Morning Glory Studio

unraveled wednesday | a menagerie and more ...

 

 
(yellow st st =  poncho)

Monday evening, I  completed a fourth Top This Hat and have two more in the wings: one for a little girl who was born three months premature but is now at home, a whole month ahead of schedule! Friends and I are planning a surprise shower for her grandmother, who is the baby's  middle name sake and the grandma's first grandchild. We'll do this when I return from my trip...The other hat is a Christmas elf...all are good knitting practice and an easy pickup during the evening news or a medical appointment wait...

Several years ago, in 2015, to be exact, I started a Churchmouse Classics Easy Folded Poncho (for me). I made pretty good progress with it...just plain StSt. I guess I got bored and ignored it...you know, just plain StSt...but yet, good practice and an easy pickup during the evening news or a medical appointment wait... Monday, I finished the main portion and today, I blocked it. Next, I will seam and then, add the cowl. I think I'll take this to Oregon...that is where it began.

Over the past few days, I also inventoried my knitting stash and PiPs;  I selected about 4-5 projects to complete and/or start...

Being a big Gretchen Rubin fan, I of course pre-ordered her newest book: The Four Tendencies, published/arrived yesterday. I have not begun reading it yet...working on clearing a few items on my docket, still. The book is definitely going along on my trip. Mornings find me writing, my memory joggled by Natalie Goldberg's Old Friend from Far Away. And Inspector Gamache is right on the scene, working on solving the latest mystery in The Cruelest Month  - which I'm still reading, albeit slowly.

And that's the way it is this Wednesday 13 September. Again, I'm joining Kat and others for Unraveled Wednesday. Do hop over and see what others are unraveling. And you?

Cheers~

 

ten on tuesday | "if wishes were horses...

 

(Laurel Burch fabric)

…beggars would ride"

    In one of my bins of PiPs (projects in progress…or not) I have a piece of fabric designed by the late Laurel Burch…for years, I've had this idea in the back of my mind to create some type of art quilt using this snippet of fabric as the springboard/touchstone for my inspiration. I only remember that when I accidentally run across the fabric while looking for something else, of course.

And I'm suspect that many of you have similar ideas and inspirations. Since this is the beginning of the new year 2016, most of us, in some form or other, have been looking at our previous year's record and assessing what and/or how we want to make a difference this time around. Not a resolution per se but a different, new/better than before approach to living a life of fulfillment and meaning. I have and am venturing on a year-long project designed to strengthen my creative habit (more on this in a future post).

Today's Ten on Tuesday prompt is the perfect entrée for launching how I plan to accomplish my different habit/s and achieve FLOW - one of my 2016 words (Yes, I said word with an “S”…but more on that in another post). Carole invited us to share what we wanted More or Less of, so here's my take:

1. Less wishing, planning, daydreaming/ More doing. I have a tendency to over plan and over schedule my days.
2. Less sitting/More walking and standing. My daily goal is to log 5K steps or at least average that over the week and eventually work up to 10K by year's end.
3. Less Yes/More No! I am easily wooed by bright shiny objects (aka as ideas and inspiration) which results in over-programmed agendas and sometimes unnecessary spending and overcommitment. If I say NO more, than I'm in a better position to chalk up
4. Less UFOs, over-scheduling/someday-maybe/More Getting It Done Today !

All of which I expect to result in
5. Less going down rabbit holes/More FLOW! ... and even an art quilt featuring the Laurel Burch horses.

Ride anyone?

What's on your Less/More list for 2016?

Cheers~

LSNED* | September 4-7...

Kayla the Riveter

 

        Much of my weekend was spent continuing my quest to clear and reorganize my space - both both inner and outer, with the bulk of my energies directed to the outer…or as Gretchen (Rubin) is fond of saying: "Outer order brings inner calm." 

Friday 4 Sept: I continued with my plans and quest to bring order to our space - even tho' it seems to be a never-ending quest. My focus was in the workspace I dub Studio B: that is where I have the computer and paper stuff: planners, journals - both  current  and from years gone by - photos; art supplies; scrapbook albums in various stages of incompleteness…This room holds many memories and the stories of my life in this house for nearly thirty years. When I create: paint; make scrapbook layouts, I stand up. And for awhile, I was also standing up when on the computer. I decided to resume the latter and bought a new stool that I spent several hours in the AM assembling…to no avail. And so, I had Norman bring up one of the stools from the kitchen counter for temporary use, perhaps permanently; who knows. Bottom line: this one works and certainly matches the décor.  Lesson for the day: Orderliness enables me to focus on desires and intent…and make do with what you have.

Saturday  5  Sept:  We rolled right through our morning chores: the monthly trip to the city's transfer station (aka as the dump) to have papers shredded and electrical items and batteries  hazardous waste items such as paint and yard waste: limbs, shrubbery, etc collected; then to the grocery store. I found myself reattaching my new table legs. They were uneven thus causing the table to be lopsided, tipsy (so that's what happened to that champagne!). I'd discovered this Friday evening and decided it was just better for me to walk away and wait til the next day to approach the problem. With Norman's problem-solving skills and helping-hands assistance, we got the legs even and the table upright and steady! Lesson for the day: Anything is possible with a clear head and a rested body!

Sunday 6  Sept: Today, my niece Cissy  - my grand nieces' mom - came to pickup the furniture we gave her: two couches and my computer desk. While my niece was returning the U-Haul van, I went to her new apartment (within walking distance to Kayla's new high school) to set up the computer table, supplies in hand. With my grand niece Kayla's able assistance …and a power screwdriver…we got the table reassembled with aplomb. Shortly there after, Cissy arrived with a tale that fortunately had a very good ending: As she was putting gas in the rental, someone tried to steal her purse from the van. Luckily, she saw what was about to happen and shouted at him…he, of course, ran off. Crime thwarted and she wasn't hurt, thankfully. Lesson for the day: There are all sorts of annoyances in everyday life; occasionally, something truly extraordinary occurs that puts everything in perspective.  

Monday 7 Sept - Labor Day: I decided to treat myself to coffee at Zeke's. I'd not been all week  - too hot - and this morning's  temperature at 7 am: a cool 64 degrees and it was sunny. Great weather for an early morning walk and for sitting outside with a good cuppa joe. Left home about 8:15 am and returned about 9:50 am: showered, dressed, loaded the washing machine, b'fast with Norman. 12N: In the studio, preparing to spend the afternoon STITCHing on the Flower Garden border. My friend pat and I often spend one weekend day stitching together - via telephone (don't know why we don't use FaceTime or Skype - must discuss that with her). We touch base about every hour or so, sharing progress made and actions for the next  hour; we get a lot accomplished. During our first hour, we started talking about our upcoming Baltimore Album Quilt class. When we hung up, I started looking for my book and notes. Couldn't find them. And I looked. Thinking: Had I, in my clearing and reorganizing zeal thrown the notebook away?! Nah! So, I retraced my searching steps and whew! found the missing items…where I thought I'd put them:  in my new white cart with the  fabrics for the quilt…all organized ;-)). Of course, I'd overlooked them…but I really think it was the Time Thieves who moved them by mistake, realized their folly  and  quickly, put the items back! I proceeded with my stitching, made progress, though not as much as I'd anticipated, but I am getting closer to finishing the border. I took inventory of what I've left to do - and all in all, pleased with the energies expended.  Lesson for the day: Keep calm and STITCH on.

And that's the way it was for this long holiday weekend. Hello Monday and I'm looking forward to this day's and week's lessons. How was your weekend? Any revelations? Lessons learned? 

Have a great day!

Cheers~

 

slightly better than before*...

 

(me on left, Michael our discussion leader & Gretchen on right; photo taken of computer screen) 

*...or an update on habit building

    For the past month, I've participated in a Better Than Before virtual book discussion group.  We met weekly via a technology called zoom meeting plus we had a private social media platform. Last night, our last session, included a face-to-face group in San Francisco; those of us scattered around the country online and Gretchen Rubin in her New York City home office.

For the past two weeks, we have each been focusing on actually building a habit: the plan was to select a habit, begin to implement it and report on Fridays our progress - or not. We recorded our desired habit and established the process we planned to use on a spreadsheet and then marked the categories: green- in process; yellow-no change in status; and red: no action/progress. 

As you know, I greet each day with my  MSQT (morning solitude and quiet time) routine; I write about it often. During MSQT, I read, journal, eat breakfast, plan my day's activities and really enjoy that time. Recently, I added my drawing/seeing exercise. I have been wanting to carry the MSQT experience to Morning Glory Studio (my name for my sewing room, too)  because I want to spend more time quilting and stitching.

It's a rare morning that circumstances - such as being on travel - preclude my engaging in MSQT; that is not always the case with having morning time in the studio. But what seemed to be more the obstacle was ending MSQT. How? When? What could be my trigger or signal that  would make it easy for me to transition to the studio? 

I thought about and tried an alarm, a set time, an "after I…" and none seemed to flow naturally, easily ~ though I hasten to add that I was indeed spending, on average, 2-3 hours a day in the studio, once I got settled in. But getting there was feeling forced. The transition was unnatural, riddled with the feeling of obligation and questioning: I want to do this but I also need to do thus and so...

I shared my conundrum with Gretchen, asking specifically for other ideas that I could try that would help me make the transition from MSQT to MGST (morning glory studio time) smoother. She suggested that I review/try other strategies such as monitoring, pairing, accountability, scheduling, etc.

This morning, I thought some more about the strategies and my feelings. I enjoy being in the studio and I don't like ending MSQT (tho', alas, I know I must and do). And then it hit me like a brick: I don't have to end MSQT! I am just moving (it and me) to another location!

And so I made myself another cup of tea, gathered up my belongings and made it up the stairs to the studio. Yesterday, I'd emptied a cabinet of fabric and left it piled on the ironing board; this morning, I weeded the fabrics I didn't want to keep and then got ready to go run some errands. I enjoyed my time in my studio, sorting through the fabrics and few incomplete projects - renewing my memory, thoughts and commitment about them…Even tho' my time was abbreviated today, I finished up feeling that I am on the right track…at last. 

Watch this space for an update in a few weeks. 

Have you read or are you reading Better Than Before? Have you or are you establishing a new habit? If so, how's it going?

 

Cheers~

PS. I'll be back Monday - it's the 25th! Have a great weekend !

 

learning to 'see'...

        For several days in April, before the Quilt Show and my trip to Oregon, I added a new activity to MSQT: learning how to see, aka drawing. I was able to do a little seeing on my trip and since my return home, I've resumed the practice. I find it very fulfilling and as I flip through my seeing journal, I'm pleased with the results…mostly the fact that a) I've been practicing and b) I am learning the areas I need to shore up. Believe it or not, paper plates are a challenge (I'll share more on that in a future post). 

This morning, I decided to see the tools currently on my daily MSQT agenda: 

• drawing pad and drawing pencils
• iPhone (to take photos)*
• iPad (for DayONE  and COLLECT chronicling)
• book/s that I am reading/re-reading
• my Circa notebook (where I generally journal my daily rock response )

And just for fun! I also thought I'd Waterlogue the photo:

Back Sunday! May 10th and Mothers' Day!

Cheers~

 

*The above photo is missing the iPhone cause I needed it to take the picture ;-)) 

Better Than Before...

Tuesday, 31 March 2015

My day began a tad earlier 'cause I had a full and exciting agenda:

•  3 PM - A manicure/pedicure at Elizabeth Arden's Red Door Spa in the Willard Hotel
• 7 PM - Gretchen Rubin Better Than Before Presentation & BookSigning

I piddled around in the morning, beginning with my usual MSQT. About 11:30 am, started to get ready: 

First up: decide what to wear. what's the temp like? tho' sunny, a tad cool so reported my personal meteorologist, Norman. too cool for just a jacket, so  coat and carry a lightweight jacket; jeans - easy to roll up legs for pedicure and comfy.

Next: what to take* with me:

• my book, of course!
•  iPad & iPhone, of course;
• CJP (planner/journal); pens, etc, of course;
• copy of online ticket receipt- most definitely!

When to leave?

• check Metro bus/rail online for schedule + itinerary (walking distance/time to my destinations );
• oops: check weather forecast: possible rain in late afternoon…take umbrella, too. 

Armed with all that information, I next ironed my jeans, showered, dressed and left the house about 12:55 pm to catch the 1:10 pm bus. The bus stop is just about a half block away…arrived there in plenty of time with just a short wait.

Metro rail station is just 6 blocks - on a tad warmer day and with less of a load, I might've walked - and when we arrived, once in the station, I had no wait for a train, at all: by the time I arrived on the platform, the train was arriving too! Within 10 minutes, I was downtown Washington DC and on my way to my first destination: my 3 PM pamper session at the Red Door Spa.

 

With some time before my appointment, I decide to eat lunch at the restaurant in the JW Marriott Hotel, Marriott's flagship hotel and across the street from the Willard. I chose a window seat so I could see the tourists and tour buses on Pennsylvania Avenue, ordered and enjoyed a delicious bowl of crab+corn chowder. Just enough to fill me up.

Next stop the Willard! When I entered the hotel, I was greeted with the most pleasant aroma and sight: majestic floral arrangements sprinkled throughout the lobby! Being a typical resident of a tourist attraction (i.e., Washington DC), I can't say I've visited all the city's attractions…so I was quite smitten with the sensory experience: the sight, the smell, the sounds of people attending to their own personal agendas, etc. 

At the Red Door Spa, I waited about 10 minutes before my manicurist was ready for me. Once seated, the pampering began, accompanied by classical music. Totally relaxing; totally relaxed. Nirvana.

I left the Willard about 4:45 PM -  on to my final destination: Historic Sixth & I Synagogue in Washington DC's Chinatown. It's rush hour now so the the streets and Metro stations are teeming and bustling with not only tourists but also residents, leaving work, going home or out to dinner or coming to the Verizon Center for a Washington Capitals' hockey game.

I arrived at the Metro station with plenty of time for the short walk to the venue - about 2 blocks - and waited outside in a slight rain til the doors opened at 6PM to pick up will call tickets.

The synagogue has quite an interesting history and is now a cultural center as well as a place of worship. As the time passed til the program's 7 PM start, the pews began to fill and soon, the sound of people's voices filled the room. To make book signing easier, event staff wrote our names on sticky notes (color coded by arrival times. Mine was yellow for early) to facilitate the book signing.

And then it was 7 PM! Let the magic begin!

Gretchen is true to her first rule of adulthood: Be Gretchen!

• Her voice - you can hear it on her newly created podcast;
• Her appearance: she looks like her pictures, no doubt there;
• Her presentation content, delivery, just like her prose: interesting, insightful, reflective, engaging…and
• Her fun sense of humor, a tad crafty, contemporary and down-to- earth is the best way I can describe it!

We all sat riveted to our seats, soaking all-in her every word. 

After her prepared talk - modeled I'm sure after her TED Talks, she entertained about a dozen questions. They ranged from requests for personal help, as “how can I best establish…?” to "impact gender might have on some of her conclusions, for instance?"  I like that she grounds her answers in her research.

And then, it was about 8 PM, time to sign books. Very orderly, we grouped ourselves in the line … a long one…and waited for our turn to share a few words individually as she signed our books. I said to her that I had a hundred questions to ask; she replied: "Many will probably be answered when you read the book." To which I responded: "Oh, I have already! Finished it about a week ago! " "You have?!" she exclaimed.

I arrived home about 9:15 PM, totally  pleased with the day. I plan to reread the book more slowly this time around, starting this weekend. And later in the month, I am participating in a 4-weeks' online book discussion group. I am curious about it.

I'm sure that I will be sharing lots more about Better Than Before - my insights, lessons learned and my efforts to create habits that work for me.

Begin Now! as Gretchen signed the book. to be continued...

Cheers~

*In my part of the country - midwest Michigan/Illinois/Ohio - we always used the word take rather than bring. Just a little trivia.