Solstice Collection Update

My editing table with texture printouts cut up and scribbled with editing notes.

I've had to change the release date of the Solstice texture collection. 

When I announced that it would be ready for July 2nd, it seemed like a realistic deadline. I had my textures made and I was doing my edits. Sunday evening 2 AM rolled around and I was still editing. Monday morning I felt exhausted and stressed. I worked half the day on edits and then —badly needing to re-charge my batteries— spent half a day in bed watching escapist TV. I felt stressed. How could I have missed my deadline? Why wasn't I finished yet?

I'm purposefully sharing my stressful moment because it's part of the creative process. At least for me, when I hit that wall where I'm feeling stressed and something's not working, it means it's time to step back and evaluate. After re-charging my batteries a little last night, when I came back into the studio this morning, I had some perspective.

Two things became apparent to me. 

1. I have too many textures for one collection. I was trying to edit down at least a hundred textures. Final edits - not counting the several hundred that didn't make the cut!
   
2. There were several different themes. I had very graphic looking little "spots". I have oil and acrylic canvas paintings. I have exuberant little pastels, and I have great collection of "art parts" and backgrounds.
   

Conclusion: I've realized that really I have several texture collections here, not one! I had first thought that these would all be part of one collection, but I have so many great textures in each category that I'm having a hard time editing down for one collection.

I could  have slammed together final textures into a collection and it would have been a very good collection, but it didn't feel right. I'd rather miss my deadline by a few days and give you a fabulous collection(s!).

Prognosis

Now that I've figured out what's happening, I've adjusted my targets.

• I am dividing up the Solstice collection into 2 collections. One will be canvas paintings and the other pastels and watercolors.
• I'm very close to finishing the canvas paintings and the other won't be far behind. It will be within the next couple of weeks.
  
• I'll let you know via Facebook and the newsletter when the new collections are released.
  
• I'll go ahead and offer those collections on sale when they are released.
• I'm putting together a little freebie pack to keep you entertained until I finish up the collections. See the next post.

Now that I've dialed down the stress, I'm back to feeling inspired—which is essential for completing the collections.