Fight or Flight?

As usual, I was going to post a photo, but did not.  I actually took the photo, but it was so depressing that I deleted it and opened the laptop to post.

The photo was of the staircase to my attic studio.  I was approaching it for the first time in two and a half weeks.  I was so excited to go up and get to work.  I opened the door, walked up a couple of steps, became depressed, walked up a couple more steps and then had to turn tail and flee.

I noticed how terrible my space looked.  How cluttered and jumbled and downright depressing.  Feng Shui experts would have gagged and fainted.  The entry is filled with a pile of empty cardboard boxes from recent mail order purchases.  Baskets of paints wait at the ready to go outside for fabric painting in the sun.  Old magazines clutter the shelving.  Receipts are piled at the top of the stairs, ready to be filed.  I hope none are from the last tax year.  Piles of dyed fabric wait to be heat set (some from last year).  Another pile has been heat set but needs to be washed.  Drawers hang open.  Shavings from stamp carvings cover the floor.

I CAN'T WORK IN THAT MESS.

Today is a lovely day -- warm and sunny.  I will do the last of the fabric dyeing today and add to the pile that needs to be processed.  While I wait for the fabrics to dry, I will break down boxes for recycling, vacuum up those shavings and organize stuff.  I can't believe I let it go so far out of hand.

I really want to get to work on some new things, but I know I can't do that just yet.  I want to behave like a child and just go play.  I know I must do the responsible thing and organize.  Sigh.  I really wanted to have a new masterpiece completed within the first hour of my daughter going back to school.

How often do others clean and organize their studios?  Every month?  Every week?  Every day?  Any advice?

Hey, Little Girl, Want a Play Date

Once again, no photo of any new work.  There is none.  My only art related work in the past week (Friday afternoon), was to heat set all of my new painted fabrics with an iron.  Absolutely mind numbing.  The rest of my time has been spent searching the internet for fall clothing (little to be found in stores in these parts) and entertaining children.  We have had lots of playdates.  I really do find that I use that opening line a great deal.  Hey, little girl . . . 

My daughter has a friend coming over for the day today.  Together, they might quite a destructive team.  No little tea parties for them.  Yes, I am enjoying the time off,  yet I've heard the word "why" just a bit too frequently these past few days.  Next Tuesday is the first day of school.  I will be glad on Tuesday.  And probably just a bit sad on Wednesday.  

Well, gotta go and hide all of the sharp and breakable objects.

A little bitty rant

I can safely assume that my readers can function on their own without reading a daily post from me.  Good thing.  Nothing art related going on here.  The countdown to school has begun.  Summer camps are over.  This week and next week, I am the entertainment committee.  The T.V. has a small role in this, but its pretty much me.  I haven't seen my studio in a week.  Well actually, the cat got trapped in their the other day & I had to do a search for "accidents", but other than that, the door has been closed.

We are doing the back to school thing.  We all need new fall clothes.  Now!  Wednesday and Thursday mornings the temperature was in the 40s!  Brrrrrrr.  We need sweaters and jackets now.  Lately my time has been spent shopping.  Sure, that sounds like fun, but I HATE it.  Why is it that the stores are still filled with summer clothing?  Sure, down south it is still summer, but above the Mason-Dixon line we are preparing for the first snow.  I always assume the stores will have their fall merchandise arrive six months after their spring merchandise shows up.  I went to target on January 2nd this year and do you know what I saw?  Shorts and bathing suits.  Seven months later, it is still shorts and bathing suits.  Maybe it is just a personal problem.  I detest wearing shorts and bathing suits.

Anyway, unless I'm going to take up knitting (hmmmmm), it is all out of my control.  I just have to wait.  I will entertain my daughter (yes, she can do it herself -- some).  But there just aint that much to do in these parts.  The highlight of our day yesterday was a visit to Moe and Joe.  They're goats.  We fed them weeds.

I'll post some more non-art-related rants, then maybe, in a week or two, or three, I'll have something to show you.

Killer Bee

Killer Bee, that's me.  It wasn't until about 25 minutes ago when I decided to post this.  I've been so angry at this dang computer that I have actually cried.  All I wanted to do was show my readers what I have been working on.  I feel as if I have been drafting a treaty with a dozen warring nations.

So these new things are about bees.  Honeybees in particular.  I recently read yet another article about the recent huge decline of the honeybee population.  The cause(es) are not known for certain, but I place my bets on the vast amount of pesticides that are spread all over the world, whether we need them or not.  I'll have to do some more research on this.  Meanwhile, I'll keep on dyeing, stamping, cutting, etc.

A recent commenter wants to know of my process for dyeing fabrics.  To be exact, what I do would not be considered dyeing.  Dyeing requires gloves, masks and other safety gear.  I do not like working with such things.  I guess my methods would be considered painting.  Yet when I think of painting on fabric, I think of such artists as Faith Ringgold.  Since I am annoyed today and am behind in what I want to do, I will gather my information and tell of my processes in the days to come.

Will I ever make peace with this darn computer?!?

Recently Dyed

I told myself that when  I was ready to dye fabric, I would order my supplies and get to work.  That was back in March, well before warm weather set in.  It has been a pleasant spring and summer here in central PA.  Perfect for dyeing fabric.  I did not order supplies.  Not until last week.  Then I ordered.  And waited.  And waited.  Sunny day after sunny day passed.  Then my supplies came late on Wednesday.  

Yesterday started out rainy and cold.   At noon, the sun came out and I ran outside to do what I could.  Two hours of sun!  Not much time, but a few small pieces were done.  The orange one almost didn't make it.  As soon as it was laid out to dry,  the clouds and rain came.  I ran it inside, then went to walk the dog (in the rain) and get my daughter from camp.  AT 4:00, the sun came out briefly, so my fabric went back out in the sun briefly.  Then came in, then went back out to warm up and dry. 

Today is supposed to be rainy and cool.  It is not & I'm not prepared to dye.  If I prepare myself, then the clouds will come.  I do feel the need to hurry and get this done.  My daughter has one more week of camp, then will be at home with me until school starts in September.  This is not something I choose to do with her.  I've tried it.  More than once.  Not going to do it again for a couple of years.  Then of course, fall comes a bit early here.  The leaves will fall (I usually use those to pattern my fabrics before they fall and dry out), the air will become chilly, and the needles will fall off of the evergreens that surround my teeny property.  I've had many a fabric ruined by a covering of bitty needles.

I've finished four tops in my new "Mid-Life Crisis" series.  I am just waiting on fabric for the backs of the pieces.  I never seem to have the right thing on hand, and I'm pretty much in a fabric wasteland & have to mail order most things.  So I wait.  I will plan better next year.  Really.  I know I said that last year, but this time I mean it.  Perhaps I will dye some fabric then.  Wait, what's that.  A cloud.  Maybe I should really go and read that book on art marketing.  I prefer the osmosis method, even though it doesn't work all that well.

Mid-Life Crisis?!?

As many of you have read, I have recently turned 45.  I have neglected to change my age on the sidebar.  Perhaps I will update that every five years.  I'm realizing that life is too short.  I have decided to work with the colors that make me the happiest and give me the most energy.  I do have those black and brown periods, but I am not in one of those periods now.  I am working on a new series, most possibly entitled "Mid-Life Crisis".  It will be quite similar to my "Spice Route" series.  I will be using the same square structure and sizes.  The pieces will go from lighter to darker.  Such as life does, I guess.  Oooh, that was way toooooo grim.  Perhaps my life is getting brighter and more colorful.  Yeah, that's it.

For some reason, these colors do not photograph very well.  My hubby suggests that I work in colors that do photograph well.  But, that is not the mood I'm in now.  Perhaps working with an updated PhotoShop will make things all better.  We shall see.

To my most recent commenter Sue:  Yes, all can be found at Target.  The process is . . . raid Target.  Return home.  Kick family out.  Go into zen mode or some type of self-induced trance and, well, you're done.  It's beautiful!  Buy it and get "wiggy" with it.  Also, keep blogging.  Update that profile of yours.

How Chic

I've recently had a book binge. Perhaps to avoid working or learning how to use this blasted laptop, I have been reading "helpful" books. The most recent conquest is Colin Cowie Chic.

I must admit, this book is a bit beyond me. I do not have to tip the pool boy when I travel, nor do I need to know how to serve Port at my next soiree. However, it did inspire me to organize and improve my surroundings.

After seeing photos of the insides of his kitchen cabinets and drawers, I rushed to Target to purchase some drawer organizers. I love the looks of organized storage -- everything in its own little compartment. Somewhat reminiscent of my quilts. Anyway, within a couple of hours of arriving home, this photo is the result. I was in such a hurry, I neglected to take a "before" photo. Here is the "before" photo of my next project. Tune in later to see the results. I have sent my family off to spend the weekend with my in-laws. Yes, I will miss them (including he in-laws), but just imagine what I can clean up in the next 48 hours. Yes, well, and I do have to do a few things in the studio, too.