Being that it's National Clean Off Your Desk Day and All . . .

I started this post off with the intention of telling you why it is that I did not get any farther on my *t-shirt deconstruction into fabulous and funky child's dress* this weekend.   So let me start there.

Although my materials were laid out on the dining room table (my official "staging area") waiting for me to sew the pieces together, I was finding it hard to begin.  You see, after I wrote this post about what to do with my $125 sewing fund, I got the go-ahead from Mr. Skooks to purchase a serger.  I was BEYOND excited.  He had come into the office/playroom/multipurpose room no less than 8 times while I was reading up on reviews for this little Brother machine and asked me about the price.  Realizing the difference between what it cost and what I already had, he told me to just go for it.  All this after I had tried to explain the difference between a sewing machine and a serger and why it's not an either/or kind of decision.  (He asked me several times with a quizzical look: "Does that mean you're getting rid of your sewing machine?"  Um . . . NO.  I believe I've mentioned more than once how much I am in love with my sewing machine.)

So I was off!  With an extra spring in my step, I was off to Jo-Ann with my gift card in hand, ready to take the plunge into serger-hood.   The problem started when I got there and skipped into the sewing machine department.  Not a Brother in sight.  Just a chipper sales gal who was quite taken aback when I asked where the Brother machines were.

Chipper Sales Gal, sounding less than chipper: We don't sell Brother machines here.
Me:  Really?  That's odd.  I actually came here to get it because I see that it's on sale on the website.  I should have called first, I guess.
CSG:  What website?
Me:  Umm . . .the Jo-Ann website?  (I felt like an idiot, but as you can see, I was correct.)
CSG:  Are you sure?
Me:  Yeah.  It's the only reason I drove out here actually.  Well, that and I need some spray starch.
CSG:  We're a Huskvarna/Pfaff/Viking/Singer retailer.  I don't know why they would be selling our competition.
Me:  Yeah, I have absolutely no idea (glancing around at the other sergers that were out and seeing that the cheapest one was over $1,000).  It's ok though, I'll just order it online I guess.

After this, CSG tried to redirect me to the lower-end Singer model that they had on sale for $20 more than the Brother I had been looking at online.  While it did look all shiny and new (and would have looked perfectly at home with Connie since it was a Singer after all), I wasn't giving in.  You see, I'm a research-a-holic.  It's to the point where when I come to Mr. Skooks with an idea for something, he usually needs very little coaxing since he knows how I obsess over pride myself on being an informed shopper.  I had read reviews on the Singer model and, without being rude, listed some of the pros and cons of this one over that one.  She could see that I wasn't going to change my mind (though the fact that Jo-Ann offers free classes to get you acquainted with and troubleshoot your machine - should you buy from them - is a very sensible idea), and I went about my not-so-merry way to find the spray starch.

By the time I got home, I had decided 2 things:

1. I was not going to work on the t-shirt upcycle project.
2. I was going to purchase the serger online post-haste.

I was upset that I wouldn't be getting my craft on as I had planned, but I knew that I would get a better result from using a serger and in the end I would be glad I had waited.  My plan became a bit complicated after I explained the situation to Mr. Skooks and then attempted to purchase said serger.  The website was giving me troubles.  I had a dickens of a time even getting it to recognize that I added the serger to my "cart" and then when I went to checkout it wasn't recognizing that I had applied my gift card (I did call and check the balance to make sure nothing was screwy with it, just in case.)  I emailed customer service and from this experience learned that it takes way too long to get a response from customer service.

Anyway, this LONG story is coming to close soon.  I promise.  I found the serger for a better price on Amazon.  It's been ordered up.  When I realized the better price minus the check I got from my in-laws was putting me in the same place that ordering from Jo-Ann with both the check AND the gift card would . . . well . . . it was kind of like finding $50.  If you've made it this far into what has turned into a NOVEL and wish to do the math, go ahead.  In his half-asleep state Mr. Skooks questioned how I had managed to get both the serger I wanted while holding onto my gift card as well.

So what's up with National Clean Your Desk Day (have you forgotten the title of this post already)?  That's the other reason I didn't work on the creative endeavors this weekend.  Ok, so I cleaned the old desk off a few nights ago, but I think it still counts as if I had been doing it to celebrate such an asinine day on the calendar (it is officially celebrated on the second Monday of every January, apparently.  By whom, I'm not sure.  And is it just me or should a desk be cleaned off more than once a year?)  Anyway, I became inspired to tackle the great clean-off around 2 am and didn't finish the gutting, purging, sorting (and the just for "fun" addition of some decorative paper to the backboard) before putting everything back where it should go 3 hours later on Sunday morning.  As a result I was exhausted the rest of the day and spent the little free time I had sleeping.  Doh..

No before picture to speak of, but here's the after (pretend the paper covering the back above the printer isn't bowing out and that I had the time to paint the desk white - I'd like Mr. Skooks to do that to this armoire someday):

Oh, and just in case you're interested in marking up your clean January calendar page with a slew of ridiculous "National Holidays" check out this guide I found.  No, really.  Check it out.  Had I not come across this list who would have reminded me that this week is Cuckoo Dancing Week?