Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Looking for Purpose In a Transitional Moment - The Challenge of the "Holding Pattern"

I'm in a holding pattern.  We close on the new house at the end of April. We are selling the current home, so I have spent a lot of time over the last few weeks, preparing it to show. The studio is closed. I can't have the clutter.  So what's a girl to do?  Two things... One, keeping the current house clear for showing. Two, going crazy looking for purpose during this transition.

My daughter has kept me busy the first half of the month.  She just completed production in the school play, Peter Pan. She played three characters, Nana the Dog, The Croc and a Pirate. The day before opening night, she fractured her finger, which made crawling on the ground interesting.  What a trooper.

She is such a ham too.  While all the other girls wanted to play Wendy, Mrs. Darling and Peter Pan, my daughter took on the challenge of hot and heavy costumes.  Quite a sacrifice for a middle school girl, who I am sure would prefer looking cute and pretty.  That's my girl...always taking on the non-conventional.  

Lunch Spot on the Back Dock 
So here I am.  Having cleared the house of photographs, making sure beds are made each day, towels are hung up in bathrooms and wiping up surfaces like a crazy person.  I have tried to enjoy this time, by taking a moment to stop for a nice lunch on my back dock, reading a magazine front to back and keeping better tabs on laundry.  My best friend suggested that I fill some of this time with cooking. Cooking is something I use to really enjoy.  I might also start to clear out closets of stuff that I am not really going to take to the next house.

I am looking for great ideas.  Got any?  I can't really blog about projects.  I can't have the disruption and the clutter in my house while trying to sell.  I can't consider new things for the new house having not closed yet. Plus I have a rule that until I have moved into a house, I don't buy a single thing for it.  I feel that I have to live in the space before knowing what will work.  Twitting my thumbs here people.  Help a girl out!  Ideas?

-The End-

Monday, March 5, 2012

Ponderings from The Homeless Finch Studio: Onward

Life is full of changes.  At least mine always has been.  I have learned to roll with the punches, take advantage of opportunities and adjust as life makes decisions for you.  I've never been one to stay in one place for very long.  I am someone who thirsts for new adventures, not one who craves the constant and the safety of the conquered.  Some people think that I'm fearless and perhaps they are correct.  I've got one life, I'm going to live it.

As you know, we are moving.  It's not too far from where we live now in South Florida, but it is world's away from our present life.  The homes we are targeting are in a rural area. Well...as rural as you get in a county that no longer has land that isn't incorporated. Let's just put it this way.  Where I live presently the only thing you see walking along the side of the road are people.  Where we are moving, you will see people, but a few will be riding horses. It will be a huge lifestyle change going from a deep water boating and beach community to a community with land, privacy and coincidentally better schools.  The even better news?  I will have better studio space and we will have some room to breath.  Cramp quarters, narrow school choices and a neighborhood that doesn't suit our needs have taken it's toll on our family.  The stress has been immeasurable.  It's time to do something about it. Now.

The other big change?  Yes, there is another one.  I am going to be shifting the content of The Homeless Finch and concentrating more on my art, less on furniture and such.  I hope that doesn't disappoint you.  I miss my studio work and this blog has taken me too far away from it.  I have to get back to my roots.

So here is the plan.  I will not just be painting and showing my work.  I will be presenting countless ideas for you, my reader, to follow my lead and create your own one of a kind works of art!!  I'm really excited about this idea.

I know for many the cost of collecting original art is out of the budget.  Why not create your own?!!  Just like I have shown you how to do so many great things, I will show you how to do that as well.  It might be paintings, printmaking, collage, photography, mixed media, sculpture.  The list is endless.

Remember this little artwork idea from a few months ago?  I wrote about it in my blog post "Hitting the Road With My Little Painting."  I simply altered an image, printed it on nice art paper and added a little watered down paint.  Now it is a simple, fun original piece of art.  Anyone could try this out.  Maybe even you!

Regardless, I have to stay true to myself.  Like Dr. Seuss said,
"Be who you are 
and say what you feel 
because those who mind don't matter 
and those who matter don't mind." 

So stay tuned and watch for upcoming posts.  Getting my engines revved up and getting ready to go!  Hope you stay along for the ride...

-The End-

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Are You Wondering What Happened To Me? and a FUNNY Pic You Don't Want To Miss!

Okay, Okay.... So I have been AWOL.  Wonder why?  Probably not, since only two people out of 265 followers have even noticed.  The truth is....I haven't even been reading the blogs either for over a week.  This is the first time this has happened in forever.  I'm not gone forever. Promise.

So here it is... We are house hunting.  Along with that comes shopping schools, understanding a new housing market and spending so much time on the road, that I don't have paper towels in the house, or coffee creme.  I can barely keep my eyes open at night and I am waking up exhausted every morning.  Today, I will make it to the grocery.  I have told everyone, I need a day away.

Hopefully we will get into a contract and I will be able to blog more regularly.  Until then...  check out this iPhone pic I took yesterday just after picking up one of my kids from school.


Is that hysterical or what?!!  It kinda illustrates why we are moving too.  We don't fit in our house, just like this person's dog doesn't fit in their car!!  Only our circumstance isn't near as adorable!

Hope you hang in there for me until I can get back up and running.  Please accept my apologies for not being able to read your blog if you are someone I follow too.  Something had to temporarily give.

-The End-