I can finally share the "secret project" that I've been working on for the last couple of months.

It started with brainstorming for ideas of what to sketch or draw next, and realizing that my sister's 50th birthday was coming up, I thought it would be nice to make a few drawings of different pictures of her during her lifetime. It was a chance to practice playing with my new markers too. As I worked on the drawings, I realized I didn't have a good idea for how to frame or present them, so the idea of a scrapbook came to mind.

Now, I've never thought much about scrapbooking. It seemed like something "crafty" and I hate crafty stuff. Maybe it is "crafty" but I found myself so involved in this project that I would happily do it again. It was a great outlet for me - I got to draw, create a couple of stylized photoshop pictures, retouch a few photos, design layouts, search through piles of corny quotes to find that perfect gem which captured what I wanted to say... it was absorbing.

So absorbing in fact that I forgot my mom and brother's birthdays in the process... geesh! Okay, well it's probably not the first time... anyway, without further ado, here are some pictures from the scrapbook experience:

http://midtownlife.typepad.com/photos/annes_scrapbook/index.html

A couple of side notes. It made me happy to see my sister and each of her kids spend time examining each page. I hope it's something that they will enjoy now and then again in the future.

I enjoyed doing this so much that I was both happy and sad to give it up.

Here's another activity I got very involved in. MOB and I went to the reading of a play by a friend and old co-worker of mine. She's been working on plays ever since I've known her but this was the first time that I got to see something she wrote. It was put on through Working Title Playwrights.

It was really captivating. I liked the intimacy of a reading versus the full production. It must be that it takes me back to being read to as a child - I have vivid memories of getting very wrapped up by my mother reading The Pirate don Durk of Dundee to me and making her read it over and over again. I was just as engaged in this. The actors were great. I would definitely go out to see another reading by this group.

Her play is called "Fault Lines" and it was all about family dynamics. I won't attempt to explain it, you can read what she wrote about it on the link above.