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Time to close this chapter.

I have made the leap into the great unknown. I have designed my own home on the Internet Superhighway.

Come visit me at Susansthoughtsfromtheedge.http://susansthoughtsfromtheedge.com/

By all means poke around here. There is so much good stuff on this blog. Then meet me over there... much more good stuff to come!

Moving Day!

I did it. I have moved. All the content here, stays here. Please if you are stopping by, do enjoy. To see all current content, please direct your attention this way!

Repurposing: Thirty-One Gifts purse into an small electronics case

A wonderfully generous friend and book club lady, gave me a lovely Thirty-One Gifts purse. I liked its slim profile and adjustable strap immediately. Until I tried to carry it as purse. Who am I kidding? I am not at a point in my life, where a slim purse will do. Maybe when I go out to dinner with H or a night on the town with friends.

I need a super-sized, shoulder murdering, carpet bag. I still seem to be carrying around everyone's stuff. Plus I tend to travel with a notebook and pens and sunscreen and many other "just in case" items.

Nope-- no slim purses for me.

But I like it. It is so pretty. Admittedly it has been very pretty hanging on the closet door. Until Friday. I was packing for my trip and I needed something to slip my kindle, headphones, iPod and related cords into. My camera too... I wanted all my electronic gizmos, in one bag.

Then it hit me. My Thirty-One Gifts purse, would be perfect, with a few modifications.

 It really is a cute bag. But with a super long strap.

And the interior pockets will be perfect for slipping in my camera, iPod and cords. With my kindle, it will still be slim enough to slip neatly into my carry on bag.

At first I thought I would use my seam ripper and just remove the strap altogether. That however was a no-go. As a well constructed bag, it has the straps nicely attached.

Then I decided, well a bit of a strap would be helpful.

So I cut the straps and then sewed them down, careful to double them over, to avoid fraying.

I created a carrying strap using the hardware already on the bag.

And a tab detail. I used a zigzag stitch as it will show.

I am pleased with my quick repurposing and cannot wait to try it out. I think it will be just perfect.

Things are changing all around me...

Well not exactly. I am changing them.

In the coming weeks I will be migrating this blog, to my own website. I bought the domain -- susansthoughtsfromtheedge.com. I am going to build my own website using WordPress. Changes are also coming to my business, which after a hiatus, is reemerging, slightly new and different focus.

This January I took Allison Lehman's WordPress class and I finally feel empowered and competent enough to build my own space. That is coming in March. I will likely shift my blogging focus a bit and my plan is to try and refocus my writing.

This blog is not going away. I will leave it up. Instead of trying to import nearly 7 years worth of posts into the new space, I will link to this blog, so that people can look back if they want to. Some of the really good posts, I will likely repost and many of my DIY projects may make a reappearance.

Why am I changing? Well, blogger has made some updates and honestly, for new bloggers or those who want to blog and go, I can 100% say Blogger's platform is the way to go. It is easy. This is why I have stayed here for 7 years. This last upgrade, in my opinion was actually a slight step backwards. My skills and blog aesthetic have outgrown Blogger and frankly all the cool kids are talking WordPress.

WordPress is really flexible and it has some neat bells and whistles. I have used the back end of WordPress for years-- carefully posting content for clients and hoping like hell, I didn't accidentally blow anything up. Well now, I am going to try building my own place, from the ground up.

My goal is to have this all finished by the end of the first quarter 2013. So hang tight... change is coming and soon.

Music Monday: Uknowhatiwant Elektrisk Gonner

Over the winter break-- just over 2 weeks plus a bit with E's illness, I started watching the show Lost Girl. I highly recommend it. Season 1 and 2 is on Netflix. Season 3 starts all around the world this week. (I know I have been an obsessive slug... 2 seasons, well the first one was short... but yeah, I have been a viewing fiend. Take note, this is rare, that something holds my attention this long.)

In Season 2 Episode 15 -- they end with this song.

I went back to figure out what the song was and am sharing it with you.

Little seems written about the artist. I found this about Benjamin Gonner online. There is a tiny bit more written here.

So enjoy... (strictly speaking, this song really isn't safe for work or quiet coffee houses or small kiddos...)

Happy 2013

My New Year starts tomorrow. The kiddos go back to school. I hope to get things kicked into high gear. It really is impossible to really focus on my projects, while focusing on keeping them entertained.

There are going to be some changes. This blog, will likely be one of those changes. I love writing here, but I need some focus and I want to make some changes. It is time.

2013 is symbolic of many changes. It has been a full year and a few months, that I have allowed myself to mourn. Really mourn and to wallow, yes wallow. I cloaked myself in the sadness and the thoughtfulness. And the anger and the disbelief and now, I have come through that. I am ready to start new.

In death there is change and in change there is the chance for greater change and even rebirth or reinvention.

2013 will be full of change.

Be ready.

For now, I will continue to post as I feel the urge. Much of the first part of 2013, will be about me deciding what I want to tackle. Where to focus.