I can’t remember the last time I fell into bed before midnight.  Wait, I can’t remember the last time I went to bed before 1:00.  And there have definitely been nights when my head hit the pillow at 5:00 a.m. a couple of times!  Taking/editing photos and painting have taken up my days and nights.  The beautiful thing about it is that these are the things I LOVE to do and I’ve been offered some great opportunities.

At the same time I look around my house and feel like I haven’t gotten anything accomplished.  There’s the half decorated tree.  Got to finish that…Hmmmm… maybe I should take down the Halloween decorations while I’m on the ladder?  My house looks like two holidays have collided.  Something like The Nightmare Before Christmas and it’s pretty creepy and yeah, maybe a little depressing.  It’s so hard to balance all these commitments and spend quality time with the family.  I need some serious time management skills between shuttling the kids to gymnastics and piano, volunteering in their classrooms, learning Christmas accompaniment for church choir, taking/editing family portraits, painting a commissioned piece, shooting a commercial, hosting a Christmas dinner party next week…

wait WHAAAT?  Yes, you read that right.  Last week John and I shot a local commercial at our house for a car dealership.  I’m torn between laughing and peeing myself over it.  I am dreading the moment I see myself (especially the part when I’m in my jammies!)  Baaaaahahaha!  Okay, no more teasers.   

Bailey snapped some shots from upstairs

So after I was done pretending to be a big television star (pfffffft!) and back in the real world of checking email and paying bills, I got an email saying I had a payment.  hmmm?  Payment for what now?  and that is when I discovered that I sold my witch canvas on etsy!  My first etsy sale!  I was so excited.  I packaged up that baby right away and sent her off to New Jersey.  It is so encouraging that in the huge etsy world someone picked my stinky witch feet to purchase.  I’m inspired to list lots more. 

sending my baby off to New Jersey!

So I recently finished editing all those Halloween wedding pictures and a large family photo shoot, and today I finished a commissioned painting.  These projects were incredible, fun, and great experiences but I was ready to do something selfish.  I scrounged around in the garage and found some scrap wood and I painted this sign.  I like the simplicity of it, but another part of me wants to do more.  I think I’m going to make some kind of frame for it if nothing else.  Whaddya think?

15 x 21

So, it’s not too late and if I’m lucky I will be asleep before midnight tonight!  It’s a miracle!  Good night.