New Hobbies

I was telling my husband the other day that within the last few months I've gone from one hobby to three. (This makes for a serious time management issues, let me tell you!)

The one forever hobby? Reading, of course! Reading has been my first love since I was old enough to sound out short vowel words.

My first NEW hobby is bargain shopping. Now, I've always been somewhat frugal in that I shop secondhand for clothes and cars and I usually buy generic brand at the grocery store. But my newfound love includes the classifieds, Freecycle, Walgreens and couponing. I'm taking it to the next level, folks! When I'm researching deals I actually get an adrenaline rush. Like last night when I found out I could make ten dollars at Walgreens if I bought mens haircolor. Then maybe I'll make even more when I sell the unopened product in my yardsale this summer!

Yesterday while searching the classifieds I found an armoire for sale. I've been looking for an armoire to use for linen storage (we don't have many closets in this old house!) since we moved here in July. I'd recently basically given up, deciding my plastic drawers in the laundry room work for now. I just didn't want to pay $700+ for a solid wood armoire and so many of the others are junky particle board. I really wanted to spend under $200 for a real piece of furniture, but such a deal was not to be had. So I mentally gave up and a week later happened upon a solid oak armoire for $100 in the classifieds. (This happens to me SO often - I mentally give something up then the Lord gives it back! I think I need to realize my gifts come from HIM.) We'll be picking it up this evening in exchange for SIXTY-FIVE dollars. My husband should be proud of all he's taught me in negotiation.

The other new hobby? Sewing. I have always kind of liked to sew, but I get mentally bored if I'm just ironing seams flat or guiding fabric through the machine. However, I discovered the magic of podcasts and now I'm devouring the sermons at http://desiringgod.org/ as I sew. I knew sewing had crossed from a useful skill to a hobby when I found myself irresistably drawn to little-girl sundress patterns at the fabric store last month. Abby has PLENTY of clothes, but it's just too much fun to sew for her.