Create the life you want ...

     I've been told that on New Year's Day whatever you do will determine what you do the rest of the year, so of course I didn't do laundry, and I didn't wash dishes.  Instead, I spent the day doing some of the things that I want to fill the rest of the year with ... creating and exploring.

     First, I played with some air-dry clay.  I made this little gnome guy for fun.  He's the only gnome in my home!  I may paint him after he's had time to dry for another week since he's rather thick.

     I also used my Springerle rolling pin to make some more ornaments for next year's tree and will share pictures when they are completely done.  The clay dries a bit of a grey color and I want to paint them white and glue some anise seed to the backs to give them a more authentic look and smell.

     I finished making earrings from the $1 ornaments I'd picked up a week or so ago; wrote a few pages for my next book ~ a memoir that picks up where My Best Friends Have Hairy Legs left off; read a few chapters in a business plan guide for my next dream come true ~ the "Tell Me A Story Book Shop ~ Offering books by independent authors and writing workshops;" and I walked to the Christmas Depot by Greenbrier and explored some history along the way.

     If you've seen the movie Hidden Figures, you may be familiar with Katherine Johnson's story.  If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it.  It was very well acted and an excellent glimpse into history.

     The first Monday of 2022 came with a winter snowstorm that knocked out my power for about three and a half hours.  I was surprised that it stuck since we'd had rain for a few days prior, which is why the creek was running so high and muddy.   There is more snow in the forecast for Thursday, with sleet on Sunday.  Winter is upon us.

     The girls are not impressed.

     Carolina chickadees have arrived and are making me aware that any adjustment in the location of the backyard feeder of sunflower seeds is not appreciated.  Cardinals sit in the tree outside the office window and let me know that they appreciate the location of the one in the front yard.  I've also seen a white-breasted nuthatch, tufted titmouse, and downy woodpecker in the past week.  While shopping for stickers of birds on Etsy, I saw a sticker for bird nerds that said "Nird" and loved it.  When I get a vehicle (prayers for soon!) I will have to get one and put it on a window.

     Craft and art classes are coming up soon at the Wren's Nest Art Studio [<link], beginning this coming Saturday with a class on encaustic watercolor painting [click this link for an example video].  I will post photos next weekend of my creation, and after watching the video, I'm already getting some ideas of what I would like to do.  February will be a barn quilt class, and in March a wildflower collage that I think will be watercolor painting.  I'm super excited for all of the classes!

     More soon, and just in the interest of full disclosure ... laundry and dishes were done on the 31st.  Out with the dirty, in with the clean.