From Swaters to Solson...

Well, it's been just over a year since my last post and I'm happy to report that life is good! I've gone from Swaters to Solson, started wearing retro glasses more than contacts, continued my culinary explorations, traveled to places I had never been before and officially added "Auntie" to my list of distinguished titles. The pup pup is doing well (despite a recent diagnosis of Lymes) and My Jake is doing well (despite throwing his back out last week)...both of which occurred the same evening.

Big projects I've started include trying to cultivate a healthy lifestyle for mind & body (otherwise known as finding balance between "I want to eat like a foodie" and "I want to be a size 6"), helping to plan a 10 year class reunion, digitally archiving all of our family photos and scratching & clawing my way out of debt. Sadly, freelance work has been nearly non-existent since before the wedding, which as added to the scratching & clawing.

All of this has led me back here. I've had to acknowledge that the drought of freelance work is rooted in a complete lack of looking and involvement. I have a fantastic opportunity in the UK that I need to reconnect with. I've had a web domain and an Etsy store for over a year now that I have yet to utilize. I have a closet of fancy paper that remains uncut. I have at least 3 beautiful black gridded sketchbooks of various sizes that have yet to be filled. I have an iMac that has been used more for emails and Facebook creeping than for projects of graphic excitement. Gah.

It's time to become more accountable and aware of how I'm spending my time, what I want to achieve and how those actions will enhance our quality of life. So, on a long plane ride back from Providence, I made a list of things that get me jazzed and a couple of the things that I hope to improve on. My intention is to have Wrist Lists be a positive place of growth and discovery, and I'm hoping the variety will keep me from feeling stifled and yet be specific enough to my passions that I am excited to write...the goal being to post something at least once a week for the next year.

- I Heart Food (recipes, pictures, tips, places, etc)

- Snapshots (favies from the family archive, newbies from life as it is now)

- Vintage Finds (just because I can't fit them in my house doesn't mean I can't oogle)

- Art Me (sketches, projects, inspirations, trend)

- Big 3 (conquests & struggles of my Big 3 - Cleaning & Finances & Procrastination)

- Site Obsessions (places I can't quit looking at)

- Epiphanies (good thoughts, quotes, moments, etc)

- Millie Needs A Friend (along the same lines as the Vintage Finds category...just with pups)

- and as always...Wrist Words

It feels good to be back!

*gasp*

I vacuumed! I laundered! I dusted! The dishes are done, the clothes are folded, the trash is taken out, the deck is swept, the flowers are watered, the groceries are bought...who knew?!  

Newly reformed domestic diva?  

Nope, just excited the boy is coming home soon :)

Say Something Nice...or not ;)

I la, la, la, love these sites...found them on kind of a down day and now they always cheer me up!

The Good: http://quicksaysomethingnice.com

The Bad: http://quicksaysomethingmean.com

Depending on your mood, see what pops up for you, rate it or add comments of your own for others!

Seven days down, three to go...

Well, it's been an interesting week, but it's gone pretty well for all I've had going on and being a single parent to boot.  Some highlights to update My Jake on would be...

The good:

- The arrival of a sweet little niece, Abigail Rae, born June 15th

- Rings are in! 

- New recipes with sweet potatoes, zuchinni, and yellow squash

- Wedding updates: new plan, DJ, flowers, guest list, etc

- J.Crew customer service

The bad:

- Lucy, our neighbor puppy, passed away :(

- The untimely demise/mauling of my wedding shoes

- Where Millie's been sleeping on the nights she hasn't decided to destroy things...eee.

- Other wedding updates: Caterer, Dessert & Salon issues

- What's left of Lynyrd Skynyrd rocking tunes in our backyard the night before my show set up

Side note: The Millie puppy is awful whiny tonight...I bet she's saying "It's too hot Mom!" 

Scratch that...her ball was just far enough under the cabinet that her stubby legs couldn't reach it. In that type of situation it must help to be vocal...it also shows how well she has me trained!

Wrist Words

shirts anatomix guac hue knew go talk text bb world fft art - all trade show lingo.