it's been awhiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiile

It's hard not to sing that awful song "It's Been Awhile" when you say it's been awhile. But needless to say, it's been awhile. I haven't posted in almost two weeks! FOR SHAME.

I think back on the past two weeks and wonder what I've done, other than gaining another 3 lbs. And guess what? I'VE ACTUALLY DONE A LOT. I just haven't written about it. Sometimes you just have to be in the mood to write. I've been in the mood to eat. (see weight gain reference)

don't be jealous of Sanford & Sons.

The one thing I'd like to share today is how ridiculously creative m'boyfriend is. As you all know,... or don't know, he's a bike enthusiast. And he's super talented with building and repairing bicycles. So every once and awhile, he'll have extra bike parts... chains, doo-hickey and do-dads, metal things and round things, mostly. I don't know bike parts if you've guessed. One extra he had at hand was a giant fat tire. He made this one into a planter! How awesome is that?

My goal for the rest of this week is to update the universe on what's been going on. Here's some topics I'm going to try to cover...

The Art Center! Bike Art and the BIKE RACE! Paintings for the Behbah! Mermaids! Sewing the cushions... AGAIN!  Indian Food!Stained glass and frames!

so...

In my blogging absence this week, I actually haven't been absent. I've been working on a project, but... it's been a secret! But, since the secret is now out, I can share.

I'M GOING TO BE A {CRAZYFRIGGIN} AUNT!!!!!

That's right! My brother-in-law and glorious older sister... my only sister I should add, is with child!Are with child? What is the correct word to use there? Either way, with child they are. I want to keep the project I'm working on for them a surprise, so this MSPaint drawing of my excited rabbit will have to do for now. There are other projects I'm working on too, I just need to find the time to take some photos and post some entries.

SNAP TO IT CRAZY AUNT JILL. TIME TO CRAFT 4 BEHBAH!.

no news is good news.

This is a small painting I began during the week, after I wrote my last post about the confusion I was feeling. I grabbed a handful of colors and brush and began aimlessly painting my feelings. I saw a newspaper lying next to me and decided to incorporate some headlines and articles. Today, I added a pastel drawing: A girl in the corner, burying her head: Protecting herself from the world around her. And the saying "sometimes no news is good news".

While being the recipient of good news is always great, being on the receiving end of bad news seldom feels so good. In fact, I think most would agree that it f***ing sucks. Especially for a person who doesn't deal with feelings as productively as she should. Too often have I bottled my emotions and let them explode at an inopportune moments. I'm trying much harder these days to deal with the realities that life offers, even if it means that I have to contemplate the path that I travel much more often.

I've always taken comfort in this little saying. It's a saying that, in my immediate family, always follows the phrase: "So other than that, there's nothing else new or exciting going on." But the reality is, sometimes there is news. It's not always exciting, and you have to deal with it the best you can and be a comfort to those around you. Getting some of my feelings out onto a canvas felt... I don't know... fulfilling, I guess. Much better than an explosive crying fit. Although I'm only 1/2 through a bottle of wine: The night is young.

100.

Blogs are interesting things. It allows you (and by you I mean me. And you too, I guess) to go back and peruse the thoughts recorded in digital time, while contemplating how it relates to you in the future. And by the future, I mean now. I can already tell, this post is going to be complicated, so I'm getting another cup of coffee.

My goal of this blog was to "find the special little things in life that inspire me to create and contemplate, whist maintaining my "responsibilities" (like work, relationships, exercise, showering... )". It metastasized into something much different, very quickly: It became a chronicle of projects, detailing processes and outcomes instead of the feelings and inspiration behind it.

So after 100 posts, how do I feel? If I had to choose one word, it'd be confused. While the blog didn't exactly stick to the original plan, I kind of like the way it chronicles projects a little more. Do I wish I included more daily inspirations? Yes, and I'll try to work on that more in the future. Although sometimes when it comes to a project, it's create for the sake of creating.

There are so many things that I like to do, but it seems impossible to "choose a path" like some people have suggested. Is it going to be wine bags all the way? Will I try my hand at fine art and exhibiting more? Or am I more poised to be a home do-it-yourselfer? I don't think I'll ever have one solid path, to be honest. Maybe my natural path is an ebb-n-flow like the ocean tide instead of a straight one way road.

Here's to 100 posts, and a good journey so far. Self discovery is tough shit, but it really helps to put my thoughts down. And it doesn't hurt to add MS Paint, if you ask me. :D