Checking In, Checklist

Its been a very long time since my last blog, and my last art session.  Working 40 hour weeks, volunteering for SPCA and Sula Foundation in my (extremely limited) spare time, and caring for my "special needs" (read: spoiled) dog, Beau, have drained my calendar.  While some of it has been rewarding, most of it has been hard and thankless work. But this is not my sounding board for complaints.  I just need to take a spare minute for myself, to write a checklist of things I would like to accomplish once the frenzy of activity winds down, and to put everything in perspective.  Here goes:  

THE LIST

1. Revamp the mask page on Weebly.  It has a good solid foundation but things need to be tweaked, rearranged, edited- not unlike decorating a house.  I want this House of Masks to rock and it needs a little TLC before I can put it "on the market."
2. Update my photography page on Weebly (http://nolaphotos007.weebly.com/)- since this link is now listed on my professional resume I have hidden some pages (necklaces, blog), and need to make the photo section really stand out and shine. 
3. Check in to my Linkedin account on a weekly basis.  Upload a basic professional profile. Stay in touch with contacts.
4. Currently I am working on a new photo/blog/online journal.  I have a couple of interesting and unusual ideas bouncing around in my head, and will have to sketch them out and keep them under wraps until I have a structured website.  (Note: may need to consider condensing everything under one big heading/blog).  This website will be in addition to my Flickr- I find the 200 photo limit constraining and need something that I can add to on a daily basis, without limits.  I will supplement it with creative writing and see where the journey takes me.  It will definitely be a more spontaneous endeavor than my original photo site.  
5. Schedule more photo sessions/shoots.   I have done quite a few over these recent months for the animal foundations, but need to branch off into other areas- portrait, landscapes, abstract, action shots, special (non-animal) events.  Hoping to add a wedding or two to my repertoire-would love to be unleashed to capture someone's Big Day, and document all the joy and romance. 
6. Commence working on the mask line with Lucas again.  Lucas's 14 hr day/7 day a week schedule makes mine look like child's play, however we are both working on balance, and anticipating some free time in the upcoming months. 
7. Organize my jewelry supplies and begin making necklaces again.  This is yet another special project that has been put to the backburner due to work, work and more work.  I plan on checking out online craft sites like Etsy to see if that would help propel the jewelry line out there. 
8. Set a specific date to do the Art Market- Palmer Park.  I will do a "test run" with the necklaces- get the layout of the market, learn how to set up/break down our tent area, and practice the "art of the sell"- before debuting our mask line. Note: October might be the ideal month to introduce our masks due to Halloween and great fall weather=more people.

That's all for now.  Will get back on track with documenting our corner of the art world on this blog.  In the meantime, wishing everyone balance, art and creative moments in your daily lives.