Blogging in English takes time. English is not my native language and, although I like to think I’m pretty good in it, I keep the dictionary at hand to look up specific words. Like ‘contemplation.’ I could have used another word (‘reflection’ or ‘ consideration’) but I spend at least 10 minutes googling and checking and looking for the exact right word – I’m picky like that.
This means, that writing a blogpost costs me half a day. Coming up with a title or theme, shooting the right photos (+ cropping and adding the watermark), finding the right words to share what I want to share… I like blogging though, so I don’t mind taking the time for it to try and do it right.
But
(Yep – you felt it coming – there’s a but…)
I don’t have much time lately.
You must have noticed: my posts weren’t as well thought-out as they used to be. Sometimes even (very) short. And that’s bothering me.
And then there is this:
Yes, sweeties, that’s MY STUDIO!! Well, maybe that’s too big a word for it, but it’s my SPACE anyway… When my son moved out in November 2011 my beloved and I discussed the possibilities for a studio. We came to the conclusion that I would take the best room – the one that has two windows (good light!) and is close to the bathroom and we would move the office space to my son’s old room. Now it was easy to come up with that idea, but not so easy to realise. There would be construction work to be done and – well – you know – we never started on it.
Which meant that I went on creating at the big table in the living room – while upstairs, there was an empty room available.
Mind you, not ’empty’ empty – as there were books and clothes and boxes and things that my son didn’t took with him or ‘would go through later’ (you know what happens when you think ‘I’ll look at that later’ – later never comes!) but space was ‘available’ anyway. When my son visits us in the weekends, he puts his laptop on the desk and sleeps in the bed. That’s it.
Last week, I suddenly couldn’t stand it anymore.
The reconstruction of the upstairs is not going to happen soon, so I decided to start cleaning up the room on the top floor and see what I could do to make some sort of a studio. I would of course have to share it with my son – when he’s here I’m sure he don’t like to have his mama sitting next to him all day – so I will have to come up with a ‘travel tote’ of some sort that I can take downstairs to create when he’s using the room.
On other days – this is all mine:
“Where is the bed” you might ask…
on ‘this side’ of the room (where I stood taking the photo) there’s a bed and another small desk – I did not photograph that though. The cabinet dividing the room has storage space on both sides.
I love the shelves under the window – it’s perfect to store / display all my finished art journals. The top row holds all of them. On the lower shelf: books I use for altering or cut things from
And there’s a big closet that is filled with more ‘stuff’ – I have a lot of ‘stuff’ 😉
Now… back to the beginning of my post: contemplation.
What’s happening in my life these days.
- A magazine to work on (FEATURING issue 3 is out and available here)
- Teaching an online workshop (starting February 4, registering still possible here)
- A studio that I will have to get used to working in (I’m a ‘routine’ girl – and when the routine gets broken it takes me a lot of time to adapt on the new situation – and no, that’s not ‘old age’, I’ve always been like that!)
- A beloved and a household that needs attention (one more then the other – you tell me which 😉 )
- Private ‘stuff’ that I need to think over and deal with
And then there’s this blog… I want to keep it going but my way of blogging will definitely needs to change in order for me to feel good about it. But how? What? When?
I don’t know yet.
I guess I have some thinking to do – and therefore I decided to take a break from blogging. Yes dear ones – I will be ‘off blogging’ for a while. For how long? I don’t know. I guess, as long as I need to figure some things out. We’ll see. I hope you won’t forget about me and that I find you all back here again when I get back from my ‘retreat.’ I might even show myself on facebook and twitter every once in a while – and if you really, REALLY miss me, feel free to email me!
See ya when I’m back!
Gelijk heb je, Marit! Bloggen is leuk en wordt door velen gewaardeerd, maar er gaat ook veel tijd in zitten. Gewoon lekker een pauze nemen en voor jezelf kiezen!
I’ll miss you! but your studio is awesome, enjoy it 😀
Lieve Marit, ik begrijp je heel, heel erg goed!! Zo’n uitgebreide blogpost maken zoals jij doet….ik zou het niet kunnen! Je engels is (in mijn ogen!) perfect en je schrijft zó mooi! En dan al die foto’s erbij….Iedereen die blogt, weet hoeveel tijd dat kost! Dus geniet van je ‘blog-vakantie’ en wees niet bang: we zullen je ècht niet vergeten hoor!!
En geniet ook van je eigen plekkie!! Want oh, wat is dat héérlijk! Ook daarover spreek ik uit ervaring 😉
Hou je haaks en tot gauw!!
XXXJenneke
I will miss you … and I for one love your studio… I wish mine was secluded like that 🙂 Mine is right in the family room where everyone walks in! LOL! 🙂
Kan het me voorstellen hoor dat je even geen zin hebt om zoveel tijd in het bloggen te steken. Twee keer per week met een uitgebreide post komen is best veel!! En ik weet dat je geen ‘half’ werk wilt/kunt leveren. Neem dus gerust een pauze, tuurlijk vergeten we je niet!!
Trek je lekker terug in je ‘studio’ en geniet van het creëren van mooie dingen!!
Spreek je snel!!
I will miss your posts but I totally understand the need for balance! Have fun with your new studio space!
Ik weet er (helaas) ook alles van! Dat bloggen in het Engels is gewoon moeilijk….soms is het net niet echt goed te vertalen, dus ben je veel tijd kwijt om het allemaal uit te zoeken. En mijn Engelse taal is lang niet zo goed als dat van jou! Hetzelfde voor Nederlands trouwens, soms moet ik echt even weer flink nadenken over die komma’s ed. 😉
Je schrijft ontzettend mooi, dus ik zal je missen, maar ik snap dat je even pas op de plaats moet maken. Keuzes maken…wie kent dat niet!
Je hebt wel een geweldige studio Marit!! Ziet er super uit en wat is het heerlijk om je eigen plekje te hebben hé!! Ik hoop dat je er snel aan gewend bent! Enne…ik denk dat je beloved de meeste aandacht nodig heeft ;)…is veel belangrijker dan het huishouden!!
Hou je haaks en tot snel hoop ik!!
Will miss your posts but you should do what feels right! I am not letting myself feel any pressure for blogging. If I want to create a blog post, I do and if I don’t have time, there’s no stress to get it done.
Anders ga je toch ook switchen naar alleen in het nederlands bloggen, net als Marieke Jongenelen-Blokland? Scheelt een hoop tijd en mensen kunnen een vertaalmodus gebruiken van Google als ze het in het engels willen lezen. Dat scheelt een hoop tijd.
Ik ben overigens erg jaloers op zo’n mooie ruimte… ik gebruik mijn eettafel – waar ik ook aan eet – en een dressoir (zucht).
@Cindy: ha, nice idea but switching to blogging in Dutch is not an option – my blogreaders are mostly from abroad and therefore English-speaking – I also offer my online workshops in English (and am the publisher of FEATURING magazine, which is written in English and ‘worldwide-based’ too.)
I have been a bad blog friend lately. I only write two or three posts a week, if that, and I am not great about visiting others at all. Time just seems to be flying so quickly and the days seem to be over before they begin.
I will miss you if you are gone too long, but I hope you will give little peaks into Facebook now and then so i can know what is happening with you.
Sending you love and great creative juices to use in your new space !
When you’ve blogged for a long time it is a good idea to take a break and re-think and collect energy! But other than that I want to say: short blog posts are okay! Just an image is okay, sharing what you’re up too! It doesn’t all have to be planned and smart and super edited, it’s a blog! 😉
XOXO
Take care my friend!
Och meid…neem zoveel tijd als je nodig hebt! Bloggen moet uiteindelijk ook plezier maken en geen slecht gevoel geven. Ik zal je posts in ieder geval missen.
Is Marius uit het Featuring Team jouw man? Zeg hem heel hartelijk bedankt voor z`n kommentaar op mijn blog. Ik was erg verrast! 😉
Zorg goed voor jezelf, OK? – Irma
Enjoy your new space! Good for you recognizing that you can’t do everything and making that decision. I agree with iHanna, though, and hope you feel free to just post a photo or two to let us see what you’re up to in that new studio!
You ARE a busy one.
Personally I find it harder to visit people that do blog posts with lots of reading … for that reason I try and keep my bbb posts on the short side whenever possible…I am big on photos/eye candy to help tell the story.
Everyone has so much going on and blogging certainly DOES take lots of time and effort.
I have said it before how much I admire bloggers that do so in more than one language because I know how much time just one language requires.
That said you WILL be missed…I miss you already!!!
I am happy that you are following your heart and that you have a lovely studio space to play in.
Hugs to you dear one!
Sending every good and special wish your way all ways (instead of always 😉 )
oxo
p.s. please give a shout out when you do blog again because I don’t have the cool feature on my blog sidebar that let’s me know when friends update their blogs 🙁
Zo nu en dan even afstand nemen is alleen maar goed. Wens je rust en wijsheid toe en daarna weer een verse (door)start. En natuurlijk vergeten we je niet!
Wat je studio betreft: hee, het begin is er! Geniet ervan, het wennen komt wel met de tijd.
Just found your site through pinterest when I repinned one of your art journals which was really beautiful and well explained! First thing I read is you are taking a break.Oh well, I know you have many things to do besides entertain me HA. Hope you get organized, inspired, not so busy, and start blogging again, if you want to. No fun unless you want to. Create and have fun, Mary from Florida