Goodbye Summer, Hello Fall

This weekend marks the official end of summer in our household. We live by the academic calendar, so in a sense next week, when classes resume, is the beginning of a new year!

I'm not heading back to school, though, which is a strange and wonderful feeling at the same time. I love to learn in a classroom setting, but I am really enjoying the beginnings of this new, more creative phase in my life.

A lot has changed in the last several months. I have begun drawing again; something I haven't really done since my high school days (more than six years ago). I have taken a big chance and begun to share my work with others through blogging and my Etsy shop. Everyone has been really supportive of my work, and I am so grateful for that! This "year" will be different for me, but in a really positive way I think.

To mark the last weekend of summer, A. and I are determined to make some fun plans. On Saturday I think we will head to Bar Harbor for some food, sun, and a movie at one of our favorite little places. We may even make a day of it and pack a picnic! Tonight or Sunday we will probably check out the Folk Festival - one of the biggest yearly events in Maine. It's always fun to grab some food, check out the crafts and listen to the great music playing throughout the small (!) city of Bangor.

What are your plans for the weekend?

P.S. My latest print (above), Rain Delay, can be found now in the shop!

Adventures in the City That Never Sleeps

I spent this past weekend on a mother-daughter trip to New York City. We had a fantastic time roaming the city, eating, shopping and frequenting the theatre (three shows in three days!). I had never been to a city larger than Boston, so this was so much fun! 

Being a Maine native, the sheer size of the city blew my mind. In three days we couldn't even begin to scratch the surface of all the city has to offer. I can't wait to go back with my boy sometime soon. 

NYC was amazing, but I must admit I was relieved to land back in Portland on Sunday. Being in a place so different really made me appreciate what makes Maine a wonderful place to live. I love the fashion, food and culture that is so unique to a metropolitan area, but I adore the beauty and quiet of New England, too.

Tell me, are you always happy to return after a trip? What makes a place feel like home to you?

I hope everyone had a relaxing, safe fourth!

New York, New York!

In my twenty-four years of life, I have hardly traveled. It's a bit embarrassing how few places I have been, in fact. I have never left the country (crossing the border from Maine into Canada for an hour doesn't count), and I have visited only a handful of states (mostly in the Northeast). What a sad story!

Perhaps this is why I am so unbelievably excited about heading to New York City on Thursday! My mother and I are flying to The Big Apple for a long weekend of theatre, site seeing, shopping and food. We are staying right in Manhattan, within walking distance of the bright lights on Broadway where we will see THREE shows!

We will probably squeeze in a few touristy things, since I have never been to the city and I am a bit of a nerd like that. However, I am really excited to do some shopping (and people watching) at some of the local boutiques.

I hope to capture some images of my adventures to share when I return on Monday. New York, here I come!