"I Miss My Camera" and Other Break-Is-Almost-Over Regrets

Class starts back up on Tuesday.  I thoroughly enjoy learning and college, but it IS a lot of work and stress.  I'm looking forward to starting the semester, but I'm looking forward to it being over even more.  With the end of my relative freedom drawing nearer, I find myself looking back over it with mixed emotions. 
I had a little over a month off between the fall semester and the upcoming spring semester.  I had such high hopes for break - the books I was going to read, the tack I was going to make, the things I was going to photograph and draw.  I had even planned to finish up my little muley girl.

Needless to say, not much of that happened.  I slept, a lot.  I read some books, but not the ones I had planned.  War and Peace still sits on my shelf, unfinished.  I took some pictures, but mostly of saddles and family events.  Not bad, but not what I had hoped for.  I think I sketched for a little while one night, but nothing productive happened.  I didn't touch my little Boo-girl hardly at all.  She's still unfinished.

I place the blame for my lack-luster break in three areas: an especially stressful finals period, an especially stressful holiday season, and the mother of all head colds, which is just now beginning to release it's death grip after at least three weeks of misery.  I didn't have much productive time in the studio until after the new year.  BUT, once I recovered from PTFD (post traumatic finals disorder) and the holidays, I got quite a bit done.

• I finished the saddle tutorial.
• I made four sales pieces between January 1 and 13, all of which have sold and shipped.
• I started prototyping an Australian Stock saddle and am now on the second draft. Still some tweaking to do, but I think the third time will be the charm.
• I got all of my textbooks and things ordered and am now set for the next semester.  Lord, please help it to go quickly.
• I went out this morning and spent 45 minutes taking pictures at a state wildlife reserve.  No wildlife to speak of, but out in the middle of dirt roads with no other people.  It was nice, but I realized just how much I miss my camera and the absence of other people.

Today was probably the last really productive day in the studio until May 14. Tomorrow I need to get all of my studio stuff cleaned up (or at least bring the mess down to manageable proportions) and get 2011's book keeping squared away.  I sort of gave up on it when the fall semester started, so I'm a little nervous.  There's a lot of stuff I haven't entered.  I need to actually start 2012, but the year is young enough that it shouldn't be a problem.  The website has been very neglected as well, and I'd like to get the galleries updated before class starts again.

As mentioned - I took some pictures this morning.  Somewhere around 260 of them, and that's just because it was cold.  Out of those 260, only 20 or so were worth editing.  Here are a few of my favorites.

And a photo of the latest Australian Stock saddle revision.