Cure for artistic block

I have been really bogged down and blocked artistically off and on this holiday season, I have not been able to figure out exactly why, I am assuming it has something to do with having no time and no money...but that is just a guess.

For weeks I have wanted to take a little break but I really can't, not at this time of year, it is really hard to stay visible on Etsy so I need to list several times a day at least, so I have just kept trucking along and doing my thing.

Sometimes with great success and other times I feel like I am just going through the motions, there have been things that I made that were just so bad (to me) that I just could not let anyone see them, I would never list them on Etsy.

I know part of it is also that with money being tight I have not been able to splurge on cool books and magazines to cut up for new photos, I feel like I have looked through everything I have time and time again.

I have been pleasantly surprised sometimes though, images that I have had for years that I never used are starting to jump out at me, things are starting to tell me a new story.

Last night I was working on things and I had one of those moments, I used an image that I actually brought with me from New Hampshire years ago, I also tried really hard to branch out and use colors that I don't normally use.

Deep Greens and a creamy blue, I don't know...normally I am not drawn to those colors, even though I love them, they just don't seem me...that being the case I feel very boxed in with the colors I use...

I am really please with how this piece turned out, in every way it really makes me feel like there is a light at the end of the artistic block, because after I completed this, I stayed up way way late and made another collage that is so hot, I love it, and I did a new pendant.

I am so hoping I get another copy of The Fashion Book for Christmas, I love it so much I could get 10 of them and just be so happy.

The piece that I have listed is called "Ache For You" and it is available for sale in my Etsy Shop, there is still plenty of time to get some shopping done before the holidays and even more time to get a little present for yourself.