My Word for 2021: Committment!

Today I completed my 100 day challenge!!!

I wrapped up the last One Hundred days of 2020 with a commitment to self.

To complete 100 days of something changes you.

For me, I gained a new confidence in myself. 

I learned to prioritize my own commitment to self...with no excuses. 

I remember when I first started I read: You have to have a Day One to have a Day One Hundred! Then pretty soon, I was on day ten, twenty...soon not wanting to miss a day, not wanting to break my '"trend". This in itself increased my sense of purpose and self. 

I gained a sense of control during a time when we feel like we have no control.

So what fuels you? What is your Bliss?

I begin 2021 with a continued commitment to self.

This intentional effort to exercise and be healthy fuel me.

I handle stress better. I handle loneliness better. I handle our ever-changing world better.

Isolation, social distancing, distance learning as an educator have created an independence and freedom like I've never before experienced.  I tire of daily ZOOM meetings and do not like spending so much time on a computer. I walk on my lunch hour and workout when I get home to keep my body active and strong.  I have learned over the past nine months to nurture my faith and vision of self.

What are you taking control of during these uncertain times?

What are you being intentional about?

I've come to realize blogging is not in my Wheel Well right now.

As I personally move into 2021, I wanted to leave some words that will hopefully inspire you to take control of that which you can during this Coronavirus pandemic we are experiencing.

 I have no New Year's Resolution, yet choose to move forward 

continuing my wellness habits and just breathing through so much that we can't control.

Instead of thinking "I'm giving up this and not doing that" think about replacement.

Success requires replacement:

So far, I've:

Replaced complaining with gratitude.

Replaced toxic people with mentors.

Replaced junk food with nutrition.

Replaced overthinking with action.

and now, I'll focus on replacing alcohol with water.

Hoping 2021 finds you inspired to become the best version of yourself as the world needs more strong, healthy, happy people that are non-judgmentally kicking-ass in their life!

With SMILES! Val

Simple JOY: Through the eyes of children...

Oh nothing fills my heart more than seeing Christmas through the eyes of children!

And boy! Don't grands seem to grow even faster than our own did? Our grand guys are now one and five and as many of you can relate to,  continue to fill our hearts with enormous JOY!

 

Hubby and I are having one of those "weird" holidays where we actually won't being seeing these two cuties until after the New Year. (But what a great way to ring in the new year!) My Christmas actually being spent sewing (LOL!) while hubby works.  Having always brought our girls up with Christmas's filled with traditions and family, it's taken me awhile to process the idea of being alone on such a big holiday. But as the idea grew on me, I began to find myself embracing it's simplicity as I realized: 

MY FOCUS:

I've enjoyed sharing my simple celebrations of holiday JOY with you here on the blog this month. Thank you for visiting and for your kind comments.  As you know, the JOY of being a grandmother continuously fills my heart. The LOVE of my husband and family nourishes my soul. But! My FOCUS for 2019 will find me embracing new found freedoms at home and work. For the first time in thirty years, I'm living without the obligations of children. Acknowledging this has been a HUGE part of my esteem, I find myself wanting to be intentional about making 2019 a mid-life creative journey of self discovery and expression.  I'll share more on this as I write my post Yvonne's Planning Party later this week. Until then, I'd like to wish you all a holiday filled with love and...

Quillows & A Change of Plans...

 Well hello! This Friday I find myself with a fresh cup of lemon/honey tea at hand, my faithful companion by my side, comforted by the hum of the fire burning as I emerge from having the flu over the past two days. (Well I technically still have it...just today I'm among-st the land of the living)  And yah! This strand did not have me running frantically to the bathroom every hour...more the chills, severe body aches, then fever, cough kind of flu....all which have finally calmed down but leave me isolated and with a huge change of Spring Break plans ahead.

But, seriously, when our life gets forced into a halt, how do you handle the change?  Honestly, I initially sound something like this: "Darn it! I don't have time for this!" I mean I realize that catching the most recent "bug" that is going around IS an occupational hazard in my line of work. Truth be told, it's been four years since I've caught it. So I guess it was inevitable. Never-the-less, not fun.

Then, I start finding myself  going into one of my "life and learning" reflective modes with my new found time. Like right now. Here I sit realizing all my Spring Break plans of a 10K hike tomorrow, spending time off with my husband, visiting a local Vineyard on our way to see the grands, Grammy Camp....have all changed...cause I actually feel like this: (Though I really don't want them to go.)

 It's weird to suddenly find myself  "quarantined", completely exhausted, with no plans. Luckily the Easter Bunny has a "carrot" dangling, as next Friday I'm invited to go on a Easter trip with the kids....so my assignment:  REST! (Okay....but you all know me well enough to know, rest for me is a two mile walk. LOL!!!) But okay, okay I get it. REST. Hydrate. Luckily, my body knows what to do and my head has learned to listened.

Now, back to answer my original question. I choose to make lemonade from the lemons when my life gets forced into a halt. I know from reading your blogs, many of you do too. I mean, I'm way disappointed. But in reflection I'm also grateful for the energy, activities and people that were to fill my Spring Break. These opportunities will come again.Until then, I need to choose a new happy. A Plan B. Like right now, I'm seriously channeling Matthew McConaughey as I'm beginning to think:
All Right, All Right, All Right...

Time for this gal to get sewing, quilting and stitching don't ya think!

 I just don't know how people survive without a hobby of some sort. A hobby is defined as something that is done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure. I think you'd agree, that our hobbies keep us healthy. I know we all find life to be frustrating, disappointing and challenging at one time or another. But I encourage you to continue to choose happy even in those hardest moments.  So to answer my own question, that's exactly what I plan to do with my forced halt and sudden change of plans: I choose to ENJOY my hobby. I choose a new happiness as I play among-st my array of fabrics and projects because really:

Ironically, I think sewing has always sustained me through life's ups and downs. Not one to sit idle, I'm reminded of the year I made everyone in our family a Quillow for Christmas.  My poor nephew's even had a few forgotten pins in his! (Ouch!!Sorry bud.) Our girls were toddlers and I was going through Chemotherapy. Sewing took my mind off my troubles, helped me feel productive during a time I felt helpless.  I've been sewing since I was in Middle School and it has continued to sustain me when I have felt sick, lonely, sad and yes, happy. I'm grateful for our hobby and that I learned it young. It's truly my therapy, as I learned it is for many of you as well.

The girls, Christmas of 1993.

Out of curiosity, I just went upstairs and found I still have these Quillows in our blanket closet!

 They were made from a simple panel.

These measure 40" x 68".

A 15"x15" pocket was added to the back and I used a thick ribbon as a handle.

Trying to think what to do with these? They are still in good condition, but I have no grand girls to pass them on to. Any ideas? Foster Care kids? I just hate to see them not getting used.

I know there's tutorials all over the internet for these but as I get ready to participate in the H2H Charity Challenge  I'm totally inspired to make a quilt into a Quillow for my Happy Chemo donation. Well look at that! Once again, lemonade from lemons, as while writing this post, I've not only found a new happy but inspiration from that which was hidden away in the closet all along!
All Right, All Right, All Right, time to get sewing don't ya think. Well after a cozy nap. Stay tuned!

Remember to:

I specialize in edge to edge  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.

A Perfect Sew Day Ahead!

We kinda thought old man Winter forgot about us this year as we've only had one snow before today.

And quite honestly, we have been absolutely okay with that after our "Snowmagddon" last year.

Yet, as I sat and face-timed with my grand guys and daughter this morning and watched it begin to snow...that exhilaration that snow brings started to rev up its little motor.

All's I  could think of was: "Lucky me", I get to relax and spent the better part of my day right here, busily sewing to complete my February OMG...knowing I, of course,  have some snow shoveling ahead me later today. (Which I don't mind) But without the distractions of wanting to be outside.

Grateful am I to have the company of my faithful pup and a hobby I enjoy so very much on a such a Wintery day. How about you? What do you find yourself grateful for today?

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.

Grow Laughter...

Hoping you had a wonderful Easter weekend. 

Our grand guy is getting so big and is developing the funniest personality.

He makes us laugh. Like that tears in our eyes laughter. 

I love that!!

And besides....

When is the last time your had a good belly laugh?

Join us tomorrow. Our theme is: T-Shirt Quilts

Best of 2016: Thank YOU!

My week with my grand-guy has come to an end. We found ourselves buried in snow and limited by outside temperatures that only sway between -4 and 15 degrees. We made the best of  it as we enjoyed inside pajama days filled with hot chocolate, movies, naps,and lots of play time! It's such a joy to watch children's personality emerge.  This little guy is funny, kind and so easy to have around. 

 So now with him safely back with mom and dad some three and half hours away, I awake this morning grateful to have one more day of the year to write and link a post thanking you and celebrating the "virtual quilting guild" I have found here in blog land with you.

My Five Thank Yous to YOU:

New this year, I hosted my very first swap! This was soooo fun!!!

Thank you for participating! Amazing to think we collected and traded 6,800 eye spy squares.

Should we do it again this summer?? Comment to let me know your interest.

Thank you for saving your change with me. 

Each July I host our Annual Piggy Bank Challenge and it's always been fun 

to see what quilty treats our accumulated change can buy us. 

FYI: February finds us at our mid-point check-in already!

I myself am off to empty my own change purse after I publish this post.

Also, thank you for your continued participation in our weekly Tuesday Archives linky.

We've had 142 linky parties so far...and many still ahead!

1. Each Tuesday I've posted a quilt theme.

2. I appreciate the time and effort you take to search through your quilting archives for old posts to link under the theme.

3. Thank you for visiting eachother.

 And remember you can find all our past themes in our Tuesday Archives: DIRECTORY

I'm grateful that when Blogger lost my follower list, so many of your commented and emailed to help me rebuild my list and thus help me to not loose touch with everyone from my little spot in the world.

Annnnddddd...of course, I enjoy your continuous support and enthusiastic acceptance of my favorite little photo bomber: Jackson! He's received more virtually sent belly rubs this year than any other!

It truly has been a fabulous blogging year with each of you as my "virtual quilting community".

My 2016 "Word" was FABULOUS...

...and what a Fabulous journey 2016 has been. I wasn't going for the kind fabulous that exclaims, yet the kind of fabulous that finds you just working to be the best you can be. To be happy, creative and content in your own shoes. To notice all the things in  your daily life that make it good. And well, I truly find that with your friendships and your own blogs, that I have accomplished this. I sit here and reflect in gratitude this morning upon my own growth as a quilter, blogger and well, overall middle age lady! 

I blog because it's one of those things that allows me to:

Thank you for a fabulous 2016 blogging year together!

I appreciate you.

Linking with everyone at: