How to Develop Self Discipline

I googled that title with the intention of finding some academic support to my musings/excuses of late. You see, I find it difficult to remain disciplined about how many hours I work in my home studio. I now understand why the self employed often rent a studio somewhere outside their homes. As you are starting to see, this is an ongoing struggle to feel like I'm pulling my weight around here and not just dinking around the house. It would help if I made some kind of wage that matched the amount of time I put in. Am I a valid contributor to grown-up society as a maker of silly toys? We don't ask these kinds of questions and it is rhetorical in theory. Still, somewhere in the basement shadows of my mind, I secretly ask.

In my google search I found references to visualization and thinking long term as the secrets to developing one's self discipline. The idea is to see beyond the immediate into the vista of decades into the future. To see yourself as already successful at your chosen focus then it is only a matter of taking the steps forward. The mountain is already there, just keep walking up.

Here I would like to make my plug to those who deal at all with children. As a teacher and lifelong slacker I believe it is of the utmost importance to instill a practiced and challenged sense of self discipline in children right from the start. Self discipline is a skill. It does not often come naturally. I work with and know many gifted people. I think it is with this population where discipline is the most deficient. It is because of their high ability that they never had a need to cultivate study habits or grueling hours practicing some instrument or sport. Push the people in your life to go beyond their comfort zone at least in the areas where they are the most motivated. Don't let them get distracted at the first obstacle they meet. By 'them' I mean me and you too. When I feel blocked in my business I always reach for some distraction: computer, guitar, food, the telephone, the laundry... I challenge myself to notice these pulls and stay just a little longer with the work. I also challenge myself to feel proud even when the work is less perfect than I planned.

A Little Faux on the Fur

Maybe this will be my sweet product, the one to get me through the thin times.
















I've been looking for something I can make fast enough to be able to sell for $5.













These little babies go for $3 bucks!
















It's my sticker, if you will.

Taxes, Hems, and Market

Today I finally finished my federal and state tax forms. At least I don't owe any money but honestly they should pay by the hour for those of us too poor to hire or buy assistance. That took hours. Fortunately most of those hours were taken care of earlier in the year. Today was for tracing pencil numbers with ink and doing the state form.

Last week I finished my set of 10 spheres for S5DG holoverse inc. You may recall the suiting up for pure white fuzziness.

I also made some pants for my dance teacher. One of those needs an adjustment. I'll take care of that today.

I attempted to sell at Saturday Market this past weekend but there were a literal shit-ton of people attempting to do the same. My rank in points was only 2 so I didn't make the cut. At least I acquire a point for being there. This week I will go with 3 points. Maybe I'll get in.

Meanwhile I will fix pants. I've got some hems to do later in the week. Maybe I'll make a monkey or two.

Occupational Hazard County

Suiting up ...
















To work with this fabric. The little microfibers are insidious but I love the soft and the furry. Did you know you must sometimes smock in order to sew?

Better Than a Jab to the Eye!

Since my last post the situation has improved. Some money came in and so did more work. Amazing, right? I'm such a cynical east coaster I'm like "Yeah, I guess that's manifestation. Sorta. Meh. I won't hold my breath for the next blessing." How droll. The truth is that I worked it. After I wrote my last post about making it through the hard times I took action in the way of a daily visualization of me easily hopping on the money boat and floating along with a smile. The challenge with this is allowing myself to feel valuable enough to deserve any level of wealth above poverty. So I made a checkbook. In my checkbook I made deposits to myself and from this money, for every 'comfort' I bought myself I made a large donation to a group or organization I would like to support. That helped me to feel more deserving somehow. "Whatever it takes, fruitcake." says east coast.
Here you see 10 Hairy Eyeballs cut and ready to sew.










Here's the new model with kitty ears.












And here we have a very fluffy Hairy Bunny Eye.