It has been so good to spend concentrated time in my studio this week. I have managed to get a lot of things finished which in turn has let my brain open up and have some space to think about some other things that I want to try. The pressure has been eased up and I don't feel like I am in a pressure cooker ready to pop the lid. I was always afraid of pressure cookers when I was younger for the fear that they would explode so you can imagine the strain of trying to keep your head from exploding can be. I feel that I am in a good place now with the items that I have ready for the craft sale in December and I can play with some of the other ideas that I wanted to do if I had the time, not bad since it is only the 2nd of Nov. I have plenty of time to play.

I finished quilting another table runner yesterday, I love the quilting motif. I used a frame from one of my stencils and then I divided the areas up and conquered each area seperately, like Irena Bhlum taught us.

Isn't the quilting pretty? I was totally improvising as I went along. I listened to how the piece wanted to be quilted and I think it all ties in nicely. I just love it when that happens. I stitched the binding on this one and another turquoise one I had ready. I also finished up the little winter snow scene wallhanging.

I added some embroidery stitches a la Laura Wasilowski style to the trees and the house then finished it with her wrapped binding technique. This was a block that I had started years ago and just never got excited with how it was going. I knew I wasn't going to do the whole quilt of the different houses from the pattern this came from so in my attempt to finish my UFO's I decided it could be a little holiday wallhanging all on its own. We don't have to let those projects go that we lost motivation to finish in the way we had initially intended. Look at them with fresh eyes and see what they can become now. Maybe you don't want to make 15 more blocks that would finish off that quilt you started 10 years ago but you can take what you have already done and create some pillow covers with them or perhaps add them to the back of a quilt that you are lacking enough fabric for. Think of things in a different context. Could that lone block become a pocket on a tote bag? What can you do to finish up a piece that you have lost interest in? Can you cut it up randomly and sew it back together? How can you make something that you started 10 years ago fit into your style now? How can you make it new and exciting? These are things that I have been asking myself and trying to come up with ideas for fresh new projects. Perhaps that is because I am reading the book Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain or it could be from watching Project Runway or it could be the combination of the two. It never hurts to look at things with fresh eyes and a desire to try to do something in a different way. Most of all, don't let fear stop you. Ask yourself, what would be the worst thing that would happen if you failed at trying this new "thing"? Would you waste a few materials? Yes maybe? Would you waste a little bit of time? Probably. Would you blow up the world? No, of course not. Would "they" send you to jail? No, not unless you were trying to blow up the world. Do you see what I am trying to say? It is not the end of the world if you fail the first time or it is not as "good" as you wanted it to be. We all fell down while we were learning to walk. We all got bumps and bruises but we kept going. Why are we so afraid to take creative steps forward? I am going to go to my studio now and I am going to play with some fabric and other supplies and see what I can come up with. I hope you will take the time to think about taking some creative steps forward. It could be in anything, like cooking, baking, writing, painting, writing a song. There are so many creative outlets out there. Find something that speaks to you and persue it. Don't let fear hold you back and don't let any other excuse stop you. Be bold, be brave and most of all enjoy yourself.

Have a wonderful day and find what makes your heart sing.