The first page of the 2024 calendar has been turned, the groundhog did not see his shadow and time marches on... Amy Grant has a song about this topic - Our Time is Now
January, February, March,
The days are marching forward
April, May, June and July
They fly like a hummingbird
August, September, October
The year is almost over
November, December arrive
Another year, come and gone
Time is illusion
Time is a curse
Time is all these things and worse
But our time is now, ohhhhh
Yes, our time is now, ohhhhh
Let us sing before our time runs out.
Time didn't really run out in the studio this week but as the days ticked by... oh wait, that ticking I heard was really my machine. I am way late with a regular service cleaning and tune up (I am embarrassed to admit that it should have been last fall)... I have decided that it is vital for me to get it into the shop very soon. The only thing is... I'm not sure when that might happen.
The shop I rely upon is located 90 miles from me. In order to just drop off, it is a 1/2 day trip. And since you are driving such a distance, you take advantage of the opportunity to run errands to stores that are not available locally... It truly ends up taking an entire day.
This is 1/4 of the non-traditional layout which I will be using a Quilt-As-You-Go method for finishing it.
I'll have a little more time to finalize the patterns while my machine is enjoying its spa day and then I will "test" them as I piece blocks for a purple/lavender traditional sampler quilt.
Tentatively, I am looking at a kickoff of the sew along at the beginning of March, with patterns to be released every two weeks... taking us to nearly the end of the year.
Along with that sneaky-peeky I gave of the BQII, I offered an update to my slow-stitch paper embroidery. Since my machine is needing a spa day, I decided on Friday afternoon that I would devote a good portion of my weekend to this piece of artwork. Here's what I have done so far...
Dave had asked me.
"what are you going to do with it when you are done?"
Why do we have to have an answer to such a question???
Sometimes a project just satisfies the "create drive" that we all have.
Rarely does an avid reader get questioned of how much time they spend reading... or if they could have been doing something more productive...
Sometimes that "need to create" or try something new is a way of escaping... no different than reading a novel for the shear enjoyment of getting lost in "another world."
(Yes, Mom continues clearing out the various collections that she has or inherited.)
There are postcards from early 1900s through 2000. What a job. I found postcards I wrote to my parents when I visited Chicagoland for the first time with Dave to meet his family. I found cards sent to my mom while she was away at school for the short time that she went... I found cards sent from my Grandpa to my Grandma when he traveled for work... It was sort of family history lesson and trip down memory lane.
I have sorted out the antique (99+ years old) "greeting cards", vintage cards 50+ years old), local, Colorado, international, and National Parks cards and the rest have gone into "General." I am considering breaking the general collection down into more categories such as birds, animals, cactus and states... Only time will tell.
What a fun way to escape!
Time for you share your projects... but before you go,
Leave a comment that tells me one of your favorite ways to escape.
Keep Piecing,
Melva
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Sewing is definitely an escape for me! I love how you have to focus your brain on something, and can get away from things that are on your mind for a short time. I often get the same "what are you making that for?" question from my husband, and sometimes the answer is - because I want to!
ReplyDeleteThose blue blocks are just gorgeous! I find that blue is so soothing... I can't join in on Sew and Tell this week because I've only done secret sewing... but thanks for joining in on Monday This and That and I hope you have a great week! xx
ReplyDeleteOh Melva. I have been struggling these days. And then I see your Amy Grant lyrics and I have copied them down. I will try to sing. I will pray over this. Thank you so so much for being there today. You made a difference.
ReplyDeleteMay it bring great comfort to you. Thank you for sharing that I made a difference. Sometimes I wonder... Blessings!
DeleteWhile the machine is getting a spa day - you could too haha!! your creativity amazes me!
ReplyDeleteGreat suggestion. Thanks 😊
DeleteBeautiful blog
ReplyDeleteMy machine is very overdue for a spa day, so thank you for reminding me to get that done. Most of my projects are made because I just like them and want to make them, others have a set purpose (like a gift), but the ones I enjoy most are those that satisfies my "create drive" and the purpose of them will come to me later.
ReplyDeleteaawww I've gone thru my mom's postcard collection. I've gone thru her button collection. Then there was just misc. newspaper clippings, church papers etc. A lot of those were from my grandma.
ReplyDeleteReally loving your paper embroidery! So pretty. Thanks for sharing on my weekly show and tell, Wednesday Wait Loss. https://www.inquiringquilter.com/2024/02/07/wednesday-wait-loss-366
ReplyDeleteHi Melva, I used to have a pretty large postcard collection - I'm not sure what to do with them although occasionally I have cut out something that I can use on an art piece! Thanks for hosting.
ReplyDeleteLove the blue blocks! I agree, why should we have to answer a question like Dave posed? We just sometimes enjoy the creative process and try new things! It's really pretty. All of those post cards, WOW! We sent ourselves a post card when we went to Canada when we were married. It's in my book...I think! LOL Thanks for linking up with Monday Musings!!
ReplyDelete