My therapy is crafting

I frequently catch a crafting bug, and it is anything from sewing new pillow covers, monogramming something, or making new bracelets.  You walk around my house and spy evidence of my crafting in every room.  Hopefully it’s all in good taste, but honestly, who’s going to tell me otherwise?!

Michaels had a 70% off green label beads (+ a 15% off teacher discount = a small victory dance), and I couldn’t get to Michaels fast enough!  It was only a 2 day sale, and I was definitely planning my day around getting to Michaels to obnoxiously fill my cart with strands (and strands and strands) of beads.  Later in the day, I got home and turned my dining room table into my temporary craft table.  My sewing room, aka My Monogram Closet, is stuffed full of sewing machines, embroidery machine, fabric, thread, etc.  This all fits into a closet; hence the name, My Monogram Closet…spent a lot of time thinkin’ up that name!  Yes, I sew in my guest room walk in closet.  It’s a big closet, sister!  It’s got a window, room for my sewing table (aka an outside patio antique white table), fabric bins, my IKEA bookcase for my embroidery machine, and my sewing chair.  Any who, no room left for my beading projects in THAT closet, so I’ve had to take over the dining room (temporarily).  As I was craft cornering, I was thinking, “what the heck am I going to do with all of these beads and bracelets?!”  I mean, I make them, so clearly I like them.  I wear at least 3 at a time, sometimes more…who are we kidding…always more…Kari Corbin, you are LOLing right now.  I need to stop making so many that I like- ugly them up or something- so it will be easier to make them and get them out!  I was turning into crafty-McCrafterson and finally started making bracelets for friends for their birthdays.  Surprise- if you have a birthday this week, and you coach cheerleading with me you’re getting bracelets tomorrow!

My friend was smart and started a small, local business to sell her creations and actually make some money on them (Millie B. Designs…you should check her out- she’s amazing!), but I’m currently just fine making them for me and others as a form of therapy.  I should probably turn to working out for therapy, but my therapy has been beading lately which is WAY more fun than chemotherapy.  Currently, I’m tackling round 5 of chemo with gusto.  You look at me and wouldn’t even realize I’m dealing with this nonsense!  I’m not sure how I’ve gotten so lucky in that manor, but you better believe that I am THANK-FUL!  While I’m in the middle of my therapy session (aka Beaders Anonymous), I’ve often thought, “hmm…maybe I’ll make so-and-so a bracelet just for fun,” but then I think, “is that weird?  Is it weird that a 35 year old woman is passing out beady friendship bracelets?!”  I don’t want to turn into the crazy bead lady- she sounds like she would be besties with the crazy cat lady or something.  I’m trying to hold onto what little part of cool I have left.  So, in the future, if I start “beading you”, then just humor me and smile.  If I get out of control, then pull me aside and say, “put the beads down and walk away.”  I’ll understand and appreciate you.

Off to down some more pills made of poison to kill off these tumors- tonight starts day 10 of my cycle which means the dreaded 2nd drug has been added.  I got this though…I’ve got 800 beads on my wrist to remind me.