Etruscan Pitcher |
I have been saying for years..."Glenda, use what you have, you do not need to buy anything else", as I click send for the latest order of supplies, something I just knew would make my art just that much better. Well, these past weeks have shown me that I can create using what I have. My life is changing and my cavalier love affair with money has to change with it. I retired a year ago and now live on my pension and Social Security. If I want to travel (one of my fave things in the world) I need to save and I can save a lot if I don't order the "latest and greatest".................... you name it I have to have it.
I have an artist friend who is starting month of not spending. I like that idea and have designated October as my Not Spending month. What does that mean? For me it will mean only spending on what is absolutely necessary, such as food, Sunday offering, bills. I want to see how much I really save at the end of the month. During October I am going to take stock of my art supplies, organize and label them so I really know what I have. I am going to donate the excess (I know I have some duplicates and probably triplicates laying around).
I think I am going to enjoy this process, this change, this learning to live on a limited budget. The picture I posted above was taken in Italy last year. I chose it because it is one that I would probably not use in anything and that would be a shame. Using what I have also means reassessing everything and use what would probably be an orphan languishing in saved to my computer never to use heaven.
I will be packing up my limited art palette today so my daughter can ship it to me. Time to switch to knitting mode using a limited palate of yarn and supplies. I know that my suitcase will be much lighter, my imagination richer and pocket fuller as I start my mantra now......you do not need anymore yarn. Ok, maybe I will limit myself to just yarn that I will faint if I do not buy it. Let's see how I do.
Thanks for stopping by.....Pilgrim