michelle my belle

Journaling Goals

Maybe I've been spending too much time in this journal! It's so fun and freeing. There's no need to fear messing. Scratch-Scribble-Paint-Draw-Erase-Dribble-Etch-Sketch!

Half way through the year and I've finally finished my 2008 Goals List! I won't bore you with the items but I will tell you I list them in categories - Business, Personal, Family, God, Church, Inside House, Outside House.

I love the quote "Fail to plan, plan to fail". I know it's ultimately God's "plan" but I do believe in setting goals and working towards achieving them. I relish making lists and scratching things off as I go. I also get great pleasure from looking at other people's lists, is that weird or what!?

Lovin' What Anne's Doin!

Check out Anne's blog for her LIVE studio painting! It makes me want to get into the studio and CREATE! I look forward to someday meeting this amazing woman that continues to inspire me. (anne-hope you don't mind me grabbin this pic of you?)

The Kindness of Others!

As many of you know I'm running a marathon June 1. Just look at what came in the mail yesterday from Julie! I love how she taped all the inspirational quotes around the inside flaps of the box. Thank you Julie! You brought me to tears with your kindness. It was actually through Julie's blog that I was inspired to venture into running my first marathon.

MTU (marathon training update): I ran 20 miles a few weeks ago and since then have been having some trouble with my right hip. I've taken extra days off, been to the chiropractor and several times to the massage therapist (my dear friend Tammy!). It's a bummer to put this many months into training and have it all come down to an injury a few weeks before. I'm running 11 tomorrow morning, hoping it feels okay. : (

Goody Giveaway #2 Congratulations!

Congrats to Brenis! Thank you all so much for playing and making this fun!

China Day 8, 9 and 10!

I'm actually in the comfortable United States of America posting right now! Glad to be home. Praising God for the amazing country and freedoms we have here in the USA.

Making up for some lost time. Here are a few pictures of one of our clocks already in production. I've always loved multiples of things.

Loving the bamboo scaffolding. They even use this method for their large skyscrapers in HK!

Not as apparent in photos as it is in person but there is TRASH all over the place! Ick! They just throw their trash everywhere. Different Culture!

Not sure what kind of fruit this is but it looks dangerous! Anyone know?

This is a container of our product being loaded to go to one of our distributors in France.

All in all this was a good productive trip. I finished with about 12 new designs. Some I'm confident in and a few that I wonder if we'll be able to sell. Now that I'm saying this I realize that the birds that the factory is painting on the top pic of this post is a clock that I almost cancelled out of the 2008 Winter Line. It went on to the gift shows and was one of our best sellers! Go figure. I can never trust my instincts!

Thank you again for coming on my China journey with me and keeping me company along the way. It means the world!

In Memory of Samson

This isn't my dog he's my good friend April's dog and this is one of her journal pages that she's dedicated to her cute guy. He sadly passed away 2 days ago. I can only imagine her and her husband's heart break. See her other journal page and more pictures of much loved Samson here.

China Day 7 & Journal Pages

We're winding down only two more days to wrap things up! I'm excited to be finishing and getting closer to coming home. Being in China, working with the factory and the language barrier requires a lot of patience. I realize every time I come here what an impatient person I am. Everything here takes a lot of time. Take for instance the ride back from the factory. It's probably about 7 miles. Because no one follows traffic laws (or maybe they're just suggestions here?) we came to a complete gridlock. I'm not kidding you. Cars were up on the walkways, honking on and on, people getting out of their cars. It took us 2 hours to get back! Thankfully I had learned early on in my travels here to bring books, an ipod and my journal to help me feel productive and not lose my mind!

Anyways, here are a couple of journal pages from before I left. Just odds and ends of thoughts, sketches and the exploration of new techniques and color combinations.

Looking forward to coming home to my family, friends and MY CUP (that my friend April gave me that I cherish!) of coffee that my husband lovingly makes for me each morning.

Marathon Training-China

In case some of you are wondering why I'm running so much. Well, I decided about 3 months ago to train for the San Diego Rock N Roll Marathon. I'm still not sure what got into me. I had never ran more than 7 miles and hadn't really been running for almost a year. It's never been something I've aspired toward. But, here I am in China 12 weeks into my 16 week training program!

Four Andy Stanley podcasts, about a gallon of water and the accountability of this blog, my husband and friends later, I ran 15 miles this morning! I had ran 18.5 at home before I left but not in this heat and humidity. It was a tough run for me but I'm relieved to have it over with and excited that I was able to do it!

China Day 5/6

Yesterday and today at the factory we worked on finishing up the sculpting process and continued working on the painting. Here are the talented painters that I adore. They have put up with me for several years now pointing and using all kinds of charades trying to communicate what I need done. Sometimes totally "getting" what I'm saying and other times not!

Noodles for lunch! Quite yummy and spicy! Just how I like it! SPICY!

Went to a city called Chang An and visited a print factory. They do all kinds of journals, packaging, calendars and greeting cards. I love visiting factories! As a kid I was a huge fan of the segment on Mr. Rogers when he went into factories and businesses to show how things were made. It was always my favorite part.

For dinner last night we went to a "nice fish place" on a lake. Here, at night, on a lake... means one thing! HORDS of mosquitos! The blood suckers were sticking to the table cloth when we sat down. Today I look like I have a disease of sorts I have so many red bumps all over my body!

During dinner I was served fish head, eyeball and all I tell you! As I was removing the eyeball the gooey stuff inside drained into the rest of my food. I'm not a picky eater but I am pretty sensitive to slimy textures. I had to talk myself through the rest of the meal!

I finally finished Kite Runner. It's one of those books that at times you have a hard time reading. A book that you continue reflecting on even after you've put it down. Very insightful!

I'm missing home and many of the comforts of home but getting on my computer and seeing all of your kindness warms my heart and makes me feel a little less sad. Thank you!

Don't forget to enter in our Goody Giveaway. You have till May 12! Click the link for details : )