I have to admit there are times I just get stuck and can't get something finished. The lack of completion frustrates me! It doesn't matter if it is a household project or task, a creative piece I'm working on, a garden bed or a quilt, but the latter has helped me to see that I need to take things in steps and baby steps are ok.
I love making quilts, but I often find them unfinished in pieces in various storage areas around my house. When I stop and think it through. I find I accomplish much more when I don't set my thoughts on, I'm going to make a quilt today, but rather I'm going to make a quilt block today or design a layout today or cut or wash fabric today.
When I break things out into steps, any task becomes much more manageable and doable. The goal becomes attainable rather than frustrating. I can see the progress and that makes me happy. Let me illustrate with a series of steps to making a quilt. Others may not do things in this order, but its what I like to do.
I'd like to make a baby quilt.
1. Look through my fabric stash and select pieces that will work with the idea roaming around in my brain.
2. Determine the size and shape of the quilt I intend to make this time. Sometimes I plan them to be a baby gift that might be more useful as a toddler bedspread because perhaps I know someone else is making something smaller. Sometimes they are square and sometimes rectangle. I haven't made a circular one yet, but someday that's likely to happen because I like circles.
3. Take a trip to the fabric store. Get inspired by what I find that matches what I already have.
4. Design the layout on paper. Determine if there will be embroidery.
5. Calculate the yardage and prepare cutting diagram. Allow a little extra for errors or design changes...be flexible. :-)
6. Purchase fabric.
7. Wash fabric.
8. Press fabric.
9. Cut fabric.
10. Embroider as needed.
11. Begin the process of making patterned blocks. One at time or with repetition of steps to facilitate faster piecing. It depends on the project.
12. Attach the blocks together.
13. Attach any borders.
14. Add batting and backing.
15. Pin layers together.
16. Design or decide on the quilting pattern.
17. Do the quilting.
18. Select and attach binding. (I hate this step. This is often why quilts don't get done at my house. I'm working on a solution to my dislike for attaching binding.)
19. Take pictures of quilt.
20. Wrap it up and send it off. :-)
...that made me tired just going through the steps!
So, as I've been thinking about things these last few weeks, whether it be budget, cleaning - I'm purging a lot from my house, or trying to relax with one of my hobbies, I have decided to look at things from a quilting perspective. Do I want to focus on the quilt or just a block today? On any given day, breaking things down to a single block is much more attainable and leaves me knowing that I met my goal and knowing what the next step will be for tomorrow or the day after.
...a funny thing about this blog is that I realized it was a quilt block rather than a quilt. I hadn't posted here in about 3 months. I've had one entry I've been working on that I just couldn't finesse. It left me frustrated. I'd come back to it and try again and get stuck again. I realized that I can just let it rest in the storage space and go on to the next block or blocks for now. It'll still be there later. Maybe it'll sit and wait for a new design, but in the mean time, I can make other blocks...that sets me free.
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Monday, August 4, 2014
Seeing Life Through Pup's Eyes
Have you ever watched a puppy play? The pup's eyes are alert. The ears often have an adorable bounce to them, but the most amazing part of seeing a pup or a child play is that everything is new and exciting, no matter how small.
Today, I watched Pup outside. She loves to be outside!!! She was lying in the shade peacefully until a little bug flew past her. I have no idea what type of bug it was, but Pup was absolutely taken with it. She followed it for several minutes as it flew in circles low to the ground. Her little ears were bouncing as she bobbed her head following its flight path down the driveway near the fence.
Watching Pup reminded me there is much joy in the seemingly little things in life.
I hope you have a joy filled day! :-)
Today, I watched Pup outside. She loves to be outside!!! She was lying in the shade peacefully until a little bug flew past her. I have no idea what type of bug it was, but Pup was absolutely taken with it. She followed it for several minutes as it flew in circles low to the ground. Her little ears were bouncing as she bobbed her head following its flight path down the driveway near the fence.
Watching Pup reminded me there is much joy in the seemingly little things in life.
I hope you have a joy filled day! :-)
A Recipe is Just a Guideline.
There are people who are very black and white about everything. There are people who tend to see things more in gray. I am one of those people. As my children were growing up, they heard me say, many a time, "A recipe is just a guideline. We can substitute or add... if we'd like." This particular saying lead to what we called, "The Red is Equal Theorem." Now, mind you, this is an over exaggeration of my substitutions, but basically it meant that anything red could be substituted for anything else red. For instance, ketchup could be substituted for pasta sauce or a little red paint...I did say this is an exaggeration. :-)
It never seemed like a big deal to me at the time, but looking back now, I realize this one simple thing was really a teacher of a fairly big principle. It taught flexibility.
Why is flexibility important? Well, for us physically, it can keep the joints healthy, but that really is a different topic. In life, flexibility can open our eyes to other points of view. It can be the thing that keeps us from always having to get our own way. It helps us to compromise and negotiate. It can help us to see that often it is more important why someone does something than what the person did. (Wrong things can be done for right reasons. People may hurt us, but that was not their intention.)
For me, especially lately, it has been the thing that has allowed me to roll with the punches life has thrown at me as my life continues to change and evolve into...whatever tomorrow will bring. Yes, I am prioritizing, but I am open to God's plan. I want to be in His will for my life. I will prayerfully focus on my priorities and follow my plans, but I know that things may change in the blink of an eye. There may be times when I get a little too stuck on me and my way, but ultimately I will do my best to honor God by following him and the path He has for me. This is why being flexible is an important part of my life and why I'm glad I taught my children that a recipe is just a guideline!
It never seemed like a big deal to me at the time, but looking back now, I realize this one simple thing was really a teacher of a fairly big principle. It taught flexibility.
Why is flexibility important? Well, for us physically, it can keep the joints healthy, but that really is a different topic. In life, flexibility can open our eyes to other points of view. It can be the thing that keeps us from always having to get our own way. It helps us to compromise and negotiate. It can help us to see that often it is more important why someone does something than what the person did. (Wrong things can be done for right reasons. People may hurt us, but that was not their intention.)
For me, especially lately, it has been the thing that has allowed me to roll with the punches life has thrown at me as my life continues to change and evolve into...whatever tomorrow will bring. Yes, I am prioritizing, but I am open to God's plan. I want to be in His will for my life. I will prayerfully focus on my priorities and follow my plans, but I know that things may change in the blink of an eye. There may be times when I get a little too stuck on me and my way, but ultimately I will do my best to honor God by following him and the path He has for me. This is why being flexible is an important part of my life and why I'm glad I taught my children that a recipe is just a guideline!
Sunday, August 3, 2014
Starting Points
Have you ever had to look at the reality of a situation and really accept it? ...own it. ...take full responsibility for it? It can be hard, really hard. I've spent the last 2 weeks looking at my finances and analyzing my situation. It has forced me to:
1. Take ownership for where I am today.
2. Admit that I've made mistakes. (...a whole lot of little ones plus a few doozies add up to present day reality, YIKES!)
3. Formulate an action plan. (This could be called a budget.)
4. Look for means to reduce expenses and preferably do it without sacrificing quality of life or services. (This may mean change and change is ok.)
5. Look for means to increase income.
6. Follow the action plan. In my case I am using software called YNAB to assist. Here is a link: http://ynab.refr.cc/FWSB6PV
This process has been good for me. When one is forced to be fully responsible, can anything other than growth occur? I'm now prioritizing and looking at both short and long term goals. Yes, it started simply a numbers thing, but it really got me started asking myself questions about where I want to be in a year, 5, 10 and so on.
In my future, am I planning to live day to day? Will I be able to live or vacation near the beach in the dead of winter? What about helping people? Has my lack of financial responsibility kept me from helping people? Can I change this course? I want the freedom to plan and make these decisions. I want the freedom to be my own boss and to work with the people I love in an industry or industries I love. What steps do I need to take today, tomorrow and every day after to make this happen? This is what looking at the numbers has done for me.
Isn't it funny how when one's awareness in one area of life is heightened, it awakens the senses in others too? What else do I want to evaluate... How do I spend my time each day? Diet and exercise? My words, do they build up or tear down? What's on your list?
1. Take ownership for where I am today.
2. Admit that I've made mistakes. (...a whole lot of little ones plus a few doozies add up to present day reality, YIKES!)
3. Formulate an action plan. (This could be called a budget.)
4. Look for means to reduce expenses and preferably do it without sacrificing quality of life or services. (This may mean change and change is ok.)
5. Look for means to increase income.
6. Follow the action plan. In my case I am using software called YNAB to assist. Here is a link: http://ynab.refr.cc/FWSB6PV
This process has been good for me. When one is forced to be fully responsible, can anything other than growth occur? I'm now prioritizing and looking at both short and long term goals. Yes, it started simply a numbers thing, but it really got me started asking myself questions about where I want to be in a year, 5, 10 and so on.
In my future, am I planning to live day to day? Will I be able to live or vacation near the beach in the dead of winter? What about helping people? Has my lack of financial responsibility kept me from helping people? Can I change this course? I want the freedom to plan and make these decisions. I want the freedom to be my own boss and to work with the people I love in an industry or industries I love. What steps do I need to take today, tomorrow and every day after to make this happen? This is what looking at the numbers has done for me.
Isn't it funny how when one's awareness in one area of life is heightened, it awakens the senses in others too? What else do I want to evaluate... How do I spend my time each day? Diet and exercise? My words, do they build up or tear down? What's on your list?
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