Twelve: January Edition

Ah, 2012. Already a bit into it and still not quite where I want to be yet.

I'm not doing project life. Or anything really big right now, actually. Okay, I'm maybe going to be working on finishing my OLW project from 2011, but right now I'm deep diving into cleaning, purging and organizing clothes, books, finances, craft supplies, and all my digital stuff. Still working on being mindful about the things I make and use and keep around and in my life.

Time to start on the list making. That always helps. :)

I always love reading about Shimelle's 10 things posts. And Katie's round up posts are also quite good. So I shall try to keep up by sharing twelve things I like right around the twelfth of each month.

That totally sounds achievable.

Number One: Kindle Touch

I bought myself a Kindle Touch (no ads, wifi only) for my birthday. It's kind of a bigger purchase, but I'm really happy about it for few reasons, some related to physical space, some related to convenience. I'm not going to completely give up on paper books (long live Powell's!), but this should help with managing my "trash" book collection. Craft books and books from my favorite series will probably still be purchased and retained in physical form. But the Seattle Library has an amazing collection of e-books available to borrow for free, so that helps.


Number Two: Organizing!

image courtesy of balzerdesigns.typepad.com

Totally getting myself organized right now. Love Julie's Organization Week series. So great to see so many FUNCTIONAL craft rooms. Mine is an absolute total disaster right now. I'm fighting not to turn into a hoarder, but also to keep things which are inspiring. It's tough.

This webcast by the scraprack is also pretty great.

Also, don't laugh, but this was the second book I bought to read on my Kindle. I'm not reading the chapters in order, but the checklists are actually pretty helpful. And they hold me accountable for action, which is always good.

I also found this post on craftypod to be quite thought provoking.

Number Three: Smoothies
For the next three months, Greg is participating in a health and wellness fitness challenge (with points; it's a little cutthroat) with a group of people at work, and I've joined him in his commitment to healthiness. This means really really sticking to a workout schedule, and plenty of homemade fruit and yogurt smoothies. Peach and raspberry is my favorite.


Number Four: Create to Remember with Heidi Swapp

image courtesy of heidiswapp.typepad.com

Heidi Swapp's show on my Craft Channel is actually pretty great. I've gotten quite a few ideas for minibooks and color combos already. I actually even made one of the books using a cereal box which I've yet to share here. Waiting for photos. ;)


Number Five: The Cricut Expression

image courtesy of provo craft (cricut.com)

Greg got me a Cricut Expression (and SCAL) for my birthday through some amazing crafty sleuthing on his part (he actually tried to get me a Silhouette Cameo but they were sold out for months, apparently). I'm pretty excited to start experimenting with it. My first project is to design an envelop in Illustrator. Also, I was really happy to discover that the sticky spray I use on my slice mat works perfectly well on the Cricut mat (mine did not come sticky at all).


Number Six: Lynda.com

I think I first learned about lynda.com from a podcast that Izzy Hyman was on... can't remember if it was Paperclipping Roundtable, Digi Show, or The Foolish Adventure. Either way, I am on my first month of membership and it's already improved my quality of life at work. Currently working through learning Illustrator tips (see item number five above) and also a bunch of things for Excel and Access. Highly recommend this site.


Number Seven: Staying Motivated and Fierce

image found via pinterest from Alana Taylor

Found this image on pinterest on a day when I really needed it. It has since been passed along to a few other friends who apparently also needed to punch the day in the face. It's the best new meme around here.


Number Eight: Pretty Fonts

Have recently gone on a font binge. The above image was an attempted design for the Etsy shop (final design still pending). My two favorite sites right now are Lost Type Co-op and Font Squirrel.


Number Nine: Amusing TV Shows
I tend to listen to a lot of hulu while I'm chugging through the data mines at work. Cannot get enough of Once Upon a Time and Grimm. Also Sherlock on the BBC (while I'm waiting for more Dr. Who and Warehouse 13). I also like Happy Endings and Castle. I'm starting to get more into Body of Proof and I just watched the pilot for The Finder (a Bones spinoff) today. I haven't seen the new Alcatraz show, but I'm intrigued.


Number Ten: Hawaii (Specifically the Big Island)
I swore a vow that I would go to Hawaii this year. I am making it happen.I may or may have already bought the products for the scrapbook of this trip about two years ago. Everything for this trip is still in the planning stages, as I'm trying to figure out how my air miles work. But I'm super excited. And a little terrified of flying over that much ocean. But more excited than anything.


Number Eleven: Pinterest
Still having a good time using Pinterest to catalog and browse for ideas. Need to be more active about "doing" things that I find on there though.


Number Twelve: EfferDares
Hell yes. You go girls. Love that you've kept the project going and stayed  true to why and what you want to make art about.

Phew, that was tough! One down, eleven to go!

Fight for the Future: Protect Internet Free Speech

Warning: this is not a crafty post. But, since you are reading this, I am assuming that you like to view internet content, and this topic is totally related.

I'll be back with some crafty updates later this week; I'm working on some heavy cleaning and organization projects, as well as dealing with post-christmas craziness.

Okay, so here's the deal:

I personally believe in using the internet responsibly. I pay for content; I give credit where owed and I respect the copyrights of artists. I believe in being aware, informed, and respectful of content located on the world wide web.

Even so, right now there are two new bills which are purporting the kind of straight up science-fiction legislation which may end up shutting down and/or crippling media-focused sites which are part of your everyday life.  I'm talking sites like youtube, vimeo, pinterest, facebook, and many others, undoubtedly also including some of the blogs you read on a daily basis.

It sounds so unlikely and impossible and foolish, but it's reality. More information is available through http://americancensorship.org/

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PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.

Awareness and speaking up is key. That is why I'm blogging about this. This is how Democracy is supposed to work....I've signed online petitions. I've emailed my congress person. You should too.

Protect your rights. Protect artists' rights. Don't let companies change the world this way.

Not in the US? This will impact you too. Check out this video from totalhalibut (for a Brit perspective).

p.s.
Go-Daddy is also on my bad list. Here's why, from Kottke, via NotMartha.

Thank you for reading.

Hope you are well.

30 Before 30: Final Round Up

When I created my original 30 before 30 list, I thought it was a really great thing to have as a blogging topic. And also good for my life in general. Honestly, I lost my drive about halfway through the year.

Even though I did make the cutest mini book to document it. Still wasn't enough. 


Let's see how I did though, shall we?


1.   Do something that puts me out of my comfort zone
      Done. Went out by myself to hang out with cool people at Artfest Annex. 
      Should do this again.


2.   Finish the 2010 sketchbook project and mail it to the Brooklyn Art Library
       Done. You can see it online.

3.   Do something selfless that only benefits another person
      Done. I donated blood 6 times. And gave to a bunch of charities.

4.   Get to gold level on my Starbucks rewards 
      Done. So worth it. I've earned like 10 free drinks. Yum.

5.   Visit a museum
      Done. Visited SAM; getting membership passes was a great idea.

6.   Visit the aquarium
      Done. Visited the Oregon Coast Aquarium on our coastal road trip.
 
7.   Buy a bike and use it
      Done. Greg and I bought an exercise bike.

8.   Stick to exercise program and be active regularly
      Done. My average is 3-4 workouts a week. Taking the stairs at work is now easy. ;)

9.   Try a lighter shade of red or copper hair
      Done. Thanks Feria Power Reds. (I switched from Ruby Fusion to Copper Shimmer)

10.  Finish 12 projects (1 per month is totally reasonable)
      One: Such Sweet Tierney Guest Design 

      
      Two: Springtime Mini 

      Three: The Mini Smash book

      Four: 10 Reasons to Love Summer

      Five: Portland Mini

      Six: Go Layout

      Seven: Baby Girl Book

      Eight: Baby Boy Book

      Nine: Haunted Cabinet Card Mini

      Ten: Spooky Rosette Banner

      

      Eleven: Thanks Mini

      

      Twelve: Holiday Shadowbox

      The final count for 2011?

         10 Layouts

         8 Minibooks

         4 ATCs

         2 Cards

         2 Artsy Decor Items

         26 Art Journal Pages

      Not too shabby.

11.  Assemble a camera
      Nope. Not done. I need a free Saturday and a tiny screwdriver. 


12.  Carve a stamp
       Done. Love this. Very soothing. Totally inspired by Julie Fei Fan Balzer.

13.  Use my new Big Shot to emboss something
       Done. Done. Done. Tiny polka dots are my new favorite.

14.  Attend a street festival
       Done. Bite of Seattle totally counts. I ate food off of a stick.

15.  Go to the cabin for vacation
       Done. I learned how to Kayak.

16.  Go to the coast for a long weekend
       Done. Greg and I did this for our anniversary this year. It was wonderful.

17.  Continue the search for a new house       Done. And it seems like we are getting serious now.

18.  Attend social events and spend time with friends
       Done. The crop of newborns this year did not help with this though.

19.  Have a party       Done. Halloween was awesome.

20.  Go to Portland and/or Victoria again
       Done. I went to Portland for CKC and as part of the OR Coast trip.

21.  Attend a crafty event
       Done. I went to CKC, both Urban Craft Uprising shows, AND a sleepover crop.

22.  Ensure feet are cute (shoes, pedicures, whatever is necessary)       Done. Thanks go to Groupon for that spa day.

23.  Teach another class       Done. I ended up teaching more than one class. It was a good experience.

24.  Source and wear a new signature scent
       Done. Thanks Anthro. I love smelling like delicious vanilla spice magic.

25.  Invest in better camera gear (get a new P&S and a new SLR lens)
       Done. I bought a new 50 mm to replace the broken one and got a kickass P&S.

26.  Submit photos to Puyallup Fair competition
       Nope. Puyallup what? When? Total fail.

27.  Work on something that involves fabric and/or stitchery
       Done.  I sewed my own waist cincher for Steamcon.

28.  Finish reading all of Sherlock Holmes
       Done. Still amazing writing even after 100 years.

29.  Shoot 6 rolls of film (1 pack of polaroid = 1 roll)
       Done.  Thank you little instax baby.

30.  Redesign blog
       Nope. Still the same.

So... 27/30 accomplished is not bad. Actually, yay. I feel really good about this.

Now to work on my list for this year. Any suggestions (aside from blogging more, obvs)?

Auld lang syne

Well, Christmas 2011 just kind of went by in a blur, didn't it?

Also New Year's. And my birthday. Happy 2012!

The list of things I haven't done is probably bigger than the list of things I did get done. My email box is in a terrible state. And I still have Christmas presents to send out, actually...

I have so much I need to get done. Things to plan and accomplish.

The most shocking is the fact that I have taken maybe 15 photos in the last month. And they aren't exactly great photos either. I know. Terrible.

I'm still sorting through things. I'm trying to be more mindful of where I put my time and energy. In December, that balance went towards things besides fun crafty times. That's okay. Ali Edwards says "go with the flow." So, I'm trying to just go with that.

But the break is over. I've been cleaning and sorting and getting organized. I'm trying to get back in the crafty swing of things. Starting with getting back on the blog-go-round. But I'm not rushing myself.

I decided that I've been too ambitious. I took on way too much last year. I'm working on editing myself. Being more proactive, more plan-ful. And also trying to be kinder to myself about finishing things timely. Trying not to feel too guilty if I drop a project or have to say "no" to something, even if I want to do it.

I want to focus on nourishing my relationships, and getting more healthy, and investing in myself.

I am thirty years old now, so that means it's time to buckle down and be a grown up for real. I'm using financial software and thinking about going back to college. Hello stressful life changes!

But they artsy crafty stuff is still important to me. It's my reward, my escape. And I still plan to teach, and create content for the blog. This has been my online place for five years. But things will be a changing on this old blog soon.

I hope you'll stay tuned.

Take care.