split personality

it's hard to imagine that school started 3 weeks ago.... seems like just yesterday... the signing of papers, sending in monies, joining of activities, marking calendars, car pool, lunch packing and the dreaded wake up calls, (i refuse to chant the morning calls of my childhood years....up and atom sleepyhead, still makes me cringe, how annoying is that?), and am starting off with 'time to get up', since that is what i know i will be resorting to in the upcoming teen years anyway....

and then the never ending chants....shower....did you brush your teeth, let me check them...did you brush your hair....with what?....do it again....is that all you are going to eat?, you will be hungry, pick up your room before you go, get the clothes off the bathroom floor, let the dog out, let the dog in, .... and then lots of no's no and i don't no's.... get your backpack, lets go.... and then the final... have a great day sweet potato, listen to your teacher....all that in just 45 minutes...

but as i think of him in 3rd grade i wonder down to my studio.... and get started...

i do believe that i actually have accomplished more in 3 weeks than i did in the 12 weeks of summer... my blackboard is emptying of names and game boards that need to be worked on and there is a nice feeling connected to the blank space....

i am being torn back and forth from beginning new gee's bend pieces and finishing what i have started... being an artist, sometimes you have to out smart oneself... try different things to trick your mind that is... i can't be wondering off aimlessly all the time creating new pieces when the last thing i'm needing are more boards to be painted on my blackboard.... but it is difficult having what appears to be a split personality.... and get myself to focus on what needs to be accomplished and put the creative ideas on the back burner....

i'm trying very hard to use a reward system on myself.... yes diane, you may do this, but only after you have done that.... sometimes i say to myself...how old am I? but it seems that whatever trick i'm trying to play on my personality will work for awhile....and then that other part of me (wants to have her way, and do it her way, image above), will start to take over again until i find another trick to play on myself....so i guess i'm trying to outsmart myself?

i'm sure you quilters have the same trying dilemmas.... ohhhh what wonderful fabrics you just bought at the quilt store.... and ohhhh what a wonderful design you will create.... and you are so excited and jazzed up and ready to go NOW.... and then....you look at all the quilts you have in pieces, partially done, tops ready to be quilted, a cross stitch here and there... and probably you will keep that new fabric in the bag you bought it in and maybe, just maybe..... put it in the place you keep your hundreds of fat quarter fabrics that are nicely displayed in colors for all of your upcoming quilts....

and lets not forget the stitching groups, hooking groups, quilt shows, guild groups and 'field trips', which always seem to include a nice lunch at a tea house....and just a 'little' shopping...

maybe we should go with the flow and have bumper stickers made:

beware: artist in training

stops for quilt shops

feel the fabric

discipline a quilter?

save a quilter

busy stitchin'

so what is one to do when there are so many things to be made.... i talked to my girlfriend, becky, in dallas a couple of weeks ago.... this is what she had been doing that day....

i worked on hooking for an hour, then did some quilting for a little while, and then switched over to my cross stitch.... i'm also piecing a new quilt, and started making a new hooking pattern for a rug, i'm taking a hooking field trip to the east coast this fall.... and then.....and then.....

i must admit.... that is a beautiful life.....