the joys of writing

I came home from a long day at work today to find a link to a blog post about eight bestselling books that started during National Novel Writing Month, going on right now. Oddly enough, I've been participating in NaNoWriMo for nine years! Two years ago, I wrote this post when I did it then. Looking back on that post makes me laugh because I'm actually almost done with my very first 365 project and I talk about how I've never finished one. My, how things have changed. Anyways, I usually hesitate to tell people that I like to write stories. Some people find that interesting, but the usual response is a scoff and rolling of the eyes. Whatever, I get it. I'm still going to write, though. I tend to keep those things to myself. Maybe this year I will actually finish. A girl can dream, can't she?

diy wall art

I bought two canvases, one for a very belated Valentine's Day present for Matt. The other was for me to experiment with something for my room.
I wanted a chevron pattern so I used masking tape. I mixed up a light robin's egg blue color and applied it to the entire canvas.

Once you remove the masking tape, it creates whatever pattern you taped down. You could also use painters tape. I used acrylic paint and then used my favorite quote from my favorite book. Either the pattern can be left alone or you could add a quote like I did. I did everything freehand so it's all my own handwriting. It's perfect for my little reading area and I look forward to adding more wall hangings to my room so the walls aren't so bare.

blogs i follow

In my sidebar to the left, I have a list of the blogs I follow and read on an almost daily basis. I thought I would include a little blurb about why I follow each of these blogs.

A Beautiful Mess has a lot of different things going on. There are different contributors, but it is all put together by Elsie Larson, co-founder of Red Velvet. There are crafts, photography, and fashion. Just a little bit for everyone. She even has a few Tips for Bloggers and Tips for Photographers.

A Lost Feather is run by Sarah from New York. She hikes, takes dreamy photographs, and runs a sweet Etsy shop. I even own an awesome red camera necklace from her! I also really enjoy her illustrations.

Brain Food is a blog run by Kyoko Escamilla. In between posting about her adventures abroad and at home, she posts great art by young artists. She is also an excellent photographer. She posts often about her pets and her love of comic books. She also posts really honestly about her thoughts and life observations. They're sometimes lengthy, sometimes just a short paragraph, but I read them all. They're wonderful.

Clussster is a very inspiring blog run by Fi. She lives in Puerto Rico and works for SALE.com as the Accounts Coordinator, as well as a Social Media correspondent for various local brands. I enjoy her design aesthetic, as well as her posts about food as she explores nutrition as a way to keep her from being sick all of the time.

Delightfully Tacky is the blog that inspired me to start my own blog. I have followed Elizabeth since 2009 and I don't see myself stopping unless she stops blogging. I love how the blog has evolved as Elizabeth's life has evolved. Who likes static and fakeness? I enjoy Elizabeth's genuine posts and carefree style.

The Rockstar Diaries is a blog I started following last year. I'm sure my friends all think I'm crazy when I show them pictures of Eleanor and say,"Isn't this the most adorable baby?!" Truly a beautiful family and wonderful blog. When I first found this blog, I went back quite far to learn their history and I've been hooked ever since. They just welcomed a new addition to their little family, baby boy Samson.

Selective Potential is a blog I followed as a result of following Elizabeth. I even took an e-course that Elizabeth and Tieka put together. They both really inspired me and helped me focus my blog and pay attention to design aesthetic. I'm still learning, but I like everything I have done since I took that course so...hooray!

Skylarking Nanny is a blog I only recently started following. We exchanged a few comments and buttons and voila! I started to read! I enjoy her entries because they're very honest and have a voice that is distinctly her own. I feel like I don't hear myself when I read my entries. I'm really working on that, but I feel like Elle has got it down. I'm enjoying following this blog and can't wait to read more in the future.

Two Happy Hearts literally makes me smile when I read it. I'm not kidding and it probably sounds creepy. I'm sorry if it sounds creepy, but I love a lot of things about this blog. I found it a couple of months ago and I love her style, as well as the Twin Style feature that she has with her twin, Kylie. She also has this sweet pink winter coat that I adore!

a beautiful inspiration

While in my rut, I have been trying to absorb inspiration from other bloggers. One place where I have found a lot of inspiration is A Beautiful Mess. She has so many tips, from 5 Tips for Bloggers to Organizing Inspiration. She's got a 28 before 29 goal list and really fun DIY projects. There are a couple of bloggers I can think of that are goal oriented and organized.

I would love to knock out a few goals again this year. Last year, I accomplished several things. This year, I have some new goals and I have them all written down so I can happily cross them all off! One goal I have is to collage more. I don't know if you recall, but I have an Ambird notebook that I use for collaging.

I hope I can fill this thing up by the summer. Or at least, that is my goal! I have added two more and I think I will work on some more. Another goal I have is to paint my nails at least once a week. That will hopefully keep them from breaking constantly. The last goals I will share are to write a lot more and read a lot more. I have recorded all of the books I own that I need to read before buying anymore books, plus I'm writing all of my reviews down in a notebook to stay organized. I'll share those will you later this week!

doodling

I doodle a lot. Nothing major. Just shapes and designs. It allows me to really listen during lectures. I'm serious. It may seem as if I am just playing around and I don't care, but I am actually absorbing what is being said as I scribble a billion triangles in my notebook. I recently bought a book, Creative Doodling & Beyond. Not only does it give great examples and exercises in creativity, it also has really cool projects that you can do with doodling. It may seem silly (someone actually scoffed at me when I bought it), I love having books that have great ways to stay creative. I frequently have mental blocks and so at the end of the day, I've been doodling away.

Purchased from A Line of Her Own. She has great stuff in her shop, plus wonderful freebies with purchase. I got a postcard and bookmark!

amber seegmiller & sunday night drawing challenges

I wish I was very good at drawing. I was always envious of other classmates in art classes. My best friend is really good at drawing, even if she doesn't think so. All of my friends seem to have a style. I'm stuck on drawing like I'm in the fifth grade. And that's okay, I guess. It's how you start out. Practice practice practice is what I have always been told. That's how you get better and develop. I have recently started to actually practice what has been preached a million times. I always hit a wall when I have my pencil to the paper. What to draw? What to draw? Luckily for me, Amber Seegmiller had the answer.

I follow her tumblrs: ambird and ambird art. You can find more of her work there. I don't recall when I started following her work, but probably over a year ago. There are also other things I admire in Amber, such as her support and kindness. When I asked her if I could do a post about the Sunday Night Drawing Challenges, she gave me permission to show some of her work. I deprecated my own drawings and Amber offered honest and kind advice: "Don't talk down on your abilities." There was more, but I think you get the point.

Sunday Night Drawing Challenge is something to motivate and inspire. It definitely motivates me to draw more. Amber posts a list of words. You choose two or more words and draw. It's great for practice and inspiration!

Typical doodles.

my Ambird moleskines.

My drawing.

Alex did one as well. We actually had pizza for dinner that night.

DIY: Christmas bunting

I have seen a couple of bunting tutorials on other blogs (here & here). Ever since, I have wanted to try my hand at making one. Here's a picture tutorial of what I did:

(l to r) rubber cement, pencil, felt-tip black pen, poster paint marker, scissors, packing tape, twine, and construction paper.






My bunting says, "¡FELIZ NAVIDAD!"

national novel writing month

Do any of my readers participate in this? I have been participating in NaNoWriMo since 2004. I had a couple of years where I didn't participate so this is only my sixth year. My usual partner in crime for years has been Annie, but she is far too busy to participate. I understand. But I needed someone I could pace myself with. I heard through a fellow co-worker that Justin has been writing a thousand words a day.He also plowed through all of Murakami's works and is now trying to find and read memoirs on writing (Ray Bradbury, Ernest Hemingway, and Stephen King are a few that come to mind right away). I asked if he was going to do it and he said,"Yeah, sure. Why not?" I'm doing much better than I have in years past. I think it's because whenever I see him at work, I check on his word count. Ahh, hopefully my competitive nature will push me to finish this year.

Does anyone else participate in a type of creative marathon, such as a 365 project or 52 week project?

creative blogger award

So, my blogging pal, Fi, tagged me to do this. I am supposed to post ten facts about myself and then tag ten other bloggers. Bah, this should be interesting.
1. I collect journals. I do use them eventually, but I always love browsing journals in different stores.
2. I have really gotten back into snail mail and writing in my paper journal.
3. I collect pens, too.
4. I have tons of books. I love books.
5. I love editing photos. It used to be overwhemling, but I Break it down into smaller, more manageable steps.
6. I could spend days cooking/baking. I have started my recipe/cookbook collection.
7. I have terrible insomnia. I rarely sleep before 2:30am.
8. I have learned a lot about blog design over the past few days.
9. I plan to have an apartment by the end of the year.
10. I love word searches.

BLOGGERS I TAG
Previously-Owned (I know she tagged me, but check out her blog; I love it!)
Annie
Delightfully Tacky
Delightfully Pretty
A Lost Feather
Make Believe Sea
Platters N Splatters (Fi's food blog, but maybe her 10 things could be food related?)
Wattlebird
A Thrifty Mrs
Botany Boeh