Will be putting SCARE into my day.

For 2013 I'm RE- Evaluating my plans and will be changing up my plan of attack in a couple of ways.

The OPAM (One project a Month) has been working for me. Some months I'm able to even complete two projects!  Albeit not large ones, but finishes none the less.  Examples of this are like a bag, cross stitch, an embroidered block, pillows, quilt top, beading, etc.....anyform of my creativity.    So I hope to continue on with this.

Two other practices  I'll be embracing are the ones shared by Judy Laquidera (aka Patchwork times blog) and Barb at (Cat Patches blog). 

 

Judy's idea of Getting It Done is to list 4 items at the end of each month to work on or towards a project in the upcoming month. It can be as small or large as you want like make 4 blocks, or cut out borders for a different quilt, etc.... Sounds like a nice way to help keep me focused and yet continue on the many UFO's I have in.

 

The other is for the  NEW FOs challenge that Barb of the Cat Patches notoriety has been posting and hosting for awhile. This will help me to get started on the many PIGs I have in and also let me sew them in a timelier manner incase more fabric is needed for the finishes without going to archived stores to find the border /binding  materials... lol..     This will allow me to go where my muse wants to send me and I can play.

 

Above all I plan to try to keep more of my "balls" in the air longer but with success and JOY.  Not getting stressed out if I drop a ball  once in a while. 

It seems like my house is clean but then I don't get to my crafty self, or I'm quilting and sewing and getting many steps done there then the desk becomes buried with things needing my attention,etc...   This seems to be the occurance throughout my life.      How I 'll  manage this better is to limit my time and savor each part of my day. I want to keep going and maintain without getting the feeling of being so overwhelmed.   Anyways that's my plan: The SCARE method.  That acronym stands for  sewing, cooking, arranging my home (cleaning/organizing), reading (meditate,relax) and Exercise not necessarily in that order either.   To view each day with more Joy and enthusiasm.   After talking with a friend this morning I thought the letters moved around a bit would be a nicer remembrance by usingit by this,  CARES. 

 

I am embracing 2013 with heartfelt capabilities and gratitude

for the many blessings I cherish and am priviledged to have. 

 

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year and one filled with all your heart's desires.

 

 

Fabric if needed..

I took these pictures recently on a walk. I Love unusual and nice things. This fit into both categories and it was good to witness.

On the quilting front, I just found out about a store that's located in Kentucky, close to the Mammouth Cave National Park that has great prices. It's Whittle's Fabrics. I remember when going to Paducah with friends, we stayed the night in Elizabethtown, which is relatively close. With Whittle's being in business for so many years, it's surprising I never heard of them before.

Their prices are crazy low. Most fabrics are $3.50 to $5.00 a yard and their wide fabrics are $8-9 a yard. All quilt shop quality. Different people on some of my lists have been shopping there for years and even make pilgramage trips to get what they need. Speaking of pilgramages, Mom, remember when Keepsake Quilting had their Sale days......those were the days. Watching you on the way home "getting high" on all the new fabric we purchsed, rummaging thriough the bags and reveling in our trophies. Fondling, touching, dreaming.....LOL (and no, I haven't purchased any... YET.) I'm still doing my NO-Buy challenge and I think I'll sign up again this year. I still have a quilt on the home page of Stashbuster. This was my first quilt I used entirely my stash to create and I love it. It also was a labor of love since all the squares were cut out individually, no mass assembling was done. MAny friends when seeing me do this, thoguht I had lost it. Tee Hee! It was planned on EQ5, so I knew how many of each type of square and block unit(s) were needed.

Thrilled to report too, that the October Patchabilities was finished last night. So today, I'm pulling out the woven star table runner. I took a class at my guild last year. You might have remembered it from this post, where a snippet of it in progress is mentioned. I have it all woven, it's just a matter of ironing, cutting and assembling my borders, and so on...... I know there is a trick to sewing on the top border fabric with the batting, then sew on the backing in a way to just hide the stitch line and to make sure there is room for the woven stars to float within.
Hopefully, I can get this one done soon.

Can't believe it's the middle of October already. DH and I have been busy since coming home from camping. Getting ready to hibernate with winterizing the pool, hot tub, yard, camper, got 7 pints jalopeno jelly, 5 pints crab apple jelly put up, harvested butternuts, cleaned several more shelves in the linen closets and purged plenty of excess in the process. Actually, just got under the kitchen sink this past weekend and cleaned it out. Now it's much better all repapered and organized again.

Since making pledges seems to work for me, I recently made a pledge to exercise on a more frequent basis. I won't yet disclose my plan, we'll see if it works, then I'll share after my success. Wish me luck!

Happpy Stitching,
Jane