Personal Notepad

As I catch up with everyone's blogs, I've been noticing a trend - that of busyness. So many comings and goings and crafts to make and goodies to bake. And it doesn't seem relegated to just those bloggers in the US who are celebrating Thanksgiving; it seems to be a worldwide occurance.

This time of year just seems to be a flurry of activity; preparing for and celebrating the various holidays, executing the many projects that have been planned for so long, getting the handmade goodies ready for selling, trying to carve out time for friends and family. The lists are miles long and time is flying away from us by leaps and bounds.

On any given day during this season, my arms and hands look like a mass of handwritten tattoos...my own personal notepads when I don't have a piece of paper nearby, spelling out the places I've been and need to go, things to remember, things to do.

October, November and December just seem to whiz by with little feelings of accomplishment. When it's over, I have mixed feelings. Relief that it's over, but sadness too; all that anticipation and the joyous feeling of the season. But I often wonder, did I take any time for myself during the hustle bustle? Who did I neglect? What did I forget? And every year I make the same resolution - start early, get it all prepared ahead of time so when this time of year rolls around I can sit back and relax, visit more, and feel like I'm enjoying the season rather than feeling the anxiety of the looming "To-Do" list. Then, if I take a class (like Drawing), I can enjoy it more and not feel like it's cutting into my "getting things done" time.

But I have to admit, I've gotten smart and started an assembly line process for the craft fair things - it's making it much easier. I have 1 lap quilt to make for a friend, my nephew's gift to buy and a dollhouse to make (I really, really hope my best friend doesn't read this blog - as far as I know, she doesn't because I've posted about her before and she's never mentioned or commented, so I think I'm safe). I'm really looking forward to working on that. I've been picking up little pieces to go into it here and there and just received the kitchen set in the mail yesterday, all the way from South Carolina (Ebay - gotta love it!) It's so totally cute! And I'm so impressed with each piece! The doors open, the drawers move.

I picked up the living room set about a month ago, it's all red velvet and victorian looking. I also have a bedroom set and a writing room set (well, it's stuff that will be used in the writing room that I will create).

If I didn't have the craft fair to prepare for, I'd so be working on this dollhouse! I love it! I'm going to hate to give it up when I'm done, but the look on her face will be the best reward for my work!

Alright, I've rambled enough. I have to check out of here and run errands, grab lunch and head off to an environmental meeting in Freeport - yay!

If I don't get a chance to post tomorrow (though I will try), Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in the States and have a great rest of the week to everyone else!