"take your passions.....and make it happen" (Flashdance)

( I was going to add this to my previous post...but then I realized after the first paragraph that it needs a post of it's own)

My husband always asks me "what are you passionate about?" and of course I am passionate about my faith and show that by trying to live a Godly life but aside from that I never knew how to answer that question. What am I passionate about? What do I really enjoy doing? This can be very frustrating thing when you just completed 20 years of school and you still don't know how to answer the question first asked by your primary grade teachers "what do you want to be when you grow up?"
I spent 5 years in high school. Not because I failed any courses, I graduated with honours in fact despite the fact that I had people in my life that told me I wouldn't amount to much. But really didn't like English class, as I was and still am a slow reader and could never keep up with the class reading assignments. I was also at a Career plan halt. My original plan was to go through for forensics ( maybe I just watched too much TV)  But the field fascinated me. I had the grades to do it too. But I guess forensics wasn't His plan. I jst finished a grade 11 year in enriched mathematics ( yes..enriched) and finished with an 80 something or other. the next year I was in a U level math...and half way though the year I couldn't apply any of it to tests of assignments. I spent the rest of that year in a basic math class after begging my guidance counselor to let me keep my math credit. Anyways, I spent my fifth and final year of high school studying social sciences and English ( i skipped English in my 4th year cause I needed a break from it)
However one thing remained constant  in high school: art. I wasn't the best, and i still am not, their were many talented people in that class. At the end of high school my art teacher asked if I required a portfolio for University. I said "pfft! I'm just taking art for fun"
Well Mr. Scales, I am a university graduate with an Art major... but the portfolio wasn't necessary so that's okay.
I also took up Education classes to attain a B. Ed. in the primary division. However as soon as I graduated, unlike about 99% of my class, I had zero desire to teach or apply for teaching jobs. But no worries I have a degree in Art! awesome!
I ended up working in a school as an assistant teacher and enjoyed the day while I was there, but dreaded going to work each day. And that doesn't seem right to me. I recently thought that maybe I am being lazy with applying to teaching positions. But twice now I have applied to a position that I was very qualified for, one of which was at the school where I worked for an entire year. I never even got a call back.  And I know that there are people out there with the "beggars can't be choosers" attitude ( which i have at times too) But to me it's important that I enjoy my work. I don't want my job to be a depressing weight on my shoulders. This doesn't mean I wont ever teach. I do use my education to do private tutoring, and I plan on homeschooling once kids come into our lives.

In a previous blog I mentioned how I would sit and watch my mother sew, mend and create. Ever since I made my first stitch, I haven't stopped. I always took out her sewing machine and made things.
My mother got me my very own sewing machine for University Graduation. Best gift ever!!! I don't think that it has gone more than a week without being used. I would always be thinking while at work about the thinks I could create. This also applies to refurbishing furniture. My passion has been with me all the time, right in front of me. I think it took making new curtains and pillows three times for my kitchen and living room in the past year to realize this.
I recently joined the banner making committee in our church, so that I can apply my passion there. I am really excited about this because this means I can share it with more people, and have it be very Christ centred. It's important as Christians I think to use our passions in a way that gives back to God.
  I don't believe that my teaching degree is wasted. God has a plan for us, and at some point, whether it is through homeschooling or another way, that degree will be used. It's never a waste. But I think people need to realize that teachers don't just teach in schools. And they usually have a 2nd degree. Mine just happens to be art.
I have finally discovered my passion. I am passionate about creating, refurbishing, redesigning and being thrifty. I'm a hands-on person. I always have been. It's in my blood.

So now that that is all out there, I have some fun news. Some or maybe only a few, know that I did some contracted graphic design work for the Living Rock. I had my own logo and name,Simply Yellouw Designs. Well SYD is coming back ( hopefully, depending on how things turn out) but not as graphic design ( still available for that too though) but as a home decor creator.
On April 22, SYD will be at the Ancaster Arts and Crafts Show, displaying and selling  one (to four-ish) of a kind accent pillows.
I am really looking forward to this. My goal is to just make back the money I spent on supplies and the booth rental and to have people enjoy my makings.

I think there are reasons why you are passionate about certain things. It's not just about liking or enjoying, but I think that you will be used by God in that way...know what I mean? Or maybe not. Maybe it's just something to keep us looking forward to work being over.

making space without taking space

I bought a two drawer (side by side) dresser the other day from Value village. It's originally an Ikea Product. I had been eyeing this thing for a whole week..okay maybe three days or so. There is nothing really special to it, it's not even of any value. But here is what I did with it:

we need to stain the leg raisers still 

I've always wanted a high bed. they look so much more expensive and feel more expensive. At first I wasn't sure if this thing would fit under the bed. However, when I brought it home, I found out that it actually didn't. Not to fear, we right away began thinking of things around the house to place under the bed on the other end. I originally had one of those big plastic Tupperware things at the foot of my bed. it was the same height so we placed it under the bed and it held...until we sat on the bed. There was a loud crack and then a big thud as the bed came crashing to the floor. It's a good thing I got that tub for free! We ended up making raisers for our bed for each foot....which brings me to a side story:

we were in Home Depot ( that store smells sooo good!) looking for 4X4's to make the raisers. we found them in the lumber section (of course...it's not like they keep them in plumbing...that would be weird), had them cut to the length we needed, and took it to the cash. The price ticket attached to the skid of the 4X4's said $12.39. The cash registers told us $21.99. THERE IS NO WAY THAT I AM PAYING THAT MUCH FOR THIS PIECE!!! turns out that the price attached to the skid was not for the stuff on the skid but rather for the stuff on the skid below it. How stupid is that! any ways, we told them, you can either keep the wood that we just had cut and not be able to sell it for full price, or they could give it to us at the price labeled on the skid....of course we got it for the price we thought it was.

Anyways so yeah we now have a fancy bed with extra hidden storage...or at least storage that doesn't take up space...cause you can obviously see the drawers...they are not that well hidden. Of course it doesn't look as fancy as the real deal you would find in the furniture store, but a higher bed in my opinion looks great homemade or store bought...though store bought would look pretty fancy...but you get my point.


Another addition that we recently made to our humble little home is a tiny bookshelf. Now I know you are thinking "BOOOORING! everyone has a bookshelf" But I made mine out of a discontinued Ikea product I found on Kijiji. I am quite proud of this accomplishment because I normally get Fritz to make the purchases off Kijiji for me. I get too nervous making the phone calls to people who prefer to be called. so I have him do that. But I did it all by my self this time. I even picked it up.... side story:

I picked up this item in Burlington, which is maybe a 15 minute drive away for me. on my way back, because of rush hour, instead of taking the 403 I took Lakeshore road. I think I had a long line up of annoyed drivers behind me, because I was going about 30km/h gawking at the houses along the lake! those places are incredible!!!! WOW!!

Anyways back to the bookshelf. It started out as a discontinued Ikea cd tower. My plan was to slide out some of the shelves so that books can fit on it. But lo and behold, the shelves are all firmly stuck in place. so I had to search on line for the assembly manual for this specific item, to figure out how to unassembled it. any ways after going through all that this is what I got: