Doings of Kate

Lately, I’ve been doing some things. Some bookish, artistic, Kate-ish things.

One of my goals this year has been to read through the Bible. My family is doing a reading plan that integrates with videos from The Bible Project, and it’s been amazing so far! We just read about the Exodus. I’ve also been reading a daily devotional My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. Since it’s based on notes from his lectures, it can be a little confusing sometimes but a lot of other times it knocks my socks off. 😉 I’ve also really been enjoying using my washi tape and paperclip bookmarks a younger sister gave me for Christmas to keep my place in what I’m reading.

I’ve actually done some more visually artistic things this month which is quite out of my comfort zone and a ton of fun. 😀

A couple of our friends decided to host a Bob Ross painting party where we all did our best to follow his instructions and paint a landscape at least similar to his. Part way through, I realized that my sky was very, very dark and my paint was going on really thick so I decided to just do whatever I liked with it. 😉 (And I didn’t feel guilty at all because the main reason I was at that party was for character research on what being a painter is like. 😉 ) I actually kinda like how it turned out. 😉

I have some thank you cards to write for Christmas presents, and my goal is to scrapbook them all. So far I’ve made one. (How long ago was Christmas, again?) I decided to go eclectic with it, and I’m hoping whichever buddy I send it to likes it. 😉

All those random bead-y things down there are 3/4’s of a necklace. I went to a library class with my mom and a sister where we assembled necklaces from wire and found materials like buttons, beads, pendants, etc. the teacher had collected. I’m planning to attach them to a chain, once I get myself to a Hobby Lobby. 😀

I’m currently reading Annie’s Life in Lists by Kristin Mahoney and really enjoying the unique format and the main character. (Can you believe, the book is told through a series of lists? So original!) I’m also re-reading Twinepathy by C.B. Cook for review, and this time I’m reading aloud to a teenage sister. It’s super fun, and I’m loving all the humorous dialogue. I’ve also gotten back into book journaling, and I can’t believe I ever stopped. It’s so much fun and good for savoring what I read. 😉 (My youngest sister gave me a journal for Christmas, so that helped encourage me too. She picked out a really cute one. 😀 )

Today, I surprised myself.

I was laying around staring at my bookshelf (doesn’t everyone do this?), moaning to myself about space and enjoying recalling each story from its title when I realized I could probably get rid of some books. It was really exciting once I got in the zone, and I ended up moving out fifteen books (some will go to a used bookstore, others to a Little Free Library ❤ ) from my shelves and the tote under my desk. I also got to add five new books I’ve known and loved to my shelves which is super exciting!

I still have a space problem, though… 😛 😉

I’ve also been writing. Some. 😉 I haven’t written at all this week yet, but I’ve been thinking through my next scene and really chomping at the bit to get to work on it. 😉 I’m almost three-quarters of the way through this draft which is EXCITING.

And today I was brainstorming a story for a new group project I’m working on (which is currently a secret). 😀

So, yeah. It’s been busy and good. I’m grateful. 😉

What have you been doing?