Tick, tick, tick...

Was thrown for a loop today.  Bad news about a friend's cancer diagnosis yesterday. Feeling like I am running in circles and Not Quite Accomplishing Things. 

Decided to take 10 minutes while I was waiting for laundry to dry I thought I would try to make SOMEthing.  So, while I didn't finish a piece I took a painted paper that I was not fond of and turned it into something that I can work with.  I wrote line after line from a hymn across my paint drabs, wishing well with my beloved "J".

Probably won't show in the finished piece but I will know.  

You gotta pay the --- Cellist??

Cellist's creator Eloa Jane's is S&C Featured September Artist

You know that old adage about "paying the piper"?  I feel like I have been paying EVERYONE in the last couple of weeks.  School fees, car expenses, government fess for my helium tank (REALLY?). Seems like every thing that rolls around periodically but is NOT factored into my budget is due at the same time.   But then I think that is how I work to.  I am not so good at budgeting, doing a little bit everyday of something,  I make 9 pieces of art or none.  Rearrange the entire shop or nothing.  Cook 4 meals at a time or eat cereal.  Read a 400 page novel in three days or pick up nothing heavier than a magazine.  Not sure WHAT that says about me except for maybe that I enjoy "the Zone". 

Have you signed up for Area's 718's Karen Mullarkey's mixed media classes yet? There is one this weekend!

You know the zone, that Zen, timeless place, where the world ceases to exist and you are in whatever is in front of you.  Bliss.  When I was a headhunter I used to drive my boss crazy because I would bill a month's worth of income in 4 days because I worked in "batches", seemingly incapable of doing a little bit of this, a little bit of that.  After I injured my neck a few years ago I got rudely tossed from the "Zone", because my arm and legs would go numb whenever I stayed in the same position longer than 20 minutes.  So I moved to "Timer Land" where I would literally set a timer to make me get up and move a different muscle group.  I have survived and still yet don't feel I am thriving to what I am capable of.
Maybe it is time to go back to the Zone with Middle Age Restrictions - like Eating Right, Exercising & Going To Bed At A Decent Hour SO I Am Not A Mess The Next Day.

Cindy, here's the gratuitous chair shot!

 Why does that sound so UNappealing?  Why do I get SUCH a thrill from the big move, the big start-up, the big project started, worked and finished?  Hard to understand why one is wired the way one is.  But I am learning to live with the fact that maybe at 51 I should take better care of myself so I DON'T have to fight my nature when it is most creative...

Sunny flower pastel sketch from my daughter to brighten my thoughts.

New (School) Year's Resolution

The buzzer went off at an alarming (!) 5:40 this morning but I was already sort of awake.  I must have opened my eyes 5 times between 3 and 5, anticipating the alarm.  First day of school.  My not so baby boy is a freshman this year. Astounding. My girl a senior, how can that BE???

Shaking off the cloud of disbelief, I staggered toward the coffee as they got up, showered , ate breakfast and actually brushed their teeth and put shoes on without so much as a nag from me.  Now I really know I am dreaming... 

The hardest thing about them walking out the door, (on time I might add)?  I was left with my New (School) Year's Resolutions.  You know the list that includes working out, making art, cleaning my house, writing, finishing something, THAT list?

In the spirit of new beginnings I decided to finish something.  On canvas, a thread sketching inspired by a vintage seaside photo I have. Nothing fancy, but she is DONE.  Oh am proud to report I DID go for a walk and row on the erg this morning while I am running laundry. Aaah the excitement of working from home this fine morning.

A sense of perspective

My favorite shot of the trip. Man contemplating John Singer Sargeant portrait while I contemplate scale and perspective.

We are home. After a crammed full week of visiting friends and colleges for our rising Senior daughter driving up and down the Eastern Seaboard I am tired.  Even with gracious hosts and tasty meals and comfy beds I was still grateful to get back to my own bed and work.  

I am also grateful for the time to take this trip while folks covered for us at the shop. (THANKS CINDY!)  It really gave us a sense of perspective to look at a college a day and see how even when they ostensibly have the same fine arts programs the coursework, the teaching, the emphasis, the campus, the goals and the student body could be so completely different.  Frankly, it was fascinating.

You are dead a lot longer than you are alive. Perspective from Boston's Museum of Fine Arts .

My poor kid was overwhelmed about her options.  But being her mother's daughter, she immediately started organizing her thoughts. She also quickly realized that she did, indeed, have opinions that I don't think she realized that she had. Yes, she did want to go to an urban school with larger collaborative classes.  That she preferred a large, diverse student body, that she liked the hopping, active  campus over the serene, contemplative one.  I must admit, I was a little jealous.  When I was her age, I didn't recognize that I did have options.  I was always the pragmatic one, taking what came in front of me and making the best of it. I ran my whole career that way, and frankly I have had a wonderful life but these visits really make me think about roads not taken.

 The reason Bob was nagging me about going into Fanuiel Hall was that in 50 years of going to Cape Cod he had NEVER been inside? Who knew?  The Docent loved the kid's Dr. Who shirt.

And for chucking my successful corporate career at a time when that income would be contributing a great deal to the options that are ahead over the next few years.  Would I trade this time?  This total  self-employed, make all your own decisions, fly or die by your own petard,alternative to the average Washingtonian lifestyle for cash flow and snappy shoes? For the ability to actually join my extended family on vacations and replace the crappy carpeting that slowly and surely becoming an embarrassment?  No, not really.  Standing back my perspective is that I have served my family.  My kids are kind, strong and smart (although they REALLY miss the cleaning lady), my husband hasn't stroked out from stress (although some days he does still have self-inflicted high blood pressure) and I still have more plans, goals and dreams then I have time and money.  It's a good place to be.

Thor waiting for his people to return.  All the time in the world.

It's weird to be in the backseat.

Driving to visit dear friends and taking turns driving. For all of you that are aware of my control freak tendencies, the sensation of sitting in the back seat watching my much beloved but ADD hubby guiding my daughter through lanes on Jersey highways with only ONE involuntary interjection from la madre feels like all my "Growing My Soul" work & coaching is finally kicking in!

Love ya all.

me & ...

 The interesting thing about meeting people that you have read about or seen on TV or whatever is that they are well, people.  The illustrious CeCe Caldwell came to a regional meeting for her Chalk and Clay paint and gamely came to our house and enjoyed a typical Stifel Happy Hour.  She was fun, easy to talk to and frank in her opinions about her business and philosophy.

 I admit it I am a groupie fan girl FREAK about Mary Englebriet.  I admire her, how she has persevered in her art career and re-invented herself numerous times over the years to keep herself and her family sane while not comprising her art and her style.  I was trying really hard to be cool when I posed for this picture so I would n't chase her off!  Her comment before this photo was taken? "Boy, I just love having my picture taken. " Really Mary?  Perhaps not. But she was so gracious and charming.  I was flabbergasted to find someone with international reach and influence was shy and somewhat nonplussed at all of the fuss being made over her.

 My husband, on the other hand, has never met a camera he didn't like!

 I need to take more photos with our FIRSTfriday artisans.  This is one of only THREE I found and we have been doing this event for almost 6 years (EEK!) - with the lovely Isabel Zito.

 Been throwing a Mardi Gras party for twenty years. How many shots of me & my guests. TWO - one with Bruce Mogensen.

 We've had SIX birthdays at S&C. ONE shot of cake - with Ashleigh Collens of My Two Monkeys.

 Hanging with the neighbors for 20 years. ONE shot with the lovely Howard Cincotta.

 Artist shot #2 - with poet & artist DJ Gaskin

 more beach pics than anything else. My happy place but I am not it the bulk of the shots.

 Did I ever mention we went to the White House at Christmas?  Bob was mad at me because I didn't linger longer.  Was worried about slowing other people down.  This I will ever go again? Probably not in the cards  as the hubs no longer has a clearance...

Did I mention we faced the paparazzi

 or sat in our jammies on Christmas Morning?  I REALLY need to document my own life.  It would be so much fun to have more of my Mardi Gras table mates (here with Ted Timberlake.) Why don't I have pictures dancing on his patio?

 But I have this very bad habit of thinking planning and pondering the future and not not actually living in the present.  And being self conscious about pulling out the camera and taking photos to capture moments. Mind you I do know I have other bad habits too.. No comments all.

 I owe my bestie & unflagging cheerleader Laurie O'Bryon a phone call.  I seem to be keeping up with her through her boyfriend's Facebook posts (sorry about the deer in the backyard, Laurie).

Bob may look surprised but I am increasingly aware that time is FLYING by.  I need to take not just more photos of the people I care about but more time with them too.  Tick, tick, tick...

Rain or shine

"Will you love me rain or shine, will you be my Valentine?"

says one of my kitschy 50's Valentines.  After working six or seven days a week throughout most of the spring we actually proactively booked coverage at home and at the shop and took off a long weekend at the beach.  The weather was gorgeous. 

And the weather was NOT gorgeous.  But we were tickled, the day that it was "supposed to" rain we sat on the beach for 4 hours watching the clouds go in, out and around us, reading and people watching.  Until I said "Time to go, this time I smell rain".  We can't move out too quickly as Bob's prosthetic "water leg" is truly a peg leg with foot. Impossible to be nimble but serviceable enough to get us to the water's edge and IN so we don't complain! We got ourselves packed in and BOOM, what you see below.  So we were feeling pretty smug on the way home.  Bob actually took a shower in the outdoor shower in the rain.  Pretty brisk as it was getting chilly!

We spent the whole weekend junking for treasure for the shop, eating tasty treats, drinking wine watching the sunsets on the bay.  Fun, fun fun until I was nagging him about camera angles for this shot below. Oh also when I didn't lock the cereal and the ants came marching in to take it back to their ant lair (ugh). Other than that, rain and shine a perfect weekend, Valentine.  xo

And thanks to everyone who held down the fort and home and at the shop so we could run away. It will make us MUCH more pleasant to be around this week!

Happy 6th Birthday to S&C!

 You might have thought after the blog hop I would have been so inspired to run right down to my studio and MAKE something but no, I was making a mess and then cleaning in up -AKA rearranging the entire shop so it would be ready for our annual Birthday BASH!  Lots of fun this year.  We did have an enthusiastic yet wilted crowd.  The weather in DC has been BRUTAL. The triple H's Hazy, Hot & Humid. You know you are getting old when you talk about the weather and how it affects you...  And then add to that Mother Nature's gift of hot flashes and I just wanted to stick my head in an ice bucket!

 What did get for our birthday?  Lots of well wishes, a few (hysterical!) birthday cards and a SHED!  In a fit of fortuitous timing we got our neighbor's shed for the price of hauling it off their lot.  Amazing.  What a blessing to have a little extra room for cool pieces that we couldn't hold any other way.  One of trickiest thing about this business is that you have to buy things when you see them, whether they are seasonal or not (like the 8 turkey platters Bob just picked up from a client!) or not.

Our mission?  NOT to crap it up with things we will get to "later".  Stay tuned, my friend, stay tuned!

ANNNNDDDD the winner is.....

Art Quilt by Regina B. Dunn

I had SO much fun being part of Lesley Riley's Blog Hop (scroll back to see all of the details!) I wish I could give a class away to everyone who entered, but alas I can't so, chosen at random-

The winner of Lesley Riley's TAP class is..........Regina B. Dunn!  Regina is a fabric artist. I cannot WAIT to see what she does with TAP (transfer artists Paper).

I have featured one of Regina's beautiful works above and in her words below, an introduction to her work!

"I create fiber art and art quilts because I love the feel and the look of fabrics and I’m fascinated with various ways to combine them to express a thought or image. I love how stitch influences the interplay of light and shadow. My focus is often on nature themes (such as water) and images (such as landscapes) that have made strong impressions on me during travel. When completed, each piece that I make tells me a story of some sort.

Usually I begin with an idea in mind and choose a focus fabric or set of fabrics that I have dyed or painted. I add commercial fabrics and fibers to the mix as needed. Once the basic background is set, I embellish it with paint, beads, fibers, and/or found objects. Most of my works are stylized images or abstracts (such as the zendoodle art quilts).

In my earlier works, I experimented with various techniques and themes and some of my art quilts were influenced by Gustav Klimt. Presently I am working on a series about prayer flags and rock cairns which I came across often in my travels in India, Nepal, and Tibet. I feel that many personal meanings can be pulled out from the images of rock cairns and prayer flags and I’m hoping that the viewer will be able to relate to my pieces and find some of their own stories and emotions in my art as well."  Regina B. Dunn

See more of Regina's work at http"www.reginabdunn.com 

CONGRATS AGAIN!!!!

Polished and Polka Dots- TAP class Give-a-way!

Those of you that have been reading this week know that I am a big Lesley Riley fan.  I think she is a great example of preparation meeting opportunity.  If you have ever heard her speak about her career she talks a LOT about how things seemingly fell in her lap after she worked long and hard to be ready and was prepared to accept the project/book deal/ endorsement that fell into her lap.

In mixed media circles Lesley is known as a innovator in transfer application for collage.  So when the Manufacturers of TAP (Transfer Artist Paper) were looking for a professional to use and endorse their innovative product, they came to Lesley.  The rest is (transfer mad!) history.  Some folks are a little scared to try TAP or are unfamiliar with all of it's uses.  To that end, Lesley is giving away an e-class!  You can read more about it below.  I used TAP to enlarge some groovy mid century black and white images from a 1967 Newport News, VA newspaper fashion ad and transfer them onto fabric.  Then I embroidered and collage all of their colorized groovy details.

"Judy" by Theresa Wells Stifel

 Scope out this class; just leave a comment below to win a chance to take the class for FREE.  

Please tell me which of the girls are your favorite and you will have be entered to win!  I will be announcing my winner on July 9th, at the conclusion of the blog hop.  There will be one class giveaway per blog in the fun Blog Hop for all of the participants below!  You can leave one comment per blogger to be entered to win. So vote early, vote daily.

You can also visit Lesley's blog and leave a comment there to win a free 5-sheet package of TAP. Fun for all!  :o)

"Fiona" by Theresa Wells Stifel

 TAP was named the Most Innovative New Product at CHA in 2011

 TAP can be purchased online from LesleyRiley.com, Amazon, Joann.com and more.

  Also look for it (or ASK!) at your local art, craft and quilt shops.

"Sharon" by Theresa Wells Stifel

Here are the details on Lesley's class. Thanks for stopping by today! Visit the other artists below to learn more about Tap and possibly win a class to learn all the trick of the trade on how to use it!  Lesley is drawing winners from all of the TAP fans who leave a comment on their entry. You gotta play to win!  
June 26 - Christine Urias - Scraptime

June 27 - Karen Watson -- The Graphics Fairy

June 28 - Judy Coates Perez - Judy Coates Perez

June 29 - Theresa Wells Stifel - Stifel & Capra

June 30 - Lynn Krawczyk - Fiber Artysta

July 1 - Claudine Hellmuth - Claudine Hellmuth

July 2 - Gina Rossi Armfield - Joyful Purpose

July 3 - Carolyn Dube - A Colorful Journey

July 4 - Liz Kettle - Stitch Journeys

July 5 - Jane LaFazio - Janeville

July 6 - Joanne Sharpe - Whimspirations

July 7 - Pam Carriker - Pam Carriker      July 8 - Theresa Martin - Theresa Martin 

Fashion Conscious - TAP giveaway Day 3

One of the most traumatic things about ME selling vintage clothes is that none of them fit.  And I don't mean "none" as in the "wow folks were sure smaller back in the old days" but "Hi, my name is Theresa and I am over six foot tall and NOT built like Twiggy" kind of small.  Explains why I sewed all of my own clothes as a teenager.  Might explain why I wear black 90% of the time (no, wait that is just laziness!).

The good news is all my life I have loved matching things up.  People (have 2 marriages to my credit), jobs (was a recruiter for almost 20 years) and personal shopping for clients in my shop.  I can eyeball almost anyone and tell what will fit and what will look good on them.  Makes me happy to see them all dressed up and looking GOOD! and of course I get bragging rights about their "fabulous-ness" as well...

The collage above was made from a 60's "fashion preview" brochure from a long defunct department store.

I used TAP to layer the fashion images directly onto acrylic paint on canvas (Only in a WELL-ventilated area with proper equipment, of course, cough...).  The free form "Thread Sketch" in the lower quadrant I learned to make at Art & Soul in Virginia Beach from the lovely and talented Elin Waterston.  Try her class if you can; it was a delight.


TAP (Transfer Artist Paper) Blog HopDetails  
Visit me on the 29th and the other artists below to learn more about Tap and possibly win a class to learn all the trick of the trade on how to use it! 

Here are the details on Lesley's class.

June 26 - Christine Urias - Scraptime

June 27 - Karen Watson -- The Graphics Fairy

June 28 - Judy Coates Perez - Judy Coates Perez

June 29 - Theresa Wells Stifel - Stifel & Capra

June 30 - Lynn Krawczyk - Fiber Artysta

July 1 - Claudine Hellmuth - Claudine Hellmuth

July 2 - Gina Rossi Armfield - Joyful Purpose

July 3 - Carolyn Dube - A Colorful Journey

July 4 - Liz Kettle - Stitch Journeys

July 5 - Jane LaFazio - Janeville

July 6 - Joanne Sharpe - Whimspirations

July 7 - Pam Carriker - Pam Carriker      July 8 - Theresa Martin - Theresa Martin 

Who is the making of YOU? - TAP class giveaway day 2

I have only taken half a dozen art classes in my life and one was a fun workshop taught by Lesley Riley when she was first introducing TAP (Transfer Artist Paper).  Lesley pre-printed a bunch of images and we were supposed to experiment with transferring the images onto different surfaces and then bind them into a mini book.  Subversive me did not do this of course.  I took all of the little transfers and shifted them and incorporated them into larger pieces of art.  I THINK 3 years later I have actually used them all! (No one ever claimed I worked in a linear fashion!)

For this piece I lopped off the dunce cap on this little girl (because she is obviously NOT a dunce!) and transferred her onto the paper toweling I was was blotting my brush with, combined her with a doily that was too spotted to use au natural and voila'! a great card for mom.

Have fun blog hopping across the internet to see what these other amazing artists can do with TAP.  You can even win a video class with Lesley below.  If you are local to the DC Metropolitan area please check out our fun workshops at www.StifelandCapra.com.  We are in the process of getting more dates together for the summer so check back often!

There are a BUNCH of new changes happening at the shop artists moving out of town and therefore leaving me (SOB!).  And BIG decisions on what to do with the space.  Bob & I have made the command decision (gulp!) to expand our classroom space so we have more elbow room and turn the former classroom/sunroom into a SALE corner.  Rather than have markdowns scattered throughout the shop we will concentrate them in the hope that shoppers will be magnetically drawn upstairs!!!  After all who doesn't love a bargain?

Here are the details on Lesley's class.  Visit me on the 29th and the other artists below to learn more about Tap and possibly win a class to learn all the trick of the trade on how to use it!

June 26 - Christine Urias - Scraptime

June 27 - Karen Watson -- The Graphics Fairy

June 28 - Judy Coates Perez - Judy Coates Perez

June 29 - Theresa Wells Stifel - Stifel & Capra

June 30 - Lynn Krawczyk - Fiber Artysta

July 1 - Claudine Hellmuth - Claudine Hellmuth

July 2 - Gina Rossi Armfield - Joyful Purpose

July 3 - Carolyn Dube - A Colorful Journey

July 4 - Liz Kettle - Stitch Journeys

July 5 - Jane LaFazio - Janeville

July 6 - Joanne Sharpe - Whimspirations

July 7 - Pam Carriker - Pam Carriker      July 8 - Theresa Martin - Theresa Martin 

Have some fun - win a class!

I am tickled to announce I will be part of a Blog Hop to give away free classes to promote Lesley Riley's TAP.  Not familiar with TAP (Transfer Artist Paper)?  It's an awesome product that can transfer onto to stone, metal, paper, fabric and more.  I will feature some of my own art work this week (shocking!) and also introduce you to some other talented artists that feature TAP in their work.

"Copper Fantasy" is a mixed media work that features a TAP transfer on copper sheeting as its focal point.

Here are the details on Lesley's class.  Visit me on the 29th and the other artists below to learn more about Tap and possibly win a class to learn all the trick of the trade on how to use it!

June 26 - Christine Urias - Scraptime

June 27 - Karen Watson -- The Graphics Fairy

June 28 - Judy Coates Perez - Judy Coates Perez

June 29 - Theresa Wells Stifel - Stifel & Capra

June 30 - Lynn Krawczyk - Fiber Artysta

July 1 - Claudine Hellmuth - Claudine Hellmuth

July 2 - Gina Rossi Armfield - Joyful Purpose

July 3 - Carolyn Dube - A Colorful Journey

July 4 - Liz Kettle - Stitch Journeys

July 5 - Jane LaFazio - Janeville

July 6 - Joanne Sharpe - Whimspirations

July 7 - Pam Carriker - Pam Carriker      July 8 - Theresa Martin - Theresa Martin 

Modify and make it your own.

 When my sister, my husband and I first bought our "near the beach" house in Delaware over a decade ago we learned what in real estate land what was quirky and charming to some was downright dangerous to others.  See these rustic fence post guard rails on our salt box Cape Cod upper balcony? They only had TWO horizontal rails!   My ingenious hubby and some friends created a grid of 1x6's, stained them to match perfectly and you can see how nicely they match. (Although they do still look a fence built to keep livestock from straying!)

 The balcony shows off our ever increasing collection of seaside art.  Although in the beginning I called it the "bad ocean art collection" I had to modify my title as we kept finding pieces and a lot of them are downright wonderful.  So I decided to let "bad" be in the eye of the beholder..

We've modified HOW we use the house too.  When we all had corporate jobs it was a place to come and escape from our stressful crazy careers.  Then we had kids and it turned into a place to make memories by doing the exact same thing EVERY time we came.  My kids are teenagers now and bewtween their busy schedules and Bob & I both working in at Stifel & Capra trips to the show have turned into business trips: treasure hunting for merchandise for the shop, long conversations about "what's next?" that can only happen when a two hour drive takes 5 and you don't have your car charger, and delusion that the shore could be a place of respite again.

To that end my family came down for just 2 days and swore to take a real Sabbath from work.  The reality was there was some email checking and facebook posting but the big event was not living by the clock for 48 hours.   Two days of sleeping until we woke up, eating when we were hungry and moving with the sun.  Of course, Bob just said "Oh my Lord, look at the time; we gotta go!!!" So, back to our reality!  Suburban, filled and busy, trying to make a living while making a life, reality. It's all good.  Or will be if I can make a dent in my to-do list!

A new way of looking at things- Part 1

After Posting the lovely Lesley Riley's guest post I looked at my own blog and realized I had drafts in the system that are MONTHS old.  Sadness.  Working on the theory that if you haven't heard it is all new to you here it is...  From April 27th 2013

Paint squirts right out of  pump. I heart Jesse Reno!

 I ran away from home on my birthday!  My kids are old enough to be offended but I went anyway.  Where to the Art & Soul Mixed Media Conference in Virginia Beach to take ONE CLASS.  A 2 day class to be sure, from my favorite wild haired, tattooed man, Jesse Reno. Jesse's art  is dark, mysterious and just a little bit creepy for me but I really respect him as an instructor and his is one of those little voices I hear in my head when I am so busy working on my "to-do" list that I don't make art.  And uh, why isn't making art ON my to do list???  A question for another day!

Stage 1 - frankly, I liked this as is!

The workshop I recently took is called "Freedom to Create" and it about how by disrupting what you THINK you WANT to make you come out with something deeper, literally more layered and more tremendous.  This philosophy applies to life as well as art making.  As I met Jesse for the first time 6 years ago I can attest to the fact that he DOES practice what her preaches. Because his life now doesn't look like what he thought it would be six years ago.  That he seems more content and yet more enthused about his life.  Who doesn't want a piece of THAT?  Without giving away Jesse's lecture you can see a little bit of the process here.

Stage 2 - Obscuring the rhythm

The coolest part?  This is all finger painting and oil pastels!  So thrilled as when I normally try to mix colors everything usually ends up, uh a not so delightful shade of brown.  I cloistered myself this time at the retreat.  I had gradiose plans to work on my blog, fire up my Thriving Creatives event and instead sat on my balcony, looked at the water and just rested.  And slept the sleep of the overworked and comatose.  This is a good thing.  The question begs, what's next?

Finding the soul- it's in there!

As soon as I - Guest Post by Lesley Riley

If you hang out in the Mixed media world like I do you probably have heard of  artist/teacher/podcaster/mentor Lesley Riley. I have had the pleasure of working with her through some extended coaching sessions and by attending her AWESOME Red Thread Retreat.   Working with Lesley brought me to the semi-shocking conclusion that I KNOW what to do, I just don't DO it when it comes to furthering my own artistic career.  Am pretty good about helping other people but my own agenda, not so much.  I was heartened and chastened by Lesley's post yesterday and asked her if I could share it with you.  Does her post post feel like a call to ACTION?   Rather than telling you what I feel inspired about I will charge ahead and see if you can see the difference in me.  Wish me luck.

AS SOON AS I...
 

Just between you and me, I don't always practice what I preach.

As diligent, productive and focused as I try to be, I'm only human and subject to the same laws and time clock of the physical universe as everyone else is. Hopefully, that's also why you listen to/read my words - because you know that I know what you're going through.

My daughter called me out on it today. When I said, "As soon as I finish...," she shook her head and said, "You always say that. There's always something stopping you."

She's right.


My reasons are totally legitimate, real and important:as soon as I finish the tax audit

as soon as I finish my book

as soon as I get the next online class done

as soon as I get back from my teaching trip

as soon as I get this studio to my liking

as soon as I can hear myself think 

So the question is, have I overscheduled my life or am I just avoiding the harder things with uncertain outcomes? I know that time isn't just going to open up for me. I know that how we spend our days is how we spend our lives (Annie Dillard).

I know that if I really want to make that quilt for Quilt National or write the book that holds it's own against Annie Dillard's books, that I will have to, not make the time, but TAKE THE TIME.It's all about intention. Intending to do what I really want to do, no matter what. It means not doing all the quick, easy or "for others" stuff that fritters away my day.

Having my spirit so weighted down and my days eaten up by the tax audit has really made me think about how I want to spend my post-audit time (as soon as I finish my next book of course!

I know I do not waste time, but I am not really sure what it is I am doing that keeps me from all the stuff I say I'll do, as soon as....

I don't yet know is what I am going to give up in order to carve out the life I really want to be living. I do know that in order to feel complete I need to take more time for myself. Often we cannot see what is right in front of us. Sometimes what you are looking for is right under your nose, in your own backyard or in the magic of the ruby slippers you had all along.

So I ask you - what am I not seeing? Are you and I in the same boat or have you already tread these waters and have an answer you will share with me? Let's talk.

LesleyRiley:ArtistSuccess  | No Struggling Artists Here
301-793-5311  |   info@artistsuccess.com

Copyright 2013 Lesley Riley. All Rights Reserved.

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