Silverwear Creations

What? That's right! I've been selling on Etsy for a couple years now, but have really started putting in a lot of work towards making an interesting shop for all buyers. What do I make? Mainly jewelry that has been up cycled from spoons, but recent works have included wine glass charms, button bracelets, beaded earrings, and souvenir spoon keychain! I hope you like it!

What's the Bible For?

Last week Sunday, I attended Trinity Reformed Church here in Rochester, NY with Justin and his parents. The sermon for the day was called "What's the Bible For?" and I knew this would be something I would want to hear. Over the last year, I've really noticed a rise in the ever popular controversial Facebook status popping up in my newsfeed. I have been surprised, and scared, by many of the comments I've seen my friends post right here on Facebook, and I usually keep silent. BUT I had to share the .pdf of the sermon. The minister posts his sermons every week, and I am VERY thankful for this because the message has stuck with me for over a week now. I think it's meant to be shared. I am a young Christian woman and I believe in the power of Jesus AND the power of love. I'm done with all this conflict... I'm so over it and I hope you are too. Whether or not you believe in a God, you should read this sermon. It's really quite good, and you can substitute the word 'Bible' for almost anything else. Here's the info: http://trcroc.org/Sermons/biblefor.pdf <3 <3 <3

The Promise to Blog.

I will be a better blogger. I've been searching the Internet for new blog websites, but haven't found something that I love as much as blogspot. So, here I am, back blogging on this page even thought I can't, for the life of me, figure out how to separate my paragraphs. Tips? Anything? Life is crazy-- this we all know. I'm back at school and have one short (long) year left before I finish my masters... then what? Once I know, you'll know. This is my promise to myself and to those people who actually read my blog: I promise that I will update more often. I just said to Justin today that I wanted to start two blogs. Really? Like I need another blog to lose in the depths of the Interweb. No. This is my blog. I'm loyal and I have to keep this bugger. Especially now that I am living in NY I feel I need to update more often. I've gotta stay in touch with my peeps (I almost wrote poops) somehow. I will blog more- no jokes. I am officially writing it on my to-do list every week. Updates on life coming soon. Stay tuned! :) P.S. Don't forget to give me tips on how to separate paragraphs. I used to be able to do this... Oy. Thanks in advance.

Garage Sales and Flea Markets

Justin and I have officially signed a lease for a new apartment. We move in July 1st (as I said in my last post) and are a little nervous. Moving into our apartment on Franklin St. was simple! We decided to leave all of our furniture back in Holland because our roommate would furnish the apartment. We didn't realize we would move after a year and new all of our stuff. What's the pickle? We have hardly any furniture. Ah! So, the last three days have been full of garage sales and flea markets. What did we learn? People tend to sell a lot of baby crap at sales. Yep. Baby stuff. This is not something we need nor are looking for. Bummer. We had a few random purchases. We bought a replacement blender for $1 and an 8-set of plates or $1. Not bad, in my opinion. Our best sale was going to a Flea Market in Macedon, NY. This market had been closed for over 5 years and is now trying to get rid of everything in the building. EVERYTHING. Both Justin and I were so excited. The craigslist ad we saw said that we could fill a brown grocery bag for $10. Being the "flippers" that we are? Well, let's just say we thought we would end up having tons and tons of things to sell when we left. We walked into the bright yellow building and didn't know where to start. We joked around with the manager and grabbed our bag. It was dark, cold and musty. The whole building smelled of water damage and there were SPIDER WEBS... 0_0 I hate spiders. Being the optimists we are, Justin and I started sorting through the bookshelves and bins and bags, oh my! After I touched anything I would immediately wipe my hands on my jeans and I couldn't stop sneezing for the life of me. After about 20 minutes of searching I walked up to Justin and he admitted that he was disappointed. We talked about leaving, but then, I found it... the coolest thing in the entire world. His name? Rusty the Knight. I called (okay, maybe it was more like a scream) to Justin and had him investigate. With his ecstatic approval, he opened our brown bag and Rusty, that's his name, the Knight was our first "big" buy. We ended up staying for an hour more-- we filled our bag and then some! With our $10.00 we came home with: Rusty the Knight Giant Paper Clip Holder Bag of Buttons Box of Stamps Bicentennial Plate Two Boxes of Film Fabric Swatch Two keys Slammers Case Wood Chair for Dining Room Foldable Wine Rack Cork Screw- Ended up being trash Wooden Wall Art We're selling some of the stuff we found, but it was a great load to get after such a disappointing beginning! We went to 10-15 garage sales within the last three days and had a lot of fun trying something different. :) Side note: My Italian class starts on Wednesday-- watch out! I might start blogging in Italian.

I"m blogging again...

Well, I suppose I can start blogging again! Here's a way for people back home to stay up-to-date with what's going on in my (well, and Justin's) life. It has been an interesting year so far, but I'm ready for a change. I've had several things begin and end already since my summer vacation started (last week) and it was just decided, today, that Justin and I will be moving into a new apartment. We've been talking about this for the last week after a friends mentioned that hers will be available. We met with the landlord a few times and had to bring Dewey! With his permission, and a raise in our deposit, we will be signing a lease next week to move into our new apartment. Justin and I have made tough decisions before, but this was pretty big. We move in July 1st and will finally have a BIG kitchen. We will really miss our current roommate, Peyden, but we're sure we'll see him around. Like I said, it was a bought decision, but there were too many good reasons to move. Interested why? Here's why: - We will have a kitchen that can fit a kitchen table. *Yay!* - The apartment has a LAUNDRY ROOM? Yep, I've been lugging around laundry like it's my job and can't wait for this! - This apartment is Dewey-safe - It's closer to school - Our new place will be quieter :D-- drunk people tend to populate outside out window between 12a-3:30a. - We won't have a roommate who plays trumpet. Sorry, Peyden... You're great, but it will be nice to have a break. Need I go on? It just worked out perfectly. We're not too excited to have to pack up all of our junk and move, but we'll get through it. I'm looking forward to settling into the apartment and, dare I say it, start decorating with all of my interest ideas. Eek! I can't wait. Any other updates? I start a new job this week working as an usher for the Eastman School of Music-- Right now, my life is schedule so that my life happens at night (i.e., Italian class, work, church gigs) and I can stay home with Dewey and practice. It works well. Italian class starts next week and I'm hoping Justin and I will get to eat lots of Italian food~ Olive Garden counts as Italian... right?!?!

A day in the life of Sarah and Katie

Katie & Sarah

(Two best friends upon seeing each other after a long day.)

Katie: Surprise greeting!

Sarah: Excited super cheesy greeting!!

Katie: Animated question?

Sarah: Enthusiastic answer! Energetic question?

Katie: Introverted non-committal response.

Sarah: Hurt and embarrassed dismissal.

Katie: Reengaging statement.

Sarah: Half-hearted response.

Katie: Metabolic question?

Sarah: Titillated response.

Katie: Awkward silence.

Sarah: Pregnant pause. Overly confident question?

Katie: Nervous laughter.

Sarah: Defensive dismissal laughter.

Katie: Urgent statement. Pressing question?

Sarah: Rhetorical question?

Katie: Obstinate statement.

Sarah: Accusatory putdown.

Katie: Aggressive ursine personal attack.

Sarah: Irritated question? Confused question?

Katie: Random fact.

Sarah: Purpose-driven question?

Katie: Random fact.

Sarah: Repeated purposefully driven question?

Katie: Random fact.

Sarah: Piqued response.

Katie: Mutilated baby-babble.

Sarah: Clarify question?

Katie: Magnanimous excuse.

Sarah: Obsolete explanation.

Katie: Question?

Sarah: Statement.

Katie: Surprised response. Closing statement.

Sarah: Final chortle. Statement.

(Hug and depart)

a girl and her dog

I’ve fallen in love with a brown-eyed girl.
At night, I trace invisible hearts
over her white and grey coat.
Her body curves into mine.

At night, I trace invisible hearts
to protect her from monsters.
Her body curves into mine as
I sing lullabies into her ear.

To protect her from monsters
I tuck her beneath my blanket.
I sing lullabies into her ear, and
she kisses my hand—thank you.

Tucked beneath my blanket,
my lips shape a prayer of sleep.
She kisses my hand, a thank you.
Whispered secrets between two sisters.

My lips pray for sleep.
My breath falls into pattern
with my sister’s—whispered secrets.
I fell in love with a brown-eyed girl.