new year, new diet. read on....

i remember making new year's resolutions when i was younger .... save money, lose weight, less drinking.  as new year's resolutions go, i was never one to keep any one resolution intact for more than about a month.  i was so easily led astray back then.  then one day i decided i would no longer make yearly 'resolutions.'    i mean, really, what's the point?  there are a number of personal challenges i resolve to overcome daily and for the most part they are a success, so i see no reason to begin a new year with some grand, over-the-top resolution.  pfft.

but this year i'm adding a little twist to a new personal challenge.  you see, i'm going on a diet.  not one of your standard low-carb, low-fat, low-sugar, sans-red-meat diets.  no.  this is a financial diet.  i'm formulating a plan to pay down current debt and afford home repairs while still building my savings and  investing in my business.  first thing i plan on doing:  eliminate incidental spending.  let's face it, i don't have a huge pool of disposable income to draw from, so that $5 coffee every other day, and that $4 breakfast burrito i can't seem to live without, and the $10 lunch when i forget to bring from home...all that is money better spent on groceries, or fuel, or utility bills.  so starting tomorrow, 12-31-12, i , jean m. may, pledge to eliminate any and all unnecessary incidental spending.  i figured i'd take it a week at a time, rather than proclaim to go a month straight without spending a penny extra.  the end of the week is much closer than the end of the month, and i think it puts the long-term goal of financial freedom in better perspective.  slow and steady wins the race, right?

i'll share my dietary progress here every so often so be sure to come back and visit.  in the meantime, save your pennies!

~jean

image courtesy of CROSS-eyed

merry happy christmas anniversary

"Tears are words that need to be written." ~ Paul Coehlo.  that's such a great quote, isn't it?  it's very apropos at the moment, too.  you see, today marks exactly ten years since i entered widowhood.  my husband passed away just 4 years into our marriage (ouch) and left me with three kids to raise on my own.  christmas has never been the same ever since and i've become more and more disenchanted with the very thought of it as the years have passed.  then there's my, er, wobbly household. seven living, breathing beings reside under one smallish roof, all with some degree of personality disorder. haha.  i admit, the mix does allow for some entertaining and humorous banter, but the clash of personalities can also cause thunderous rifts.  it's tricky, for sure.  adding to that, i've been dealing with the very real possibility of a valued friendship fading away.  heartbreak like no other, right there.

so those are my written tears, a portion of them anyway.  thanks, Paul Coehlo, for the inspiration.

~~~~~ ***** ~~~~~ 

while i'm here i'll offer a peek of what's new from the JMO studio.  i've had my hands in clay lately, and i am LOVING it.  oh, the possibilities!  i created these musical notes with a cookie cutter, air dry clay, paper, glue and varnish.  they will either be strung together like garland or bunting, or each may hang separately.  i haven't decided yet.

and with that same clay i've also been doing a little sculpting.  this here is Penny Ann, she's about 90% complete.  i'm kicking around the idea of giving her a body, though i really love her just the way she is.  she was lovingly created by sculpting air dry clay around a styrofoam ball, has glass eyes, a crochet beret (handmade by moi), and her hair is silky soft hand dyed Wenslesydale locks.  artist's pencils were used to apply her 'makeup.'

also working on sample patterns for the first ever JMO Collection ~ Summer 2013.  i can't divulge many details on that project just yet (sorry), but here's a look at one of the pieces in development.  almost the entire collection will be crocheted, with macrame and beaded accents added.  i am REALLy excited about this project and will share more details as soon as i can!

well, that's it for now.  may the coming year bring you all peace, love and harmony.  until next time...
~jean