frustrations
Sleepless nights still - I was up from 2 to 5 last night. But I did get some reading done. Reading about dogs and proper training of puppies. I feel like we lost out on a lot of what should have been our early training time for Andy - got him too late and got him from the wrong people. He may always have difficulties. We have a long way to go. But there is hope - it's not totally hopeless - just have to do a lot of work with him. Just have to keep keeping on, that's what I keep telling myself. While Dave was away last week I thought I was doing okay with Andy alone but he picked up some bad habits too. He now goes into the kitchen when he isn't being watched and jumps up on the counter to steal things. Not just food - towels, papers, spoons - anything he can find and then comes where we are so we can see it. The wastepaper cans everywhere in the house have to be covered or put up too. He wants us to chase him. I usually don't - I try to get him to bring the things to me. But then I have to reward him for giving me the thing. Seems counter productive. He ends up getting rewards for stealing things cause he "gives" them. It is frustrating. But sometimes he won't give them up - then what? I don't want to lose anymore shoes or let him get away with stealing food. He likes to get our clothing and chew on it. Doesn't take long for him to bite through cloth. He has super teeth.
The other frustrating thing is this mosaic. It just is not right. Everything about the spruce trees is no good. The stream is no good. The color of the pear tree leaves is no good - needs to be darker and the flowers are no good - need to be darker too. But I can add some more glaze and hopefully save them. I redrew the spruce trees and only made one tree this time - so I will need to totally remake the elements for the new tree from scratch and this time use a darker, more bluish green glaze. I ditched the idea of having a stream running through the center of the scene - changed it to a path. The stream was just too confusing. But I need to make about 150 more path elements now. They are easy - just little ovals but still it will take time. Time, time, time. This commission has sucked up so much time. I could have made 10 jewelry pendants (that might have sold) in the time I have spent on this mosaic. And while I am doing this the etsy shop is dead. It really makes a big difference on etsy if you put new things on there. If you don't put new things on frequently it goes dead. I could keep on listing the older rings but I notice that they just don't sell that way. People want to pick a size for their ring and I don't have time to make new rings right now - or the desire to remake rings in different sizes over and over. Blaa.
I hate commissions.
Anyway...
I just had to vent.
Okay - use this writing session for good... One of my favorite sayings: Am I living in the problem or am I living in the solution?
Right now cause I feel frustrated I am living in the problem. What's the solution? Keep Andy on a close leash so he can't steal things. Put him in his crate when he isn't being watched closely. Keep him occupied with safe chew toys. I did read last night about stuffing a "kong" with softened food - it will keep a dog occupied for a long time with trying to get it out. I did that already this afternoon and see that it's true - he's been busy with it and he's not looking for things to get in trouble with right now.
The mosaic. I have to do what I have to do. If it means making EVERYthing over from scratch then that is what I must do. Hopefully it won't be that drastic - maybe I can save some of the things I made but it won't be over till it's over. And to get it over I need to do it.
The other frustrating thing is this mosaic. It just is not right. Everything about the spruce trees is no good. The stream is no good. The color of the pear tree leaves is no good - needs to be darker and the flowers are no good - need to be darker too. But I can add some more glaze and hopefully save them. I redrew the spruce trees and only made one tree this time - so I will need to totally remake the elements for the new tree from scratch and this time use a darker, more bluish green glaze. I ditched the idea of having a stream running through the center of the scene - changed it to a path. The stream was just too confusing. But I need to make about 150 more path elements now. They are easy - just little ovals but still it will take time. Time, time, time. This commission has sucked up so much time. I could have made 10 jewelry pendants (that might have sold) in the time I have spent on this mosaic. And while I am doing this the etsy shop is dead. It really makes a big difference on etsy if you put new things on there. If you don't put new things on frequently it goes dead. I could keep on listing the older rings but I notice that they just don't sell that way. People want to pick a size for their ring and I don't have time to make new rings right now - or the desire to remake rings in different sizes over and over. Blaa.
I hate commissions.
Anyway...
I just had to vent.
Okay - use this writing session for good... One of my favorite sayings: Am I living in the problem or am I living in the solution?
Right now cause I feel frustrated I am living in the problem. What's the solution? Keep Andy on a close leash so he can't steal things. Put him in his crate when he isn't being watched closely. Keep him occupied with safe chew toys. I did read last night about stuffing a "kong" with softened food - it will keep a dog occupied for a long time with trying to get it out. I did that already this afternoon and see that it's true - he's been busy with it and he's not looking for things to get in trouble with right now.
The mosaic. I have to do what I have to do. If it means making EVERYthing over from scratch then that is what I must do. Hopefully it won't be that drastic - maybe I can save some of the things I made but it won't be over till it's over. And to get it over I need to do it.