Hey.Yes, I am here...alive and well. Just not very blogative lately which is pretty obvious but I'm starting to get the itch so here we go. Random bits.

-I mentioned to Jeff last night that I'll actually get to call my own mother on mother's day and it feels good. Having been estranged from her for half my life, I'm embracing most parts of our mending relationship but I'm still cautious and keep expectations at bay.

-I'm happy with my own Mother's day ritual which is just having time to myself. I'm not a gift person. I'm happy with flowers + a few hours to myself. That's all I ask. I got my "gift" yesterday since my husband works Sundays. I spent the afternoon getting my nails done and taking photographs. Doing just those few simple rituals for myself renews my spirit. I also find it incredibly calming to sit in front of a sunlit window in a quiet room styling objects and photographing them. As much as I enjoy photo sessions with my clients, it's styling and still lifes that I enjoy most.

(Hello-Paislee Press cards)

-I realized the other day that I'm now a bonafide SAHM. My thought process and routine has done a complete 180. Something made me realize this and I found it funny....I'm trying to remember. Oh well. Memory loss goes with the territory as well.

-I was asked if I was employed when filing out some paperwork at the hospital the other day and for a moment I had to stop and think about it. It was a weird feeling. Not in a bad way, just unfamiliar.

-I can recite every Fresh Beat Band song by heart. There are a lot of things I never thought Tyler would be into or like. It was hard to even fathom a little being running around the living room that was once unsuitable for toddler living. A fireplace made of jagged slate, open outlets, exposed wires, freely walking up the stairs without having to do an olympic hurdle over a baby gate. Furniture is now used as barriers. Blankets cover the bottom of the fireplace. Toys and books litter the floor. And now we watch Nick Jr and PBS rather than Food TV and ESPN. I wish I could say my child is not into tv but he is. He loves anything that dances and sings, especially the Fresh Beat Band. He laughs when things are funny, he dances and sways to the music and points to objects on the tv. We do our Yo Gabba Gabba dancie dances together and sing along to the music. I never in a million years imagined that I would have a son who was so into music. That makes me happy though. It reminds me of my own father who shared his love of music with me. I just hope Tyler will come to appreciate the good stuff when he's older like I did when my dad played the classics.

-Working on a several items for the shop. I keep saying I'm ready to update, then think of something new and hold off. I want to have a full shop with a variety of things. Not just a print or 2 so please be patient. I hope to have a complete shop update by mid-week. There will be 2 new 5x7 prints, a few stamps and a few mini prints that will be the size of PL cards. I won't be doing all the designs that are in the shop now so once they're gone, they're gone. I want to keep renewing ideas and product. I get bored very easily. I know everyone is doing stamps right now. I'm totally inviting myself to that party with a few designs that first started to be for myself but then I thought, why not offer them?

Well, have you? Yes? Great....you're in for a treat. No? Well then what are you waiting for? Go to the Studio Calico website, add it to your cart and mark your calendar for June 1st (that's when the workshop will start). There will be a ton of NEW inspiration on how to use our favorite sticky embellishment. Here's a peek at one of my projects.