Pure as the Driven Slush

At last we are done with that miserable near zero weather and now we have new mooshy snow which is melting and messy. I'd rather have that than the frigid cold.
I may venture out today. I have been listening to books on tape and that makes the work of machine quilting so much more interesting, and now I have finished them all and must return them to the library and get more.
Ooooh I love this time without pressures to hurry and get back to dyeing for the next workshop.
If I didn't have a Master Plan I would be foolin' around and getting nothing accomplished. Today I will 'lovingly' quilt my new piece, nameless at the moment, but on the way to being named something with sky in the title. It reminds me of my Desert Sky quilt. Unusual colors and similar layout.
I admit that I went back to the wine again last night...only it was a good bottle of Napa Ridge Merlot which we had to get rid of after watching the film Sideways, no explanation necessary if you have seen the film. If not, make a point of going.
We began watching the new season of American Idol again. The contestants are soooo bad and Dave relates to them and their innocence and runs out of the room when they begin to sing. He had the same reaction to several episodes of Seinfeld. Obviously a very empathetic guy.

Now I have to be an uppity nagging artist type and say a few things about fabric postcards and challenges.
Several of the blogs I read are showing work that they are making as challenges for friends and guild stuff and online group things, and while all of this is fun, or meant to be fun, I find it maddening and distracting. I want to see your artwork, your real artwork.
Outwardly inspired assignments are a way of avoiding finding your own art within. I know you are going to say that they are fun. Sure they are fun, but the time is short for the art you need to be making in your own style, of your own themes, towards your own body of work.

I encourage you to learn the word NO.

SAY: I am sorry but I cannot participate in this challenge because I am too busy working on MY OWN work {to stop and fool around with something that is not part of my personal goals for my art.}
Of course you may not have personal goals for your own art.

Why not?

1. you think you are not an artist. YOU ARE WRONG.
2. you enjoy the community thing. YOU ARE NOT GETTING AHEAD.
3. you have no ideas to make right now. YOU MUST FEED YOUR MUSE.

Look, I have a reason for all this nagging. Time is short. We only have this lifetime and the demands from everyone else who want and need something from you eat up your precious creative time. One of these days you will realize you have a gift and haven't made enough of it, and will long for the days when you were busy doing those challenges.

I am preaching, and listening to myself preach.
Back to work.