Enjoying Life

I took this photo yesterday in Newport, Oregon. We had an amazingly fun and full day there! We went to the tidepools, we played in caves along the beach, we walked downtown and saw the crabby crabby sea lions. Then we went to a glass blowing studio.

It reignited my desire to become a glassblower, and I will be looking into local classes!

Sales over the weekend were absolutely amazing and I feel blessed by every one!

The summer is going by fast, but I'm still intent on squeezing a lot into every moment I have. Yet still trying to keep to my normal bedtime, and having some time to regroup. It's tough, yes, but days like yesterday tell me that it's all worth it!

Look What I got!!!

This is me with my new camera! I finally got a DSLR!!! I'm currently looking for extra lenses for it, so I can do my beloved macros, but I absolutely love it! I am now carrying both cameras with me everywhere. That's a lot to lug around! But perhaps the full transition will happen once I get comfy with it.

This Sunday will come with a trip to the coast. Lots of pictures of the boys in the tide pools. And you never know, Saturday may come with photo opportunities of it's own!

I woke up this morning to a sale. I had resigned myself to not selling much during the summer, as I've decreased my marketing time. But I sold one of the first journals I had ever listed, and to a complete stranger. The chorus of 'Walking on Sunshine' actually went through my head!

It's so funny how something so small can lift my spirits. I have been down. DOWN... the past couple of days. And waking up to a sale certainly brightened my outlook!

I wish each of you that sunshine. Something that will pick you up when you are down. Something that reminds you that life is good.

Working on a New Idea

Yesterday I did end up calling in, and I slept for 8 hours. I must have really needed the rest! I got up for a few hours (after 2pm), then went to bed at my normal time. Not sure I'm back to 100%, but it's Thursday, so only today and tomorrow left for the work week.

Now... to my idea :-). I'm working on a 'friendship journal' idea. I've really been inspired by some amazing online friends. I've connected with a few, and came up with this idea. Let me try to explain it. In my handbound journals, there are 6 signatures. A signature is a group of papers, that's folded and sewn on the spine. So... I am going to make 3 blank cover journals. I'll mail 2 to friends. Once they're received, we'll all proceed to fill 2 signatures with our thoughts, drawings, ramblings, collage, etc. Then we'll mail them to the next person. And we'll repeat. At the end, they'll get mailed again, this time back to us, so that everyone sees what everyone did in all of them. And we'll keep the one we started with. Blank cover, so we can decorate that as well.

Sometime within the next week, I'll be finishing these and getting them in the mail. I think it's a really good concept. At some point, I may be adding 'friendship journals' to my shop. Any thoughts? I'd love to get all the input I can on this one. I think that especially with long distance relationships, it's so important to be able to hold onto something tangible.

And guess what?? As of this morning, I'm at 49 sales! I am so in awe and still squeal with delight at each and every one :-).