Desk and Journals - 9

Thoughts and actions while continuing the cleaning of The Junk Drawer - 15 minutes worth, but worth it.

1) I want to have the energy of squirrels.
2) I don't particularly care for the cereal grain, quinoa. Tried. Tried Tried. Failed.
3) The white noise of You Tube waterfalls doesn't stop the shaking in my head. (medical mystery continues)
4) Will we get Lucky at Goodwill today? (No.)
5) Even Schubert on radio and waterfalls on computer don't drown out chiming.
6) The grey squirrels still can't do the black squirrel "trick" of getting to the cylindrical bird feeder and it's suet container. They can get to the feeder top - but the next step, so to speak, is still beyond them. Educational and entertaining.
7) I've tossed an original bear drawing from 1998. Sorry Tina Bear.
8) Saved original drawing of Steve Bear from 1998. Text on drawing: All night long Steve waited for the fun to begin. And into the early morning hours as well. (Who knew how fitting this is to living right now?) Steve, ol' lad, you're safe for now.
9) Tossed old Sojourner Studios model horse tack order forms. Memories of a former life. Four-month backlogs of orders for tiny leather saddles, bridles, harnesses. Twenty years of good memories.Yes, you might live many lives. By choice or by circumstance. Make the most of each life you live - and move on, if possible, if you feel that the current one is not the one that's making you want to wake up and start the day. (Do as I say, not as I do - hahaha.)
10) Saved numbered forms from previous Name the Bread contests. Numbered to 20, plus an Extra Credit space. Wow. We must have been ambitious in the party's bread sculpting that year. This year we managed ten doughy creations. (If you get bored with living knead some bread dough and shape it into whatever you choose. The rising dough may surprise you - but it might be fun, and, cross-fingers, the results will be delicious.)

So that's it for 15 minutes in my chinging dinging brain. The drawer is 15 minutes more organized, blogging's accomplished, and much of the day remains.

One on-going pastel project:

It's a bit more finished now, but you can see how the playing starts.

MUST PLAY MORE!!!!!

On to the art fair applications.
Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Getting Ready for The Season

* Time to put more paint on board.
* Will still spend 15 minutes on that Desk Drawer Challenge this morning.
* Here's some bears for the day:

Make this day remarkable in some small or giant way?

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Desk and Journals - 8

Back at the task.

 Here was the drawer this morning - sigh.

Slightly disheartening? NO! Three 15 minutes Challenges later we have a lighter drawer, 17..... 17.....professionally printed To Do Lists - argh, and a bunch of paper squares cut in sizes from 3 1/2" to 5 " square. Useful little beasties - some to keep. Some to bring, TODAY, to American Gothic Antiques. Will also share several To Do Lists - woo hoo!

To Do Lists = Guilt about not filling out To do Lists? Not anymore. My lists are kept in small spiral notebooks that keeps the lists together - for better or for worse. Much better system for my little brain, but it keeps the non-checked-off items in plain sight. I use only one notebook at a time, so even though the un-done items stay at hand,  the checked-off items give a tiny thrill of accomplishment. We all need tiny Thrills of Accomplishment from time to time.

Tiny Thrill? Seeing the wooden bottom of the drawer! A sew square inches of emptiness of paper! Huzzah!

Baby steps. Baby steps. Maybe I'll grab a bag from the drawer and bring it to work today. A bag of paper and our smallest paper cutter? It will be "busy work," but part of the Big Challenge. Justify! Justify!

And what would an organized junk paper drawer look like? I'm planning on 4 to 6 plastic bags with different sized papers. Not helter-skelter. Neat. Purposeful. Possible? On to it.

Time, also, to keep applying to the various art festivals. Not may favorite part of the process, but that's the way the system works. Makes me want to keep sorting junky paper, but then the bears couldn't go visit all those events in the Midwest that they enjoy being part of (poor grammar - yup).

On to the tasks on this nippy day. Bundle up if going out in our beloved Midwest! Have enough gas in the vehicles, and non-slip foot-ware on your feet. Chopper mitts and serious boots are dress code for the day!

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Candle

Greetings -
Yes, we will get back to desk and journals, but first it's time to get back to typing.
Today's Topic: Candles

Yes, I've finally converted. It's been many months of lighting at least one candle for part of the day. For the fun of playing with matches. For the friendly glow. For the using up of storage locker treasures.

No, the lighting of the large pale green one did not help the Green Bay Packers in that last play-off game. But, yes, the hope that it might was the reason it was kept burning. No, these are not  new special candles. These are large, once-upon-a-time expensive sorts, previously used ones that I'd considered tossing in the trash. However, they seemed to whisper "Hey, we've got LOTS of light left to give, if given the chance. Okie dokie. Let the burning begin!

Once aglow, each candle has it's own personality. It's time to spend time observing wick, flame, orange dots atop wick, black carbon specks, reflections of wax and flame. Reflect some yourself.

Then comes the fun with the single-edged razor blade. Yup. One of the reason I burn candles is to play with them. It's a gentle sort of slash and burn. Shaving the sides down into the hollow creates a shorter candle, but a longer-used candle. And most of us want to be useful as long as possible, don't we?

The green candle's wick finally gave up, but the wax continues to be melted in with other candles. Thanks, green candle. You smelled good, lasted long (heck, a small chunk of you is still here,) you did help the Pack win a few games - ha!, and I will miss you when you are completely melted away. You have been an Excellent Candle. 

This summer I will not pass quickly by those boxes of large, dusty, once-lovely used candles. If priced a quarter or fifty cents, or gasp! FREE, they have a really good chance of going to a good home instead of the garbage pit. I will see them in a new light - yes. And maybe you will, too. 

So, on to the day. In a bit I will blow out the current red candle (getting shorter every day) and head to the Phipps Art Center in Hudson, Wisconsin. We are holding  our first What We Need is Here seminar of the year. 

Candles? What I Need is Here.

If you can - be a light to someone today!

Fare-thee-well,

Sue

Desk and Journals - 7

Well, well, some progress has been made.
This past week I'd settled in for a quick 15 minute stint on the giant pile of mysteries and a bit over two hours later (yes, I was in The Flow....), well, The Space Was Empty. Where there's been Chaos now was a Zen-like Void. The old wood appeared. A dust cloth appeared also - and woo hoo - a magnificent large hollow clean space came into being.

This was not a baby step. This was a giant stride - at least in my eyes. I left it empty until the next day - and occasionally opened the door  - just for the Joy of knowing this part of the Challenge was Completed. When YOU complete a Task or Challenge or Mission please allow yourself a bit of Pleasure in the Having Done. Don't go immediately to the next item on the list. Have a hot cup of tea or a cold glass of beer and simply gaze at your accomplishment. Remember this. "This, too, shall pass."

So what of the papers???? Well. Armed with an awl, ruler, foam core, needle, waxed linen thread, and such, I've begun making more Junk Drawer Journals. They are not perfect. Some are not pretty. All are somewhat useful, and each one has been a bit of fun to create. In fact, I don't feel much like making Real Art right now. Or finish with taxes.... It's pleasant to sort and punch and stitch and embellish these little nothings of reuse/recycle.
There are twenty journals so far. One's been put to use. One's been given to a friend. Others await their missions.

They hold Potential. Ideas. Sketches. Quotes. Grand Schemes. A child's first scribble. The birth of a novel. That's the magic of the blank page - no matter the size. In fact, the smallness and scrapiness of those volumes might just leave a person feeling less worried about ruining a beautiful and "precious" JOURNAL. I'll bring some along to art fairs - to give to those folks who say "I WANT to draw, but - " Heck, here's little sketchbook. "I want to write, but - ". Heck, here's a little notebook. No excuse now, right?  Write. Draw. Enjoy your new bit of Personal Potential. It's only paper - and a bit of waxed thread. But it could change your life.... (If you'd like one let me know.)

On to the rest of Groundhog's Day. May yours be Happy. The squirrel in the patio seems to be enjoying it - we would do well to follow its example!

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Desk and Journals - 6

Hmmm.
Yup, a couple more fifteen minute sessions at the old paper hoarder. It's not the desk's fault. I crammed  into it every piece of paper, all the pens, pencils, and other bits of muse and mystery that this nice old desk now holds.

(Wow - watching the squirrel gymnastics competition going on in back year. The little red one is giving the larger black and greys quite the challenge. And both squirrels and chickadees are chowing down. Storm is coming, but we should not be hit as hard as folks in other parts of the Midwest. Stay safe and warm - folks, and beware of those sneaky icy spots.)

Anyway - what might be hiding in a large doored desk space?
*Paper patterns for making model horse saddles. I haven't made a saddle for years and years - but I couldn't quite toss those - so off to a different paper bay they go.
*Way too many commercial/fund-raising "to do" list lists. They are now in the paper drawer... awaiting decision as to fate.
*Notes taken from internet information about my hometown, Gurney, Wisconsin.
*Heavy cardboard tube holding thin sheet of pure silver - once again, from those saddle-making days. Todd took it away. It's somewhere else. That's all I know.
*Weirder, still, a large black Coach purse - stashed behind a wall of papers - for TEN years. Yes, I own too many Coach purses - never noticed it missing. It contained one dollar, an assortment of Sharpies and other pens, a few seriously outdated coupons, a list of goals from April 2003 - some of which have still not been accomplished, and small bits of this and that. It's now hanging in the closet with the other lovely purses. (Most of the time I use an un-named black leather  purse-backpack that would have been a one dollar garage-sale purchase - except that as I was handing the lady the dollar she said, "Oh, just take it." O.K., and thank you.)

Today's fifteen minutes? Who knows?

Another Thank You goes to the guy on the phone from the Wisconsin Tax Office who patiently helped me through this year's tax filing. I sent him kisses through the phone after all was done and done. Last year I blew two hours attempting to submit information, and then simply wrote a letter, printed the forms, and wrote a check. Learned last year not to leave everything to last possible moment. It might cause stress which might affect tinnitus. Woo hoo. Yesterday was better.

So, on to the day.

Tips?
 Don't leave most stuff till the last moment.
 Put a list of goals somewhere where you can find it several years later.
Do something for a little while almost every day. Accomplishments might add up!

Tomorrow? Possibly, Lesson on making Kale Chips.

"Energy and persistence conquer all things." - Benjamin Franklin

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Pitched many paper pieces, but many still to go.

Desk and Journals 5 - I Digress

Not to worry.

 Desk is getting cleaner and piles are getting leaner. Fifteen minutes a day most days. I have found things that I certainly thought were somewhere else. Woo hoo! A gentleman will probably get a requested custom drawing two years after he brought up the idea. But then slips of paper are found that remind me of lost opportunities not acted upon. ACT UPON YOUR OPPORTUNITIES! That's a major point I make when talking to folks, especially youthful sorts, just beginning their business days in the creative world. Argh, I think as long-gone possibilities get pitched into the trash. One can cross fingers that new chances keep coming, and that one does learn from mistakes (laziness, carelessness, not following through promptly).

As to digressing - well, LOTS more paper is piled in the studio. Not willy-nilly, but piled none-the-less. As vacation from desk duties I recently sorted through one small filing/piling section of a metal shelving  area. Deciding Keep, Try to Sell, Definitely Toss about each sheet of paper is good practice. I don't know how long it took but we now have one empty tray. Baby steps. Baby steps. Rejoice in the empty tray! Seriously. If you clean an area down to Empty - REJOICE! Look at this space with Joy. If possible, don't fill it with anything for a day or two. It is a space for New Possibilities. Let it rest empty and clean.  Till you need it for it's new purpose - and that space will be available. Yippee!

Of course, the painful part is parting with the Tossing Pile of papers. This must be done. I tend to apologize to particular drawings and sentences that are now too weak to stay around. These are personal judgement calls; your decisions will differ from mine. I might covet a scrap from your pile. I know some folks don't like it when I tell them of my drawn and quartered bears. But it has to be done. Here's the stuff heading for re-cycling. I still have mixed emotions.

Goodbye, O.K. but not great bear ideas. Goodbye, poor prototypes. I'm glad you all came out of the pen, but it's time for us all to move on.

That's it for today. It's almost time to start applying for art fairs. It's time to consider trying new venues and dropping others. Time to cross fingers that we get back into our favorite shows. Time to get back in  to the studio and create fresh work. Tough to think about Color when the days have been so Grey. Literally. If the old lawn chairs were not robin's egg blue  the whole backyard would be monochrome. Time to get back to the desk and journals challenge. And for you to get back to tasks both creative and fun.

Fare-thee-well,
Sue