Big sigh … recovery from the over extension I wrote about last post continues. It’s crazy how quickly that can get me and I’m always surprised at how much recovery time is really needed.

Oh I haven’t been entirely idle or anything, but it feels more like the over extending pulled me (perhaps via my open head) away from my own life and into the concerns of others - and it can be hard (or maybe just take longer than my Mind is appreciating lol) to come back to center.

So - 4 days in a row is too much ✅

This week(ish) so far I’ve had a Saturday zoom with a private client, Sunday I discovered that a the local print shop that’s mainly in business to serve the University was open, so I went to explore that as an option (nearby guy seems well meaning but MG level busy - always tightly scheduled and running around - maybe when I’m through testing and have lots of copies to be made, I can revisit … he is cheaper 🤷🏻‍♀️)

The trip on Sunday was a joy. I think, because it was a Sunday morning, and I went fairly early, it was empty, I could ask all my bazillion questions and the gal who was helping me was down to play with the printing a bit.

We settled on what’s essentially like a thick watercolor paper. All the prints came out a bit dark (more file fiddling to come I suppose - or maybe not 🤷🏻‍♀️🙃) but I’m happy with them. They feel like “art” now and not just a piece of paper from a copy machine, if that makes any sense?

There’s also a sushi place right next to the printer in the same building - basically the printer has its own mini food court ❤️ - so I had lunch too 😊

Monday, I happened to semi-invite myself over to Aleda’s again - wasn’t looking to, it happened in our conversation about something else. Hmm I think she called me, but I can’t remember exactly right now, anyway - it turned out she’s taken the whole week off (she needed to regroup for upcoming wedding stuff - Monday she was hand addressing her invitations) and our call turned into “you bring Quiche fixings, I’ll make ‘em” - which of course I jumped at.

She made enough for me to bring 3 home - which we’re still eating 🥰 and got her invitations finished too. A hilarious side observation of me however was how “headless chicken” my energy was all day. Not in an exhausting way but omg I had parts all over the place and kept forgetting things - it was like I took on the chaotic MG stuff and she (Quad right) got to focus.

Was a fun day 🥰. Which culminated in my car needing a jumpstart (it really was one of those days lolol - so much “went wrong” - we just laughed a lot) and ate yummy quiche. We settled on Gouda, sautéed onions with garlic, spinach and diced ham for the fillings of all 4 - to save time.

I guess I can explain these pictures now too (I may use for a FB post later, apologies in advance for not having more to share - it always fees like the ones in here oughta be exclusive or something)

I got a clue as I was preparing the files for 8x8 prints to add a strip at the bottom of just a patterned section of each flower. Maybe I’ll take a picture when it’s daylight here and show you what I mean.

My thought was to have custom art to make earrings and pendants with (I have a paper punch heading my way to play with that) … but when I’d added them, they looked like bookmarks. So Sunday, I added these 8x8’s “plus bookmark” to the test prints pile.

Turned out I should have trimmed the prints at the print shop because the watercolor paper only came in a 13x19in sheet and when I got it home - duh 🙄 - my (ancient) 12in paper cutter won’t hack it (hahaha hack it, get it 😆🤭. I have a new 18” one arriving today 🥳).

So I hand cut the ‘bookmark’ part off so I could shorten the paper and also begin to consider what those pieces might turn into.

Well, I took them with me on Monday to show Aleda and she immediately claimed one as her own. Ironically (as always happens - I learned long ago that what I like and what people would buy, well after decades of jewelry sales, I know enough to always expand my color palette a bit), it’s from one of the two flowers I would never have made were I only using colors I prefer.

And just look at how beautifully it matches her book 🤩😍

Yesterday, as with all of the days since that 4day over extension last week, I’d thought I could get around to making more progress on the website for the free print offer, but it wasn’t to be (this is where my heel-dragging comment at the beginning of this comes in) … I think I could be struggling a bit with all the Left Mind tasks and have simply been more easily doing other stuff - it might be time to ask for help 🤦🏻‍♀️🥳.

Because Tuesday (yesterday), when Aleda came over in the morning to return my phone (yes that was the icing on top of the chaotic, but untiring, day we spent together - I left my phone behind 😅) … John was also home and while we were visiting, I brought the bookmarks to them (that’s what grabbed my attention first thing the next morning and I was playing with finishes outdoors - sinky stuff!) … and John adds in …. “those would be even nicer with a grommet”. So now my open head is all the way in this bookmark idea … and I kinda love it.

Which brings us to today.

The “plan” is to make some kind of progress towards a functioning cart on the website, so people can begin ordering prints already.

And my new paper cutter is expected (who knew I could be so excited about a paper cutter! 😆🤭 but I am), so once that’s here … well, I guess we know how the rest of the day is likely to go 😊

Ahhh yeah … so that’s what life’s been like over here. With some bare bones animal care (oof the dogs are so bored), still plenty of resting happening, with minimal grocery shopping, dishwashing and whatnot mixed in.

It’s a simple life … 😌🙂

Looking forward to whatever happens next 🍿

Quiche for breakfast at the very least.

What’s been cooking on your end? :)