Wow, I just realized today that it has been a year and a half since posting on my blog. Given the encouragement of my friend,
Eileen's, blog posts and talking with her today, I realized I have had a lot of exciting projects, in that time. Some have been photography-related and some have been craft-related. I have also added pet-sitting and dog-walking to my repertoire, for slightly more constant income (and because I love animals, haha). I have been consistently walking two sweeties for a month and a half, which will sadly end, when their mom's leg heals (but happily, as she will be in one piece again!)
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| The couple of dogs I get to see every day! |
Hopefully, I get to see them occasionally, still, as I have with another pair I used to walk more frequently.
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| The other pair - I love walking in their neighborhood, down to the water. |
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I no longer get to see one that I walked twice a week, for three months. Two months after I lost communication with her mom, I still had no idea what had happened. She is okay, as far as I know, but I found out abut the situation through a third party source. That's one problem with caring for animals that I won't see very frequently after my pet-sitting stint - I get too attached, haha.
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| The sweet girl I miss. |
I even cat-sat for a family with five cats, for just a week, and often think of those furbabies! They were so gorgeous.
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| This girl was my favorite, even though she never let me touch her, that week - I have a weakness for shy felines. |
I also decided to finally invest in a
photography website, even though it pains me to spend money I am not sure I will make back. It feels good to be a little more official and I have had the opportunity to use the feature of sharing a private album with some clients, already!
On another front, craft sales have been slow, but I have also not been focusing much on new projects to sell. I did try to make dog boots, after walking a dog in her ice rink backyard this winter, but those didn't turn out as well as I'd hoped. I may return to the project, when the frustration dies down! I still sell my standards on
Etsy and my greatest sellers have been wedding and baby hangers. I got to make one for my good friend, last year, as well as some for my cousin, and get to make one for my best and oldest friend, Pam, who will be married in September!
I am so happy for all my friends and family who have found the same kind of love I did, less than four years ago. I am especially thrilled for Pam, not just because I have known her my entire life and she deserves it, but because I have the opportunity to lead in celebrating her found love! I never thought I would have the title "Matron of Honor"...it sounds so old and way more distinguished than I see myself, haha.
We have already thrown her and her fiance a shower and it turned out really well, considering I live in Maine, two of the three other bridesmaids are in VA and PA and couldn't attend, and the shower was in MA. It helped that her parents were able to book the room! I am very pleased with the teamwork we girls have accomplished just via email and look forward to throwing her bachelorette party.
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| Entrance sign made by Pam's mom |
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| favors, invite, and word game pins - guests were not allowed to say "Wedding" or someone could steal their pin! | | | | | | | | | |
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| Made a cork board display, with fake moss in the shape of her new initial, and reused our card basket from my own wedding! |
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| Her mom got these great drink containers and added some lace! |
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| I found these appropriate balloons for the occasion at Party City |
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| One of my favorite pictures my husband took at the party |
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| The happy couple! |
The favors were made with 2" clay pots, a peat pellet from a gardening center, and
plum seed paper hearts. I added some leftover burlap from the invitations and some wood design tape to the rim, writing their names and the date of their wedding on the tape. I planted some and I am still waiting to see what flower blooms!
It was a lot of fun making the invitations, decorations, and favors for the shower and reminded me of the fun I had making items for my wedding! I still don't think it is my calling to be a party planner, however, as the parties I have had the most fun with have been personalized so well, because I knew and cared a lot for the people involved. I am enjoying creating things for the bachelorette party though. :)
Jess
