Wading throught the Mist

This is part of piece entitled "Flowers in the Mist". Even though it will be a beautiful day worthy of Spring, I feel like I am walking through a mist. I blame it on the time change. I feel like my clock and day are not in sync. I slept in accidentaly and that always throws me off.

So now, because I've lost a couple hours, I'm feeling confused and undecisive about my work today, like I really shouldn't spend the time to be creative. This happens to coincide with what I just read in "The 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women": "Many women fear appearing or actually being selfish if they commit to their creative work" p. 77 lists many of the excuses we use to keep from exploring our true, creative selves. See 'A Portable Mentor' March 8th for more on this book.

In honor of daylight savings, I analysed and made a new weekly schedule yesterday and before I even got to doing what I feel compelled to do and create, I was into 50 hours! Then add in 10 hours a day to eat and sleep and the week is almost over.
Now I did include my blog, Irish Dance and exercise, family, friends and church, the garden work (only 10 hours) the dogs (two labs and one a puppy that needs training) reading and research (only 10 hours) Laundry, cleaning, and eating really only got 12hours, so I can't cut that down, dang it!

It was amazing to see where my time goes and how quickly. Some people have too much time on their hands and others never seem to have enough. Like land, they just arent' making more of it.

I love a challenge so I will continue to ponder this time/scheduling conondrum. I have to accept that some days will just be confusing and I'll do what I can. That is when I need to sit and just stitch with no real purpose.

To that end I will put in my mind a new challenge from SAQA called "Beyond Comfort". If you've never heard of SAQA, click on the button on the side bar. It is a fabulous professional art quilt organization with amazing resources available to members.

A Few Good Books

It would seem that dancing feet and a book list have very little in common, but beginning tomorrow, March 13th and running through March 18th, if you buy anything in a Barnes and Noble store or cafe, or online and give them the code #10141984, you can support our Irish dance school - An Daire Academy of Irish Dance - Boise.

I've only just begun to learn Irish dance and I have to tell you, it looks easier than it is! It is a thrilling style of dance and I love the history that goes along with it. It is also something I get to share with my daughter and grandchildren. I'm a bit slower to learn it and I'll never perform, but that is okay. Learning a new jig or reel makes my brain explode with new pathways.

So I'm posting a smal list of some of my favorite self-help/find your creativity books, beginning with "The Creative Entrepreneur" by Lisa Sonora Beam. This is a treasure trove of questions and exercises for anyone who wants to be more creative.
The books on my side bar are also some of my favorite memoirs and always a good read. If I'm not sewing, I'm reading or dancing or cooking and seasonally I'm gardening.



"A Weekend to Change Your Life" by Joan Anderson
"Digging Deep" by Fran Sorin
"What's Next" by Rena Pederson
"A Trip to the Beach" by Melinda and Robert Blanchard
"Life is a Verb" by Patti Digh
"The Artist's Way" "The Vein of Gold" "Finding Water" by Julia Cameron
"The New Creative Arist" by Nita Leland
"The Power of Intention" by Dr. Wayne Dyer
"What's Really Holding You Back?" by Valorie Burton
"Loving What Is" by Byron Katie
"Ask and It Shall Be Given" by Esther and Jerry Hicks
"Winning Every Day" by Lou Holtz
"Thank You Power" by Deborah Norville
"On Becoming an Artist" by Ellen J. Langer
"How to Think like Leanardo da Vinci" by Micheal J. Gelb

Last night I collected bits and pieces with the intent to make a random pieced and embroidered banner for this blog. This is what came out of those meanderings. It isn't done and may not make it into the banner, but I really like it.

Looking around my house, I easily count 10 pictures with houses in them. It is a theme I've only recently become consciously aware of. When I think about all the cross stitch and quilting patterns I have, most include houses. A UK acquaintence told me several years ago that I was a 'home bird'. I wasn't ready to accept that judgement then, but now I am, because it is true and always has been.

I was at the point where to try new challenges, I thought I needed a studio away from my home. In some ways, it was very helpful as it gave me the courage to become the type of artist I want to be. It has been a long process and I've made some great strides on who I want to be and what I want to create in this next part of my life.

I don't think I would have done it if I had initially tried this at home. Home was a nurturing center for my family but not necessarily for me. The circle of life continues on as children grow up and find their own center. My home can now become a creative, nurturing center for me that I can share with my family.

Now, with new courage and confidence, I'm ready to move my studio home. I know I have the focus and determination and some of the skills. Luckily, my lease is over about the time I plan to move everything!

"My angels prompt me to remember that courage is always more rewarding than cowardice" Janet Hagberg, from "The 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women" by Gail McMeekin
"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." Anais Nin

I am a self-help/creative studies book junkie, so tomorrow I'll have a list of them you may enjoy and want to order. I'll also have the Barnes and Noble Book Fair number that can be used from March 13-18th in store or online. Our Irish Dance school "An Daire" gets part of all sales, even in the cafe!, if you mention the school and give them the number.

Walk On

This in one of my favorite small art quilts. It is rich and vibrant, filled with a bit of mystery. Now that could apply to alot of things! But today it applies to having the courage to walk on.

I am just loving the book "The 12 Secrets of Creative Women". One sentence I underlined yesterday,
"It takes courage to admit we are on the wrong train and risk disapproval or possibly look foolish". That has been my journey of the last 2 1/2 years as I've tried to find the right creative balance. And I feel like I am almost there.

I have literally kept walking through that door everyday, trying new opportunities. I especially liked the quote by Mary Pickford:
"When you make a mistake, don't look back at it long. Take the reason of the thing into your mind, and then look forward. Mistakes are lessons of wisdom. The past cannot be changed. The future is yet in your power."

Another one by Oprah in the same vein:
"Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another stepping stone to greatness."

Failure is only failure if we let it rule us, if we don't move forward. I love moving forward, trying new things. We only have one life and there are so many incredible opportunities just waiting for us to explore. Even small steps make up the miles. Again today, I will drive by the bakeries and eat my apples and celery instead. Again today, I will go to the studio and create not knowing if my project will be accepted when it is done. Today I will be happy in just the joy of creating.
Just showing up at the open door is a step in the right direction.

A Portable Mentor

It's no secret around here - I love books! And I have alot of them. They talk to me of places near and far, their words paint pictures in my head inspiring me to find a way to turn those words into art.

This particular one I already had and was prompted to pull it off the shelf last Saturday. I randomly opened a page and it spoke to me. I'm already 1/3 of the way through with lots of underlining and notations.

The 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women by Gail McMeekin

p. 84 "I've had to learn to walk by the weeds, blank out the peeling paint, . . ."
p. 98 "Women have long had the self-destructive habit of discounting themselves and their natural abilities."

I'll be getting more into this gem in the coming days. But I'm off to the Doctor for an exam and I haven't had any coffee yet so I don't want to be late!

Fresh Air

It's bonus days here in Southwest Idaho. We are being blessed with a window of fine Spring weather so instead of sewing I've been out cleaning up parts of the garden, and getting lots of fresh air. I'd rather be sewing, but I know how fast our weather can change and it may rain the whole month of April. So I'm taking advantage of sunny skies.

It is always amazing to me how all this brownness can quickly become green, lush and full of life. Right now the rasberries have to be cleaned out so they can get on with their first crop due in June. The old grape canes were cut earlier and they just have to be pulled out. Two raised beds are ready for early veggies. Rhubarb is popping up. Next will be to uncover the strawberries-but not today.



It is amazing to me, that as creative women and men, we can take bits and pieces and make something beautiful. I've had the privilege to sit in the Sistene Chapel and be stunned to silence. I could have laid on the floor in a total swoon while in the Art Institute of Chicago while seeing the originals of many favorite artists. A beautiful piece of music seemingly wrought from thin air can bring make my soul leap for sheer joy of the creation.

Because I'm easily swayed by a pretty picture and the potential of a packet of seeds, I'm going to do some early spring planting. I can just as easily be lost in the creation of my garden as when I take stuff I have laying around and make something beautiful.

These pieces I hope will find their way a new banner sometime this week. And on that happy note, I'm off.

Seeds of Goodness

"Scatter seeds of goodness to blossom in another's way"



Occasionally, when time allows, I like to make something from a pile of scraps. This little piece will eventually become part of something bigger, but it brings me joy looking at it just the way it is, so maybe it will get a small binding and be done.
I could spend all my days 'making something from nothing' and there is a lot of satisfaction in that.

The happiest people seem to be those that are helping others. Not long ago I was at an intersection and a car had broken down in a turn lane and was beginning to snarl things up a bit. 4 men had jumped out of different cars and were helping to push the vehicle out of the way, while the woman whose car it was, steered. The men were all laughing and smiling while they pushed. They were happy to be doing something helpful.

Often we forget the joy of these moments and ignore the inner promptings we get. Recently, I followed a prompting and helped make quilts for three little girls that were soon to be adopted. I was blessed with making many new friends and gained the joy of that moment. A couple women brought their scraps and before the afternoon was over we had made 3 twin size quilt tops. It was amazing.

When we all come together with our bits and pieces, magical things can happen: Stones become soup, scraps become blankets, seeds become food for many. Simple kindness' are a ripple on the water and will flow on long after we move on.

This small piece was cut and hand stitched without much of a plan. I like it when fabric and threads conspire on their own to create a story. Life is easiest when we let it unfold at its own pace and time.

Scatter some seeds of your own today and check out Rebecca Sower's site and her Hearts for Haiti project. She is also one of this week's guest curators at Crescendoh.