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Making Progress on the Craft Office

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The smallest room in our home – the room with the most windows per square feet, with the best lighting – has totally not been used to its potential. Disappointing, isn’t it? It’s the dumping ground. In the last month I’ve alluded on the Facebook page to redoing one of our rooms into an actual, usable craft space. (Yeah, we’ve only lived here for 8-1/2 years?) The room was originally earmarked for a shared home office between my husband and myself. I think I had visions of the kids working at the table. That didn’t happen.

I’m happy to report that in the last few weeks I moved a lot of things around, got rid of a lot, too. I lost some momentum last week because I needed to focus on a workshop my husband and I were presenting at our church, not to mention family stuff. BUT, I’m still encouraged that I’ve made a few more papercrafty things in the last couple of weeks just by having this space available to me! It’s actually a room I’m starting to want to spend time in.

I don’t think I’ve ever shared pictures of this room because I’ve been too embarrassed about the state of it… and, you know what? Who cares?! It’s coming around, and it’ll be awesome.

The mess that is becoming my craft office.

The mess that is becoming my craft office.

This will all come together, I know...

This will all come together, I know…

Have a great Monday, and a great week everyone!

Working on: Prepping for Spring Break, Easter cards, my planner pages, more house clean up.

Developing: A lesson plan for a Zen drawing workshop I’m giving this week at a local art center, and hopefully an Easter article for GeekMom.

Contributing: At Monday Mugshots.

Planning: My son’s First Holy Communion reception for family and friends.

2015: A New Year recap

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Mugshot Monday: tea in the morning and settling in

Monday Mugshot: settling in | January 5, 2015

My family and I traveled to Seattle for Christmas and New Year’s! Such a great time with family: losing track of the days, playing late, sleeping in, eating our way through some favorite spots and checking out new places. Coming back was rough only because of the jetlag. I love coming home from a trip, and sleeping in my own bed. And now… the re-entry into our regularly scheduled life. Tough.

I wrote last November about my non-writing. I think that has a lot to do with changes in my focus, and especially with my kids involvement in school and activities. Actually, I just told someone yesterday that I think I took on two volunteer activities too many over the last year. They actually entail big projects, too, so I’m poising myself to step away from them. It’ll be good to release the ideas and work to someone else who can breathe new ideas into the work.

My focus this year will be to continue to share here when I can… showing the progress of projects, workshops and ideas. Still thinking about blog details, but that can come later.

Working on: leading an annual poster contest for our local city hall, social media and PR for my church parish women’s organization, getting my kids to write thank you notes…

Developing: a Valentine’s workshop with a friend, storefront window ideas for said friend’s store

Contributing at: geekmom.com and Monday Mugshots

Planning: a cool drawing theme for March (maybe), my daughter’s birthday

I’m happy for the new, clean slate, and hopeful for what 2015 holds. More dreaming and doing, less complaining and procrastination! Onward…

Julie Tiu | monday musghot

Monday Mugshot: time for a Moscow Mule | January 12, 2015

 

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Mugshot Monday: Fall, Change, December

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Mugshot Monday: December

Happy December. And here we are kicking it off with some Joe-Joe’s.
The shame of it is, I should’ve bought more.

And a bonus mugshot taken the other morning. No snow on the ground… yet.

Mugshot Monday: Fall and Change

Having Thanksgiving late last month is messing with me… we’re closing in on Christmas and I need to accept that the 50,000 projects I have swirling in my head aren’t going to happen in three weeks. I’ll be busy with:

  • Prepping for our cookie party (next weekend),
  • Decorating and decluttering (tidying up, I try to do every day and fail),
  • Teaching a gift wrapping class this week (which I’m really looking forward to).

Then there was my idea of handcrafting all my Christmas gifts this year. Yeah. And I wonder why I get so “cray, cray” at myself this time of the year, every year. I used to really, really, love Christmas. I do still love Christmas. It is my favorite holiday. But it’s different, or I’ve changed.

I find myself doing things that need attention do versus the things I want to do – and that’s because in years past, oh I’d forgotten some bills in the piles of mail on my desk. Oh, there’s loads of neglected laundry to do because I’d been out and about enjoying the sights, shopping, etc.

Gotta say, not big into shopping so much – at least on weekends, and that’s when my husband can go out. I’m finding it harder and harder to go to the malls, the big box places. I would much rather go to art and craft fairs, small stores, or even make things myself (of course, that’s what I really want to do). But, realistically, it’ll be another, “I’m gonna do that next year…”

It has been a good year, losses and all. Wrote more postings, made friends along the way. I did submit my first article to GeekMom (yay!)… link to my pillow tutorial here!

Starting next week, I’ll share some gift wrapping lessons from my class prep, and then after about 10-12 tips, we’ll call it a day. I’m “closing up shop” from the website to focus energy on family, home, holiday activities. I’ll still be active on the Facebook page, and I would soooo love it if you joined me there.

See you all back here next week!

Fun with Flashlights during a Blackout

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A few weeks ago a storm rolled in and down went the lights. It wasn’t even a good, raging storm. I think it was all of 5-10 minutes with high winds – and I do count our lucky stars that there wasn’t much damage.

So in the dark for almost two hours, the kids were getting a little restless. Mind you, it was only 7 pm? It felt like midnight. I thought, OH, let’s have some fun with the camera! They LOVED it. So, here are a few tips for at least an hour of fun in the dark with your flashlights.

  • The only lighting in the room were candles and the flashlights.
  • I used my DSLR on the automatic setting, no flash.
  • Focus your lens on something dim first (you know, when you hold the button halfway first before taking the picture), and then take the picture.
  • Don’t worry about a shaky hand, but do try your best to stay still. The shutter will be open longer than normal.
  • If your photo subjects want to write something in the air, remember they have to write it backwards.

Writing in the dark with flashlights: star

Writing in the dark with flashlights: heart

Writing in the dark with flashlights: squiggle

Writing in the dark with flashlights: spiral

Writing in the dark with flashlights: 2013 (backwards)

Writing in the dark with flashlights: 2013

Mugshot Monday: Returning to Schedules

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Mugshot Monday: August 12, 2013

I’m pooped. This picture is pretty much before bedtime… I get to read a little bit (in reality, it’s looking a pretty pictures) and sip some warm tea from well-loved travel mug from my former life.

It’s been an amazingly mild (weather) summer and I love being able to spend time with my whole family, but it’s also getting to that point where everyone should be going back to regularly scheduled stuff – like school and work. (I’m sure y’all know what I speak of.) My work that awaits: crafting, volunteering, and a new writing adventure since both my kids will be in school all day. Before we know it, the holidays will be here. (GAH, I need to start working on Christmas gifts???)

We have one last little trip to visit family (wedding time!) and then my hubs goes back to work, kids will follow in a week. Time to get back-to-school teacher treats ready!

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