“My cup runneth over”. Life is good right now, sure little things are a pain in the rear but that is just it, it’s little things. I got mired down in the hustle of unloading, cleaning, etc. of the RV to get it ready to leave again. Throw in on top I decided to strip and refinish a drop leaf table, we have elections for our Sportsmans Club we are members of (and running for board member positions), and I have that opening at Annmarie Gardens… You can say I’m feeling a bit frazzled, but life is good.

Then comes along news that just stops you and makes you realize you only thought you were happy before – now you are really, really happy! Our son and his girlfriend stopped by this weekend to tell us they are expecting in May of 2020! He was absolutely beaming!!!! We are so happy for both of them and can’t wait. 

These are the awesome golden moments in life you remember. The ones you work hard to get to, hope to get to one day, and are damn happy when they happen.

So while I run around all week trying to accomplish all the mundane minutia that has to happen, inwardly or outwardly, I will be smiling thinking about the awesome event to come in May!

It’s been a flurry of activity around here! I finished up my time at Artists in Action and had to rebuild my studio when I brought everything home. Plus I needed to carve out space to needle felt a large, and I mean large, piece I submitted to an upcoming exhibition. I’ll find out in a couple weeks if it made it in or not, but the piece is roughly 39″ across and circular.

I worked on “The Journey” off and on. I also painted the kitchen cabinets, well more correctly I painted the bottom set. Didn’t quite make it to the top ones yet. I painted the bathroom vanity. Of course that meant a new rug and shower curtain. This vanity will go when we redo the bathroom, until then I can now live with this one we have until we replace it when we do a complete makeover.

We’ve put up a new light over the dining table, new light in the kitchen and new light on the top of the stairs. Know what that means??? No more wagon wheels!!! 😄 Slowly but surely we are leaving Bonanza behind! Woohoo. For those catching up here, we bought a log cabin built in 1984, replete with wagon wheel lights, Holly Hobby ruffled curtains – you name the kitsch, it was in here I think.

I have seen my ortho doc again and am scheduled for surgery on my heel/Achilles tendon on the 18th. That has been an ordeal on its own. I’m in the midst of changing primary care doctors, getting my records moved from my old doctor to my new one, jumping through all the insurance hoops, plus extra hoops to please the ortho doc since I reached the “magical age of 55” meaning I needed an EKG and physical prior to surgery… Trying to get all this done before hubby possibly has upcoming work trips next month. What fun!

So after surgery it’s 6 weeks in a cast, then 6 weeks in a walking cast or “Das Boot” as I call it, then on to the physical terrorist to begin learning to walk again and get mobility back. Once again I will be thankful for my Subaru Outback, Scoobyru as I call her. I’ll have one of those knee scooters while in the cast and hauling it around in the Subaru will be easy! #Subarulove #SubaruAmbassador

Between now and surgery and during recovery I’ll be working on a review for a pattern I’m really excited about. (More on that later. 😊) Then I’m also working another piece for another  upcoming exhibition that I need to submit by April 2. It’s another large piece but I know what I want now so it’s just actually making it. 

Fiber Art Now has a call out that is due sometime in May, the 17 I think, that I’d like to submit something for that one. I have a couple ideas swimming in my brain that need to “gel” and go from there with them. In the fall they have their Excellence in Fiber V exhibition. I know what I would like to submit for that, it’s just a matter of figuring out how to felt it. 😄 Once I figure that out I’m off to the races so to speak.

Never a dull moment around here, that’s for sure…

So my beloved “Scoobyru” – my Subaru Outback (#Subarulove, #SubaruAmbassador) was awesome once again to help me get everything over to Artists in Action. She swallowed tables, bins, display materials… I love my Subaru! Can’t say enough good about that vehicle and will continue to sing her praises. 😊 I’m also handing out Subaru pens and pencils as I do my community art project. We’re doing origami lucky stars and I’m having folks write a good wish for the year on the back of the paper, fold it, put it in a jar, then I’ll put them in a decorative jar and give it to Annmarie Gardens. If they are interested I’m also giving them brochures. 

Yesterday the first artist of “my group” left. 😔 It was sad to lose her, we’ve all been having so much fun. But it was like breaking up the band or something. It was so sad to see her empty space next to mine by the end of the day. I believe her replacement comes in on Friday and I look forward to meeting her. I’m sure they all felt the same when the artist that was in my spot left and I came in, it’s a rolling event with us moving in and out over the course with five available spots.

With the weather we’ve had I’m surprised at the number of people we actually have coming through middle of the week. It’s been nice chatting with them, I’ve really enjoyed it. They seem to have at least one school group come through each day as well and they come by to see what we’re doing and ask questions. Carrie

This Saturday should be rather busy since they are holding their Valentine’s Maker’s Market and it will be an indoor event. Tables will be inside on both floors and I’m not sure about the other artists but I plan to be there. I’ll be there on Sunday too.

If you’re in the area stop by, there are some really talented ladies there right now and I’m sure there are more talented artists coming in as it progresses.

​”And as you begin to look forward to the new year approaching, and it is fast approaching(!), I hope you will go into that new year with inspiration, plans, and a brightness glowing in you that comes from a soul inspired to do more, explore more, give more, share more, and just “be” more. “

That was the end of my list on Nov 22, 2018. Last year wore on me a great deal, physically and mentally, but as I said above I am not going into the New Year with a soul inspired to do more I seem to be bursting into the year!

I have been creating and playing with new ideas and improving old ones too. Keeping a list or journal of ideas and inspiration because I don’t have enough hours in the day to do all I want to do and get done. It’s all just bubbling up from somewhere and “my cup runneth over”. 

My problem is having to take time out of the creative drive to do the administrative, dull side. The pricing/tagging items for the shop, trying to get good photos so I can start posting items on Etsy… I know I need to do those things in order to sell what I make but it takes away from the fun, creative, “play” time. I know when I get done with the drudgery though I get to go back to my fun of creating. I just wish it was more creating and very little dull side. 😄

I am thankful though that getting into a new place and settled seems to have been the tonic my soul needed because I’m on a roll creatively…

I don’t know what has opened the flood gates, but the ideas have just been tumbling in and I’ve taken to keeping a notebook close at hand to write them down because I know a dry spell will come when I need the ideas! 

I’m working to get a few new items done to display/sell at Artists in Action as well as settle ideas for what I want to work on at the museum while people watch me. I’m slowly getting things organized as to what goes with me and what stays here and what I need to “prep” to work on there. 

This also means my studio that was finally getting settled is now getting torn apart again! ☺ My wire cubbies are coming out of the closet to go with me to hold fiber for spinning and felting. One of my wooden rolling carts comes with me with all of my threads for sewing. (I’ll have to many little items I’m taking to sew to narrow the thread selection) I’m taking a couple pieces of grid wall to set up to hang some of my origami pieces for display and sale, but those aren’t out of my studio. The tables going along with the grid wall though will come from my studio. My nice chair, my big rolling magnifier light… Not to mention my treadle sewing machine and spinning wheel. 

I’ve got baskets and bins galore to hold all sorts of items whether it’s zippers for dresses/messenger bags or paper for my origami or vials with felting needles, I need to try and keep it all organized. I may have to label things over there because I may waste time looking for things since they aren’t where I’m used to finding them. 😊

And once this great adventure is done I will have to try and put things back together again at home. I know myself and I will never remember where I had everything!!! 😄 So for now I tear apart, have fun creating, and worry about the other end later.