This week has really been a nice autumn week. Weather is cooler, nights are cold and the furnace is on. We had one night that was 26 degrees and was the first killing frost. Daylight hours are quickly getting shorter and shorter. I have embraced the cozy and brought out all of the fall and Halloween decorations.

I had planned a long out of town vacation this weekend but I wasn’t ready to walk Huston’s quilt show by myself. I stayed home and made a lot. It worked out with all the slow downs at the airports with the government shut downs and my husband has been home sick with a kidney stone.

I have felt refreshed and recharged with all the classes. I have 2 more weeks of pottery class. In class today we start glazing. I trimmed a pot and built a Christmas tree earlier this week. Forgot to take pics but will when I go back to the studio today. I think for my last make in class I will throw a pot on next trip to the studio. I can see me taking more classes in the future, especially the one off classes and renting studio time.

I drove to the glass studio and picked up my fused glass pieces. I love how they turned out. The white one is the best one but I love the quirky pink Christmas tree. I do love making glass things but I can see this as a once a year thing.

I have been slowly making progress on my fodder challenge classes. The first few lessons were using alcohol inks and that is too smelly for me to do. Looks fun but I passed on those lessons. I finished making these collage paper flowers with a fodder class and then did a journal page. I have many more lessons to try and I will pick them up in earnest as I wrap up the pottery class. I have lots of ideas on making these super fun art journal mixed media pages. I love this and I can see making fodder and a layout about once a week. They are a lot more work than they look.

I am working on cutting back on digital distractions and time wasters, and it just happened that this week’s exercise in my journal is a digital detox. I love the internet, being on my phone and social media. However, of all the things, social media is probably the least healthy for me. I have been consuming less on social media and doing more hands-on things like my classes, quilting, sewing, crochet a pile of granny squares, having coffee with a friend, calling my family and exploring mixed media. The more I sit and flip thru social the worse I feel. It’s like junk food, ok in small amounts but overdoing it makes you sick. Social media is like junk food for my brain. I start comparing myself too much, feeling like I should have more going on than I do and then there is allllll of the selling of stuff I don’t need spending money I don’t need to waste.

I have been enjoying long form media instead, like reading long form articles. I have watched more long form shows about history and archeology. I have spent more time making things just for fun and I have done more writing, journaling and exercising.

I feel healthier overall and I have a lot to show for what I have been doing. I have met some great people along the way and I hope to continue this all through the winter.

I hope you have a great day and have time to be creative!

Vicki