Oh boy are there changes afoot! First, I am leaving my predictably stable job at a major University/Hospital to get one step closer to pursuing my dream of being a nurse. While it isn't difficult to leave what I do...it is very difficult to leave the group I work with. They are funny, witty, charming and they drive me batty. But I love 'em. Dearly.
I will begin my new career as a Certified Nurse Tech. There are many names for this position, but the job is basically the same. Butt-wiper. Babysitter. Whatever you want to call it. It's the low person on the proverbial nursing totem pole. It's not my dream job, but that's okay. It's a step in the right direction.
The pros: I will be a 1/2 hour closer to home. I will be working in the float/flex pool which means I go where they send me. (Think about all the kinds of experience I will be getting). I schedule myself as little or as much as I want/need. They will work with my nursing program schedule which has been why I have been unable to begin nursing school. I am hoping it means I get more time with my punks.
The cons: Well, no benefits and no accruing sick/vacation time. And the lack of a set schedule means no predictability in pay. So I am freaking out that I won't get the hours that I need to pay the bills. We have gotten quite used to having electricity and running water.
Tomorrow I take the HESI and I'm terrified. Yes, I have been accepted to the nursing program 3 times. Yes I have only had to take the then "NET" exam once. I didn't study. I passed. However, this time I bought a study guide. Now that I have gone through it I am absolutely terrified. The HESI appears to be the NET on steroids. So tomorrow is the last day I can take the HESI to be considered for fall semester and I am totally unprepared.
I had been applying for jobs as a CNT for 3 months with nothing as much as a whisper. Then all of a sudden...BAM! I got 2 job interviews. This job change came at me so quickly and with so many details/schedule issues to work out that I found little time to order the book and then study.
What's the worst thing that could happen? I fail the HESI and do not get considered for the fall semester at Aquinas. The best thing? I get more time at my current position, re-apply to take the HESI and have more time to study.
So as you can see, many changes are happening fast and I'm doing my best to be prepared for them. It is what it is. I will do my best, but at the end of the day my faith, my family and my friends will carry me through.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Craftiness
Yes. I said it. Craftiness. Of course, if you know me you know that I love crafts. It's my therapy. It's in my blood. I love to paint. I love to putter. I love being creative. The one problem besides time and money? Pushing my ADD aside so I can actually finish one project before beginning another. There are so many lovely crafty people out there and I keep visiting the blogs and coming up with ideas for our house. It's addicting! I can't stop! Thank you for letting me get that out and not judge. What a relief.
My first order of business (or so I thought) was to repaint the salmon pink dresser my BFF Tam gave to us. Of course I did not take "Before" pics. Sorry about that! But trust me when I say it was salmon pink. I decided to re-purpose this dresser into a sideboard for my dining room, but could not - would not put it in there looking the way it did (no offense Tam but you know what I mean).
So because of my lovely boys (Michael Cox-Terry and Brian O'Neil Terry), I found http://rebelreclaimed.com/. If you love re-purposed, funky eclectic stuff stop now. Do not visit their site. Oh okay visit them on Facebook, but you can't say I didn't warn you! They are amazing. I would redecorate my whole house in their stuff if I could. They no longer live in Nashville (curse you!), I have to settle for looking at and drooling over their items. Do you know how many keyboards I have had to replace because of drooling issues? And now I have to try to recreate some of it myself. I blame them. But I digress...
The Salmon Pink Dresser Project
I took the salmon pink dresser and painted it aqua blue. Then, I took a dry brush and randomly dragged white across the blue. Have you ever dry-brushed anything? I was scared, but my sister-in-law Malissa kept telling me it was so easy. So I just jumped in and did it. What's the worst thing that could happen? I would have to repaint it blue. It came out lovely (thanks Malissa!). At this point El Diablo did not understand why I needed to do anything else to it. He could not see my vision. See in my house I am the visionary...it's a tough job, but I take one for the team. I'm good like that. So I dry brushed dark brown the same way I did the white.
The last step was to polyurethane the dresser and then line the drawers. I lined the drawers with black & white non-adhesive contact paper I purchased at Target. As you can see I have not "finished" it as I still have not found the right knobs - I know they are waiting for me at http://www.worldmarket.com/!
Sorry for the sideways picture, however, the picture turned when I added it to the blog. Go figure. A techy I ain't. Oh and you can ignore the floating fingers of Baby Punk - she loves the camera that one.
The Cake Stand Project
The next project I wanted to do is a cake stand. I have never owned a cake stand in my life. My BFF ironically owns two dozen. (Okay, that may be a tad exaggerated - but I doubt it). She was horrified to learn I did not own one. She certainly wasn't horrified enough to give me one of hers I'll tell you that! (I know what you're thinking - How Rude! Thanks for being on my side.)
Of course I have looked at cake stands at Target and Wal-mart. The problem is, I don't want a cake stand that looks like I just bought it and the cake stands that I found on the Internet were upwards of $50. Um. I didn't want one that bad. So off I headed to the thrift with my lovely ginger-hued friend Laura. She was ever so patient while I tried to explain to her what I was doing (she's a much better visionary than El Diablo). I got home with my purchases, so excited to begin and found all I needed was...
All you need for this project is 1 candlestick and 1 plate of your choosing and Gorilla Glue. It took me about 2 minutes to put it together, combined with drying time of a couple of hours), I had my very own cake stand. Here is the finished product:
The final cost of my cake stand? $4 (minus the free Gorilla Glue). Isn't it lovely? It makes me giggle!
And yes, I have many more projects on the horizon, but have vowed to do one project at a time until completed. Yes, completed. Well...um...maybe mostly finished?
My first order of business (or so I thought) was to repaint the salmon pink dresser my BFF Tam gave to us. Of course I did not take "Before" pics. Sorry about that! But trust me when I say it was salmon pink. I decided to re-purpose this dresser into a sideboard for my dining room, but could not - would not put it in there looking the way it did (no offense Tam but you know what I mean).
So because of my lovely boys (Michael Cox-Terry and Brian O'Neil Terry), I found http://rebelreclaimed.com/. If you love re-purposed, funky eclectic stuff stop now. Do not visit their site. Oh okay visit them on Facebook, but you can't say I didn't warn you! They are amazing. I would redecorate my whole house in their stuff if I could. They no longer live in Nashville (curse you!), I have to settle for looking at and drooling over their items. Do you know how many keyboards I have had to replace because of drooling issues? And now I have to try to recreate some of it myself. I blame them. But I digress...
The Salmon Pink Dresser Project
I took the salmon pink dresser and painted it aqua blue. Then, I took a dry brush and randomly dragged white across the blue. Have you ever dry-brushed anything? I was scared, but my sister-in-law Malissa kept telling me it was so easy. So I just jumped in and did it. What's the worst thing that could happen? I would have to repaint it blue. It came out lovely (thanks Malissa!). At this point El Diablo did not understand why I needed to do anything else to it. He could not see my vision. See in my house I am the visionary...it's a tough job, but I take one for the team. I'm good like that. So I dry brushed dark brown the same way I did the white.
The last step was to polyurethane the dresser and then line the drawers. I lined the drawers with black & white non-adhesive contact paper I purchased at Target. As you can see I have not "finished" it as I still have not found the right knobs - I know they are waiting for me at http://www.worldmarket.com/!
Sorry for the sideways picture, however, the picture turned when I added it to the blog. Go figure. A techy I ain't. Oh and you can ignore the floating fingers of Baby Punk - she loves the camera that one.
The Cake Stand Project
The next project I wanted to do is a cake stand. I have never owned a cake stand in my life. My BFF ironically owns two dozen. (Okay, that may be a tad exaggerated - but I doubt it). She was horrified to learn I did not own one. She certainly wasn't horrified enough to give me one of hers I'll tell you that! (I know what you're thinking - How Rude! Thanks for being on my side.)
Of course I have looked at cake stands at Target and Wal-mart. The problem is, I don't want a cake stand that looks like I just bought it and the cake stands that I found on the Internet were upwards of $50. Um. I didn't want one that bad. So off I headed to the thrift with my lovely ginger-hued friend Laura. She was ever so patient while I tried to explain to her what I was doing (she's a much better visionary than El Diablo). I got home with my purchases, so excited to begin and found all I needed was...
Me: "Umm...honey? Do we have Gorilla Glue?" El Diablo: "What do you need it for?" Me: "A project I'm working on." (insert audible sigh and I swear I heard his eyes roll..) I ignored it because that's the kind of wife I am.My hero, my love swooped in and saved the day - providing me with all the Gorilla Glue a crafty gal could need. "I want it back" he stated pointing at the bottle in the best no-nonsense voice he could muster. "Of course! Thanks honey!" I replied with my big innocent smile full of shiny teeth while batting my eyes (I'm a multi-tasker). He walked out without another word. He gets me. I love that fella.
All you need for this project is 1 candlestick and 1 plate of your choosing and Gorilla Glue. It took me about 2 minutes to put it together, combined with drying time of a couple of hours), I had my very own cake stand. Here is the finished product:
Oh and see the corner of the rose painting? The signature? Yes, right there above the birds. That picture was painted by my beautiful and talented grandmother Elaine Vick Reyes. I told you being artsy is in my blood.
And yes, I have many more projects on the horizon, but have vowed to do one project at a time until completed. Yes, completed. Well...um...maybe mostly finished?
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