The Need to CREATE in 2018!

Happy Happy New Year! WOW! 2018!

Boy this time of year finds many of us reflecting and taking inventory of many areas of our lives.

I have found myself doing the very same thing and came to realize that I have not kept an 

"idea/sketch" journal since 2015! I don't even know how that happened...but it did.

Yet, like many of you I'm sure, tons of  unmanifested ideas are always floating around in my little head. I have also found myself  more often than not, wanting to add more originality to my quilts and sewing. So I took some time this New Year's Day and set out to resolve this. I grabbed one of my 5"x 8" Moleskin books, some washi tape, pulled out my old scrapbooking supplies and walla:

YES! 2018 is going to be my year to:

I want to create more original quilts like THESE. 

I want to create more time IN my studio sewing. 

Thus, I'll be joining Kate's 15 Minutes a Day Challenge.

I want to create monthly goals that will help me empty my stash of kits/projects. 

Thus I'll be setting OMG and linking with everyone at: 

 I also want to continue to create opportunities for my Second Graders to explore sewing/knitting.

I'm in the process of creating a donorschoose.org project and will continue to share updates here on the ol' blog. And finally, I will continue to take good care of myself as I carry on the habits of  healthy meal plans with my hubby, my daily exercise schedule and walks with Jackson, sleeping well, drinking lots of water and green tea (and maybeeee less wine) and well, continue enjoying life.  

But most exciting to me, notice these aren't so much goals?  It's weird, with all that said, I've noticed over the past few years, my youthful "goal setting, go-getter" self has gradually morphed into this "self-accepting, content" middle aged woman. I have evolved through this transition finding myself wanting to have a more creative life. I have visions of my studio bursting with new projects. My roles of being defined as a mother and a teacher no longer feed my esteem. My children are grown. I can teach with my eyes shut. (It's been 29 years and though I still enjoy teaching, it just doesn't challenge me anymore.)I like to grow. I like to learn new things. I don't just want to sew quilts anymore, I want to create quilts. (Vivian..I DID order the Growing Gills book you recommended on your blog. Thanks!) But, I seriously have no idea what this is going to look like!  I just know I have this growing desire to be more creative and self-expressive in my sewing process. I know getting back to my sketch book will help. I know the fact that I work full time stands in the way of my creative process but with seven  more years still to go...I need to be more intentional in nourishing my creative heart now! I'm excited about the possibilities and kinda curious what changes will occur. It really is a "Happy Day" and seriously, thank you for joining me as I set out on this journey to evolve as a creative type in 2018. It think it's going to be fun! Well, Happy Happy New Year again and here's wishing you health, happiness and success with your 2018 intentions as well.

I specialize in edge to edge pantographs with over 100 designs to choose from.

Check out my Long-Arm Quilting page for details.

I offer FREE Return Shipping on all quilts in the U.S.A.

Creativity: Being Prepared Part One

Which right now, I'm not!

Yet, as a school teacher, the new school year is more often than not my "New Year's Resolution" time of year. There are so many things I love about being a teacher, and the schedule is one of them.

Thus this Saturday morning as I find myself catching up on all your blogs and myself happily settled into a new school year, I find myself contemplating my quilty list of projects and set to use today to prepare myself for a productive year of Saturdays. 

Being Prepared

First, I've rearranged household routines of cleaning and mowing to be accomplished during the weekdays, between that afternoon gap of arriving home from school/work and dinner. My motivation?  My husband works Saturday, thus I really want to have my Saturdays free to relax and rejuvenate myself through my sewing/quilting.  It's an important part of my creative process to be intentional and organized. If not, it would be soooo easy for me to just go into my studio today and just kinda, look at everything. LOL! And truthfully, not get much done as there are WIP everywhere. (Of which I don't mind...that's normal for me, but none of it is really prepared to the point I just jump in there and sew for thirty minutes.) So being prepared is important to my creative process. We've been participating in the Primary Colors Personality exercises at work as a staff and quite honestly, I haven't done these kind of exercises since college. We've all loved it and have gained a better understanding of each other and ourselves. Heck, I've even had my family take the quiz. 

Okay, with that said, admittedly I'm a centered purple and only two point from being tied with centered orange.  I use to teeter into the extreme purple mode of micro-managing when I was younger, but age has truly mellowed any of those tenancies. My cooperating teacher teases me that I have "organized fun" and she's so right! Once my work is done...it's time for fun!

Seriously, it's admittedly that need for productivity and accomplishment that even has me sitting here today, "planning" my creative process so I can be productive while I have fun sewing! LOL!! (Of course I'm laughing at myself...but see, I just can't help it!)  Okay, with those confessions made and probably TMI shared, I am totally motivated by fellow blogger Jackie's "Alternative Creative Workspaces" post from last March. As, like many of us, she has a variety of creative projects going on at once and each with their own space and purpose. I love that!

Sooo what does being prepared look like for me?

Well, today I am setting out to accomplish the following:

1. Get projects ready and kept together.

2. Spaces I need projects for: a TV room hand project, a patio hand project, a sewing machine project, and well, there's always a quilt needing to be put on the frame. 

3. A portable project.

As I get busy with all this, have fun and click HERE  to take the personality test. 

Feel welcome to comment on this post to share your "color"  and how it relates to you as a quilter. 

I'll be back soon with an update of my progress.

I specialize in edge to edge pantographs with over 100 designs to choose from.

Check out my Long-Arm Quilting page for details.

I offer FREE Return Shipping on all quilts in the U.S.A.

Creativity: Remembering my "WHY" as I read: Our Family Quilt

Our Family Quilt

The Fabric of Life

by

Rhonda Cratty

Summary: Join and experience creativity and nostalgia through Grace, a master quilter, -as she shares her creative gifts with her young granddaughter, Audrey. Together their lives unfold around their family quilt.  The love between grandmother and granddaughter keep a family’s generations turning despite minor setbacks, disappointments and celebrations of life. As friends and family of this charming mountain town in Colorado come together for life’s moments. Creating an inspirational, heartwarming story to share with those you love.

Our Family Quilt immerses readers in:

• Family Life
• Contemporary Women
• Quilting ideas
• Creativity for everyday living
• The secret world of Grandmothers and Granddaughters and the people they love…

 I was flattered and happy when author Rhonda Cratty, sent me a copy of her book, The Family Quilt for me to read and offer as a give-away here on my blog. I'm enjoying this book in-between quilting my "monster" ragged roses/nine patch quilt. (Which your guys, is almost done!!!) After a few e-mail correspondences between us, it was fun to get to know Rhonda and learn about her path to quilting and how much we have in common. She lives in beautiful Colorado and like me, enjoys walking, hiking, and cross country skiing. And like many of us quilters, when she is not writing, she enjoys traveling, quilting, crocheting, cooking, reading and painting.

Remember our WHY!

As I read, though I don't have family nearby, or any granddaughters, I love the idea how quilting connects people. Like you and I. And lately, it's so wierd, but I have been asked why I quilt. What do I do with all my quilts. Why don't I just sell them. I even been kinda laughed at for having a dozen (okay more) quilts just piled around my house and that even the dogs have a quilt! They gasp...while I'm internally thinking: "Of course they do! LOL!"  

I hate when I don't have a quick answer....I always find myself contemplating others views and comments rather than having a quick response. Hmmm....more often than not, I do ask myself those very questions. Am I evolving into a lonely, old quilt lady? Why do I do what I do? 

While reading Rhonda's book I'm intriqued how writing Our Family Quilt began as a book idea but then moved her into research of quilting as an art form in America. The characters in this book evolved through quilting classes, quilting shows, museums, shops, the Columbine Quilt Guild, inspiring speakers, and encouraging quilters. Each experience inspired the Rhonda to add a different dimension to both her quilting and writing.

Like Rhonda and I'm sure many of you, I find the quilting process moves me forward and inspires my NEED to be creative. It adds that different dimension to my life that I like. I value the quiet time it provides me to recharge. It's a way I take care of myself....a healthy outlet during times I may feel lonely or sad from life's challenges.   But it also allows outlet to my creativity. I love that I can create original gifts for others. I can give to charities. It allows me to continuously grow and learn. Example, while quilting the "monster" I have gained a new confidence in my quilting and with that, took a pile of business cards to my favorite quilt shop for distribution. Out of the blue...while rhythmically quilting those 99 blocks, a brand new idea has been formulating in my mind. Each day I have found myself enthusiastically capturing those ideas in my sketchbook for later reference. I'm learning that confidence comes from doing something you thought you couldn't do. Inspiration comes from sources we don't predict. That's why I quilt. As Rhonda's book so wonderfully interweaves throughout her story it's the value of living a creative life quilting allows. 

How about you? Why do you quilt? Please do comment and share and perhaps an inspiring email conversation will evolve? Annndddd....if you can't wait for my September give-away of Rhonda's The Family Quilt book and want to get a copy of it now, she forwarded this info. for to me to share:

https://www.acreativespin.com/home.html

·         ASIN: B01N8WSCV7

https://www.amazon.com/Our-Family-Quilt-Fabric-Life-ebook/dp/B01N8WSCV7/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1480736270&sr=8-2

·         ISBN-10: 1537796852

·         ISBN-13: 978-1537796857

           Keep an eye out as I continue my series of  "Creativity" posts.

                       Coming up soon: Being Prepared followed by Making Time . 

I specialize in edge to edge pantographs with over 100 designs to choose from.

Check out my Long-Arm Quilting page for details.

I offer FREE Return Shipping on all quilts in the U.S.A.

WIN quilt batting this summer. Click HERE to read how.

Creativity: Different Chapters of our Life

Like you, I am a girl who is always growing. A woman who's soul is filled with curiosity and find inspiration in the ordinary. A creative spirit that is expressive and aware. But I noticed after my weekend retreat that my day to day life hasn't been balanced with my need for personal creative outlet. Curiosity getting the better of me, I asked fellow quilters, what they planned to do with the quilt they were making. Though all their answers were respectable, it was the one who exclaimed: "I have absolutely no idea. I just love making it." that struck a chord with me. I too enjoy making things. Could it be as simple as that? That sometimes a quilts only purpose can be as simple as giving our creative spirit wings? 

As I reviewed my library of creative books, I've noticed that creativity is defined differently in various chapters of our lives, evident in my stack of books below:

On top, my childhood journal (a hilarious read btw: June 28, 1977 "Dear Diary, Today I wrote to Barry Manilow, got my hair feathered and then had to get x-rays of my teeth. Braces soon!"  The next three books in the stack are journaling guides that helped nurture my soul-searching college self. Simple Abundance a wonderful daybook of comfort and joy that I devoured during my parenting stage of life and truthfully wouldn't mind reading again. Finally, at the bottom of the stack, four creative "workbooks" that launched me into my current empty nest phase of life. 

Our creativity often evolves as we do.

 Overtime my leisure college days of journaling creekside transformed into scrapbooking at the kitchen table while toddlers napped and on planned weekends with my sister.We had so much fun!

I have a library of memories created during this chapter of my life.  A library that has encapsulated our family's beginning. Our daughters' childhood. My husband and I as newlyweds and parents. Our first 25 years, creatively preserved. I remember treasuring every moment of this chapter for as the girls grew, with every milestone, my own role was constantly changing too. And then suddenly, (well not really, but it feels like that) they had begun lives away from home.

Soon creating scrapbook pages of Jackson playing in the water, though cute, only reminded me of my diminishing joy.  I began to realize that I had turned the page to a new chapter of life without even realizing it. It was time to challenge myself with something new.  I needed a new creative outlet that brought me joy once again. Thankfully, I knew immediately what I would do! It was something I had wanted to try for a long time...one that I had dabbled in but had previously no time to pursue. 

And thus, my life-long desire to quilt, began.

In the Fall of 2009 that I was able to sink my teeth into the hobby 

and take my first quilting class.  Now, many quilt tops later, 

I'm teaching myself the art of Long-Arm Quilting. I blog.

I volunteer as a quilter for Project Linus and 

absolutely enjoy quilting and consider it a true "work of "heart"!  

So what have I learned along the way? How do we find time, to nourish our creative spirit?

1. Acknowledge the chapter of life you are in. Perhaps you are a parent to small children, or taking care of elderly parents. Perhaps you are working full time, or you are retired. Whichever stage we are in, I've learned it's important to be gentle with ourselves. Life is lived in chapters and before you know it, you've turned the page and a new chapter has begun. So choose your creative outlet judiciously, but don't forego it. Do what gives you JOY. I loved scrapbooking. I cherish the albums my sister and I made side by side. The conventions that helped us escape mommyhood for one entire weekend as we happily adventured along the highway listening to Huey Lewis instead of children. Choose to do things that you truly love and that will motivate you. But be honest with what you have the time to do in your given chapter of life. Don't pack your schedule too tightly. 

2.Let go of perfectionism! One of my favorite people were at the retreat this past weekend. We are only acquaintances, but from afar I admire her as a mentor. She's a retired teacher. A happy, creative soul with multiple projects in the works. I loved watching as she transitioned between them. I'd ask her what she was working on and she'd respond: "Right now I'm enjoying this, but later I think I'll go back to that." I internally thought: What?! My projects don't always have to a purpose? I realized the perfectionist in me has been holding me back. Just enjoy the creative process Val. I'll end with the words of my secret mentor: "Oh posh, better done than perfect!"

3. Make the Ordinary, EXTRAordinary! While watching my "secret Mentor" I realized that more often than not lately, I've let myself get caught up in "getting a project done" and admittedly

 have forgetten to enjoy the creative process. I've realized I need to be less product and more creative orientated. Creativity comes in many forms. Give ourselves permission to just play sometimes.

My retreat gave opportunity for me to reflect. I was able to examine my own thoughts and heart. I discovered I've let perfectionism block some original creative ideas I have. I've let sad situations take up too much of my heart causing me to diddle my free time away. I can resolve this.

This week I encourage you to "pause" and acknowledge and embrace your chapter of life. Be evaluative of yourself as well. Choose your creative outlet judiciously, but please don't forego it. 

Keep an eye out for my August series of  "Creativity" posts: 

Next: Remembering your WHY, followed by: Being Prepared  and Making Time.

I specialize in edge to edge pantographs with over 100 designs to choose from.

Check out my Long-Arm Quilting page for details.

I offer FREE Return Shipping on all quilts in the U.S.A.

WIN quilt batting this summer. Click HERE to read how.