Fulfillment

I had an episode.  It's a regular episode that I have often.  Does this happen to you?  Deadlines approach... commissions on the go... mothering and housewifery taking regular priority 24/7... creative juices flowing but no time for me to make them real.  I feel a sense of panic.  I get edgy.  In my teens I used to smoke.  This feels a lot like the same type of withdrawal, and I just need a 'hit' of fulfillment that my list of responsibilities simply cannot satisfy.  I try to resist the creative urge but my priorities become further and further out of reach.  I get testy and end up accomplishing nothing.  Finally, I drop everything, head outside and just start stitching - for me - with no particular goal in mind.

Aaahhh it feels good.  Gee, I love hand quilting!  I'm grounded again and easily managed to complete a couple of projects in one afternoon.  I wanted to believe that 'On Floral Road' was done, but I knew something was lacking in this piece.  Now it has a nice lush foreground.  It just popped to life with the right hand stitches.

hand stitching in the grasses of the forefront

I have to remember that when it comes to creativity and inner tension, I need to always take time to put me first, albeit briefly.  Now I'm back on track!  (A good run outside has the same results FYI).

Country Courthouse Complete

It's done!  Oh my.  It's really done.  Look!

That is a whole lot of quilt.

And that was a whole lot of quilting!  I wend around each block SEVEN times;  tedious, but so worth it.  It really looks done now.  And it was easy turning this big quilt around and around under the needle with this big Janome Horizon.  WHEW.

Tomorrow I'll attach the hanging sleeve and label.  My plan is to put all the right hanging hardware on all my pieces and then that's it! My husband and I have an event to attend Saturday night.  So I'll have it all done by 5 pm, and then Sunday I go all alone to hang the show.  gulp.

wish me luck!

ah!  I'm so happy with this quilt!

~Monika

...absolutely LOVING everyone's moon stories!!!  ; )

THANK YOU!!

October Sun

It's October and it's still hot outside!  There will be snow by the end of the month.  The leaves are about 50% fallen, and probably 75%  by the end of the day.  We are spending as much time outside as we possibly can.  Yesterday, we went to Meewasin Park.  Meewasin means "beautiful valley".  I took some handquilting with me to work on.

 

Here's where I got to sit while my children played in the giant sandbox!  It overlooks the South Saskatchewan River.  It was hot enough that my boy got to run around barefoot without a shirt on.

Gee, the leaves look really gone here!  Depending on the tree, some are still fully green.  My newly homeschooled 7 year old was begging me for my camera.  So I passed it to him.  Here's some really great photos he took!

There's so much action in that picture!  I love it!  ; )  here's more...  I'm stitching spirals on my Mama Bear quilt.

He got closer and closer until the camera lens was right on the quilt!  lol  SO I asked him to back up a little.  I love how these are all tilted.  ; )

 

This one in particular is a great "action" shot!  lol

I hope you enjoyed Liam's photos.  : )

Today is another gorgeous repeat of yesterday.  It's Saturday and the kids are home.  I have a lot of projects I want to try to complete, so I think we'll get to the parks after supper.  It's getting darker and darker at an earlier time each night, so playing at 7 pm means bringing our flashlights.  I love taking my kids out to play in the dark.  It makes for such great memories!  That's probably why I like winter.  We are far north enough that by 5 pm, it's pitch black outside!  If it's a mild night, then we all go play in the snow.  When the moon is out, everything glows & shines & sparkles, and you don't even need lights.  It's so great!

sigh

loving all the seasons always

~Monika