four things | fifty-one – Miss Mustard Seed

It’s our final few days before it gets dark ridiculously early.  I’m already feeling the darkness creeping in as I’m sitting at my easel in the afternoon.  I love winter and all that comes with it—soup, Christmas, hoodies and wool socks, football games, and snow—but I wish it came with more sunlight.  I know you can’t have one without the other, though, so I’ve pulled some extra lighting into my studio so I can continue to work a full day despite the lack of light.  

Here are my four things for the week: Austen, Austen, an introduction, and repetitive seasons.  

what I’m reading

While in England, I had the chance to visit Jane Austen’s home in Chawton, which left me with a craving to read her books.  (I will share more about that visit in a post next week.)  I read Sense & Sensibility ages ago, but I have to confess it was a halfhearted attempt.  I didn’t really get engrossed in it, and I often fell into my habit of skimming when I got bored.  I have become a more curious and invested reader in the years since, and I have a new appreciation for the story, the characters, and her writing as I read it now.  If you haven’t read any of her books, I would encourage you to do so.  She is so dry, humorous, and wicked in her descriptions of people and situations, and it’s a delight to read.  She really was a master of her craft.  

what I’m watching

This Austen kick has also influenced what I’m watching.  Since I’m almost done with the book (I’ll probably finish it later today), I decided to watch Sense & Sensibility, the 2008 BBC miniseries version.  I love the 1995 movie, and I’ll probably watch that, too.  I appreciate both for their interpretation of the book, and especially enjoy watching how Maryanne is portrayed.  As someone who grew up in the theatre and was overly dramatic in almost every aspect of life, I can relate to her open and eager heart as well as some of the follies that result.  I love watching her grow and change as the story unfolds.  

what I’m loving

I must take this opportunity to share a young friend of mine with an entrepreneurial spirit.  I’ve known Ella since she was in preschool, and she has started a business selling her handmade knit hats to earn money for college.  She came to me a few weeks ago with a business plan and ideas for launching this new venture.  I took some photos for her website, and we discussed her ideas, plans, and hopes for her idea.  

So many established, savvy business owners took me under their wing as I meandered through the process of starting and running a business, and it’s an honor to pay that kindness forward.  Ella made a hat for me, and I can attest that it is comfortable and well-made.  It’s easy to throw on for a morning walk as the weather cools or for an outdoor event.  They would also make nice gifts!  

If you’re interested, you can check out her online shop and place an order HERE.  She currently offers three colors in the collection and has plans to expand.  If you are a shop owner in the mid-Atlantic area and would like to support a young creative entrepreneur and carry her hats, send me an e-mail, and I’ll get you in touch with Ella.  (marian@missmustardseed.com)

what I’m working on

While my creative work can sometimes vary widely from day to day, there are seasons when my daily planner could just be copied from the previous day.  I’m in that kind of season.  Most days, the first two “big three” tasks on my planner are 1) blog post and 2) paint.  The third one changes but is usually related to mundane business tasks like checking email, paying bills, and reviewing accounts, or to studio work that comes with selling original art.  I’ll have to prep panels, inventory, and order more paints, varnish finished paintings, pack and ship orders, and sometimes just tidy my work areas.  I was feeling a bit in a rut yesterday, but as I sat down at my easel to paint, I reminded myself that I am painting and writing for a living.  And I love it.  

Outside of work, I’ve been spending some evenings in the garden, trimming back spent hydrangea blooms, clearing out leaves, and removing clematis from the fence and trellises.  I’l share more about that in another post.  

Here is one of the pieces I finished this week.  There have been a lot of dog paintings lately!