My productivity in the studio and with my writing is at a standstill. I’ve been struggling with sleep, with my fibromyalgia, and most of all, with my depression. It’s been hard to get motivated. That said, I have been thinking about my different projects and about my plans.
I have secured my spot in my first in person show for the year. This one takes place in November. There is a street fair that takes place over the summer, which I hope to get into. It wasn’t that great last year, because it was unseasonably cold that day. My friend and I did not stay for the duration, because it was so cold. (This particular event was OK with people leaving early, especially considering how cold it was.) Sales were good for me that day, but I just couldn’t stay warm. I will reach out to them soon. Assuming I get into that one, that will be two shows, and with my limitations, that’s enough. If I land another one or two, that’s OK, but two are enough.
I have settled on the two colors for the ceiling in my office nook. (The green I’m using is the second one down, “Sprite Twist.” The brown is darker than it looks in the photo. It’s about the color of a chocolate chip!) It will all be high gloss, just like the white I’m using on the ceilings in the rest of the house. We don’t get direct sunlight into the house, and having already painted some of the ceilings downstairs, I’ve confirmed that the shiny surfaces draw in more light.
I wanted my work space to be bright and uplifting. This combination fits the bill perfectly!
I needed a new container to organize my various collage papers. The plastic drawer organizer I’ve been using for years is falling apart. The bottom drawer no longer opens enough to be able to get paper out or put it in. It just needs to go. It can probably be repurposed somewhere on the farm.
Michael’s has units that are much cheaper, but those are also plastic, will fall apart eventually, and don’t hold as much as this will. This will last for years, and I have to say: Husky has not let me down as an artist! My sewing box is a gigantic Husky toolbox that I go for $20. It folds out and has little bins inside it that you can remove. It also has enough room in the bottom to transport several projects at once. Very, very handy. I ‘ve been telling all of my artist friends to check out the hardware stores first when they need storage for their supplies. The wooden top came separately, but it will protect the top of the chest and provide an additional work space.
On the writing front, I surprised myself by writing a poem on the spot! I’m on a Discord server where a writing prompt is posted every week. This was inspired by what was posted on Friday. It’s surprising because, while I was very prolific in the 90s and 00s, I have been fairly poetically dry for a long time. It gives me hope. (The old poems are the ones I’m looking to publish next year!) Once my office nook is set up, that is where I will be doing my writing. Hopefully, I will continue to be inspired and to create.
As far as what I’m trying to publish goes, I have been procrastinating on doing my research for venues, pricing, and planning a Kickstarter. I’m scared. I’m not going go lie. Even though I’m going to self-publish, I will still be presenting what I create to the public. It’s a very scary prospect, and my inner critic keeps telling me I’m going to fail. Maybe I will. Maybe I won’t. I do know that I’m not going to know anything until I ship. I will be starting that process very, very soon. I do know that.
I guess, now that I look back over my post, I’ve actually accomplished quite a bit! Go me!
As always, thank you for reading. Once I’ve painted and put my nook back together, I will definitely post “after” photos! I don’t know how long it will take to get it done, but I’m definitely ready to get started!
You’ve got this, Girl! 👍🏼
You are doing great even when it doesn't feel like it. <3