Stop and Smell the… Daisy, and Other News
Hey friends! I’ve been on a forced slow-down the past few days because I managed to get a concussion. Fun, right? I’ve been trying to rest up (as much as one can over a holiday, anyway) and limit my computer time and crafting time, because concentrating on both those things does not help my headache. But I’ve actually got quite a few fun things going on right now, so I thought today instead of a project, I’d be all self-indulgent and just share a little update about how things are going in the Surian household this spring.
First things first – did you know my first book is scheduled to hit shelves on August 1st? It is! I wrote a craft book called “DIY T-Shirt Crafts” with Adams Media, and it’s available for pre-order right now through Amazon. It’s a collection of 50 recycled t-shirt crafts that you can make in an hour or less – 49 of which I have never shared here on the blog, so they’re brand new projects even if you’re a regular reader. (You can reserve a copy right now if you’d like by clicking here – and I’ll be sharing again once the launch is closer!)
In other news, I’m gearing up for ArtPrize 2015, which is a huge art competition in Grand Rapids, MI. It takes place in September but artist registration begins in a couple of weeks. You may recall that I participated last year with my mosaic, Tree at Dawn. I’m in the final stages of a new mosaic now, and I’m struggling a little with what to call it. Here’s a little preview of the work-in-progress:
This photo is when I sealed all the completed tiles, and it’s currently on its third coat of glaze, curing for a final 24 hours. I still have to mount each tile on the final base, but it’s so close to finished. I initially thought I’d call it “Sunset Daisy” because I was moved to take the photo in the last light of the day – the red was just on fire in that light. But it just doesn’t seem to fit the image, not now that I’ve put the work into it. So it’s currently untitled but I’m sure inspiration will hit me any day now.
In other news, we had a wonderful Easter and have done some other fantastic spring activities like visiting Frederik Meijer Gardens’ annual butterfly exhibit.
My daughter REALLY got into it this year, and we went on a great day – we saw hundreds of butterflies this year. It’s one of our annual traditions. Ever since our visit, The Very Hungry Caterpillar has been in our book rotation daily. :)
I do have a couple of projects to share later this week, but quite honestly, being forced to slow down with this concussion has been as much a blessing as a curse. It’s been so nice to spend more time unplugged and enjoying my family! I love designing new projects and writing and my art – I will be restless if I’m not feeling better soon. But for now, I’m making the most of the situation (and logging off now, before my eyes go buggy, haha).
What have you been up to so far this spring?
