Playing catch up

So much has happened since I stopped blogging.  Here is a list of some things in no particular order, just off the top of my head:

Elliott is 5 and in Kindergarten.  He is such a charming little kid.

Madelyn will soon be 4.  Here she is in her recital dress.  Isn't she adorable?

Elliott and Maddie will be getting a new brother or sister in July and I will have another baby to love.

We said good-bye to our dear, dear Ivy to bladder cancer in May of last year.  I still can't even type those words without choking up a little.  Oh, how I loved that ornery dog.

We also lost Buster in September.  He was a sweet kitty.  We are now cat-less.

Ivy can never be replaced but we now have a new red dog to love.  Meet Molly.  She's a stinker.

I suspect Molly will be frequently featured at Hiraeth if I do end up catching the blogging bug.

Sam is now taking the train into Chicago for classes at Tribeca Flashpoint College, majoring in film.  He loves it!

Our 'Narnia' tree died last year.  We replaced it with a White Fir.  It's a  nice little tree, but it's not magical.

I have become a TV watcher.  Never thought that would happen.  I blame Downton Abbey. . .and American Pickers.

My business has grown every year.  It's nice to be fully booked and turning jobs away.  I have the best job in the world.  Every day I get to do what I would otherwise be wishing I could do.  That is a good thing.

Our little church is growing! Everyone warned us about how stressful starting a new church was going to be but it really hasn't been stressful at all.  It is a joy to have been there at the beginning of our church's history, but Christ Covenant OPC is in very good hands with Reverend Wilkins and our overseeing church, Hope OPC in Grayslake, IL.  What a blessing it is to be a part of such a loving church family.

I am growing older.  It's shocking.  I took a 'what is your real mental age' test a few weeks ago and got 28.  Add 30 years to that and you have  my chronological age.  Like I said; shocking.

Want to know something else that is shocking?  Most of the books I 'read' are recorded books.  I'm so busy with my work that by the time I close up shop in the evenings, I'm too tired to read.  But I devour recorded books while I am working.  (Just finished 'The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry' and I loved it!)

I'm getting ready to repaint and redecorate my kitchen.  It will take me forever because I can only work in between jobs and on the weekends.  I probably should hire someone to do it but I like painting.  At least I think I do.  At least I used to.  We'll see.

Right now, I'm working on a marriage proposal letter for a client to be given to his girlfriend, soon to be fiance, on Valentine's Day.  Did I tell you I love my job?

There is so much more. . .I regret that I didn't keep it up, if only for the family memories.  I'll try to do better.

Want to see what I've been up to?

I've been updating my work blog, Scriptorium, tonight and since it's been a while since I've shared any of my work, I thought I'd share a link, just in case you want to have a peek.

Morning Sunshine Magic

Cross posted from Scriptorium:

The sun comes streaming through my studio windows in the springtime.  It's beautiful, but I have to twist the blinds shut because it hits me straight in the eyes.  Even with the blinds drawn, the light falls across my drawing board.

This morning I was mesmerized by the texture of the envelopes I was working on and the wet, shiny black ink as it skipped across the surface of the paper.  Light and shadows, white and black--the light was magical.  I could watch the wet ink laying down on the paper and then beginning to dry as my pen pulled and shaped the wet line of ink.

I put my pen down and picked up my camera and attempted to capture the light, the paper, the ink:

If you look closely, you can see the watermark, 'Crane & Company' to the left of the zip code.

 

As the day wore on and the stacks of finished envelopes piled up, the magic light was gone but the memory of it remained in my mind's eye.

Here is a peek at my Book of Hebrews project.  I've been leading a study in the book of Hebrews since 2007.  We are in Chapter 12 at present and hope to wrap the study up by summer.  It has been an amazing experience and I wanted to commemorate it somehow.

The book of Hebrews is a bridge between the Old and New Testaments.  As the book of Hebrews begins in chapter 1, verse 1:  Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets; He spoke by the Prophets--and the scribes preserved that which was spoken.

As a calligrapher/scribe, I've always wanted to try my hand at copying a whole book of the Bible and then binding it.  The Book of Hebrews, with its strong ties to the Old Testament, seemed like the right book to attempt.

Ink:   Black, Moon Palace Sumi 

  Red, Liquitex Ink!  Naphthol Crimson

  Blue, Liquitex Ink!  Phthalocyanine Blue

  Green, Liquitex Ink!  Sap Green Permanent

Paper: Strathmore Drawing, Medium  9 x 12

Another busy day

The days have been full--full of Bible study, reading, working, envelopes, housework--living!

I'm determined to try to post every day this week but I really have nothing interesting to blog about.  Weird how that happens, isn't it?  My life is full and happy and busy but not particularly bloggable.

But I'll try.

Studying:  I'm studing Hebrews 11:11, 12 so I'm dipping in and out of Genesis, too.  I love studying this book of the Bible.  I am so torn inside--I can't wait to finish it (we've been at it almost three years!) but I feel sad to think that someday this particular study will come to an end.  My love of that book will never end, though!

Reading:  I'm reading Les Miserables, my favorite novel.  This is a new translation by Julie Rose.  So far I'm liking it, but I'm not sure if it will surpass my favorite translation from the Everyman's Library.

Working:  My business really seems to be taking off right now.  I just finished working on envelopes for an October wedding this week, I'm waiting for the delivery of envelopes for my next job which will start next week, and I've got a large seating chart and 4 framed pieces to do before the end of August.

Housework:  I cleaned three cupboards yesterday and plan on cleaning under the kitchen sink and organizing my tupperware tomorrow.  How's that for exciting?

Listening:  I listen to Renewing Your Mind every day.  I listen while I'm working or when I sit down for a cup of coffee.  If I get distracted and miss it I HAVE to catch up!  It's a big part of my day.

Watching:  I've been watching 'The Next Food Network Star' and I was so glad Paul was sent home last episode.  I'm pulling for Aarti but Tom is starting to grow on me.

I've also started watching old re-runs of the French Chef with Julia Child.  What a hoot! 

Gardening:  I need to dead head the flower beds.  Not a bad job, really.  I'd enjoy it if it weren't for the mosquitos in the mornings and evenings and the heat and humidity during the day.

So that's what I've been up to.  Nothing exciting but life is good. 

How about you?

Dictionary Word of the Day: Majuscule

majuscule
\MAJ-uh-skyool\ , adjective;
1.
Of letters written either as capitals or uncials.
noun:
1.
A large letter, either capital or uncial, used in writing or printing.

Inspired by today's Dictionary Word of the Day, this is my first attempt at broad brush calligraphy.  There's a learning curve so I'm not entirely satisfied but I thoroughly enjoyed playing with this new (to me) technique.

Thankful Thursday 2010

It's a gorgeous spring day today; the flowers are blooming and the leaves are leafing out all over the place!  I've been sitting here in my studio working with a nice breeze blowing the curtains, wishing I could be outside but thankful for a productive day of work as I prepare for the Bridal Fair next weekend.

I'm excited and thankful that my dear niece, Katie, received her hand lettered wedding invitations safely in the mail today and that she loves them!  It was such fun hearing the excitement in her voice!

I'm also excited and thankful that I have some work lined up right after I finish with the Bridal Fair.  I'm grateful for the opportunity to make connections and contacts and that my work will be getting some much needed exposure.

Most of all, today, I am so very thankful for the privilege I have to work as a calligrapher, doing what I love to do and actually getting paid to do it!

I'm joining my friend, Kim from the Upward Call,  and others in giving thanks each Thursday in 2010.  Won't you join us?



Who needs a kick in the pants?

Apparently, I do.  This week I have been forced to face (yet again!) how sadly neglected my poor blog has become. A quote on Saturday, a hymn on Sunday, a recipe and a picture here and there.  Compared to the first three years or so when I happily blogged nearly every day, this blog has gone very quiet.

There are many reasons for this.  Over the past few weeks, I've been preparing for my first Bridal Fair to promote my fledgling business, The Constant Scribe.  Between preparing for that, a crop of June wedding envelopes I just finished, and a few other calligraphy projects on top of my regular house-wifely chores, spring yard clean up, and Bible study, I just haven't had time to sit down and blog.  Or read blogs, for that matter.

Lately, though, I've been longing to return to blogging and I've been intending to 'get back to it' once things 'slow down a little bit.'  A quick look at my sitemeter this week tells me that I've lost nearly all my regular readers--I guess I'm not surprised at that but it was a bit of a wake-up call. 

However, something infinitely more positive was the real 'kick in the pants' I needed!  This week, my Google Alert incorrectly identified another blog, Hiraeth in the Hurt Locker, with mine and sent me an alert to a post over there.  Being the curious person I am, I checked it out and OH!, what a great blog!  It's written by a 'new' Christian, Dai' G Bear, just a year old in the faith.  His posts are insightful, challenging, and inspiring.  Talk about making my own blog seem stale and uninteresting!  It's far and away one of the best blogs I've ever read.  I hope you'll stop over sometime soon and visit with Dai' G Bear.  I'd subscribe if I were you!

(Oh, and I don't know about you, but I had to look up the definition of hurt locker --noun. a period of immense, inescapable physical or emotional pain--it makes perfect sense to me when wedded to the meaning of hiraeth--a fit description of the Christian life reminiscent of Paul's dilemna in Romans 7: Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!)

Merry Christmas!

As with JOY they hailed its light,

leading onward, beaming bright;

so, most gracious GOD may we

Evermore be led to THEE.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Two Days

Giving Thanks in November

The sun is streaming through the windows in my studio.  The pens and brushes are standing at attention in their jars, and the light is glinting off them merrily--a visual invitation to come, sit down and play.

The bed is not made, I haven't had breakfast, I need to sort laundry; so many morning tasks remain.

I think I'll get off the computer and get busy.  The sunshine will have moved on, but it's bright, inviting image will remain, calling me to 'come and play.'

I'm thankful that my work feels like play.

What are you thankful for?  Be sure to stop by Rebecca Writes and see what others are thankful for!

Cross posted at Scriptorium

A couple of things

First--Rebecca is hosting the 4th Annual November of Thanksgiving at her blog.  You can find all the details here.  I've been participating since the beginning and I really do look forward to it!  To be thankful should be the natural state of a Christian!  All it takes is to stop and think through your day and look for the blessings and provisions, protection and presence of Christ in your life!

Next--I've retired Bookworm Bookmarks.  It has gone into the back storage closet of cyberspace.  You may see it again in the sidebar from time to time as I enable it to collect images I want to keep before removing it altogether, but for the most part, it'll be invisible.

Next, next--I've started a blog for my calligraphy website, The Constant Scribe, called Scriptorium.  It's a place to roll out new projects, chat about the progress of this new venture of mine, talk about materials and techniques and whatever else comes to mind.  Not sure if anyone will be interested in it, but you are welcome to check it out.  I've added a bunch more images to the gallery and will be working very hard to add more next week.

And last, thanks for visiting The Constant Scribe.  I'm now showing up in Google and other search engines and I've had quite a few local hits--no jobs resulting from the website yet--but it takes time!

Wahoo!

Today I'm kicking off the website for my calligraphy business, The Constant Scribe.  It's still under construction and I've still got a lot of work left to do but there's enough there to get started! 

Would you do me a favor and check out what I've done so far and come back and leave me a comment?--I'd love to have some feedback--and getting some hits for the old Google bots would be a help!  If you like what you see, feel free to link!

I'll be retiring Bookworm Bookmarks soon, but I will continue to offer bookmarks, blog buttons, and banners at The Constant Scribe.  Thanks so much to those of you who placed orders with me at Bookworm Bookmarks!  (You know who you are!!) It was great fun working with you all and I look forward to creating gifts and bookmarks for you at The Constant Scribe!