Blogging – Morning Glory Studio

borrowing …

Published on April 8, 2022April 8, 2022 by Honoré10 Comments

I first read Gretchen Rubin’s Happiness Project book, published in 2009. I’ve read all her Happiness Project books and listen to her and sister Liz’ weekly podcast Happier with Gretchen Rubin and now More Happier, which airs twice a month…and I’ve been to see Gretchen and Liz both times when they came to Washington DC. Am I a fan? Yeah, I think one could safely say so.

Gretchen also has a blog which she religiously keeps up to date. Today, I’m borrowing her “5 things Making Me Happy” prompt to share here on Morning Glory Studio.blog.

Spring has arrived! The colors of the flowers are just delightfully uplifting – seeing them – especially the yellow tulips – adds bounce to my step on my nearly (weather permitting) daily walks …
These days, I have been focusing on my AmaZe project, compiling, writing, editing stories of my life. Over the years, I’ve shared these stories both current and past on my blog/s. My aim is to end 2022 with a finished product/project. What that looks like is still a mystery… but I’m enjoying the ride …
I’m feeling the urge to pick up needles – for all sorts of stitching projects – again. One of the side effects I experienced during Covid* was a loss of the desire to spend significant time in my sewing studio…slowly, that desire is changing to positive territory. New to my list to try: cross stitch. I have several patterns/kits and eventually, I’ll get roun’ to it.
Clearing the garage of stuff that is labeled for the dump or recycling, such as electronics, medications, etc. is another major category on my list: Just the idea of completing this task makes me happy!
Engaging in more creative art journaling play… watercoloring; acryllic stamping; drawing the sky and clouds. – Oh the clouds – today they’ve been a study and I’d like to be able to capture them in other ways beyond photgraphy.

What’s making you happier these days?

Cheers~

P. S. One other thing that has made me happy: I got my second Covid booster shot yesterday!

make life simple | 8.4.21 …

Published on August 4, 2021August 10, 2021 by Honoré12 Comments

Sitting on my computer shelf is a quote from Buddha: each morning we are born again; what we do today is what matters most. I’m astonished – too strong a word? – well, maybe amazed – that it is already 4 August. Where does the time go -when you’re having fun … or not? Each day I plan to publish a post and then the next thing I realize, the day is over. So, I tell myself: tomorrow. And here t’is… tomorrow! The question: How did that happen… 24 hours every day, the sun rises/sets … seasons come and go … For sure there is a lovely rhythm to the days of our lives, tho’ sometimes, the days seem to be just one long endless continuum…

Drafting this post has taken me all afternoon – with a few long breaks interspersed: Zoom sessions with storytelling scrapbooking friends and another with a quilting friend – then a walk on a most pleasant afternoon, the last of ? until? The weather forecast for the next nine days and counting: H-O-T! Besides that side activity, I had to connect with Word Press for assistance with the new block editor. I do not like. Currently I’m reading a few assorted other titles, old and I started Anne Lamott’s newest: Dusk, Night, Dawn.

So far, I’m enjoying the change of pace. Deep sigh: I’m still aiming to conquer making Confetti Quilt blocks. Daily, I tell myself: “this is the day” and then, “well, there’s tomorrow … fingers crossed, I hope.” Today I found this fabric remnant from a quilt I made for niece Chris when she left for Rutgers in 2010. I can’t believe it’s been 6 years since she graduated! I think the fabric is a perfect bit of advice for an Unraveled Wednesday. Hope your day’s been less frustrating!

Cheers~

tgif | 5.7.21 …

Published on May 7, 2021 by Honoré9 Comments

**at sunrise this morning: 6:05 am EST**

Currently, I am participating in the annual May rendition of LOAD – Layout A Day. Our theme this month is The Golden Girls and thus far it’s been a lot of fun. I’ve watched Golden Girls since it first aired in 1985; I suspect I’ve seen all 185 episodes at least ten times but each one is almost always fresh, new and funny! I normally catch a few episodes, aired on the Hallmark Channel, on weekends.

In my last post, I shared a bit about a PiP (project in progress…or not ): knitting the sky. No, I’ve not yet started the project tho’ Thursday morning , I did begin reading the book Knit the Sky on my Kindle. I rarely read ebooks so I’m relearning the platform – which has been updated considerably since the last time I read a Kindle book. Above are the yarns I’ll be using for the project…now, to get started!

And, also in my last post, I shared a picture of Hazel – niece Chris’ labradoodle. Hazel has a new look and I thought she’d be OK with my sharing another photo. She’s such a cutie!

My daily schedule has been drastically changed over the past six months and I’ve too often found myself trying to fit things in the old time frame, only to run out of time and steam! As I was drafting this post, keenly aware that too many days have elapsed since I last posted, I had a bright idea: Usually , M- F, I’m on line during the noon hour, creating daily pages in small 3 x 5 or 4 x 6 journals. I had the bright idea: I’ll use the following 12:45 – 2 PM time slot, give or take 10-15 minutes, to draft, edit, schedule or publish posts as well as attend to other blogging activity: reading and responding to comments, visiting others’ blogs, etc. As I shared earlier, I think this plan is a prime candidate for time blocking… time will tell… and as friend of mine oft said: nothing beats a failure but a try… I’m not quite sure how this will all turn out but I plan to give it a good try. Now if I could only figure out how to use Word Press’ new editor program. I do not at all like it!

Wishing all a great weekend! My niece Kayla – age 20 – got her first Covid-19 vaccination today! Maybe by Memorial Day we’ll be able to have a family gathering…

Cheers~

it’s thursday !| 3.4.21 …

Published on March 4, 2021March 4, 2021 by Honoré8 Comments

…and as I begin to pen this post, also 4:45 pm, EST. I have had great intentions to post every day this first week of March – as they say: “life gets in the way of one’s plans…” Seems that my plans and better intentions are waylaid by unplanned events, e.g., today: I wound up making a grocery store run; fortunately, it took me about 75 minutes, portal to portal. And then, the next thing I know the day’s over and I’ve not written a word let alone a post. Oh well, I tell myself: “there’s always tomorrow.” Oh really?

Fortunately I’ve managed to carve out a 45-60 minutes block at noon, most days of the week to make a Daily Page, to play with cardstock, rubber stamps, washi tape, watercolors, etc on a 3 x 5 or 4 x 6 canvas along with people from all over the globe – also under COVID-19 restrictions. Thus far this week, I’ve also walked outside at least 20 minutes a day!!! I owe Mother Nature a huge thanks – she’s certainly brought us the weather that encourages such activity. The forecast for Sunday is very promising, too – maybe a walk to Franciscan Monastery? Weather permitting.

I am about to begin The Confetti Quilt Stitch Along. I alluded to it in my post last Thurs. Currently, I am waiting for my background fabric, on order from a shop in Texas – I think they’re back in business after all the turmoil with water and electrical grid … I am especially excited because I’ve not done any quilting since the beginning of COVID-19 …

On the reading front: I commented on Mary’s blog post for today: “Fun post AND I think “I’ll borrow a page from your book” -pun intended (I.am.so. clever – hah!): since I have yet to connect to my/a year-long read, I’ll read fiction in the morning, also! Duh! What took me so long to figure that out?!
Thanks friend for waking up a few sleepy brain cells…
Cheers~

The neat thing about this bright idea is I have lots of fiction titles awaiting my read – I don’t read much fiction and have been aiming to change that but have not had much success I think this will definitely work! Stay tuned.

Finally, I am pleased to report that soon both Norman and I will be among the 100 million who will have received their Covid-19 vaccination during POTUS 46’s First 100 Days!

Have a good weekend!

Cheers~

a habit update:blogging …

Published on October 12, 2020 by Honoré16 Comments

…and the days dwindle down, to a precious few…september, november …

I know that I’ve been AOL in this space since September 29th… In my last post, I said I was going to begin habit stacking and every day I awoke with the best intentions to establish the new habit as well as “Blog!” – a standing 5 star item on my daily agenda – at least 3 times a week. Tho’ my best laid schemes gang aft agley are conspicuously absent in this space, they are never in my mind!

Over the past ten+ days I’ve starred, underlined, bolded, highlighted, started, and abandoned posting… mainly because I’ve run out of time and energy. Life in these parts have taken a dramatic turn: Norman’s health has taken front and center, totally throwing previous schedules and plans out the door. These days: glucose readings and blood pressure monitoring coupled with many health consultations by phone are primary. He is doing well but we’re still working on the daily schedule revision. I think we’re finding our stride and settling into the new new normal.

Old habits are h-a-r-d to break; New habits harder to make.

To this end, I’ve decided that my blogging focus time – e.g., drafting, reading/responding to comments and blog visits – will be 1 -2 PM, give or take a minute or so! I plan to post M, W, F plus any special times of the month, e.g., one little word monthly linkup the last Tues of the month: 27 Oct, 30 Nov, and 29 Dec. Last month I designated the 1 PM hour for daily art journaling; I’m thinking perhaps Tu, Th and Sat/Sun for that activity. Time will tell…

To be continued…

Cheers~

sometimes …

Published on August 18, 2020August 18, 2020 by Honoré9 Comments

monday morphs into tuesday… I had the best intentions, plans and ideas yesterday to post … and somehow for some reason, some way, the day got away from me … as it did over the weekend. Perhaps because I was on Zoom, more than off, it seems – I hasten to add, not a complaint, just a fact. I am grateful for Zoom and other similar technologies; not only are we able to keep in touch with family, we’re also enabled to:

connect with friends , including those who perhaps we’ve only met online via our blogs and other social media;
learn new techniques in areas of our own personal interests, etc.

saturday -the 15th- afternoon, I went to Barnes & Noble and managed to spend more than enough on books to keep me company for a bit…more on them tomorrow. t’ws my first visit to a bookstore since February! I also stopped at a local office supply – filled with back to school supplies. In normal times, the inventory would be pretty much decimated. I bought the little guys each their own composition notebook, designed specifically for their ages: 6 and 2 3/4. I know that through the balance of 2020, Chris (6 years) will be doing first grade virtually and Elias, of course, will want to do everything his big bro’ (idol) does. I felt a tinge of sadness as I looked at all the school supplies – memories of back-to-school from my childhood, my nieces, flooded over and floored me as the reality of these times stopped me cold. [deep sigh].

yesterday it rained off -n-on and then of course stormed – just as Norman was putting the trash out for tuesday’s collection. why not? fortunately, tv reception wasn’t affected so we were able to watch the Democratic National Convention.

today was nearly perfect – low 80s ! Unheard of in the middle of August in these parts. I do not complain! Cheers~ PS. A reminder: next Tuesday, August 25 is the monthly one little word linkup on this blog!

sometimes mondays | 7.6.20…

Published on July 6, 2020 by Honoré10 Comments

It is Monday and post to blog is always a staple. Most Mondays I do… As the day moved on, I found my energy fizzling, my list of must do projects/tasks growing and several creative projects forwarded to tomorrow ~ which is probably already overbooked. Ah, such is life.

I shall blame my inertia on the heat – low 90s. As I look out the window, I see a darkened sky, moving trees, a flash of lightning and off in the distance, hear the rumble of thunder. A summer storm … an invitation to bring this post to a close and to play some with the creative project I paused earlier this afternoon. Yep, I think that’s what I’ll do. Fingers crossed we don’t lose electricity!

Cheers~

3 on thursday | 1.10.2019…

Published on January 10, 2019January 10, 2019 by Honoré10 Comments

Tues 8 Jan – 1:50 pm:

My intention this day included döstädning my office area – this photo of my desk shows why; you think? Then, I planned to write about my 2019 Word … suffice it to say that time took its own speed and before I knew it, I was fresh out of day and energy. Oh well, I sighed, hopefully tomorrow…

Wed 9 Jan – 7: 31 am :

I wrote: “Plowed through the upstairs y’day, creating more areas of stuff to move out…guess it’s called progress. Never wrote a bloomin’ word on the blog – writers (ahem) need to show up everyday at the same time! So again, when ? I stopped to look up/out the window and realized sunrise was on! Morning was all aglow! Gotta leave home, 11-ish – sky is cloudless, a pink, purple blue. Sunlight twinkles on the apartment windows. Serene; lovely; peaceful …

I had a noon dental appointment, I ran a few errands and stopped at Panera on my way home to get my “free bagel.” I get one everyday this month – so far, I’ve only claimed two… Home, I had lunch & dinner: soup, salad and the bagel. I returned to my craft room for another round of döstädning . About 6 pm, I laid down to rest – next thing I knew, t’was 10 pm; no sense in getting up, I thought and slept the night away. Guess I was tired..

Thurs 10 Jan – 6:30 am

Bright eyed, bushy tailed and wide awake, ready to enjoy MSQT. Windy today – all day! A good day to resume döstädning…I made a list of too many things to accomplish on this day. Top item: Blog! As I was thinking about today’s post, I zeroed in on catching up and using today and the past two day’s as content! Brilliant I thought! And then I checked my messages and found this great picture of the little boys

photo0 (1)

They’re having a great time! And when Chris is home, he’s seldom without Mickey in one hand and playing with Elias!

Now, back to the agenda item at hand: döstädning. Joining Carole and others for this week’s 3 on Thursday!

Cheers~