Heading Home

I'm all packed up.

We'll do 3 shows this afternoon and then start driving home.

I'm looking forward to stopping in Kansas to see my friend Johanna and I'm also looking forward to sleeping in my own bed on Tuesday night.  Yay!

xoxo
Laura

Change is in the Air (Again)

We've officially entered the last week of our summer show here in Sandusky.  We spent our last day off celebrating the end of our contract at our friend Chuck's farm.

The end of a show contract is always a strange time because we all know we're about to leave all the friends we've made.  I'll probably get to work with some of them on other ice shows down the road, but there's an equal chance that I may never see some of them again. It's the proverbial parting of ways. Ugh.

I've gone through this time once or twice a year for the past 7 years and I still find it unsettling.

These are the things I'll miss about this contract when it's over:

1.  My Sandusky bffs.  Each and every one of them.

2.  Having wordless conversations with my friend Shawna using just our eyes.

3.  Seeing everybody (and their stuffed animals) wearing the bows I knitted for them back in June.

4.  Singing the 4-show-day song with the other Laura.

5.  Laughing so hard with Andy during the show that I can barely stay on my feet.

But as each contract comes to a close, there's more to it than just leaving it all behind; there's also the excitement for what's coming next.  For me, that will be a 6-week break at home in Denver before my next skating contract in the Caribbean.  

I can't wait to spend all that time at home!

These are the things I'm looking forward to at home:

1.  Hanging out with my family and my Denver bffs.  I am so incredibly lucky to still have great friends back at home even though I haven't lived there full-time in 7 years.  (See you soon, Button!!!)

2.  Unlimited time for knitting and crafting. Yay!

3.  Yoga.  In a real studio with real instructors.

4.  Living within a mile or two of Whole Foods, Vitamin Cottage, and Sunflower Market.  It's seriously gluten free heaven.

5.  Leaf peeping.  I can't wait to spend my favorite time of year in my favorite place in the world.

I guess the point of all this is that even though I'm sad to be leaving good old Sandusky, the future is looking pretty darn awesome as well.  And thanks to modern technology (I'm looking at you, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snap Chat, etc.) I know that all the friends I'll be missing will really only be a phone call (or a text or a tweet) away.

You stay classy, Sandusky.

xoxo

Laura

The Non-Making Life

This blog is all about the things I make and how I make them, and I love it.  The whole blogging experience has given me (and continues to give me) the push I need to lead a creative, productive, crafty lifestyle.  Every once in a while, however, I go through a non-making phase as well, which is what happened last week.  Although those phases are not necessarily the best thing for my blog, it's ok with me because I'm busy with other, non-crafting adventures.  Blogging is great as long as it's leading me to create new things, but I don't ever want it to hold me back from getting out there and living life.

Last week in Mexico I went swimming with a dolphin named Chuck.

He was super cute when he was kissing my cheek, but he was a little scary when he took me for a ride on a boogie board.

The dolphin trip was eye-opening and fun, and I highly recommend doing it if you ever get the chance.

A few days later, before the dolphin excitement had even worn off, we went on an eco hike on St. John in the US Virgin Islands.

Did you know that St. John is an arid environment?  I just assumed it would be wet and I was pretty shocked to discover that it was more like a hike at home in the Rocky Mountains than one in the rainforest.  My favorite plant that our tour guide, Jen, talked about was the Moses in the Cradle.  I love the deep purple leaves that are mixed in with the green ones.

In addition to swimming and hiking, I've been doing a bit of island-style relaxing with my friends.  "When in Rome" right?

So that's what I've been up to lately.  Never fear, though, the crafting bug is in me to stay, and I've been thinking up some new projects that I'm excited to start working on and blogging about in the very near future.  These ideas involve knitting with super soft yarn, embroidering pretty letters, and stamping away.

Until next time,
xoxo
Laura