Monday, February 28, 2011

Slumbering Spring


Can you feel it?

That quiet quiver that's happening right now...

under the earth, and in each tree...

that wondrous life affirming energy,

gearing up to soon burst forth...

Yes! Beautiful, blessed Springtime is just around the corner!


I don't know about each of you, but there is no doubt that I am hugely effected by the seasons, and February comes close to doing me in each year!

But hooray, for today is the last of February, and tomorrow ushers in March, which also ushers in springtime... for which I am profoundly grateful! (Tomorrow is also my eldest daughters 22nd Birthday, another reason to celebrate!)


I can almost feel the ground move. Worms waking up, and grass blades preparing to turn a sweet green. Very exciting!!


Now, I had originally intended to sell this "Slumbering Spring" quilt in my shop, but as I was taking the photographs I noticed a very small hole where some threads had broken in the fabric. Ugh.

After staring at it for a bit, I thought maybe I could darn it. Not a brilliant idea, (I realized a bit too late) as now I still have a tiny hole, but it's much more noticeable. Double ugh.


Sigh. If only this was one of my patched quilts, the solution would have been a no-brainer, but I really didn't want this to be a patched quilt. I like it as is.

BUT... I think that maybe the hole is a good thing. While it's keeping me from offering it for sale, it is making me think of other options... such as creating a pattern to sell for this quilt.


This has been something that I've been entertaining the idea of for awhile, (but also avoiding). I think this quilt would be perfect for such a project. What do you think?

Friday, February 25, 2011

Moving On


Although these two mini scrap quilts, (which I just listed in my shop today) aren't proof positive,


as they are part of the small batch of quilts I stitched up several weeks ago, right before my creative dry spell hit, (so technically they don't count)...


I think I'm beginning to slowly move out of my creative funk and move on to brighter days.


Hoping to have some brand new work to share sometime next week. (That is if the house doesn't blow away... the wind here is blowing so hard I'm starting to feel like Dorothy in Kansas, and I swear I just saw a cow fly by.)

Have a great weekend everyone!

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Sweet Surrender

Many thanks for all the words of wisdom, comfort and understanding that you each offered to me in my last post!


From reading the comments, it seems that artistic road blocks and creative detours, (which can leave us feeling more lost then we feel comfortable with) are pretty common, and it helps to be reminded that not only are we not alone on our journey, it's actually an okey-dokey place to be.

If we just stay calm, and even take some time to be at peace with the odd cross-roads which we find ourselves standing in, we might even learn a thing or two.


Well, I'm still at those creative cross-roads, scratching my head over which way to go, but I'm making peace with the fact that this is where I am, and trusting that eventually I will feel like I am on the right path again. I guess the thing that I am trying to learn is patience, (which seems to be a lesson that I keep needing to learn over, and over again).


In the meantime I am going to be listing the pieces that I made a few weeks ago, (and actually liked!) and do my best to just begin enjoying where I am in the moment, even if it feels a bit directionless.


These two "Mini Scrap Quilts" can be found here and here.


(I have a few more that I will be listing in the next few days.)

And here's to all of you... where ever you you find yourself in your own creative journey, know that I am grateful for getting to walk this path with such generous, lovely and talented kindred spirits. xo

P.S. I'm reading the comments, and have to say, don't worry about me! I'm well and fine, and have my sense of humor fully intact! I tend to get philosophical about things, but believe me, I'm not being hard on myself, I'm just antsy, (as I get bored easily doing the same thing over and over) and impatient to figure out something new. (If patience is a virtue, it's a virtue that I lack!) This post was simply to say that I am learning not to rush things and to be more content being where I am, instead of where I think I should be.

Friday, February 11, 2011

I'm Falling Apart at the Seams



Yes, just like this local old barn, I feel like I am falling apart at the seams, and this is why...

My plan was, that by this point in February, after weeks of diligent and dutiful stitching, I would have loads of wonderful new work to share, (now, listen closely and you just may hear God laughing).

Things started off well enough, with a few small pieces that I liked, (and gave a little peek of in my last post). After those, I made several more pieces, but they just didn't have anything going for them. Then my machine went on the fritz, but I forged on, using the back-up machine I have for my daughter. (A great little machine, but it still feels like driving a foreign car... everything feels backwards and different then what I am use to.)

Once I had my machine back and in good repair, I got sick and didn't do much more then lay on the couch and sleep for 3 days, dreaming of all the terrific quilts I would soon be making. After those 3 days, I went right back to stitching. Each piece held promise in the beginning, in the middle, and right up to the end... where suddenly each work that had held so much promise, all of a sudden looked really, really sad. They went from looking like Cinderella at the ball, to Cinderella standing one foot bare, in the pouring rain, holding a half-rotting pumpkin.

So, I changed direction... allowed new ideas to flow. Ah, now I was on the right path... that is until the work and I took some unknown wrong turn, and I found myself right back in the middle of nowhere.

And that is where I currently am... nowhere further along in my journey then I was a few weeks ago... But, as the old saying goes, if at first, (and in this case second, third, fourth, fifth, etc.) you don't succeed, try, try again. And so I will. (Wish me luck!)