Today’s artwork is one of about a dozen charm holders I’ve been working on over the past week or so. I had to do five of them for a swap with my favorite arty girls. I set up 12, and have finished the five for the swap, and three more that were listed in my Etsy shop. I bagged up the parts of the rest, to finish later. I really like making these, with all their little pieces and parts. They’re also available as a kit at Ten Two Studios, with different images.
This week, winter seems to have finally abandoned North Central Texas. We’ve had highs in the 60s and 70s, and today, it’s supposed to get almost to 80. I spent part of yesterday morning cleaning up the front yard, and trimming back perennials that haven’t been trimmed in two years. I sort of missed last year’s spring clean-up, because a year ago, I was right in the middle of my medical disaster. Some of the stuff I have growing should really only be cut back before it starts its spring blooming. By the time I was cleared to bend and stretch and twist last year, it was far too late to do anything really useful. Needless to say, it’s a jungle out there.
One of the minuses of taking a year off of gardening is the aches and pains that come from not using all those muscles. Even though I took it slow yesterday, I’m one big ache today, in my upper arms, and the backs of my legs. I probably did more squatting and balancing in strange positions yesterday that I’ve done in quite a while, and my muscles are telling me about it today. I decided to skip today’s planned cleaning, and do alternate days for a week or so. There’s plenty to be done out there, and I’m sure my neighbors are relieved to see the garden looking a little tidier, after a long period of scruffiness.
Mostly, I think I just missed this non-art time. There’s something very calming about working in the garden. I felt so happy and peaceful yesterday. That’s always a good state of mind to bring to my work table—which is where I’ll be today, after running a few errands.