Finding some 'oomph'.

It sounds like a rather 'Duh' statement, but THE SUN IS SHINING! For about a week it's been rainy and dreary on and off. And it's been rather cool outside considering that it is the end of May in Chicago.

Regardless, I've enjoyed some of the rain lately. Usually it puts me in a funk, which really isn't hard to do. But this most recent spurt of outside drear has given me some creative 'oomph' along with some new thoughts.

When you're snowed in (for example: The Great Groundhog Day Blizzard of 2011), you have several days in which you are relegated to the indoors. The same goes for when the weather decides to change altogether from the usual seasonal pattern. I have a feeling that this won't be the first (or the last) year that we witness crazy weather. There is a necessity to adapt to some indoor living.

Lucky for me I'm a crafter, so there's plenty of things I can keep busy with. It's always been a matter of drive. And as of late, I've lacked drive along with a healthy dose of self worth. For several years I've been working on this project for my dad's Christmas present.

Pretty isn't it? It will be if I ever finish it.

It was wrapped and given to him in an unfinished state, along with a picture of what I was basing it off of. That was at least 2-3 years ago. It's not that I don't want to finish it. I do! But at one point it began to be an in-between project. And then it fell to the unfinished object trunk. (dun dun duuuun) Things don't really make it out of there. The last time I pulled this sucker out, I looked at it and thought it was not up to snuff. How could I ever finish it, let alone give it as a present? This became part of my on-going 'I'm not good enough' stage.

This spring, though, I feel my courage coming back. I am creative and what's to say that I can't use that creativity to express myself. For years I've been following crafting blogs and websites online. I keep viewing them with such awe and really appreciating the work of others. But I also recognize that I can do just as well in my own embroidery, knitting, papercrafts...etc. It's time to step it up a bit and actually join that community and openly share my ideas and projects too.

This week I began developing a plan. This weekend I started to act on it. Some sewing has to take place before I reveal my big idea, but I'll be posting updates here for any curious folks.

In the meantime, say hello to my little friend-- His Royal Highness, Gerber.

He will kill me laters for this...or just cuddle.

It's a start.

This blog has to start somewhere. I don't have much of an introduction yet, but I promise things will be fun around here. If you're interested in books, crafts, nature, and other fun ramblings, you've visited the right place!