currently: ten things

1. Working in my Documented Life Project Planner. Every week I look forward to the artistic challenge part of this project, but lately the actual weekly planner side is catching most of my attention. I can't say enough times how much this has made documenting my daily life so much more beautiful, both visually and emotionally. Enjoying what you do has such a positive effect on your mood. I am so in love with this project and it is only March. I guarantee you are going to get tired of hearing me talk about it!

2.  Finally getting that updated headshot. And no, it wasn't taken in the car by my son, like the last one. I hate getting my photo taken. With a capital H. So this session was no different. In fact, if truth be told, it was harder because it was planned. I got dressed, did my hair and walked to the lakefront with my daughter. She is great. She doesn't judge, she makes me laugh and she is honest. To a fault. So 678 photos later I had ONE I sorta liked. Not because she is a bad photographer, she is awesome...but because I can't take a good photo, when planned, to save my life. I freeze. I panic and I just plain hate it. If I don't know it is happening it is usually the best photo ever. Maybe next time I will hire her to follow me around for a few days!

3.  Enjoying the busy work. I love packaging things up. I love printing and stapling and sorting and collating and taping things up. This stuff makes me happy. I'm a wierdo , right?

4. So happy to have been part of the newest 21 Secrets Live - 2014. It was a blast and a new thing for me - a live spreecast. I won't lie. I was a wreck up until Wednesday night thinking about it, because the only thing worse than getting your photo taken is being LIVE on the internet! As it turned out, all the worrying was for nothing. My hostess, Lisa Wilson, was awesome and all the art journalers that joined in were super fun! It was a great night and I am glad I didn't let my huge fears stop me from participating! 

5. Strolling through my hometown market. It is so small and quaint and lovely. I know most things are a few cents more, but the atmosphere alone makes it worth it.

6. Playing around with a few new ideas over here. Thinking that I am liking where things are going. I am crazy busy, but that's okay. I like to stay busy... and, I would rather like what I am doing and be non-stop, than to have all the time in the world and hate where I am headed. 

7. Looking in and liking what I see. I am adjusting more and more every day to my new home. I never thought I would be so comfortable here. That I would settle so quickly and with such firmness. I feel safe and comfortable and happy. As I sit on the porch, watching the sunset, it is strange to think I was so very afraid of this move. Now, things are just plain good.

8. Squealing with joy at the sight of these sweet little buds. This is my lemon tree. I have been growing it for a long time. It started it's life with me as a tiny shoot in a plastic bag, picked up at a roadside stand on the ride home from St. Augustine some time ago. I have coddled this plant. I want some dang lemons. I have fertilized and watered and talked to it. It just never did much at all. It grew quite a bit taller, but if you ask me, it is still pretty gangly looking and FAR from a tree. Then today I looked down and saw these buds. Beautiful lavendar and white little buds. I saw TONS of new shoots. Not just on the ends of the limbs, but EVERYWHERE. Like an explosion of leaves and purple. I am so very happy. I think sometime soon, if the bees and the butterflies cooperate, I just might have those lemons!

9. Giving you the update on the violinist. She had MPA's this past week. From what I, in my vast orchestral ignorance can gather, understand that these are like the FCAT or standardized testing of music in the schools around here ( and maybe elsewhere ). My daughter was her usual wreck of a self while waiting for this event to begin. She is at that stage in her musical "career" where she worries she will make a huge and fatal mistake while on stage. She has continued to earn her seat as First Chair, so the worry is warranted. Well, as it turns out, I guess all her fretting was for nothing as well - her orchestra garnered all superior ratings and went home happy and proud and knowing all their hard work had paid off. ( My husband and I chaperoned the event and were therefore allowed to view all their musical performances. Was I at all worried?  I went home with six less fingernails. No worries here. )

10. Finishing up a super easy and Springtime pretty tutorial! It involves paint and something from the kitchen- Look for it on Thursday! I think you are going to love it!