I'm not a perfectionist but I have a tendency to want to point out all the mistakes instead of gracefully accepting a compliment. I haven't been as faithful on the morning pages this week, but did pretty good last week. My problem is life or work gets in the way and if I only have time to check in on TQS or do morning pages guess which one is going to win. And my artist date this week is the quilt show in Nashville but on for the day.

Me, too, Judy! My first quilt mentor absolutely cringed when she heard me say that "finished is better than perfect!" LOL!!!

I do try to do my best, and sometimes I'll re-do something, but I want to enjoy the process, not worry it to death!

I've given up on my morning pages, but worked through (?) the exercises and most of the tasks for this week. My "artist's date" this week will be the AQS Quilt Expo in Nashville. DH and I will go for 2 nights at the Opryland Hotel to also celebrate our anniversary. Good timing, huh?

I am still trucking along......I have learned, ha ha, (I already knew) I am NOT a perfectionist.

Hi Everyone, What's happening here? Has everyone dropped out? I've been checking the site every day and nothing is posted, so today I decided I should post something. My check in: I have done my morning pages, which I now call my daily pages since they don't always get done in the morning, only a few days this week. I guess I have been slacking off, too. I can use the excuse, "I cain't, I'm busy!" like on one of the TQS t-shirts, but the truth is even though I have been busy, I was reading rather than writing. I have a new resolve now for this coming week. I hope eveyone else gets back on track and continues to share. It really helps to keep me motivated. Have a good week! Mary Anne

I feel like I just got back from a week long artist date! I got to quilt for 3 days with friends, then our husbands joined us for the weekend, and then I got to spend 2 days with my husband relaxing in the sun on the rocks of the north shore of Lake Superior.(my most favorite place) Was heavenly! I feel relaxed, recharged and ready to go!!
I am also on chapter 7-- the perfectionism really struck a chord!!

I've recently begun to think I might be an artist. Maybe. Why do you suppose we have such a hard time defining ourselves as such? We create original works, some of mine are anyway. Maybe the keyword is "create". We all do that.
Sherry in S MS

I don't think of myself as an artist either. I proudly call myself a quilter. Through the journey of the Artist Way I hope to release some of my own creativity into my quilting and to appreciate the joy of sharing art and learning to children.

I"M A QUILTMAKER! And IT's A NEW DAY! EVERYDAY!

I'm afraid when I say I'm an artist, people reply, what do you paint? And I have to say, my house.

I, too, am proud to be A QUILTER, but when you say you are "a quilter" to john or jane doe, they inevetiably start telling you about their grandma's quilts! I've started saying that I'm A QUILTMAKER and that I do most of my work with a wonderful sewing machine. At least that lets them know I'm not sewing my husband's worn out clothes together by lamplight on a frame hanging from the ceiling!! LOL!!! IT'S A NEW DAY!!!
If you've never heard Ricky tell the story about sitting on an airplane trying to explain to a fellow passenger what he does for a living, you need to! It's a riot!!

I haven't started Chap 7 yet, still trying to wrap up Chap 6. I am doing better on my morning pages but I am doing them more as a journal and I do vent a little but it is more what I accomplished the day before and what I want to accomplish. I added a section for weekly goals, monthly goals, long term goals or just things I might like to do one day.

I don't think of myself as an artist either but I'm okay with that. I do tell people I am a quilter and at this point in my life I am happy to be known as a quilter. The sky is the limit, maybe one day I can be a master quilter. The word artist covers so many activities but being a quilter is where I want to focus my creativity so I am proud to not 'just' a Quilter but A Quilter.

I am happy even if I don't end up feeling like an artist. I just want to be more creative in my quilting and piecing. Elizabeth

It's Monday evening (the Olympics are on TV!) and I've just read Chapter 7 and done the exercises and listed the tasks. Is anyone else working on Chapter 7? It surely has been quiet on this thread lately! Anyway, I am most impressed with the insight about perfectionism! I've always said that "I don't do PERFECT", so I guess I've got that part figured out. The exercises make me realize again how blessed I am. I just wish that I could figure out why I still don't feel like an artist.

I too am enjoying this journey with you.
Last night I had an unexpected artist date. I watched the opening ceremonies of the Olympics and I was very inspired and delighted with the presentation.
I like the way they use symbolism and poetry in pictures. I haven't ever even given a quilt a name. SO, I am going to begin using symbolism and poetry and scripture to describe my quilts!
It is a fun journey indeed, Elizabeth

Eileen have a wonderfully artistic vacation. Fill us in on all the details. I love hearing about others adventures.