I didn’t even get a chance to celebrate National Poetry Month on my blog this year but why stop at celebrating poetry just one month out of the year right? I wish I could tell you that I’ve read some great poems lately or been to some poetry events but I haven’t had the chance to do that either. Hmm…

But I did write my own poem thanks to InstaPoem. Hee, hee.  Go check it out and write your own. I know it’s hard to read but here’s mine:

April has come and gone so quickly. I feel like my reading was really way off this month too but I started a new book last night which has been so delightful. I promise to tell you about that one very soon.

That word seems to be following me a lot this weekend. I went to a Junk Salvation show and saw so many goodies. Vintage items that are given a new life whether it’s turning them into whole new items or simply putting them to use again.

I found some cool paper ephemera for a project I’ll work on this week, a cigar box (don’t you just love these boxes) and a little gift for a dear friend I’ll be seeing later this week.

So the word “reclaim” or “reclaimed” keeps popping up in my mind as I think of new crafty projects and then I also start to think about “reclaiming” as in my time. I have been at my current job for a year and it’s been a long, crazy year. I love what I do but I’m starting to realize that no matter how many hours I work or how much I think about my job, the daily issues, etc. will still be there the next day. It’s time I started reclaiming my personal time for me.

Does this mean I’ll finally be posting more and getting back into conversations in the blogosphere? I hate to make promises. I don’t know but I am hoping that this new word that’s swirling through my mind will help me manifest what I want.

With this in mind here’s a bit of art journaling I did earlier today with my “word” of the day:

Hope you all have a great week ahead and here’s to welcoming a new month with lots of great books.

Hello everyone. Yes, I realize I keep disappearing from blogland and you must all be getting very tired of reading my same old excuses. Just when I think I’ll come back to blogging regularly something else is going on. In the past few weeks I’ve had family visiting, had to work some weekends and been dealing with the effects of spring allergy season.

So those things have kept me busy but I’ve also had a lot of fun with my jewelry class, which is now over. Here is another of my creations:

Last weekend I was in San Antonio for a bookbinding class. I can’t wait to show you what I made although I have to finish it first. Ha.

In other news, I’m very happy to report that my cousin who’s been ill (was in the hospital for almost a month) is at home and on his road to recovery. Yay. Thank you so much for all of your good wishes and vibes for him.

Reading news, well let’s just say that I’ve been reading a lot of romance and mystery. Mystery is my go-to comfort read but not the romance so that’s an interesting development.

Up ahead, I’m taking a new crafty class which starts this week. I am so thrilled about it and I’ll share more on that later. Amidst all the busy-ness, I try to find time for my yoga practice, which really should be a daily practice. I’ve been getting on the bike a few times and as the temperatures keep climbing here all I can think of is vacation. Not for a while yet but lately that’s a big thing on my mind because we finally get to go to a destination that’s been on my wish list for many years.

Again thank you for continuing to come back to visit with me and for your emails. Now it’s time for me to go spend a few moments with my book of the moment and relax before another hectic day at work.