Making Changes.... New Beginnings?

I've been updating these pages.  Adding some of the gadgets and putting up links to stuff I've found interesting.  One thing I appreciate is the "blog list" which allows me to delete some of these off my favorites, and shows me at a glance which ones have been updated.  Sometimes just scrolling through my favorites list gives me a headache, and I love not having to open each page to see if something is new.  But, yeah...I do have a long list, so I've stuck it at the bottom.  I probably should break it up into several smaller lists, but...more work, less drawing time.

And speaking of drawing time...I didn't do much yesterday, and none so far today. :(  My Dad was supposed to come into town today so I could drive him to the bank. But...he never showed up so I spent my day waiting around for nothing. :(

I've found so many inspiring ideas online lately.  It makes me itch to get working on something...but I still get scattered and lose my sense of direction and find it hard to commit to one thing. 

I've been working on palettes.  I'm fascinated by other people's equipment and color choices.  Granted, most of them follow the popular standard "limited palette" of a warm and cool of each primary, and a couple of earth tones.  They're beautiful and I still see a lot of individuality in them.  But...I'm really fascinated by the ones that break the mold.  The people who carry around 72 colors; the folks who choose really off-beat pigments that I've never even seen in outside of art supply catalogs; the folks who manage with just three colors or do all their work in a single monochrome.  I love looking, and sometimes see something so breathtaking that the image stays with me all day.

(deep breath) My name is DragonLady, and I've become a color and paintbox junkie.  I'm completely addicted, and I have no intention of giving it up in any number of steps. 

There.  I said it. :)

Lured away (again) by the Art Supply Siren

Nothing says "inspiration" like shopping!

Today, I purchased:

Berkeley Classic Drafting Set Black Base
140 lb Acquerello Hot Press Watercolor Block - 20 Sheets - 14X20"
Arches Bright White 140 lb Cold Press Watercolor Paper - 10 Sheets - 22 X 30"
Canson Tracing Pad 19X24
Strathmore 300 Series Watercolor Pad - 9x12"
Strathmore 400 Series Watercolor Pad 5.5x8.5"
Strathmore Aquarius Watercolor Pad - 11x15"
Island Arts Lucky Journals Curry - 6.5X8.5"
Conte Studio Sketch Set
Derwent Coloursoft 72 Tin
Cretacolor Drawing Leads Travel Set
Ceramic Watercolor Flower Dish
Koh-I-Noor Pencil Lengtheners - Set of 3
LUKAS Aquarell 1862 Watercolors (24 ml Tube) Manganese Blue
Rembrandt Watercolors #7 20ml Cadmium Yellow Lemon
Rembrandt Watercolors #7 20ml Sepia
Winsor & Newton Artist Watercolors #5 French Ultramarine

Total spent: $325.00 and change....

Yes; I know. I feel like I've lost my mind spending that much money. But, I've found nifty ways to rationalize it. :) First, this will count as my birthday present, my Mother's day present (to myself), and probably be the last stuff I buy -other than cheapie sketchbooks or #2 pencils- all year.

But mostly, I want to start using my nifty stuff. But I suffer from paranoia about 'wasting' it. My Dad used to yell at me if I "wasted" ten cents worth of writing paper by scribbling on it or writing nonsense or misspelling too many words. And I still carry the shame of it.... The idea that I may make a mistake and turn a $2.00 piece of paper into trash bothers me so badly I become paralyzed and unable to touch it. My perfectionistic self combined with our constant financial battles keeps me in blank paper that will always be...blank. The fear of using it up without producing anything worthy of even stowing in a dark box under the bed is probably the strongest deterrent to my creativity in my life.

I'm hoping to be able to overcome this through sheer weight. Being able to reassure myself by looking into a closet full of nice paper and say to myself "Go ahead and wreck this one -I have plenty more."

But, also...I bought the Berkeley drafting set because another deterrent is my lack of a real where for me to paint. I either have to use the kitchen table -a rotten choice for several reasons, or I have to use the end of my sewing table. And I just about faint at the idea of any water within 3 feet of Neo (my sewing machine). If anything happens to him, I'll cry!!! But sitting on the sofa with a notebook just doesn't cut it. My desk is hidden under two computers, so it's out.... I know I should spend more time outside sketching but I don't live in an area filled with inspiring sights, so it seems kinda pointless to brave the heat, wind, insects and local criminal masterminds just to make a few sketches of rusty utility boxes or native cacti.