Tuesday, November 07, 2006

call me crazy

Well, I've committed the ultimate overcommittment sin in the mothering handbook. I'm not sorry I did it. I am enjoying the moments required for this special project, but I really wish I had a few more weeks to complete everything. On Friday I will be selling some artwork -- mostly watercolors of children's art for their bedrooms and playrooms -- at a school fundraiser. I've already paid for the booth and now I am at the crisis point of completing the work in my distracted life. You'd think this would be easy considering I am stay at home right now...ah, that would be the assumption an outsider would make. But if you are a Mom you know that little ones fill up every nook and cranny of your life leaving you with few quiet moments which equate a nap or bedtime.

Grace is really at the stage where she cannot be trusted for an extended period of time. Case in point occurred yesterday. She went upstairs to fetch her big doll for play. She goes into the bedroom she shares with Jordan. I hear basically normal sounds...and then little footsteps in the adjoining bathroom. And then nothing. More nothing. I go upstairs and find her sitting fully clothed in the bathtub with the bath toys all around her, quietly pouring a strawberry smelling shampoo up and down her legs. And she looks so peaceful doing it that I mute my scream and simply utter an, "Oh no." It could have been worse, right?

So back to this project. I'm loving every precious minute I can spare on it. Watercolor is my first love. We were taught to use it excessively in architectural school on our projects. There is nothing more calming than humming along on a project. I dare to say my work is art...more like doodles. Still I think I'll sell enough to cover my expenses. I should give a big THANK YOU to my husband who bravely offered to take all three children to Chuck E Cheese for an extended amount of time last night during a school fundraiser. On a night when the whole elementary school descended on that zoo he managed to have a little fun and provide them dinner. A brave and wonderful gesture indeed.

Dave is also in the midst of reworking our island base with beadboard and trim. He's worked wonders already in just a few days and I'm excited. It looks much more like a piece of furniture instead of a rough box. One day I'll rant about the people who left this house to us. For now, I'll just tell you that I wish my poor husband had more down time to do projects like this because he is really a great craftsman. I think we both fear that retirement will be our only hope to be creative. I guess my little project is an attempt to force creativity back into my life...and an island handyman project will have to be his.

7 comments:

Dori Ann Dupré said...

Im GREEN with envy, I tell ya! GREEN! Watercolor green, even! How utterly COOL for you to be able to do that.

Caroline said...

Ann, I think I had the same reaction when I found my 7 year old Alia shaving her legs in Tom's bathroom. She decided it was time, to start doing that. Funny thing though she did it correctly and didn't even cut or nick herself.

Ann said...

Thanks Dori. You made me laugh. You are probably getting more sleep than me this week though. I think of you everytime I touch "thalo green". ;-) I've seen the work you did in the playroom and other places in your house...you are much more of an artist than I am. I'm really only a suppressed doodler.

Caroline - I would FREAK if I found Jordan shaving her legs right now...though with her dark hair I'm afraid she will have to eventually do it to avoid being a social outcast. I'm afraid all of our girls are headstrong...which is probably a blessing in this world where people don't have their own ideas very often.

Caroline said...

Alia is definitely headstrong and has her own opinions on things. I haven't caught her shaving in awhile, but it is pretty funny that she thinks she has to do that.

Dori Ann Dupré said...

Ally (10) has been shaving her legs for awhile but has moved on to her eyebrows....oy....

Ann, I have had serious artist's block for so long I am about to lose it. All my materials have been sitting there waiting for me to use them. My girls want new rooms for Christmas...and they don't want their murals anymore because they're too little girlish. At least I had fun doing it!

Ann said...

I need to do some Hawaiian art for my girl's room. That was the compromise I reached for a 2 year old and a 9.5 year old.

Today is the day to sell my art...or at least take orders. I hope I cover my costs. Once I got started and relaxed my 10 year block disappeared.

FourSure said...

Well???? I've been checking for updates - I could have sworn that I responded to your blog on this but apparently I didn't so now I am (confused yet?)
How did it go? When can we see the pictures? Were you thrilled at the outcome (on a personal satisfaction level? How about on a financial level?)
I've been thinking about you and your work on this a lot. You are a very very talented person and I hope that you got the public recognition for that, since I happen to believe you absolutely deserve it. So - put me out of my misery already and tell me!!! How did it GO????

Sarah