In which...

I wake up and take another allergy pill before I go to do my taxes, hoping that it will dull the pain of:

1. Allergies (itchy eyes, runny nose, sneezing)
2. The possibility of me owing any set amount of money to the federal government, and being taken away to debtors prison
3. That it will indeed be fun operating heavy machinery (ie. my car and/or my life)

Luckily, the taxes turned out better than I hoped...I made more money this year, but got a bit of a return back...not enough to pay for getting my taxes done, but whatever, although it was better than the guy across from me...his refund was for $1. See, making all those quarterly payments does actually pay off (no matter how painful it is to write those checks at the time)

Then off to the shop to process. Clothes. Lot's of them.

Piles.
Bags.
Boxes.

Oh yes, I am out of hangers, and room on most of the racks, shelves or anyplace else that I can shove, I mean, display this stuff. There are so many wonderful things in right now, if anyone out there is around, please come in and take them off my hands...Please (I could use the hangers) I've actually been reduced to putting the extra clothes in boxes until I can get them all out...it's outrageous (including 2 large boxes from Texas that just came in that I haven't even opened yet) I swear this time of year snuck up on me...it's been a little warmer than usual, and the change of seasons precipitates a spring cleaning frenzy that boggles the mind...even though we usually have more white Easters than Christmases. So, it's been quite chaotic for about the last week now, and sometimes I don't do well in the midst of chaos (although, it's a place where I usually find myself) and I've been a little overwhelmed, and along with everything else...

I have been reminding myself to breathe...just breathe...outloud at points even. Probably to the dismay of some of my customers, but they should really be thanking me because at points it's keeping me from leaping across the counter and running away...

oh dear.
(secrets out)

So, I came home and did what any red-blooded American girl would do instead of totally have a meltdown or heaven forbid...relax...

A skirt a Day...Will keep the Doctor away

But, mainly if it is a skirt with apples on it. Oh yes, this bit of fabric was another score this weekend at JoAnn's (damn that place) and the last words out of my mouth before Dina took the little one to the bathroom were:

"I am going to look at the novelty fabric...DON'T let me buy any!"

The next words out of my mouth as they hunted me down were muttered rather desperately:

" I'm buying this...and you can't stop me"

She agreed that even though everyone has this fabric, she still loved it, and that it would indeed make a lovely skirt (always a supportive friend, although one that does not help me save money...) indulging my immediate fantasy of yet another skirt to add to the rapidly growing collection. Because, you know, I make so many of these, I can just whip them right up now in no time at all.

Not true.
Not even a little bit.

No less than 2 hours passed as I struggled along with the design of this one...I do really like the shape and the way it turned out (instead of the Made by Wendy pattern...I fudged it all up, designed it myself as a Made by Sadira pattern instead) I put a little bit of sweet detailing with some red vintage rick-rack on the waistband (grabbed in desperation from my, "what in heavens name am I'm going to do with all this vintage rick-rack?" pile in the studio) and made a little side tie as well (I really need to learn how to put a zipper in don't I?) I struggled a little bit at the end (isn't that always the way? You're almost done, and the darned machine refuses to cooperate? Spewing bobbin thread all over...) but, managed to persevere till I sewed it all up. Then...as I walked over to the iron one last time, I about killed myself by tripping over a laundry basket that someone so rudely left in the middle of the floor...

My horoscope today said that I was going to have to stop my frantic pace and calm it down, or the universe would do it for me...

So, if any of you were wondering, the universe is a square green and yellow laundry basket that runs under your feet at the most inopportune moment...