Tuesday, March 17, 2009

The View From My Chair

Last Friday:


I needed to get away so I got in the truck and drove the few miles to the beach. This beach was supposed to be a pay to use state park but after Hurricane Dennis--I think...they(the state of Florida) decided they didn't want the responsibility so the land went back to the county. It's a pretty sweet park. I was only there an hour and got a bit pink. I was one of the few people there under 60 or 70, the snowbirds have found it but not the wild spring breakers.
People along my part of the Panhandle are getting a real taste of what it means to attract the college crowd. Did you guys know that college kids drink and like to party? Apparently the folks down here didn't know that until last weekend. It's not like Panama City is another planet, surely they had a clue what it meant to get 1000s of college kids on a beach or maybe not. But they are here, spending much needed money in my area. My area doesn't offer a lot to the young crowd. There's one nice restaurant and one bar type establishment on the beach with volleyball nets and jetski rentals but that's about it. Anything else you need or want you have to go over the bridge which is only a mile long but still, my beach is not an all inclusive kind of thing. It doesn't scream "PARTY".
Thanks for all the 13th Colony Bay love. I'm really happy it's completed and am looking forward to getting it framed when the funds are available. What do I have to do to qualify for one of those government funded bonuses, it's obvious running a successful company isn't a requirement. I think we all should get us a $100,000 bonus I could do me some economic stimulating, believe me.
I'm in that "not sure what to do with my crafty self" zone at the moment. I started Primitive Needle's Talking Board and have been working here and there on a HAED designs piece-Dark Waters, it'll eventually be a triptyche with Dark Waters, the mermaid panel along the bottom and then Bright Skies-the angel panel across the top with a water and sky panel in the middle connecting them.
I also have fabric gathered for a quilt for my bed, a mix of regular old reds, blacks, whites and then some funky black and red skull fabrics to mix in for a quirky diversion. Anna at Pleasantview Schoolhouse has pieced three scrappy quilt tops in record time and Kwilty Kim is also a quilt top piecing machine so I'm thinking I need to jump in and get this top pieced. It's not going to be anything special, just a mix of squares and strips.
I also have a sundress started from last year to make as a beach coverup, it's pretty much cut out and just needs to be sewed together but sewing clothes intimidates me like you wouldn't believe and since I refuse to measure myself because as long as I don't look in a mirror or write down my exact measurements I feel like I have a decent figure, it's when I have to shop for clothes or try something on that the ugly reality sets in. You know where you suddenly realize YOU'RE FAT? So I prefer to cut and sew and if it doesn't fit find another use for the fabric, especially since I'm still just learning at the moment. By the time I'm ready to tackle altering a pattern maybe I'll have lost a few pounds.
Someone in comments, Anonymous, asked about the skull and crossbones, well they are pink and I'm a girl and I have a pirate fetish, so there ya go. No, they have nothing to do with a three bedroom ranch or cross stitch except my profile pic is my cross stitch version of a girlie skull and cross bones because like I said, I have this thing for pirates and ships and fantasy related adventures on the ship with the pirate so they make me smile.

7 comments:

Margaret said...

It must be so nice to live close to the ocean. We're not that far away I suppose, maybe 1/2 an hour, but there are no public beaches so it's like not living closeby. Dontcha just love spring break? :D I guess it's good for the economy down there though. Good luck with all the projects you have in mind. You're braver than I am with the clothes sewing!

Andrea said...

Hi Melissa!
I for one, LOVE your pink Jolly Roger! My girls love it too and have so many things bearing the image. It's a good thing :-)

Your projects sound fabulous!

DebbieSFL said...

Hi Melissa, I was wondering where you live; I'm in Tallahassee...

Nancy M said...

Me too! We went to Destin one fall and loved it and we would like to return or someplace just like it....any ideas?

Unknown said...

Aaaaah the ocean! I kid you not...just the other day (Sunday) I went on to Realtor.com and looked up homes for lease in your area! I showed the hubster and said "Let's GO!". LOL My family's really trying to get me back to Texas...but I'm an independent kinda gal...and love the water....sooooooo.....we remain land-locked in flippin' South Dakota! LOL Where was I going with that? I don't know......anyhoooooooo...start cutting out that quilt! Get obsessed! It's great! :o)

The Scarlett House said...

I need a day at the beach! I am sooooo jealous. My Granddaughter has a swimsuit with pink and black skulls. At first, I thought it was a weird thing for a little girl, but it is growing on me, and now I think it's cute.

Rachel S-H said...

The beach sounds nice. I have a tiny little one within an hour, and it's such a treasure to me.