You must be lost

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I'd start with the silversmithing tools and materials I'm still needing.

Then I'd buy all the materials for the next 5-10 costumes on my list.

Then I'd do the hardwood floors we've been wanting since we moved in.

Then I'd build the deck we've been wanting for almost as long.

Then I'd hire someone to come in and replace the last two fixtures in the house (they're both on high ceilings that we can't get to), fix the holes in the foyer and garage ceilings (again, too tall/awkward for us to get to or we'd do it), repair and paint all the high ceilings (since the new roof we have a lot of popped nails, plus a stain in the den where the leak was), and paint all the high walls.

And by then the money would likely be gone, but well spent.

Or, we could just gut and redo the master bathroom along with the hardwoods and painting.

Or, we could blow the whole wad on a new kitchen.

Ten grand goes quickly when you get into renovations.

Hmm, how best to tackle this? A LIST!

1. Jewelry - I'm doing my first show on Nov. 7th at Ceder Grove Elementary School's Fall Festival. This was a tough decision since it's the same weekend as the Superhero 5k and this will be the second year in a row I've missed it. But, I'm trying to grow a business here and should respond positively when I'm contacted about such things. Got a call from the PTO president last night to confirm. It's a done deal, I'm in, just need to send a check for my booth fee.

2. Costuming - Working on Elseworld Batgirl (my progress here). Originally it was for the Superhero 5k. Then was going to do it for Halloween. Now I'm slowing work on it (practically halted) and just shooting to have it as a "just because" costume. I need to work on convincing myself it's ok to make costumes just because anyway. Since I'm spending money in my hobby budget on getting jewelry made for the show, there's not much left for Batgirl. I've got quite a bit to continue work as I'm able, just lacking a few things to finish it off. I do at least want to finish some of the armor by the end of the month in order to have a tutorial ready for ConCraft. Which brings me to. . .

3. ConCraft - It's not my baby, but I'm certainly having a lot of fun with the idea and the work. I'm keeping a running list of articles I'd like to write at some point. A lot of those articles are going to require new projects. So, not only is it giving me some good practice at writing but also it's keeping my costuming mojo alive and well. I need to get back into dyeing.

4. Gardening - Tried to do my pansies from seed this year. They got washed out because I didn't have the sense to protect them from all this rain. D'OH! Did get some more spring bulbs on the cheap though and I'm excited to have lots more tulips and a few more irises ready for the spring.

5. Job - I'm applying today for the same greenhouse I tried in the spring for some part time seasonal work. Saw a sign there the other day. It's not like I need the work nor do we really need the money. I just sort of want to do it. Strategically wearing my Jamaican Bat Guano Organic Fertilizer shirt today and will go in before picking Jonah up this afternoon to chat with them about the position(s) they're filling and gardening in general. Think face time and an inflexible part time schedule might have been what I lacked in the spring.

6. Silver Screen Accessories - I've bought up domains, secured usernames and all the other things I did for Gaia's Jewel in the spring for Silver Screen Accessories. I plan to start working hard on this after the craft show and want to have some items available by the end of the year. I'm going to start with mostly movie replica accessories (Elizabeth Swann's hat and baldric from Dead Man's Chest, Hermione's ribbon belt from Prisoner of Azkaban, etc.). I'm leaving the door wide open for custom accessories as well. I want to offer those hard to find and hard to make items that most costumers who mostly only sew have trouble securing. I can't complete entire costumes fast enough (or professionally finished enough) to sell them. But the accessories, I'm pretty good at and can do a lot of them pretty quickly. I got the idea as I was making my pirate hat. I thought, "man, I could make like 10 of these in a day and sell them!" It also gives me the opportunity to make costume jewelry and not mix it in with the stuff at Gaia's Jewel.

And with all that, I've got to check my sanity at picking up an application for a greenhouse today. Maybe I won't take it back up there after all. Tuesdays and Thursdays are the days I work on all this stuff and I'd lose that. Hmm.