A Day Well Spent

It was a well spent day!  with fellow ex-patchers; take some needles, fabrics,

a few quilts, some giggles, some belly laughs, a lot of hugs

and good conversation!

And you have just about the most perfect day there is!

Annette was picking up her freshly quilted top from Judy M

Soft steely grays in nine patch blocks

made for a wedding gift

So Annette--isn't it interesting how we lean to more colorways than others?

and a super backing--it also helps that Annette works at a quilt shop!

Judy M was working on these blocks

for this quilt top

a donation quilt for a friend-such soft muted colors

and wonderful quilting by Judy M

Always love seeing what Judy M has on her studio walls.

and displayed on her quilt racks

Linda has finished her 2015 Pat Sloan mystery quilt top--

she ad libbed for the borders.  She has that choice--after all 

it is her quilt. 

Annette was working on this shop sample--Darth Vader and

Star War fabrics

Sandy came in with a finished top--quilted and backed with flannel

All for her hubby--

Perfect baby gifts for our newest additions to the grandmother ranking

Sandy used some of her fancy machine stitching to give this bib some highlights!

and me, I was working on the binding of this orphan quilt.

Finished--what an accomplishment!

Friends, Fun, Stitching--what a way to spend the day!

I'm Zen~~~~~Tangling!

I'm ready!  I've been waiting for this day for some time--

I've had the book

and do some reading, but never took the time to jump right in!

Well, this is the day...................

Our weavers' study group had a class on Zentangle~~ing

We start with two steps--crescent moon (right) and hollibaugh tangle on the bottom

Next comes Tortuca on the top left and Knight's Bridge on bottom left.

I still have a space to fill BUT the class ended.

We put our tiles out for photos--everyone is different

Close-up--okay, I'm zen-ed out! Relaxed...................

I Heart This Day!

Valentine's Day is celebrated on February 14. It is a festival of romantic love and many people give cards, letters, flowers or presents to their spouse or partner. They may also arrange a romantic meal in a restaurant or night in a hotel. Common symbols of Valentine's Day are hearts, red roses and Cupid.

I

Roses!

I

Chocolate

Hope you have a good day!  And Receive what your

Desires!

Hattifant

Okay, I shouldn't be doing this!  But, I'm having way too much fun!

Take a look at these wonderful paper globes

and you too can make your very own!

Here

and not only can you make these globes

but you can make these 

Mandala Cards Pop Up Card “Fireworks” 3D Coloring – Pop Up Card “Make a Wish” … - 

and mandalendar-february-coloring-page

Only sorry I didn't find this blog in January-

I'm off to color and fold!

Vintage Hearts Galore!

Are you a thrift store shopper or antique junkie?  Do you search every little interesting store or shop you can find along the road to anywhere?

Here is a lovely way to stitch your vintage items into a heart felt

item for someone special.

Check out Elefantz's tutorial

and work up this to your heart's content!

Be Creative---

It seems 2016 is the year to be creative--or at least, I want to be more creative...............................
and what do you do to find more creativity, you search the web for inspiration.


Daisy Yellow Art has a great idea--ICAD--Index Card A Day!!  How hard can that be??  It sounds easy and I'm going to accept the challenge!  One index card a day for 60 days?  Whoa, I can do that!  The challenge on her website begins June 1-July 31, 2016.

Wait!  That's another few months away--what to do in the mean time? Check out her other suggestions:  Prompt 60

Ideas to practice now

Making Decisions!

How do you go about making decisions?  Doesn't matter how small or large decision--what is your process?  I've been working through a big decision (to me that is!).  I know, to you, this might just be a small thing--so you're going to shake your head.  But, we are remodeling our house--and the decisions are coming right and left--what color to paint this room?  What carpet? what flooring?
This is costing a load of $$$$--and my decisions now will live with us for another 20 years!

So, that's why I finally decided on wood flooring for my studio and there is no flooring down the hallway--and that's a whole new story, but now, I must decide on carpet!!  oh gee whiz!

I got to thinking there must be a 'ton' of information out there on making decisions

and Of Course, there are.........................

here are some ways the "experts" sort these things out---

REALLY?

1. Identify your goal. (This one was easy!)
As David Welch, PhD, professor of political science at the University of Waterloo in Ontario and author of Decisions, Decisions: The Art of Effective Decision Making, explains, "People who aren't self-reflective are going to end up making bad decisions because they don't really know what they want in the first place." Before you switch jobs, ask yourself: Do I really want a different career? Or do I just want a different boss? Don't make a decision based on the wrong problem. 

2. Eliminate choices by setting standards.  (No problem here--I'm limited by $$$$)
If you're trying to buy a digital camera, list the features you'll actually use. Any camera that has them is therefore good enough for you; ignore anything fancier. Speaking of which...

3. Don't worry about finding the "best." (What?!)
How good you feel about your decisions is usually more important than how good they are objectively.

4. Be aware of biases. (Okay, if you say so!)
They can lead smart people to make dumb decisions. For example: We hate to lose more than we like to win, which can result in behavior such as holding on to a tanking stock instead of accepting a loss. We remember vivid examples better than facts, which is why plane crashes stick in our heads more than statistics on air safety. And we're susceptible to how information is framed—a "cash discount" is more appealing than "no credit card surcharge." Keeping these biases in mind can help you think clearly.

5. Try not to rush. (Well, that's not been a factor--that's the reason everything has been moved into one room for a month--I did take time to drink a beer, take a nap, go for a walk, etc)
People tend to make poorer choices when they're in a bad mood or under a lot of stress. When facing a complex decision, use your conscious brain to gather the information you need, and then take a break. Go for a walk. Spend a half hour meditating. Take a nap. Have a beer. The idea is to give your unconscious mind some time to do its work. The decision you make afterward is more likely to be the right (or at least a perfectly acceptable) one. 

6. Don't sweat the small stuff. (Oh Come On!  Trying to work around boxes and furniture--honestly!)
When possible, eliminate the need for decisions by establishing rules for yourself. You will go to yoga every weekend. You will not have more than two glasses of wine. You will buy whatever toilet paper is on sale.

7. Do a post game analysis. (I'm ready to do that post game analysis--exactly, when will that be?)
After each decision you make, ask yourself how you felt afterward and what about the experience you can apply in the future.

Catherine Price is the author of 101 Places Not to See Before You Die (Harper Paperbacks).