Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to one and all!  I am shaking off 2014 and lunging headlong into 2015!   I am running non stop these days it seems.  I have been so very busy lately!  I opened a booth at Harry and Annie's in Washington Court House, Ohio, where antiques-uniques-rust and whim rule the day!  Having such fun, I am set to open a second booth on Saturday!  But it has required major time shift.  I am still unable to be on the computer more than 5 minutes at a time due to my ear problems.  That inner ear stuff can take so many weird personalities!  

I have been hounding poor Mike to death to drive me to 50 errands a day it seems! A trip to the ER and a seperate trip to the Dr threw my tightly packed, carefully alloted schedule out the window. Grandma Waller is home with my Mom and Dad- just up the drive.  She is making great strides toward being independant again- but 90 year old bones-hips in particular take their time mending.  She sold her home, and bought a beautiful new condo.  Imagine our surprise when after the sale we found it turned out to be friends of my friend Shelly who were selling:). Small, but beautiful world.  Made us all feel good about the situation!  I met the ladies today, and they were so very lovely, and it seems an instant connection to new friends!  

Grandma McKnight is losing ground.  Her poor body is withering away with the ravages of advanced alzehiemers.  A brutal and insidious disease.  Today Dad went in only to find she had developed pneumonia overnight.  Odd that many many others on that wing have developed it in the last couple days too.  More than a coincidence me thinks.  We've been having issues- and we check in on her every day, but who knows what happens in the wee hours of the night.  

Due to my inner ear, and still dealing with the eye situation somewhat- I've been restricted to resting for a few days.  I find that sitting on the couch painting is just as much rest for me as sleeping!  

And FINALLY today- I was able to pick up a copy of Jan-Feb Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine to check my latest article!  I am so tickled about it!  I still get a thrill seeing it on the news-stands!

More on that front tomorrow!

!Happy New Year!

• I love New Years! I love the fresh "clean" feeling you get from starting something new! I love making lists, and checking things off those lists... I love starting new journals, I love making new goals for myself and my art! Maybe it's a little weird, but I am never successful starting diets on any day other than a Monday (a "new & fresh" week), and I love squeaking in under the deadline wire...(too many years of graphic arts I guess...) I love the challenge of beginning something to change myself for the better. What better time than a fresh new year! Since I soooo love checking something off of my list, I've set a few of this years goals as small, incremental tasks so I can keep track of how I am doing on my way to bigger life changes.

• Right now, I am in the middle of a major health crisis. My overall goal is to get healthier this year. To that end, I have vowed to do 1 thing each day that is better and healthier for me than I would have done in the past. Small, measurable...plus, I am going to try and document these tiny steps in a journal.

• Organization. Goal number 2. I would like to have my house a little more organized. So the smaller step is that I am going to try and average organizing 1 drawer or 1 shelf a week. I'm not going to sweat it if I miss a week, or if I do 2 or 3 in one day, as long as it averages 1 a week. By this time next year, I should be feeling dandy and more settled about the clutter that seems to build.

• Art goals are every bit as important to me as any other area of life. This year I resolve to try and create one new technique or project every month. Big or small- it does not matter, as long as I am not just simply repeating what I know, but truly experimenting and trying new things. It is merely a target, and I will not get stressed if a fully formed project does not evolve each month, as long as new ideas are being explored.

• Also, I resolve to clear out the "clutter" of other peoples art projects and ideas that suck me dry of time and energy, and pull me away from being able to create for myself. I will be limiting the number of swaps I participate in, and limiting the number of civic and professional groups I participate in on a regular basis, in order to have more time to do what I really am passionate about. Last year I missed out on at least 5-6 really great swaps I wanted to do, because I was working on so many others. (All of which I enjoyed, but sometimes felt really stressed because I was booked so far in advance and had no time for spontaneous things that came up.) I resolve to participate in more unusual events that truly truly challenge me as a participant.

• I hope you will join me this year, as I try to be held accountable to these goals here. I'll try and report periodically as to how I'm doing! I've found that feeling I need to "report" or be held accountable goes a long way to inspire me on days I feel less than energetic... Bring it on 2010!