Well, here's to the end of a bunch of stuff -- the holidays, an old decade, and perhaps old habits?
And here we are, already five days into a new decade!?!
When my family was gathered together for Christmas, someone figured out that this will be the ninth decade of my life -- what??? I'm only 72!
(Pausing to count this out on my fingers)
Yep, this will be the ninth decade I've lived during -- humph!?!
Thinking I better make it a good one so in an optimistic state of mind, I hope to start off as I mean to keep going. Once again, I'll try to de-clutter, simplify, and focus on the important stuff.
To the studio!!
Yikes!! Look at all that stuff -- potentially overwhelming??
So my phrase for 2020 (because I can't find just one word to convey it) is
"don't be overwhelmed".
Right?!?
As I think about how to avoid the state of "overwhelmed", I realize that controlling the "too much" aspect of that state of being is paramount.
My (hopefully thoughtful) response is to start by embracing a six-month moratorium on shopping.
I've done a pretty good job on maintaining some balance in the stuff department for several years by requiring myself to let go of something (in the same category) when I purchase something new.
It's worked marvelously in most categories -- clothes, books, furniture, plants -- but perhaps not so well in the fabric area and I have to confuse to some outright binge yarn shopping this fall.
Fortunately, I have lots of "shop in the stash" experience to get me through the next six months so I feel confident that I'll be able to survive!
(Why just yesterday, I was saying "It's fun to run out of fabric.")
The other big decision I made was to not participate in any on-line follow-alongs or mystery makes or swaps or challenges for six months. I have indulged in several this past year and while I've enjoyed them and used some stash and made some great new quilts and smaller makes, I have lots of "Mary's vintage projects" that are suffering from lack of attention.
Finally, to keep this energetic momentum in tact, I've decided to allow this annual "purge and tidy-up" take the entire month of January if necessary!
Because based on lots of previous experience -- "it is a truth universally accepted" that as long as there is cutting. . . . .
and stitching . . . . .
and pressing happening, progress is being made!!
Flat surfaces are beginning to reappear!
Piles of blocks from 2019 follow-alongs are becoming quilt tops!
Stalled projects are being re-purposed into fund raiser donations!
The library table in the living room is once again filled with English paper-pieced hexies as I make the final (I hope) assault on my dodecagon quilt top!
The pile of FREE stuff to take along to the January stitching retreat is growing!
We are fired up and cranking out the stuff!!
(I may also have had too much caffeine this morning?)
And here was the best part of the holidays -- all my grands together for the first time!
They will be a big part of my "ninth" decade for sure.
Best wishes for the New Year and the new decade.
Mary
Some neat stuff; I really like the piece just before the hexies picture. Is there a pattern for that?
ReplyDeleteIt's from Katja Marek's first sew along for her book, The New Hexagon -- think that was in 2016? But you could go to her website and contact her to figure that out.
DeleteYay!! Progress (and giving yourself the gift of time to get the sewing room sorted.) Awesome shot of you and the grands!
ReplyDeleteIt can be done. I have pretty much stopped buying fabric, patterns and magazines for the past 5 years. All I"ve bought is backing if I have absolutely nothing that would work as a patchwork back. Happy New Year!
ReplyDelete