Every month, I share the articles and sites that I found most interesting. Here’s what caught my attention in October: stories that are neither character- nor plot-driven, the good guy/bad guy myth, thoughts on digital privacy, the history of women’s restroom lounges, and more.
crafts
Sketchbook #41
Art + Craft, Photography, WritingIt’s the end of March! And, since it’s also the end of the first quarter of 2019, this feels like a particularly significant creative check-in. I’m trying to focus on 90-day goals this year, or at least breaking down my bigger goals into smaller milestones, and… well, the end of March is my first big deadline of the year.
Snapshot #70 | 10 Things for 12 February 2017
PersonalCurrently…
1. updating… my portfolio. Finally. I’ve still got a little bit of work to add (and I’ll let you know when it’s done), but for now: progress!
2. starting… to make the tote bag that’s been on my list for about six months.
3. making… plans. (I’ve got a tendency to say this a lot, I know. But it’s a good catch-all for all the projects I’m really excited about but can’t really talk about.)
4. getting… used to my new social media rules. It’s doing wonders for my creativity (and productivity).
5. choosing… which writing project to work on next. It’s going to be so much fun. And I need to do so much worldbuilding.
6. trying… a new bread recipe.
7. craving… cheesecake. I don’t know why. (I also don’t know why there isn’t any place near me that sells single slices of cheesecake.)
8. wondering… if the snowstorm is going to interfere with my plans tomorrow. (Probably.) (Definitely.)
9. shopping… for makeup… it’s equal parts fun and torture.
10. researching… everything I need to know for the next writing project (and the second draft of the NaNoWriMo story). It’s a little overwhelming, in a good way.
Snapshot #62 | 10 Things for 23 October 2016
PersonalCurrently…
1. working… on my NaNoWriMo outline. I wasn’t feeling that great about it, but things are finally starting to fall into place. I have a plot!
2. falling… behind. Again. I was doing well for a while there, but NaNoWriMo prep has taken over my life.
3. taking… photos. Not as many as I’d like (see #2, above), but I’m happy with them.
4. figuring… out my plans for the giant painting. For real this time. I might be able to get it finished by the end of the year.
5. getting… ready to start my Hallowe’en baking. Because I bake for Hallowe’en, for some reason. (I’m also starting to finalize my plans for holiday baking.)
6. feeling… focussed.
7. prototyping… the tote bag pattern I’ve been working on. My construction plans are good, but the dimensions are off.
8. planning… the next week, and the next month, and the rest of the year. Time to get things back on track.
9. daydreaming… about where I want to travel next. Too many choices.
10. trying… to decide what to read next.
Weekly Photo Challenge 2016 | Week #07: ‘Black & White’
Photography
In some ways, this weekly photo project is becoming a bit of a photo diary. I don’t mind.
One of the best things about finally tackling the office is that it’s forced me to actually think about the things I keep in there. For nearly two years now, it’s just been a catch-all for everything that didn’t have another home somewhere else in the apartment, and even the things that belong in there haven’t really been in any sort of order.
But painting has made me think about everything that’s in there, whether it belongs there—or if I even need to keep it at all—and, if it’s worth keeping, whether it’s just going back into storage or if it needs to be accessible.
One thing I’m being absolutely ruthless with is my craft supplies. I have a bad habit (which I know a lot of people share) of collecting things that I might do something with someday. And then I either lose interest in the project or just never find the time to do it. (Or, worse, I don’t actually have a project in mind, I just really like this particular fabric, and I’m sure I’ll think of something to do with it someday.)
I don’t know yet whether or not I’m going to keep the buttons I’ve collected over the years, but I’m not quite ready to get rid of them. (Sewing is one of those things that, despite all my good intentions, I never get around to, but some of these are just so pretty.) For now, I’m just going to find a better way to store them.
