Happy New Year everyone! I, like many others use this time to reflect to see whats good and not so good about my life. Things I have control over and things I don't. I always feel like this is a great time to make BIG changes in ourselves.....fresh clean slate...all that. But POOF! I usually do not follow through. Actually each new day is a clean slate and a new opportunity to change or do better.
I do feel a shift coming on though....I'm not blogging nearly as much as I used to and my family doesn't have to pry me off the computer kicking and screaming anymore.
Maybe I got overloaded with all the Christmas preparations everyone was doing. I just sort of STOPPED getting on. I've sat and watched t.v. with my husband. Good movies....HILARIOUS movies(The Hangover) crime shows....the whole shabang.
I made a commitment to myself to finally finish my journal that I started last Spring.
I spent the day after Christmas sitting in Barnes and Nobel by myself, with a big stack of books that I've been wanting to look at forever.
I took this picture with my phone while I was there and sent it to my husband I told him not to expect me home for several hours! It was pure heaven sitting there without a care in the world while everyone was busy making the shopping deals of the century at the mall. I don't have the need or desire to get in that chaos. I have more than I want or will ever need and then some. One tiny resolution for me is to STAY out of thrift stores so often. I will still go but not as regular as I have been. It's all just STUFF and I have way too much now. In fact I've started cleaning out bits and scraps in my art room and will be listing some collage packs one day soon I hope.
Speaking of collage.....
I've been eye balling this online class forever and finally jumped in with both feet. The Remains of the Day is a Journal made entirely from your paper SCRAPS on hand. They are all sewn together, then sewn into a scrappy cover and tied tight. I can't get my link button to work but you can read all about it here: http://dispatchfromla.typepad.com/dispatch_from_la/rotdoci.html
Her pages are incredible! She offers TONS of videos and printable instructions too. Once you pay the site is available to you until December 2010! Once the journal is put together and assembled it only takes a few minutes to write your journal entries. I want to take a lot more photographs this year. I plan on tucking them in this journal. Otherwise they sit in my computer and I don't enjoy them nearly enough. If you get the chance go look at Mary Ann's Journals. They are certainly drool worthy. You can also look at the Flickr group she has set up here
http://www.flickr.com/groups/purexperimentation/pool/
(my link button is not linking!)
So I made the cover last night. Actually it was all day of watching her videos, hunting gathering scraps, supplies...cleaning off my art table....junking up my art room....I'll let the pictures speak for themselves
(my daughter snapped this of me on the floor cutting out the fabric. I instantly told her "DON'T take my picture in this mess!" I planned on deleting it...but I wanted to remember this moment! Of course Sarah had to be in there on my lap, and trying to lay on the fabric.
oh this fabric is so soft and comfy...
And guess what? My Christmas tree is still up. I don't even care. It's fake so it can stay another week. Right now there's more important stuff going on around here.
Here's hoping 2010 gives you all health, peace and happiness!
What a gorgeous fabric cover, Robin! We're classmates, although I am still gathering my Remains of the Day supplies, now that I found my pink craft sewing machine in the basement while putting away some of the Christmas decor. :) Happy New Year!
Posted by: pamelajane | January 07, 2010 at 09:23 AM
hi robin. love your journal, especially the handstitched rk, such a sweet touch. love your scraps too! our tree (a living one) is still up too. i figure, who needs to take the tree down when there's the burning desire to create? there's only so much time in the day (that's my excuse anyway). happy new year!
Posted by: pam | January 04, 2010 at 09:54 PM
Happy Happy New Year!!! Oooooh, I love the fabric cover. You are just too amazing. I feel a shift too. I just don't know what it is quite yet. Still feeling my way through. xoxo
Posted by: Rosa | January 04, 2010 at 09:40 PM
Absolutely lovely! I can't wait to see what happens with your journal.
Posted by: Kim | January 04, 2010 at 07:45 PM
it sounds like you are having a lot of fun creating Robin...my tree is still up too...and will be for at least another week...i am really enjoying it, and i don't want to put it away...
Posted by: Lori | January 03, 2010 at 08:07 PM
I think you and I are in the same place in our lives...taking care of parents, deciding to not jump in on the all the craziness...I am liking not being in the muck of that!
Your journal is beautiful!
Happy New Year Robin! karen...
Posted by: karen | January 03, 2010 at 01:06 PM
The cover turned out lovely! I too have not been online nearly as much, in some ways it is nice and in others I miss it:)
Posted by: jen | January 03, 2010 at 02:44 AM
I always love to see what you're doing. I joined an online journal class also. After doing the Fat Book swap with you I feel more like I know what I'm doing and can now expand my horizons!! The one I'm doing is "A Life Made By Hand" with Kelly Kilmer. It's amazing, but I need to get a move on. I can't believe how much some can accomplish. Happy New Year, Robin! I hope it's a good one for you!!
Posted by: Joyce | January 03, 2010 at 12:55 AM
Love this nice long post with all you have been up to! I have been eyeing that remains of the day course too... but I do not have a sewing machine...
Happy new year!
Posted by: hope | paper relics | January 02, 2010 at 09:52 PM