DECEMBER FRIDAY FRONT RUNNERS- A REVIEW OF WHAT I'VE BEEN LOVING LATELY

Things in this neck of the woods have certainly settled down a bit. I'm slowly adjusting to not having to work everyday, and am also realizing how incredibly burnt out I was. Although I'm still applying for jobs, I am realizing just how much I needed this break.

Let's get to it, shall we? Here's a round-up of what I've been loving lately (and also some updates).

1. I've decided to commit to this pottery thing that I started nearly a year ago. With studios and most classes not running, I took the plunge and bought a wheel and a kiln. It's been a saga and a learning process, particularly with the kiln, but it's working and keeping me very busy. I've learned loads about thermodynamics, and clay bodies, and glazes, and I know theres still so much more to learn!

2. I've still been reading loads trying to get to my 50 book goal this year. I'm actually ahead by one book so I've been taking it a bit slower the last few weeks. Here's what I've been reading:

1. Keep Moving: Notes on Loss, Creativity, and Change by Maggie Smith- It was short and sweet with some good advice. I read along with the audio book which I wouldn't recommend because the poetry voice is VERY real.

2. The Gathering by Anne Enright- Loved this book in all it's Irishness. Enright is a phenomenal writer and this certainly deserved the Booker Award.

3. The Feather Thief by Kirk Wallace Johnson- Was certainly an interesting read about the world of salmon fly tying. But you'd have to be pretty interested in that sort of thing because it goes into great detail!

4. The South by Colm Toibin- LOVED this book. It felt like a post-modern version of The Sun Also Rises. I always appreciate stories about artists and the journeys they take to find their true creativity.

5. On Mexican Time: A New Life in San Miguel- by Tony Cohan My mom and her friend Janet have been raving about San Miguel De Allende since they went there several years ago. I've been dying to go, and this book just enhanced that. Although I didn't always love the craft decisions, the town of San Miguel plays a huge role in the story which I found very enchanting.

3. I haven't been getting outside as much as I would have liked, but I'm going to be making a concerted effort to really use this time and spend more of it outdoors. I did get outside this week for a short hike in Boulder, after the snows, and man was it pretty!

4. With Christmas just around the corner, and it being a particularly weird one this year, I've found that I've been really drawn to baking. And I mean lots and lots of baking. We're not having our usual Christmas Eve tradition of the Seven Fishes, instead we'll be opening presents outside, at different tables, with just some cookies to munch on. That means we've been making loads of them. These melting moments from Martha Stewart are some of my favorites.

5. Last up, and this is really more of an update, is the Patreon that my sister Hannah and I have started. For about a year now I've been thinking about wanting to have a community of artsy women who love the outdoors. I couldn't find one and this year has been sorely lacking in community, so we put our heads together and just did it ourself. The Wild Women Creative Collective is just that, a community of women who value both creativity and the outdoors. We can't wait to work on growing it after Christmas and the New Year. Oh, and did I mention this is one of my favorite logos I've EVER done? Well, it is.