Diary

February so far, in a pictorial nutshell.

My first diary was a Peter Rabbit journal with a lock and key that I kept in first grade. I think I only managed to fill up about 15 pages of the 365 available. Flipping through it a few months ago I was appalled at my, shall we say, "creative spelling." But entries about the Tooth Fairy and staying the night at my grandparents still hold up.

As a teenager, I became a more regimented diarist, detailing each day's events in cramped, school-girl script. When I went away to college, I shifted from keeping a diary to writing daily emails home, a way to combat homesickness. And then there was the first awkward attempt at blogging my senior year, a Microsoft Frontpage document (cringe) that I updated daily and is mercifully no longer available on the internet. I remember vaguely writing about miniature marshmallows in cocoa and CD purchases that I will not now publicly admit.

It seems on a weekly basis that articles about

THE DEATH OF BLOGGING

 pop up -- insert disaster sound effects. And while wonderful alternate forms of communication do rise to the surface, there's something about blogging that still seems comforting.  I guess in a way, it doesn't feel so very different from that Peter Rabbit diary at the end of the day. Except I'm not reviewing episodes of "Jem and the Holograms." 

Or should I?

Just kidding. Sort of. Anyhow, February has included book sketches, a trip to Flight Coffee, watching episodes of Mr. and Mrs. Murder, sewing a baby quilt for a brand new nephew and reading The Thing With Feathers. And snow.

Valentine Printable

 

Here's a free Valentine printable (including three different designs) for all your February 14th based needs. Give them to your classmates, pass one out to your letter carrier or send surreptitiously to your secret crush, your call. These look fun as is, but would look even more swell with glitter I bet. Enjoy!

:: Download Here ::

And want more options? Here's a few other designs from the archives:

2015

2014

And a Valentine's themed desktop wallpaper:

2013

Free for personal, classroom and library use only, please. Abigail Halpin, © 2016

 

29 Days

February, I like you! Only 29 days and it's light past 4:30 means we're rotating ever closer to the days when I don't have to wear five shirts. I finally gave up and went to the greenhouse last week because I couldn't hack January any longer. A half hour of daffodils and hyacinths was just what the doctor ordered.

Anyhow. Some less Wintry things.

* My Etsy shop is closed temporarily. I'd hoped to open after the holidays, but I'm focusing on some deadlines right now. I'll open again once things ease up -- apologies!

* I have a Valentine's Day printable in the works. I'll have that available by next Monday at the latest.

* Le Concert is a lovely film. Equally hilarious and heartfelt, it's well worth a watch.

Blue

Something I painted this afternoon for the 12 Months of Paint challenge (this month's theme was blue.) Most of what I'm doing these days are black and white sketches, so it's nice to switch gears for a bit with color.

The Swing of Things

 

Back into the swing of things this week: thumbnails, lettering, catching up on Serial's second season and some pattern making (case in point, above).

Also, there may have been a chocolate sea salt cruller (because, January).

Twenty Sixteen

The year still feels new and fresh. And cold. Really cold. I'm sitting here with a hat on and a puffy vest because I'm too much of a crank to turn the heat up higher. But hey, I don't have to shovel anything, so it's all good.

Anyhow, I've been mulling over 2016 for the past couple of days, taking the time to figure things out. So an assortment of goals for the next twelve months:

1. Develop a fabric collection.

2. Read 25 books.

3. Finish unfinished things. Quilts, cleaning, running, a childhood dollhouse, etc. Anything that's languished in a back closet or the recesses of my mind is fair game.

4. Work on the graphic novel idea I've been researching for the past two years. I've chucked it a few times over, but the subject doesn't seem to let go. So I'm going to dedicate some scheduled time to that each week.

I have a few other ideas kicking around in my head, a group pop-up shop, embroidery concepts, screen prints, etc. There'll be more "Alfred" updates and book things to mention in the coming months. But for the time being, I'll start with the above and see where the next twelve months lead.

Also, I give up, I'm going to go turn up the heat.

For Auld Lang Syne my Dear

Thanks for the memories, 2015! I'm plunking down with a cup of coffee and my laptop for a minute, to stop and meander through the past twelve months. Every January I have a battle plan in my head, a roadmap of the new year ahead. And invariably by December, I've taken highways and byways unintended, but eventually appreciated. I think Dirk Gently (a.k.a, Douglas Adams) put it best when he said, "I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be."

I started 2015 flying into Washington, D.C, on New Year's Day. San Antonio this past Spring was splendid and ditto for a night spent on an island off the coast of New Hampshire this past August. And a trip to Los Angeles in September was swell.

I began work on Finding Wild amidst the most punishing winter I can remember and sent in final artwork just as the leaves started to unfurl. My sister and I launched a graphic novel in weekly installments -- eight months in and I feel like we're really getting to the good parts. And I experimented, making lots and lots of artwork, trying to get closer to the things I want and need to make.

So how about 2015 New Year's resolutions? I didn't sew as much as I wanted to, but I did make an Archer shirt that I wear continuously. I took an etching class at Chase's Garage and am loving Skillshare. And I did read 25 books, you can see them over here.

I'm still mulling over 2016, how to map out the next twelve months. But for now, I'm going to have a glass of champagne, a slice of this cake and binge on the Twilight Zone marathon. Happy New Year and here's wishing you all the best in the months ahead!