Too impatient by far!

Since Monday I have been playing with the idea of buying one of Gabrielle Swain's DVD's and when I decided yesterday that I'd go for it I was non-plussed to find that the DVD I wanted wasn't available until September 30th. Wah! I like immediate. Like yesterday! So today I ordered the one on Hand Applique and am now going to wait very impatiently for it to arrive. Three to six weeks! How will I contain myself! And then on the 30th I will order the one I want on Tools! I have to tell you I'm not a hand applique person but the spiel on Gabrielle's website is such that I just knew that this disk would work wonders for me. I'll keep you posted when I've watched it! Gabrielle even says I can watch it in my jammies! Oh joy of joys I can be a slob! Grin! But I would say go and take a look. It's worth it for the read and if you arn't hooked then I will be amazed! Grin! I'm usually very wary as to what I buy in the way of books or DVD's as I don't want to be influenced in any way or find that subconsciously I am picking up on someone else's techniques so that my work takes on overtones of someone else's style. When I once went to a writers class one of the things the tutor said was not to read any books in the genre that one was using oneself so as not to influence the writing. Well I think this applies to art and design too. It is easy at a show to see which exhibitors attended the same workshop or copied the same ideas from a book or picture. With my own students I encourage them, no, force them, to be original and think for themselves. So what do you all think? Do you think too great a reliance on books and lessons from other artists can colour our own work? There is nothing new under the sun but there is individual style. Anyway I'd be really interested in what you think.

My first class of the new Autumn term is tomorrow. It is full and already I am getting phone calls from last years students who can't get registered asking me why I didn't enrol them. Excuse me? I didn't know you wanted to come. I'm not a mind reader. Two of the replies that hover on the tip of my tongue! But its nice to be so popular that I have a waiting list! Grin! I get a real buzz from teaching and look forward to the new term with great expectancy. The fact that I am totally behind is not important as I have my notes done and the first lesson prepared. I shall take it from there. And then there is a longer repeat class on Friday morning! Oh what joy! It will be good meeting up with some of last year's students again and getting to know the new students. Who knows I might get something finished this year for me!