Sunday, January 3, 2016

In the beginning

Beginning a new year, clean page, etc.  could also involve some disclosure.  So...

My relationship to my God is important to me but not something that I want to blog about although frankly, my life revolves around what pleases Him.  I belong to a small home fellowship and we decided to change things up by meeting on Saturday evening rather than Sunday morning.  No doctrinal basis for our decision except personal convenience.  The time change and the busy summer schedules had proved the change effective so when the fall time change drew near we were liking the results and have decided to continue.   This affects my blog. :0  I now have Sunday free to plan!!!
 
Believe it or not, I really have kinda fine tuned my hobbies.  KISS is my 2016 word and as I can only keep so many balls in the air, this is the plan.

 AND if I do have a general plan for how the week plays out I am more liable to get things done.   So Sunday I'll layout the plan.  I am also hoping to use some of the day for sewing if the Rooster is busy on his own hobbies because I am once again committed to the ufo busting Vicki instigated.
 
 Monday will showcase my passion for taking pictures with a nice vignette.  I had gotten a fancy camera last year but it was definitely not simple nor even handy most of the time so in the spirit of KISS I had traded it in for my current pocket sized Nikon which I am totally happy with.  It also turns out that our new mobile cell phone takes excellent pictures.  So I have got things covered and if I want to increase the learning curve I can read the manuals.  ;^)   But I will also be pursuing photo worthy projects in mixed media for later in the week.  House work permitting!  I do have to disclose that the Rooster and I have not been laying about eating holiday snacks.  Following his fine example we both have substantially simplified and thrown out lots of clutter!  So house work should be faster and easier as I won't be moving piles of stuff ahead of me as I clean. (more about that in the future)
   
Tuesday is a quick post on Treasures as I continue to document my early quilt projects.  I can schedule these ahead of time so I will have a 'free' day to pursue studio time.   I did join a year long mixed media workshop.  Wanderlust.  I want to increase my understanding of various mixed media mediums and bump up my productivity level.  I should have some things to show for that long term commitment!  Hopefully by the end of 2016 I'll be more comfortable with the moniker 'artist' and what kind of artist I want to be.  ;^)

Wednesday is free right now as my work schedule has changed.  I can use this day for planning art 101 with the grand kiddies and my once a month craft class.   Another year long class I joined was The Documented Life Project.  This year's 'unplanner' is similar to something I did a few years ago and actually kept up with for over half a year.   The format is a smaller binder and, well, is frankly quite intriguing but more doable.  It seems likely that it will generate ideas for the grandkiddies smash books as well as indulge my messing about with mixed media.  And heck, I might just be forced to publish scratched off to-do lists!!! 

Thursday is my day with the kiddies and any errands I can incorporate.   Usually I am beat when I get home and this is a good evening to catch up on the free books for my e-reader that I discovered a few weeks ago.  I LUV reading but I am going to be seriously limiting those 'free' ones that are the start of 4, 6, 8  book series!  yikes.  I have no time for those.  :(

Friday indulges my luv for home decorating.  I have had an epiphany that spurred on the whole 'throw stuff out' frenzy of the last few weeks and has me incredibly excited to make our home 'ours'!  I shall work my way through the house each season but I have definitely simplified the whole process.  I will start at the entrance and work my way around but I do hope that it is noticeable that I have a whole new studio set up.  Eliana spent a week with me and I had her help me split my work spaces into one room for sewing/beading and another for all the wet mixed media/scrapbooking stuff.   Because the incentive was for her to actually get some sewing done her slow start moved up a few notches about the time I began to flag and I give her full credit for keeping us both hard at it. 
This gal is all about- Yes, I can!
A needle threader was later added to the supply list.
A new needle case and a fun project.
So that is the plan and I believe there is some kind of quote about half done/well done...

This will do...

“I wouldn't know where to start."
"He who chooses the beginning of the road chooses the place it leads to."
"Thoreau?"
"Harry Emerson Fosdick...”


3 comments:

Createology said...

Elle Dear you are really wel on your way with KISS. Having a plan is really half the battle to getting going and finishing. Eliana is quite the wonderful helper. She is really such a good study learning from her amazing grandma. Well done indeed my friend...

Margaret said...

That's quite a list, Elle! Something for every day of the week. So glad you saw the light and got a camera that works for you! Have fun in 2016!!

Beth said...

and to think I just fly by the seat of my pants!!