February and trying to think

My goals were to spend at least 2 hours clearing rubbish from my office or the garage on the last day of the month. Well, I managed 1 and a half hours, and 2 bins of rubbish. Still masses to go, but it felt good. The next goal was to spend 2 hours on reflection on the first day of the month. Total failure, but I still have it in my sights. I do understand that you need to be steering a course to get anywhere, but I don't enjoy meditation in any way.

But at least I can reflect on how January went. Artistically there were some positives, negatives and some learning, all of which are good for development. I tried the shaving foam painting with feezer paper stencils, and that is a technique I could use again. The embellisher has been mostly unsatifying. Despite the fact that I love looking at textured pieces, like Sandra Meech, Maggie Grey etc., and even Jane vk's, I do not feel it is my medium. It may be that my fear or negativity holds me back, but I don't think so. There is definitely a left brain/right brain fight going on with it, though. It seems a jumbly way to work and the result looks like a jumble. I have downloaded a couple of the texture photos from flickr. One is a machine stitching sample, but the other could be embellisher plus hand stitching, or painted lutradur or transfer. That excites me in a way the burning of chiffon layers does not (in fact it annoys me because the chiffon is quite expensive and then you throw it away in effect).

Once I have experimented with some of the things I bought at Hands last week, I will make a plan to dye or paint my own stuff for bigger projects. I still haven't got to grips fully with colour mixing, especially for muted browns and khakis. The embellisher class has 2 more weeks, and after that I will stop work on the experiments and get back to something more focused.

My work life has been getting busier, working up to the climax of this week, when all the new kids start and need a lot of attention. While it is not a career job, it does have the benefit of a small income and a small contact with a bunch of mainly nice people.

Socially, there have been some fun times at the beach with both Kevin and also Tarnya and the girls. A lot of movies, some time with Fei, also fun. I have some friends from England coming next weekend, so that will have the effect of making me tidy the house at least once in the month. It doesn't bother me most of the time, until it does - a bit like when your fingernails suddenly need cutting.

The goal setting will wait till later.