Taking control

I have been remiss in writing for quite a while. My mother died the end of November and apart from the issues that I have had to deal with since then I have not gotten back to my "normal" everyday life.

I did do one thing in her honor though that I am going to "rant" about. My mother was very nice, too nice I often told her. She had people calling her and talking for way too long, telling her boring stories about their life. I also had one person in particular that did the same thing to me. I had a friend that I met online who happened to live in the area. I actually had to stop answering my phone because so much of my time was being wasted. I am an artist, as you will know from my blog, I also have a husband and do want him to have a good dinner every night. Every day I try to create something as well as do the chores that go with living; shopping, cooking, etc. Two years ago I sent this person a link to the little story about me that was written in the Mexico City Reforma newspaper. The next email I had from her said that she was still "hacking" her lungs out, her son was practically at death's door. I stopped emailing. Anytime I actually was able to tell her anything about my life she had a friend,relative,neighbour that was sicker,richer,more talented,more famous and on and on and on and on. A couple of weeks ago she emailed me and we decided to get together. I agreed to this because my doctor had told me that it was very important to socialize, to see friends often to try and get out of the house. I thought it would be a good idea, after all, you get different things from different friends. BIG mistake. We spoke on the phone once, emailed a couple of times and spent a morning together. That's all, but in that short period I heard the same story three times, about friends that wanted to learn to make Christmas cards. As she was leaving she said "now you can start answering your phone again" At that very moment I was thinking "now I'll never be able to answer my phone again". There was new item about a young woman accosted by three young hoodlums in my area at 2:30 one morning. I received an email from this person saying "you've got to move, you really do". I was furious. There are problems everywhere and we all have to be careful. To end this epic, she said that we probably should not continue with our "renewed" friendship as we had differing views. Free at last, I can now answer my phone when I want to. I stood up for myself against one of the most self-centered and boring people I have ever met.

On a happier note, we took our grandchildren out in the blustery March rain to see the bald eagles. Very exciting. I wasn't sure if they would be bored since they love their games, but they loved it.

New Inspiration

I bought myself a new art book the other day using my birthday check from my mother. I felt I needed some new inspiration and this book is doing it! "Modern Art despite Modernism" is the title. I have always loved Fernand Leger's paintings from the 1920's. So industrial, with sharp angles and bright colors. I did a little painting in that style. I had also gotten a little bored with my nudes always in the same positions. I have been using drawings that I did at life classes years ago as studies for my paintings. This book has some new ideas for me in that vein as well.

I've also been making some of my little bears. I bought some fat quarters in a quilt shop the other day for this. These little fabric pieces are perfect. I can make just one or two out of one piece and have much more variety. Not as much waste and I don't have the huge stash of fabric bits left over. Of course I still do have a huge stash of fabric but I'm really trying to use it up.

Here are some of my latest ACEO nudes that I have listed on ebay.

Compassion?

The other day my husband yelled at a homeless woman that was using the area between our sidewalk and garage as a bathroom. This woman is a regular in our neighbourhood, sometimes she is quite scary and other times just sad and pathetic. She is an addict. I was furious at first that she did this. I have my grandchildren over and there is a five year old next door. Who knows what we are walking through and tracking into our homes. In the middle of the night I started to think about her and wondered if I should be showing some compassion for her, she is a woman after all, and life can be hard for anyone. I do believe that everyone has choices in this life, though.

Everything old is New again

Well, once again my messiness has caused me time. I sold a small painting this week. I printed off the invoices and the certificate of authentication and put them all together ready for my shipping day which is today. Last night I pulled them out to pack and I couldn't find the piece. Grrrrrrr. I went through everyone with help from my husband. Looked under my printer, behind my file drawer. I went through the boxes of tiny paintings to see if I had somehow refiled it there. Nothing. Of course, I lay awake for hours, well I lie awake for hours every night but this time I had a specific theme going through my head. Where is it, where is it, where is it. By morning I realized that I must have missed it while going through the others, it couldn't just vanish into thin air. I sorted all the paintings into style and type and there it was! The good thing to come of all this was that I now have a whole pile of them to list on ebay and etsy. I watched a segment of CBS Sunday Morning a couple of weeks ago about messiness and the creative person. They said it can actually be an advantage to be messy, that an empty work area does not inspire, that we need to have everything out and in the open where we can see it. Maybe, but this is ridiculous. I have had the absolute perfect item for something I am working on fall onto my foot, but that doesn't happen every day.

I did a couple of series of ATC's two years ago featuring a sock monkey in different occupations and activities and also one of Eric the Tabby as a world traveller. They sold like hotcakes. I still have a few left so I think maybe a new audience will appreciate them.

The Graduate

I watched the movie "The Graduate" last night. Now this has always been one of my favorites. Dustin Hoffman's lines are soooo funny. I was quite surprised at the end to realize that I had a completely different feeling watching this at 62 than I did watching it at 21. When it first came out in 1967 I thought it was so romantic at the end when they jumped onto the bus together. Last night, now that I am 62 and more worldly, or cynical maybe, I had very different feelings. He did not even look at her, he was just staring straight ahead. Was he thinking that he had "won" her? And so many emotions seem to move across her face; joy, fear, trepidation. It was quite a funny feeling.

I have been listing some paintings that I did a couple of years ago now. My studio is so hot that I haven't been spending too much time up there.

My eight year old grandson spent the day with me on Tuesday and we had such a wonderful time. I looked after him when he was a baby and we developed quite a bond but I hadn't really spent any time with him alone lately. He took me out for lunch, we went to the bookstore, he asked me to teach him how to sew! I showed him how to make fabric bookmarks and coasters. Then he spent some time drawing. It was great!

link turnaround

Well, I have had a complete turnaround about the linkreferral site. It's fun and I love it! I have searched for etsy stores only so far and have found so many new ones that I have "hearted". I have three reviews so far now if I could figure out how to get my other sites on there I would be happy.

I decided to go out and take photos today. Just closeup street scenes; graffiti, etc. It was fun! Now I'm going to turn them into greeting cards! Thought getting out and about would lift my mood which was through the cellar and halfway to the center of the earth yesterday. Depression is a constant struggle it seems.

Old work added to eBay

I try to create something new every day but I have a pile of stuff that is just sitting around. I decided yesterday that I need to list some of it. It's funny how you look at work you've done and see that it's quite good!

I've been reading a book by one of my favorite authors: J A Jance, called "Web of Evil". The main character has a blog and gets so many hits and has a real following. How does this happen? I keep reading about other bloggers that have people contacting them as soon as they post. What am I doing wrong? Or not doing?

Here are some of my new/old listings on ebay.