain times of the year.

And the one that's probably the most urgent - I need a car. Due to our past year, we don't have the funds to purchase one. And because of some poor mistakes that I have made, I don't have good credit either. We are hoping someone will have an extra car we can rent for a few months while we get some money together to be able to purchase a decent car for me.

So there's where I'm at. I'll be glad to take advice on jobs, cars, etc. I'll also take some prayers, because I've got a lot to figure out.

Thar's a hole in my bucket...

I guess it's inevitable with the new year. It's a chance to refocus, decide what we really want out of life, what we're going to do about it this year, what we didn't do well last year, etc. You know how it goes. It's what all goes into deciding on those New Year Resolutions that we all throw away and forget about by Valentine's Day.

Since I am inching closer towards 30 every day, it really makes me think. A couple of months ago we had a sermon at church about our Bucket List. Sorry Pastor, but I don't really remember what the point of the sermon was (was that the bucket of grace sermon?), but it did get me thinking about my own bucket list. What do I want to achieve? What are some things I definitely want to do? So, in no particular order, here are 10 things I would like to achieve in my lifetime:

1. Be a mother. (Of Kyle's children of course, not just anybody's.)
2. Drive a pink cadillac.
3. Travel to Rome, Italy. (I'd like to see the Vatican while I'm there.)
4. Have a leading role in a musical.
5. Live by the lake. (I'm pretty close right now!)
6. Have some land.
7. Take the Sound of Music tour in Switzerland. And sing The Hills Are Alive while I'm there. In a dress.
8. Have a wall full of shoes. I'm thinking Carrie Bradshaw's closet in the Sex and the City movie.
9. Hire a housekeeper.

And those that know me best, know #10:
I want a lady that will be in my house with a taco cart and tableside guacamole, to make me tacos on command. Her name will be Escuela.

What's on your bucket list?