NaNoWriMo – No?

I know that I signed up for NaNoWriMo this year.  I have even ordered a whole bunch of books – it’s what I do!  I get all excited about a project, order books, search for resources on the Internet, think about it, then don’t do it.

This time, I realized that I have so many other things that I could be doing that would finish up other plans I have made.  I could:

• Write in my blog consistently for all 30 days of NaNoWriMo…
• Put items up on E-Bay that I’ve had made for weeks
• Grade papers (I’m just joking!  Who wants to do that?)
• Make one collage per day for 30 days
• Trace one heart ex voto pattern per day for 30 days
• Walk 30 minutes a day for 30 days…
• Write a letter a day for 30 days

Those are just a few things that come to mind.  Still, NaNoWriMo is so awesome.  They have even come up with a Young Writers Program, complete with “Not Lame” Workbooks and other resources.  There is a PDF for elementary, middle, and high school novelists.  It would be so cool, but I don’t think my students could handle it.  Maybe one day I will try it with a class.

So, this past weekend, I did finish a collage.  I am trying out a new adhesive called Yes! – it’s a paste.  So far, I like it a lot.  I will post pictures later of the finished piece.

Mad Cow

Last night, I was trolling EBay while watching TV.  I don’t know how, but I came upon an auction for a spectacular painted circle skirt with nopales on it.  It had stains on it, but I kept looking at the great designs I found.  Then, I happened upon the matador skirt.  I impulsively bid on it, but did not make the reserve.  I tried again, promising myself I would stop after that.  I had already bid way too much.

I then sent an e-mail to the auctioneer, asking just what the reserve was.  It was $150 plus $10 shipping. I tried to get her to go lower, but she held firm.  I slept on it (thank goodness pay day is not until Friday) and went to school.  While my students were reading their library books, I surreptitiously took a piece of yarn and wrapped it around my waist.  I then measured it using a ruler on my desk.  I looked at my measurement, then looked again at the waist measurement of the skirt.

Let’s just say they did not match.

That led me to start thinking about painting my own skirt.  Of course I don’t sew, but I could get help from my mother and there were all sorts of helpful tutorials on the internet. This website had a diagram showing where to cut the fabric.  I found another one written by a man who apparently likes wearing skirts (and kilts).  And this one stressed the importance of hanging the panels to stretch the bias before cutting the hemline.

I am sure I will forget about it – I have a lot of projects to keep me busy right now.  Still, I decided to look for a pattern of some pants I saw almost 10 years ago in Paris.  You put them on like a diaper, then tie the top of the pants to adjust the leg openings.  After a bit of mis-Googling, I found out they are called Thai fisherman’s pants.  Here was a great tutorial by MediaTinker – with sketches and everything.  It looks so easy…for a person who knows how to sew…  This is what they look like and this is how to put them on.  Maybe I will order a pair before I decide.