Never Enough Hours in the Day

Sometimes I shake my head  at  my  kids when they say they're bored. When I was young and said the same thing, my mother used to tell me: "Only boring  people get bored."  So I grew up determined NOT to be bored, lest someone think me boring. When I worked full-time in an office while I was pregnant with my son, an older co-worker looked at me one day and smiled and said, "You'll never be bored again . . . ." Silly, I had no idea she meant I'd never have the time or leisure to be bored again.

If you're like me, you have your fingers in a few too many creative pots--you're not only a quilter, but you also crochet, knit, do needlework or paint, write, etc. There are so many projects I want to make, so many new hobbies I'd like to begin, so many ideas for books to write, so many quilts to finish. Many of us complain about having too many unfinished projects but aren't we all just a little lucky that we're creative enough to have so many projects we want to complete? Finding the time to finish what I start  is challenging for me most days. But since I started quilting I really got in touch with my creative self and I can honestly say I'm never bored. Quilting will do that for you.

After all these years I'm still learning to come to grips with the fact that there are just not enough hours in the day to do all the things I love . . . and still balance family, friends, work and hobbies. And also cook and clean and garden and exercise and just plain take care of myself and those I love. How do so many of you have time to make all the beautiful quilts and crafts you make?

I rarely become bored with quilting but sometimes I become a little too stressed about the "work" and that takes away from the creating, so then I need a break. I've been working hard on the Doll Quilt Club lately, trying to get everything done in time. I hope you all like the new pattern, which should be arriving at your doors soon. After I mailed them out yesterday, instead of jumping right into the next one, I decided I needed a break and pulled out my bead box. I'll start in on # 4 just as soon as I make myself something pretty to wear . . .

Making jewelry is often just as relaxing as quilting I've found. My bead collection is not quite as large as my fabric collection and the beads don't take up as much space, thank goodness. Playing with beads takes me back to my Crayola days. I remember taking the crayons out and drawing with them, one at a time, or sometimes two at a time, over and over, stimulated by the colors. Like playing with fabric, just a great creative outlet. And if you actually get to wear the things you've made, it makes you feel even better!

A good friend taught me to make jewelry after I admired some of her handmade pieces. One day she pulled out her "bead cart" that was hidden away in the closet and showed me all of her various beads and the necklaces and bracelets she'd made from them over the years.  Then she said, "Shhh. My husband has no idea." A closet bead-aholic after my own heart!

I have to buy countless boxes of of these candies just to get the tins so I have someplace to put the beads you know . . . .

 

If you love quilting and playing with color and haven't tried making jewelry yet, I can tell you it's extremely  relaxing and great creative fun! 

I made a scrappy necklace yesterday, just for myself. Like my quilts, it has all the colors I love!

I spotted someone wearing one like it on TV last week  as I was flipping through the channels and hid it in the back of my head until I had some free time. Can't remember the show, just wanted the simple beaded necklace she was wearing.

Then I decided I needed to display it with some of the others I made so I could see them, instead of keeping them hidden in a drawer. This little birds on a branch decorative hook is perfect. I bought it a few years ago because it was so sweet and haven't been able to find a good place for it until now. I saw this in a decorating book once . . . Wonder if my husband will notice it on the bedroom wall??
 

  

Funny, but now both of my kids are taking Drawing in school this semester - one in high school and the other in college. And I didn't even suggest it, I swear. I'm happy they're doing something creative for fun and I hope they find that they never become bored doing creative things. Of course, if it turns out they do, there's always a puppy to play with. You're never really bored when you have a puppy. Trust me.