Saying goodbye to 2011

For me, saying goodbye to 2011 is a mixed bag. The year started off great. I was in the throws of organizing 5 days of workshops with Colleen Babcock and for a doll maker it doesn’t get much better than that. What a great experience it was for me and by all accounts for everyone who attended. A small glitch in the first minutes by someone with bad manners, but quickly erased by 5 days of intense but so satisfying doll making and chatter. The silly factor played a big role in class but we composed ourselves now and then, kept our heads on and got through it all…

Not long after Colleen left and for the next few months, things just went crazy. To sum it up, hubby had an opportunity to go to a new job. He retired from the military and prepared for the new job, but unfortunately that didn’t play out as planned. No matter, it obviously wasn’t meant to be.

Also during the time between June and September, not one, but both of his brothers passed away making for two trips home for funerals. While away for the second one, the reno’s got underway and that concluded a few short weeks ago. The house was upside down for many weeks, but the end result was all worth it and our guys were amazing and so is their work. In this day and age it’s very hard to find people to do work that well, so we feel very fortunate to have made this connection with Guy and Luc.

In October after Ute Vasina had been here, I decided to leave the doll club. Among other things I felt that I was losing myself as far as my creative journey. I could feel things piling up on me, and between dealing with “people” who are ill mannered and my duties with the club, I seemed to be out of focus where my doll making and other interests are concerned, so I pulled the plug and left.

I’m more than ever convinced that is was the right thing for me to do and that being a solitary crafter works far better for me. I can have my quiet time, my thoughts are more organized and I get so much more accomplished. I can get more done in 1/2 hr. of focused time, than if I plan a whole day. It’s finding or at least, realizing what it is that makes you your best, I have now gone back to that.

While cleaning up my computer (as one of my projects for getting back to being organized), I found some very funny moments in time. I made this doll years ago in an online class with Allison Marano and true to form I found a way to share the moment when I was working on Henley. He’s been living in Oz and from all accounts, very happy.

I will be carrying on with my finishing up of UFO’s and have already been organizing my schedule for the year. Not that it’s set in stone, but it’s working schedule and it’s open to change. My Hope to Do List is on the wall, I’ve been working on my website, and the Christmas decorations are put away for another year so that I can start off on a clean slate and clear mind.

So it’s been a crazy mixed up year, some very good moments to start off the year, and some very sad ones in between and ended on a happy note with the the house being brought closer to the year 2012 with the updates. Hopefully those will continue in the New Year with some updates to the kitchen and a new floor in our bedroom, but time (and money of course) will tell the tale.

We don’t  go out for New Years, but for those who do, be careful and be safe, but have fun. Apparently drinking a glass a water in between alcohol drinks helps ward off hangovers. Heard that on Dr. Oz.

2012 you’re just about here and I can’t wait for you. To all my followers and readers, I wish you nothing but the best for 2012. A clear mind, happy days and whatever you wish for that would make your life or someone’s close to you, that much better. All the best, Romona