Friday, May 23, 2008

Today’s topic for Illustration Friday was WORRY...



It is so easy to fall into that trap, especially with my Mom back in the hospital. Think of all the time we waste each day worrying about things that may never come to pass.

I dug out this cartoon that I’d posted on my blog a while back. When we worry about looming deadlines, it really can feel like something is lurking just behind us.

Today, that is getting my office back to rights. I’ve been meaning to do a “grand tidy” ever since the book launch happened and yet I always seem to get caught up in a new drawing or business task. Yesterday I took all of the piles from my floor and put them out in the family room. Then I pulled apart my closet where all of the cross stitch models and patterns are stored. If any of the patterns had dents or dings in them, I just ripped them up and threw them out. (I can hear some of you screaming “I’ll take them!” in the background)

The truth is that my accountant has had to write most of that stock off anyway. I can even tell how much of an effect the people sharing things illegally have had on certain designs because I’m just not selling as many of those patterns anymore compared to other ones. I had a nice little venting session as I ripped the leaflets to pieces imagining that it was something precious the thieves needed... like income tax refunds, power bills or winning lottery tickets. Petty and childish of me, but it felt good.

I have learned that when I work in clutter or surround myself with too much clutter, it has a draining effect on my spirit. That’s totally different that spreading out pencils or paper or yarns or threads to get inspired by stuff. It’s the pile of papers that you meant to sort and then can’t find something important when you need it that wears me down.

I can see progress. Thanks to plastic bins and my label maker, my closet is almost done and things are getting away in their proper places.

With each pile I tidy, the dragon looming behind me gets a little smaller.

Once I am done and he is pocket-size, we will go out and play!


Don’t Worry... Be Happy... It’s FRIDAY!