An apple a day...

Happy Monday! How was your weekend? Mine was fine, thanks! I relaxed...I was going to do a little work and decided "enough is enough...I deserve weekends too." It is so hard when you work for yourself...your mind is always going and you feel like you always "just can do this one thing..." and the next thing you know, you've worked the whole weekend through. It's a bad habit. So, I decided to stop and give myself my weekends back no matter what. It's important to unplug and I always forget that. I spent my free time watching tv movies and playing with the pup since it has been so snowy outside. It was nice to peruse magazines that I haven't been able to give much attention to...and nice to just lounge on the couch with hot chocolate. Now, it's back to the grind. I've got a lot of printing to do this week for weddings and for some custom stationery projects...and design for some other things I won't mention yet. The pictures shown here are of another design I did a while back and have flat printed...up for sale on my shop. This is a more modern card design/pattern using apples as the motif. It's very colorful and different.Have a great Monday everyone...I know Monday is never all that fun, but let's try to make this next hour the best it can be...or this next five minutes...whatever it takes to make the day a better one! My thought today is to smile, even if an obstacle faces me...and it will put me in a better mood even if I don't feel like it.

Illustrated birth suite

Hello everyone! After meeting some major design and print deadlines, I took yesterday off to recoup (after working through 2 weekends in a row). Today I will do a small bit of work...but I will also be sure to have some relaxing time too! The other day I mentioned some freehand illustration work I did from memory to create some child-like drawings with a sea theme. After drawing several sea creatures, my client chose a starfish and a seahorse to star in her projects. Her friend threw her a baby shower and wanted the invitation to relate to the birth announcement (which was already being designed). But she didn't want to TOTALLY make it the same, so we changed up the colors. Overall, they related together but still felt different enough. I took the seahorse and put him on the baby's stationery...with a rope-pull tugging the baby's name...much like an airplane pulling a sign across the sky. In the end, we were all pleased. These were not letterpressed...they were traditionally flat printed and ended up being quite affordable which is always a good thing! I hope you all have a great weekend! I'll be back Monday with a new notecard design!

Illustration love

Hi! I can't believe it's Thursday already. I don't understand where the time goes. Anyhoo, today I was thinking about illustration. I used to draw all the time (studied it in college even!) and I just don't make time to do it anymore. Not too long ago, I had a project for a birth announcement, baby shower invite, and baby stationery project that had an ocean theme where the client wanted it to feel babyish and whimsical. So, I drew little sea-life characters from memory (no visual aids) and was really happy with how they came out (they have a childlike quality to them). (I'll take pictures and show you tomorrow)I noticed that I have a very particular style when I draw from memory like that...it's neat to see it come to life. I was perusing Anthropologie a few weeks ago and saw this book. It is HUGE and has a slipcover and everything. I sat in the store and paged through for quite a while...lost in the colors and forms. You may recognize some of Charley Harper's work from childhood science/biology books. He had a huge career and did so many things. He passed away last year and left the world to enjoy his huge breadth of colorful and whimsical illustrations of creatures great and small.


Well I just LOVE this book and plan to save up and own it myself. His work is so inspirational for me...it reminds me that illustration comes in many shapes and styles. Harper's work is so clever and creative. To have your own unique style and look is a way to truly forge your own artistic path in the world-thus adding your own value and mark on things. (All images shown are Charley Harper's illustrations as shown in the book "Charley Harper, An Illustrated Life" by Todd Oldham)

Chained up

Hi everyone! Happy Wednesday! It's still pouring rain and I'm still busy with design and wedding printing. In my spare time (a few months ago) I designed a new card...I have finally printed it: this time it's flat printed but still on the Crane's Lettra cotton letterpress paper. I love how soft, thick, and luxurious it is. These cards are in a popular color scheme and I was able to print on the envelope (front and back) to add more interest. They are for sale here...
If you'd like a set of your own if there aren't any left in the shop, please email me at megan [at] megancreates.com. I will be sure to get them made and post them in the shop for your purchase. I can even change the colors for you if you want.
Thanks for looking!! I'll be back tomorrow with another inspiration bit...

Here's the write-up on them from the shop:

Set of 6 stylish folded thank you notes. Flat printed in a golden yellow and a robin's egg blue on ultra soft and thick Crane's Lettra 100% cotton paper (110#). Blank on the inside. Designed and printed by me, this chain link pattern makes for a stylish and simple statement. They feel luxurious!
No boring envelopes with these cards! Comes with a set of 6 matching cotton envelopes with a blue chain pattern printed on the back flap, as well as the message "Kindly deliver to:" printed on the front.

Card dimensions: 3.5" high x 4.874" wide (4-bar size)

These are packaged in a stylish envelope and shipped in a stiff cardboard mailer to protect them.

Painterly

Hi everyone! What a rainy day today. Perfect for settling in and getting things done around here. Just printing up a storm and designing just as much! I got my new printer installed and settled last week. I'm calling it my BMW of printers...my toy. I've spent a fair amount of time playing around with it to see what it can do. And I'm overjoyed...it does so much more than my old printer... I can finally print thick sheets of paper (even cardboard) and not have any problems. It is a professional ink jet, so there's a lot more I can now offer my clients in terms of flat printing for small runs when letterpress is out of budget. I can even do flat printed customized notecards and envelopes on the paper stock I like (it never fit through my old printer) and the ink is lightfast and fade-proof. Who knew one day I'd be so obsessed with something like an ink jet printer.
On another note, I realized that there are so many things I look to that inspire me and I realize that I never share! I decided that it's time to start documenting the things that I enjoy looking at and that inspire me. Today I show you the website of New England artist M J Blanchette. Her paintings are such a joy to look at for me...I love her blocks of color and light. I love her focus on the colors of the sky and land. They remind me of Edward Hopper in terms of use of light and color.If I had good painting skills (they aren't terrible, but aren't the best either) I'd want to paint like this. She really captures the season and the time of day. I can practically smell the grass by the beach and feel the breeze through the car windows. Ms. Blanchette freezes a moment in time and manages to make it look like a memory...the subtle nuances you remember for a certain time. I encourage you to browse her website and look at her gorgeous work and see for yourself. I love how she put the general focus on the sky or on the land...not often symmetrical. I notice that is how I tend to take my landscape photographs... Now, to try and own one of her paintings for myself! (all photos from MJ Blanchette's website...paintings by MJ Blanchette)

Prints ahoy

Today I got my new printer. It's an Epson 3800 and I finally have a reliable way to print professionally on my own (when flat printing is needed). Now I just need my husband to come home so he can help me lift it onto my desk. I've just removed lots of clutter to make room for it and am excited to try it out! Not much new going on to report as I've been very busy with wedding mania. It's a busy flurry of activity, which is good. I've noticed it is hard to keep track of and remember everyone's little details. I keep a folder for each client and put all the notes and emails for their project in there and somehow I still manage to feel overwhelmed by information. One tip that helps is a list (whether on a chalk board or notepad) that breaks projects down by chunks. It shows what I need to be working on NOW (not the things I need to do later). Taking things one bite at a time can really help keep confusion to a minimum and keep things more organized. I check in with myself a few times a day to keep things updated and moving. And then, that night, I make a new list for tomorrow! For fun, here's a picture of Maren as she waits outside of my office one evening. She wanted so badly to come in...just peering in at me with a sad face. She kept glancing up at the door handle knowing it may have well been a mile over her head. She's so small she can barely see in the first lowest window pane. hee hee...

Friday, Friday

Not much new going on here! Just working and the same ol' stuff. We've been cleaning up the house as we prepare for a friend to visit; I can't wait! I found out that I will be finding out the results from all my blood tests, etc. on Valentine's Day. So, I'll be really excited to know if anything is going on or not within my blood/chromosomes. So, I'll be sure to let you all know then what we find out. As I write this, Maren is running around with a new little fleece stuffed dog toy that is a mini slipper. She's in love with it and I'm happy that it's keeping her busy. She keeps proudly trotting around the house as she makes it squeak...then she violently shakes it...then she lays down lovingly with it to snuggle. This dog is too cute. I hope you all have a great weekend and I'll be sure to show some more recent work next week. Be well!

Happy MLK Day!

Today is Martin Luther King Day...many people have the day off. My husband doesn't, so I am working as well. Although I'm updating my 2007 tax spreadsheets (FUN!!!!) and filing papers from a huge stack (a mini Mount Everest of receipts and paid bill stubs). Ah, the glamorous life of self-employment...where every scrap of paper is scrutinized with the question: Can I write this off?
I've managed to complete a stack of work for my greeting card/stationery company client by today's deadline. The next deadline is coming up quick, so I'm catching my breath. I spent the weekend working on that and printing envelopes for a bride-to-be. A good portion of Sunday found me watching the NFL playoff games. Go Patriots!!! No, I'm not a football fan. But I was determined to sit still on the overstuffed chair for a long period of time...my husband had the games on and I was determined to be lazy. It worked out.
Today's images are from a Save the Date folded card I designed last summer...it was digitally flat printed with a local vendor. The bride-to-be wanted something very preppy and beach-y since she is getting married on The Cape. She wanted to include a message to her guests and also the hotel options in the area, so I thought a folded card would be a good way to fit all of her requirements in and still be easy to save in a drawer or tack to the fridge. She sent the card in a bright green envelope that coordinated perfectly. A fun project for what will be a fun wedding! See y'all in this space later!

Sick day...

I'm sick! I've got the killer cold that's going around. Blaaahhhhhhh. So, things are on hold today while I hack and cough and sneeze... I hope everyone is doing well today; I'll be back soon with some more design stuff. Today's pic is of Maren as she patiently looks at me from my office door.

In dreams...

Hello everyone! Things are still busy over here. For the past while I've been working on some exciting projects. A major stationery/card company had approached me and asked me to do some freelance design work for them. Of course, I jumped at the chance. So, I've spent lots of time brainstorming, sketching, and trying to articulate what my brain sees into actual designs. This has always been my dream and its actually happening. I keep having to pinch myself. Sometimes I worry that a lot of what I like, the company might not want since it may not be right for their brand. But I know that all I can do is my best and just see what happens. In the meantime, I'm loving it! I've also got work of my own in regards to birth announcements and weddings so I find I'm having to juggle lots of little things...and that's a great way to keep my mind focused and off the roller-coaster of my journey to have a child. One thing I've learned though: never let work become your respite or focus of distraction. It turns work into more stress than it already is. And soon, you wonder where the fun in your life went. This is particularly true for those who work for themselves doing their passion. While it is ok to have fun with your job or hobby, remember to take time out for just plain non-hobby or non-job-related fun. (sledding, movies, shopping, dancing, dinner, sewing lessons, singing lessons just for fun...whatever...)It will revive you and refresh you when it matters...and keeps life from becoming the same ol' thing day in and day out. I need to remember this all the time, and want to make this concept a bigger priority this year (once I get through these deadlines I have).

For today's pic I thought I'd show you a few inspiration wires that hang in the corner of my office. I'm making use of a little corner behind a chair...thought it would be more interesting than just hanging one framed picture. And this way, I get to easily change it whenever I want. Hope everyone is having a great day...I'll be back tomorrow with some more design-y things I've been up to.

Don't mess with the T

Hello! Well, the doctor who did the procedure on me yesterday called me back. He couldn't give me specifics since he's not officially MY doctor. But, here's some quotes of what he said:
1. "generally speaking, women with a t-shaped uterus have poor pregnancy outcomes"
2. "many women with the t-shape go on to eventually have a healthy viable baby
3. "many miscarriages before 10 weeks aren't because of the t-shape...the t-shape tends to cause later miscarriages" (this did not feel good to hear at all!!)
4. "looking at YOUR x-rays, I would say you have a slight t-shape. It's there, but not bad. I've seen much worse cases. I would guess that you should have a positive outcome at some point. Of all the t-shapes, this one is a better one to have."
So, I guess it's not all bad news. It's possible. I will find out more details in a few weeks when I get to meet with my actual RE to go over all the numerous results from all my testing. The bottom line is: I have to keep trying. And there's nothing I can do to control the outcome except for trying to relax and not obsess (that's a knee-slapper).
This next project was for a client as a gift to his wife for Christmas. They were small folded notecards using his requested scallop shell as a motif with her name on the bottom. Very simple, printed with blue ink on 100% cotton Crane's Lettra letterpress paper. He emailed me to say that the cards were a hit, so I'm glad it worked out! The simple designs seem to be a bit in fashion right now. I am currently working on some designs for generic folded notecards that have more interesting designs on them as a change of pace and more fun for me. But I'm buried with work lately (a good problem!) so my personal projects for sale have been a bit on hold. I'll talk more about that tomorrow! Have a great day everyone!

free to bee?

Hello! Well, holy hell... today's test hurt so badly. UGH! It seemed like it was ok during the procedure...just very uncomfortable. But the pain I felt afterward had me in some tears and a bit of writhing and gnashing of teeth ensued. I feel much better now and am happy it's done. The doc there at the hospital said my tubes are free-flowing and clear! No blockages or issues there. But (of course there's a "but") my uterus is "a bit T-shaped." (his words). He went on to say "But it shouldn't be too much of a problem." Well, I hadn't realized it COULD be a problem. So, of course I got home and googled it...and didn't see much by way of good news for the condition. It seems, though, to explain the ectopic pregnancy and miscarriages. So after a lot of tears and stress, I've left a message with my RE hoping she would call me back once she gets the official results from the hospital...rather than me waiting a few weeks to see her in person. I'd like to be able to, you know, SLEEP tonight knowing what she thinks in terms of MY situation. Googling OTHER people's situations doesn't help because their "T" might be more "T-like" than mine. Or perhaps their uterus looked more like some other letter of the alphabet...or a wingding symbol you get when you hit lots of key combinations together on the computer. I know I shouldn't panic when I don't know the details. But that's why I panic. And I can't help it. So that's that. We'll see what happens!
The pics above are of some stationery I made for my Mom for Christmas. Growing up her nickname in her family was "queen bee" since she was the only little girl amongst many boy cousins her same general age. So her stationery has a bee at the top. I know it's obvious, but only to her I think. I'll be back tomorrow with more design fun!

I'm looking over a 4-leaf clover

Hello! Sorry I've been so absent! It's been hard finding the time to update while watching a wild puppy and get my work done. I just took a bunch of pictures of some recent work so I can use them through the week and update more regularly. We are having a Nor'easter snow storm right now and we are absolutely buried! Again! I hope everyone had a great weekend. Mine had a little bit of work and a little bit of fun mixed in. My husband and I went to see Juno...I loved it. He thought it was ok. I found it to be touching and funny...though not quite as funny as I thought it would be. I also went out with friends Saturday night into Boston for dinner, drinks, and some dancing. It's been so long since I've been to a club...and I had a lot of fun. Definitely not something I could do several times a week like back when. I have no idea where I got the energy for going out all the time back then. It must have come from some secret energy reserve I don't know about...if only I could tap into it now and fuel my car for much less money. I spent Sunday recuperating from Saturday night and I also spent the day catching up on a bunch of work I had intended to do on Saturday. The pics above are from some flat notecard stationery I made for my mother-in-law for Christmas. I know she wanted an Irish theme to the card and something simple, so that's what I did for her.
Tomorrow I have the HSG test with a reproductive endocrinologist (I mentioned in the previous post). They are injecting dye into me and checking out my uterus and tubes via an xray to make sure there is no damage or cysts, etc. that might be causing my miscarriages. It is supposed to be quite painful during the procedure, so I'm nervous. But I am happy that I'm getting so thoroughly checked out. Soon I will have a complete picture of what may or may not be happening with me and that's a good feeling. I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow. And, of course, show some more letterpress fun. See you soon and wish me luck!

Peace

Hello! It's the weekend! Too bad I'm working through most of it...but I'll be sure to take lots of time to read some new favorite magazines and watch some tv. We watched the movie "Superbad" last night...I thought it was hysterical. Just something fun to get lost in while having the puppy sleep in our laps. I'm proud I made it through yesterday...it would have been my due date from my pregnancy back in April
I was sort of dreading how I would feel at this time ever since it happened and it wasn't as bad as I thought. Of course, running around watching the puppy and working for much of the day kept me good and distracted. I can say I feel much more at peace now about the whole event and am excited for the future. We visited a reproductive endocrinologist a few weeks ago after my latest miscarriage and they ran tons of tests on my blood looking for clotting disorders and chromosomal abnormalities. I have more tests coming up this month and am hoping to get to the bottom of what has been going on. It feels good to take action rather than wait around for bad things to just happen TO me. Even if they find out nothing is wrong...I will feel good knowing that it's just up to nature and that's all there is to it. And if there IS something wrong...well...we can work to fix it and hope for the best. It's all we can do with anything, right? So, that's that. It's hard to feel sad anyway when you get to look at this:
She loves to sleep on my husband's legs and nestle right in there. Happy weekend everyone! I'm off to pray for some wedding design magic. I'll see you soon with some more recent projects....thanks everyone for your kind words on my last posts. It feels good to know I have such a great group of people out there who support me and my work. It's so encouraging...so thanks!! You make my day much brighter!

Holiday Birth Announcement Design

Hello! Today I thought I would show a fun recent letterpress printing and design project I was hired for: A holiday card and birth announcement combination! My client happened to be my sister-in-law and it was a dream from start to finish. She came to me looking for something preppy, girlish, with a holiday element to it. It was a fun challenge trying to create something that feels babyish and holiday-like at once. The baby wasn't born during the holidays so I didn't want it too close to that theme either. She suggested using elephants or whales or polka dots. After some designing, we landed on using the whales as polka dots using a magenta and green to evoke the holidays without being to "Christmas color-y". We decided to do 2 cards tied together with a ribbon at the top. In this way, either card could be displayed by itself by taking off the ribbon. The baby's photo is attached with removable glue dots so that photo could be taken and kept in a frame or wallet if desired. My sister-in-law assembled them by putting in the pictures herself and tying them together with matching ribbon she found. I'm happy with the results and am honored she chose me for this project. Thanks for looking!

Homecoming...

Happy New Year! I know I'm a few days late, but thought I'd say it anyway. I won't go into big resolutions I'm planning for the year and I won't reflect on the year behind me. I will say that I'm looking forward to this year and the fun it will bring. I hope it is a peaceful and home-oriented year. I've been very busy as of late with weddings and stationery projects and it feels good! Today, I thought I would show my latest limited edition print up for sale on my shop. It's called "Homecoming." It's about a family going about their daily routine...and one member has been away and is suddenly returning. In this time of war, I think not only of the fallen soldiers and their families (I pray for them every day)...but also of the soldiers who get to come home yet must start anew with all of things that hang heavy in their hearts and minds. There's a bright and shiny yellow moment when you return to a place you feel loved and safe...where things have a sense of normalcy. Anyway, the print is 5 x 7" and letterpress printed by me (and illustrated by me) on my antique platen letterpress. It's a bright sunny yellow ink and printed on thick 110# pillowy soft cotton Crane's Lettra paper. The impression is deep...each print is signed and numbered by me...there is only 21 prints in this edition. Well, gotta get back to work! Maren is fast asleep in my lap at the moment and I'm not sure how long that will last! See you tomorrow!

Puppy Patrol!

I have been on full puppy duty! Maren needs constant supervision, so it's been hard to get anything meaningful done. Hopefully soon I can get some photos done of some of my latest work and show you some of the fun things I've been letterpressing/designing. In the meantime I need to protect the house from being eaten by a puppy! Here are more pictures, taken with the built-in camera in my Macbook Pro.

Maren Rhymes with Karen

Meet our new family member! Her name is Maren and she's an almost 4-month old Mini-Dachshund. Chris surprised me with her on Christmas morning at his parents' house...we were all eating breakfast and in he walked with a family friend (who was dog-sitting for a few nights) carrying her wiggly body in his arms. She had a red bow tied around her neck and was just so precious. I loved her immediately! And she warmed right up to me quickly. What was fun was that his parents had taken care of her for the whole week before Christmas and I never knew! When we arrived 2 days before Christmas, the family friend took her in order to keep the surprise...and I never had any idea. When he came in with her, everyone had their cameras and camcorders going and I just never noticed that they were all focused on me. At first I thought "Look! There's a little dog he brought to show us!!" But then everyone was looking at me and Chris said "Merry Christmas Meg!!" That's when I realized that she was really mine. Fun!! This has been the most uplifting and special surprise and I just can't thank everyone who helped make it happen enough. She's a true joy! To Chris' parents: thank you for all you did to take care of her...a puppy! I know that is so much work!! I'm just sorry it was so sad to take her home with us after you bonded with her. She's lucky to have such great "grandparents" that she trusts and knows. And we will always bring her with us when we visit. Chris, thank you so much for this thoughtful and loving gift. You are so wonderful,caring and sweet...and you knew just what I needed yet I never asked. Yes, she will go for walks with me as I get more exercise and keep me company while I work. She will bring me cheer and smiles throughout the day and give me a little life to take care of while we prepare to hopefully have a baby one day soon. With all the hardships we've been through this year (and, yes, there were lots of high points too!) she is such a wonderful blessing of cheer. Thank you again; I am so lucky.
Now we have to keep working on her training! Maybe she can be my letterpress helper?

Happy Holidays!

I am off today to celebrate Christmas with my family and then with Chris' family. I hope everyone has a lovely holiday and I'll be back with lots of posts showing recent work when I return! All my best wishes to everyone; may you find every happiness you all deserve.

Wanna show...

I have done so many little letterpress stationery projects lately...I can't wait to show them to you! But most of them are holiday gifts for people and I don't want to spoil anyone's gift! But I will be sure to post them after the holiday for sure. I just got a new plate in for my next card design. This time I will be doing folded cards and the design is a little more "pattern-y" and traditional. But I plan on using a fun color to give it some edge. We'll see how it goes. I have been working on lots of different plans and designs for my products for the new year so I'm hoping they come to fruition and that y'all like them. In the meantime, I have to go wrap some gifts. Believe it or not I HATE wrapping gifts. Lots of crafty people love this sort of thing but not me. I'm so bad at it. And it bores me to tears. It's the sort of thing I appreciate when I see it...but I don't like to do it myself. You would think I would be finding lots of cool glorious paper or print my own pattern or something...but no. I feel proud that I even wrap the darn things instead of sticking them in a gift bag (which I'd probably rather do). I'm terrible. A terrible, terrible art person. I'll go flog myself with the tape dispenser now. (If only I could operate it correctly).

Polar Express

It has been snowing like crazy here and has finally ended today. It is thigh-deep...good times.
Yesterday we set up the Lionel train set Chris' parents gave us for Christmas last year...it's a replica of "The Polar Express" from the book (many also know of the movie). It even has the little characters you can attach to the train and a reindeer harness bell you can ring. hee! Since we won't be around here to celebrate Christmas this year (will be with Chris' family) we didn't see the point of setting up a whole tree. We have a little tiny one that my husband grew up with they once used as one of the table centerpieces during the holiday feast. Each year since he was born, his grandmother gave him a silver ornament for the tree. A red velvet ribbon ties each ornament to each branch. He now has many on there and it's so fun to look at each unique silver treasure... When we got married, Chris' mom handed over (a little sadly I think) the little tree for us to have and now we set it up each holiday. Chris' brother has the same kind of tree and ornaments of his own...a lovely tradition and such a great idea! Here's our little holiday set up with the train in motion! We look forward to having the train at the base of our big Christmas tree one day...when we have children and celebrate our own traditions. But for now we figured why wait until we have kids to enjoy the toy train? And you know what? It is more fun to watch than I thought it would be.

Anchors Aweigh!

As promised, here is the newest notecard in my shop...

Set of 5 plain white flat letterpressed note cards with a navy blue anchor motif on the top center. Set comes with 5 white matching 100% cotton envelopes.
Size of notecards: 4.25" high x 5.5" wide.
Paper is 100% cotton, Crane's Lettra letterpress paper. Ultra thick (110# cover weight), soft, and pillowy soft.

Great for a small gift...
Grab it here...

Walk on

Putting one foot in front of the other is a great metaphor for life's journey. No matter what, we are moving forward whether we like it or not. So you'd better stay upright or you'll have some serious road-rash on your ass. Ever since I started working for myself and am at my home office and studio I find that I move MUCH LESS than I used to. When I worked at my corporate design job I scurried around that huge building like a rat on fire. I've always been slim and had a speedy metabolism. I would say my eating habits are pretty good...lots of balanced meals that are small. But over the past year and 8 months of working for myself I've put on about 14 pounds steadily. It has crept up on me and now most of my pants won't button. *sigh* With everything going on with my pregnancy losses I think the depression has held me in its frozen cloud. I kept thinking "Well, maybe I'm just bloated today." or "I'll start exercising tomorrow" and time has marched on. Lately, my idea of movement and exercise has been to take a shower and make my way to my desk chair or the couch. Phew! I always remember to breathe in through my nose and out through my mouth. Having always been not particularly athletic but active, I now realize how little I move during the day. So I'm starting small. I started walking on the treadmill. This morning, before getting ready for the day, I walked 1.85 miles and burned 120 calories. I went at a brisk pace but didn't try to go crazy with it. And you know what? I felt so much better about myself when I was done. I did it for a half-hour (and didn't care how far I went or anything) and watched the Today show while doing it. That Matt Lauer is such a cut-up. Anyway, I thought to myself "hey, I MOVED today...I DID something good for myself." And it's better than not moving at all. I feel like I have some energy right now and I feel a little bit more motivated than normal. So, I think I will try to do this each morning as a trigger to start my day. No more loafing along through the day in my sweats. I will get up, walk and burn off the stress and sadness, and then shower and *gasp* get properly dressed for the day (working for oneself makes it so easy to stay in sweatsuits all the time but this does not help one's state of mind I promise you). This will help me establish a habit and put me in my OWN workplace routine. Just because I'm in my home doesn't mean I have to act like it during business hours. Now, they just need to invent a fake boss--a life-sized figurine that I can position just outside the office door peeking in at me making sure I'm staying on track and not playing around on the internet during office hours. On the other hand, maybe not.
PS, I'm wearing my new shirt! It's this one.

Unsticky

Ugh. Things just aren't going so great in our journey to conceive a child. I'm having another miscarriage right now. My second miscarriage and third pregnancy loss...all in a row. The nurse who is working with me has suggested I see a fertility specialist (a reproductive endocrinologist) to figure out what might be wrong. But, they typically wait until you have 3 or more unexplained miscarriages and I've only had 2. So, we will try (in the future) one more time. Hopefully I won't need to see a specialist and it will work out that time. But, I will expect the worst and hope for the best. I need to remember how lucky I am...that I can catch the egg. Now, I just need it to stay with me more than a few days. We knew this one was coming because I was having blood tests every other day to make sure things looked alright. We learned right away that we were doomed, so at least it wasn't a surprise. They tested my thyroid for problems this time around and nothing was out of the ordinary. I know it will happen for us one day; it's just a hard journey where each loss feels so traumatic yet is old news to those around you.
I'll keep you posted, of course, if any developments happen in that area of my life. This blog, "Megan creates..." is about creating. It's about creating art, design, and creating each day. It's even about my attempts to create life. A task I have very little control of and one that is harder than I ever imagined. The word create can mean so many things and doesn't always mean in the way of creativity. It's about waking up each morning and knowing you are working with a blank canvas and each decision you make that day shapes and molds your experience. Whether you're creating a fabulous meal, a mess, a cozy nest to live in, a marriage, or a snazzy career...
Onto a different side of my life: work. I've completed lots of personalized letterpress orders this week and it's been so much fun to work on them. I'm really getting the hang of my press and the little things I need to do to keep it working. My press is in my basement studio space where it is cold. So, in summer I have to adjust the tape on the rails to be one way while it's warm while in winter I adjust them differently. I've got it down so I don't need to experiment anymore...it always seems to be a set formula for the tape. Finally, I get even prints every time. Progress! This makes it easier since I have a few more projects to print this week and I really need everything to cooperate! Stay tuned tomorrow as I'll show my latest shop item.

Hoot!

I love this eco-friendly wooden postcard by Night Owl Paper Goods! They have a wide array to choose from and make such a nice little trinket to get in the mail. I can't part with mine so it now lives on my inspiration board in my studio. Am spending much of the week printing in the studio. I worked on custom notecards yesterday, as I will today, tomorrow, and the next day. I'm also working on custom wedding materials with only a few days to turn them around (it won't be letterpressed, though, in that timeline). It's a fun theme and a fun project that I'll hope to share here when finished. Next week will find me working on a birth announcement and holiday card project on the press...and then I'll really have to buckle down and get my own holiday stuff done! Happy day everyone!