Standing at the gate

Have I mentioned that I turn 40 this year? In just three months - a week before Christmas, I'll be 40. I've never had much concern for marking my age before, but this time I really feel like it's a significant event. Like the beginning of the rest of my life, or something. Like I should really have it all together and be a highly functioning, super person who is at her peak of adulthood. Ha, ha!! It's funny. I feel almost the same as my first year of college! I've had many, many life experiences that I've learned great lessons from, but I still feel vulnerable and insecure at times in my "adulthood". Silly... but I feel like I'm standing at the gate of the next big section of my life, and I have lots of preparation to do before I can enter!

Queen Bee Necklace

I started my blog at the beginning of this year. I wanted to connect with people, and share thoughts and ideas. I wanted to become better at writing (journaling), and I wanted to take the leap into marketing myself and my stuff in the crafty world. It's interesting how opportunities have come for me throughout the year. As soon as I decided to "try", I had doors open for teaching and selling...wow! Enthusiasm for what I'm doing and creating has been much appreciated and really quite wonderful. But, the demand on my mental and physical time (partly because I do everything 150%) has been overwhelming for me. I don't want to lose the joy I feel for creating and sharing ideas with others! Now, I'm taking time to reflect. I'm defining my goals, sharpening my focus, and making wiser choices. The last three months of my 39's will be well-spent and hopefully better balanced.

Here are the people I will be focusing on. I love my group of kids! We are a family. Each one adding an important ingredient to our super sweet, fruity and nutty blended shake.

So, this month has been a busy (as usual) one, creating the samples and handouts for the "Back to School Bash" at Blissful Living Studios last Saturday. I had a table display of the projects for my "Becoming the Queen Bee" workshop (about fun parenting and teaching responsibility in the home) which is this month and next, and a make n' take "spy note set" for the kids to do. Forgot my camera in the hustle - I'm not yet automatic with the camera...but here are pics of the projects.

I loved talking to the ladies who came in! I'm excited about the topic of my workshop - I've lived it, and refined it over the years. Now I also have some "blended" family insight. As I've been re-reading books, and generally refreshing my store of ideas, I realize how I'm just about to fall off of my own bandwagon! For Pete's sake! I feel like I've been a bit neglectful...

So, in keeping with my commitment to balance and focus - I went ahead with our homemade pizza dinner Saturday night. I was exhausted - I still haven't figured out how to not stay up all nite before an "event". :) But, I really wanted to keep my promise to the kids that we would make pizza! It was a late dinner, but really fun - and I think I've finally found a winning recipe for pizza dough (I've tried several, never satisfied)!

Daniel having fun as, "Luigi the Chef".

I'm in the process of re-grouping class schedules and commitments - so stay tuned for that if you're interested! And, I really need to open an Etsy shop - it seems to be a nice, pressure free way to have fun selling the "goods" (extra class kits and studio stash also!). I'm working on it... I suppose I'm standing at the gate!