Happy New Year!

I still coming up for air and 2012 is a goner.

Hold on to your seats kids, this ride is about to get funkier.

But seriously, 2012 was a year of complete upheaval in my life, so rather than doing a retrospective, I'm going to look forward to 2013 and many life changes.

In 2013 I'm moving to Portland, OR. Yep, one more move, but this time we're settling down. (I hope)

There will be at least one less student fighting and slaving away trying to complete a PhD (moi). My sister is coming to stay with me for a whole year (this is a good thing).

And I'm planning more changes at a more individual level. These are heartfelt goals that I intend to use as a guide not just resolutions to discard by March. I plan to live a more focused, intentional life.

I vow to:

Be kinder and more accepting of others.

Smile more and more often.

Listen more and speak less.

Make the time for those I love.

Stop and think positively.

Simplify life.

Reach for a minimalist approach (i.e. get rid of "stuff" cluttering my life).

Organize different aspects of life.

That last one includes planning the blog and posting more regularly. More to come on that.

Here's to a new year.

sorry about the quality of the picture - my camera went to Portland already and I'm still in NY for the next 2 weeks

I'm back~

I can't believe how long it's been! I really missed blogging.

And why the absence?

Did you notice the name up there?

I'm opening up a shop! And since the name "No Clever Craft" doesn't, you know, inspire much confidence in my wares... I changed. I'll give a prize to the first person who correctly guesses what Mrs. Ricefield means. Or how in the world I picked this name.

In any case, I'm still figuring out the web designing stuff out, so I won't have a shop in m own website for a few weeks. And I'm still waiting on the licensing department in order to actually list anything for sale... But the name is registered and soon, very soon I'll begin putting my things for sale.

So, I'm back! There's a lot going on around here this next month, and thus I decided on taking it easy, posting two or three posts up each week and not having a set schedule. But I'm back nonetheless.

I will be trying to catch up with your blogs soon, and stopping by to visit. In the meantime, remember the handbag I had started sewing with the fabric I received from my mother in law? Here's the finished product. I quite like it!

How have you all been?! 

Building inventory vacation

So, it has come to this. My list of projects has piled too high.

I need to take a short time off from blogging in order to build inventory. I have a real vacation coming up soon, but I'll be blogging and sharing it with all of you when it does happen. 

For the next week or two, however, I'll be busy sewing, drawing, painting, etc, and I won't be able to follow my schedule. I will try to stop by all my favorite blogs during that time, and if I have something quick to share I'll have a new post. But I won't have my usual schedule. *tear*

image courtesy of the graphics fairy

I hope to have so much to share when I do come back.

Going off the schedule

In case anyone missed me, I'm sorry for the lack of posts and news or even visiting my favorite blogs and leaving comments. It's been a whirlwind over here since Thursday last week.

I won't go into details too much, but there will be some major changes happening in our household in the next few months. For a while I'll be alone with little N. Then by the Holidays we'll be reunited in a far away place. It's all a bit scary - temporary single motherhood, moving to a new place where I don't know anybody. I'm still trying to adjust to the news.

In the meantime, the husband and I only have a couple of weeks before the wheels start moving. So we're trying to spend some extra time together. That means, less time for blogging and visiting all of you at least for a couple of weeks. I'm sure you understand.

How do you deal with major changes in your life? How do you adjust your plans and wishes when a wrench is thrown in? I don't really want to go, but since I have to, I want to do it with a good attitude, any tips?

New directions (no, not the Glee Club)

Still a bit shocked that I made it through April. But now it's time to think about what's to come.

I realized during the A-Z challenge that it pays to push myself to write regularly and to have some theme behind what I write. I'm normally a bit of a spaz when it comes to writing, doing whatever my mood dictates whenever it feels right. Well, this blog came to life as my stress reliever and inflexibility creates more stress than it takes away! Still, I think I can get into a more regular schedule of blogging without being too hard on myself if I miss one day. 

With that said, this is what I plan on doing for the foreseeable future, knowing that sometimes I may deviate from the plan:

• Mondays: Mondays get a bad rep from being the beginning of the work week, so I'm planning on doing nothing on Mondays. Except for today.... ;-)
• Texture Tuesdays: Yeah, I love textures. So I'm participating on Texture Tuesdays from Kim Klassen Cafe, and I'll post my picture as well as the settings I used for the texture layers on the blog. 
• Hump day reviews: a review of a site, book, or product related to creative endeavors.
• Tutorial Thursdays: every Thursday I'm planning on putting up a tutorial for some type of craft that I've played around with.
• Free for all Fridays: the name says it all. Anything goes on Friday - I want at least one day to write about whatever comes to mind. This may include family going-ons, sewing projects, crochet/knitting, paper crafts, etc, 
• Sketchbook Saturday-Sunday: I've also joined Illustration Fridays, and I'll be posting my drawings and paintings on the weekend. 

There you have it. I'm pushing myself to write more regularly and hopefully you'll benefit from knowing what to expect when you come to the blog. Whenever I can (and believe it worth it), I'll share the steps I took to do whatever it was that I did. I love sharing. 

And just so you don't think I spent the weekend lazying around, this is what we did around here:

I love bleeding hearts! I had to add one to my garden this year.

almost ready to pop out :)

N. picked this little guy to protect our garden

Husband's choice. He likes small, unassuming flowers. He's sweet like that.

A whole lot of gardening was happening in these parts. 

How did you spend your weekend?

Peasant blouse and a new challenge

About a week or so ago I decided to make a cute and girly blouse for N. in time for Spring. She even picked the fabric herself (I love to give her choices and she loves to make them). My problem? As always lack of time. But have no fear, the internet is here! I found an easy and quick (can you tell I love those?) tutorial/pattern for a peasant blouse over at Indietudes (check her out, she shares some amazing tutorials and patterns). 

The blouse:

The little girl who couldn't wait to put it on and go crazy:

 I'm glad she liked it.

Now it's on to a new challenge!  And this time it's not about crafts... *shock*

As you've noticed, I'm not the most prolific blogger out there. I can sometimes go a few days without a new blog post. It happens. I'm pretty laid back about this blogging thing, you know? BUT, I decided to challenge myself by joining the Blogging From A to Z April Challenge!

There are over 600 bloggers signed up for this, can you imagine? And I like the idea of pushing myself to write something everyday based on simply a letter. The question is, can I keep up? And in the weeks leading up to finals too...

What challenges have you given yourself lately?

Highly prized - a collection

A couple more sketches in response to the January prompt of the sketchbook challenge - "highly prized."

School and learning:

(this last guy is another student)

An almost leafless tree: (Fall and winter are my favorite seasons of the year) 

As a brief reflection on this blog... I'm surprised at how much sketching I've been sharing here. It's not my best craft, but it seems to be dominating my life right now. I've always liked a challenge I guess. I just didn't imagine the blog would be a place for me to be exposing these sketches to the world! 

Blogs seem to have a life of their own, eh? 

What have you done on your blog that has surprised you? Do share a "surprise" post if you'd like. I'd love to see them.

And thank you everyone for your well wishes and your comments on the fish. Your comments always encourage me.

"It's a helluva start, being able to recognize what makes you happy." - Lucille Ball (quote taken from the incredibly fun silly III class).