I love a good swap

Yesterday I received my comfort swap package.

I was delighted with its lovely contents.

Thanks so much to this lovely lady for organizing

and this wonderful new friend for the package! :)

***

I love a rainy Tuesday

It has been a whirlwind few days.

Not really because of outside influences

but because I was just in that sort of a mood.

I have been cleaning and organizing

and making lots and lots of lists.

I have been getting ready to be gone for 10 days (which I know isn't that long really, but somehow it seems like a long time to be away). This means lots of laundry, packing, making lists of all power cords and chargers that I don’t want to be without, trips to the post office (one swap package is ready to go and will be on its way tomorrow), and making a number of productive phone calls that I have been putting off.

But amidst all this chaos I have

somehow found a bit of calm.

After months of feeling like I had

no apparent direction

I can now see the path

is beginning to clear.

and that is

a huge relief.

Also I was having a bit of etsy anxiety

(because sales lately have been lots lower then ever before)

even to the point that I was wondering if it was worth the trouble,

and then a lovely buyer left me this note when checking out:

I've loved the things I've bought from you before, so I'm back - this is going to be a journal that I keep for my son who is 1 years old today. I think he has a chance of understanding his roots if he reads about himself across the years :-)

It was just what I needed.

I love knowing what my books are being used for

and I really love knowing that their use

turns them into something really meaningful.

So here's to keepin' on,

trying again,

and reminders that come just when you need them.

carry on little crocodile and my 100th sale

I woke up today with a sense of focus and letting go of that which isn't good for me.
sadly, it didn't stay with me long
BUT i am still here
and i am still trying
and that has to count for something.

in life in general there will always be stages

where things are easy

and stages where they are not.

This is a stage where they are not
but that will just make it all the better

when i get to a good stage again.

good things about today:

I have a surprise from my sister waiting for me at the post office

right this very moment

I have plans to shop this afternoon

(for food and clothes and possibly boots)

and plans to cook.

The snow is starting to melt.

I was also thinking about the idea that time passes quickly. There is not time to waste. So if something in me or my life is wrong, or just not what i want it to be then the time to fix that thing is right now.

settling is never a good idea.

wait it out.

something better will come along.

In other news I got my 100th sale yesterday in the silver shop.

I was and am quite excited about it.

Thanks SO much to everyone who helped me arrive there.

thank you thank you!

I think the time has finally come for this post.
I am feeling oddly motivated today. We shall see if it lasts.
:)

So blog awards are pretty great.

I was recently awarded the lovely blog aware from this fantastic blogger. What I am slightly ashamed to tell you is that a few weeks ago I also received this award from this lovely blogger. And a week or so before that I received the Honest Scrap blog award from another amazing blogger. So after I received these awards and was thoroughly excited by them (I really was quite thrilled), in a very Susie like manner I proceeded to get busy and completely space out on the fact that getting them meant I was supposed to actually do something.

Silly silly me.

For my tardiness and spaceyness I do apologize.

So now I am trying to make amends by making one giant blog award post.

Here are the rules:
- Thank the person who gave me the award and list their blog and link it
- List 10 honest things about myself
- Put a copy of The Honest Scrap Logo on my blog.
- Select 7 other worthy bloggers & list their links
- Notify the bloggers of the award and the rules:
- Thank the person who gave me the award and list their blog and link it

10 random honest things

1. If I could get away with it I would never wear shoes again

(except every once in a while I would put on a really great pair of heels).
2. I really love the outdoors and all things natural.
3. I love almost any sport or activity that has to do with or takes place in the water.
4. I cannot spell even though I was an English lit and editing major in college.
5. I love turbulence in airplanes and am not fully happy with a flight unless we have a little.
6. I was vegetarian for 3 years and didn’t eat red meat for 6 or 7.

I started eating meat again for health reasons

(it is possible to be a very healthy vegetarian, I just wasn’t one).

I still think about going back to it.
7. I have had painted toenails at all times for pretty much the last 15 years.
8. I have broken 11 bones.
9. I have been in 7 car accidents where the car was totaled

(I was only driving one of them).

10. I once got a very black eye dancing a little too wildly

Here are "the rules:"
1. When you place the award on your post, make sure to name the person who gave it to you and a link to their blog.
2. Pass the award onto 15 new blog sites, that you recently discovered. and list the blog with a link in your post.

3. Contact the people you chose to give the award, to let them know.

Blogs I would like to honor in no particular order:

Songs of light
A world of hope
Blue mountain ash
Musings of a melancholic
Thoughts and biro sketches
Pecanoot
Metals girl
it’s a lovely life
Unreliable girl
The noisy plume
Sunny rising

Oiseaux
Autumn leaves jewelry
Tiny happy

Adventures in color

I have decided to let you choose your award. Please pick whichever you liked best, participate if you please and then pass along the honor.

You are all certainly lovely bloggers and you share honestly of yourselves with your readers. I have been often inspired by you. So thank you and congrats!

the wedding

Quite in contrast to yesterday, today was my aunts wedding (other side of the family).

It was lovely. She was so happy and clearly in love.

I am so happy for them both and its always a bit inspiring to see two people so full of hope

and excited to just be together,

no matter their ages.

It kindof renews the faith a bit.

It was a happy occasion indeed.

the sky tonight in Utah

On another note:

I also would like to say thank you to all who read this.

I have always loved writing but assumed that no one else would every care to read it. It’s just wonderful to know that at least a few people do. I really enjoy it. It’s become a favorite part of my little life, so thank you all for being a part of it.