Yes Im back again for the new year. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. Mine was good, for the most part. I drove all around North Carolina and Virginia, visited friends and family, ate lots of tasty food, spent too much money, then broke down somewhere on I-85 in Virginia.
It was all fun and games except for the whole breaking down part. I was just driving along, on my way from visiting a friend in Richmond, VA. Suddenly my temp gauge shows the truck is running hot and in the next second theres a huge cloud of smoke surrounding the truck. Come to find out the hose connected to the thermostat had a hole in it, so every time I put water in it, it would just squirt back out after a few minutes. Im telling you guys, duct tape fixes so many things. I did get the hose replaced though ;)
So guess what I got for Christmas??
A toothbrush and soap! LOL! Yes, my mom gave my a toothbrush and soap. I was like, "Wow mom, thanks. Slightly insulting, but thanks." She was like, "Oh! No, I didnt mean it that way!" lol, Im still laughing about that one. The soap does smell super good, but Im still getting used to the vibrating toothbrush. 
My mother did redeem herself by getting me knitting looms, which Im super excited about, but have yet to try out. I bought myself yarn (or course) and my husband got me an mp3 player, yay!
Now for some randomness:
Driving down I-85:
Google maps is AWESOME:
Out in the sticks. Seriously, 15 miles to the nearest...anything:
I've already changed the color scheme of the blog to something new and different. Im really loving the chocolate cherry cream theme, and Im so excited about making packaging to match! Ive decided to change my shop name to "Implexus." Ive even thought up a logo, which is something I was never able to do for Revolt Media. "Revolt Media" isnt terribly unique, but I started my shop with that name because I'd been using it for a while. But its time for something new. It didnt help that I googled "Revolt Media" out of curiosity and there were tons of different results and websites with that name. I definitely wanted something more unique.
So Ive already made the Implexus account on Etsy, so go heart me there! I'll be moving everything over there on January 1. Also, Dec. 24 I will be changing the url of this blog to implexa.blogspot.com. Just a little FYI for those of you that may be following or have this page linked somewhere.
I need to update, I know. One is coming soon. Maybe even today ;)
I hate being sleepy. I hate sleeping. I hate sleep. I wish I didnt need it. But I do. Ugh.
Seriously though, right now, Im feeling a little sleepy. But I dont want to go to sleep. I feel like I havent gotten enough done and that I need to work until Ive completed something (or several things). I wish I could say its just tonight, but this happens EVERY night. Which is why I end up going to bed at 4 and 5 am most nights. I keep having to tell myself, "Its almost 1am, its ok to be sleepy now. Its ok to go to bed. Go to sleep!" ...But I cant. I really wish I didnt have this problem.
My latest project is something really unique and different, and Im soooo excited to be doing it. The other day I got a custom order to do 7 origami flower bouquets for a wedding! The colors are black and red, so Im doing the flowers in red, with black middles. For each bouquet there will be 1 large flower surrounded by 5 smaller ones. So far, I only have 1 large flower done. Its a variation of the flowers used in the kusudama, but the smaller surrounding flowers will be made the regular way.
Im so excited, I cant wait until I have the rest of it done!
The trees are all bare now, except one,
some dead brown leaves still hanging on.
The sky is dim and cold and grey,
It makes me want to sleep all day.
But in the cold where grey skies loom
is where the winter flowers bloom.
I have to say goodbye to Man Scarf tomorrow! He is SOLD!
Bittersweet.
Just as I was starting to warm up to him, and even care for him, we are being ripped apart. My heart is a little sad. Now we'll never know what we couldve had together...
Goodbye my Man Scarf, never to meet again.
Ok, Im gonna go ahead and rant about this, since Im reading an interesting thread on the Etsy forums.
Cell phones:
Seeing that lots of cashiers are annoyed with people coming up to the register on their cell phone. Im NOT one of those people who can be found at any given moment to have a cell phone attached to the side of their head, I actually hate talking on the phone, but I do have to take calls sometimes. Really though, what difference does it make to you if Im on my phone? I dont talk loudly, and Im not ignoring you when you say something to me. I will still say "Hi" "Good, how are you?" and "Thank you" just as I always would. Beyond that, what do you want from me?? I came to the store to pick up some things, not talk to you. I can understand not being on a phone in a restaurant or the library, but its the grocery store...people come in in their pajamas and for heavens sake!
In defense of customers who write checks, and have difficulty with the card swipe machine:
STOP BEING JUDGEMENTAL. Seriously.
My mom is not an idiot. She has a masters degree, thank you very much. Do not treat her like an idiot just because she's writing a check instead of using a card. She's been a kindergarten teacher for 30 something years. So after a really LONG day of teaching your bad, less than genius kids, she's forgotten her debit card at home, has already made it to the register before realizing it, and doesnt want to leave her stuff, go back home to get the card, and come back and have to shop all over again. Dont roll your eyes at her.
As far as her difficulty with the card machine. She's frickin 56! Not really old, but old enough to have to whip out the ol' glasses to read stuff. She knows how to work the machine, she just cant see to do it. Sometimes shes there realizing she cant find her glasses in the receipt cluttered abyss that is her purse, so she tries to wing it without. I, for one, can attest to the fact that glasses just get left places, they are never where you think they are or need them to be. Many times I have looked for mine, and theyve been on top of my head, lol.
AND since every freakin card machine is different than the next one, theres been plenty of times Ive pushed the wrong button, just because theyve switched them up and Im doing it out of habit. My bad. Sorry. But that doesnt make me stupid, just slightly oblivious, okie dokie? And yes, Ive pushed enter instead of "yes." Why? ...Hoping it would work. You know why...because it REALLY REALLY IRKS ME to have to key in 1/2 of the transaction on a key pad, then the other half with that stupid pen thing on the screen! Why?! Pick one!
For chicks that work in hardware type stores:
Dont you hate when people treat you different just because youre a girl? Like when youre trying to help a customer and they ask if there is a man around they can talk to because they assume since youre a chick that you dont know what youre talking about. Dont you hate that? Well you know what I hate, oh hardware/home improvement store chick?? As Im gathering a pile of 2x4's, MDF, various screws, and new saw blades, why oh WHY hardware girl, do you feel the need to say, "Where is your husband? Why didnt you bring a man to help you with that??" Really. Really? Youre serious? Hey. Look. Just because Im 4'11" and 105 lbs, and not some big butch, does NOT mean I cant handle six 2x4's and a sheet of MDF on my own, k thanks. Does it look like Im struggling? No? Ok, the dont freak out and come running to my 'rescue' with a cart, I find it much easier to just carry the stuff. Who comes up with this stuff anyway.
(*and dudes, that goes for you too. its really annoying, pisses me off, and makes me want to hit you with said 2x4, k thanks.)
The man scarf is complete and up for sale in my shop. I actually like the way it came out and want to make more, lol. Yeah, I know, after all that whining...
(And the 2 kusudama balls I made will also be listed some time today. Im totally addicted to making them now, so I decided, hey, why not list 'em.)
Here it is. This the holiday one. Im making a non-holiday one now.
60 3x3" papers = 60 individual petals
5 petals = 1 flower
12 flowers + 6 hours = 1 ball
I got inspired to make one when my mom pulled hers out to hang up. Im half way done with this one.
I will never use Lionbrand Homespun yarn again. I bought it because I love the color and the feel of it, and it screams "man yarn." I dont have any men's items in the shop yet, so I figured I would make a man scarf. Yeah. This yarn is so awkward to work with, Ive knitted and unknitted like 10 times, just trying to figure out what to do with it. I guess its not all around bad, just bad for scarves. I looks kind of messy to me, but maybe that will add to the character of it being a "man scarf."
Man scarf made me mad after a while, so I decide to take a break from it and move on to bags. I made one the other day that I liked but have not finished yet. It didnt come out the way I had planned though (even thought its not finished yet), so I thought I'd start a new one and see I if could get that one right. So I cut out some grey fabric, made gathers at the top, sewed it up, and then realized I hadnt reinforced it. Great. FAIL #1. 
So then I was like "ok forget this for now, I'll start another one." So I started a shiny dark green one. I remembered to reinforce this one, but I forgot about something super important. I totally forgot to cut the top in a curve instead of a straight line. As a result, the top of the purse curves, instead of being straight across the top. FAIL #2. After that I decided to hang it up for the night and write a blog about it, lol :)
Now that Ive done all my mess-ups today, hopefully tomorrow will but nothing be perfection!
My shop is finally, officially open! I have a Black Friday sale going too... Free shipping on all items, Friday only. I only have 12 items up so far though. Im really hoping today goes well, I hope to get at least 1 sale, Im so nervous about it.
(Happy Thanksgiving!)
I finally finished this! I started this pencil roll-up a week ago. Things kept coming up, getting in the way, keeping me from finishing. Then of course, all the times I couldve been working on it, I felt like working on something different. So here it is, its black and white checkered pattern, stitched with red thread, and has a red cord to wrap it up wi
th.
I was getting restless, and starting to freak out about my shop not being ready. Im still trying, but Im pretty sure I wont reach my 30 item goal. I cant stand it anymore, so I went ahead and listed a few things. Only 3 scarves for now. I was hoping seeing my things in the shop format would help me. I just keep feeling like my pictures arent good enough, Im afraid I wont have enough variety, and Im finding writing descriptions to be a challenge. Im so afraid that I will have done all this work for nothing. I feel like Ive been working and working and working but not getting very much done. Im just hoping that this will all pay off. Then I'll feel better.
Man, I just realized Christmas is one month from today! Ive got so much stuff to do, ugh.
Heh, yeah, um, screw Wordpress. Blogger is awesome. Fully customizable is key. Yes! Victory!! Ive just spent the past few hours setting this up, but it was well worth it.
My main reasoning for wanting to stay on Wordpress was because of the ability to make pages within your blog. Well I figured out a way to get around that. So FYI, all the posts posted in 2000 are from today, lol. I put the 2000 date on them so I can find all of the "pages" easily.
You know, the ability to make pages is the only thing keeping me at WordPress. Well, that and the fact that people from WordPress find my blog by searching tags, whereas last time I had a blogger (like, 4 yrs ago) people from blogger didnt usually find my blog. Im really beginning to loathe the lack of customizability that one can do for free. So Im debating, should I switch or not? I see that most people that have blogs seem to use blogger. But I kind of wanted to use WordPress (because of the pages) …the pages make it look more like a professional type website, which is what I want. If I use blogger, how will I get around the fact that they are no separate pages?
So, switch? Or maybe do both? Help me out here…
