I’ve separated the seasons as such:

Spring = February, March, April
Summer = May, June, July
Autumn = August, September, October
Winter = November, December, January (2013)

With February fast approaching, I had to work quickly to write down what I wanted to accomplish. This particular PDF is specific to me, but there are items on it that you might want to try, too. I’ll print my Spring Bucket List out on my colour printer, mount it in an 8.5×11 photo frame, and use a dry erase marker to check the items off as I finish them.

Link to the PDF: Spring Bucket List 2012

Do you create seasonal bucket lists for yourself?
What would you include on a seasonal bucket list for yourself?

It was mid-September of 2007 when I first laid eyes on Todd. I went to Kryptonite Bar to hang out with friends and visit with my friend, bar manager Katie. Todd had just finished his shift and was sitting at the bar, alone. I asked Katie, “Who is that cute guy?!” She excitedly told me his name and that he had recently broken up with a cheating girlfriend, he was younger, and we’d be perfect for each other. I wasn’t too keen on the idea that he had just broken up with someone, but we were nevertheless introduced.

Over the next several months we came to be friends and formed a mutual admiration for each other. Fast forward to mid-January when I learned his birthday was coming up in a couple of weeks, and he’d always wanted to go to a Rockford Ice Hogs hockey game. I was an avid fan, and I’d been to quite a few games.

I bought an extra ticket to a game I was going to with a couple of friends and then built up the courage to ask Todd if he wanted to go with me, you know, cause I just happened to have this extra ticket…he said yes!

The big day came, and we made our way to our seats. We were both so incredibly nervous that it had to be humorous to those watching us. I was both nervous and excited at the prospect of being featured on the Kiss Cam (we weren’t).

That night was the start of something big for us. I’ve felt as though our souls have known each other forever, and they were reunited when we met. Todd and I are great people individually, but together we’re so much more.

So, Happy First Date, babe! And a huge thank you from both of us to the people who have contributed to the happiness of our relationship…most especially to those people who pushed two shy people (when it comes to relationships) together in the beginning: Katie, Austin, Louse, and Debbie.

Through the years I’ve carried on this tradition. Today the Happy Birthday banner hangs on our fireplace for my husband Todd who turned 34.

Happy Birthday!!
(I can’t help but hear Frosty the Snowman’s voice every time I say or write that!)

The BJB and LMB are my parents’ initials, and my dad worked at Byron Nuclear Power Plant at the time.

I have (thankfully) gotten much better since then!

There are four months per page (print it out on cardstock), and you can display them on a mini clipboard that you could paint.

Look on the right-hand side of her page for a free download of her editorial blog calendar. It includes four great pages of planning goodness.

• Page One: My Weekly Blog Planner & To-Do List
• Page Two: My Month-at-a-Glance Blog Planner
• Page Three: My Weekly Goals and My Monthly Goals
• Page Four: Blog Topic Ideas & Inspirations and Guest Posting

This is a lot of great planning information. I printed off a couple of months worth, and I am going to put them in my Creative Planner to make sure I keep myself on track. Making this available for free is a very nice gesture by Tasha Chawner.

The link takes you to Wendy’s YouTube video of “25 Ways to Wear a Scarf in 4.5 Minutes.” I wear scarves often, and I only knew two ways to wear them – this video opened up my world! This link will take you to her blog to see the making of this video.

• Psychic Astrogloger Denise Guzzardo told me I would have a crafty business, and I would be showing my wares at craft fairs in spring 2012. (She was right about a BUNCH of other things.)
• My best friend Debbie has been telling me that I need to do this.
• My library has recently purchased a bunch of new books about starting your own crafty business.
• And, probably most importantly, I’ve been thinking about it more and more.

I purchased the updated book Craft, Inc by Meg Mateo Ilasco. I had the original edition, but I never finished reading it. I also have the Craft, Inc Business Planner.

What’s In a Name?

I need a name for this crafty business. Because I do so many different kinds of crafts, I don’t want to be tied down to something that only tells about one aspect of what I do. I thought about, “Z and Me.” The “Z” stands for my Chihuahua, Zuzu. But I realized it doesn’t really say anything about me so much.

The name in the lead so far is “Random Acts of Amy”, which also happens to be the name of this blog. Random Acts could be used to describe the different kinds of arts and crafts I do, and Amy is me!

What do you think? Am I on the right track? I’d like to get started in branding my image so that I can use it to promote my products, but I also don’t want to get stuck with a name that means nothing to anyone else.

The elevator was quite dark, and the feeble light that was shining was like a black light – our light colored and white fabric was glowing. I started to awkwardly look around, as you’re wont to do in an elevator with a stranger. I casually glanced up and saw A PERSON COMING AT ME FROM THE CEILING!!!

I threw myself into the corner of the elevator, hunched down, threw my arms out to grasp the handrails (while holding on to my sizable purse and bag), and made a noise of alarm.

The woman looked at me in terror.

Not surprisingly considering I had just made a complete and utter spectacle of myself!

There was no one coming at me from the ceiling…it was a mirror, and the person who had frightened me so badly was myself.

I straightened myself up, gave a nervous laugh, and haltingly attempted to explain what had happened. The woman continued to look at me as if I were some kind of crazed murderer, and I stopped trying to explain. I realized that it made me seem even more crazy. I kind of laughed and mumbled something about being on Candid Camera.

The elevator stopped at the other lady’s floor, and she was able to make her escape. It should be noted here that she didn’t turn her back on me…

Every time I think of this, I can’t help but laugh. Only me…

P.S. I would like to know why there was a mirror on the ceiling of a public elevator.

Right outside of the little chapel where we were married at Midway Village was a miniature (fake) graveyard. When I saw it when I toured the facility early this year, I knew we had to have some kind of wedding photos taken there.

I used a plain, white artist’s canvas as the anchor. Then I added blood red paper, old looking patterned paper, and Gothic letters. As you can see in the picture, some people really got into the zombie vibe while others were laughing, didn’t quite know what was going on, or were posing. I think that’s what is best about this picture.

Zombies!

Photo credit: Ryan Davis Photography

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I printed out some of my favorite pictures from my wedding, gathered up my scrapbooking supplies, and got to work.

For this first picture, I used Tim Holtz’s pumice stone ink and his edge rougher to give the edges of the canvas and papers a vintage look. (The paper just happened to have the word “HEART” at the top where I places it.)

Vintage You & Me

 Another vintage canvas. I love this picture, but it has a lot of warm colours, and I am a cool colour person, so I had to really dig deep in my papers to find ones that I thought went with the picture.

Vintage T & A

The background paper is my favourite! Every time I see it, I get very happy. I don’t know what it is…maybe the colours and design. It reminds me a lot of my Great Grandma Rosie.

Mr & Mrs

I had originally bought the swirly bling for our unity candle, but it didn’t look right. I like the juxtaposition of the photo and how I matted it on the canvas.

Swirly Wall

Here we all are on the porch of one of the houses at Midway Village.

Hail, Hail the Gang's All Here!

Let the Journey Begin

This is one of Todd’s favourite pictures. He loves the silhouette effect.

Forever and Always

This pose was my idea. I’m attempting Serious Face here…not my best, not my worst.

Badasses

I bought another 10 pack of artist cavanses at Michael’s today. They’re $19.99, but I had a 40% off coupon on my iPhone with the Michael’s app, so they were more affordable.

Photo credits: Ryan Davis Photography