08-08-08

In honor of this special day in history,

8 creative outlets in my life.

• photography...I especially like architectural photography and black & whites. I really enjoy taking my camera and striking out. Those are only rare moments but treasured all the same.

{Verona, Italy 2008}

• scrapbooking...I wish, oh I wish, I had more time for this activity. When I see Carly's scrapbooks, I am really thankful that I put them together. I think they are a wonderful documentation of life.

• giving....I enjoy giving. When I am out shopping, I frequently think "she would really like this" or "this looks exactly like her". Recently, I have been working to increase the variety of my giving to include more nice words, thanks, praise, gifts of service, and sharing. I know how uplifting those gifts are when they are given to me.

  

{a back-to-school basket for Carly's new teacher - August 2007}

• correspondence...I love mail. I love to go out to the mailbox. It is a little bit like looking for treasure. Written letters are a rarity but I enjoy sending them as much as receiving them.

{Christmas cards 2007}

• organizing....Looking at a well organized place is so pleasing, even more enjoyable if it is my space and I did the organizing. I really do not like clutter and find joy in purging, whether it is junk mail, my magazine basket or the refrigerator.

• gardening...Previously would never have made a list of 8 creative outlets in my life, BUT this year I have grown a flower bed full of Gerber daisies which just happen to be my favorite flower. I think the fact that I have NEVER been able to successfully keep anything alive and the fact that they are my favorites helps!

{in my front flower bed - summer 2008}

• blogging....Documenting my life is a new outlet. I wish, oh how often I wish, that I had journaled earlier in my life. What a treasure it would be to have my own words and thoughts from high school, from college, from early married life, from the fog of early motherhood. But blogging is perfect for me. A media that allows me to use my photographs and words to record our life.

{self portraits - a whole new way to document our lives}

• kid's activities...Planning and participating in fun with Carly monopolizes most of my creative time which is the way it should be. Time is running out when she interested in art projects, cooking projects, outings with mom. I am taking advantage.

{working on back porch - summer 2008}