Pretty Things Make Me Feel Better

So... today I came home and ended up crying for half an hour. Poor Matt. I'm lucky he is so caring and understanding. I think I am getting to the end of my rope in regards to school. I am done with classes and have been since December. But they won't give me my Masters until I finish a project. So I have been working on something since August 2008, but it hasn't been going well. A few weeks ago, I was told that there was basically no room for me to continue my work in because of scheduling problems so I should think of something else to do to finish my Masters. So basically what I was being told was that everything I did since August wasn't going to count. That and things not working right lately has really started to bother me. Yes, I realize this is just a job and I shouldn't care as long as I get a paycheck, but somehow it just depresses me to know that no matter how hard I work, there is no guarantee that any benefit will come of it. This is how I know research is not for me. Matt said 99% of research fails- and that's true. But they don't tell you that when you start. Actually, they spin it and say that even in failing you learn something new. Well failing doesn't get me a degree. I feel like I can't move on with my life until I have a degree because technically, I am ending up in more debt every year being in school even though I have a job. Sigh sigh... I really don't see the benefit of going to college- there are so many people out there who didn't go and make 3 times what I do. Plus they aren't in $100k+ debt.

Anyway, after I stopped freaking out for the evening, I made my first card. I don't think I've ever made a card before, except in like 3rd grade or something! I looked at a bunch of handmade cards online to try to come up with ideas for it because cards are intimidating to me. I mean, there is just a blank sheet of paper, waiting to be covered in art, but it just seems to stare back at me. It's like trying to write a paper....

I stole my idea from a tag or something I saw online. Well, not exactly stole... but you would definitely see the similarities looking at the two! Here's how it turned out:

It's for my mom. Her birthday was Monday, but we aren't celebrating until Saturday night after Rachelle's dance recital. Hopefully it will not go directly into the garbage when she gets home!!





I couldn't find any sparkley cream paper, so I made my own using cream cardstock and white glitter (and mod podge of course). What a mess I made!! Good thing Bella did not get covered in sparkles too! The cake was made with 3 different papers and 7 different kinds of trim. Then I put paper flowers on it- mainly to distract you from the flaws. :) I bought some word stamps that I'll probaly just stamp the inside of the card with "happy birthday".





I also made this sign the other day...

You can't see it very well in this pic, but it has gold "perfect pearl" spray all over it and shimmers in the light. I just love it!! Must work on my stamping technique as it's crooked hehe :) Matt says it just adds character. But I think I am bothered by the asymmetry for whatever reason. But it's still cute.

Now I have to go to bed. Hopefully tomorrow will be better! One day closer to the weekend :) A huge art festival is this weekend, too :)