Thursday, March 20, 2008

Journeying on with Dear Jane


I got my Dear Jane tote out today and finished a side triangle. This one was really tricky - I used a combination of hand piecing, paper piecing, machine piecing, and applique! I'm really glad I decided to do the side triangles as I do the blocks, it's a nice change of pace. I tried to organize all the stuff in my tote, but I don't know as I was very successful. I don't do organized very well!
Ideally I would like to use a different fabric for each block, but I have already duplicated a couple of fabrics. I go through my fabrics and think that I already used them, but when I check, I find that I haven't. I suppose if I was working at it more regularly I would remember better!
Tomorrow's adventure in sewing will be making a boat cover out of tyvek! It sounds like the guy I'm doing this for has a few more lined up for me also - we'll see how it goes. If it's an ordeal I won't do any more, but if it goes well I could be busy over the summer, there are lots of boats here on the coast!

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Resiliency

I started my reading for week 9 and really was impacted by the exploration of worry. Worry is one of my very bad habits - and I think she really does a good job of separating worry from fear. Fear has a base in reality. Worry is "what if". And I can get going on those "what if"s until I am totally consumed in an imaginary problem. I also thought the analogy of a racehorse was interesting, especially at this time in my life when we are getting McLaren ready to begin a hopefully successful racing career. I really was struck by the difference between myself and my husband in this regard - he is the dreamer, he has all the positive avenues figured out and that is where his imagination dwells. I am the worrier, I go down all the negative avenues! I'm hoping as I go through this chapter that I will be less inclined to worry about things, and more inclined down the positive path!


Here is a great positive: I finished up the pattern for my Rosie project last night. I had to force myself to do it and to finish it up, but it's done! I am excited to finish the basket pattern now, and maybe go on to some other ideas. It seems like I have so many, but it's hard to coral them and keep them in order and accessible when I need them. Really need to write them down in an organized manner so I can come back to them later.

Well, it's off to the quilt shop to work today. Hopefully it will be a good day and Sharan will like my new pattern. Tonight it's back to the baby quilt for Mrs. K.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

WITW - Week 8 - A sense of Discernment

There is no doubt in my mind that the reason I stumbled on this chapter is that there is not a whole lot in it that really applies to me. Even though I do enjoy making my quilts to sell and to compete, neither the money or the "fame" is a block to me. I still make what I love, I make things for my friends and family all the time. I thoroughly enjoy my quilting, and was pretty baffled by this whole chapter. Am I missing the point of it all? No sabateurs in my life, I have a lot of encouraging friends and my daughters are my biggest fan. My husband is pretty neutral most of the time, but I know he is proud of my work, and he doesn't discourage my making pretty things for fun or for profit.



Morning pages, doing those as well as ever. Really enjoy having the time to do some writing every day, it's always been an interest of mine and I relish the excuse for the scribbling!



Walking is another story. And it is pouring down this morning. Even the dog preferred crossing her legs and waiting to going out today! Hopefully will catch a half hour with clear skies today to take advantage of, but maybe I'll just bundle up and go out anyway. I really enjoyed the rainy walk I took for the first chapter with the sound of rushing water everywhere!



Artist Date: Still hard to work in to my week, and to think of something interesting and fun to do is not easy either. Not a lot of options here, and you wear them out quickly. I'll have to think outside of the box to come up with some stimulating and entertaining things to nourish myself with.



I am finishing up some languishing projects and made some progress on my sewing room yesterday. It's really nice to see some clear surfaces emerging. Still thinking of a way to arrange the room to be able to have both sewing machines and possibly the serger available without having to shuffle things around. I am thinking that some kind of a built in desk across one side of the room may be a solution. I only need a big area for the Juki, though as I use my serger more I may appreciate more space for that also.



Worked on this mixer cover last night, and I really like how it came out! My first new item on Etsy for quite a while, I hope to be adding new things more regularly now. Love this fabric, and it would look great with my orange counter tops wouldn't it? This project was inspired by my neighbor lady who wants me to make a toaster and mixer cover for her. But she wasn't very helpful with fabric selections. I will just have to pull something out and see if she likes it I suppose.

Monday, March 17, 2008

On Being A Grandma - So Wonderful!


Yep, I am a grandmother! My grandson, Asher Avery was born on March 11. He weighed a whopping 8 lbs, 14.4 oz. He is adorable. I can't stop thinking about him! I can't believe how hard it was to leave to come home, knowing that I won't see him for weeks. I can't get over this new love in my life - it's really something you can't prepare yourself for, and can't explain - but it's wonderful!


Unfortunately my petite daughter needed to have a c-section in order to bring this wonder into the world and it hasn't been easy for either of them, but they are doing their thing and doing it quite well! She and Mark are going to be wonderful parents, and it is going to be so much fun for me to be able to spoil their little darling. I've been a little blocked about making a quilt for him, but the ideas are coming fast and furious now, and I'm sure that he will have a very special quilt in no time at all. I want to make something special to be cherished, and lots of fun somethings to drag around and enjoy (and destroy!).


WITW - Week 7 - Discovering a Sense of Momentum


Well, with all this giving birth stuff going on, I have lost my momentum, but I hope to regain it by catching up with my check-ins and moving forward! Lots and lots of underlining in this chapter! I started cleaning up my sewing room, but never got that finished. Have been thinking on getting out some of the UFOs to work on, but everything has been so crazy that I haven't been able to deal with it. Little by little I have been finishing the urgent projects, but then I find myself at loose ends and not doing anything but playing solitaire, or watching bad tv. I do have so much I want to do, but I'm just having a hard time getting going on any of these projects, so I am going back to cleaning up my sewing room, and getting the clutter under control.


The geography task was horrible for me. I have come to the realization that I do not allow myself to dream or think of these kinds of things. I feel like I always have to be so focused on what is going on around me right here and right now, that I don't think about anything else. I really have a hard time allowing myself to have any pleasure in experiencing something different because there are so many things that I am responsable for and if I can't take care of those, then I don't deserve to do anything else. My live is so focused on taking care of my family that I am not taking care of myself, but I feel guilty and selfish if I do anything just for me. It's a hard thing to figure out how to nourish myself without throwing everyone else into chaos.


The task on learning to navigate the learning curve was interesting. I can do a lot of things, and I have confidence in doing them. If I don't think I can do it, I don't do it - period! But I did clip the dog's nails. And it wasn't all that bad, she was really good, and didn't even hold it against me that I did clip one down too far. And it wasn't the end of the world! I suppose I need to challenge myself to learn to do some new things even if I don't think I can!


I've been doing the morning pages most of the time. Don't seem to be able to do them away from home, but if I'm at home I don't have any trouble getting them done, even with my husband at home for the last two weeks! Walking hasn't gone well, and neither have Artist Dates, but I'm going to work on those two things. Now, I am going to go do some filing in the sewing room - I think I'll feel better when I get things in order!



Monday, March 03, 2008

Featured on Webshots Today!!

My Hawaiian Star is the member featured quilt album today! And in celebration of my second year on Etsy I am offering 10% off any purchase today only - so if you've been thinking about buying anything, today would be the day to do it!

I was excited that my photography was good enough to be chosen - quilts are really a challenge to get a good picture of. Enjoy my albums, and please leave a comment so I know you were there!