After much insanity getting ready for dress rehearsals, things are calm and lovely. This week we're only working half days and now we're coming into work later (which means I really should run before work). From the looks of things we won't be working Friday either. So close to being done! I'm very excited about that since I'm definitely slowing down and getting a little burnt out. But at the same time, I will miss the wonderful learning atmosphere here and the chance to make such beautiful things with wonderful materials and great people to help me.
I am certainly enjoying my afternoons though.
Yesterday I practiced voice in my practice room, which I love, love, love and will miss dearly when I leave. There's a Steinway in there and such great acoustics - I can't help but sing out at the top of my lungs! Then I went to see The Glass Menagerie. It's a very intriguing play. I really enjoyed the symbolism in it.
And today has been lazy, lazy, lazy. I've cleaned, napped, baked bread and read. I'll probably read some more before going to Richard III tonight. I'm reading North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell right now and am just loving it. So much more depth than the movie.
Here's some more things I've made for your viewing pleasure.
This is a cape I helped make for Mrs. Shimm. The actress is a little taller than me, so the breastplate and cape are consuming me.
While I didn't build the little pink dress from scratch, I made it A LOT smaller.
Bolero jacket for Marian. I love the white trim.
Back of the sleeves. This is my favorite part.
My favorite project. This dress is gorgeous. (I feel I can say that since I just made it and didn't design it.)
Being an hour away from the temple makes me really grateful to live only 5 minutes away from the temple all of my temple going years. I've been lucky enough to go to the Saint George temple twice since being in Cedar City.
My first month, being car less, I was unable to go (I usually try to go once a week) and I was craving it like crazy. I needed the peace and perspective it offers. There really is no place like the temple.
I'm reading Boyd K. Packer's, The Holy Temple and love it. If you haven't read it, I recommend it. I am learning so much and eagerly await the day I can go through the temple.
I'm in Cedar City for only a few more weeks and I'm not ready to go home. There are four girls from BYU and I've been hanging out with them a lot. When I talk to them, it's almost like I'm at BYU again. At times, I almost forget I'm at the U. Then I remember and I play a really good Lot's wife, looking back longingly at the past. (If you haven't read Jeffery R. Holland's "Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence," which is what this is referenced from, you should. It changed my life.) I wonder what things would be like if I stayed at BYU. I long for my adorable yellow house I lived in, my wonderful friends (who are quickly marrying off), the more rigorous education, the spiritual aspect of the education, my ward and my independence.
Then I remind myself that I came to the U because I felt the Lord telling me that this is where I need to be. I could have ignored that prompting (which I did for a while) and stayed where I thought I'd be happy. But I chose to leave. No one dragged me kicking and screaming to the U and back to my parent's house. If anything I had plenty of people telling me I should stay. All the facts (finances, education, etc.) said I should stay too. Yet I knew that the Lord, with His greater vision had a plan for me. It wasn't going to be what I thought I wanted, but I knew that if I trusted in Him, He would bless me and I'd be far happier then I could ever be if I stayed at BYU and ignored him.
So I went and last year was one of the hardest years of my life. The U was even more liberal than I expected and I just didn't understand the school or how the social life worked in Salt Lake. Living at home was supposed to be a short stopping point before moving out again, but financial aid fell through and for the first time I was paying for school. I tried to keep faith in the future, but sometimes it wavered. I constantly have to remind myself that I am at the U by my own choosing and that the Lord must have something in store for me.
Well, as you can probably tell, today was one of those days where I wanted to go back. And today Emma Smith is my inspiration.
Listen to the lyrics of the second song played.
As I watched this I thought about all Emma went through. She moved again and again and gave up so many of her comforts to help others. Her parents were unhappy with her for marrying Joseph. She watched her children die, and her husband abused until his death as a martyr. Yet as the song in the video said, she "weathered every storm with a queen's grace."
Could that be said about me?
Not always. Sometimes my heart is too set on the past and I am far from being queenly. But I'm trying to be better. I need cheerfully submit to all things the Father asks.
My goal is to be truly happy at the U and in my ward this next year. No more holding back and comparing everything to BYU. I'm going to be fully immersed in both my ward and at school. And I'm going to love it.
But if nothing else, I have grown closer to my family and Father in heaven through this change. And that makes it all worth it.
I'm so excited! I'm going out there the end of July to visit my old roommate Emily in Philadelphia and then my cousins in Hummelstown. I've never been to visit my Hansen cousins (they've only visited me) so it will be so great to finally see their world. And my Aunt and her friend have recently started a cookie shop (www.missysuglycookies.com)and I get to see that! And I haven't seen my friend Emily since before her mission so that will be delightful as well! Love that girl! I am so incredibly excited for this trip!
Crazy? Yes, slightly. But somehow we'll do it! That's the magic of theatre and I love it! Today was crazy getting ready for photo call, but we made it. Luckily.
I'm exhausted though and feel like it should be Friday already. I woke up (after a restless night) and my eyes were blood shot. I was really tempted not to wear my contacts, but my prescription is old and I just sort of kind of need to see well for my job. (By sort of kind of, I mean a lot). Plus wearing my glasses, just makes me feel tired and like slouching all day and disappearing into a corner. Don't know what it is that does that to me, because they're cute glasses, but it's just better if I wear my contacts.
So I put my contacts in, did some Pilates (I'm trying to get back in the habit of exercising). I tried to ignore the fact that my eyes hurt like crazy, and my throat hurt and my body was just tired. Certainly not my best day at work. But at least the jacket turned out pretty and I could listen to BYU devotionals while I sewed.
This is my favorite lately:http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=1960.
Brother Williams talks about our yearning for home - our heavenly home and it really hit home. I've been feeling that homesickness for my heavenly home more and more lately. The more I see of the world, the more I long for the world beyond. And the closest we have here is the temple, and that is an hour away. Hopefully there's a temple trip soon! I need a little more heaven in my life.
It's for Marian and will go with a pretty green skirt for the "Marian the Librarian" sequence, I believe. I think it is absolutely adorable and want to make one for me now!
I love that I can just sit down for several hours and practically complete a project. So much better than only having a couple hours at a time to make something (like what I did when I was making that wedding dress). Hooray for consistency of time and great coworkers who teach me so much! I now know how to do so many more alterations - like lengthening or shortening sleeves on a suit jacket and taking pants in. Such great practical skills. I love my job : )
After work, my roommates and I went to this awesome antique store. They had lots of antique hats for a really good price. I couldn't resist, and neither could my roommates. I bought two adorable hats.
At first, I was just going to buy the second one (although not practical at all, but I'll find an occasion to use it!), but then I found the first one. I thought it was slightly wacky with the side things. But I tried it on and loved it. Someday I'll put up a picture of me wearing it. And it will keep my ears warm during the winter!
Then I made cupcakes for cupcake day tomorrow. Apparently every year the costume shop has cupcake day, where everyone brings cupcakes to share during our afternoon break. I have a feeling there are going to be a lot of cupcakes since there are at least 40 people in the costume shop - and that's not counting costume crafts or hair and make-up that will come too!
I made these cute chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter cookie dough on the top.
I found the recipe here: http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2011/05/chocolate-peanut-butter-cookie-dough-toasted-marshmallow-cupcakes.
They called for meringue on top, but I don't like meringue or frosting cupcakes so i just sprinkled them with powdered sugar and cocoa powder and called it good. I think they're delicious! And I didn't realize until after I made them that they're vegan. Perfect ones for me to make since I rarely keep eggs or milk in the fridge (not that I am vegan, I just don't use them much).
That is my day! Sewing, baking, hats... now if only I'd practiced voice, then it would have been perfect!
