Progress

Progress is one of my favorite words and concepts. I love the idea of being able to visually see forward movement on a project, an ambition, a goal. That's why I like lists so much, I'm sure. The visual representation of checking something off of a list gets me so jazzed, and I'm excited to share with you today that I have been ticking off a few things, despite my blog absence!

I am one of those people who can't stand to sit still for long. It's a trait I really like about myself and I feel like I can always be making “progress” on something. I'm often making jewelry or embroidering something while watching a movie, folding laundry, or making something. I can't not do anything--and it drives people crazy sometimes.

1. Read Books 

1a. Design Sponge at Home: Grace Bonney.

(loved it, the photos were beautiful and the projects were fantastic. I did a couple of them, but more on that later.)

1b. A Clash of Kings: George R.R. Martin

(obsessed over it, cried about a lot of it, and freaked out with my husband, who has read them all before. He likes to take my predictions of what is going to happen, and then I get to see if my ideas line up with George. Sometimes they do, and sometimes they don't. Once I finished this one, I just couldn't stop, so I picked up the third one from my local B&N and obsessed over that one too. I spent an entire glorious Saturday doing nothing but reading, and now I'm only about 50 pages away from the end. I have obsessed, cried, and freaked out through this one too. Sometimes these books are hard to read but maybe that's a mark of how well Martin has written these characters—I care about them so much!)

1c. The Western Canon: Harold Bloom

2. Be Active

2a. (free!) Movies at the Park

2b. Make my own clothes

(made a couple circle skirts! Will show later....)

2c. Host some Crafternoons

(Proud of this one. My friend Lori and I have had not one, but TWO crafternoons together and they have both been incredibly productive!)

2d. Art Lessons with my Nieces: Because I have some really awesome nieces.

3. Follow Tradition

3a. Pool time/attempt to tan/fail as tradition dictates

3b. blueberry picking

(I picked blueberries when the in-laws were in town and made Smitten Kitchen's blueberry crumb bars. They turned out fantastic! I ate the remainder of my blueberries too fast, however, and didn't end of freezing any of them... oh well!)

3c. float trip

3d. catch a lightning bug

For more on the crafternoons, check back in a couple of days! May your summers be productive and full of fun and relaxation!

3e. visit family