Art For Art's Sake
One of the reasons we started our etsy shop, Bates Mercantile Co., was my own need to create for creating sake. This was one of the first designs we offered.
You see as I've mentioned before, I've had my own adv/marketing/pr business, Speakeasy, for 17+ years. Sometimes by the end of a project, it just feels.........well, like I can't own it at all, because I'm creating what my clients want (which is what I should be doing by the way). That said, I often feel that the direction I would have gone in might make me feel better and might actually serve their purpose better. However, that's just not the way things shake out most of the time. So when I ran across 'How To Feel Miserable As An Artist' the other day, while searching for something completely different (what else is new?), I knew I had to share it. I know many followers of the Muse are artist, crafters and creaters, and that it might ring true.

via here
Can you relate? I'd love to know which one really strikes a cord with you. Please tell. They all strike a cord with me, except the family one. My family is always supportive of whatever I create. Pretty darn lucky in that respect.
The Sun Came Out: Take a Walk With Us
After some copious amounts of rain, the sun showed it's happy face, which in turn gave me and the dog happy faces. We were so glad to take a walk, even if I had to wear my wellies. It was bright and beautiful, but when we got to the field big, puffy clouds rolled in, but they were beautiful in their own right.
Just look at that last picture.........I told you the dog was happy.
Sunset Meadows
Picked more tomatoes last night and covered the rest. Although it's supposed to be really warm this weekend, last night there were frost advisories. So, the tomatoes donned garbage bags and tarps to protect them. I'd hate to lose even one tomato.
My mother called to say it was a beautiful sunset. It was quite mellow here to begin with, but no less pretty.
As usual, it got more brilliant.
I hope your Thursday is brilliant too, in your corner of the world. What's on your plate today?
Over and out,