Now that's ambitious.

This week I bought a sewing machine that I haven't the slightest idea how to use.

I decided I need it to make curtains. We have a lot of windows in this house and hardly any of them had curtains, blinds or any sort of window treatments whatsoever. And after pricing curtains in stores and online, I think I can save some serious dough by making them myself.

Up until now, I've never needed a sewing machine. I've gotten by with my little mending kit, stitch witchery and duct tape.

Yeah, I duct taped a hem on a pair of pants once. I was running out the door, late as usual, when my hem tore loose. I happened to have a roll of duct tape in my purse - what self-respecting girl doesn't? - and proceeded to repair my pants at a stop light. The tape held all day and I don't think anyone could tell -- though I was careful to not cross my legs in a way to reveal the shiny, silver miracle tape.

But alas, I don't think duct tape will work for the new curtains -- especially not for sheers -- so I posted a wanted ad on our company classifieds. Within the day I was offered a nearly new, portable Singer for $50. And hallelujah, it still had the instruction manual.

The machine seems fairly straight forward, though I'm still not quite sure how to feed the thread in it. I flipped open the instruction manual for guidance and was pretty intimidated. I skimmed it (in English and in Spanish), but didn't really sit down to figure it out quite yet. If I can't get it up and running with the book, my next stop will be YouTube. There's gotta be a clip of someone threading a machine and starting to sew. There's everything else on there.

And, if after all that, I still can't figure it out, I'm calling in the big guns -- Mom.

I'll figure it out soon, really, I will. I've vowed to myself to get sewing before the end of the month and gosh darn it, I will. Though...

I might have one slight distraction.

You see, Mark's parents are giving us their old upright piano. When they asked if we wanted it, I jumped on their offer, despite the fact I have no idea how to play.

Really.

I can't read music, let alone play any instrument. But I'm determined to get the kids into lessons and see what I can learn from watching over their shoulders.

I'm just ambitious, I guess.