Prosperous & Creative Soul & MFW Year 3

savingholmes

Thanks all. A couple of NT places

savingholmes

Thanks KK, Jwil, TG and WD.

I'd like to try digital art in the hope it will help me sell art. As WD says - an option is to scan things in and then digitise them but I've not taken the time to understand how to even do that yet. I've tried to do less screen time this weekend in particular. My brain is very stop starty which isn't a good sign and I've tried to give it a rest from my usual activities. I made it to two NT places this week - and the dahlias in particular were spectacular.

I went to the art group on Saturday but felt very off balance. They were going to hold it inside in case the storm hit - and I was the only person to turn up. I had to park in a multi-storey which I hate as I was unfamiliar with the area and had first parked in the wrong part of town and was therefore running late and tearful. They eventually agreed to go outside and I drew a rooftop garden and talked to the person but it was very unsatisfying. My drawing wasn't bad but it wasn't fab either. I bought some meals from MnS in preference to eating out. Then I came home and played with chalk paint and pens in my journal while watching utube.

Yesterday I unpacked a box of fancy China (a charity shop best buy pre-move) and put it through the dishwasher. I did yet another load of washing. I'd wrapped the China in a garden magazine and came across a beautiful fox picture. I drew that by hand. I then went for a short walk with my mountain poles and got some milk and brought it back in a rucksack. I then tried to draw the fox again and I coloured it in with a mix of water colour and oil pastel. I didn't like it as much as the drawing. I then went to do a third - and saw a human / alien style face instead - and started to draw and paint that using the foxes body shape as an elongated head and the tail as the start of hair. When I looked up from that it was 1.30am so unsurprisingly getting up this morning has been a struggle.

My life is feeling chaotic and like it's careening out of control currently - but some of that is my mind's reaction to the work situation and person with ill health and that I'm trying new things.

I ordered some more clothes online earlier in the week - but will send half back. I'm keeping a pair of trousers (£20) and a dress (£15) but will return the other £53 worth. I also bought some black heeled shoes with a strappy heel from TK (£39) (RRP 90 Dun£ ). I need to test them around the house to decide whether to keep them. I don't have suitable shoes to wear with a dress other than sandals or a pair of boots that is a year or two old - and despite the chunky heels they wobble slightly like they could come off.

I bought 8 audio books yesterday - 1 using a credit and the others for £3 each and listened to two!! The de*th cleaning one mentioned by LWAP was good but too short but I loved that she was an artist and had become a best selling author late in life. The second was called !!!!!! MH therapists. I really enjoyed it and could relate a lot to the struggles she described. I'm thankful my current therapist is good - but some of my past ones haven't been and I've had to diagnose myself to then seek formal diagnoses and pay for my own help. This country's system feels very broken.

I need to update my £.

TallGirl

Sorry to hear you are struggling it is hard when work can just consume your whole being I am exactly the same. I am lucky that I have a plan B so all the change and cuts will not affect me now but I know I am very lucky. The dailia's are stunning I love them too and have one type in my garden by they have stopped flowering now but they were out really early. I also love the dark foliage looks good even without flowers such a good all round flower. 

Sounds like art is what helps you the most especially if you can emerge yourself so much you forget time. That must help switch the brain off from all the other rubbish going on around you. I can only do that with sewing and I long to be able to do a whole weekends worth on my own using the whole house for sewing, iron board, cutting out etc but it would drive DG wild if I did that. 

As for the shopping sounds like you are back on your buy a lot of stuff and send it back but if you need things then that is fine as long as you return the rest. You know we will nag you if you don't send it back!! 

mark55man

Lovely photos SH - I think we all feel a bit glummer and unsettled as we move into autumn (winter??).  I enjoyed the flowers and the sunshine particularly

WelshmansDaughter

That dahlia looks like it’s been through a wind tunnel. 

The online course did hand drawn illustration of nature subjects then scanned into 📷shop to edit. 

jwil

Lovely photos!

It's very hard trying to deal with all the uncertainty and I think we just have to do what we need to to get through it.

savingholmes

Thanks Mark, Jwil, TG and WD

The weather has been particularly grim again - lashing down with rain. I did make it to the post office briefly at lunchtime so it was good to get out. I've had a slightly better work day - I took half a tablet extra of a second adhd med I haven't been using and my head felt a lot clearer. I'm scared in case I don't sleep tonight but I feel a lot more human - so it's definitely got a chemical component to whatever is going on with me currently. Let's hope that is the solution - as if it is a simple one - and I have lots of stock. Before you all get on at me - it was prescribed as an optional extra rather than a must take every day one. I caught up a little bit on time owed. I'm allowed to owe 5 hours - and am now a lot closer to that rather than the over 6 I was at at the end of last week (nearly 8 the week before). It's over a 3 month period but it is coming up to the changeover time between timesheets.

I've shown a few people yesterday's art and they seemed to like it - so that was confidence boosting. The ones I did yesterday were just on paper which is good as they fit neatly in an art portfolio and it's cheaper than canvas. I can see a step change in my art from the short course I did so will continue to explore options. There are too many roadworks near me to go this week - but hopefully next week I can do life drawing again and hopefully it won't feel as alien.

I will update my £ after I've had some tea and catch up on a few diaries. 

savingholmes

On the clothes TG - it's the unpredictability of sizing and texture. So a cardigan that looked beautiful on the model - felt a bit rough to the touch - plus it went from close knit to open crochet style - which tends to give me sensory issues. It fit though. The next cardigan I tried was zip up but didn't look good on - it fit - just but wasn't flattering. I might send the dress back too as although I like it - it didn't hang as well as some others I have and it's the wrong season really but I love the feel and the pattern... 

beanielou

Why don’t you have a wee look at Popsy. I love their clothes. 

Good news on the meds helping. 

savingholmes

Thanks Beanie. I've had a little look. They are lovely bright patterns - although possibly too in your face for where I work. They are more expensive per item than I typically spend. I'd consider some of their scarves - but a lot of their dresses seem to have belts etc which I don't cope with. I also don't cope with elastic waists where it is thin thread as it cuts in - not sure if that applies to any of theirs. I like tunics with pockets that come just above the knee ideally - and if for winter - that look good with leggings. Some of the patterns I preferred they'd sold out of in my house. Will bear them in mind though thank you.