DIY: Stars on Stars on Stars

I like to craft.  

That's probably why I majored in Education. 

But, believe it or not, teachers don't get to craft non-stop. 

It was a shock to me, too.

I see things that I really really want, 

but then I look at the price tag and my heart stops. 

So I make it instead. 

Anthro had these great fake animal trophy mounts:

But the prices were absurd, so I made my own. 

Tilt your head to the right & squint. It's a gold moose. With glitter antlers.

A friend of mine was searching for a Hobbes stuffed animal,

a la Calvin & Hobbes. 

No dice, at least not for a decent price. 

Out of the kindness of my heart, and because it was a fun challenge, 

I sewed one for him. 

Bow down before me, ye unskilled crafters. 

So my latest project was to replicate an Anthropologie sweater 

I've been lusting after for months.

I've always loved stars. Not in a stupid, horoscope-follower way. 

More of a look-at-me-with-my-acoustic-music-stargazing-I'm-so-cool way. 

RIP High School Mary. 

The $118 price tag was enough of a deterrent. 

So, on a whim, I decided to make it this past weekend.

 

Step One: Run to Buffalo Exchange spontaneously. 

Spend 15 minutes searching for a sweater, swearing that you're not going to compromise. 

Find a similar-ish sweater & completely compromise

because you want to get started immediately

and you're too impatient to find the perfect sweater. 

Step Two:

Get really excited because you already have embroidery thread from another project.

Step Three: Google how to use embroidery thread because you're an idiot.

Step Four: Decide you're going to be really cool 

and choose your own section of the sky to sew. 

Panic about all the choices and resort back to following Anthro's pattern.

Step Five: Do your best impression of a Disney woodland creature. 

Sew until you can't sew anymore. 

Step Six: Congratulate yourself. 

Wear that sweater with pride. 

Strut your stuff knowing that all those other girls are basic bitchez

who bought their sweaters at a store. 

Whateva-whateva. 

Here's my finished product:

Kinda, sorta similar. 

I veered off-pattern at the end, but it's mostly the same. 

And I'm mostly satisfied.

Bless me, Mother, for I have shopped.

What the what. 

I woke up to snow today.

Except it's really malicious ice masquerading as pleasantly soft snow.

But still. 

Work at the law firm was canceled, 

so I had one choice:

stay inside like a sane person or venture out onto the frozen tundra?

Obviously, there was adventure to be had.

Becca and I planned on DARTing to Mockingbird Station, 

but after we skidded & stomped all the way to the nearest DART stop, 

we realized the trains weren't going today. 

We were not happy campers. 

Like the stupid girls we are, we didn't let a silly thing like

black ice covering all the roads stop us from our shopping.

Becca drove.

We got there in one piece, 

but our bravery made us foolhardy and we then drove to NorthPark. 

Again, we're fine,

other than our ability to make rational decision. 

But

I might be nearing the end of my tenure at Anthro. 

It's taking such a toll on me, physically & budgetally, 

that I just need to stop. 

The thought of losing my discount frightened me, 

and I panic-shopped. 

Also, I had had some whiskey, so I was tipsy-shopping, as well.

The combination was both ruinous and fantastic.

I have a habit of calling my mom after I spend (what I think is) a lot of money.

I can be pretty cheap, but every now and again I go crazy.

Anthro brings out the crazy in me. 

Today, my mom said that she feels like my confessor. 

Except instead of giving me penance, my mother only gives absolution. 

She's a terrible influence.

Hopefully, with the end of Anthro comes a return to my frugal ways. 

I kind of don't have any other option.

Pray for my soul/bank account?

I've already made plans to pull my life together tomorrow, if work is canceled. 

If it's not canceled, then I guess I have an excuse for my life still being a mess?

The title of this blog post is sacrilegious. 

I apologize. 

Anthropology/ie.

These are my latest faves from The Head & the Heart. 

I spontaneously went to their concert on Friday, and it was great.

For some reason, "Let's Be Still" reminds me of a Hilary Duff movie--

that might make it even better? 

I like my job at Anthro. 
It wears me out, and makes my feet hurt, and sometimes I get super stressed, 
but the people are nice, and it smells good, 
and the discount is awesome, and I'm surrounded by beautiful things. 
So it's worth it, in the end. 

Here are some things I've learned at Anthro, so far:

» The world is upside down

More people at Anthro have college degrees or are pursuing degrees
than at the law firm. 
I'll wait while you read that again. 


WHAT.

» Style is (relatively) subjective and ever-changing

I'm more adventurous, style-wise, than I was pre-Anthro.

(Sadly, I also put more care into dressing for Anthro than I do for the law firm.
Everyone at the law firm has glittery fake nails.
Sue me for not caring what they think.)

This is an acceptable work hairstyle at Anthro:

It makes me feel like a sumo wrestler. 

» Shoppers are destructive

The sale section. 

Sigh. 

I spent an hour organizing the sale room on Saturday, 

all the while knowing that my work would be for naught.

Here's some friendly retail advice: HANG YOUR CRAP UP. 
If you are the reason something falls to the floor, 
you get to be the one to pick it back up. 
It is my job to sell beautiful things 
and help you find those beautiful things
and get you a fitting room for those beautiful things.
At the end of the day, I help make the beautiful store look beautiful again. 

It is not my job to pick up after you like some maid.

Also, don't leave your coffee cup tucked behind things. 
It's rude. 

» Never turn your back on a child

One: Children go straight to the egg timers
and set all of them to 10 minute intervals. 

Two: Children take the fragile holiday bells
and run through the store ringing them. 

Three: Children take the markers in the fitting room
and write fake names on all of the doors
so I have no idea which rooms are actually in use. 

To be continued, I'm sure...