Wednesday, March 17, 2010

What's With All the Green?

Oh, that's right it's St Patrick's Day! I woke up this morning and told my husband we were having corned beef and cabbage for dinner. "Why?" he said. "Because it's St. Patty's Day!" I said. "I'm German" he said. OK....so that's how my day is going to go????? I told him my maiden name is GILROY and he's getting corned beef and cabbage..now go drive your 2 hour commute to work and think about your foolishness. He shakes his head (he does that alot with me) and walks out the door. I think I saw a smile on his face ;-)


Not sure the significance of the pig on this kids back, but it looked cute. We Irish are a strange lot ;-)

So aside from it being St. Patty's Day, I wanted to talk about something. As an artist (if I used that term any loosely it would fall off) I sit up in my little home studio and play with fabric, paint and wool. I send my creations out into this big world via my Etsy shop and hope someone is intrigued enough to come in and check me out. In case you haven't noticed you'll find MILLIONS of fabulous and some not so fabulous shops here on the web. It is a constant challenge to get noticed....even in life, all anyone really wants is to be noticed...validated and appreciated. Whether you are an artist, an employee, a friend, a spouse or a parent...we just need someone to say "I see what you do and who you are and I appreciate you". I am always amazed at the good that comes from acknowledging people for the life's work they do, no matter what it is. I have found that people will go above and beyond if given just a simple Please and Thank You.
I am lucky enough this week to be a part of a wonderful blog Giveaway over at the Nester's blog. If you have not checked out The Nesting Place, you should. She has so many great post every week.  Because of her huge following, she has the clout to put on an incredible once a year Giveaway Bash. As you know from my last post, one of my couture aprons (especially made for her) is being given away. I sat last night and read through some of the over 400 comments about my work and my Etsy shop. I have to admit I got a little weepy eyed. I'm not telling you this to boast, but to use my experience as an example of how positive reinforcement works wonders. I was called an 'artist' and 'talented' so many times I lost count....ok not really, it was 322 times. But really?......really???????? Dare I even think in those terms...if only 1 of those comments are the truth I'd be over the moon happy. Maybe I'm really getting to that place....you know the place. It's that place in your life that when you stand before your maker and he asks you what you did with your time on earth, you can honestly say "I was a daughter, a wife, a mother, a friend and an ARTIST". Wow...wouldn't that be something! I'll leave you with a little Brigadoon music for your Irish listening pleasure!
Until next time... be kind and stay creative (and appreciative)

9 comments:

Annie said...

Happy St Patrick's Day. :-)
A x

Aprons and More said...

Top O' the Mornin' to ya!! Just fixin' to make my traditional green grits! Being from Savannah, GA this is a MAJOR holiday...schools and businesses are closed. So celebrate the day with my wish for you ~
May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
May the rains fall soft upon your fields,
And, until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.

Blessings this St Patrick's Day!
Katy :)

Love the apron and the blog giveaway! Hope I have the luck of the Irish and win! ;)

Kelly Ann said...

Madame Mayor Artist it is then...

Jami said...

Janet, in your humility you find strength and affirmation. You are an ARTIST, girlie! There's no getting around it. I know how you feel and being a humble artist is why we all like you so much, but accept it but don't move on...stick around and show us more! Happy St. Patty's Day to ya! Enjoy the corned beef and cabbage. It's not allowed at our dinner table but we'll have a nice homegrown lamb stew tonight and feel as lucky as the Irish.

Jami

Annette said...

Your ARE an artist and you are an inspiration! Happy St. Patricks Day!!!

My Life Under the Bus said...

The piggie is a Good Luck symbol a sign of a good harvest and plenty to eat. You can find alot of old Good Luck charms in sterling of little piggies !
We all want the same thing a moment , a piece of infamy, a ray of sunshine to call our own.It's the human condition to want to do something we love ,offer it up and recieve just a little something back from it....just a tiny bit...Me Too !!!

SmitoniusAndSonata said...

Happy Paddy's day!

w said...

i'm totally going to enter that giveaway.

also. that picture. well. that's a corned beef. but wait, you say. it's a pig. no no. i'm talking about the kid.

help. me.

Ann said...

Maybe the little pig is telling you that you should be having bacon and cabbage for dinner instead of corned beef. Hope you had a wonderful St. Patrick's Day.