I need to count my blessings ...

I've been in such a funk lately ... nothing really appeals to me, not on a gut level. No joy. Now don't get me wrong. I'm not depressed, at least not the need-to-seek-professional-help kind of depressed. But I feel like I'm just going through the motions, not really living, just getting by. Have any of you ever felt like that? I just want to pull back for a bit, take some time for myself to give myself a good talking-to. But who has time for that? Then, recently, something got through the fog. I discovered this project a week or so ago and I can't get it out of my mind.I think I need to count my blessings, too, to remind myself that there are some wonderful things in my life. Things to be joyful about. I know in my head that I am surrounded by blessings, but I've lost sight of them. This is what I need a serious talking-to about! So I'm digging out my embroidery floss, scrounging up a piece of fabric to stitch on, and I'm going to start counting. Would you like to join me?

Fighting the Paper Tiger

I mentioned in my last post that I've been reading a bunch of books about organization. Why? Because one of the biggest reasons for not having done anything artsy lately is that there's too much clutter in the way. Stuff keeps getting moved from place to place, and a lot of it ends up in the least used room of the house ... my studio! Well, it's time to fight back and reclaim my space!!

Now there's all kinds of clutter going on around here ... gadgets, extra clothing, unfinished projects, etc. But my focus for the next several weeks is going to be the paper tiger ... not an easy task because I **heart** paper. To help me win the battle, I'm taking Aby Garvey's online workshop, "Organize Your Paper Clutter", which starts today.

My goal is to create a central file system where every piece of paper will have a home, whether temporary or permanent, and I can put my fingers on any piece in minutes. A lofty goal, to be sure, but one worth striving for. I'm off to read my first lesson!

Expanding my focus

I'm here ...

I've been here all along, actually ... I go to my blog page every day so that I can visit all the websites listed in the sidebar. But when it comes to actually posting something on my own blog, well ...

See, here's the thing. Notice the little subtitle under my blog's name? It says "A shady little spot where I can post my humble attempts at art and life." Art and life. But if you look back, you'll notice that all my posts are about art, or things that are art to me (like aprons). I found myself only posting when I had created something that I could take a picture of and say, "Look what I made!" Where's the life? The things I think about or do when I'm not making art?

As you can guess, I haven't really done anything artsy in quite awhile (well, that's not completely true ... after making this journal cover, I made a second one). But I've done other things ... homeschooled my girls, lost 40 lbs. (and still losing), read lots of organizing books, increased my exercise, started doing some redecorating. And yet, no posts, because I hadn't done any "art".

So I'm expanding my focus ... this blog is supposed to be a reflection of me, and there is more to me than quilting, sewing, crocheting. I can't promise that I'll post every day, but I will post. My art and my life.