WHAT'S HAPPENED

When I said "hope to see you around next year" in my last post, I didn't really think it would take me half of the year to show up again. I knew things were winding down here for a little bit though. Douglas left for deployment at the beginning of the year, and it's just been an odd time. It's weird when something you've been dreading for years happens, and it's completely different than you thought it would be. Also, it's kind of relieving. It's better to be getting through something than it is to be sitting around waiting for it.

It's really just good days and bad days, good weeks and bad weeks. I miss Douglas every day, but some days it hangs over me more than others, and it feels endless. Other days I'm just really proud of him and of us, that we're getting through this. It will be so amazing to be together again. I try to think about that most days.

I've kept busy, and for the most part, it's been kind of a cool year. I got anykind into three new stores around Virginia. I've done some fun shows so far and have been working on a website to get everything in one place (still working). I've made some new friends and have become closer with some really awesome people here. I took a terrarium class. I went to Amsterdam and Paris with my dad and spent a week at home in Georgia, and it was all amazing. I road tripped back to Norfolk with my best friend and got to have her in Norfolk for a week. I've gotten to know where I live a little bit better. I've had some really good days where nothing really happened. I got a new sewing machine that's really old, but that deserves its own post.

That's what's been going on with me. In the past couple of weeks I've felt the urge to pick up posting again because I miss sharing stuff, and I really miss taking so many photos. I started with a small redesign of some things on the page, and I changed the name to anykind so things are more cohesive with everything else. I haven't changed the web address yet, so Well It's Okay will still be around for a while. If you're still here reading, thanks. See you soon.

IN MY BAG

always have with me:

wallet • phone • little film camera • lip balms • double-sided sharpie • strawberry hi-chews • pocket knife

vintage Coach purse thrifted // shared here

I really enjoy creating and seeing other people's "What's In My Bag" posts, both because I'm curious to see what others carry and use on a daily basis, but I also really just like arranging things and taking photos of it all. I've been extremely busy getting ready for Spring Bada Bing (this Saturday!), so I really needed to take a break and do something bloggy, even it was just this. 

ps - you can see my vendor spotlight article on the Spring Bada Bing blog here if you're interested

VERY SMALL PLEASURES

We went to go buy a new iron from the fabric store and realized they are painfully expensive there. So we walked next door and bought these instead. Way better.

PIECES OF FEBRUARY

1// flying to Georgia 2// old globe in my old room

3// vintage binder I used in high school 4// best Valentine's ever

5// white handmade blanket 6// incense in Athens

7// first page of an old journal 8// frozen Baja Blast

9// Steak and Shake with my mom 10// Norfolk

11// quinoa lunch 12// new sewing arrangement

13// my favorite 14// airport snack

So here are some pieces of what I saw and did in February. I stopped with my photo-a-day a little in to the month because I realized I didn't actually want to do it anymore. Maybe I'll pick it up again another month. So a few of these photos are from what I did do, some of them aren't. At the beginning of the third month of 2013, I'm realizing that a very small number of my 24 Things in 2013 aren't as important to me as I thought they would be. So I've edited a little. And I'm really exciting about focusing on what's really important and meaningful to me. And you can bet making French macarons is still important.

PIECES OF MY WEEK // 1

1// arranging my pinback button collection

2// changing up my workroom walls

3// sending out holiday cards (by Maple & Belmont) at the last minute

4// portable menorah from a friend

5// my grandmother's old animal families

6// my painted ornament from craft night

NEW PLANNER / KIND OF A BIG DEAL

I ordered a new planner the other day. It's kind of a big deal. First of all, it's taken me forever (meaning it's still trying to happen) to get into routine here and seriously plan out my days. I don't know what it is - probably a combination of Douglas being gone so much and just being in a completely new place. So this purchase was a bribe to myself to pull it together. It's feeling pretty good so far. I have two weeks planned out. We'll see. 

It's also a big deal because I really like school/office supplies and have trouble actually following through and using something as it should be used. Instead I just like to pile supplies together and look at them. See? This isn't really a big deal at all. I just wanted to mention it because I feel like some of you can sympathize.

It's also a big deal in an exciting way because I saw this very planner about four years ago when I visited Montreal with my dad. It was our last day there, and that morning we took a long walk and ended up at stationary store that was as close to perfection as anything I've seen. I loved everything about the planner immediately. But I couldn't justify spending the money on it as I had no life to plan back then. So I was reunited with this planner over the internet about a week ago, and it felt right this time. So here we are. Hopefully we can do great things together. 

Why do I always have at least three pens, usually the exact same kind, lying around whenever I'm working. I don't know, but it's probably the same reason I'd write a semi-emotional post about a planner. 

WHAT I'VE BEEN UP TO

1// 2// celebrating Hanukkah for the first time in our new home

3// 4//  lots of craft show stuff (but you already know that)

5// making metal bag tags and sad fingers 6// redecorating my workroom (already)

7// lots of thrifting 8// and estate sale-ing

9// lots of time alone while Douglas is gone 10// and making the most of the time we do have (courtesy of the worst Chinese buffet probably ever)