So I’m cleaning the entire house today for a couple of reasons. Reason number one is that it is super, super overdue. Reason number two (the real reason) is that my older son is having friends over tomorrow to work on a religion project and I don’t want to embarrass him!
But I needed a break. Baseboards and vacuuming and it’s nearly time to scrub the toilets!

I’ve been trying to do non-knitting things to help relieve stress – because once knitting becomes your job and everything is on a deadline it’s not nearly as relaxing, and also I am trying to do other motions with my hands to help relieve the repetitive physical stress that comes from knitting constantly.

Today I made myself a new little arc notebook for my drawings and doodles. I’m finding that I really like working with paper that isn’t white or cream or off white or well you know… So I had picked up this handy dandy notebook at my favorite local art store and I promptly ripped its guts out!

And then I used my fiskars paper trimmer to take off the edgings, and cut the pieces in half. This notebook had 5.5 x 8.5 inch pages. Once trimmed and cut in half they were the perfect size to put into my mini arc. I set up my arc punch and punched holes for the mini size – I had to experiment a bit.

And now I have a perfect purse sized doodle book to carry around with me. And the “toned tan” paper looks lovely with all of my Sakura Micron pens and my Sakura Gelly Roll pen in white. I might even pick up some more gelly rolls for more fun colors.

I think I might try to recreate this lovely cover design as a little doodle inside. It looks all zen and mandala-like!

And now it’s time to scrub the toilets. I have two teenage sons. And husbands are just as bad. Say a prayer for me.