Happy New Year

So, the New Year is upon us. Or rather, was a few days ago...

I'm not really one for making resolutions. I figure, the less things I resolve to do, the less guilt I feel when I inevitably don't get around to them. (Any other approach-avoidance-perfectionators out there??)

This year, though, I've resolved to have a focus word. One word that describes an attribute I want to attain more of or become better at throughout the year. So, my inaugural Focus Word of the Year is... Balance.

I have recently realized that I have very little joy in my life. I have so many commitments that I have to do, that I never get around to the things I want to do, and then the things I want to do become things I have to do, and then I don't enjoy any of it! And, in thinking about this dilemma, and trying to work through where this is coming from & how to fix it, I've realized that my life is out of balance. Work steals all my energy, the mess in our apartment steals my peace, the youth group steals my time, my creativity just flies right out the window on it's own accord (I do nothing to stop it...).

Now, all of these things are good things on their own. I like my job. Maybe not everyday, but at least on the days I don't like my job, I still really like the people I work with and the company I work for. I love being married, and I really want to be a great homemaker! And I love our work with the youth group! Those kids rock my life. I don't know where I'd be without them. They keep me centered on the Lord, and they don't even know it.

But I feel like my priorities are all out of whack, and I'm not finding real life-changing joy in any of it. This is not fair to me, nor is it fair to the people I care about. So. This year is going to be about finding Balance. This means shuffling said priorities. It might mean saying No to things here & there. I really don't know what it'll end up looking like. But hopefully, come next Holiday season, I'll be able to look back at my year & be truly thankful at Thanksgiving and joyful at Christmas, and I'll be able to say that I'm one year better at having a Balanced life.

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In the same vein, here are some of the things I want to do more in my effort to find and create deep-seated Joy in my life:

• Sew, quilt, create more. (already have a few projects in mind... More to come.)
• Take more pictures to document our life better.
• Organize my stuff! Beginning with my crafting supplies so that I can find what I need when I work on the aforementioned projects.
• Read the Chronological Bible daily. I've done this before, and I think I need to get back to the roots of what I believe. Begin at the beginning.

FYI, these are not Resolutions. These are plans. If I don't do each one perfectly, I'm going to work really hard not to be too down on myself. I'm looking for steps in the right direction, not necessarily completion.

Peace, friends.

Five Things

1.) Happy Friday!!
2.) I'm working on... Staying focused. (and obviously failing)
3.) I wish I was... finishing this:

© me

4.) I'm listening to... Eva Cassidy and She & Him
5.) I'm dreaming about... a lake house of my own

from...

Enjoy your weekend!

The next big thing

I'm not finished with the Happy Crawler Quilt, but I'm already looking forward to what's next.

 

I discovered this fabric, Figgy Pudding by Moda, sometime over the summer, and just KNEW I had to use it for something. It's non-cheesy Christmas fabric! But the question was What to do with it? I think I know, now.

 

Obviously it'll be winter and/or Christmas related. I don't think I'll reveal it until it's ready to be used.

When I got these pieces in the mail last week, I fell completely in love. I'm super excited!

Still working...

...but getting closer!

I feel like I got a lot done this weekend. Finished piecing the top.

 

 

Rob said the stripe around the outside (the border) pulls it all together. And I totally agree. It's like a frame on a photo. The cherry on top. Although Rob doesn't like cherries. Which is good for me when we split a dessert, 'cause I love me some cherries!

I digress.

I also designed, cut, and began piecing the bottom. No pics of that, though, since I stopped working after it was too dark for any semblance of quality photography.

Last night I finished piecing the bottom, and starting sandwiching. (The "sandwich" consists of the top, the batting, and the bottom. Get it?) This part stinks. Not literally.

I did get a tip from Cindy, who is a long-time quilter, to tape each layer to the floor individually before basting (or safety-pinning) the three layers together. The bottom layer is under there, I promise. I think I need to cut the batting a little closer, so I can get a better sense of whether the top & bottom are lining up properly—though I still want it bigger than the other two pieces.

All in all, it's coming along quite well. We'll just have to see if I end up throwing anything during the quilting process...

I ordered fabric yesterday for my next big project, and then I got a great idea for the one after that! Wish I could do this full time, but such is life...

Photos © Me

Progress Report

The top is pieced!

Well, not completely. I still need to do the sashing, which will be the stripe fabric.

Then it's on to the back. And then the basting. And then the quilting. And then the binding. Will I make the deadline?

We'll see...!

Photos © Me

It's coming along...

I'm nearly halfway done piecing the top of my quilt. Pretty good progress, if I do say so myself. This is what it currently looks like:

 Sorry if the photo is blurry. Is the one below any better?

 Yes? No? I don't know... Here's a close-up of the nearly finished part.

These are the strips sewn into squares sewn together in strips. After I have all the squares sewn into strips, I'll piece the strips together. I'm planning on using that stripe fabric to sash around the whole thing and also to bind it. Still working on an idea for the bottom.

Then I attempt the quilting part! Yikes.

I'm loving it though. I already have about 5 new ideas floating around my head. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I need more people to get married & have babies! I need reasons to make quilts, since I'm on a budget and can't quite justify making a gazillion quilts for myself.

So get on it people!

I love my job!

Photo © Bake It Pretty

My job with the youth group, that is.

My job-job is great too, but today I'm just stoked about the students.

We had a teaching team meeting this morning, and besides the fact that the ladies outnumbered the men for the first time EVER (give it up for the ladies!), we had some great conversation. We're focusing on the second of Vanguard's four core values, Lover, for the month of October. In order to be a little less obtuse, and avoid the typical high schooler response to that word, we're also calling it Worshiper. We're to worship the Lord by loving Him & loving others. In order to love others well, we need to learn how to receive love from God. Most of us face a roadblock in this process, because we have believed so many lies about ourselves & the world around us.

Culture says I have to be a lazy teenager.

Culture says I have to be a crude dude.

Culture says there's no way I can remain a virgin until I'm married.

So why bother trying?

I'm lined up to teach the story of Mary & Martha to fight the lie that we have to constantly be doing-doing-doing in order to be good enough. Or that we have to be "enough" before we can be useful to the Lord & the people in our lives.

I'm percolating on an idea for an activity during stations (small group discussion time at the beginning of our Sundays). It's gonna be stellar. Very likely, it will involve cupcakes.

I love my job.