Lately...and an announcement!, 11.18.15

I'm so glad to finally have some time after work to get a few things done at home and in the studio. I actually started this blog post nine days ago and am just now getting back to it. October, November and December are jam-packed around here with lots of birthdays and anniversaries mixed in with the craziness of the holidays. And this year, I added to the craziness by agreeing to participate in the first ever Kristkindl Markt at Blumenhof Winery. I've never done anything like this before, so my anxiety level is increasing as December 12th gets closer. I've had my Etsy shop for four years, but actually gathering my work and putting it out there for people to see IN PERSON is making me very nervous. But, it's a good kind of nervous. (So far, anyway!) Find all of the info here and please join us that day. It should be a lot of fun!

A sampling of the things I'll be bringing with me to the Kristkindl Markt. I was really anxious, thinking I didn't have enough to actually display, but after I put everything together, it was more than I thought. I  have 14 paintings and about 20 textile and fiber art pieces and have plans for a few more of each in time for the event. And I'm hoping to do some painting while I'm there, if the weather holds out :)  

 So, that was my announcement! Now, on to my "Lately"...

Making: Finished the top of this fiber piece:

Now I just need to sew the back fabric piece on, along with a dowel rod pocket for hanging. Oh, and there will be a little stitched message in the round pocket on the left side. All of the quotes are from the movie "Unbearable Lightness of Being", my second favorite movie of all time :)  Love, love, love it. My next fiber piece or painting will include another quote from this movie.

And I am so glad that I actually have several ideas for paintings in my mind. I'll be starting on the base layers for those tonight. Really looking forward to some painting time, for sure.


Drinking: I've really been in the mood for beer (IPA, Porter, Stout) lately (not sure why) and chamomile and lemongrass tea :)
 
Eating: Since I found out that I have no sensitivity to dairy, I've been trying to eat yogurt again. (I honestly can't stand the flavor of plain milk anymore, so that is out as a source of calcium for me. So gross!) But, I'm getting used to the yogurt again and have found that if I eat the blended yogurts (not the 'fruit on the bottom' kind) I can digest it much easier. And, if I blend it with plain yogurt, it cuts the amount of sugar way down. So, that has been my lunch lately and I'm kinda likin' it!

Watching: I just watched the documentary "First Comes Love" and it was really good. Check out the trailer here. I am a sucker for any kind of movie that has anything to do with having babies!

Reading: Okay, I have to skip this part because, once again, all I have been reading are blogs! I know! There are so many good books out there (many of them in my own home since I am married to a bookworm) and I really just need to pick one up, open it and start reading. Dang. Okay, I'll put that on the 'to do' list.

Listening to: I'm not gonna lie, I have already been looking for new Christmas music to download.  I am also a sucker for Christmas music. Always have been, always will be.

Thinking about: Getting by "with what I have". As I mentioned before, I was greatly inspired by a series of blog posts found here. So my latest 'with what I have' came the other day when I realized I needed frames for a couple of prints that I ordered. So, instead of going to the store to buy them, I pulled out my bin of framed photos and found some to re-use.

My Kelly Rae Roberts print. I love this and feel really good about the message- "Your beautifully messy, complicated story matters (tell it). It is now on hanging on the wall right above me, where I always sit to write these posts. Appropriate, I think. (Cloudy day = bad photo. Sorry!)

The bad thing about going through framed photos to find a frame, is that you are then sucked into looking at the photos in the frames. And you know what happens then, don't you?! Yes. Reminiscing. So here ya go- the two photos that I now feel compelled to share after my moments of reminiscing.

Since Eddie is now married, with twin daughters on the way, I figured I would take his senior photo out of the frame and put it in a folder. (Man, I miss this kid!)

And another framed photo got the boot- this one from Little Man's baptism. Since Little Man (the infant in the photo) is now a Junior in college, I thought it was time to retire the photo- from the frame to the folder.

 

 

Laughing at: The crazy phone call I received on Sunday night- on speaker phone with my brother-in-law (actually, the man to the far right in the photo above,only with much darker hair!), my nephew-in-law, my uncle and Little Man- all staying in a hotel room together, preparing for deer hunting the following morning. Oh, my, what a phone call. They were having WAY too much fun! These guys are so funny. I'm so grateful that my boys get the chance to spend time with them.

Disliking:  Hmmm... feeling better about a lot of things this week, so I am, again, going to skip this section. Keeping it positive!

Loving: Being home. Right now.

Have a great rest-of-the-week!  Juli