Hmmm. So not much art happening at the moment. Mostly cleaning up after art. Which is a thing. It’s a thing many people do when they’re procrastinating about making art. Me? Not so much. I hate the cleaning up, but realize it’s necessary. It’s part of my process. I put things away so that there’s a fresh palette for the new quilt. The last quilt was BIG and had lots of fabric, so I had a lot to put away. Plus I had the bug fabrics and the needlebook fabrics (you haven’t seen that yet unless you follow me on Instagram)…and some stuff I bought. So it was chaos in here. Hadn’t been truly cleaned out all summer due to moving everything around for carpet and then the girlchild was here. So now would be a good time to try to straighten shit up. Except it’s hot and I’m tired and cleaning is not my superpower. So Monday night, I dragged myself in here and started stacking up fabrics by color. I got about halfway through, also sorting out big pieces for backgrounds and backings, and then left it for last night to finish.
That’s the top of the ironing board. The one the kitten would topple the next day.
Ugh. I have to tell you, as someone who doesn’t really like cleaning and organizing, having to do it again the next day, organize the SAME things you just organized? Extreme will power in play. I want to be ironing, not cleaning. But I did it. I did more, I put a bunch away (all the pinks and some of the browns and whites and all the oranges…those two cupboards are way too full). I unfortunately have more to put away tonight…I also have the trash to deal with, the food waste, cooking dinner, and pilates. Not a light night. It’ll be fine; I just don’t have a lot of hope for getting to the actual ironing tonight. SOON. Maybe.
I did go to ceramics yesterday. I worked on the girlchild’s boot she made on Saturday. She mentioned decorating it with stars. I looked up cowboy boots stars and got some ideas.
It still needs a little work? So Friday. And then I’ll let it dry etc etc. She also left that not-paper bag for me to work on, and I totally forgot to check on it and my mug. It was hot. I was hot. I wanted to get out of there before the classes showed up, so I rushed. Ah well. Everything can rehydrate if necessary.
I also finished (well, almost) the needlebook my quilt guild did…
I should probably be able to tell you whose pattern this is. Dammit. Hang on. Rosie Taylor…she’s on Etsy here. It was relatively easy. I mean, it still took me forever because I was doing it in bits and pieces, but it turned out well. It’s not done because I decided to put a snap on it and I didn’t have any. They arrived yesterday, so that’ll go on soon and then I’ll lose all the other snaps for any future projects for which I might need them. When I die, my children will find stashes of snaps (and many other things) all over the place and they’ll wonder what the fuck I was thinking. Fair enough.
OK. So as you can see, I’m not getting much done. I think I finished the needlebook Sunday night because I didn’t want to clean the studio instead. So much needs doing. I don’t know how normal people do it. I guess they don’t work? I don’t know. Or they have help. My local SAQA group is moving their Zoom meetings in 2025 to a day and/or time I can’t go to…ever. It’s frustrating. Some of us work full time, y’all. And then they’re doing an artist’s day out to a show I’m actually in, on a weekday in the middle of the day. I guess I’m not interacting with that group much any more. Sadly. Another group I’m in keeps setting up meetings with less than 10 days’ notice. Well I’m usually already booked by then. So I’ve missed a bunch of their meetings. I missed ALL the meetings in July I think. All my quarterly groups met on the same weekend, the one when I was in San Francisco. It’s fine. When I am retired (if I ever get there), I can go to ALL the meetings and advocate for those of us who work during the weekdays and can’t do the things. It does make one feel a bit isolated though. Luckily I have the ceramics studio and my stitching group.
OK, I must go to school and do the things. Finishing up safety today with an academic assessment. Still getting new kids every day. Have a couple kids I’ve only seen once. Some I’ve never seen, but that’s normal at the beginning…usually they’ve moved. Lots of crazy stuff needed left and right. I tried not working at home, but last night, had to cave. I needed an hour with no distractions to figure out a plan and the order…did that. I still need rosters. Like today. Ha! I’ll get those done eventually. Maybe.
Kathy Nida 