This Morning

Greetings - 

This morning I got up  about five AM, turned the plant lights on, heated water for herbal tea, decided NOT to turn on the TV, and did play the Lionel Hampton band jazz record that with already on the record player turn-table. Huzzah for Lionel Hampton...

Next...., flipped light switch to brighten studio, switched on the large light box that now sits atop main studio work table, got tea, got around to scribbling three pages in the journal, and glued some paper to other paper. For particular people.

This thought came:

Maybe I would like to meet almost everybody in the world & ask them why they are who they are.

So, there is that, among so many other thoughts. 

I feel that I am going backwards in so many ways. But forward in others. Hanging by many threads. Riffing life. Caring/not caring. Being/not being. Some of you - many?- know the drill.

Trying to figure out who the next bunch of Sue Rowe is/are.

Paper, words, and people will be involved. And bears and bunnies and squirrels.... But the bell jar of Now has to be tipped over somehow. I do love "safety." But also so much other stuff. The battle is real....

On to whatever challenges the hours, day, week, year brings. I have no idea about how the holiday season will go - I'm thinkin' Low and Slow.

AAARROOUUUUU! (a good howl is better than no howl at all)

- Sue

A Bear FromLast Week -

The sketch books are used for so many things. 

But then there is The Other Paper. This piece is made up of scraps remaining from cutting out Hearts from OTHER papers. So many scraps....

Yesterday I wasted and/or used well two hours gluing scraps from other doings to an oblong sheet of orange card stock. This is the result:

It was during a work shift at American Gothic Antiques - so I could have been doing "nothing." Or drawing thumbnail sketches for Serious Projects. But I did this.

A trusted friend I showed this to thinks it is a finished piece of art. I have no idea.

But it was fun to play with. And it got brain focused and in The Flow. This cannot be be discounted. many of our brains feel much better while in Flow. When time goes away. When the focus in on NOW. When many small decisions and choices create a Something and the back and forth in the skull is relaxed and "easy."

This piece of papers is worth the doing just for that!

On to a day that won't be quite as pleasant. Tech and business stuff. Then, maybe Art and Gardening.

On to a twenty minute walk along the river. 

We all have our priorities. Good luck with your day - every day!

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

A "Better" Day and Evening

As April zooms by it does leave some evidence along its trail.

After doing "real work" things and going to a theater to see and only nap a little through "Isle of Dogs" I treated the brain to some Keith Jarrett jazz and an hour messing around with paper and paint in Studio B.

Here is a bit of the chaos resulting from a few days' play - 

The single heart is from another day's adventures, but is included to show that SOMETHING WILL come of the colorful "trash" covering the work surface. (Under all this stuff is a goodly-sized piece of clear plastic that is no longer clear. In fact it is so pretty that I'm considering ways to use it in future mixed-media projects.)

This is a little bit of if you want to play just go ahead and PLAY! Make some stuff that might just be fun to make. Or it might be fun to use later. Gather some favorite colors or other supplies and dare to goof off. Play your favorite tunes or click on a favorite movie. Give yourself an hour to Have Fun. It'll be O.K. Even if it isn't.

In the above junk is tissue paper from somewhere, paint on paper napkins, paint on coffee cup cuffs, paint on tea bags, paint on lace. 
On the large piece on the bottom I'd just started using some acrylic matte medium as adhesive, and stuff was drying. There was no plan. I just ripped paper and mooshed it on to a pink piece of 12" x 12" card stock. Yay for using up art supplies any way one can! Black tissue paper. Pink tissue paper. Scraps from other projects. No rules. Just play until one side of the record is over. Stop. Wash hands. Turn record over. Continue gooing.

The whole sheet is covered now - metallic paints helping unite the many layers. And as I have a meeting planned for tomorrow afternoon with a pal  I will probably bring this sheet of paper and some others along to cut and create even more Hearts. 

Life is O.K.

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Heart Project Again

This morning found me driving away from morning news shows on TV and down to The Daily Grind for real people talking about real things and working on crossword puzzles and eating freshly-prepared breakfasts.

I celebrated finishing a "21 Day No Junk Food Challenge" by scarfing down half a delicious chocolate-pistashio biscotti - but not until I'd worked for about an hour on some new Heart things. The large cardstock-weight tags have been sitting here for a couple years. They said they would not mind being part of the 2018 Heart Project - and here are a few. More will happen. 

The laptop played Miles Davis and Stan Getz jazz, I had headphones on so others who might not appreciate jazz were spared, and a sort of meditation set in. Cut out a heart, "crazy-quilt" some scrap papers together (Yay for "Yes!" glue!), cut out another heart. And on and on.

No, I don't know what will happen to these. Yes, I very much enjoyed making them. No, I don't know if these are "finished" yet.

I'd drawn the drawn portions while riding in the van recently. Always carry SOME art supplies. Always. LOL.

Now - back to "real" work. Two small paintings with dancing bears are due for gallery delivery way too soon.

So it ever goes.

Yes, I appreciate this odd life I get to live.
Back to it!

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Sheep - part the first

For a little something different - and maybe Fun - on a piece of left-ever prepped paper  - subject - a cropped photo of a Minnesota State Fair ewe.

Of course, one has to start somewhere. And as I'd already placed a circle on the paper - let's put the sheep somewhere in the circle - scritch, scritch:

No, I do not know what I am doing. This is pretty much the usual. Start in. See what happens. Try to respect the subject. 

See those large crosshatched marks on the bottom of the paper? These are from a trimmed edge of a much larger drawing. I find it hard to throw paper away, but I hadn't remembered saving this, either. As it happens - the strip was large enough to generate three squares of 7 1/2 inches each. And to generate the challenge of  incorporating these marks into completed pastel. This is yet a work in progress...

But there IS progress. So far - so - well, we'll see...

Still not sure of where this is going - but it's heading somewhere...

Sometimes I wish I had a map. Too late this time!
And, yes, I am fighting typing sheep puns.
But - you? Feel free!


Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Back to the Clutter

Yes. I might enjoy PAPER a little too much. Paper equals Potential. Ideas. Images. Hope. Plans. Other peoples' ideas, hopes, plans. 

So.....  although a sheet of paper is of little monetary value in itself, it's value in other ways is tremendous. Therefore, shelves full of paper might be unwritten biographies or not-yet-designed rocket ships. I only joke a little.

After twenty-plus years of cramming stuff into a particular "linen" closet. Linens? "It is to laugh." Yes, a few - but mostly paper - and some.... of the record albums I might be keeping... for reasons.Yes, I actually have a turn-table and DO play records. But most often from other portions of the collection.... I digress.

So, as it is on the Goals for Week List - it's time to set the timer for one hour - and FOCUS on accomplishing Something. Here goes- 

Stuffed with stuff. But timer is running and on to the sorting!

Dotted papers, tissue papers. used part fair comment books, tiny notebooks, onion papers, un-used sketchbooks, a full-sized iron! Shipping envelopes and boxes. So many partially used legal pads.

Using the hallway floor, I put things into "like" piles. 

Put packing materials into new packing section in Studio B. But iron in a safer spot in house. Yes, It had been balancing on things irons should not be balancing on. Put some items aside for Little Free Libraries. But some things in spaces better suited for their eventual use. They WILL be used.

Timer went off every twenty minutes. I could see Progress with every break. And though the whole closet would not be finished that day it ended up in much better, and useful shape than it had started. Amazingly, there are two EMPTY SPACES in a shelving area. What Magick is this?? Cleaning Magick!

All the similar papers are grouped together now. I know where particular large envelopes are, and how many we have! I didn't find any particular Treasures, but I know where recent Art Fair Comments notebooks are. No, I DON'T know what will happen to those two empty horizontal spaces. There is a bit of Joy in this! The box of picture-hanging wire will stay as is - because it is handy having it there. But many things have moved on - whether into trash, or simply other areas of the house better suited to their being stored. Yes, I know where they are.

Anyway, that Goal box in the notebook has been checked off. Next week will hold another. Baby steps are starting to pay off.

Best of luck with YOUR Challenges and Goals!
Gardening Goals are next!

But first - a jazz album or two.

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

On the Surface

In order to get something kick-started I've begun preparing some papers ready for their first layers of pastel.

The bag of pumice is nowhere to be found, so the combination used today is a mixture of clear gesso and inexpensive acrylic paints. I used a paint knife to stir the glop together, and then took a clean small sponge to apply the paint to paper.

The smaller sheet is from a full-sized piece of Rives BFK printing paper. I really like the weight of this paper for drawing and painting, as well as an occassional side-track into actual printing.

Color mix is red, blue, and orange, in two layers.

The glare is from a light sitting on the kitchen floor. I work where ever seems best!

I also prepared two large "mystery" paper sheets. Hubby Todd found this tough black paper at a garage sale. I have no idea as to it's manufacturer, however it is light, yet tough. And takes this paint  and gesso mixture well. 

The tooth produced is excellent for cross-hatching - especially with Nupastels. So I might be starting to get excited about working again. Baby steps and tiny scritches.

Dare to slap some paint on something - it might brighten your day!

Fare-thee-well,

Sue

Art Supplies

This is one reason I try to carry art supplies in purse or computer bag at all times:

Antsy lad became concentrating artist. 
He created a focused-lad drawing, featuring a lovely blue sun.

Now I have to go home and work at creating art.  Focusing on a pastel cat. It will be fun and a challenge.

But right now I'd much rather continue sitting at cozy busy coffee shop, sipping a Thistle Milk tea and stitching stuff on to paper. And helping spread the love of art as far as it can go.

On to the day. May it be of your choosing. 

I heart the power of art.

Fare-thee-well.
Sue

Re-use Recycle

I love cardboard - yes, I do.

I love cardboard - how 'bout you?

Many others in the world use this humble stuff to create wonderful things such as intricate sculptures or even cosplay costumes. 

I am content to chop up boxes to use for shipping bears and other art to customers, shops, and galleries.

It is hard for me to toss a good box. It has been ever thus. Boxes...

And cardboard has within itself to be humble or great.

Perhaps we are the same.

Fibers. Being. 

Fare-thee-well,

Sue

Jazz Rabbit #1

Re-use. Recycle. Doing it.

Hubby found a used tablet of paper and rescued it from another person's trash. So...

I cut one of the large pieces of used Strathmore watercolor paper into nine 5" x 7" pieces. Nice paper. The word "Wow" and other large strokes of paint are now abstract background for whatever might happen.

Here is the first painting:

Jazz Rabbit #1

This was FUN. Freeing. I was not completely in charge. Not that I am EVER completely in charge. It was TRASHED paper. Nothing to lose.

Used were the Pentel Pocket Brush Pen to create basic outline, and then some gouache to finish this wascally wabbit. Yes, Sharpie and regular ball point pen were used for whiskers and detailing eyes.

And that's about it.

The Spirit of the St. Croix Art Festival is in Hudson, Wisconsin this weekend. I might put some of these new pieces in clear plastic, and see what The Public thinks.

Ever onward - there are seven panels left (for another day) - the power of putting marks on paper seldom stops being exciting.

Fare-thee-well,

Sue

Keep Posting.

PLAN FOR FEBRUARY: Make 25 Hearts

It isn't that I forget to post.

I think about typing throughout the day.

Early and often.

Then a block of hours goes by.

And another.

And another.

And then I wake up.

And, SURPRISE!

It's Tomorrow.

And again no typings.

THIS IS NOT THE PLAN.

but it is The Fact.

Today typing is happening.

And here is a report.

Stuff has been made.

Really.

Much stuff.

Over twenty five Hearts started.

The starts of three more tiny books.

More painting on the tiny plastic spotted horse.

Soup.

More.
Starts.

Several drawings that might become Real Art.

And more.

Really.

Here is a tiny bit of evidence:

A Playing with Paper and Paint.

That will go away soon.

Out into the universe.

As will these words.

Now.

Back to making.

Fare-thee-well,

Sue

January Personal Challenge - Finish 30 Things

If you can start a something and, more often than not,  see it through to completion I salute you.

I am, like so many others, a Starter. Of many things. Paintings and other art doings, various projects, books, piles. So many Starts. So few Finishes.

This January's personal Challenge: Complete 30 Starts. Stuff that was started in 2015. Or.... long before.

Where shall I start? On the work desk, of course. Why? Because, once again, there is no place to work. This is an In/Out Box. No, not one of those new-fangled sheets for learning Math. Hiding is a vintage wooden box for use in holding stuff coming in or stuff going out. Problem is it comes in and stays in. Here was status earlier in the day:

What box??? Certainly you can spot that lower left-hand corner. No? Well, there are a few things piling up on the helpful office aid.

Time to set that kitchen timer, start sorting, and see what happens.

What happened? I probably stopped and heated up the tea kettle. That is quite the sobering stack. But a Challenge is a Challenge. It's only paper. Lots and lots and lots of paper....

Important papers: art fair applications, good finished drawings, useful articles long ignored. Notes about the passings of close friends and family? Yes, in this pile. Numerous quick sketches for greeting cards? MANY. Sort sort. Put in proper places and binders.

Unimportant papers: grocery lists, long-out-dated "to do" notes on torn envelopes. A newspaper column concerning a tennis match now two years done. Into the trash - yes.

The stuff in between: greeting cards from friends and family. More articles. Directions to places. Possible places to sell bears. Decisions to be made. Keep? Toss? Decisions MADE.

So many bits and pieces - carry on, carry on. Discoveries of hidden quotes - write words in quote notebook and toss away those little piece of papers. That plastic bag filled with possible pages for next book. Oh, so this is where it'd been "hiding." No excuse now to get on with THAT project. A small unused red napkin? Well surely there was a reason.

After a good part of the morning - and  two or three more cups of tea - ta da!

                               The Miracle of The Empty Box!!!!!!!!

Yes, soon it will hold other papers, but not those from '15 and before. Now it is a tool again, and I must be diligent in its use. Before it hindered (not through fault of its own!), now it can help.

One Thing Finished. 
Twenty-nine to go. 

I feel a wee tad accomplished.

A New Year. A New Challenge. On to the options that both hold.

I don't have a clean slate, but the desk has a clean spot.

Life is one day better. Whew.

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

www.suerowe.com
Facebook Page: Sue-Rowe-Studios

A Simple Paper Cup

PAPER & Words are Amazing Things.

A coffee cup can hold more than coffee.
It can hold a message.
Or an image.
An Idea.

Fun.

I must Remember to make more of these.
I keep forgetting to make more of these.

Re-use. Re-tell. Remember.

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Always in Progress

Here is latest commission - in progress.

On full sheet of Arches printing paper. Nice tooth for pastel. Sky and foreground will allow the using up of tiny bits of various pastel pieces. Not that the studio will notice.
Challenge for messy me is keeping clean areas clean. Yay for free garage-sale paper! Great for guarding areas AND making reasonably straight horizon lines.

Yes, the bear will have a head. And a partner. Long way to go, but a decent start.
And it's nice to be working in some warm colors on yet another seriously grey cold day.

Back to the drawing board!
Sue

Paper paper paper

UThis is a photo of a horrible "drug" for me.
(Note:NOT making light of really awful real drugs.)

Some folks get giddy feeling fabric, others love adding to collections of so many different kinds, many have to get that morning exercise fix.

I LOVE paper.... And Free Paper is the Best!

And free paper is EVERYWHERE!!! This box was at a holiday boutique several years ago.

This paper was from a bunch of greeting card card racks. That was it's purpose. To back and designate types of cards. It came in different sizes and slightly different shapes. It was heavy weight and felt nice to the touch. This was not "scratch paper." I could DRAW on it! Maybe even Wonderful Things.

Oddly, I  held myself to taking about twenty pieces. I wanted to lug the whole box away, while screaming "Free paper!! Free paper!!!  Yay!!!!!" (Todd would NOT have been happy.)

Self control. Yup. Had a little.

Garage-sale season is coming up..........

Did use up a bunch of smaller papers last night during a two-hour life drawing session. Yay, again! The pieces were not "valuable" but they were of different colors and textures. I prepped some by going over portions with graphite or colored pencils. Played with charcoal and erasers. Concentrated on model's head. Used up about six sheets of paper. Shouldn't have worked on both sides of sheets....; then could have used up more.  Oh, well.

Will toss some of the efforts and keep some. Copy notes made while drawing. On other paper.

We shall not speak of Journals and Sketchbooks today.....

Yay, PAPER!!!!!

Grab some, put some marks on it! It'll be Fun!!! Or at least A Life Lesson. Well worth the effort.

Now, back to that Sue Rowe Studios Facebook Page 30 Bear Challenge. It will use up at least ONE more piece of paper - woo hoo! Maybe time for a collage?

Fare-thee-well, on this 19 degree Spring day, with .......snow...... in the forecast.
And, yup, the juncos are still here - sigh,

Sue

Clean Hard Fast: 4

 Yes, head is still clanging - along to Mozart piano music this dark morning.

CLEAN: not the work desk or kitchen table.
HARD: to believe our outdoor art fair season is over. It went out well, with a lovely, nippy, sunny weekend in Red Wing, MN. I learned that when a man says "I LIKE that bear" it means "I want to BUY that bear." Two different gentlemen at different times of day on Saturday. Thank you, gentlemen. I hope you enjoy your new bruins. Oh, and got to give away two of the Junk Drawer Journals made earlier this year to two new art fair friends who immediately put them to note-taking use!
FAST: how early mornings went DARK. It's 7:05 A.M. - time for tea, egg, bacon, and garden greens. But greens will have to be gathered blindly or by flashlight. Sigh. I still vote for five A.M. daylight - all year round.

A bit over a month ago it felt time to play with new techniques - thus the playing with acrylic paints that happened to be on hand and goofing off with papers - just to see. Here is one result:

Acrylic paint on 7" x 5" paper

I'd started doing mono-prints, but ended up cutting stencils out of scrap backing boards. Yay, for not tossing scraps. The four-inch wide boards can be cut into pieces for three bears. Yes, the designs are limited in size, but forcing oneself to work within limits IS a good challenge.

Papers, were, once again, scraps. But good scraps - either printing or heavy-weight water-color papers.

Paints ranged from garage-sale "craft" stuff to  new good goodies that I had to go BUY once I started loving the results. Especially exciting were the metallics in with or over the original layers.

The acrylic bears have now graduated to being painted on small wooden boards, and folks and I are happy with the results. I even "craft" stenciled two bears onto a canvas tote. It sold at the Red Wing Art Festival, though I wouldn't have minded using it myself. Have a small stack at these tote bags (25 cents each at a summer estate sale) so more of that doing will get done. We'll see how tough the board paper stencils are and how long they last.

Well, typing has taken long enough that a bit of yard is visible. Greens, here we come?

Web-site is down at moment - argh, but Facebook Page: Sue-Rowe-Studios is alive and fun.

We are attempting a too-long-in-the-doing vacation soon. And yesterday while working a shift at American Gothic Antiques I learned, at long last, of Kansas City's Oklahoma Joe's BBQ, so new eating plans for KC! We always ate at Gates.Time for a new chowing adventure. Great Art and Great Meats await! Now to carve out a chunk of time. Carve out a bit of time today for creating happiness, joy, and perhaps a piece of art or two. A crow is cawing "You CAN do IT!"

On to the day's Grand Adventures!

Fare-thee-well,

Sue

Desk and Journals - 8

Back at the task.

 Here was the drawer this morning - sigh.

Slightly disheartening? NO! Three 15 minutes Challenges later we have a lighter drawer, 17..... 17.....professionally printed To Do Lists - argh, and a bunch of paper squares cut in sizes from 3 1/2" to 5 " square. Useful little beasties - some to keep. Some to bring, TODAY, to American Gothic Antiques. Will also share several To Do Lists - woo hoo!

To Do Lists = Guilt about not filling out To do Lists? Not anymore. My lists are kept in small spiral notebooks that keeps the lists together - for better or for worse. Much better system for my little brain, but it keeps the non-checked-off items in plain sight. I use only one notebook at a time, so even though the un-done items stay at hand,  the checked-off items give a tiny thrill of accomplishment. We all need tiny Thrills of Accomplishment from time to time.

Tiny Thrill? Seeing the wooden bottom of the drawer! A sew square inches of emptiness of paper! Huzzah!

Baby steps. Baby steps. Maybe I'll grab a bag from the drawer and bring it to work today. A bag of paper and our smallest paper cutter? It will be "busy work," but part of the Big Challenge. Justify! Justify!

And what would an organized junk paper drawer look like? I'm planning on 4 to 6 plastic bags with different sized papers. Not helter-skelter. Neat. Purposeful. Possible? On to it.

Time, also, to keep applying to the various art festivals. Not may favorite part of the process, but that's the way the system works. Makes me want to keep sorting junky paper, but then the bears couldn't go visit all those events in the Midwest that they enjoy being part of (poor grammar - yup).

On to the tasks on this nippy day. Bundle up if going out in our beloved Midwest! Have enough gas in the vehicles, and non-slip foot-ware on your feet. Chopper mitts and serious boots are dress code for the day!

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Desk and Journals - 7

Well, well, some progress has been made.
This past week I'd settled in for a quick 15 minute stint on the giant pile of mysteries and a bit over two hours later (yes, I was in The Flow....), well, The Space Was Empty. Where there's been Chaos now was a Zen-like Void. The old wood appeared. A dust cloth appeared also - and woo hoo - a magnificent large hollow clean space came into being.

This was not a baby step. This was a giant stride - at least in my eyes. I left it empty until the next day - and occasionally opened the door  - just for the Joy of knowing this part of the Challenge was Completed. When YOU complete a Task or Challenge or Mission please allow yourself a bit of Pleasure in the Having Done. Don't go immediately to the next item on the list. Have a hot cup of tea or a cold glass of beer and simply gaze at your accomplishment. Remember this. "This, too, shall pass."

So what of the papers???? Well. Armed with an awl, ruler, foam core, needle, waxed linen thread, and such, I've begun making more Junk Drawer Journals. They are not perfect. Some are not pretty. All are somewhat useful, and each one has been a bit of fun to create. In fact, I don't feel much like making Real Art right now. Or finish with taxes.... It's pleasant to sort and punch and stitch and embellish these little nothings of reuse/recycle.
There are twenty journals so far. One's been put to use. One's been given to a friend. Others await their missions.

They hold Potential. Ideas. Sketches. Quotes. Grand Schemes. A child's first scribble. The birth of a novel. That's the magic of the blank page - no matter the size. In fact, the smallness and scrapiness of those volumes might just leave a person feeling less worried about ruining a beautiful and "precious" JOURNAL. I'll bring some along to art fairs - to give to those folks who say "I WANT to draw, but - " Heck, here's little sketchbook. "I want to write, but - ". Heck, here's a little notebook. No excuse now, right?  Write. Draw. Enjoy your new bit of Personal Potential. It's only paper - and a bit of waxed thread. But it could change your life.... (If you'd like one let me know.)

On to the rest of Groundhog's Day. May yours be Happy. The squirrel in the patio seems to be enjoying it - we would do well to follow its example!

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Desk and Journals - 6

Hmmm.
Yup, a couple more fifteen minute sessions at the old paper hoarder. It's not the desk's fault. I crammed  into it every piece of paper, all the pens, pencils, and other bits of muse and mystery that this nice old desk now holds.

(Wow - watching the squirrel gymnastics competition going on in back year. The little red one is giving the larger black and greys quite the challenge. And both squirrels and chickadees are chowing down. Storm is coming, but we should not be hit as hard as folks in other parts of the Midwest. Stay safe and warm - folks, and beware of those sneaky icy spots.)

Anyway - what might be hiding in a large doored desk space?
*Paper patterns for making model horse saddles. I haven't made a saddle for years and years - but I couldn't quite toss those - so off to a different paper bay they go.
*Way too many commercial/fund-raising "to do" list lists. They are now in the paper drawer... awaiting decision as to fate.
*Notes taken from internet information about my hometown, Gurney, Wisconsin.
*Heavy cardboard tube holding thin sheet of pure silver - once again, from those saddle-making days. Todd took it away. It's somewhere else. That's all I know.
*Weirder, still, a large black Coach purse - stashed behind a wall of papers - for TEN years. Yes, I own too many Coach purses - never noticed it missing. It contained one dollar, an assortment of Sharpies and other pens, a few seriously outdated coupons, a list of goals from April 2003 - some of which have still not been accomplished, and small bits of this and that. It's now hanging in the closet with the other lovely purses. (Most of the time I use an un-named black leather  purse-backpack that would have been a one dollar garage-sale purchase - except that as I was handing the lady the dollar she said, "Oh, just take it." O.K., and thank you.)

Today's fifteen minutes? Who knows?

Another Thank You goes to the guy on the phone from the Wisconsin Tax Office who patiently helped me through this year's tax filing. I sent him kisses through the phone after all was done and done. Last year I blew two hours attempting to submit information, and then simply wrote a letter, printed the forms, and wrote a check. Learned last year not to leave everything to last possible moment. It might cause stress which might affect tinnitus. Woo hoo. Yesterday was better.

So, on to the day.

Tips?
 Don't leave most stuff till the last moment.
 Put a list of goals somewhere where you can find it several years later.
Do something for a little while almost every day. Accomplishments might add up!

Tomorrow? Possibly, Lesson on making Kale Chips.

"Energy and persistence conquer all things." - Benjamin Franklin

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Pitched many paper pieces, but many still to go.

Challenge 1 - Desk and Journals - Day 1 and 2

I do not hoard paper.
I do not hoard paper.
I do not hoard paper.

However, It's really hard to toss away, however small, a piece of paper. The one that has no marks on it. the one that's scrap from trimming paper. One that's big enough for a tiny drawing or a short sentence.

These all head for one drawer in my work desk. This drawer is very full.

I'm not over-fond of the term "lightbulb moment" - but recently, while still in bed trying not to hear my head ding, well, I had one.  Not lightbulbs but scrap papers morphing into a bunch of small journals! Simple stab binding "books" of many shapes and sizes.  Yes! Rid drawer of stash. Make semi-useful items. Use some. Give others away. Another Challenge. I (we?) need another challenge...

Well, a combination of challenges. Back to the desk. This antique kitchen work desk has been in our home for nineteen years. It is my friend. It saw me through most of my model horse tack making career - the plastic box in the back still holds remnants of this former life. It's convenient and well-used. 30 Day Challenge - clean and organize this paper magnet once again. Year Challenge - keep it clean and organized. And create tiny tomes from it's many mysteries hidden within those drawers and doors.

On to it. January 2nd - the Adventure begins! Because this cannot take up the day I decided set a time limit of from 15 minutes to one hour to choose, trim, or fold papers. And/or attack desk clutter. Make this Fun. Remember to make this Fun. Come to the doing Joyously. Consider the "baby steps" in actual inches. If a cliche must be used use one. "Remember the pyramids weren't built in a day." Remember this desk won't be cleaned in a day. And have a vision of final outcome. On to it!

So - here we are so far. A variety of folded paper papers - different sizes, different weights, different textures. All in one plastic bag - waiting for the next move.

I don't have any great hopes for making this paper into anything but functional bundles of repurposed pages. But the drawer will be be lighter, and maybe some of the completed pieces will lighten the heart of a person or thirty. There are red adhesive hearts in one desk drawer - among other Decorative Mysteries. Hmmmm. Time to start Day Three.

A 30 Day Challenge can be a marvelous attempt. YOU know what your choices are. Choose one. It's only 30 days - but it IS 30 days. Or start shorter and create a 10 Day Challenge. It will add a bit of spice/purpose/reason to get up in the morning to the day.

If you complete a challenge let me know. You could receive a useful journal in which to document your next Challenge!

Fare-thee-well,
Sue