Resolutions

I was not going to share my resolutions, but after talking to a couple of friends, they insisted that I should. So since I live to serve, here I go.

I read somewhere that 44% of Americans make New Year's resolutions. What I couldn't find was statistics on how many actually work on them. I suspect it's a pretty small number. I am someone who actually likes making resolutions and working on them. I did fairly well last year. I admit that I am better some years than others. For me, resolution are a matter of being more aware.

I think I will keep what I wrote last year out as a reminder since it states so well my ultimate life goals. I also read a great book, The Happiness Project, which influenced me too. I don't think I learned anything new in the book. It did give me food for thought and Gretchen Rubin, the author, writes well. Our lives are just in very different places. She has small children and I do not. I've worked through many of the issues she now deals with. I am so impressed how she has used her project to change people's lives.
  
"Every new year people make resolutions to change aspects of themselves they believe are negative. A majority of people revert back to how they were before and feel like failures. This year I challenge you to a new resolution. I challenge you to just be yourself." --Aisha Elderwyn

This quote is a great one to remind me that "Be Karen" is a good resolution. Which also leads me to "Say what I mean and mean what I say." I actually started doing this toward the middle of last year and it caused amazing changes in some of my relationships with people.

This year I want to work on "Let it go." I truly want to release past pain and move on. Life keeps moving like a stream. I want to be able to flow along with it and let certain things go in order to embrace what may be in store for me in the future. I've held on to people, organizations and things that may have been formerly good too long because I felt I had I had invested so much. No more!

"Do it now!" I've started this one already and it's amazing how this little act has made such a great impact. I don't go to bed with nagging thoughts.

"Do what ought to be done."  I am a great procrastinator. I will do things that I need to be done, just not what I should be doing. 


"Spend out." I was stuck by a friend who found an unopened bottle of expensive perfume sitting on her dead mother's dresser. What am I waiting for! I'm using my beautiful journals. I'm cutting up all those rare and wonderful fabrics I've bought.  There may not be a tomorrow.


I will probably spend the rest of my life cleaning out, simplifying and organizing. I understand that life is about process and I know I enjoy process more than the end product.


Finding a word for the year has been a popular past time. It took me a couple of days and when it finally popped into my mind, I was so happy.  My word is "fearless." 


I think 2011 is going to be an incredible year! I know because I am going to make it so. Happy New Year!

Winter

The cold and bitter winter weather has me thinking about  lines in a poem by Dobby Gibson that stuck with me.  They are from a poem called Upon Discovering My Entire Solution to the Attainment of Immortality Erased from the Blackboard Except for the Word "Save."  It's interesting how these things happen.  I cannot remember more of it so I must go off and find it so my memory is refreshed.

And if you have looked
at a winter garden
and seen not a winter garden
but a meditation on shape,
then you know why
this season is not
known for its words,
the cold too much
about the slowing of matter,
not enough about the making of it.

Newest Obsession

It seems every Christmas I have a new project that I just can't stop making. They become my potato chips or or as Abby on NCIS says "pistachios."  Last year it was tote bags and this year it's clutch purses. I was only going to make four and you see how well that worked out. I once again have my friend Barbara to (lovingly) blame. She saw a small picture of a clutch in a magazine. I definitely think ours are better than the ones for sale at $78 a pop. I put pockets inside mine. Used fusible Velcro (love the stuff!) so they stay closed. And of course, I used dipioni silk on all but the black and white one which has over-dyed wool felt. I hope these are as big a hit as my tote bags were last year. These were certainly more fun to make. Enjoy!

Never a Dull Moment

I had the privilege of joining Arts in the Cards group. Even though researching, interviewing and writing take up most of my time, I have to have an artistic creative outlet so ATCs (artist trading cards) are perfect. I've also discovered that it's a wonderful group of artists.

The theme for this trade was typography which made my heart sing. It also gave me an opportunity to play with Nevr-Dull (a metal polish) and polymer medium. I'm looking forward to more exchanges and learning more about the artists in the group. I also plan to continue to explore the theme. It must be the writer in me!

Fiber Sisters for Hope

I was asked to join the Fibers Artists for Hope which made me happy. I know this group well. They originally began by making Obama quilts. I interviewed many of them for Quilters' S.O.S. - Save Our Stories, an oral history project of the Alliance for American Quilts. They had begun working on a new exhibition called "The Unspoken Truth About Color: A Dialogue in Art Quilts About Racism" which deals with racism. I had less than 10 days to make my quilt. Sometimes it takes a quick deadline to get me from over thinking and just creating. This piece makes me happy. You can visit the group's blog to learn more details about the exhibition--Unspoken Truth and Hope blog. Now it's back to writing for me!

Making Cards

I've been making greeting cards for a while now. My focus is on writing. However, it cannot be me entire  life. I also need something that does not take a lot of time. Making cards seems to be a nice way to balance my need to be creative without taking too much time. I try to make a card each morning while I am waiting for my oatmeal to cook. This means I have eight minutes to accomplish my mission. This also means I cannot over think during the process.
Here is the Halloween I made for my friend Barbara. She is my partner in crime. For the last couple of years, we have gotten together on Fridays to create Christmas gifts for our family and friends. The background paper and hand were from a trick or treat bag. Wish I had bought more than just one package. The bird and happy Halloween were from a package of stickers from JoAnn's for a dollar. Again, why didn't I buy more than one? I love the crow. The stars were from a punch and paper from a mail insert. The swirl is also a sticker. It was a fun filled 8 minutes! And more importantly, Barbara liked it.

Quilts Around the World

It just arrived! I can't wait to read it and share it. This amazing book, Quilts Around the World: The Story of Quilting from Alabama to Zimbabwe, by Spike Gillespie has two sections written by me. It was such an honor to be asked to contribute. I have one section on my travels to Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan and another on my work with the Latina community. I am in great company with Laurel Horton, Carolyn Mazloomi, Charlotte Pateria, Marsha MacDowell, Margaret Rolfe and Wendy Lugg also having written for the book. From first glance, this looks like a truly incredible resource. There are even quilt patterns. Another outstanding job done by Voyageur Press. Check it out!