What's on your coffee table??

I was reading email today and came across a weekly photography newsletter from Digital Photography School. One of the topics in it was titled "What's on your coffee table?" I thought that was a perfect item to photograph today. I think it is a great opportunity to capture a piece of every day life, which is often overlooked. It is however a piece of what makes us who we are. It is the surface that holds our drinks, our TV remote controls, items we are reading or items we choose to put on display for guests to look at. Mine often is dusty, and there is usually a cat sprawled out too. Luckily I dusted on Monday so it was in pretty good shape. I took care to arrange the items so that they would fit in one picture, and for once there was not a cat laying on the table!

On my coffee table sits my stitching. I have been working on a picture of a preening scarlet macaw for a couple of years now. It has captured my attention almost exclusively and I haven't had the desire to work on much else. I've been working on a particularly difficult page and yesterday I pretty much completed it except for a few colors I am missing. Right now all my stitching stuff is packed away awaiting our big move.

Also on the table are some books I have been looking at. I've been working my way through the pink book Adobe InDesign CS4 Classroom in a book. Today I will be starting chapter 5. I'm learning this software because I want to redo my Wired-Works Chainmaille tutorials and make them look awesome. I'm learning that there is a lot to learn with this app and I hope I can succeed. I also have been interested in gardening this year. A good friend Lois suggested Square Foot Gardening. I will be employing some of these methods at the new house. Also I love to pick up my quarterly edition of Artful Blogging. I love reading other people's blogs and this book features the best of the best and gives great insight into some really spectacular blogs. I hope one day that my blog will take on a life of it's own.

Last but not least is the takeout menu from a local pizza joint we tried for the first time. Lately I have not been motivated to meal plan or cook so we have been eating out more than we should be.

Tell me what's on your coffee table.