16 things about me...

I really enjoyed reading Ali and Kelly Rae's 16 things posts. Then someone suggested for the group going to ArtNest next month that we all do this to get to know each other better. There are two spots left for the workshops, you should join us. Hallmark magazine will be there to do a story on the retreat. It's going to be so much fun! Anyway, I thought it would be fun to compile a list and share it.

Here goes...

1. I'm a Minnesota girl through-and-through. I would never live anywhere else. I love to travel, but always want to come home to Minnesota. There's something about about the wholehearted enjoyment of all four seasons here. It's a place where we brave frigid temps and then glow like it's springtime when it gets to 27 degrees, like today. I love that!

2. I have started and stopped so many art journals. The pages on this post are from my new daily journal for this year. However, I don't get down if I stop a journal after a few days or a few months and never pick it up again. I know I will find a new book and begin again. It's all about the process, not completing the book. I find that so freeing!

3. I have no idea what "style" I like. It changes each day. One day I'm into cutsey, girly pink and then next day bright, vivid retro. I will never be able to choose, and I guess I don't have to.

4. I hope to do another ArtsyMama book through blurb. I think vol. 2 will come out late this year or early next. In the meantime, I am beyond thrilled that ArtsyMama will be a part of Tara's book coming out this fall.

5. I tend to over-think things and read into them too much. I need to just take things for face value and not over-analyze or judge as "good" or "bad". Working on that one.

6. I have a really hard time finishing a book. I check out books all the time at work....I'm a librarian. I bring them home and either scan them or have them in a basket and never get to them. It seems that the bits of "me time" I get each day is always filled up with doing art or blogging. By the time I get into bed at night to read, I'm asleep within 5 minutes.

7. I find it very amusing that I share so many home photos on this blog. I've always been a very cluttery person. Ever since discovering estate sales and vintage treasures I've become more interested in decorating and now it helps me to keep things neater so that I can share pictures with all of you. Also after having kids I realized that if I don't keep up with the clutter we would all be buried in it within a week. Now I find that clutter drives me crazy. I am constantly going around picking things up. It's a loosing battle. See #11.

8. Speaking of kids, I can hardly remember my life before having kids. I was talking to some girlfriends about this last night. Of course I have memories of specific events, but it's all pretty much a blur before they were born. Now I can't imagine life without them.

9. I have always been interested in having relationships with people that I've never met in person sharing common interests. When we were young, my sister and I were really into watching gymnastics on tv. We loved the Russian's and Romanian's the best. We had pen pals all over the world and would share photos of gymnasts from magazines and newspapers and write letters to one another. Laura and I would run out to the mailbox and greet the mailman awaiting the mail each day. Today I have all of you that I love to communicate with. I appreciate every single comment and run to check my inbox just as I did the mailbox long ago!

10. I am going through major estate sale withrawl right now. This winter has been so slow for estate sales here and really slim pickin's. Has anyone else noticed a difference in their thrifting selection...and prices?? 11. Why is it that kids find it so fun to make huge messes? Lowell and and Chloe will spend a half hour taking every last thing out of Chloe's room, including the shelves on the wall and put it all in the hallway or bring it down the couch. Case in point, just as I'm writing this post, this is what I saw when I went upstairs. Every single roll of new toilet paper unraveled and thrown all over the floor and plugging up the toilet. Ugh!

12. My favorite smells are sandlewood, vanilla and chocolate chip cookies baking.

13. This was my first camera and this is my camera now.
14. The older I get the more anxious I get about flying in planes, driving at night, driving on icy roads and other life threatening events. I keep seeing car accidents and then those images get lodged into my mind and I think of every worse case senario every time I'm driving. I can't imagine what I'll be like when I'm sixty.

15. I'm always on the go and always thinking of the next project. It really motivates me and keeps me creative. My dad is the same way. At the same time I really try to enjoy the moment and not be thinking ahead too much. It's a delicate balance.

16. I wish I spent more time thinking about my clothes. It's just not a priority for me right now and I feel that I express myself in so many other ways. I am interested in fashion and maybe some day I'll put some more effort into my own appearance:)

This list was really hard to do. I tried not to do #5 as I made the list, so it's pretty random. What a fun exercise, though. If you do a 16 things list, please leave the url in the comments.