templates for life

I have microsoft 2007 on my work computer now, and so I've spent the last few days playing with the new templates that are available...and I am thrilled. I have so many fun little organizational tools! One of the hardest things in the world for me to do, and one that makes my relationship with Adam better, is to keep things just - straightened. I have a habit of making messes, getting distracted, and leaving them for weeks.

I printed a great little checklist - daily stuff, weekly stuff, and monthly stuff. I put up a corkboard next to my computer at home and now keep track! It's fantastic. It helps me be more aware - and if all else fails, right before I go to sleep I do a sweep through of the house to make sure I haven't left yarn all over the place.

Also printed a grocery list organizer. Heehee. Not that I really need that, but I like using it!!!

Today I am starting training for a Sprint Triathlon. Not that I'll be doing one, but it's been a goal of mine, so I might as well start training now.

Also starting hard-core Juno training.

Allllsooo...cooking 1 weight watcher recipe, and 1 hungry girl recipe.

Will try to post photos of June Lake tomorrow. Now it's time to go!

saturday saturday saturday

Today has been going in strange fits and bursts. Slept in til 9am, which was nice... had a very leisurely morning. Then went out for sushi with Adam, and got home and have been cleaning up and organizing my art supply room ever since.

Organizing my art supply room is an incredible challenge. I've been reading a bunch of de-clutter, organizing books in preparation... so I decided that I need to do it in small stages. Today I took two trash bags - one was trash and one was giveaways, and went through the room to get rid of either of those two things. I did a pretty good job - emptied a drawer and a bunch of plastic tubs. There's some actual counter space! I think the next big job is going to involve buying a few larger bookshelves to store everything, so they aren't in cardboard boxes all over the floor.

Have I mentioned that I have discovered cooking grains and legumes? I am addicted. I love boiling up a pot of barley or lentils, and adding something else to it and having that for a very filling, healthisome meal. I was reading a message board on sparkpeople.com about cutting costs, and I was realizing that decreasing the meat intake by using grains and legumes like that is actually a good way to save money. I've been getting WAY better at just buying ONE zucchini and ONE squash which we will *definitely* eat, rather than buying 4 and having 2 of them go bad. For the last week and a half I have always had a big pan of roasted veggies cooked, with some grains, and I grilled some chicken and have some ham so Adam can add meat to it also. I am sure I will get tired of that same grilled veggie taste, but right now I'm a fan. Last week the main herb was rosemary, this week I did thyme.

I am loving being involved with sparkpeople. I set it as my homepage so any time I get online I am reminded about the different little goals I've set for myself.
I posted an add for the calking mattress we're trying to sell on craigslist, again... this is driving me crazy. It's a GOOD mattress - we've had it less than a year. It's just to damn big for our house, and I want to get rid of it so I can get a smaller bed, but nooo one is buying it. Geez. Only 350 for a calking here people!

As soon as I get rid of that bed, I can get a queen and actually make blankets and quilts and even put the round chair in the bedroom which will clear up more space in the art supply room, and we can work on getting a new couch and coffee table and a puppy and.....
So many projects. So not enough time. Or money. And now I am rambling.
Time to get out some crocheting.

January blog carnival post

While I am at it, let's do some blog carnival posting, ja? ja!
This month the topic is...
1) What are your new year's goals for your blog and/or shop

How timely, eh? I have so many goals I don't even know where to start. I think this post is going to be in grocery-list form, just because there are a lot I want to remember to post. So without further ado, here are my etsy/blog related goals!
1. Be better organized about my listings - put info label on bottom of ceramics, for example.
2. Put more information for ceramics, including how much liquid they hold (get ounces or is cups enough?)
3. Work on a new series of cups - the "possible lives" cups and the "things to do before I die" cups
4. Make soap with Amber
5. Make ceramic soap dishes
6. Make felted coin purses with needle felting tools
7. Have booth at farmers market
8. Organize my computer photos - take from laptop and work computer and put on home computer, organized by etsy>big category>item
9. Put blog carnival dates on my calendar so I do BOTH carnivals a month instead of just one
10. Do more themed photo shoots - e.g. ceramics with candy hearts inside, for vday, etc.
11. Work on a portfolio - using Julie's project as a start, and other photos of pieces I am proud of
12. Acquire potters wheel (from Wilhelms?)
13. Acquire kiln...or place to fire...
14. Use portfolio to sell pieces in stores such as Art4theSoul and Fern's Garden
15. Write more about the processes of doing things here on my blog, including in-process photos!
16. Put in bookshelves in my art supply room so that I can organize my materials better.


I don't think any of these goals are new, exactly - but it sure is nice to have them all in one place to look at. I am making some progress on some of them, but definitely need to step it up a notch. Amber and I need to order lye for soap (we can't buy it in California...) and organizing photos is something I just need to remember to do a little of every day.

Some of my etsy fervor might have to be placed on hold for a little while in the upcoming months. My boyfriend is about to start Police Academy, and the last two days I had a little glimpse of exactly what that's going to take for me to be supportive. Nothing horrible - I just forsee making all of his lunches, picking up his drycleaning, and doing all of the household chores that he did, in addition to my usual housecleaning, a Life Drawing class, karate, work, etc. I am also planning on getting a puppy sometime - I think the next month or so is going to be a period of great adjustment, and I am going to just have to see how it all works out.

I am actually looking forward to being strong, staunch, supportive, etc. When he decided to go for this job that required police academy, we talked a lot about what it would entail from both of us, and I definitely agreed to go along with him and do everything I needed to do to help him succeed. This mostly involves staying out of his way and not asking ANYTHING of him. That's going to take a little getting used to - but in a strange way, I am looking forward to reclaiming some self sufficiency. He will be getting nothing but discipline at boot camp, and I am eagerly anticipating some increased discipline in my own life as well. I need to be dependable. I can't say that I will pick up his dress uniform from the dry cleaners and then forget, for example. Who knows how many pushups that would make his whole team end up doing.

I have it in me. I know I do. I'm nervous and excited though, both for him and for me. I have a few really big projects coming up that will consume a lot of my energy, but I know I am going to miss him. I just have to put that off for 6 months. Some of my other goals involve making sure our home is still a warm, welcoming home to come to after 10 hours of getting his butt kicked by the academy. I also have my academic goals and my professional goals that will definitly not get lost either.

Today I figured out a new organizational tool I am going to use, and I have included etsy goals, housekeeping/cleaning/errands, work related things, and other stuff. I am inspired all over again. We can do it! Hoooooray!