To Change or Not To Change

Someone asked me a question yesterday about my email address.

For years, even back when we were on aol, in the dark ages, my main email address has been artistdf.  It wasn't the first thing that came into my mind when I created my first address.  The first thing was dfartist but for obvious reasons I abandoned that!  Even though we have changed providers a few times, I still use artistdf as my main address (of course the @ part has changed) and people in groups and places often recognize the name.

Recently I have been thinking about getting rid of this address because of the amount of junk that comes through it.  After so many years, signing up for so much stuff online with the same (or close) address, I probably get at least 100 spam/unwanted emails per day.  Even using cleaners.  I am kind of tired of it.  Especially since I have more than one email address to check each day, counting work and church.  But I still hesitate to change it.  I have always liked it.

Back to the question.  When I gave the person my email address, she said, "Oh, so you paint oil paintings?"  And I told her that I have done so in the past but I am not very active with painting currently.  She then asked me if I was a sculptor.  I said that I had done some of that at different times on a small scale but not currently working on anything sculptural.  She then asked me, "What kind of artist are you, then?" with a puzzled look on her face.  I started naming off all the things I create or have created in the past, the different media used, etc.  She stopped me in mid reply and said I probably should be calling myself "Crafter" and not "Artist".  Now this has been a huge discussion topic for a long time in the artsy/craftsy world, I have heard all the sides and arguments.  I didn't want a rehash.

Many people imply that a crafter is below the level of an artist.  So I pointed out that most definitions of crafter include an allusion to artistry.  Therefore a crafter is one with great skill in the manual arts, or has an occupation or trade (or hobby) requiring manual dexterity and artistic skill.  A crafter is not by definition less talented or creative than an artist but has to have a high artistic ability to be considered a craftsman.

So either way I look at it, I still think of myself as an artist, regardless of anyone else's consideration. I don't think she got it, but I did the best I could for her.

Now I still have to decide whether to keep the address because of the mail load.  Didn't really help me in that regard but there you go.  At least I blogged today!

Missmash

I am determined to keep up on my blog posts because several readers have scolded me for not blogging enough!

My baby grand girl, Olivia, recently passed her 6th birthday and starts first grade in two days.  I find that unbelievable.  Totally.  I feel like she is going away to college or something.  She will only be about a mile from home, in a private school.  Still, it just feels strange.

I have a busy week going on with sewing and other activities for friends.  A wedding dress to alter is the priority right now and my girls and I (Grammy, Mommy, and BabyGirl) went fabric store shopping yesterday trying to match some bridal fabric with NO success.  So, on to plan 2, fortunately the bride is agreeable to the change.  The wedding is in three weeks so got to get it finished!  I feel like I haven't sewn in so long on anything other than emergency repairs or the like.  I miss sewing, I find it very satisfying to take a flat piece of fabric and make it into something very useful.

I have so many things in my mind today that it is all a mishmash of information.  I want to finish my bathroom redo, finish making a slip cover for a couch, move the pictures and things around in my kitchen and livingroom, work on jewelry, bead, make some clothes for myself, etc., plus all the necessary stuff like laundry, cleaning, destashing, etc.  Plus items at work.  My mind is often on overload.

I happened to look at the Verse of the Day on my Bible Gateway app.  It is:

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.  Ephesians 2:10 ESV

That just sort of calmed my mind down.  I know all the stuff is still there to do and the desire to do it is still there but the verse reminded me of what most of it really is, just stuff.  Sometimes I have to be reminded to get my priorities straight!

That is all for now.  Thanks for stopping by!

Olivia

Digging for Pain

I am absolutely astonished to see that it has been over a year since my last blog!  Time is passing more quickly than ever.  Baby granddaughter is now 6 years old and starting school, her grandfather has retired and is into a new career of driving a touring coach.  Maggie dog stays home and I still work part time.  I also have developed arthritic knees and that is what made me want to blog this morning.

It is early morning, about 5:30 a.m., and just got hubby on his way to Memphis for an overnight trip with a lovely group of people going to Graceland.  I am sitting in a soft chair, it is quiet, and I was wondering whether to make a cup of coffee or go back to bed for an hour when it dawned on me that I was feeling no pain.  Anywhere.  As I thought about it, not daring to move for fear something would kick in and the moment would be gone, I started going over all the pain points I usually feel, wondering if it could be true that there was NO PAIN.  You know, neck, back, arms, wrists, ankles, feet, knees, hips, etc.  Finally, I realized there was a slight twinge in my neck, if I moved it just right.  Darn.  There went that moment.  I knew it wouldn't last very long.

Then I realized what I had done.

I missed an excellent moment to praise God for no pain.  Instead, I dug around until I found some pain to concentrate on.

While thinking about this, I began to correlate it to things in regular everyday life.  We go along, busy, concentrating on the things we have to do everyday of our lives.  We forget the things that God gives us, such as having a job, our families being basically healthy, having transportation, a place to live, food on the table.  Those types of things.  Instead, we dig around and find the "pain" in each situation to concentrate on.  That irritating person at work, that temporary but awful head cold going around, car needs a new battery, sink is stopped up, hamburger instead of steak, etc.

What a negative life I sometimes lead!  Where is my joy, my rejoicing?  Lord, help me to stop digging around and instead be joyful for the wonderful life you have given me!

The sun is rising, it is a little foggy this morning.  I think I will have a cup of coffee and just relax and enjoy the quiet before getting ready to leave for work.  Going to be a busy week!