Ikea fun

There is still a bookcase I want at Ikea, but this is what I have so far. Most of it I got yesterday and one thing last month.

What I got last month was another pendant lamp to put overhead in my craft room. I already have one exactly like it in my dining area.


My new desk lamp that desperately needed. I spend most of my time at my desk on my laptop and crafting. The lighting in my craft room has been extremely poor. Really makes it hard to read or focus on what I am doing with knitting. I have a picture at night (before cleaning my desk) and next day in day light (after cleaning my desk).



My new TV stand, I have been wanting this for some time. Something to hold my TV, stereo and related components and still look beautiful. At some point I want to get an LCD TV. Aesthetically it will look better and the picture will be better.


My infamous new lamp shade:


Other small stuff. Salad spinner, mouse pads for work, lint roller, batteries. I know all exciting, not.


Some picture frames (with some gorgeous pictures I received in a swap). I need to measure all my artwork now and pick up more frames next time I am there.


I hope for one more trip after tax refund to get the bookcase I want. I will get the black/brown color.
This:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50103086
or this:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40047675

As for moving again, I keep on changing my mind. Stay tuned to see what happens, but if I do move, it will probably be next fall once gardening season is over. Of course if my alcoholic neighbor tries to be buddies with me again now that his girlfriend left him, I might move sooner. I have seen him once and it seems as if he will leave me alone. Nice guy with a bad problem. Too bad.

Otherwise, enjoying my last day of my 4 day weekend.

Christmas, Bill, Power Down

Silly Latisse commercial, I wouldn't pay one cent for some crap to make my eye lashes fuller and longer. Ok anyways....not what this blog is about.

Christmas was good this year. Always better than the cold and snow that accompanies it. I'm sure I am going to forget something, but here goes.

Family:
Parents: Knitting book
Sister: While you were Sleeping DVD (and there was something else I can't think of. Um....)
Nieces: Michaels gift cards and Michelle also gave me a beautiful ornament from a German shopping place in Chicago (unfortunately I forgot to take a picture, but I didn't get pictures of everything)
Aunt Sue and Phil: A beautiful ornament and the proceeds help reforest America.
Aunt Carol: $25 (pictured below will be a picture of what I bought).

Friends:
Paula: Fingerless gloves (you know how long I have been begging for some), cookies, and A Christmas Story Fudge (A Christmas Story was filmed in Cleveland and Paula lives near there and Cleveland has preserved the house and has a museum for the movies and Paula was able to get this for me). I feel like I'm missing something here. I hope not.
Bonnie: A $30 gift certificate for Paradise Fibers. The choices were endless so it was super hard to decide. I have pictures of what I got below.
Jillian: Well we will be exchanging music and poetry throughout the year. I do have something(s) in mind for an actual gift for Christmas and birthday, but I haven't gotten it yet.
Nicole: This girl is generous with me year round. I am not worthy. We haven't gotten together yet, but I am no where near close to doing all for her that I want to. I know one thing though, a carder. I got one half of a carder from my friend Sarah and Nicole miraculously found a matching half. When I get the second half and play with it, that will be a new blog post.

Pictures of stuff from Paula:




Pictures of what I got from Paradise Fibers, roving (to make yarn) and yarn:



The artwork I got with money from Aunt Carol (hopefully people don't mind seeing an artful nude)Art by Krystyna81:


My parents got themselves a new dog for Christmas. His name is Bill and we love him so much (and I'm not a dog person):


Power Down:
There is a power down movement starting where people are choosing every Saturday to live without TV, Computer, things electronic. The extent people want to do it is completely up to them. I really love this idea as I want to be earth friendly but I haven't done it for the last couple of weeks. It is challenging, I have a hard time living in silence. If I had people to hang out with in person I think it would make it much easier. I thought about learning instruments. I have a couple of guitars and I want a mandolin, but then I quickly realized I usually have a lot of crafting to do so I can't play an instrument and craft at the same time. I think this will be easier in the summertime when I can get out more. I really hate winter. Not really sure what to do for now. If anyone wants to come over and hang out on Saturdays and join me, let me know. I'll be happy to turn off the TV and/or computer and sit and chat, cook, craft. Need people.

Ok, I think that is it for now. Next weekend I have some fun things in store, so more about that afterwords. Yay!!!!