I've decided to move on over to Blogger, as it has some features that I really like over there.  I'm still working out all the kinks, but please do stop by and say hello.  I'm at: http://golightlyplace.blogspot.com

Hope to see you there!

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It's Spring Break here in Florida and, of course, that means beach time!

And dolphin time...

And cousin time.  Every year at this time, my husband's brother, his wife, and two children visit.   It's time for lying in the sand...

And playing in the sand...

And just having an all-around good time.   Unless...

... you get stuck with jury duty.


Thankfully, in this case, I did not, though I did sit on my rear for 8 hours today, going back and forth between the jurors "holding tank" and the courtrooms.  I served on a trial a mere 18 months ago and though I enjoyed it, I was praying not to be chosen so I could enjoy my time off with my children.  Despite the keester sitting, I was productive and at least got a good preliminary sketch of the courthouse!  If I can get art into my day, it's time well spent no matter what!

Happy Spring Break, everyone!

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My new baby giraffe! I've been wanting to draw her for a long time and finally got a bit of time the other day.  I drew her with colored pencils and plan to do some collage and journaling around her. 

My brother-in-law and sister-in-law are visiting for 3 weeks now (staying with my mother-in-law), so we'll be pretty busy, and I imagine my entries here will be sporadic.  Spring break starts for us next week.  It has such loaded meaning for us here in Florida.  The beaches fill up quickly and you have to leave reeeeeeeaaallllly early in the morning to get to the more popular beaches, like Siesta Key.  I would stay away from the beach, actually, at this time of year, if it weren't for our company.  But, it really is quite gorgeous here right now and our Gulf side beaches aren't nearly as busy as I imagine Daytona and Miami Beach would be.

Here are a couple other pieces I've done recently in my visual journal:

I was just experimenting with prepping pages prior to my journaling.  The left page got a bit muddy, but it serves a nice purpose.  I had those little pages from a previous nature journal that I kept when we first moved into our house.  It's a nice record of all the wonderful creatures that visit our pond out in our back yard on a regular basis.  I didn't keep that journal up, and have since needed that notebook for something else, but I wanted to keep those pages, so I made the little pocket here for them.

The pink/orange page was just what I wanted, though, and I'm really happy with how it turned out.  I'm just enjoying exploring and experimenting with various mediums right now; trying new things and seeing what the materials do.

Do any of you journal other than at your blog (if you have one)?  Do you have more than one journal?  Currently, I have this visual/experimental sketchbook/journal and a regular, text journal.

I have kept a text journal for the last 20 years.  Sometimes I find I absolutely need to write.  Especially, if it's been over a week.  I am not one to push myself to write every day.  The method I have used for the past 20 years has been to write usually at least a few times a week - sometimes more and sometimes less, depending on what's happening in my life.  My journal is primarily used as a way for me to order my thoughts.  I am always amazed at where the writing will take me.  Sometimes the journaling is a way to get a problem down on paper and then, once there, it usually does not seem as large.  Other times, I practice writing first thing in the morning to see what my well-rested mind wants to say.  I don't use my journal for every-day lists and things, but instead for more reflection on my life or my dreams and ambitions, things my children say and do or to vent.  I rarely re-read what I have written, but very occasionally will take a couple of hours to sit and look over some of the things from my past.  I find I really have to be in the right frame of mind in order to do this.  Like old photographs, the journals are a time capsule and can therefore leave me a bit melancholy sometimes.

Last summer I read Dan Price's, How to Make a Journal of Your Life, which inspired me to begin thinking more visually in terms of my journaling.  Since then, I have looked at many visual pages on Flickr album sites as well as other books.  Obviously, my visual journaling is not as private as my text journal, because it is meant to be looked at, for the most part.  And while even my text journal never reveals every single thing about me (there is always the perceived audience, which, of course, nowadays includes my two children!), there is definitely a different kind of thought process between the two.

I'm not sure if I'll come up with one particular way that I will work in my visual journal (a thought which the very organized part of me wants me to do and finds quite appealing) or if I will continue to let it be whimsical - a place to do and try whatever I want to do.  Perhaps some day I'll have one or more of each (ie. an experimental journal, a travel journal, a collage-only journal, etc.), but for now I continue to experiment and explore with stamps, paint, pens, pencils, different collage materials, and whatever strikes my fancy, I guess!  It's a lot of fun.  Maybe you should try it too!  If you do, I'd love to see pictures someday.  Let me know!

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I haven't really had a lot to say for the past few days.  I have just been doing a lot of thinking - thinking about authenticity and my authentic self and my own voice.

I wonder, do you feel like you are living your authentic life - being who you truly want to be, who you truly are?

I have tried on many different facades over my life.  I think, though... I think I am really stepping into more freedom of being myself. 

There are still limitations, though.  For instance, I've always thought it was cool whenever I saw someone in a vehicle that was painted to reflect their personality: fun colors, sayings, art.  I would love that.  And yet I have a gray minivan.  Ugh.  Yep.  Don't really have the $$ to be spending on painting the van something fun; it's just not a priority in our lives right now.  But, maybe someday.  Someday when my children are not living with us and won't be embarassed of Mom's colorful Mini.  I just love those little cars!

And now for something big.  Something big for me anyway.

I am leaving my church.  The church, actually. 

I am not leaving my faith, for I fell hard for Christ and my commitment to Him and belief remains just as strong as ever.  But the institution just isn't working for me.  I guess I shouldn't find that too hard to believe, since I've never been a big fan of institutions to begin with.

There are some things with my specific church that have led to my decision, but there are more things with the institution as a whole that I guess just don't work well for me - or my family presently.

Our churches want to grow, grow, grow.  And while the message is the right one, I feel more and more like a number and I find myself like the oodles of programs offered less and less.

Specific to my family is that my husband is not a believer.  So, currently, I attend services on Sundays and choir on Tuesday nights and the occasional special event where I'll volunteer.  But real relationships are formed in smaller, more intimate settings and I don't like the idea of just me or the children and me going off to various events in the week so that I can get to know some of the people better and leaving my husband at home, alone on a regular basis.

I have been to various churches over the years, I've taught Sunday school, Vacation Bible school, sung with worship teams and with choirs, been involved in Bible studies, Awana, and so many other things.  But, you know, I have never met a friend through church that has become like a "best friend" to me.  I have met many nice people, kind people, good people.  But the "family" of God has always been at arms' length to me it seems.  In listening to a podcast put out by Family Room Media about this very issue (of choosing to live in relationship with God and worship outside the institutionalized church - another is "The God Journey" and another website is Lifestream.org for those who may be interested), one of the podcasters talked about how often it seems that the body of believers is joined together more in a shared vision and mission than in relationship with one another and if that vision is taken away - or if one of the "family" steps away from the specific vision, the relationship is broken.  He talked about how when he went away to college, his family certainly did not stop calling him or talking with him, but when he chose to leave the church, his "friends" - his "family" of believers acted as though he had disappeared.  And so the irony becomes that those of us who are longing for greater relationship leave - of all things.

My church continues to grow and achieve, what would appear by all other standards to be, success.  They are talking excitedly of the new wing they will be building and, you know, that is great.  Really, sincerely, that is great.  I know that the institution works well for many, many people and people's hearts are touched and they do feel a part of God's plan for their lives working in the church.  And maybe, maybe I will be led back that way someday.  But for now, for me, that model isn't working.  I'm not quite sure what will.  I'm not sure what it will be or where I will go or how I will go, but I simply continue to trust and follow.

I guess I am trying to understand that God, with all His amazing creativity and variety that makes the world so incredibly interesting, made some of us to be a little bit more like "square pegs."  Do any of you remember that television show from the 80's with that title?  Oh, I SO related to that show and the short little life it had.

Most of the time... most of the time, I embrace the quirky way I have been made - the twisty little path I seem to need to follow.  I've tried many, many times to get on that main highway, but I never really last very long.  I'm headed in the right direction though, that much I know.  In fact, today I felt Him say to me, "You'll make it, kid," and that's good to know, because my road map seems to be a little bit smaller and crumpled a bit and a little bit hard to read sometimes.  And it takes me out of the way - so far out that I'm often the only one on the road... and I do wish sometimes that I could say, "Hey, you should see the view from over here!! It's really wild!  It's different, but it's beautiful!" And sometimes there are other drivers there, but it seems we don't pass each other very often.  And that's okay I guess, because, really, the road isn't very wide, but just about right for one colorful, little car.

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I need to be heading over to my mom's tonight for our weekly dinner, but, as promised, I am posting my collage.  I just have to pick up a frame for it now; I painted a matte board for it yesterday.  I like the way it turned out.  It contains symbolism of the new sense of freedom I feel in rediscovering my need to be creative every day.  I never gave up my creativity when I had children; I've always thought of myself as a creative person.  But I guess I never understood that I need to be creative just because I need to be.  In the past, I think I've had to have a reason: a gift I was making, or perhaps I needed to fill some empty wall space, or I needed to use my creativity to be inventive when times have been tight.  These are all valid, important, and even beautiful ways to use creativity.  But more and more I am realizing that my expression does not have to have a utilitarian function; that the simple act of creating is utilitarian for me - whatever it is I create, whether it is useful in another sense or not.

So this collage.  Yes I will frame it and it will take up a small, empty space on my wall.  But even if it got put into a file folder, it simply needed to be made.  Just because.  Just for me.

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How has your Saturday been?  Today I went for my first ever Myofacial Release massage.  It was a complementary treatment, since the young woman is trying to build her business.  It was a very interesing experience.  It wasn't the massage I was used to, but I did leave feeling quite peaceful. 

I was able to come home and work on a collage I've been slowly developing over the past couple of weeks whenever I get a block of time to get out all the supplies. I had been itching to work on my project... needing to work on it and I feel much better now that I have!

We have been talking about rearranging some things in our house so that we can have an area that is kind of a studio space.  It will just be a space that, while it can't be left super messy (because it's not in an area that has a door to close - and I don't deal very well with "super messy" generally anyway!), we will be able to leave works in progress out on a table and not have to clear off the table for dinner.  I am SUPER excited about this possibility and will post pictures of it - and my collage - as things develop.  The work space, incedentally, won't be a reality until April sometime when my mom moves into a new house and we will get her table, but it's just around the corner!

Yesterday was just a terrific day.  It was our homeschool small group field trip day and this month we went to visit the Asolo Repertory Theater for a backstage tour.  It was really fun!  We were not able to actually walk onto the stage as other tours often get to do, because the stage hands were busy tearing down the set from the recent show of  "Amadeus" and were preparing the sets for "Pride and Prejudice," which M and I think we will attend next month.

The Asolo is named for Asolo, Italy where the theater originated.  It is home to the professional Asolo Rep acting company, the Sarasota Ballet Company, and students from the Florida State University/Asolo Conservatory.

There are 3 theaters here and the main theater, called the Mertz Theater, was originally built in 1903 as an opera house in Dunfermline, Scotland.  It was all brought here to Florida and is just a lovely building.

The kids wanted the "box seat" experience.

I could have just kicked myself for forgetting to get my camera out when we toured the costume shop.  The crew was in there busily preparing the costumes needed for "Pride and Prejudice."  It was my favorite stop on the tour.  The storage room was filled with countless hats, scarves, and other costume props.  We didn't get to see the main costume storage place.  But the costume shop itself was just a sight to behold.  It was electric with creativity!  On one wall were hats from a recent performance of "Peter Pan."  They were hats "the Lost Boys" wore and they were beautiful with colors of the forest and lovely feathers.  There were gossamer wings from the Shakespeare production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and masks and gowns on dressmakers dummies being put together for P & P.  I wish I could have stayed there all day, but,alas, we needed to head out.

So, to a favorite park we went for a picnic.  We went to the Sarasota Bayfront Park.  This is a terrific park on a bay and by a marina.  People are always out strolling about, exercising, or walking dogs.  There is a small restaurant that often has live music, and a playground for the children that also has a fountain for the children to play in too.  It always has somewhat of a festive feel there.

It was sunny and 81 degrees, so we sat under this amazing tree for our lunch and noshed on pasta salad and oranges from our backyard tree.

In this picture, portions of Sarasota are to the right and the marina is there to the right too.  To the left, another cool tree and to the far left - at the very edge of the picture - you can just see the bridge that links Sarasota to Longboat Key.

This is just another cool tree.  Florida has oaks, but not with leaves like I was familiar with in the north.  These oak leaves are much smaller, dark, glossy green, and hard - like holly.  They are called "Live Oaks" and "Laurel Oaks" and there are a bunch of other similar kinds that I am do not know all the names of.  BUT, even though the leaves are different, they still live many, many years and have the wonderful, snaking, twisty branches.

At the top of my post is a new sculpture that they installed at the park since we were here last.  I thought it was really beautiful!  I couldn't find the name of the piece or the artist's name anywhere.  Here are some close-ups.  The children's expressions are fantastic!

This upside down one is really amazing to me.  His expression is perfect!

Finally, here is a shot of the fountains overlooking the bay.  The little boy with the bucket is about to go up steps that have water flowing down them.

The statues that the children can sit on are all creatures familiar to Florida including this gator, the Florida panther, a sea turtle, a dolphin (I think), and a fish (see above).

Here is the top where the water begins its journey down the steps and where the littlest ones can play in their own mini-fountains with some froggies and a cute baby manatee sitting at the head of the steps!

It was a wonderful day!  Thanks for having a look!

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Whew.  I am exhausted today.  On Monday I went to get my first ever mammogram.  Yesterday I received a call that I needed to have some more pictures taken.        Oh.

Needless to say I had a terribly restless night and have been awake since 3:30 this morning.  I can very happily report, however, after my appointment at 9:00 a.m. that everything is fine.  But what a rollercoaster of emotion.  I have a history of anxiety issues, so I at least understand how my mind wants to work and reminded myself continuously to remain in the present.  That, and to take one step at a time with the grace that I knew God would provide for me in this.

I have learned a couple of things from this small ordeal.  One, is that I want a regular doctor.  Because we only carry catastrophic insurance for things such as cancer treatment or hospitalization, we pay for the rest of our health care out-of-pocket.  This has actually been a good thing for us for the most part.  However, in shopping around for a doctor, I found the lowest cost at our county providers.  While I have received adequate treatment at those clinics, I have found (and I'm guessing it is because the county providers are getting paid less than private practitioners) that the staff turnover is high and I am always seeing someone new.  So, I am going to be more diligent and a little less pocketbook-focused in finding for myself a privately practicing doctor who will know me and may be able to offer me some advice in situations such as the one I just went through.

The second thing that I learned is that it is not too unusual to have to come back for a second mammogram - especially if you are under 40.  The fibrous tissue in a younger woman is thicker and harder to "read," and therefore may require another look.  I might have liked that information last night and though my husband is the one who found it this morning when he got to work, I didn't look up anything last night on the internet, because I have learned my lesson the hard way with that.  With my tendency toward anxiety and my VIVID imagination (which serves me well as an artist, but not so much when it comes to things to be concerned about), I pretty much stay away.

Well, with that said, on to other things.

I actually have come to like the girls' bathroom very much.  The photos are here.  They are not exceptionally exciting, but overall the look is just so much cleaner and less dated than it was.  We have one final project to do to the mirror and I will post photos of that later.

This photo highlights the new cabinets that were once pink with white plastic handles.  I like the new look MUCH more!

The picture above the toilet in this next photo was embroidered by my grandmother!  I love it!  It is stained at the top and I wonder if anyone knows how to go about gently cleaning something like this?  Could I just use something like Woolite and gently rub it with a brush or something?  Incedentally, the little white table here is one I found on the curb waiting for the trash.  It was a plain brown.  I grabbed it, spray painted it white and am very happy with the results.

This last picture just shows the medicine cabinet.  I know I didn't post a picture of the old version, but it was just the wood finish.  Spray painted that white too and I think it turned out great.

I would like a new shower curtain with a design of some sort, since there are such great big areas of just flat color, but this will have to do for now, since I haven't found anything I've like yet.  I'll take my time finding something and hopefully I'll even find something used!

Over at the Creative Mom Podcast Circle Pool we post pictures of different works in progress.  Recently we've posted some of the books we've been checking out at the library as a visual log of the things we are reading this year.  If you click over to my Flickr sight, you can click on different parts of this photo that give a bit of what the books are about.

Finally, a friend of mine from church sent me this link to TamPontification.  It is a simple donation sight arranged by Seventh Generation.  By simply choosing a donation state and clicking, Seventh  Generation will donate free tampons to women's shelters across the country!  It take mere seconds and there is nothing you need to do except, point, click, and feel a little happier about doing something nice for someone today.  Check it out!

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This weeked we decided to go ahead and paint the bathroom.  As you can see, in our 1986 home, we have the popular Florida colors of that time.  Seems everyone wanted to be "beachy" and pink and baby blue (shells and the sea?) were pretty popular.  The baby blue cabinets in the kitchen got painted first thing when we moved in here 3 years ago!  To see the end results of that project, click here.

We still had the pink cabinets in the girls' bathroom though and even though we have pink tile (that we're presently not doing anything about), I painted the cabinets a cream color to match the counter top.  I love that Cabinet Rescue paint!  It's $16.00 for a quart, but it's a heck of a lot cheaper than new cabinets (which we can't afford) and it goes beautifully over the laminate (NOT a fan of laminate, but that's what we've got!)

So, here are some before shots:

We went with lavender walls, and quite honestly, I'll tell you, I'm just not sure yet.  The girls, of course, love it.  It just may be a tinge more blue-ish than what I had imagined.  I'm still waiting to get everything back in and pictures put back up.  I think I'll pick up a new bathmat today and some hand towels.  Maybe that will make me feel a bit better about this color choice.  I've never done lavender before and maybe I just need to get used to it.

Daddy let M help a little for the very first time.  She was thrilled!

You can see that the cabinets are now cream colored too.  That was my task.

New hardware was purchased to put on the cabinet doors.  Hopefully I'll have some new photos to post tomorrow of the finished project!

Finally, here are my girls sitting in their "river." I thought I would post this for any parents who may be interested in one for their little ones. I made this when my older daughter was about 4. It's just two long pieces of turquoise fabric sewn together and hemmed down the sides. It's perfectly portable and storeable. Playmobil boats have sailed down it, rocks and bridges and islands have been added, Little People villages have existed along the river and on this day, it was the river that runs through Fairytopia. Super easy and inexpensive and fuels the imagination!  Enjoy!

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What's this?

Why, it's a yarn ball in a tree, of course!

And look!  It's a crosstitcher in a tree too!

I have been in a crafting-crazy mood since the first of the year.  The online community of crafters is enormous, inspiring, and immensely talented!  There are creative blogs, websites, podcasts, Flickr galleries, group projects, and swaps to whet your creative appetite.  Check out some of the crafty sites I've posted in my sidebar, but be warned: they all have their own fantastic links that could get you sidetracked for HOURS!!!

Finally, here is a wonderful quote from one of those inspiring crafters out there, Lee Meredith.  She says,

“Use your brain. Challenge yourself. Try new things. Stretch your limits. Be nice to your body and exercise your mind. Go places, learn stuff, and teach others. Venture outside your idea of who you are and what you do. Don’t let yourself be defined, don’t be afraid to change, and don’t ever say you’re bored! Do stuff!”

I just love this. I think I need to post it on my refrigerator as a great reminder - for everyone!  Even to the kids: "...and don't ever say you're bored!  Do stuff!"

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Have you ever visited our sunny state of Florida?  Do you have visions of palm trees and beaches in your head when you think of Florida?  For most of my life my maternal grandmother lived on the Atlantic coast of Florida in Pompano Beach.  Pompano Beach is very close to Ft. Lauderdale and the whole area is very developed.  So, I thought that Florida was condominiums, pools, palm trees and beaches, a whole lot of cement and Highway A1A.  I was not even really interested in coming to visit when my mother-in-law moved down here.  I mean, I wanted to visit her, but I wasn't interested in Florida itself.  But it was the beginning of chilly April in Minnesota and when we stepped out of the airport into 80 degree nighttime air, I knew we were off to a good start. 

At the time, my MIL lived nearer to the beach, so my image of Florida during my two week stay that time was pretty much the same as it had always been.  There wasn't as much development on this side (though that is constantly changing) of the state and it was quite refreshing.  Refreshing enough that we decided to move here.

And then I met the real Florida.

Check out THIS tree that is at the entrance to a nature trail we frequent!  It is TOTALLY covered in Spanish moss!!  Now, Spanish moss is a type of epiphyte which is an air plant that grows on another plant.  Epiphites don't acutally damage the plant they are on unless the plant is already older and if, like this tree, the moss has just gotten out of hand and blocks the light. They don't actually feed off the tree as though it were a host plant, though.  I have a feeling this tree was already dead before it got like this.  Isn't it amazing and haunted looking?

The real Florida actually reminds me a great deal of the landscape of the movie, "Jurassic Park!"  Doesn't it just look like an Apatasaurus would be munching among these leaves?

We noticed on this hike, the damage caused by a fire that went through here shortly after Christmas.  We hadn't been here since before then and the amount of brush burnt away was remarkable.  Even more remarkable to me is the resilience of the foliage.  Tall pines that were burnt nearly all the way up their trunks had bright shoots of green at the tops.

See how spiky it all is?  These low spiky plants are saw palmettos and are everywhere. They grow like weeds!  I took this picture below because the small tree in the middle seemed so stark.

This is a wildflower that was blooming; some kind of honeysuckle I'd guess.  It smelled like artificial cherry flavoring.  Not like real cherries, but like some sort of cherry candy!

Well, thanks for coming on our walk with us and getting a glimpse of the "real" Florida!  Hope you liked your visit!

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In keeping with my pink and orange theme, I thought perhaps some of you Spring-starved readers might enjoy a few photos of some of the flowers around my yard.  Above, are my snapdragons and below are a couple hibiscus flowers.

Aren't the colors rich and gorgeous?!

I finished knitting a scarf this weekend for my mother-in-law's birthday.  It's more of a fancy scarf to wear when she goes out to the country club (she lives in a golfing community here) for dinner and her various get-togethers.  I made it with "Fun Fur."  Let me tell you.  I am not a fan.  It's a pretty enough scarf - rather boa-like, but you can't SEE anything when you stitching!  Can you find a mistake?  NOOOOOO.  Can you go back and correct something you've done wrong?  NOOOOOO.  So, I didn't do the slighly more complex and more interesting stitch pattern for this; I just did a simple garter stitch, because I couldn't fix anything if I'd wanted to!  Oh, well.  It's done.  I have another one to do for a friend who's style includes actual boas, so it will be perfect for her, but I think I'll work on something else first to give myself a furbreak.

I have more to post, but it will have to wait.  Duty (a.k.a. school) calls!

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I call this photo I took yesterday, "The View From School."  The mobility of homeschooling has to be one of its more wonderful assets.   We like to do a lot of our homeschooling on a big, soft blanket toasting in the sun. This is the view from under our Jacaranda tree in the back yard. I lay taking photos while my younger daughter read to me from "Frog and Toad Together."

And here is, "The View From School II." The Jacaranda is native to Brazil I believe. The folks who first lived in this house had an obvious love of a variety of beautiful trees. This whole tree will explode with huge purple blossoms come April.

Yesterday, during our lunch break M ran to her room and then back again with a big smile on her face and a book in her hand.  "There's nothing better, " she proclaimed, "than reading a book in a tree!"  "Absolutely!" I said, fondly remembering the tree in the backyard of my own youth that overlooked the baseball field.  I would climb and wedge myself quite safely in a crook where three branches converged.  There were a few "seats" like that in that tree, providing different vantage points for different purposes.  I consisdered that tree a good friend.

This morning the goldfinches were passing through our yard.  Never fear, my Northeren friends.  Seeing the finches means they are on their way up north.  They are not the beautiful, striking yellow when they visit us, but still have their drab, winter feathers.  We love them still and it was fun to see them enjoying breakfast at the finch feeder on this foggy morning.

The ibis were there too at the water's edge.  For some reason they always make me think of the martians from the "Bugs Bunny" cartoons.  The don't really look like them (I know because I did some Bugs Bunny research!), but their profile still reminds me of them.

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I did want to have more brown color on the top, but I'll just have to do that the next time.  I like it; the brown on the top reminds me of a choclolate candy star.

Here it is after the water was added. I love the saturation of color!

And the finished product.  I'm happy with it... and it makes me want to do more!   Thanks for looking!

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Ahhh, the classic science experiment if there ever was one: the erupting volcano!  But ours wasn't just ANY volcano.  No, ours is "Olympus Mons," the largest known volcano in the solar system which resides on the planet Mars!

E had watched M do this experiment 2 years ago and now it was her turn!  She was so excited!!

Unlike M's former volcano, the addition of two drops of dishwashing soap kept the volcano erupting and oooooozzzzzing long after the vinegar had been poured.  It was cool!

And even though she is a veteran volcano eruptor, M had to have her own turn, as well!

Here are a couple of photos I forgot to post on last week's entry from our trip to the local Christian radio station with our homeschool small group field trip.

The girls had a great time and were actually a bit "star-struck" as we saw the dj's in action that we had just been listening to in the car on the drive over!

Finally, just a couple more projects I completed this week:

Here is the hat I just sent my sweet sister-in-law, Lena.  I don't know if she's gotten it yet... so if you see this, Lena, I hope you like it and, um, SURPRISE!

And here is a little altered Altoid tin I made to hold my little knitting things such as my stitch counters and needle tip protectors.

Sorry these are a bit blurry.  I had to take them without the flash, because I kept getting a reflection of it from the varnish on the tin.  I'm sure there's a way to resolve that, but I don't know it!

Side view:

And the bottom:

I love craft, because I love things that are beautiful and functional... and I love my little tin!

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We've had another full week here at Golightly Place.  I am thankful that I have rearranged and lightened our school load a bit, for life itself is so very full and even when we are not "booking it" there is learning going on all the time all around us.

Last weekend I finished this little hat and bootie set for my sister & brother-in-law's new baby, due in May.  The set is for a 6-9 month old babe and it should be just right for next Autumn.

An ongoing occurance in our home - or rather our yard - is all the action that takes place on the stage - er - picnic table.

Earlier in the week, M was wrapped up in her own little fantasy of singing before crowds (the shots are blurry, because of her dance moves!):

and finally, the bow...

A few days later, E tried her hand and said she was practicing her opera:

The picnic table was transformed once again when the brainstorming session of  "The Great Sleepover" were taking place with new neighbor girl, J, for Friday night.  Plans were laid out and the all-imporant checklist (clipboard and all) devised.

I am happy to report here that everything went according to schedule and a good time was had by all!

Finally, yesterday we got out all the Valentine supplies as we do every year and began crafting our love notes.  Here are the three I finished:

Fun projects - and still a remaining giant mess to clean up!  We NEVER finish all our Valentines in one day.  This year our work is taking place out on our lanai on the floor on an old, vinyl table cloth.  I love that everything is out and accessible for a few days and that the girls can come and go and dabble as they like.  I'm glad not to have it all out on the table this year, so we don't have to continuously be clearing the table.  Some day - studio space.  Ahhhh, now that would be wonderful!

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ave a look at this beautiful guy!  Isn't he GORGEOUS?!  (Hmmm... somehow the Crocodile Hunter accent just came to mind... *sigh* Doesn't the whole world miss Steve Irwin?).  I spotted him yesterday as I was taking the girls rollerblading and leaning down to put the leash on Lucy.  It was that ORANGE that just jumped out at me from the grass.  The little guy is dead, but must have been freshly so, because he was in such immaculate condition.  Thought I'd snap a photo, just for the sheer joy of his coloring, but then I realized that, other than the shocking orange, his irridescent blue body, black with gray wings, and white spots fit perfectly with the new Flickr Project Spectrum triad for February/March.  How CONVENIENT, since I don't often work just in blues and grays and wasn't quite sure what I'd do.  He fits quite nicely.

Earlier in the year Ali Edwards asked her readers to come up with an idea of one word that would encompass your vision for yourself this year.  I learned about her site through the wonderful Creative Mom Podcast.  If you haven't listened to Amy's podcast yet and you love to (or used to love to) play in the world of creativity, you are denying yourself of a fabulous, self-indulgent (calorie-free!!) treat.

Well, I wasn't in time to participate with my own word at Ali's site, but I've taken one for myself anyway and that is: CREATE.  That is just where I am right now.  I have, for all my life, dabbled in the arts.  I have drawn, written, journaled, painted, embroidered, cross-stitched, made dolls, made salt-dough Christmas ornaments, made beads with polymer clay, scrapbooked, photographed, written poetry, sung, danced, beaded, and on and on it seems.

Currently, I am crazy for knitting and working in my visual journal, experimenting with watercolor pencils and collage.

I have worked my way through Julia Cameron's The Artists Way - twice, The Vein of Gold and  Walking in this World once.  I have Natalie Goldberg's books on writing and painting and have read Annie Lamott's books more than once too. And, of course, there are others - so many others - that I have looked at from the library that have inspired and continue to inspire me to this day.

AND YET, I have never thought of myself as an artist because I don't do this professionally.  Also, I have never settled on one particular medium, nor achieved "stellar-quality" (gallery worthy?)work, because I don't have one particular passion. I have also never really felt driven to even want to have my work in a gallery; have never wanted to make myself or my projects accountable to someone else. I always just want to have fun.

Somehow, I have felt, this disqualifies me.

I love being a mom.  I love homeschooling my children and I haven't had scads of time to be working on any large-range series or anything with a theme or direction or vision.  Instead, I have made paper mache masks for Halloween (an awesome giraffe head, to be precise!), pretty, layered, hand-made Valentines and other hand-made gifts, photographs to hang around the house, and some paintings too.

A couple of years ago I just decided to tell people that "I like to make stuff."  Isn't that funny?  It's not as loaded with expectations as the word "artist" is, and I always felt I didn't have a body of work to show to anyone anyway (as if they'd be expecting me to "prove it.").

But now... here, online, I have found a huge community of others with that same creative URGE, that just keeps pushing me onward wanting to explore mediums and colors and textures and yes, just make stuff.
So, I've really given myself over to doing that this year.  I've done it all along, but now I am giving myself specific time during each day and have focused on that - if not one type of artistry.

I have found that...

it is important.

Very important.

And I can't actually say why, per se, but it is.  And it is good to feel validated; to understand, as a creative person, that the urge - the desire - is real and not at all unusual.  More importantly to me - and I say this with all sincerity - is that, while I like to like what I create and even more to love what I create, (it is a great natural high to love a poem or drawing or whatever I have done) - that alone - the end result - is not important.  I am sure that if I never saw what I felt was improvement, or never made something that was pleasing to me, I might feel differently.  But I don't think that for a creative person that is even necessarily possible.  Because what you are making is always part of you.  And art is always objective.  In fact, as you begin to like what you're doing a little bit more each time you do it, as you begin to appreciate your own unique style of creation, you therefore begin to appreciate and like... you.  To me, art is the ever-changing, unfolding, visual or audible discovery of ourselves.  And therein lies the drug, I'm sure.

So, this year, no matter what I call it - or me - doesn't really matter anymore.  I will just be here creating.  I'll be participating where I can - there are SO many wonderful ideas out there on the web.  But with others or alone, that's what I'm going to be doing: just me, just here, just making stuff.

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Yesterday was a challenging day.  It didn't start out that way.  I was really looking forward to my Saturday, but then I got hit with a migrane.  The nasty, zig-zaggy, rainbow aura started while I was in the shower.  SUCH a disappointment. 

I am always THANKFUL:

1)That I actually get an aura and have time to take the 4 ibuprofin I need to take to cope

2)My migranes are really nothing like some I have heard about and that my husband gets once in a blue moon.  I can function - uncomfortably, but I CAN function.

These headaches didn't start for me until I was in my lower 30's and I didn't even recognize the first one as what it was - until I got my second one about a year and a half after that. 

I usually get them once every six months.  I've had a whole year reprieve until two weeks ago... and then again yesterday.  I was really shocked that I was getting one again.  I'm praying that it's not a sign of things to come. :(

I was angry when I got the aura and went ahead and plowed through the majority of things I wanted to get done yesterday.  I hate that it just blows your whole day.  Not stopping and sitting it out probably made it last longer than usual, but I really didn't want to give up my day! 

I'm finding myself enjoying using watercolors in my visual journal:

The picture of the girls rollerblading is one I did from memory (didn't actually have them to look at), because I forgot my camera on our walk.  Somehow, it never fails; when I don't take the camera I wish I had, and when I do, there's not much new around that I want to capture.
Ah, well, I do have this fond memory of them at least sketched and journaled now.

You can see from my "new things" list, that I have, thus far, stuck to my resolution purchase used things this year - outside of art & craft supplies, food & health & beauty, and underthings.  So it was SO exciting yesterday to find this treasure at our Goodwill bookstore's 2nd anniversary sale!

Everything in their store was an additional 25% off!  This whole group only cost me just over $9.00!

This is my favorite find!!  Only $1.70 for a complete, barely used set!!  I really like watercolor pencils and was so excited to find this.  It almost made up for that pesky headache.

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Image Courtesy of Allposters.com

The tooth fairy doesn't bring a lot of money here (she averages a quarter a tooth), but she does always bring a foreign coin with her and occasionally leaves a special, beautiful stone.  M's foreign coin this time around was from Italy.

I have been dealing with a slight sore throat all day today.  I'm really hoping it won't blossom into anything more.  Tomorrow is art day in our homeschool - my favorite day of the week.  As you know, E has learned to knit, so I think I will encourage her to finish the little doll scarf she is working on for her Bitty Baby, Melody.  M bought herself a larger crosstitch and I'm guessing she'll work on that while I stealthily work on my next knitting project - almost complete already!!  When I'm done, I'll post pictures once the recipeint has received it!

With all my current projects, I feel I've been a little slug-like of late and need to pick up the exercising pace.  Maybe with the new schedule I'll find some room.  *Sigh*  So much to do, so little time!

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 Here is my first project beyond garter stitch - completed!  Yea!  The weather was actually cool enough here today to wear them too.  They are comfy and warm.  On to the next project, but, shhhhhhh, it's a secret!

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"Peony" by Pip Bloomfield
Image Courtesy of Allposters.com

I have seen versions of these lists elswhere but have never done one.  This one may provide the answers to all of them!!

Amy at The Creative Mom Podcast wanted her listeners to do a 100 Things list - with a leaning toward creativity.  So, without further ado:

100 Things About Me

1. My first name is Nicole.
2. I am 38 years old.
3. I have been very happily married for 11 years.
4. I have two, beautiful daughters.
5. My younger daughter was born on my birthday - September 7th.
6. I was raised Christian, then was pagan for 10 years and then came back to Christ.
7. My walk with Christ is very important to me.
8. I have been a vegetarian for 19 years.
9. I homeschool them and have done so since the beginning.
10. I was born in Iowa and lived there until I was 9.
11. I lived in Alabama for a year and a half, then South Carolina for 5 years, Minnesota for a year and a half, a short college stint in Wisconsin, back to MN for a year, back to SC for 10 months, back to MN for 14 years and now I have lived on the Gulf Coast of Florida for the past 3 years.  Whew!
12. I have never lived in a house longer than 5 years; I hope to change that.
13. I enjoy gardening.
14. I am an organic gardener.
15. This year I am moving beyond the garter stitch with my knitting and am loving it!
16. I love to sing.
17. I sing in the choir at church and sing solos occasionally.
18. I like to draw.
19. I like to paint.
20. I love to write - mostly in my journals.
21. I have journaled for at least 20 years.
22. Two years ago I went through some of my old, old journals and culled the ones that really would not benefit anyone to read.  I threw out maybe 5 or 6.
23. I sitll have about 36 journals.
24. I used to have pink hair.
25. I used to have purple hair.
26. I used to have black hair.
27. I used to be very goth.
28. I used to have part of my head shaved on one side a' la Cyndi Lauper's "Girl's Just Wanna Have Fun" video.
29. Everyone who knows me now - and didn't know me then - is surpised when they learn this.
30. I still love that song (see 28).
31. I come from a family with alcoholism.  This isn't about me specifically, but it has shaped me.
32. Art and music and English were my favorite subjects in school in that order.
33. If I went back to college, I would have about one year left to get my degree, but...
34. I never knew what I really wanted to do other than be a mom.
35. I love my job.
36. I love animals.
37. We have 3 cats: Nimue (named after the Lady of the Lake from Camelot), Charlotte, and Tessa.
38. We have one dog: a Westie named Lucy
39. I have one parrot: a Quaker named Pistachio
40. I think horses are beautiful, but they are too flighty - they frighten me.
41. I am an avid bird-watcher.
42. My favorite bird is the bluebird, which I have only been blessed to see one time in the wild.
43. My second favorite bird is the barn swallow.  I love the way they dip and soar.
44. My favorite color is (and my kitchen and living room are) green!!
45. I have a pierced nose.
46. I prefer savory to sweet foods.
47. I am a better cook than baker.
48. I love to read, but primarily non-fiction books.
49. I enjoy fiction on audio.
50, I prefer classics to modern literature; the themes don't seem as dark to me.
51. I often love children's classic literature over adults'.
52. I love Anne of Green Gables and A Girl of the Limberlost.
53. I would like to see more of the world, but I have only traveled to Canada and Mexico outside of the U.S.
54. My first choice would be to go to Italy.  It's not very original, but I would like to see how the light is there.
55. Since having children, I am afraid of flying.  I'll do it, but I really don't like it.
56. Me gusta practicar hablando mi espanol.
57. I watch little television, but my favorite current TV show is "The Office."
58. My favorite podcast is The Creative Mom Podcast!
59. I don't watch the news or read newspapers.
60. I get my news from NPR or online.
61. I don't own a microwave; we use a toaster oven or good, old-fashioned pots and pans.
62. I don't drink caffeine.
63. I love vegetarian pot pie!  It's my ultimate comfort food.
64. I write poetry - but not often enough.
65. If I could sew, I would love to make dresses styled from the 1940's.
66. I love big band music.
67. I love to wear skirts.
68. I own only 2 pairs of jeans & only one of those fits!
69. I am left-handed
70. I am a family person
71. I am crazy about my sister and brother and their families!
72. I love my in-laws too!
73. I love to ride my 50's-style, blue Schwinn bike. It has a great bell (it sounds like a doorbell!) and a basket.
74. I wish I could travel most places by horse and buggy - like the Amish - or by bicycle.  Where I live, though, it is awfully dangerous for much of that.
75. Part of my creativity is expressed in living on the earth as environmentally lightly as possible.
76. I don't have a cell phone; I don't always want to be found!
77. I don't even have long-distance service, but instead use a calling card.  Our long-distance bill is less than $70 a year.
78. I enjoy writing and receiving snail mail and I have a few pen pals in addition to long-distance friends to whom I write.
79. My favorite animal is a lamb.
80. I also love owls.
81. The only insects I will kill are those that do harm to humans: mosquitos, fire-ants, termites, and venomous spiders.
82. I know that spiders are not insects, but arachnids.
83. I am Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, French, English, Swiss and Scottish. A regular European mutt!
84. I have brown eyes and brown hair.
85. I wear contacts
86. I wear my fingernails short; long fingernails get in the way of my many projects.
87. I rarely paint my fingernails.
88. I am the oldest child of three.
89. I love antique stores
90. I also love thrift stores and garage sales.
91. I am a morning person.
92. My favorite flower is a peony and here in Florida, I miss them terribly.
93. I love the poet, Mary Oliver.
94. I am inspired by Tasha Tudor's life.
96. I like old-fashioned, Victorian images.
97. I love to read stories aloud with my family.
98. I make New Year's resolutions.
99. One of my resolutions this year is to have more humor in my life; I feel I am a serious person.
100. My other resolution is (try really hard!) to purchase everything for myself (outside of food, health items, underwear, and art/craft supplies) used.

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