Quick update.

With the Holidays ramping up, I had hoped to get back to my blogging, but I have not been able to carve out time. What I am doing, however, is going through my Favorites on Facebook and promoting 1 business each day. I figure we can all use all of the exposure we can get, and this is one small way I want to help out my fellow sellers and business owners. I hope that people will enjoy the features. (Today's feature is Vegan Craft Samples.)

I am also trying to work out a schedule for my blog, so that my updates will be more regular and (hopefully) more engaging. I'd like to start reaching out again and featuring other bloggers and artisans. Once I have a plan for next year, I will share it with you all. :)

My art is at kind of an ebb right now, so I have turned my energies, as I mentioned earlier on, to my writing. For now, what I am doing is going through some newsletters I've held onto and researching markets, contests, grants opportunities, and publishers. If you look at the top of my blog, you will see that I have added a page called "JenniferLynn Writes." That is where I will be sharing news and samples from my writing projects. It may take a while for much of anything to appear, but I wanted to let you know it's there, because there will be things to share (hopefully good things!) For starters, last night I submitted 2 poems. It has been several years since I have submitted anything anywhere, so I am excited about it.

When I travel to MA at the end of the month, I expect to take a pile of work with me. Chiefly, I expect to be working on my chapbooks and a screenplay someone has asked me to write. (Yes, I've mentioned the screenplay before. I am finally at the point where I am ready to start hammering that out.) Later on in 2011, I am hoping beyond hope that I will be able to afford some writing workshops, and my top choice is a screenwriting class.

The project on which I am stuck is another of my decorated boxes. This one is built around my "Sleeping Angel" photo, and I've got the outside done, but I am stuck on the lining. I have the fabric picked out, but I just haven't been able to make that final push and get the box lined. My goal is to focus on this type of box--boxes built around my photos--and let some of the more "odd" or "whimsical" ones go. I love those, but I'm really wanting to kind of solidify my brand better. I feel that having some cohesion of design will help a lot. Don't worry--the random "fun" box will still pop up from time to time--I love working on the little tins and such--but I think my photo boxes have potential. I'm even offering to customize them with other people's photos.

I'm still looking for other employment. That process is a slow, steady plod. I do give thanks for what I have, but I know that I could shine much brighter in a more suitable environment. I hope that I will find that environment soon. Meanwhile, I'm making the best of what I have.

I hope that you all have a very lovely Holiday Season!