The House Will ALWAYS Need Cleaning!

Let me just add to that last post.  The house will always need cleaning.  There will always be 'House Stuff' to do.  Its how much of it you can deal with.  I have started to have a tidy around last thing at night in order that my stress levels aren't too high the next morning as we all rush to get ready for work and school!

Having a tidy house - a place for everything and everything in its place - helps you to lead a more organised and stress free life.  I can't think of anything worse than losing something.  It drives me mad! 

In order to run an efficient home, I do believe you need to spend time every now and again putting things in their correct place, making sure you have enough of things you are going to need (food, toiletries, birthday cards) and having a gentle dust, hoover and clean where required in order that your house feel like a home as opposed to a dirty dumping ground.

However, I accept there is a fine line between keeping a clean and tidy house and OCD......   

Rule Number Five: Delegate and Negotiate

This morning I realised I had not had much time over the last few days to crack on with the 'To Do' list.  I also realised that I had a load of things that needed to be done house-wise.

So I made a bargain with hubby.  He entertain our son this morning while I get the house sorted, then he has his 2 hours of music this afternoon, we all meet for a bit of family time in the middle and then mummy has some time after tea for her 'To Do' list.

Just got to make sure I don't use it for an early night!!

Inspiration is for Amateurs

The advice I like to give young artists, or really anybody who'll listen to me, is not to wait around for inspiration. Inspiration is for amateurs; the rest of us just show up and get to work. If you wait around for the clouds to part and a bolt of lightning to strike you in the brain, you are not going to make an awful lot of work.

All the best ideas come out of the process; they come out of the work itself. Things occur to you. If you're sitting around trying to dream up a great art idea, you can sit there a long time before anything happens.

But if you just get to work, something will occur to you and something else will occur to you and something else that you reject will push you in another direction. Inspiration is absolutely unnecessary and somehow deceptive. You feel like you need this great idea before you can get down to work, and I find that's almost never the case.”
― Chuck Close

Chuck Close is a renowned American painter, printmaker, and photographer. His 1998 traveling retrospective, organized by the Museum of Modern Art in New York, confirmed his place in the pantheon of major contemporary artists. His paintings, prints, and photographs, represented by PaceWildenstein in New York, are widely exhibited and collected."  

Boudoir Photography....

Sorry.  No pictures.  But one of my dear friends (who shall remain nameless) asked me if I would take some pictures of her, in order that an artist www.pippaelton.co.uk/ could do a drawing of her.  This would be for her husband as a surprise present for their 25th wedding anniversary.

She sent me a couple of photos of what she was looking for, and I asked some of the Shutter Chimps / Imps for some pointers.  In  preparation, I got a number of books from the library, read up on taking portraits and finally invested in a reflector.  I was glad I got the reflector as we took the photos in her bedroom and, due to the wallpaper and the fact it was a January afternoon, the light was less than perfect.

Once over the initial embarrassment of taking naked pictures of my friend, I really began to get into the art of the process.  It was amazing how, just by moving a leg or an arm, or a change of expression or slight movement, the whole shot could change.   The pictures / poses we had looked at to begin with, didn't quite work, but we soon found a pose that my friend was comfortable with, and that she looked good in!   The more pictures I took, the better I felt I got.  Practise certainly made perfect!

Following advice, I took loads of photos (189).  I shot them all in AP and in monochrome.   And concentrated on my friends eyes..... 

My friend sent a couple of shots that she liked best to the artist.  The artist said the light and photo was beautiful, so, as my friend said, a pat on the back!

Rule Number Four: Make Sure You Are Aware of Your Personal Distractions

If you are still struggling to find enough time, why not try some time and motion techniques?

Why aren't you writing?  What seems to be more important?  What is taking up your precious time?

Find out why writing is not taking place during its allotted time and then work on destroying the distractions.

Write down what you are doing throughout the day.  You may want to set an alarm for every 20 mins or simply note the time and what you are doing every time you do something different.

Then, analyse the information to see your most and least productive times of the day.  Mine are early morning; especially when the house is really quiet.   Then look at the distractions that stop you from writing.

I have analysed my time on a number of occasions, and its amazing how much time is wasted and can be claimed back with a few strategies, i.e.

• Don't answer the phone / the door.
• Don't keep checking your emails, and definitely not your Facebook friends.
• Try not to think about the pile of washing up / laundry basket / empty cupboards.
• Remember that your writing is important.  Treat it like a job you are being paid for and the boss is watching you.......

Happy New Year Resolutions!

In 2014 I will:

Plan my time.  Note spaces in the week ahead and fill them with what’s important.

Learn to say No and to not feel bad about it.

Lower my own standards (and therefore the pressure).

Read, Read and Read some more.

 

Invest in Quality time with Jamie and Dale.

Learn with Jamie.  Take time out to help him.  Help him reach his targets.  

 

Slow down and concentrate on what really matters (and ignore the rest).

 

Relax.  Relax.  Relax....

Explore my Spiritual side.

Shift a stone but not via a mad diet, but rather through healthy eating and regular exercise.

Save don’t spend (Remember the list).