These honest conversations with Lindsay are the absolute best. I have so much to share, there is so much path yet to follow, but this level of alignment in all areas of life is something I have never felt before.

The guilt is at its worst each night and morning.

Grateful log for Wed, 30 Oct 2024

1. Forgiveness
2. Mozzie’s strength
3. Lindsay’s heart

A lot of changes are coming in the near future, personal and business related. And it is all related. Will be a while, but eventually I’ll have it all sorted out in my head to write a longer post.

Took coffee to Lindsay this evening after work, I was missing her and hoped she would say yes. We don’t usually see each other on Thursday or Friday and then the weekends are hit or miss. Turned into a family movie night and I loved every single minute with them.

I wake up with guilt, shame, regret. My shakes are back. Praying, writing another letter, praying.

I weep on my drive “home” now. Everything has changed again, and I pray desperately that God gives me a second chance with her. I spend the time before going to sleep writing her letters I should have written 4 years ago.

Grateful log for Wed, 23 Oct 2024

1. Being honest
2. Remembering
3. Holding

Bolted/jolted awake again, this time after only 3 hours. Hopefully tonight I can experience a full night of rest.

shakes went away, thankfully. another heart to heart tonight. 3 hours. so much progress made, still 1,000 miles to go. I’ve been asleep for so long and have so much work (mind/heart/soul) to begin.

A great school day with Mozzie!

I can feel my heart again and it is the strangest feeling.

Email sent. Waking up yesterday has so far offered nothing but continued surprises.

Grateful log for Mon, 21 Oct 2024

1. Waking up yesterday. Life is so weird.
2. Talking with Lindsay yesterday.
3. Mozzie’s patience.

Woke up this morning, feeling like I woke up from being asleep for 10 years. Strange feeling, but good.

Had a brutally honest conversation with Lindsay this afternoon, after a 4-mile walk with her. Probably the first time in 10 years. Maybe 6.

And now I don’t know what I’m doing.

Grateful log for Sun, 20 Oct 2024

1. Mozzie had a great day yesterday
2. Backyard fire last night with Lindsay, Mozzie joined us for s’mores
3. Cold mornings

🛌 A rather chaotic (in my head) 24 hours is coming to a close. Eager for rest.

🛌 A rather chaotic (in my head) 24 hours is coming to a close. Eager for rest.

Ok, getting this off of my chest: things change - let’s actually get back to human commerce again

ok. bed calls. will read through this again tomorrow and probably publish. has to do with my latest Etsy drama.

late( r ) night blogging = bourbon

been one of those days…weeks…

Oh Etsy. You continue to focus your “security” on the absolute wrong sellers.

Down to the last bunch.

Grateful log for Wed, 16 Oct 2024

1. Giving in and playing Brawl Stars with Mozzie last night 💥
2. Up just before my alarm this morning 💪
3. Hot coffee on cold mornings ☕️

Upon opening DayOne this morning 🙏

“Out of difficulties grow miracles.” — Jean de la Bruyere

🏈 Mozzie and I have been watching Monday Night Football on Tuesday nights.

How’s this for personalized? Will be a gift from wife to husband, featuring the signatures of his mom and dad. Such a great gift!

Grateful log for Tue, 15 Oct 2024

1. Great school day with Mozzie yesterday
2. Making chocolate chip cookies
3. The various seasons of life, strange as they may be.

🍪 😋

Making chocolate chip cookies for fun. Making fish for dinner. Having some wine too. Christmas music on, need some cheeriness 😊

1 Year Anniversary 🥳

⚡️ FLASH SALE, today only, October 14th 2024 marks 1 year of running my leather business full-time! 25% off all products.

Browse across my website and the Strathmere Leather products, then shoot me an email with what you’d like!

🎄Great time to get some high-quality Christmas gifts 🎁

bad day

For those dying to learn more, I put together a quick walkthrough video of the sheepskin tissue pouch 🙈 Such a random thing, but it certainly is a nice way to carry tissues on the go. Video is on this page: https://strathmereleather.com/accessories.html

back of the napkin scribbles vol. 4

Perfection is over rated. Boring. Predictable. Anyone can do it these days. You can buy perfection from a store or make it with a machine.

Love the movement captured in this photo.

🍺 Beer. Football. Writing a blog post.

Ended up following me inside, went for a monitored tour, sniffing every corner from the basement up to the second floor.

I’m not a pet or cat guy per se, but their company is nice. Maybe I consider making his visits ok? He’s my neighbor’s cat.

Taking photos outside and look who joined me :-)

Guess this counts as a Caturday post!? 🐈‍⬛

Another long but good day. Delivered the Think notepad case. Made time to have two cigars while out, caught up with a friend I haven’t seen in a while. Got back and finished the two tissue pouches. Not sure why I’m making them but it was a fun challenge to get the functional improvements just right.

Scratch that. Already had the machine threaded with brown so finished this.

• Hand-dyed flip-style notepad case
• Fits 3x5 notepads
• Pen loop for your standard “bic” size pen
• Veg-tan cowhide
• THINK stamp is optional
• Available for $75 with free domestic shipping

A fun project to finish!

Late arrival to my workbench. Warming up with iterative improvements to the sheepskin tissue pouch before client work.

Cutting.

💭 The people we meet on our dreams: actual humans out there somewhere or figments of our imagination?

💭 The people we meet on our dreams: actual humans out there somewhere or figments of our imagination?

if you have an idea

Doesn’t take much for me to squirrel. Made a sheepskin tissue pouch.

Finally at the bench. Warming up.

Hanging with these two tonight.

🤧 Past few years of go, go, go are catching up to me. Body is forcing rest at the moment.

🤧 Past few years of go, go, go are catching up to me. Body is forcing rest at the moment.

☀️ 🍵 Vitamin D and tea before round 2.

😴 Man. Whata day. Reading for a few minutes then some sleep!

😴 Man. Whata day. Reading for a few minutes then some sleep!

Working on a very custom rush job that came in this evening.

Had some time for a cigar today!

Quick Sunday morning addition.

Starting a new notebook this morning (a large pitch black that fits perfectly in the large Jefferson notebook case).

back of the napkin scribbles vol 3

Bringing this one back.

Making an extremely custom leather oven mitt.

Day is still young.

A useful travel pouch.

📣🎉 Quick post to announce The Galileo Passport Case - available now! Website can be found at https://thegalileocase.com.

Lots of words, photos, and video to help show exactly what it is, how it looks, how it feels, and how it will be a good companion for your upcoming trip!

Always test in dev before promoting to prod.

Get yours.

Gotta say, I’m a BIG fan of sending invoices for orders instead of the orders just coming in. Feels so much more human!

Final touches in progress today for the Galileo website…hoping to officially announce availability later today or tomorrow!

💪 Alright Monday - let’s do this!

💪 Alright Monday - let’s do this!

😮‍💨 Bit of a strange weekend. Had a low back flair up start on Friday, became worse all day and peaked Saturday. Believe it has been dealt with through stretching, Thera gun, ice, heat, etc., dealing with bruising now. Anyways. Prepping for the odd work week ahead. Will be out of town for 3 days.

😮‍💨 Bit of a strange weekend. Had a low back flair up start on Friday, became worse all day and peaked Saturday. Believe it has been dealt with through stretching, Thera gun, ice, heat, etc., dealing with bruising now. Anyways. Prepping for the odd work week ahead. Will be out of town for 3 days.

Prototypes.

I am so incredibly grateful for the type of work I get to earn an income from. This is going to be a fun delivery to make!

Finished the calfskin wallet (a standard in my portfolio called The Armando). Hand dyed in chocolate. Hand stitched. As I was making it I had the thought that this would pair well as a set with The Galileo passport case!

Finishing a calfskin wallet today.

☕ Full day ahead!

☕ Full day ahead!

👍 More coffee. Quick workbench time then shipping. Then back to the bench for several hours.

👍 More coffee. Quick workbench time then shipping. Then back to the bench for several hours.

Got the walkthrough video recorded for the Galileo passport case. Website in progress. Logo by @ningkantida coming along really well. All primary photos taken. Need to get some “lifestyle” shots. This one escalated quickly but I’m very happy with how everything has come together!

Hand-dipped (many, many times) glow in the dark bookmark tips on The Jefferson.

☕ Late work nights mean late starts, but that’s ok. Having the flexibility to follow creative bursts, no matter the time of day, is critical for me.

☕ Late work nights mean late starts, but that’s ok. Having the flexibility to follow creative bursts, no matter the time of day, is critical for me.

Finished the hand-dyed calfskin Galileo passport case tonight. Photos of the finished product to follow later, hopefully with some nice natural light.

Pricing of everything finalized as-well. Available soon!

🎧 In the mood for some late night work.

🎧 In the mood for some late night work.

second look: the Galileo passport case

I have been using the Galileo passport case since making it (which has only been a week now, I think), just so I can use it day to day, feel what it feels like to do so, etc. In addition to working as designed, which is to carry a passport and other travel related documents, it also makes for a great wallet, albeit on the larger side. That it can carry a pocket size notebook (i.e. a field notes notebook, of course) is a very nice added bonus.

Hand-dyed in progress.

Workin’.

nostalgic for the office

Modular. Versatile. (My end-of-the-workday-quick-creative-idea-to-execution).

Also, cool can. Good beer.

Cutting material for three Galileo passport cases. Two will be fully assembled, one will start the dyed-by-hand process and will be assemble on Thursday.

first look: The Galileo passport case

Sized up slightly to fit an International Driving Permit 🚗

🗳️ Polling the audience: have this as default size or as an optional size?

⛈️ Thunderstorm tonight. Sleeping with the windows opened slightly.

⛈️ Thunderstorm tonight. Sleeping with the windows opened slightly.

Necessary reminder.

Grateful Log and some Wisdom for Saturday September 21, 2024

1. Up at 3am
2. Yoga
3. Coffee

So in the majority of other things, we address circumstances not in accordance with the right assumptions, but mostly by following wretched habit. Since all that I’ve said is the case, the person in training must seek to rise above, so as to stop seeking out pleasure and steering away from pain; to stop clinging to living and abhorring death; and in the case of property and money, to stop valuing receiving over giving. - Musonius Rufus

🧘‍♂️ Calling it. Can’t just lay here. 3am yoga to start the day. Then diving into all the stuff my brain woke me up with.

🧘‍♂️ Calling it. Can’t just lay here. 3am yoga to start the day. Then diving into all the stuff my brain woke me up with.

🧠 Brain activity woke me up. Can’t get back to sleep.

🧠 Brain activity woke me up. Can’t get back to sleep.

Accidental selfie while taking photos of the passport case earlier today.

☕ Coffee round 2. Finish client work for the week. Dinner. Shower. Website/marketplace work. Sleep.

☕ Coffee round 2. Finish client work for the week. Dinner. Shower. Website/marketplace work. Sleep.

Second prototype, perfected the sizing. This product is good to go. Name TBD, but it is a passport case.

• made-to-order
• available in three colors: tan, brown (pictured), and black.
• veg-tan leather exterior, Italian suede interior (pockets)
• free monogram (optional)
• free domestic shipping
• $149 USD

Really liking how this passport case turned out. Will be part of the Strathmere Leather line. Also really liking suede for the interior pockets. Went with the same approach on the soon-to-be-announced Franklin bag.

Prototype.

A visitor.

Dyed by hand.

State of my bag lately. Water bottle in the modular compartment off to the side, 13” MacBook Air, 11” iPad, magazine for wishful moments to read, Jefferson full of notes and unfinished thoughts. Plus pockets on both sides of the bag holding useful day-to-day things.

Mornings.

Back to work! Have successfully not been down here since Saturday morning, which provides a fresh mindset in-between bench sessions and now as I get back to it.

Promo cards.

Grateful log for Sun, 15 Sep 2024

1. Finalizing everything to launch the Jefferson
2. Time with friends last night
3. Fell asleep under a tree yesterday afternoon, it was amazing.

🥳 LAUNCHED!

Introducing: The Jefferson Notebook Case (blog post announcing it).

Or just dive right in, head to TheJeffersonCase.com!

Final read through.

📹 Recording another video this morning for The Jefferson website. Finishing touches! Coming soon!

📹 Recording another video this morning for The Jefferson website. Finishing touches! Coming soon!

back of the napkin scribbles vol 2

Will have The Jefferson notebook case available soon! Recorded the walkthrough video today and finalized most of the website details. Stay tuned!

💪 Finishing a large order today. Eager to get this one shipped!

💪 Finishing a large order today. Eager to get this one shipped!

First year in a while where I’m not upgrading any of my apple hardware. I’m good with my iPhone 15 Pro Max. Good with my Ultra Watch 2 (which I haven’t worn in a few days). Good with my ‘21 iPad Air, and my ‘22 M2 MacBook Air.

Experimenting.

After each set of leather bins I make I raise their prices.

This photo has nothing to do with the leather bins.

Set of 6 leather bins in progress: 18” x 12” x 12”. Stitching the bottoms into place next.

Finished and shipped these beauties yesterday. All hand-dyed. Leather cigar cases and a cigar match pouch. I whittle the ends of each cigar match (not shown in the photos) for a unique look on each one.

🥱 Oh man, the crash is REAL.

🥱 Oh man, the crash is REAL.

💆 Monthly massage completed. Focus areas identified.

💆 Monthly massage completed. Focus areas identified.

Hoping to have time at the beginning of next year to work on a few ideas I have with these types of products.

Beefy. Part of the next bag I’m working on (hoping to have everything finalized soon).

Heading out.

Had an idea.

School day is done for the day! What’s new in your world?

Alternative.

🍂 48*F overnight, nice and chilly this morning. Thankful for the crisp air and the change of seasons.

🍂 48*F overnight, nice and chilly this morning. Thankful for the crisp air and the change of seasons.

Random contents.

⛪ Sunday's have been different lately. I'm at an in-between with church, need to write about it properly, and have given myself time away from it over the Summer. So, Sunday's have been different. They are at least not all work.

⛪ Sunday's have been different lately. I'm at an in-between with church, need to write about it properly, and have given myself time away from it over the Summer. So, Sunday's have been different. They are at least not all work.

A small set. Phone sleeve and card sleeve. Hand-dyed leather, hand-stitched with a forest green thread. Lovely pine trees stamped on front and back.

I’ve been doing pretty good the last week or so at reading before bed.

This was a very fun project to work on. Challenging, new, learned a lot! Suede inside and out. Hand-painted logos. All very custom :-)

🤎 Coffee round 2.

🤎 Coffee round 2.

Pausing one, moving onto the next for a few hours.

A few tweaks before client work.

Day set.

☕ Eager for the day ahead! Happy Thursday!

☕ Eager for the day ahead! Happy Thursday!

😴 A late work night after spending the evening with Mozzie. Bed soon! Next two days are packed!

😴 A late work night after spending the evening with Mozzie. Bed soon! Next two days are packed!

This bag has been more than ideal as a daily carry for the past few weeks now. Just need to finalize a few smaller details. Very eager to get this one announced officially!

🪰 All of the pesky things dealt with, time to head to the workshop!

🪰 All of the pesky things dealt with, time to head to the workshop!

School day yesterday with this awesome kid ✏️👨‍🏫

Hoping to add to my never-ending list of things to do to make a “Christmas Catalog” website (specific to my leather goods), one-page, and attempt to replicate some awesome early web design and feels. Requesting any of your favorites that or a good resource for browsing designs of yesteryear.

Continuing to test, which is going well. Will be available for sale soon (with or without the pine trees, with or without out a monogram, two sizes, several different leather/finish options. Ordering will utilize simple email correspondence and then invoice for payment).

Been too busy lately. Good busy, but still. Need to figure out some type of quick restorative break before being fully immersed in the Christmas retail season.

Was very needed.

Painting this morning 🎨

Morning starts lately.

🙃 These late night creative bursts will fade eventually, following them as long as they last.

🙃 These late night creative bursts will fade eventually, following them as long as they last.

Giving The Jefferson as a gift later today. Have made a bunch of “unboxing inserts” as a result.

You’ve Got Mail.

Later night than anticipated but had to follow a creative burst.

😊 Good morning so far. Caught up on sleep. Fruit for breakfast, with coffee, of course, while writing. Laundry handled. Indoor plants watered. Everything looking good. Now some light work, then whittling matches while watching football this afternoon.

😊 Good morning so far. Caught up on sleep. Fruit for breakfast, with coffee, of course, while writing. Laundry handled. Indoor plants watered. Everything looking good. Now some light work, then whittling matches while watching football this afternoon.

Made a stitched dual-layer hand-cut shoulder strap for the bag this evening. Much nicer. That and the snap in/out top provide excellent progress…I think this one is coming together nicely. Just a few details to finalize yet.

Bit by bit.

Wrapping up a large order today.

Not completely finished but was just about there at 2:30 this morning. Had to follow the creative energy.

Oh man 😍

Will finish this tomorrow. This suede is a dream to work with.

Season is definitely changing.

the feeling of making

Oh man, this bag turned out great! Photos to follow later today.

🥱 Tired but gotta keep working…desperately trying to catch up…before the Christmas retail season kicks into gear.

🥱 Tired but gotta keep working…desperately trying to catch up…before the Christmas retail season kicks into gear.

Moving on.

⏲️ 1.25 hours left of focus this afternoon. Coffee to assist.

⏲️ 1.25 hours left of focus this afternoon. Coffee to assist.

Mozzie is starting 5th grade today. Insane. Time is going too fast.

📝 Getting a few early morning words in before I can’t.

Should wrap up this Strathmere between tonight and tomorrow morning. Wondering who will get one next!

Much better. Added the trees since I’ll be testing this particular case well into September. Looking to make available in late September/early October.

Perfecting a few things, then making pancakes for breakfast.

⏰ Accidentally turned my alarm off instead of snoozing it. Extra 1.5 hours of sleep. Feeling rested…but I do need to get an actual alarm clock.

⏰ Accidentally turned my alarm off instead of snoozing it. Extra 1.5 hours of sleep. Feeling rested…but I do need to get an actual alarm clock.

Made one for the larger Field Notes. Also experimenting with a simple solution to keep the strap in place without it being fixed in place.

Have been doing some writing before bed the past few nights. Nothing organized, just getting the last few thoughts out before they are gone.

💤 broken record lately but this tired is really hanging around! something about this past week really took a lot out of me. eager for a solid night of rest tonight!

💤 broken record lately but this tired is really hanging around! something about this past week really took a lot out of me. eager for a solid night of rest tonight!

☕ Crashing but still some work to be done before I feel like the work week ends where it needs to. Coffee.

☕ Crashing but still some work to be done before I feel like the work week ends where it needs to. Coffee.

☕️ Before getting into the day.

🥱 Quitting while I’m ahead. Too tired to be efficient. Early bed, early rise. Everything can wait until then.

🥱 Quitting while I’m ahead. Too tired to be efficient. Early bed, early rise. Everything can wait until then.

😮‍💨 When I am tired, when I don't get enough sleep, the state of my mental well-being low.

😮‍💨 When I am tired, when I don't get enough sleep, the state of my mental well-being low.

• Dinner
• Coffee
• Reports
• Laundry
• Leather
• Sleep

Today’s shipments: leather match box (hand dyed in Spanish brown) with 100 hand-carved matches, leather pen case (pens not included). Both a classic part of my portfolio at this point.

🌹 Funeral this morning and afternoon. Did some work before and a few shipments now. Eating a dinner, sitting for a few, then back down to the workshop for the evening.

🌹 Funeral this morning and afternoon. Did some work before and a few shipments now. Eating a dinner, sitting for a few, then back down to the workshop for the evening.

Accurate. Looking forward to some rest this weekend, hopefully.

Today’s completed projects (so far).

Both hand-dyed. English bridle humidified cigar tube case. Mahogany tobacco pouch, satin-lined.

💆‍♂️ Massage done. List of areas to work on over the next month determined.

💆‍♂️ Massage done. List of areas to work on over the next month determined.

Continuing to enhance. Added two deerskin lace bookmarks.

Will finish this later this evening.

Hard to believe it is that time of year already 🎄🎅🎁

A very simple leather pouch I put together a while ago for keeping various cables and such in one place.

Using the case with a third notebook now (added the 56-week date book from Field Notes).

Grateful Log for Tue, 13 Aug 2024

1. An early start to the day
2. Getting organized
3. Making stuff

🥱 Close to 6 hours of sleep, good enough I guess. Odd bad night of sleep, not sure what triggered it.

🥱 Close to 6 hours of sleep, good enough I guess. Odd bad night of sleep, not sure what triggered it.

🙄 Eesh. A sleepless night so far. Brain is too active. Not tired but want to be sleeping.

🙄 Eesh. A sleepless night so far. Brain is too active. Not tired but want to be sleeping.

Planning.

back of the napkin scribbles vol. 1

1.75 hrs of hand-dying reduced to 27 seconds.

Late night stamping. Dye will be applied (to A LOT of projects) tomorrow.

Saturday. Pancakes & Monopoly.

Grateful Log for Sat, 10 Aug 2024

1. Made good progress this past week across many different projects
2. Sun is shining this morning
3. Playing Monopoly with Mozzie

Grateful Log for Fri, 09 Aug 2024

1. Phenomenal sleep
2. The rain
3. So many ideas this morning

🌧️ Lots of rain today. Great day to focus!

🌧️ Lots of rain today. Great day to focus!

Another Strathmere bag in progress.

Doesn’t take long for me to get carried way 🙈

Thinking these will fall into an “accessory” item of the Strathmere Leather line. Going to keep using mine to see how things hold up, so far very pleased with it.

☁️ Boots on. Harry Potter playing in the background. Drinking water then switching to coffee. “Back half of the year” vibes are beginning to kick in.

☁️ Boots on. Harry Potter playing in the background. Drinking water then switching to coffee. “Back half of the year” vibes are beginning to kick in.

Gathering hardware for the next bag. Working title is The Franklin.

Much better. Adjusted the size slightly. Veg-tan leather with deerskin lace.

Holding two field notes notebooks and two traveler’s company “inserts”. Will use it for a while to see how it holds up.

Logged into my Shopify site to handle some order stuff and noticed there are 2 live visitors there now. Wish there was a way for me to say “hi!” without it coming across as spammy or get in their way. I so want my online stores to be better at highlighting the human part of it all.

Enjoying this.

Made it quickly last night using scrap oil-tan that I’ve had for a while. Will make another today with veg-tan. Deerskin lace works well though, will continue with that approach.

Quick one to get the brain into gear.

☕ Making a quick cup of evening coffee.

☕ Making a quick cup of evening coffee.

Evening plans: sketching a few ideas, publishing a new website (maybe two), cutting into some leather.

Leather wrapped handlebars. Loving them.

I do enjoy biking up here to write. This morning’s writing is almost exclusively for the next bag I’m working on. This is how most of the bags/designs start: with the written word. I flesh out the ideas this way, and then sketch.

Grateful Log for Tue, 06 Aug 2024

1. A good day with Mozzie yesterday despite being in and out of work tasks.
2. Mozzie saying, “Dad! We need to get more stickers printed!”
3. Working on new Strathmere Leather idea.

Grateful Log for Mon, 05 Aug 2024

1. An excellent people day yesterday
2. A new week!
3. Bike handlebars successfully (but not perfectly) wrapped in leather…will try it out later today.

Grateful Log for Sun, 04 Aug 2024

1. A solid night of rest
2. A never end stream of ideas
3. Listening to my body (a day of rest was required yesterday)

When I take the time to watch a movie, actually sit and watch, I find myself pausing it to take pictures of things that become sparks for future ideas and designs.

🌿 Seeking a calm spirit.

🌿 Seeking a calm spirit.

Grateful Log for Sat, 03 Aug 2024

1. Catching up with a close friend last night
2. Work week ended well
3. Dreams

Drying.

One guess as to what these will be wrapped with next…

✨ Making something new today, which is always amazing!

✨ Making something new today, which is always amazing!

Grateful Log for Fri, 02 Aug 2024

1. Meeting with customers face-to-face
2. Leaning into the inspiration
3. A successful week!

Delivered the leather bag and leather coasters to my customer just now. He’s pretty excited to put the bag to use 😊

Back to the picnic bench.

Grateful Log for Thu, 01 Aug 2024

1. New month
2. Great sleep
3. Biking to write

Another Strathmere leather weekend bag out in the wild, complete with my client’s logo on the top flap.

Grateful Log for Wed, 31 Jul 2024

1. Faith
2. Trust
3. Creativity

Thankful for the rain.

Some hardware.

🎧 Focused today. More Harry Potter movies on in the background. Brain is funny how those movies just get me into a deep deep deep focus mode.

🎧 Focused today. More Harry Potter movies on in the background. Brain is funny how those movies just get me into a deep deep deep focus mode.

The rest of my day is focused on making my client’s Strathmere leather weekend bag. Excited to get into it! Photos and such to follow. Brown leather with antique brass hardware.

Grateful Log for Tuesday July 30, 2024

1. Working with Mozzie to establish and own a morning routine
2. Sunny days and cloudy days, rainy days and sunny days
3. Coffee

Hardware for two leather bags I’ll be making this week.

⏳ Switching a bunch of things up. Time to go back to the way some things used to be done. Easy is most certainly not always best.

⏳ Switching a bunch of things up. Time to go back to the way some things used to be done. Easy is most certainly not always best.

Grateful Log for Monday July 29, 2024

1. A good time having family over yesterday for lunch
2. Nice pool day yesterday as-well
3. A new week!

Uh. Wow. Just cancelled a bunch of monthly stuff that I don’t actually need…amazing how those get out of hand. Over $300/month now being saved instead. Insane.

Grateful Log for Sunday July 28, 2024

1. The fresh mindset this morning.
2. A sense of clarity I haven’t had for a while, a few years even.
3. Quick and simple projects.

A quick leather project I made yesterday today to give as a birthday gift to my brother. Have added it to my portfolio as-well.

🌱 Woke up with a fresh mindset, shaking off one that had settled in for years.

🌱 Woke up with a fresh mindset, shaking off one that had settled in for years.

⌨️ Need to write but the words seem stuck.

⌨️ Need to write but the words seem stuck.

🍳 A nice start, now some work.

🍳 A nice start, now some work.

Grateful Log for Saturday July 27, 2024

1. Good sleep
2. Breakfast out with my dad, uncles, and Mozzie
3. Fresh day ahead

🕸️ Spider Man: Homecoming tonight with popcorn 📼 🍿

🕸️ Spider Man: Homecoming tonight with popcorn 📼 🍿

🗒️ Day planned. Full Friday ahead!

🗒️ Day planned. Full Friday ahead!

Grateful Log for Friday July 26, 2024

1. Met with a client yesterday, face to face is always good to have.
2. Wrapped up the Ocean Front website and started sharing it.
3. A nice breeze this morning

Now Available: Ocean Front, leather bag by yours truly. Thanks to everyone who watched up to this point in the process :-) Website is live, commissions via the email form at the bottom of the page can be made, excited to get some made and out there! Please check it out and pass along.

nearly there…

📹 Finishing touches on the walkthrough video of the Ocean Front bag...once I have it on the website I am FINISHED and will launch it!

📹 Finishing touches on the walkthrough video of the Ocean Front bag...once I have it on the website I am FINISHED and will launch it!

Some purse “repair” action this morning.

🔮 Harry Potter on in the background while working this morning.

🔮 Harry Potter on in the background while working this morning.

Voiceover time 🎙️

My third indoor plant to keep alive :-)

☕ Have been hitting an early afternoon crash the last few days. Coffee is needed. Need some positive life stuff too!!

☕ Have been hitting an early afternoon crash the last few days. Coffee is needed. Need some positive life stuff too!!

Grateful Log for Wednesday July 24, 2024

1. Today is the day I’m officially “launching” the ocean front bag (more to follow later)
2. Got to hang out with Mozzie a bit this morning
3. Good recovery sleep last night

😶‍🌫️ Quiet today. Stuck to myself even when around family this evening, my natural reaction when attacked. Words hurt. Actions hurt. People are people. I'll get over it with time, but makes me realize just how vulnerable I've made myself. Bunch of issues here that I need to deal with.

😶‍🌫️ Quiet today. Stuck to myself even when around family this evening, my natural reaction when attacked. Words hurt. Actions hurt. People are people. I'll get over it with time, but makes me realize just how vulnerable I've made myself. Bunch of issues here that I need to deal with.

Email me to purchase. (Feedback appreciated!)

Grateful Log for Tuesday July 23, 2024

1. today is indeed a new day, it is not yesterday
2. out for a walk this morning
3. a slight breeze

🥱 up an hour before my alarm. late to bed as-well. nice start to the day though: walk, coffee, some writing now.

🥱 up an hour before my alarm. late to bed as-well. nice start to the day though: walk, coffee, some writing now.

😴 bed for now. tomorrow is a new day.

😴 bed for now. tomorrow is a new day.

😑 Man. today ended terribly.

😑 Man. today ended terribly.

splinched

Grateful Log for Monday July 22, 2024

1. Watched National Treasure 2 with Mozzie last night.
2. A new week
3. Changes in the weather

Oof. Overwhelming anxiety out of nowhere.

🏊 A bit stalled with what to do next today. Heading to the pool, despite the cloud coverage, for a change of scenery.

🏊 A bit stalled with what to do next today. Heading to the pool, despite the cloud coverage, for a change of scenery.

Grateful Log for Saturday July 20, 2024

1. All of the ideas I’ve been having lately, most of which have come to life!
2. Good sleep
3. Being inspired.

Here’s a photo of the neighbor cat enjoying one of the new deck chairs yesterday while I was making dinner :-)

💡 An idea I had woke me up 30 minutes before my alarm. Brain has been in a heavy creation cycle lately!

💡 An idea I had woke me up 30 minutes before my alarm. Brain has been in a heavy creation cycle lately!

Slower and more work on my end, but this feels like the right way to handle this part. Will also update The Strathmere site to use this same method. Much more human in this very digital world.

A few shots of the Ocean Front leather bag with yours truly as the model :-)

Strathmere Leather site is up, dead simple. Just a way to hopefully better organize and communicate regarding this specific product line. Hoping to wrap the Ocean Front site later today.

Much quicker. This one will be live soon. Creating a bit of a brand around Strathmere Leather, with the various travel related products underneath it. It is in my nature to complicate things :-)

Grateful Log for Friday July 19, 2024

1. Time at the pool this week: I sit there, soak up the sun, receive the ideas, write them down.
2. Being able to shift to various tasks based on where I feel most effective at any given moment.
3. SOLID sleep last night.

🥱 So tired. Bed soon.

🥱 So tired. Bed soon.

Completed these two leather cigar cases yesterday. Hand-dyed in a custom dye blend that I mix for each new order. Very happy with how they turned out.

I know enough to be dangerous. Using Jekyll and Github Pages for several websites at the moment and am very happy with how everything works together. https://github.com/oceanfrontbag/oceanfrontbag.github.io

A quick preview on mobile before calling it a day. https://theoceanfrontbag.com. More tweaks to make but happy with it so far.

have the photos selected for the Ocean Front website…now to place them…

Ready for stitching.

Time for some magic 🪄

💆‍♂️ Massage done. Everything back where it needs to be.

💆‍♂️ Massage done. Everything back where it needs to be.

Will be adding photos later today.

✅ ok, just a wall of text for now, but have the site published for those that would like to do some reading: https://theoceanfrontbag.com

✅ ok, just a wall of text for now, but have the site published for those that would like to do some reading: https://theoceanfrontbag.com

💻 Working on a dedicated website for the new Ocean Front bag in the Strathmere Leather product line. Keeping it dead simple, keeping the assets simple, using what I have (photos only at this point), and will hopefully just get the thing up later this evening.

💻 Working on a dedicated website for the new Ocean Front bag in the Strathmere Leather product line. Keeping it dead simple, keeping the assets simple, using what I have (photos only at this point), and will hopefully just get the thing up later this evening.

Current status.

Grateful Log for Tuesday July 16, 2024

1. Quick bike ride to this morning’s writing spot
2. 8 hours of sleep
3. Mozzie’s ideas

Grateful Log for Monday July 15, 2024

1. Great weekend with Mozzie
2. Successfully and fully disconnecting from work for the entire weekend
3. Making a pancake breakfast for Mozzie and I before he left for VBS this moning

Grateful Log for Saturday July 13, 2024

1. Friends over last night, good time catching up
2. Almost ended the week getting everything finished
3. Good pool forecast for this weekend.

🥃 working on a few things

🥃 working on a few things

☺️ doing good.

☺️ doing good.

Grateful Log for Thursday July 11, 2024

1. Yesterday’s productivity
2. Not worried about pleasing or impressing
3. The no-stress mindset that I’ve had now for the past few weeks

Back to cigar cases

telling me to go 🌊

Grateful Log for Wednesday July 10, 2024

1. Another successful extraction from my brain and into reality…Ocean Front, another bag to add into my portfolio, turned out great!
2. Excellent sleep
3. The hot and humid weather we’ve been having!

Finally get a chance to flip this thing right side out! Excited!

visualizing.

Another extremely enjoyable project to get out of my head, onto paper, and made in the real world. Will go through final assembly tomorrow: Ocean Front. A few teaser photos below.

The best part ✏️📓

Creating new things, that’s what I love to do.

The next product in The Strathmere line is going to be called Ocean Front.

Grateful Log for Monday July 8, 2024

1. Great pool day yesterday
2. More great sleep
3. A new week

interactions

I walked into the lake house weighed down with bags. Everyone ooo’d and ahh’d about my tan. “You must be traveling, you look so tan!” I’m just looking for a place to put everything. My dad is watching tennis on TV (when is he not watching tennis on TV?), he speaks up, “He goes to a tanning salon.” I try to explain that I don’t over the Summer, I go to the pool over the Summer and enjoy very much my time in the sun. “Oh, you’re going to get skin cancer,” they all exclaim. My dad again, “I don’t support it either.”

Grateful Log for Sunday July 7, 2024

1. A great time with Mozzie at the lake yesterday
2. Still had time for a pool sesh beforehand
3. Hand delivering a customer’s order

Grateful Log for Saturday July 6, 2024

1. Wrist is getting better
2. Design for the next bag in the Strathmere line is coming together pretty well.
3. Ideas

Grateful Log for Friday July 5, 2024

1. A good 4th yesterday. A healthy mix of work during the front of the day, then the pool & family from 2pm.
2. Quick ideas. I’ll text this omg.lol site to local friends and family.
3. Chipping at things (instead of feeling the need to work work work work work).

An original. Cleaned and conditioned with saddle soap yesterday, so it is feeling extra smooth now. Made this leather case for my iPad + Keyboard back in 2021.

Happy with how the leather stamps have been turning out lately.

Grateful Log for Thursday July 4, 2024 🇺🇸

1. Intentional time for the pool after a solid day of work
2. A slower start to the day today
3. Letting things happen

I don’t do much in the way of “features” when it comes to my bag designs but, what are your must-haves for a pool/beach bag? I’m inclined to just a wide open bag, no pockets no complexity. Curious what others look for.

Work day is done, pool time!

Speaking of The Strathmere, I had to get rid of the 25% off on my site since I submitted my catalog for wholesale review…if you are interested in the bag shoot me an email to get a 25% off code that you can use. Those on The Strathmere list have been updated to 35% off automatically.

Will be making a pool bag in the likeness of The Strathmere. It’ll essentially be the same, but more simple: no straps, no flaps. Just a big open bag to throw all the pool (or beach!) stuff into.

Grateful Log for Wednesday July 3, 2024

1. That grilled chicken I made last night for dinner
2. Another night of phenomenal sleep
3. Talking with customers on the phone, seeing them in-person

Grateful Log for Tuesday July 2, 2024

1. Finished setting up my wholesale leather catalog on Faire. These things take so much time…and time will tell if being there pays off.
2. An excellent night of sleep.
3. A daily schedule/routine/expectation based on reality, being human, and having limits.

Excited to announce that I’ve partnered with Faire to sell my wholesale leather catalog online! If you or a retailer you know would like to stock some of my products just head here!

Grateful Log for Monday July 1, 2024

1. Great pool day yesterday
2. Went to bed early last night
3. A new week, a new month

Her favorite spot.

Grateful Log for Sunday June 30, 2024

1. Quick purse design (and assembly) for yesterday’s birthday party turned out
2. Good sleep
3. Faith

You guys 😍 birthday gift for my niece, she turns 3 this coming week.

Grateful Log for Saturday June 29, 2024

1. Mozzie had an excellent two-weeks of theater camp
2. Their final performance last night was excellent
3. The weekend

Cleaning up from a successful show.

Happy with how this Spanish dye turned out! My most popular leather cigar case size.

📆 Schedule the last few days has been absolutely bonkers.

📆 Schedule the last few days has been absolutely bonkers.

Pool time!

Grateful Log for Wednesday June 26, 2024

1. Writing outside in the morning, partially in the shade of an umbrella, partially in the sun. Hearing the birds sing. Feeling the breeze on my skin.
2. Daily time by the pool at the end of each work day.
3. Being flexible, having a flexible schedule.

Two hours late but I made it!

Another leather bin complete.

The tide has changed with Etsy. May write about it more later.

Grateful Log for Monday June 24, 2024

1. Morning sunshine
2. Morning routines
3. Morning coffee

The AC went out at her house and she’s not 100% as it is, so Lucy is with me for a little while :-) back to where she used to live as a puppy!

Have unplanned time today for some deep thinking. Taking stock of where I am, where I want to be (always improving), and what needs to be done in order to cross that divide.

Grateful Log for Sunday June 23, 2024

1. Time away from work, the clarity it provides.
2. Remembering values, goals, objectives.
3. In the pool yesterday with Mozzie.

Will be here all Summer. So happy with how this turned out!

Grateful Log for Saturday June 22, 2024

1. A successful first time hosting friends
2. The patio furniture I put together worked out perfectly
3. Choosing to not stress

Trying to get better at solid work boundaries. Physical boundaries, now that I have space, & time boundaries. The work will never be finished & I need to be cool with that. For now, I’m going to enjoy having friends over this evening, grilling food, mixing cocktails, and having a nice cigar.

🥚 The past three days I have had breakfast before 9am. Progress. Even more impressive is that I have then had something for lunch. Have been struggling with these two meals for far too long at this point.

🥚 The past three days I have had breakfast before 9am. Progress. Even more impressive is that I have then had something for lunch. Have been struggling with these two meals for far too long at this point.

🤔 Trying to figure out the best placement for this set of table and chairs I got for the deck...remember from living here before that there's something tricky about it. Having a few friends from high school over this evening (19 years goes fast!), will get their input :-)

🤔 Trying to figure out the best placement for this set of table and chairs I got for the deck...remember from living here before that there's something tricky about it. Having a few friends from high school over this evening (19 years goes fast!), will get their input :-)

🧘‍♂️ Today is Friday! What a week!

🧘‍♂️ Today is Friday! What a week!

Pool schedule has to shift today. Will go down at noon, shower and then get back into work before heading out to pickup Mozzie from theater camp (a two-week day camp, this is his 4th year! His “major” is backstage/crew and he loves it).

Disconnected for a bit this afternoon ✌️

Summer schedule is to quit work at 3, pool from 3:30 to 5. Shower, then handle grilling dinner.

Give grace to others and be kind. And do the same for yourself while at it.

Post-massage headache. Must have worked something out.

🏡 Coming back to a clean house is never going to get old.

🏡 Coming back to a clean house is never going to get old.

Ok, more coffee. Putting a few boxes away. Handling a few nagging tasks. And then I just might get a post out there on Coffee with Aaron!

Looks like the email successfully landed in inboxes. And the unsubscribe button seems to be working too 😂

Email finally scheduled to get out to those who signed up here re the Strathmere. Thanks for your patience! Check your email around 7am EST Tuesday morning. If you don’t see it please let me know…seem to be battling junk/spam folders lately.

Designed, made, and shipped (via FedEx overnight to my customer’s hotel) two of these very customized leather cigar cases. Designed to fit a medium Boveda humidor bag, a very large lighter, very large cutter, and a bunch of my premium cigar matches. Includes my customer’s logo on the front.

First evening since moving out of the apartment and into the townhouse (tomorrow marks the first full month!) where I have a chance to enjoy the deck!

The Strathmere, also makes for a phenomenal pool bag ☀️⛱️😎

Email going out to the list tonight, promise!!

Drawing it out.

🌞 Taking the next 24 hours off. NO WORK!

🌞 Taking the next 24 hours off. NO WORK!

Leather cigar cases finished and shipped today. Realistically making more tonight to stay ahead of things. Hopefully sending out an email tonight re The Strathmere as-well.

😮‍💨 Desperately need to hire part-time help.

😮‍💨 Desperately need to hire part-time help.

An absolutely phenomenal event last night at the Hilton in Harrisburg! Sold a Strathmere, a bunch of cigar matches in leather pouches, and several leather cigar cases. Selling in person is too much fun. Loved every minute of it and hope to do more this year!

Sold a Strathmere leather weekend bag last night at the Hilton Harrisburg event! Will be sending an email out to “The Strathmere” list later today/tonight with a code to take an additional 10% off, for a total of 35% off…now would be the time to buy…get on the list here: https://thestrathmere.com

☕ Today is going to be insane. Wrapping up final items for the event I'm attending this evening as a vendor at the Hilton in Harrisburg. First live event for me...trying to make it not look so "thrown together" but think that is inevitable for the first. Will get things ironed out from here. Just hoping it goes well this evening!

☕ Today is going to be insane. Wrapping up final items for the event I'm attending this evening as a vendor at the Hilton in Harrisburg. First live event for me...trying to make it not look so "thrown together" but think that is inevitable for the first. Will get things ironed out from here. Just hoping it goes well this evening!

Congrats to @stupendousman for winning the limited edition Micro.blog leather coaster set @camp door prize! I’ll be in-touch via email to confirm details!

Grateful log for Tue, 11 Jun 2024

1. Blueberry muffin for breakfast
2. Quiet walks in a quiet neighborhood each morning
3. At the pool with Mozzie and Lindsay last night

🎦 Catching up on WWDC. Gotta say, tired of these overly produced keynotes. Bring back the stage!

🎦 Catching up on WWDC. Gotta say, tired of these overly produced keynotes. Bring back the stage!

🏎️ Sheesh! What a Monday so far! Hit the ground running at 7am. Breaking now for food.

🏎️ Sheesh! What a Monday so far! Hit the ground running at 7am. Breaking now for food.

Simple is best.

This was fun: a trip down memory lane and introduced Mozzie to physical media.

👍 Work done. Orders shipped. Groceries put away. Cigar and a drink now (while unpacking some deck stuff), recycling boxes (yay!), and then making dinner. Grabbed a movie from Redbox for later this evening!

👍 Work done. Orders shipped. Groceries put away. Cigar and a drink now (while unpacking some deck stuff), recycling boxes (yay!), and then making dinner. Grabbed a movie from Redbox for later this evening!

Pretty sure this is a wrist sprain. Terrible timing with the event I have coming up this Wednesday at the Hilton. Will hopefully get a brace today, also get into an icing routine, see what I can do to expedite recovery…which will be interesting re making and processing leather orders…

😩 One of these weeks, when it gets close to 5pm on a Friday, I'm going to lean back, admire my accomplishments for this week and feel like I did all I could do and can now take the next two days off. This week is not that week.

😩 One of these weeks, when it gets close to 5pm on a Friday, I'm going to lean back, admire my accomplishments for this week and feel like I did all I could do and can now take the next two days off. This week is not that week.

Eh. Was a matter of time with all of the heavy lifting I’ve done recently with the move: tweaked my right wrist. Only seems to impact certain movements, hoping no issues for getting on my bike this afternoon or, more importantly, fulfilling leather orders!

Finished. 100% veg-tan sheepskin notebook/calendar case. Hand-painted purple edges. Notebook shown is 6.5” x 4.25”. If anyone is interested please let me know. This one will be shipped out to my customer tomorrow but I have plenty of material to make more. Can do custom sizes, etc etc etc 😊

Custom calendar case in progress.

Field testing.

Office setup for the most part. Still plenty to do but it is good enoughh for now. Time for a walk!

☔ Steady rain for an hour or so, setting up my office and will walk later.

☔ Steady rain for an hour or so, setting up my office and will walk later.

🛌 To bed! At a semi-decent time!

🛌 To bed! At a semi-decent time!

Grateful log for Sun, 02 Jun 2024

1. Good cigar crawl event yesterday
2. A few business prospects from the event
3. Heading home today

Tomorrow is full of catching up on work/orders. Tuesday I’m planning to do my monthly review (that was skipped in May).

Writing goals this week: get back to daily grateful logs and posts on CWA, finish my journal entry a/b moving into the townhouse, start my entry a/b moving out of the apartment.

☕ Need. More. Coffee. Hotel coffee is the absolute worst 😂 eager to get back to my French press!

☕ Need. More. Coffee. Hotel coffee is the absolute worst 😂 eager to get back to my French press!

There’s easy and there’s living.

Yesterday was a full day of 7am-2am cigar shops in and around Pittsburgh. Today is the return trip home.

Grateful log for Sat, 01 Jun 2024

1. Safe trip out to Pittsburgh
2. Didn’t forget to pack anything
3. Coffee

On the road for the weekend.

🔑 Apartment keys, mailbox key, fob, and garage parking decal returned to the office. Final clean completed. Final car load of stuff. A chapter closing. Feeling kind of bittersweet at the moment. A lot happened here. A lot of good, a lot of growing. Time to move on, in so many ways.

🔑 Apartment keys, mailbox key, fob, and garage parking decal returned to the office. Final clean completed. Final car load of stuff. A chapter closing. Feeling kind of bittersweet at the moment. A lot happened here. A lot of good, a lot of growing. Time to move on, in so many ways.

👁️ My lower left eyelid been twitching for a few weeks now…stress manifesting itself.

👁️ My lower left eyelid been twitching for a few weeks now…stress manifesting itself.

🌅 I’ve got quality of life issues that I need to address sooner than later with my work. I now have separation between personal and work spaces, which is huge, and next I need to work on delegating (I.e. some sort of hiring). Too much work, which is a good thing, but there is more to life than this.

🌅 I’ve got quality of life issues that I need to address sooner than later with my work. I now have separation between personal and work spaces, which is huge, and next I need to work on delegating (I.e. some sort of hiring). Too much work, which is a good thing, but there is more to life than this.

🍽️ Long work night ahead of me. Early start planned for tomorrow. Leaving for an event in Pittsburgh tomorrow around 4:30pm or so and need to cram in as much time at my bench as possible. Going to be responsible in 3 minutes and take a break for making, and then having, dinner.

🍽️ Long work night ahead of me. Early start planned for tomorrow. Leaving for an event in Pittsburgh tomorrow around 4:30pm or so and need to cram in as much time at my bench as possible. Going to be responsible in 3 minutes and take a break for making, and then having, dinner.

The box ✌️

Just a few lingering items to get. Need to shift into work though. Will come back for the last bit later today or tomorrow.

⌨️ Looking forward to things settling into the new normal soon. Moving is always very jolting, and there are so many positives to this last move, but my writing routine has definitely suffered. Eager to get back to it soon!

⌨️ Looking forward to things settling into the new normal soon. Moving is always very jolting, and there are so many positives to this last move, but my writing routine has definitely suffered. Eager to get back to it soon!

🧹 Final move out from the apartment this morning.

🧹 Final move out from the apartment this morning.

🥺 Had to cut out from Mozzie and Lindsay before Mozzie went to bed tonight. Out of the norm. Have to work as much as possible tonight while also getting a good night of rest. Miss him.

🥺 Had to cut out from Mozzie and Lindsay before Mozzie went to bed tonight. Out of the norm. Have to work as much as possible tonight while also getting a good night of rest. Miss him.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - press release for The Strathmere Leather Weekend Bag :-)

Will be sending out an email with a few leather related items later today. There’s a form on this page you can use to get on the list!

🔥🪿 A fun thing Mozzie and I are working on together: FireBreathingStickers.com

Getting ready to ship ahead for an event.

A better shot of the finished hand-painted leather coaster with my client’s logo. I’m happy with how it turned out, and so are they! Actual painted logo will be on a custom cigar cases I’m making for them, this was just to get the hang of things.

Another beauty. Limited run of 4 cases using this leather.

Started working immediately after my morning walk earlier this morning. Another late work night last night, 2am, so slept in until 8:30. Outside on the deck now while I can enjoy some of the sun. Emails, whittling more matches, cigar. Back down to the shop later this evening.

First order made and shipped from the new shop.

We have power!

Getting my leather sewing machine put back together in the new shop. Still a major chaotic mess in here but things are coming along without issue so far.

Have lost all useful light for the finishing touches, but working on some hand-painted-very-custom leather coasters this evening.

Grateful log for Thu, 23 May 2024

1. Good sleep
2. Out for a walk despite the smart devices threatening it was going to rain for the hour (my eyes told me otherwise)
3. Space to think

🛏️ One thing I’ve been good at so far in the new place is a healthy bed time. With work so out of the way it is inconvenient to even try a late work night. Would rather get to bed earlier and wake up earlier.

🛏️ One thing I’ve been good at so far in the new place is a healthy bed time. With work so out of the way it is inconvenient to even try a late work night. Would rather get to bed earlier and wake up earlier.

💬 Messages handled. Whittling matches outside in the sun now. Then handling emails.

💬 Messages handled. Whittling matches outside in the sun now. Then handling emails.

Grateful log for Wed, 22 May 2024

1. The sleep I’ve been getting since moving
2. Dinner out on the deck last night with Lindsay and Mozzie
3. Whittling matches in the full sun yesterday: beach attire, cigar, cold beer within reach, PoolSuiteFM on the dial…i was working but it hardly felt like it.

😁 YOU GUYS. I have been sleep SO good since moving...so good that I'm wondering if I've slept at all in the past three years!

😁 YOU GUYS. I have been sleep SO good since moving...so good that I'm wondering if I've slept at all in the past three years!

Grateful Logs…

Tuesday May 21, 2024

1. Not living in a box anymore!
2. Walking through neighborhoods
3. Birds chirping in the morning

Monday May 20, 2024

1. The IKEA trip on Friday was a success
2. The Saturday move day was also a success
3. Mozzie and I had a great time together during the move

🌞 Sitting on my deck in full sun, writing away! Previously I'd only have about an hour left of full sun before it passed over the apartment building. Now, out on the deck, full sun almost all day, casting tree shadows beginning around 3 o'clock in the afternoon.

🌞 Sitting on my deck in full sun, writing away! Previously I'd only have about an hour left of full sun before it passed over the apartment building. Now, out on the deck, full sun almost all day, casting tree shadows beginning around 3 o'clock in the afternoon.

✅ Good day…still not quite back into my routines. Need to get things settled personally and for my workshop in the townhouse. Chipping away at it. Exhausting but good days! Need to write and publish some long form thoughts.

✅ Good day…still not quite back into my routines. Need to get things settled personally and for my workshop in the townhouse. Chipping away at it. Exhausting but good days! Need to write and publish some long form thoughts.

👍 Just a few things remaining at the apartment at this point, I'll get them later today. Being back in the townhouse is a breath of fresh air, much needed. Haven't checked email, messages, replies, anything, since Friday. Will begin to get back into the swing of things today. Great blur of a weekend, and Mozzie with me the entire time!

👍 Just a few things remaining at the apartment at this point, I'll get them later today. Being back in the townhouse is a breath of fresh air, much needed. Haven't checked email, messages, replies, anything, since Friday. Will begin to get back into the swing of things today. Great blur of a weekend, and Mozzie with me the entire time!

😴 2am again. Time for bed. Successful first official moving day. Finished the day with assembling Mozzie’s bed…finished at 1am 🙈 but he’s in his new bed on the first night. Sleeping on the couch for me tonight. Final everything tomorrow.

😴 2am again. Time for bed. Successful first official moving day. Finished the day with assembling Mozzie’s bed…finished at 1am 🙈 but he’s in his new bed on the first night. Sleeping on the couch for me tonight. Final everything tomorrow.

☕ Up and moving! Coffee first then loading up a few more things before finding some food.

☕ Up and moving! Coffee first then loading up a few more things before finding some food.

💨 Van filled with boxes, will run it all over tomorrow. Next few days are going to be wild. Marking tonight as my last night in the apartment with a cigar out on the shared balcony (first in a while!). Next cigar will be in full sun on my deck, listening to birds sing their songs.

💨 Van filled with boxes, will run it all over tomorrow. Next few days are going to be wild. Marking tonight as my last night in the apartment with a cigar out on the shared balcony (first in a while!). Next cigar will be in full sun on my deck, listening to birds sing their songs.

📦 making and packing boxes, throwing stuff in, loading up my dad's van (thanks Dad!), and hopefully doing a run out to the townhouse tonight (if I have the energy). Home stretch!

📦 making and packing boxes, throwing stuff in, loading up my dad's van (thanks Dad!), and hopefully doing a run out to the townhouse tonight (if I have the energy). Home stretch!

☕ Second round of coffee. Final leather dye work in this studio apartment, final photos as-well.

☕ Second round of coffee. Final leather dye work in this studio apartment, final photos as-well.

🌞 sunshine!!

🌞 sunshine!!

Grateful log for Thu, 16 May 2024

1. Full sun and blue sky
2. Tonight will be my last night in the apartment!
3. Last bit of work for the week, and I get to make something special :-)

It started as an empty box. It started with my marriage being in limbo. When I moved here I was moving out of my parent’s house for the second time. The first time was when I was 21, just a few weeks before getting married to my high school sweet heart and best friend. I moved back in on Saturday, January 9th, 2021 as I was no longer welcome in my home with my wife and son, my marriage crumbling before my eyes.

Grateful log for Wed, 15 May 2024

1. Game night last night (Mozzie is currently obsessed with playing LIFE)
2. Submitted what will hopefully excuse me from jury duty
3. I am oh so close to moving out of my apartment!!!!!!!!!

☔ Oh hey look, day onebajillion of rain and zero sun! Spring weather is out there somewhere...and hopefully Summer is in the wings waiting!

☔ Oh hey look, day onebajillion of rain and zero sun! Spring weather is out there somewhere...and hopefully Summer is in the wings waiting!

The Strathmere leather weekend will be available for sale this week. I’ll be launching with a discount, and then will throw in a deeper discount to folks who’ve put their email address on “the list” (form at the bottom of this page). Otherwise, I’ll just keep talking about it :-)

🌧️ Rainy afternoon. Chipping away at all sorts of things, all will finish by Thursday. Coffee.

🌧️ Rainy afternoon. Chipping away at all sorts of things, all will finish by Thursday. Coffee.

Grateful log for Tue, 14 May 2024

1. Full night of rest
2. Couch assembled at the townhouse
3. A clear path for the day ahead

I never use glue when making something. Especially in my woodworking projects, and most of the time in my leather projects. I always have the future in mind: what if this bag comes back for repair? What if I need to disassemble this, move it, and put it back together again?

Day reorganized, some things moved to tomorrow. Power nap now, then coffee and knocking out a lingering annoyance so the rest of the week is clear. Tomorrow through Thursday will be mostly focused. Friday is a move day. Saturday the final move day. Here we go!

😪 That earlier than planned alarm is catching up to me already. Afternoon crash is real. A nap is needed, but I have too much to do (as always)...but it may be the best way to remain as efficient as possible.

😪 That earlier than planned alarm is catching up to me already. Afternoon crash is real. A nap is needed, but I have too much to do (as always)...but it may be the best way to remain as efficient as possible.

I’ve all but stopped wearing my Apple Watch, only putting it on when walking/hiking/biking/etc. Have enjoyed wearing a non-smart watch the rest of the time. I’ve also been deleting a lot of apps from my phone, using it less and less each day. Have had better clarity as a result, based on both changes, and am inevitably more efficient when I sit down at my computer to do the stuff I was doing otherwise on a smaller device. Much more focused when I sit down at my desk. Worthwhile changes.

Will make a few limited edition leather cigar cases with this beauty.

Grateful log for Mon, 13 May 2024

1. The sleep I was able to get
2. Early start to the day (Raining Dumpsters)
3. A break from the rain today

☕ Alright. Calling it. Making coffee.

☕ Alright. Calling it. Making coffee.

🥱 Jolted awake at 5:15 by the garbage truck banging dumpsters around, mind immediately started thinking about the day and now can’t get back to sleep. Was hoping for another hour or so.

🥱 Jolted awake at 5:15 by the garbage truck banging dumpsters around, mind immediately started thinking about the day and now can’t get back to sleep. Was hoping for another hour or so.

Been a while: some catching up on life, The Strathmere, and so on

🌞 Is that sunshine I see!?

🌞 Is that sunshine I see!?

Part of my job can also include constructing custom shipping boxes. 7 leather bins between the two of these custom boxes :-)

Leather bins complete. Time to ship!

Grateful Log for Thu, 09 May 2024

1. Have been sleeping good lately
2. Have also been on a very good streak at addressing pain as it starts
3. Nearing the final week of living in my apartment!

Time to stitch the bottom for each bin. They are lovely but I’m ready to get these shipped!

Hoping to have a chance this weekend (or sooner) to post an update to cwa.omg.lol. May so far has been quite the month and I’m out of my regular publishing routine.

Grateful Log for Wed, 08 May 2024

1. The townhouse move continues to progress well, taking a few boxes over each evening, doing the bigger stuff on the weekends.
2. The townhouse already feels more like a home.
3. Replaced the busted inner tube on my bike’s rear tire without issue!

Fixed the flat! Took some learning to get the back tire off but now know exactly how to do so quickly. Seems like the issue was a faulty valve, no foreign objects found, no other punctures in the tube. Happy to have it fixed and knowing how to do so myself :-)

Working on some event swag. More to come, need to chip away at this order.

⌛ Trying to do too much since 1986.

⌛ Trying to do too much since 1986.

⛅ I went to bed talking myself out of 7 hrs of sleep so I could get a head start on a full day. I should have known better, I need at least 7 hrs to be in a good frame of mind. This morning I tried to talk myself out of my usual walk and writing routine...so I could get a head start on a full day...those two things are how I start my day. What was I thinking? 😂

⛅ I went to bed talking myself out of 7 hrs of sleep so I could get a head start on a full day. I should have known better, I need at least 7 hrs to be in a good frame of mind. This morning I tried to talk myself out of my usual walk and writing routine...so I could get a head start on a full day...those two things are how I start my day. What was I thinking? 😂

And now, turn 40 panels into 8 12x12x12 leather bins 😊

In the sunlight.

Another leather cigar case with cigar tubes, these are humidified tubes for optimal cigar storage while out and about!

Working on the final details of things before making The Strathmere leather weekend bag available for purchase. In the meantime, I have finished the landing page which contains all the pertinent product details and also a lengthy video so you can really see the thing. Stay tuned!

Finally finished the video that shows off The Strathmere leather weekend bag. Exporting now and will finish while I’m sleeping. I’ll upload to bunny.net in the morning, then embed on the landing page, and then announce the landing page…I’ll have the bag available for sale this coming week!

🥃 just a few more quick things I want to get in before calling it a day. small pour of bourbon while I'm at it.

🥃 just a few more quick things I want to get in before calling it a day. small pour of bourbon while I'm at it.

Made a Bible cover for a customer, will give it to her tomorrow in church. While at it, made a business card holder. Perfect projects after a day of moving stuff to the townhouse.

Also recorded a video of my work sessions today, with the music I was listening to. Will get that published later.

📦 Getting the key to the townhouse today and will start moving stuff over. Very ready but not. Moving is such a thing.

📦 Getting the key to the townhouse today and will start moving stuff over. Very ready but not. Moving is such a thing.

Have had too many ideas lately.

Working on a batch of leather coasters for a restaurant in Georgia.

Hand dyed walnut leather cigar case, with cigar tubes, and matching leather coasters.

🚴‍♂️ Finished writing and noticed my back tire was deflated. Awesome. And my flat kit wasn’t packed back into my bag from the weekend. Pumped it up but a minute later deflated again. Thankfully didn’t bike too far from home. Walked it back and will handle it tomorrow.

🚴‍♂️ Finished writing and noticed my back tire was deflated. Awesome. And my flat kit wasn’t packed back into my bag from the weekend. Pumped it up but a minute later deflated again. Thankfully didn’t bike too far from home. Walked it back and will handle it tomorrow.

This morning’s writing spot.

ideas

Need to go through these at some point.

😮‍💨 Funeral was today for Lindsay's grandmother. I have a lot of memories with her from my time with the family since 2004, she was awesome and will be missed. Service was absolutely beautiful. Lost and found my wallet before and after the service. Need to retreat back to the beach.

😮‍💨 Funeral was today for Lindsay's grandmother. I have a lot of memories with her from my time with the family since 2004, she was awesome and will be missed. Service was absolutely beautiful. Lost and found my wallet before and after the service. Need to retreat back to the beach.

A wider shot showing where the Series and bag number will be affixed on each Strathmere bag.

Series I - #00. Each Strathmere bag will be numbered, limited annual runs. Each year a new Series.

💆‍♂️ Massage complete, everything back where it should be. We are going to try moving to every 3 weeks as I have been making good progress with my own care between sessions.

💆‍♂️ Massage complete, everything back where it should be. We are going to try moving to every 3 weeks as I have been making good progress with my own care between sessions.

Landing page in progress. Hoping to finish it soon.

Getting things together.

Another thought I’ve had lately is to do limited runs of various products, or at least only make a certain quantity per year. Once reached, sales stop (with pre-orders for the following year then becoming available).

I’m always inclined, but rarely do it, to make a nice and simple landing page for some of my products. A page that is devoid of the e-commerce portion of things and focuses entirely on the product. Any reasons to not do such a thing?

🎥 Working on a video for The Strathmere leather weekend bag.

😶 Just wrote for 3 hours. Getting back to reality is tough so far, even though the time away was so short. Lots of work to do. Lots of things to improve. Rest of the day is going to fly. Need to eat then dive in.

😶 Just wrote for 3 hours. Getting back to reality is tough so far, even though the time away was so short. Lots of work to do. Lots of things to improve. Rest of the day is going to fly. Need to eat then dive in.

Still quite blown away by this bag.

I’m not sure what to write - this is so personal

Packed and ready to go!

Finished the weekend bag, calling it “The Strathmere”. Turned out amazing, if I may say so. Photos to follow later. Need to pack it for the weekend trip now and get on the road!

So far so good.

Customer work for the day is done. Dinner consumed. Kitchen cleaned up. Just one more thing to do and then I can finally begin what I’m now calling the “Weekend Bag” (instead of a “duffle bag”, since it is not). Long day, running tired at the moment but will see what I can get done before crashing!

⌨️ Looking forward to writing/blogging later today or tomorrow, brain is still a bit foggy from the week and writing will help to sort things out.

⌨️ Looking forward to writing/blogging later today or tomorrow, brain is still a bit foggy from the week and writing will help to sort things out.

🗺️ Rest of the day mapped out, should be able to get everything in...fingers crossed. Will be a late one!

🗺️ Rest of the day mapped out, should be able to get everything in...fingers crossed. Will be a late one!

🥪 Food consumed. What's next?

🥪 Food consumed. What's next?

🥚 I'll eat eventually this morning.

🥚 I'll eat eventually this morning.

May finally have time today to work on this weekend bag.

🥴 Very disoriented by the week so far. Trying my best to keep my head above water. Lots of good, but plenty of not so good to keep the scales of life balanced slightly, or slightly imbalanced depending on your point of view. Sleep now and then will see what tomorrow brings.

🥴 Very disoriented by the week so far. Trying my best to keep my head above water. Lots of good, but plenty of not so good to keep the scales of life balanced slightly, or slightly imbalanced depending on your point of view. Sleep now and then will see what tomorrow brings.

Small batch leather dye, my own blend.

👨‍🎨 Evening leather dye session getting started. Step 1: make room to lay out everything for drying overnight and to make sure I have space to left to sleep :-)

👨‍🎨 Evening leather dye session getting started. Step 1: make room to lay out everything for drying overnight and to make sure I have space to left to sleep :-)

🍺 Alright. Resolved that hands-on leather work is not meant to be for today. Will need to do some later tonight and early tomorrow morning. Beer outside in the sun and the computer end of things for the rest of the work day.

🍺 Alright. Resolved that hands-on leather work is not meant to be for today. Will need to do some later tonight and early tomorrow morning. Beer outside in the sun and the computer end of things for the rest of the work day.

⛔ Day is not going to plan, but that's ok. Will just shift accordingly. Is what it is.

⛔ Day is not going to plan, but that's ok. Will just shift accordingly. Is what it is.

popcorn

The handles cut into the ends of each leather bin are marked and cut by hand. I could have a die made to cut these out on my clicker press, and probably will in the future, but for now by hand it is :-)

⏱️ Getting my timesheet up to date for the day then prepping for a large leather dye job.

⏱️ Getting my timesheet up to date for the day then prepping for a large leather dye job.

Once I move I’d like to add more physical media [back] into my life (records, photo albums, CDs, DVDs, etc). When it comes to a blue ray player (or equivalent), what should I be looking for? I jumped from DVD to streaming way back when, skipping Blue Ray completely.

☕ Making more coffee then need to run a quick errand.

☕ Making more coffee then need to run a quick errand.

🌞 Welcoming the fresh week and eager to dive in! Lots of awesome stuff will happen this week!

🌞 Welcoming the fresh week and eager to dive in! Lots of awesome stuff will happen this week!

I’m looking forward to empty space

😶‍🌫️ Feeling overwhelmed by all the ideas, the things, what I want to do, what needs to be done. Frozen, foggy, befuddled. Eating ice cream now, then...unsure.

😶‍🌫️ Feeling overwhelmed by all the ideas, the things, what I want to do, what needs to be done. Frozen, foggy, befuddled. Eating ice cream now, then...unsure.

Sunday list.

Prototype 1c - suede cigar case. A success! I’ll use this one as my case. The final version for my client will be a lovely gray suede with black accents and his company logo hand painted and stitched into the top.

35 total panels marked and cut and ready to be dyed. Will be transformed into 7 12x12x12 leather bins over the course of the next few days.

So far pretty happy with this.

Bought a pair of scissors a while ago to use for this suede and now can’t find them…not many places for them to hide…

Raw material.

✅ Alright. Supply run done, restocked. Errands complete. Lunch consumed. Time to dig into this leather project: first up is a custom order I've been working on for a while, iterating a lot with a very patient client. Then chipping away at an order for 7 leather bins. The West Wing S4E11 in the background.

✅ Alright. Supply run done, restocked. Errands complete. Lunch consumed. Time to dig into this leather project: first up is a custom order I've been working on for a while, iterating a lot with a very patient client. Then chipping away at an order for 7 leather bins. The West Wing S4E11 in the background.

🎧 todays mood.

☕ Can tell already, today is going to be a heavy coffee day.

☕ Can tell already, today is going to be a heavy coffee day.

🛍️ Going with the flow this morning. Ran out of material that I thought I had on hand, and so will be running out to stock up again. And while out might as well combine with other errands. Looking forward to getting to my workbench this afternoon!

🛍️ Going with the flow this morning. Ran out of material that I thought I had on hand, and so will be running out to stock up again. And while out might as well combine with other errands. Looking forward to getting to my workbench this afternoon!

Have really been enjoying this pen and notebook case…eager to make more in this particular space.

🎥 Eh, The Godfather Pt. II instead, just for a little.

🎥 Eh, The Godfather Pt. II instead, just for a little.

💭 When I write down that I need to "work" on a thing, a client project in particular, sometimes that just means sit down and simply think through how I am going to approach it. Arguably the most important part of the project: sitting and thinking about it.

💭 When I write down that I need to "work" on a thing, a client project in particular, sometimes that just means sit down and simply think through how I am going to approach it. Arguably the most important part of the project: sitting and thinking about it.

Laying stuff out for tomorrow, planning, making notes. Will be working with suede.

🎬 Started watching Argyle, 40 minutes into it. Enjoying it and liking the story so far. More work now though, then a short ride, then back to work for a bit...and then maybe will watch some more.

🎬 Started watching Argyle, 40 minutes into it. Enjoying it and liking the story so far. More work now though, then a short ride, then back to work for a bit...and then maybe will watch some more.

Whittling matches today.

Grateful log for Thu, 18 Apr 2024

1. A full two days ahead for very focused deep work.
2. Starting the day with optimism
3. Playing checkers with Mozzie

…so much of life is complicated and requires so many moving parts…a simple game like checkers (and then eventually moving into chess) was a nice break from the standard chaos of life.

My spot this morning.

My bike.

🏁 sat down to do some work and immediately forgot what I wanted to work on...taking that as a sign. Time to call it a day!

🏁 sat down to do some work and immediately forgot what I wanted to work on...taking that as a sign. Time to call it a day!

Grateful log for Wed, 17 Apr 2024 09:26:36 -0400

1. Slept great last night, didn’t wake up once from street noise or allergies!
2. A flexible schedule, routine, life.
3. Walking to a place to do my morning writing routine outside.

When work from home kicked in full-time in 2020 I struggled to adjust, only recently realizing this. Staying home meant being trapped, or feeling trapped, & I require movement. 2020 & 2021 meant having to stay in one place. Being able to do what I need to do from anywhere is important to me & I lost that & then forgot about it. Forgot how important it is to my psyche.

A few things I’ve wanted lately

I have a lot to share, a lot to write about.

Grateful log for Sun, 14 Apr 2024

1. Great sleep last night
2. Had time yesterday to chip away at the new workbench
3. Excellent looking weather forecast for today, should get close to 80!

📽️ Godfather on while wrapping up the day.

📽️ Godfather on while wrapping up the day.

🍜 Wine and Chinese for dinner tonight.

🍜 Wine and Chinese for dinner tonight.

Restocking a few oven mitts at the farmers market.

Grateful log for Fri, 12 Apr 2024 08:57:52 -0400

1. Slept great!
2. Attended a local non-profit’s fund raising banquet last night, good to get out for a good cause.
3. A time for everything.

If a thing is to persist in a not started state, then that is how it will be. There is a time for everything.

😬 …gonna be making more coffee.

😬 …gonna be making more coffee.

Some more photos of the cigar case I finished yesterday. This one was a custom request, and a design I can see being popular with others as-well. The larger accessory pockets allow for the larger lighters and cutters that my original design is not intended for. Plus a pocket for smaller notebooks!

Grateful log for Thu, 11 Apr 2024

1. Recognizing words said that could put me into a spiral and not allowing them to.
2. 37 days remaining in this apartment.
3. The past.

In the past I would have wallowed in self-pity, abused alcohol, stayed up too late, etc. My versions of self-harm.

🍷 made it to the end of the day, and successfully too!

🍷 made it to the end of the day, and successfully too!

Success!

Just as planned.

💆‍♂️ Back from my bi-weekly deep tissue massage. Muscles are back to where they need to be. Feeling refreshed. Making coffee ( of course) and focused on knocking out two orders before calling it a day. Here we go!

💆‍♂️ Back from my bi-weekly deep tissue massage. Muscles are back to where they need to be. Feeling refreshed. Making coffee ( of course) and focused on knocking out two orders before calling it a day. Here we go!

Much better. Now to make the rest of the case. Need to eat first though.

👍 Ok Wednesday, let's see what we can do today!

👍 Ok Wednesday, let's see what we can do today!

Grateful log for Wed, 10 Apr 2024

1. Early morning light
2. Staying cool under pressure
3. Sticking with routines - despite obstacles

I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer. ~ Martin Luther

Lately I have been taking my Apple Watch off and leaving it off. There is a certain weight to it, not just in the physical sense, that has been more noticeable to me than usual.

I do like wearing a watch though. What is your favorite non-smart watch?

Back to square one in the morning on the enhanced accessory pocket design. Moving towards more general sizing as opposed to specific dimensions for a specific tool.

Will be an early start tomorrow. Another full day of opportunity awaits. Rest first, hopefully. Currently 78* F in here.

Boxy t-shirts. Working up a new pocket design for my popular leather cigar cases. Will allow for the bulkier lighters and cutters to be carried.

New business cards

🤔 Day so far is weird. Really weird. Poured a second cup of coffee and never drank it. Forgot about it completely. That has never happened. Ever.

🤔 Day so far is weird. Really weird. Poured a second cup of coffee and never drank it. Forgot about it completely. That has never happened. Ever.

Grateful log for Tue, 09 Apr 2024

1. Good conversation with Lindsay.
2. Great dinner last night.
3. Warm enough in the sun this morning to write outside.

It was a good, honest, conversation. It has been a while since we had one of those, and so I am glad that we just leaned into the natural flow of the conversation last night and talked about what needed to be talked about.

Sweet. New business cards are ready 👍

☕ yep, right on time. need that pickup.

☕ yep, right on time. need that pickup.

💻 So far have gone for a walk, wrote a bunch of words, ate breakfast, had a good lunch, showered, handled a bunch of emails, invoices, and contacted folks who ordered over the weekend. Now time to do some actual leatherwork for a few hours.

💻 So far have gone for a walk, wrote a bunch of words, ate breakfast, had a good lunch, showered, handled a bunch of emails, invoices, and contacted folks who ordered over the weekend. Now time to do some actual leatherwork for a few hours.

Who knew this eclipse thing would be a marketing day of its own. Yuck.

Grateful log for Mon, 08 Apr 2024

1. Successfully avoided work all day yesterday.
2. Getting in my own way.
3. Recognizing the need to be proactive.

My track coach in high school told us that when we weren’t training our competition was, and when we met them they would beat us.

😟 Alright...mapping out the week, noting things to be done, identifying what is missing and what I need to accomplish...going to be interesting!

😟 Alright...mapping out the week, noting things to be done, identifying what is missing and what I need to accomplish...going to be interesting!

drinking, memories, dating

🚶‍♂️ A walk to start this Sunday. Forecast is looking pretty awesome for the next few days, maybe even out to next weekend if such a forecast can be trusted. 60’s and 70’s all week!

🚶‍♂️ A walk to start this Sunday. Forecast is looking pretty awesome for the next few days, maybe even out to next weekend if such a forecast can be trusted. 60’s and 70’s all week!

🥱 tired. eager for rest.

🥱 tired. eager for rest.

Last one for this series for now. Floral printed veg-tan sheepskin leather cigar case, hand-dyed royal blue veg-tan sheepskin interior, 100% hand stitched. Hand-painted deep purple edges. Happy with the end result!

And some help from Mozzie to get the photos 🙂

Hand-painted edges on this one.

Will be available soon, more color options in progress. Hand-dyed leather bracelet with solid brass hardware, simple button stud as primary clasp. Two size options per bracelet.

Another dye job, this one in Spanish Brown.

Complete this sentence: When in doubt…

🛑 when there is too much swirling around in my head, when I'm not sure what to do, what to work on, what to write, I just stop. All of that means it is just time to stop. And so that's what I'm doing. Everything can wait until tomorrow.

🛑 when there is too much swirling around in my head, when I'm not sure what to do, what to work on, what to write, I just stop. All of that means it is just time to stop. And so that's what I'm doing. Everything can wait until tomorrow.

Friday night. Still some work to do, but first…

☕ Coffee consumption lately has been…a lot.

☕ Coffee consumption lately has been…a lot.

The final item in-progress for this series of products. Floral cigar case, 100% veg-tan sheepskin. SUPPLE. For the small but mighty band of SOTL!

Grateful log for Fri, 05 Apr 2024

1. Following rabbit holes…
2. …that still relate directly to high-level goals.
3. The time I have had the last two weeks to really settle into things.

…I feel as though I have gone from endless stormy seas to the calm tranquility of a lake.

Quick poll: what is your preferred notebook size? Pocket, A5, B5, etc.

☁️ Cloudy all day today, maybe some rain later. All good, plenty to work on today!

☁️ Cloudy all day today, maybe some rain later. All good, plenty to work on today!

😴 Time for sleep!

😴 Time for sleep!

Will be wrapping up the initial set of items using this beautiful printed veg-tan sheepskin leather tomorrow. Really happy how everything is turning out so far. Pictured is a set of stitched coasters.

Another pretty spectacular leather dye job (and leather cigar case), if I may say so.

🍜 Thinking Chinese and wine for dinner.

🍜 Thinking Chinese and wine for dinner.

Mozzie’s idea in the real world, quite swanky! Showed him and his response was:

Yes! I did it! I’m his official design manager! Tell him he owes me $5 every time that design sells.

😂

Can comfortably carry 2-3 field notes size notebooks and a fountain pen.

Grateful log for Thu, 04 Apr 2024

1. The rain has stopped, the sun is shining!
2. Listening to The Phantom of the Opera last night while washing dishes.
3. Mozzie iterated on two of the items I made yesterday - “Dad, you should make this!” And so today I shall!

Clouds rolled in but no rain (yet). Felt great to get out for a walk!

🌞 The sun is shining! Not a cloud in the sky! Heading out for a walk :-)

🌞 The sun is shining! Not a cloud in the sky! Heading out for a walk :-)

small list of things passing through my brain re my upcoming move

🍷 Looking forward to a glass of wine this evening!

🍷 Looking forward to a glass of wine this evening!

Made a few things today.

😋 More deep focus today. Making me hungry.

😋 More deep focus today. Making me hungry.

☕ Lots of rain = lots of coffee

☕ Lots of rain = lots of coffee

Grateful log for Wed, 03 Apr 2024

1. 4.5 hours of uninterrupted work yesterday. Entering DEEP focus.
2. Sitting in silence.
3. Whatever bug Mozzie caught remained at surface level, being proactive we were able to keep it from fully settling in.

I am grateful for the silence, for the chair I sit in during this silence, for the ability to sit for as long as it takes. I am grateful for being comfortable in the momentary unknown, in the time of waiting.

😕 Feeling slightly out of touch.

😕 Feeling slightly out of touch.

Four Things.

🤔 Finding it quite difficult to focus on any one thought this morning.

🤔 Finding it quite difficult to focus on any one thought this morning.

Grateful log for Tue, 02 Apr 2024

1. Living faith
2. Sleeping well
3. Unrelenting determination

😊 Satisfied with the day and what I was able to accomplish!

😊 Satisfied with the day and what I was able to accomplish!

Finished assembly of this leather bin. Next I need to build a box big enough to ship it in. First though, need to make more coffee.

☔ Rain will be falling for the next few days. April showers bring May flowers. Makes for very focused work since I won't be distracted by sunshine and wanting to be outside!

☔ Rain will be falling for the next few days. April showers bring May flowers. Makes for very focused work since I won't be distracted by sunshine and wanting to be outside!

Grateful log for Mon, 01 Apr 2024

1. A very nice Easter dinner (photo below).
2. A new week and a new month!
3. Have officially signed all of the paperwork related to my next move.

Grateful log for Sun, 31 Mar 2024

1. A day of rest
2. Sacrifice, Salvation
3. Knowing the how and why of things

Slow growth is required in order to develop the strength needed to mature into the various phases of life and then remain and continue to grow.

😀 Very full day today, all very good. Eager for rest and an early rise!

😀 Ver full day today, all very good. Eager for rest and an early rise!

The dark brown color on this hand-dyed leather cigar case 😍 perfection. Or pretty close to it.

Assembly in progress: a 36”L x 18”W x 9”H leather bin hand dyed in lovely Chocolate. The sides are machine stitched in place, the entire bottom is hand stitched.

🪴 Working on an "action plan" of sorts.

🪴 Working on an "action plan" of sorts.

Grateful log for Sat, 30 Mar 2024

1. A good school day with Mozzie yesterday. It was our last, but he asked if there was any way to continue. Will see what is possible.
2. Played “Life” as a family after dinner last night.
3. Up early again for another packed day. (Thanks for the nudge, @maique!)

I use the early start to make sure I have time to prepare my mind for the day ahead.

Grateful log for Fri, 29 Mar 2024

1. Up mostly successfully at 4:30, snoozed once so technically 4:38.
2. Being “realistic” with my work schedule.
3. Making really nice leather goods.

I love what I do, am grateful for the opportunity, and humbled that I have been entrusted with these gifts.

🥱 Oof. Time to start the day.

🥱 Oof. Time to start the day.

📽️ West Wing on while working. Some shows just never age. Always perfect.

📽️ West Wing on while working. Some shows just never age. Always perfect.

😶‍🌫️ Good day up to this point, making progress on all fronts, but head is beginning to feel cloudy and I still have the evening to work though. Time for a walk and then probably making another round of coffee.

😶‍🌫️ Good day up to this point, making progress on all fronts, but head is beginning to feel cloudy and I still have the evening to work though. Time for a walk and then probably making another round of coffee.

Grateful log for Thu, 28 Mar 2024

1. Today is the day I inform the property manager of my building that I will not be renewing my apartment lease.
2. new vacuum.
3. late night work sessions.

A lot of personal growth has happened here, but now it just feels like I am living with my old skins laying around, cluttering the unavailable space.

😴 And now, time for sleep!

😴 And now, time for sleep!

A few things on my mind

🏃‍♂️ insane day!

🏃‍♂️ insane day!

Prototype 1b in progress. Just a few tweaks to make from yesterday’s prototype (1a).

Grateful log for Wed, 27 Mar 2024

1. Chirping birds woke me up this morning.
2. Custom projects - they force me out of the manufacturing process and back to where I thrive: the creative process.
3. Good evening with Mozzie yesterday.

🤫 Things have been quiet lately. Calm before the storm?

🤫 Things have been quiet lately. Calm before the storm?

⏰ Early day tomorrow, need to save writing for later, rest is needed so that tomorrow is a success.

⏰ Early day tomorrow, need to save writing for later, rest is needed so that tomorrow is a success.

Custom order prototype mode today (aka shitty first draft).

👍 List for the day seems to be pretty realistic (i.e. short), which means I just might cross most of these items off before the day comes to an end!

👍 List for the day seems to be pretty realistic (i.e. short), which means I just might cross most of these items off before the day comes to an end!

Grateful log for Tue, 26 Mar 2024

1. A great time making dinner and then sitting down for dinner last night.
2. Have been doing really good lately with keeping healthy evening wind-down, sleep, and morning routines.
3. The sense that, for now, I “know thyself.”

I have lived, worked, slept, and stumbled around a few times, in this 700 or so square foot studio apartment for just about 3 years now and I have had to really get into my head to understand who I am, who I was, and who I want to be.

☺️ I love how exhausting a full day is! Sleep at the end of such a day is a sweet reward.

☺️ I love how exhausting a full day is! Sleep at the end of such a day is a sweet reward.

Grateful log for Mon, 25 Mar 2024

1. Excellent sleep
2. Dinners planned for the week
3. A new week

I love to work with my hands. Handcrafts are part of my life, a part of who I am, a part of how I have been made, and so preparing a meal is just that: handcrafts in the kitchen.

Grateful log for Sun, 24 Mar 2024

1. happening upon solutions
2. the longer days and evening walks
3. remembering

I remember scenes of life scattered throughout the last twenty years but calling to mind anything specific (again, related to family life almost exclusively) is almost impossible for me to do.

🥱 Oof. The Sunday afternoon crash is real.

🥱 Oof. The Sunday afternoon crash is real.

🍷 Good wine. Writing a letter I've been putting off for too long.

🍷 Good wine. Writing a letter I've been putting off for too long.

Sampling the Easter dinner wine, if I must 🙂

🎧 Focus.

🎧 Focus.

Grateful log for Sat, 23 Mar 2024

1. Full night of sleep 😌
2. Being realistic…occasionally 🤪
3. Getting organized 🧐

I operate first with pen and paper. I always have a notebook with me. Always. I will turn the car around for two things: chapstick and my notebook.

🧘‍♂️ Accepting things for what they are this morning. I am human. I have limits. Only so much can be done in a given time. I will accomplish what is intended to be accomplished. Everything else can wait until the prescribed time. Quality cannot be rushed.

🧘‍♂️ Accepting things for what they are this morning. I am human. I have limits. Only so much can be done in a given time. I will accomplish what is intended to be accomplished. Everything else can wait until the prescribed time. Quality cannot be rushed.

🛌 Ok. Now to sleep. Full morning awaits.

🛌 Ok. Now to sleep. Full morning awaits.

When I don’t quite want to call it quits on a Friday night…I start new stuff.

🙄 I always make things such a project. It is fun, following the ideas as they morph, but also - will I ever keep things simple?

🙄 I always make things such a project. It is fun, following the ideas as they morph, but also - will I ever keep things simple?

Grateful log for Fri, 22 Mar 2024

1. Long but productive day yesterday
2. Creative work
3. Having, tracking, and reviewing my goals

Dye work this morning. Gotta run!

😴 Oof. Long workday. Time for rest now before an early start in several hours.

😴 Oof. Long workday. Time for rest now before an early start in several hours.

Get to do some axe work today!

🤩 Feeling great, positive, and optimistic! Amazing what a solid night of rest will do!

🤩 Feeling great, positive, and optimistic! Amazing what a solid night of rest will do!

Grateful log for Thu, 21 Mar 2024

1. In-person meetings
2. Phone calls
3. Hearing birds sing their song

Nothing electronic can replace our innate humanity and our desire for meaningful connections.

🥴 Feeling overwhelmed. Seems like many different and unrelated things are coming to decision points at the same time. Hoping sleep helps to better process everything in the morning.

🥴 Feeling overwhelmed. Seems like many different and unrelated things are coming to decision points at the same time. Hoping sleep helps to better process everything in the morning.

☎️ Phone calls are the best (the non-spam ones).

☎️ Phone calls are the best (the non-spam ones).

Clean and simple design.

Coming soon, a simple follow up to my current leather fountain pen case. This one is designed for a single pen with dimensions up to 5.82” x .61”.

Grateful log for Wed, 20 Mar 2024

1. Remembering who the heck I am
2. My daily journaling practice
3. Sun is shining today!

I don’t have a goal page or word count, but I do write until there is nothing left to say.

Grateful log for Tue, 19 Mar 2024

1. Excellent sleep.
2. Played uno with Mozzie last night.
3. Brain is all over the place this morning.

I’m a firm believer that we do not have ideas but are given ideas. Ideas are gifts for us to use.

💭 What are dreams?

💭 What are dreams?

😴 Sleep is going to be amazing tonight, I hope!

😴 Sleep is going to be amazing tonight, I hope!

Grateful log for Mon, 18 Mar 2024

1. A good weekend with Mozzie
2. Outdoor activities being a bit more enjoyable with the warming temperatures (except today, today was back to being cold 😂)
3. Monday. Start to a fresh week. New Opportunities and challenges await!

I became a turtle, not that there is anything wrong with turtles, but I never actually envisioned living my life in a shell.

Star, a beautiful St. Bernard puppy.

Grateful log for Sun, 17 Mar 2024

1. Up at 6am today, thanks to going to sleep when I was tired last night and Mozzie tapping me awake this morning before my 6:30 alarm.
2. Being capable…
3. …but aware of my weaknesses

😊 Today was a good day.

😊 Today was a good day.

Fresh batch of these leather oven mitts heading to the farmers market tomorrow.

Grateful log for Fri, 15 Mar 2024

1. Short bike ride yesterday, first of the year, first of many more to come!
2. Accepting the challenge, taking it head on.
3. How very little control (of life) I actually have.

⛈️ Late night storm!

⛈️ Late night storm!

Man. Not sure what’s going on today. Trying to look at it as “challenging” instead of lots of negative stuff.

🚶 Getting out for a walk before it doesn't happen!

🚶 Getting out for a walk before it doesn't happen!

Feeling: Lonely.

And a bit vulnerable by sharing this. I’m pretty much an open book about life, the ups and downs, especially as it relates to my fairly recent divorce, but sharing how all of the life stuff impacts me is something I don’t typically get into.

Grateful log for Wed, 13 Mar 2024

• No screens after dinner was a success!
• Will be selling my leather oven mitts at a local farmers market beginning this weekend!
• My sleep schedule for the last few weeks has been phenomenal.

Dinner is time as a family, everyone stays put until everyone is finished eating.

🖥️ I need a day, a full uninterrupted day, to sit with my leather website and just page through the thing. Read every word. Look at every photo, page, and product listing. Act on ideas as I have them. Edit and rebuild as I go.

🖥️ I need a day, a full uninterrupted day, to sit with my leather website and just page through the thing. Read every word. Look at every photo, page, and product listing. Act on ideas as I have them. Edit and rebuild as I go.

Thank you to everyone for the birthday wishes!

Grateful log for Tue, 12 Mar 2024

1. A nice birthday day yesterday.
2. 67 days until I move out of this apartment!!
3. Temperatures are forecasted to get into the low 70’s this week.
4. Understanding a bit better what makes me tick and how to maintain, as much as possible, a healthy body and mind.

Grateful log for Mon, 11 Mar 2024

1. 🥳 38 today
2. United front (re parenting)
3. Good progress on the workbench over the weekend

Think I may begin designing my take on a duffle bag soon. Have ideas beginning to bounce around my head. They’ll eventually formulate themselves enough to get out and onto paper. Will be a fun challenge.

Grateful log for Sun, 10 Mar 2024

1. Part of the clock movement dance we do was today, which means warmer weather is near!
2. Slept great on the couch.
3. Another day of woodworking.

Fast-forward several years, we are now better friends than spouses, and sometimes it just makes sense for me to sleep here.

📝 Back to using iA Writer for, well, writing. Not sure why I ever stopped. The file management, or lack thereof, is perfect, and best of all is not locked into the application itself.

📝 Back to using iA Writer for, well, writing. Not sure why I ever stopped. The file management, or lack thereof, is perfect, and best of all is not locked into the application itself.

😴 ...and now, time for rest.

😴 ...and now, time for rest.

Some late nights are for tinkering.

Grateful log for Sat, 09 Mar 2024

1. Feeling rested
2. Mozzie seems to have kicked whatever had hold of him on Thursday.
3. Today is the day

Step 1: light cigar.

Went to bed earlier than usual planning to get up early to do writing on a new project. Either my alarm didn’t go off or I turned it off 🤷‍♂️ oh well. I’m rested now!

Grateful log for Fri, 08 Mar 2024

1. With Mozzie all day today
2. Started on the new workbench last night
3. Problems to solve

Photos from today.

Reminder to self:

🌪️ Brain is a tornado so far today. Writing as quickly as I can to capture everything.

🌪️ Brain is a tornado so far today. Writing as quickly as I can to capture everything.

Grateful log for Mon, 04 Mar 2024

1. Outside in the sun for 2 hours yesterday.
2. My past-self writing things down and putting those things in places where my present-self would find them.
3. Having the time and space to think, write, create.

To feel as though, even if just for a moment, that I am operating and living in harmony. I am present, I am using the talents, the skills, the gifts that I have been given. I am where I need to be, doing what I need to be doing. At this very moment in time, I am true.

Temps are nice enough, even in the shade, to do my writing routines outside.

Rare moment for me these days.

Quick Sunday project, working on a more refined variation of the leather fountain pen cases I sell.

Rough-cut matches.

🐌 Saturdays are for slow starts. Raining outside. Coffee, writing, and will be making pancakes shortly. Then I’ll be at a place to get into the day’s work.

🐌 Saturdays are for slow starts. Raining outside. Coffee, writing, and will be making pancakes shortly. Then I’ll be at a place to get into the day’s work.

⌛ Working a bit more tonight so I won’t have as much to do tomorrow.

⌛ Working a bit more tonight so I won’t have as much to do tomorrow.

🧠 So deep into my mind today, which is annoying, depressing, and highly unproductive! Hoping some upbeat music and making progress on a few larger orders helps to lift me up a bit.

🧠 So deep into my mind today, which is annoying, depressing, and highly unproductive! Hoping some upbeat music and making progress on a few larger orders helps to lift me up a bit.

🍚 Making an early dinner, then back to work.

🍚 Making an early dinner, then back to work.

Grateful log for Wed, 28 Feb 2024

1. Being able to put into words what and how I am feeling. (More vulnerability).
2. Rain and Thunder.
3. Dinner with my parents last night.

⛈️ Thunderstorm this morning. Strange for this time of year, I dig it!

⛈️ Thunderstorm this morning. Strange for this time of year, I dig it!

Have had time recently to think about through branding and such. Iterated a bunch and happy with how this delivers, the way it looks and feels, the sentiment it provides.

🥃 Brain is too scattered to be productive. Cleaning up. Laundry. Writing. Bourbon.

🥃 Brain is too scattered to be productive. Cleaning up. Laundry. Writing. Bourbon.

Lovely leather match pouch hand-dyed in green. Hand-stitched with black thread. Solid brass button-stud closure. Sharp look on this one!

Grateful log for Mon, 26 Feb 2024

1. Mozzie and Lindsay arrived safely in Florida
2. Have Lucy for the week
3. Sunday state of mind

Every time I make something with this royal blue leather dye 😍

Grateful log for Sat, 24 Feb 2024

1. List is coming together for the furniture to build, first up is a new workbench.
2. Fresh haircut yesterday.
3. Feeling comfortable (slowly and again) to share what I am excited about.

A bit of context for 1 and 3, plus some photos.

Grateful log for Fri, 23 Feb 2024

1. Beard is gone, for now.
2. School day with Mozzie.
3. Hit 30,000 miles on my Sonata lease.

More words and some photos, too.

Beard shaved off. Immediately 10 years younger.

Grateful Log for Thu, 22 Feb 2024

1. Very restful sleep.
2. Cleaned my desk yesterday, removing dust and clutter.
3. A good evening with Mozzie.

More words.

Grateful log for Wed, 21 Feb 2024

1. The pull to write again.
2. Pure motives (related to above but also everything else in life).
3. One hour of thinking and writing those thoughts down.

Context on each here.

Unless my barber talks me out of it tomorrow, I’m set on getting rid of the beard. Started growing it in October because I wanted to, but now I’m finished with it. Could become a yearly thing for me, growing it for the cold weather and ditching it when I’m tired of it.

Grateful log for Tue, 20 Feb 2024

1. Massage yesterday - after a full year with her, close to 24 appointments, 36 hours 😳, I think yesterday was a breakthrough with identifying one of the roots to my chronic pain.
2. Connection
3. Finally recorded an updated about video for my leather website.

Grateful log for Mon, 19 Feb 2024

1. Time this weekend for Mozzie and I to pick out the furniture we are going to build together for his new bedroom.
2. Faith
3. A new week

Now that my future housing 99% confirmed, I am feeling extremely claustrophobic in my studio apartment. I am looking forward to walls, doors, and a staircase!

Grateful log for Thu, 15 Feb 2024

1. Planning backwards.
2. Massage today!!
3. 107 days until I move out of my apartment!

Grateful log for Wed, 14 Feb 2024

1. I am almost ahead on orders.
2. Progress is progress, even if slower than hoped.
3. Not as many clouds in the sky today, allowing the sun to shine!

Grateful log for Mon, 12 Feb 2024

1. Plans for the next few months are coming into focus.
2. Time yesterday to think through the furniture I will make this year.
3. A good weekend with Mozzie.

The back pain from two weeks ago returned yesterday when I woke up. Had a week break from the pain and guess I need to figure out daily routines that need to become part of my life in order to better manage at this level. Yoga for starters.

Grateful log for Thu, 08 Feb 2024

1. Having a list to pick from
2. Remembering
3. The challenge

Grateful log for Wed, 07 Feb 2024

1. Explosion of ideas this morning.
2. Just about caught up on sleep.
3. The back and leg pain that haunted me last week seems to have gone away completely.

Grateful log for Tue, 06 Feb 2024

1. Organizing work
2. Home made pizza and cheese fries for dinner last night (request from Mozzie 🙂)
3. Time to experiment

Grateful log for Mon, 05 Feb 2024

1. Light at the end of the tunnel for the time remaining in my studio apartment.
2. A week to focus on much needed updates and new product designs.
3. Despite having to work over the weekend, Mozzie and I made the best of our time together.

🧘‍♂️ A feeling of peace and calm, that everything is ok, questions will be answered when they are meant to be, things will happen when they are intended to. Letting go of the idea that I actually have any control over anything is wonderful. Something that I should do more often.

🧘‍♂️ A feeling of peace and calm, that everything is ok, questions will be answered when they are meant to be, things will happen when they are intended to. Letting go of the idea that I actually have any control over anything is wonderful. Something that I should do more often.

🥞 Back from a walk to the coffee shop with Mozzie. Now time for pancakes!

🥞 Back from a walk to the coffee shop with Mozzie. Now time for pancakes!

⏰ Still fighting through back pain that keeps me up most of the night. One positive to this is that getting up at 4:30 and starting the day is not an issue!

⏰ Still fighting through back pain that keeps me up most of the night. One positive to this is that getting up at 4:30 and starting the day is not an issue!

🛌 Time to rest.

🛌 Time to rest.

🌝 Work night. Dinner soon. West Wing in the background.

🌝 Work night. Dinner soon. West Wing in the background.

Grateful log for Tue, 30 Jan 2024

1. Back and leg pain that tortured me for 24 hours seems to have gone away
2. A solid plan for the next three days
3. Making pizza

Grateful log for Mon, 29 Jan 2024

1. A fresh week
2. Mozzie discovering his creative interests
3. Morning walks

From my walk yesterday.

Grateful log for Fri, 26 Jan 2024

1. Another custom project sent out
2. Progress, one day at a time
3. Walking to get coffee

Grateful log for Thu, 25 Jan 2024

1. Full night of sleep
2. Walking in the rain
3. Color

Foggy this morning.

😴 It is time!

😴 It is time!

😫 4.5 hours of sleep. Definitely not in a very good frame of mind so far today...taking a few walks throughout the day to keep my head clear, coffee for sure, and a solid wind-down routine later this evening to support a healthy night of rest.

😫 4.5 hours of sleep. Definitely not in a very good frame of mind so far today...taking a few walks throughout the day to keep my head clear, coffee for sure, and a solid wind-down routine later this evening to support a healthy night of rest.

Ice is just about completely melted from the Susquehanna river.

3am trips to the post office. Material for a chapter in a future book.

☕ Working through some computer-based tasks this morning, giving the sun a bit more time to rise before heading out for my walk.

☕ Working through some computer-based tasks this morning, giving the sun a bit more time to rise before heading out for my walk.

Putting another pause on new orders so that I can catch up on the post-Christmas influx.

Beginning in February I absolutely need to bring on a part-time person to help with admin tasks, at least start with outlining what that role looks like, etc.

Grateful log for Mon, 22 Jan 2024

1. A new week
2. A great weekend with Mozzie
3. Feeling hopeful

🍸 Closing the weekend 🖋️

🏠 Planning to move in a few months, not buying for several reasons, most important being that I'm still figuring out exactly how I want to embark on that portion of life again. So, more renting. Either way, it will be nice to find a place that is a bit more "home like".

🏠 Planning to move in a few months, not buying for several reasons, most important being that I'm still figuring out exactly how I want to embark on that portion of life again. So, more renting. Either way, it will be nice to find a place that is a bit more "home like".

From this afternoon’s walk, the John Harris Mansion.

Grateful log for Sun, 21 Jan 2024

1. Morning walk with Mozzie
2. Football season is almost over (enjoy it but once we get to this point I’m ready for a break)
3. Great sleep

Enjoyable watching the Packers game tonight. Close game, just not meant to be. Hopefully more consistent next season.

Grateful log for Sat, 20 Jan 2024

1. Time this morning to get some lingering tasks accomplished
2. Progress on a large custom leather project
3. The weekend and the different feel it provides

I have recently been desiring more of a personal life, where work is not such a significant majority of my waking hours. A “balance” I have on my list of goals to accomplish this year, starting with having an actual quitting time (most days) and sticking to it.

🧠 It never ceases to amaze me at how much self-confidence/esteem can fluctuate. Some mornings I wake up feeling sure of everything, by the evening deflated. Can't quite figure out the "trick" to managing this lately.

🧠 It never ceases to amaze me at how much self-confidence/esteem can fluctuate. Some mornings I wake up feeling sure of everything, by the evening deflated. Can't quite figure out the "trick" to managing this lately.

Printed sheepskin oven mitts - coming soon!

Grateful log for Fri, 19 Jan 2024

1. Walking to the coffee shop for my morning cup
2. Dinner with my parents and brother last night
3. A snowy day ahead
4. A wonderfully slow morning walk in the snow

Empty.

😴 Was planning to chip away at a few things tonight but am too tired. Listening to the nudge of my body and will head to bed shortly. Looking forward to the rest.

😴 Was planning to chip away at a few things tonight but am too tired. Listening to the nudge of my body and will head to bed shortly. Looking forward to the rest.

Oh man. This leather cigar set turned out better than I imagined it would! (If I may say so…)

Not something I do very often, but 🙂 I just made a fresh batch of tan leather pen cases (good for fitting two fountain pens). Orders today will ship tomorrow!

⚡ Brain is moving faster than I can write this morning. Lots of scribbles.

⚡ Brain is moving faster than I can write this morning. Lots of scribbles.

Grateful log for Thu, 18 Jan 2024

1. Making a plan
2. Realistic personal expectations (constant work in progress)
3. Small pieces

Grateful log for Wednesday, 17 Jan 2024

1. Cold air
2. Next steps established
3. Reminders

Grateful log for Tuesday, Jan. 16 2024

1. Watching football with Mozzie
2. Walk in the snow this morning
3. Clarity

❄️ Snowing outside.

🏈 Quitting work early, heading over to watch the rescheduled Steelers vs. Bills game with Mozzie.

🏈 Quitting work early, heading over to watch the rescheduled Steelers vs. Bills game with Mozzie.

Grateful log for Monday Jan. 15, 2024

1. The quiet in the air before it snows
2. Packers won!
3. Making new things
4. A new week

Grateful log for Sunday Jan. 14, 2024

1. Reading before bed
2. Great sleep
3. Solving problems in my dreams

🥞 Time to make pancakes.

🥞 Time to make pancakes.

Grateful log for Saturday Jan. 13, 2024

1. New ink in my Monteverde
2. So. Many. Ideas.
3. Mozzie is over

✍️ The day did not go as planned and I'm too spent to shift into what I originally wanted to have accomplished. Tea and writing about several ideas swirling around my head instead. There's always tomorrow, or Monday.

✍️ The day did not go as planned and I'm too spent to shift into what I originally wanted to have accomplished. Tea and writing about several ideas swirling around my head instead. There's always tomorrow, or Monday.

Grateful log for Friday Jan. 12, 2024

1. End of the week
2. Morning walks
3. Hot coffee

Grateful log for Thursday Jan. 11, 2024

1. Remembering
2. 30 min. of silent reading as a family to end the day
3. Rituals

🍸 I do make a good manhattan, if I may say so. Been a while. Still got it, and never disappoints.

🍸 I do make a good manhattan, if I may say so. Been a while. Still got it, and never disappoints.

Grateful Log for Wed, 10 Jan 2024

1. The continual flow of ideas
2. Starting a new notebook (never gets old)
3. Whittling with Mozzie

Grateful Log for Tue, 09 Jan 2024

1. Continuing to catch up on sleep successfully.
2. Not rushing the idea/creation process…it will happen when it is meant to happen.
3. Rainy day

🥃 There are some tasks that just seem to naturally occur after hours. Accepting that and working through them.

🥃 There are some tasks that just seem to naturally occur after hours. Accepting that and working through them.

Grateful Log for Mon, 08 Jan 2024

1. Packers won
2. Shoveling snow with Mozzie
3. Phenomenal sleep

Grateful Log for Sun, 07 Jan 2024

1. Snowed in last night
2. Good night of sleep
3. Playing in the snow with Mozzie yesterday

Grateful Log for Sat, 06 Jan 2024

1. Snowing
2. Seem to be recovering, ever so slowly, from December
3. Coffee

🧶 A learning project to get used to circular needles, tea, and watching The Family Plan.

Grateful Log for Fri, 05 Jan 2024

1. Sleeping with a window open
2. Starting a new knitting project
3. So many ideas

Grateful Log for Thu, 04 Jan 2024

1. Good evening with Mozzie
2. Fresh haircut
3. A slower work pace

Grateful Log for Wed, 03 Jan 2024

1. Getting out for a walk this morning
2. The challenge of learning a new skill
3. Feeling ready for the day ahead

Grateful Log for Tue, 02 Jan 2024

1. Although I could use another week, I am ready to get back into the standard rhythm of life.
2. A good New Year’s Day with family
3. Finished the last lingering 2023 knitting project yesterday

☕ First coffee and writing of the New Year.

☕ First coffee and writing of the New Year.

Grateful Log for Mon, 01 Jan 2024

1. 🎉 A fun night bringing in the new year with Mozzie
2. 🧀 Packers beat the Vikings
3. ✌️2023 is in the books…eager to get into 2024.