Quick Laptop Sleeve

Several weeks ago I got a new MacBook Air. I knew I wanted a cover of some sort for carry it around, so that the finish wouldn't get scratched. I looked at the Apple Store, on Amazon, and on Etsy. Lots of cute things, but nothing I was willing to pay that kind of money for, so that meant it was time for creativity. I did a little surfing on the net and found a cell phone cover that I liked (of course I have no idea where it is now!), so I measured my laptop and upsized the pattern.

Recently I won a grab bag from Where Women Create that was filled with all kinds of goodies, so that got me really motivated to get her done.

I bought some grey felt to be the primary portion of the sleeve. I cut it to fit the laptop leaving extra for side seams (about 1/2 in. larger than the the measured size of the laptop) and enough at the top to create a flap closure. Then I took one of the fat quarters I had gotten in my goodie bag and made a stripe 1/3rd the width of the sleeve, and centered it down the sleeve; topstitching around it twice. I used a decorative stitch on my sewing machine for the side seams, and on the side edges of the flap. Finally I finished it off with some cute little crocheted flowers from my goodie bag.

TA-DA!

I made it for a mere $1.25 thanks to Where Women Create!

linking up with Made by You Monday

Why Blog?

Why and when did I start blogging . . . 

I wrote about it here back in 2009. I just wanted to give it a try, and suddenly found myself with a little free time and a lot of frustration. I was also in the midst of recovering from recognizing myself as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. I wanted to find a way to tell my story and share with other people -- to aid my own healing, but hopefully to help others as well.

It took a while for me to feel it was okay to broach the abuse issues on a blog, and I was terrified of any form of criticism. What I found instead, was an online community that embraced my need to "talk", and actually appreciated my (sometimes) brutal honesty. Who knew!

So over the past 3 1/2 years I've talked about abuse survival, recovery, panic attacks, flashbacks, and memory pain. But I've also shared recipes, crocheting projects, sewing projects, poor housekeeping, attempts at organization, and photography. I've also found myself again, after years of sifting through the sh*t from my childhood. I see light again -- and not just at the end of the tunnel. Sure there are still bad days -- and occasionally bad weeks -- but the on the whole things are a lot better than they used to be. And I believe writing this blog and getting such positive feedback, has been hugely instrumental in that process.

So thanks to all my regular readers, and welcome all the new ones.

And thanks to whoever came up with this crazy idea called blogging in the first place.

linking up with 31 day blog challenge

Accomplishment

What's my biggest accomplishment . . . 

Well that's a tough one. The dictionary says accomplished means "proficient as the result of practice or training". If that's what we're going with, then I guess, my biggest accomplishment is working through the childhood abuse I suffered, and learning to flourish in spite of it. 

I write about the abuse and it's impact on me quite a bit on this site, but I don't often make (or see) the correlations between the good in my life today and the abuse from then. The fact is, though, I wouldn't be who I am today were it not for the abuse. Let's be clear -- I'm not happy the abuse happened, but I am happy I've learned to channel the negative into positives. 

I posted this video earlier this week, but it bears repeating . . . 

Happy Saturday everyone!

linking up with 31 day blog challenge

{this moment}

A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Awesome?

List 10 things that make me awesome . . . 

Awesome!?! Are you kidding me? Awesome is not a word I have ever applied to myself. I'm going to try this, but I want you all to know in advance that this goes completely against my personality, and possibly, my religious upbringing! lol!

1. Thick, curly, wavy hair.

2. I cook well. Not frou-frou, gourmet stuff, but just basic taste good food. (I post recipes here, usually on Mondays)

3. I sing well -- maybe not as well as I did in college, but I still get compliments in church.

4. People tell me I have a great smile.

5. Apparently, I tell good stories.

6. I like to entertain, but only in a very relaxed mode. Martha Stewart has nothing to fear from me!

7. My head is filled with useless facts and minutiae.

8. I'm friendly to everyone.

9. I survived childhood abuse, and have lived to tell the tale.

10. I have a truly awesome husband, and his awesomeness rubs off on me : )

linking up with the 31 day blog challenge

Rest

Rest. It's a word I need this week. The time change. Ugh.
It's also the week for words for me. I've already looked up "regret" and "redeem" (just noticing they all start with "r").

So, rest . . . 

1 a bodily state characterized by minimal functional and metabolic activities

2 a : freedom from activity or labor

b : a state of motionlessness or inactivity

c : the repose of death

3 : a place for resting or lodging

4 : peace of mind or spirit

So I've looked at and accepted that I have regrets. And I've looked and reminded myself that those regrets can/have been redeemed. Rest is the next logical place to go. Rest in comfort of God's love. Recognizing that He has no regrets because He redeems everything in my life for good.

linking up with 5 Minute Friday

Redeem

Redeem. It's one of those words that gets thrown about. I've heard it all my life. But it's also one of those "Bible words" -- I'm supposed to know what it means, yet I'm often left floundering for a definition.

So I did what I always do. I click on the dictionary link, and this is what I found --

1 a : to buy back
b : to get or win back
2 : to free from what distresses or harms:
a : to free from captivity by payment of ransom
b : to extricate from or help to overcome something detrimental
c : to release from blame or debt
d : to free from the consequences of sin
3 : to change for the better
4 : repair, restore
5 a : to free from a lien by payment of an amount secured thereby

b (1) : to remove the obligation of by payment  (2) : to exchange for something of value
c : to make good
6 a : to atone for
b (1) : to offset the bad effect of (2) : to make worthwhile

I look at all of those definitions, and they make sense. But I know I'll lose their meaning and depth at the next shockwave.

I look at my life, especially the events from childhood, and I crave the second definition -- to free from what distresses or harms. I want redemption from those horrors. And I know I have redemption from those days, but I don't feel it -- I can't retain it. So I keep trying to understand and piece things back together by myself. Because I felt so alone then. I forget I'm not alone now -- wasn't really alone then.

But I felt alone. There was no way and no one to tell. I knew in my little girl heart, God was there, but in my grownup heart I don't understand why He didn't intervene. I accept that bad is part of this world, and that I'm not the only little kid who suffers/suffered. I don't think I deserve better than someone else. I just don't think any child should suffer that level of pain.

I don't want to hear how I need to be grateful for what I did have, and that I survived. I don't mean to sound petty or selfish. I'm just struggling with a lot of emotions right now, and I'm feeling angry and defensive.

So I open my heart once again. And I think of the prayer of Julian of Norwich:

. . . and all shall be well, and all shall be well

And I remember that I am redeemed even if I don't understand it. That God loves me even when I'm angry and confused and defensive. And there is relief in that.


linking up with imperfect prose on thursdays