Why Can't I Follow Directions?

Being in the "education" field, you would think I could follow directions. How many times in school did your teacher repeat over and over .. "follow directions!" I've been out of school for many many years, employed by the 3rd largest school district in the state of Texas for almost 30 years and to this day .. I can't follow directions! And .. once again, it's left me scrambling!

I follow Flirty Apron Swap Blog every day. I even get notifications to my email when a new posting is listed. I know darn good and well the Christmas Apron Swap has a "Snow Flurry Theme." I know it MUST have a snowflake somewhere on it! So, what do I do? Well, here I am searching the internet as I usually do for vintage items, mostly vintage apron patterns. I find one that literally sends my little heart pounding. I was blessed with the ability to see something, and pretty much be able to copy it 100%. So, off I go at lunch to get my fabric. I get the two colors needed .. green for the apron and candy cane striped for the appliqued candy canes. I get home, cut out my apron, draw my candy canes and then cut them out, applique them on it and start on the ruffle. I'm so proud of myself b/c it's looking just like the 1955 Christmas Apron Pattern I saw by McCalls. I take these pics and get ready to post my sneak preview on the FAS blog. I get my comments posted and even upload my pics and then all of a sudden it hits me like a ton of bricks .. hey ding dong .. where's your snow flake? OMG .. So, I have to delete the post. Thank God I didn't actually post it .. I was in the preview process. So, today I'm off at lunch to the fabric store to alter this apron I've started. I get there and have to find something that will work with what I have so far. My fabric store is Hancock's which is a decent size store with lotsa fabrics. BUT .. they never have all the "themed" fabric together. Alittle here and way over there are some more bolts. I pick something with slowflakes on it and decide I'll work it in some way. I'm not overly excited. Actually, I'm thinking it will ruin what I had in mind, but I must follow the theme. I sure don't want Shawnee to ban me from future swaps! As I'm heading to the cutting table, I spot another bolt and head over to ck it out closely. I guess God blessed me today because my "vision" kicked in and the wheels started turning and oh how perfect this material was! Green, with candy canes, gingerbread houses and SNOWFLAKES! Woo - hoo! I snatched it up and as those wheels were turning, I visioned it with ric rac on it so close by was the ric rac counter. I picked up large and baby red ric rac just to make sure I'd get the right one. Then as I'm rounding the corner to go have my material cut, my eyes instantly focus on a package of snowflake buttons. Ok, now there must be 200 packages of buttons and my eyes instantly go to this small package? Oh, the gates of heaven just opened for me and I have been redeemed from my lack of following directions! I grabbed the buttons, got my material cut and ok, got sidetracked again. Patterns for 99 cents? Uh, can't pass those up so of course I bought 7 more patterns. lol My heart still fluttering from my material/button find, I check out and head back to work. Now if 3:30 will hurry and get here so I can get home and get busy on this baby! I can't wait to see the finished product now. My vision is locked as to what it will look like. The 1955 apron brought in to the 2010 era. I'll have to show lots of discipline to actually wrap it and send it off. I feel like a piece of me leaves when one of my masterpieces goes! I think this will turn out to be a really cute apron that started with a "no-no". Sometimes bad students can reformed.