 Another setback ...
My pop-up book for a story about maple syrup is at the point where I just want it to be done. The first idea didn't work, nor the second, or third. But after more digging, research on pop-up structure, and countless experiments, things were coming together with my book: The pop-up, cut-out maple tree structure: Success (finally). The text: Edited and ready to go ... but should it be handwritten? Set on the computer? It was back and forth until it was clear: set the type on the computer. The maple leaves: Painted in multiple colors with a hint of decay from overwintering on the damp wooded landscape, and crumpled for effect. Hold on ... As I was working on the final steps to construct the modified pop-up structure, I heard a voice coming from the television. I wasn't watching, but could hear what was being said. Because we're in maple season, local programing is sweet on sugar shacks. Apparently, not all maples produce sap, and of the ones that do, the sugar maple is the best. The voice from the television set interrupted my concentration. "You can identify a sugar maple" the man on the screen said, "by the shape of its leaves." "It's got five distinct points" he said, holding up a sample. When I looked at the television screen to see the leaf he was holding, then down at my work station, I knew my leaves were missing a few points. Ughhh, what now? Does is it really matter? That's what I asked myself. Who's going to know? This is all a bit abstract anyway, just let it go, I told myself. This project is taking longer than I thought it would, I'm weary of all the stops and starts ... and it's so close to being done. But I couldn't leave it, because now I know ... and I know they're not right. Granted, this is not a scientific study on maple trees, it's art, and there's room for artistic license. But still. Anyone who opens the pop-up and knows anything about sugar maples will say to themselves, "Eh, it's nice, but those leaves. They're not right." And they'd be right. So, those three pointed leaves above? Gone. I'm cutting and painting new ones. But that white paper cutout for the pop-up? It's finally come together. This project is testing me. I'm learning by doing, by osmosis, and ultimately, with persistence. If you've been working on a project that throws you a curve ball at every turn, keep going. I was disappointed to have another setback, but the closer I get the sweeter it is.
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 What are you working on?
The thing about telling people what you're doing is ... they ask about it. And that's good. It can motivate you to keep going, offer a push when you're in a lull, or even bolster your confidence knowing someone is interested. But it also means you'll probably want to finish whatever that thing is. To keep the promise you made ... mostly to yourself. A few good things Over the last few years I have maintained a journal to list of a few good things about the day. It's a simple, but interesting exercise. Some days it's easy: Wordle in two (rare and very exciting), pepper jelly with cheddar cheese on a cracker, or Ollie the orange cat rolling on the sun-warmed winter driveway. But other days, it takes a bit. The journal sits on a side table along with a pen to remind me to make my entries. The so-so, or not-so good days, are when it's most rewarding. When it's most helpful. Because it forces me to think beyond the worry, the mistakes, and the mishaps. To re-examine my day and find a few good things, despite it all. And they're always there. The pattern the blinds make on the wall when the afternoon sun comes around; the surprising, fresh scent of a cucumber when it's sliced; or the person who paused and waited to hold the door for me as we entered the store. Thinking about a few good things is helpful, but writing them down helps to solidify the goodness. Page after page after page. I've mentioned the botanical journal in earlier emails because I want to share the idea with you, so you can list a few good things about your day, too. After mulling over how to illustrate it, a botanical theme seemed most fitting. Can't see the forest for the trees This week I struggled to measure where I am with the project. Too many pieces, nothing holding them all together. So I taped some of the illustrations to wall and began to think ... about the page order, and whether or not the pages should be lined, blank, or a combination; whether or not it should be strictly collage, or mixed with line drawings. More collage pages with the black background? Lots of questions. I'll get to all of them eventually, and keep going. When will it be ready? Not as soon as I'd hoped. I thought it would be done by now, so I'm shooting for the end of the month. I'll keep you posted. Tell me about a project you're working on ... and what do you think, more pages with the black background?  That's what I told myself
last week: use your imagination. My floral collage work was stalled. I'd finished themost recent and wasn't sure what to do next. Until I saw a story on wallpaper. The designs were fanciful and the colors were, let's say, creative. While the floral shapes were representative of flowers and greenery one might recognize, they were rendered in colors that were bold and daring. Different from what's expected. And it opened my mind to new ideas and color combinations. I pawed through my stash of painted papers, pulled a deep blue and beige (which frankly I thought I'd never use so a prominently), and decided that would be it. Just two colors for this collage. The collage is nearly done, and when I look at it, I'm reminded that sometimes being stalled can be helpful. With an idea in mind, even one that is stalled, your brain will keep working on it. New information will register and steer you toward new solutions. If you've got a project where progress is slower than you'd like, take a break and look around. Something might catch your eye, change your perspective, and set you on a new path.  I heard the train this morning, just like I hear it every morning.
It rumbles through the woods at the end of the street at the same time my alarm sounds ... 5 o'clock sharp. Every day. Some days I wake before the alarm and hear the train, some days I hear it after the alarm. But they always sound within seconds of one another. This morning it made me think of New Year resolutions ... and how I've decided I'm not going to make any. No, instead, I'm going to make like the train and create a schedule. And stick to it. There's a schedule when the train leaves and when it arrives. No vacillating. No saying, "Eh, I think I'll hang here for another hour or so and leave when I'm ready." That's how it gets from one place to another. There are places I want to go (literally and figuratively) and hobbies I want to try, and the only way to get there is to stick to the schedule and the plan. Sure, things may change and adjustments can be made, but once it's decided, the train will leave the station when it's suppose to. Are there places you want to go? Let's get there together. All aboard!  Off to a good start? Do you make your bed? I know my mother encouraged it when I was growing up, but it was my grandmother who found a way to make it happen ... and I think of her still when I change the sheets. There was no pestering or pleading, she simply set the scene ... with new bedding. It was the best after-school treat I never imagined I might crave. It was mid-afternoon when I arrived home from school and found the mismatched jumble of pillows, sheets, and blankets I'd left on the bed earlier in the day replaced with perfectly plump pillows and coordinated sheets tucked under a matching comforter. I was spellbound. Nothing but the bedding had changed, but there was new order to my small room, and I was all in. The 11th of this month is Make Your Bed Day. Some do, some don't ... some only when company's coming. But there's evidence that suggests it might be a good idea. It was also a key point in Admiral William H. McRaven's popular commencement address delivered to the 2014 graduating class at the University of Texas. "If you make you bed every morning," McRaven says, "you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task, and another and another." He goes on to say that even if you have a miserable day, when it's time for bed, you will be reminded that you did in fact accomplish something that day ... you made your bed. I made mine. Did you? (Tucked or untucked?) p.s. The same could be said for any project or goal you're working on. Try to work on it early in the morning, at the same time of day, or the same day every week. The routine/scheduling can help you move forward.  A different way to connect We won't be visiting in person this Thanksgiving, so I'm serving up a side of snail mail. I've decided to make a small batch of handmade collage cards to send and give thanks (there's still plenty to be thankful for, even if we're apart). Now that I have the design figured out, it's a matter of cut and paste.  The process is a meditation of sorts. Cutting and arranging, cutting and arranging some more. It's the mindless act of doing that's relaxing. I sometimes work with no background sound, other times there's the television in the background, or music, and sometimes there's a conversation happening. These patterns happened by chance. Well, at least the first set. I was trying to keep count of how many pomegranates I'd cut, so I started lining them up. I liked the pattern and took a photo. The first image was so compelling, I decided to do it with the next batch. The green leaves were all a jumble until I thought to arrange them in a sunburst pattern. Much better. This is interesting ... creating parallel designs as I work. It's also a good way to visualize my progress. Are you a pattern maker? Do you have ways to track your progress on projects?  |
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