Since I wrote last, I did end up finishing the essay for the contest in Real Simple Magazine and completed my first watercolor painting! The scene is from a photograph Ben took while we were in Maine. I'm pretty happy with it. I really love the sky and the dock, especially where the water is lapping up on the dock. I feel so-so about the mountains and the water and wish the colors were a bit more vibrant . I bought some Arches paper and a different brand of paint, so I'm going to see which, if either, makes any impact on that. This painting was done on Strathmore 140 lb. cold-pressed with Winsor and Newton Cotman paint. I want to improve on color mixing for the next painting. As for the essay, I thought it was worth sending in though I didn't love it. I was just glad to have completed projects. I hate when I start projects and never finish.
Jhonen's birthday party was really fun. Now it's time for Ben's birthday. I've had fun planning his birthday, too, and will report on that later. Speaking of birthdays, mine is coming up and I've already gotten my main present which is going to be a huge topic on this blog from now on! Ben bought me a Nikon D40 Digital SLR! It's beautiful and takes amazing photos. I'm excited about it for many many reasons, but mostly because I'm always so desperate to remember everything and my camera will keep such a special record for me! Ben gave me a system to catalogue my photos and keep them organized, too. My camera makes me want to go to new beautiful places so I can practice. I started browsing people's flickr galleries and it's really inspiring. So many beautiful, captivating images! I have photo-taking envy, so I have to learn to take better pictures!
My twitter poems are fun. Some of them are terrible, some have potential to become something bigger, I think. In any case, it's fun to do and a good way to brainstorm for future writing.
That's the dabbling update! Hopefully I'll have some gorgeous photos to post next time! Maybe I'll get some good shots at Fort Myers Beach this weekend. Ben and I are going down there for my 10-year high school reunion. I'm excited to see my old friends. They are such a creative, intelligent, fun bunch of people. Should be entertaining!
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Wow!
It's September! How did THAT happen??? It has been forever since I've written and that's because I've had so, so much on my mind and so much to do! I've been completely obsessed with getting organized and making my bedroom functional and beautiful and...now it is! I'm so pleased and satisfied with it. I learned a few things from the experience:
1. Curtains make a huge difference. Don't skimp on them.
2. Bookcases are essential...at least for me. Go overboard on those, too...at least if you're like me.
3. You know all that stupid stuff that accumulates and you have no where to put it? My solution was to take a 16-drawer craft dresser and label it with categories like "media" for old DV tapes or weird CDs and "travel" for the gps and the camera and headphones and stuff. There really is a place for everything now!
4. Furniture doesn't have to match. Just have something that coordinates everything - black and white helps!
So my room is under control and will, hopefully stay that way. We've also worked on every other room in the house. The garage is next!
Beyond that, I've been reading the prequel to Anne of Green Gables and am almost finished with it. Sometimes you just need a pageturner! Now I want to reread all the Anne books and watch the movies again. They make me so nostalgic!
I've also been planning Jhonen's birthday party and getting Ben his birthday presents and finding a cute outfit for my ten year high school reunion. So many little projects!
The theme of Jhonen's birthday is "Jhonen's favorite things from A-Z." I'm going to go find pictures of him from his first year that represent his favorite things. Here's the list I came up with:
*Animals*Bananas*Cookie Monster*Dinosaurs*Exploring*Fireworks
*Grandparents*Hulk Hair*Ice Cream*
Jingle dog*Kota, my pet dinosaur *Leela*Mmmmmm*Nooooo*Overeating*Pigeon (from Mo Willems books)*Quality Assurance*Remote Controls*Swimming with Mr. Bubbles*Teddy Bear Blankie*Upside down!*Vacation*Water books*XOXOXO*Yo Gabba Gabba*Zippers
Then I'm going to print out the pictures and use them as decorations for his party. His Aunt Jenny is getting him an adorable cupcake tower and we're going to have bubbles and swimming and snacks and presents. It should be fun.
In my dabbling news, I started an essay today that I might submit to a contest IF I can finish it in time. I have five days. May not happen...At least I'm working on it, though. I also started a poetry twitter account. I write a little poem each day, 140 characters exactly, about something I experienced the day before. I think it will teach me a little bit about poetry over the course of the year while also serving as a poetic journal of sorts. I also got my desk cleaned off and ready for some watercolor experimentation.
So luckily my absence from writing here is due to beinbg busy and not the opposite. I love a project...or 10!
1. Curtains make a huge difference. Don't skimp on them.
2. Bookcases are essential...at least for me. Go overboard on those, too...at least if you're like me.
3. You know all that stupid stuff that accumulates and you have no where to put it? My solution was to take a 16-drawer craft dresser and label it with categories like "media" for old DV tapes or weird CDs and "travel" for the gps and the camera and headphones and stuff. There really is a place for everything now!
4. Furniture doesn't have to match. Just have something that coordinates everything - black and white helps!
So my room is under control and will, hopefully stay that way. We've also worked on every other room in the house. The garage is next!
Beyond that, I've been reading the prequel to Anne of Green Gables and am almost finished with it. Sometimes you just need a pageturner! Now I want to reread all the Anne books and watch the movies again. They make me so nostalgic!
I've also been planning Jhonen's birthday party and getting Ben his birthday presents and finding a cute outfit for my ten year high school reunion. So many little projects!
The theme of Jhonen's birthday is "Jhonen's favorite things from A-Z." I'm going to go find pictures of him from his first year that represent his favorite things. Here's the list I came up with:
*Animals*Bananas*Cookie Monster*Dinosaurs*Exploring*Fireworks
*Grandparents*Hulk Hair*Ice Cream*
Jingle dog*Kota, my pet dinosaur *Leela*Mmmmmm*Nooooo*Overeating*Pigeon (from Mo Willems books)*Quality Assurance*Remote Controls*Swimming with Mr. Bubbles*Teddy Bear Blankie*Upside down!*Vacation*Water books*XOXOXO*Yo Gabba Gabba*Zippers
Then I'm going to print out the pictures and use them as decorations for his party. His Aunt Jenny is getting him an adorable cupcake tower and we're going to have bubbles and swimming and snacks and presents. It should be fun.
In my dabbling news, I started an essay today that I might submit to a contest IF I can finish it in time. I have five days. May not happen...At least I'm working on it, though. I also started a poetry twitter account. I write a little poem each day, 140 characters exactly, about something I experienced the day before. I think it will teach me a little bit about poetry over the course of the year while also serving as a poetic journal of sorts. I also got my desk cleaned off and ready for some watercolor experimentation.
So luckily my absence from writing here is due to beinbg busy and not the opposite. I love a project...or 10!
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