Thursday at Hip Chick

Today was a good day at the shop.  This picture is my customer Ellen who bought this skirt today and she humored me by allowing me to doll her up with a hat and pearls, she looked so cute!  She reluntently let me take her picture even as I assured her she was fabulous.  She was one of my original customers as was Cathy who also came in but wouldn't let me take her picture.  I love seeing my 'regulars' and catching up and seeing what treasure calls their name.  My best customer Kat texts her orders and I bring them home and we do a great business this way.  A true win-win for both of us! 
I am happily busy painting various pieces, finishing up Carmel Valley girl as Megan is coming on Saturday to get it, I can't wait to give it to her!  Then I was commisioned by Abby's friend Kendyl to paint a giant flower which I will begin soon.  After that I am doing a portriat which I am anxious and excited about.  Anxious because I haven't done many and they are SO tricky to get just right, excited because I am overcoming my fear and challenging myself to try.  I will never get better if I avoid it right?!  I have a slight emotional scar from painting a portrait of Abby back when she was 2 years old.  I had elements of her that I liked and some I didn't and of course the part I didn't 'nail' taunted me and I got so frustrated that I painted the whole thing black.  Classic.  Now I wish I had saved it and I could appreciate it for a snippet in time.  I have to rain myself in all the time from this madness, this perfectionsim that tries to sabotage my efforts.  It's truly powerful, evil, and frightenly active.  I know every artist deals with this beast and needs to tame it, it is not just me.  This helps me recognize that to 'win' against it is to allow myself to not be perfect, (easy enough-hahaha!) and remember the sting of that lost portrait.  If I expect so much of myself that I can't enjoy it then what am I doing it for?  I enjoy the beginning because there's a freedom ahead, to manipulate it, change it, develop, experiement until I like it.  Once it becomes recognizable and real I loose my enthusiam and I want to stop.  I don't want to fight the perfection dragon.  Hopefully over time this beast will become tamer and tamer, maybe we'll even become friends??  All this creature needs is love and acceptance, then it will embrace imperfections as happy accidents and quirks that make the piece unique.  This is what I need to tell myself until I believe it.  It's getting better all the time.....

Mothers Day in Santa Cruz

Sunday was Mother's Day and the plan was to drive to Santa Cruz to see my son Alex and we would all have lunch together.  Since it was Sunday I wanted to go to the flea market and hunt for treasure but mother nature had other plans.  As we know it rained, and this dampened my spirits but happily it did not dampened our day.  We persevered and went to Santa Cruz anyway.  Instead of the flea I thought I could get my treasure fix at the Goodwill, so Ben dropped off  me and Abs on his way to picking up Alex at school.  Alex had a stomach bug and a gammy knee so he was a bit under the weather but off we all went in search of food and frivolity.  WE attempted the Crow's Nest but there was a 3 hour wait so we said no way and went to Aldo's.  Luckily it was just warm enough and dry enough to eat outside.  After the meal we found a street antique sale that made my heart skip a beat, no flea, but an antique sale always works!  Got a few fun things, a vintage hat, parasol, some trinkets and Abby got a cameo necklace for 1.00 and a turquoise bracelet for $2.00, she is her mothers daughter.  A full fun day after all and I was happy to have my adorable family together.  Family, antiques and the beach all in one day = perfection!!