Friday, March 4, 2011

Around These Parts

It's been a miscellaneous kind of week.  Little things accomplished that I thought I'd just pool together so you can see how things roll here in the Murphy household.

1.  New Month


Yes, I am that much of a dork, that I get antsy at the end of each month.  It means I get to wipe the calendar clean and write out the next month!  Dorkability #2 - we have a color coded system.  Ahhh...that makes me so happy.  Dorkability #3 - I would prefer a computer screen mounted to the side of our fridge that is one of those all-in-one things that we can just pull up the calendar or write notes to each other.  This would make me seriously delirious.  I remind Mike of the infinite possibilities of this ideal system each month.  He reminds me that it is a pipe dream.  We don't seem to be communicating very well on this front.  Dorkability/Dictator #4 - I am the one who gets to write on the calendar.  Occasionally Mike writes on it for his work stuff.  The children: not happening.  I know that's anal.  I know it's semi-ridiculous.  This morning Jake noticed our day had nothing notated so he wrote, "Happy Friday".  I have all I can do not to erase it.  OCD?  Slightly.

2.  New Wreath


I was really having a hard time coming up with a new wreath idea and I couldn't decide between St. Pat's, Easter, or a general spring theme.  It wasn't helping that there wasn't much available in stores for me to work out the St. Pat's thing, and Easter is SO late this year, that it seemed a bit premature.  And well, Spring seems like a bit premature at this point as well.  So, I went with a rainbow using fabric strips I already had and make a little pot of gold (minus the gold - too busy).


In retrospect, I should have made the pot bigger.  If you aren't up close it just looks like a sash indicating that our wreath was voted Miss Colorful 2011.

3.  Old Dog, New Tricks


Maddie received this guitar for Christmas.  She has managed to pick out "Happy Birthday" since then.  It's driving me nuts that it's been sitting here unused.  So, I took matters into my own hands and have started teaching myself how to play.  I currently know how to hold a pick correctly, hold the guitar correctly, and I can strum out a D chord.  I plan to have it restrung with lighter strings which my sister assures me she can help me do.  Maybe after volleyball is finished Maddie will have more time to devote to this endeavor.

4.  Photo Shoot


I actually tried to take pictures of water drops for my picture of the day.  I was explaining to Mike what I needed for this the night prior.  Mainly: light.  He said, "We don't own a lamp."  I had thought the same thing, but then I remembered we had lamps in the living room.  Then I remembered we had an old one in our basement that sits unused and I didn't care if it got ruined.  I clamped a baggie of water and weighted it down with old books.  I used scrapbook paper for a colored background and white to reflect more light.  It's a complete ghetto set-up.


I learned I need more light.  I'm not sure where to find it at this point, but I'll continue looking.  I also learned that this "red" color is kind of disgusting - it reminded me of the inside of a stomach. 


I didn't use this one because I thought if I looked at it upside down it looked like a weird tonsil.  However, the reflection in the drop is actually the reflection of the cut-glass bowl.  Interesting how that works.

5.  Organizing 101


At the start of the year I began trying to organize our kitchen a little differently.  I rearranged a cupboard once every few days.  I took on some drawers too.  This week I tackled our second junk drawer.


This is again, not exciting to many, but I love this.  I think it goes along with the OCD mentioned in #1.  To date I've revived four drawers, three cupboards and the space atop our refrigerator.  I've realized that doing this in small increments (not more than 15 minutes each drawer/cupboard!) is so much more doable and I'm giddy by the end of the day because I accomplished this task.  I'm fairly close to finishing the kitchen, then I'm moving upstairs to our room to attack a closet of clothes and miscellaneous shoes.  I even have a box of current items ready for our garage sale and everything has been priced already!

And with that, I'll wish you a "Happy Friday".  Envision it written in dry-erase in Jake's handwriting.  {sigh}

4 comments:

Stacey said...

OCD, no. As the one required to keep everybody else organized and on time, one must show a little muscle. Even if that muscle is color-coded and off limits to those who can't complain when their stomachs are full and lives thoroughly enriched through sports and music. In other words, all moms have a bit of OCD.

Carol said...

Great water pictures, really like the reflection in the tiny drop, very good.

missy said...

I say good job on being well organized. I really love your pictures. Your wreath has been a joy to see what you can accomplish with just a little fabric. Can't wait to hear Maddie play her guitar.

Sheri said...

I love the refraction of the dish edge in your water drop. Isn't it amazing how not fancy those setups can be!! I did one with red food coloring in milk, and it looked like someone had vomited Pepto Bismol. Live and learn, but I like your red!