bits and pieces...of my life

 

Hello!  Happy holidays to everyone.  I hope no one is getting too stressed out and is finding time to enjoying this festive time of year.  I have to admit I am...for the first time in a very long while.  

So I am going to share a few bits of information and some pieces of my life. 

Here are the pieces::

I am sure that anyone who has ever read this blog has noticed that my posts here have been few and far between this past year.  There are many reasons for that, which at this time I am not interested in writing a play by play  and I don't really think that is why you are here. However since the split from my husband and subsequent move to Portland I did lose custody of my scanner.  Which has made blogging much more challenging because the majority of my posts were based around my polaroid pictures.  However the good news is I did gain custody of a digital camera, since I gave my sweetheart one for christmas last year.  It's a good one too.  I am finally feeling settled in Portland.  It has felt like home for a long time but now it's official. I am feeling the need to get back into the swing of things.  I miss the Jen that got crabby when she didn't have time to create, the one who would lay in bed at night and come up with ideas while trying to fall asleep at night.  The one who felt stable and confident enough to stock her etsy shop. Most of all I miss the girl that was inspired by things on a daily basis.

The good news is I have two things that have inspired me tremendously lately.  

First of which is  Miss Cori Kindred.  A transplant to Portland just like myself. She is incredibly talented and has an amazing eye for treasures, My sweetheart asked me the other day how exactly I "met" Cori.  I couldn't pin it down.  I know I admired her blog and her shop for ages.  We did a personal trade and just seemed to keep in touch via email, flickr and our blogs.  Then I finally got to meet her in person.  Since I moved to Portland I have been lucky enough to spend time with her.  We have spent the majority of our time thrifting and going to estate sales. This woman has an incredible sense of where the good stuff is. We hit the mother load on Friday at a place she spotted out of the corner of her eye and had never been to.  Like I said she just has a sense.  Thrifting again has inspired me to restock my poor neglected etsy shop.  Stay tuned. I will be working on that this week. 

My second inspiration has come from rediscovering blogs.  Over the past year not only did I neglect my own blog, but I lost track of blogs I loved reading.  I also wasn't privy to the amazing new blogs that have popped up this year.  I spent last night perusing the lovely crafty blogosphere, amazed at just how much I have missed.  I bookmarked project after project and can't wait to dig in.  I really want to try to use what I have and not buy a ton of new supplies. Moving twice in 4 months can do that to a person.

This year I want to live a simpler life.  Putting my energy into people and projects that I love.  I will say no even if I feel obligated to say yes.  I will savor my time with my family.  I want to reinvent my new creative self and leave the old, overwhelmed, unfocused one behind.

Won't you please join me.

xoxo, jen

Comments

[cori]

oh yes, i would totally *love* to join you!!! ;) you're so sweet jen, i'm so glad you're here and my friend and feeling better about things. i appreciate having you in my life, and it's an honor to be in yours!

[painted fish studio]

i've been missing the creative jen, and i'm so looking forward to seeing her again! it's going to be a good year for you, and i want to witness it!

[kristin]

oh sweetheart!! what a wonderful post...you sound so grounded, so full of spirit, so true to yourself. you've transitioned from that sad place and you are full of hope for the future! i can almost hear your creative self ready to pour itself out to us. hooray jen!! i look forward to seeing where your journey continues. xxx

[mary]

Yay! I loved reading this and I'm glad you're back. :)

[cindy]

bring it on :)!

[Melissa]

Hello, again! And yes it's time to enjoy what we have and dig in :)

[Veronica TM]

yay, jen! i've missed you! so glad to hear you are happy and settled in. one day i will go visit you in portland and we will thrift together. i hope all your dreams come true in 2010!

[laeroport]

Honey, reading this made me so happy. I missed your creative self too.
Happy Holidays.
Mwwwah!

[carrie]

woo hoo! glad you're back!

[Teresa]

You are so beautiful. glad you are back. Love you sweetie --- teresa

[Andrea]

yes to savoring time with family! I have been working on "no" over the past year. (Trying times and change can really do that to ya, right?) Oh, I think you are sparking a post.

Glad to see you posting. :)

[melissa]

I come to your blog by way of Andrea's blog (http://thelittlecollection.blogspot.com/). I love hearing (reading) someone else saying exactly what I feel! I have been so bogged down by blogland I could barely breath. I love the idea of letting go and an event in November kicked started me in that direction, anyway. So, YES, YES, YES I am in! I am glad I found you!

[beki]

Welcome back, Jen! I look forward to (re)discovering the new (old) you! I'm so happy to see you in this space again - all the best ;-)

[Aunt Sharon]

YEAH, I knew you could do it!

[Sonya]

Have a very Merry Christmas Jen. I have to say that 2009 was a humdinger for me and many people around me, though I didn't weather near the amount of change as you. You've borne it gracefully and look absolutely radiant in the photo. Glad to know you have camera custody and there will be photos! I need a new point and shoot so I can get back into regular picture-taking mode. Have a very Merry Christmas! xoxo

[sosser]

welcome back, jenpal!

xo

[raesha]

Yahoo!!! look at all these awesome comments and how much you are loved:):) I'm definitely joining you in simplicity:)